bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Palaeoenvironments and elemental geochemistry across the Permian–Triassic boundary at Ursula Creek, British Columbia, Canada, and a comparison with some other deep‐water Permian–Triassic boundary shelf/slope sections in western North America
Authors: Brookfield Michael E. , Stebbins Alan G. , Williams Jeremy C. , Hannigan Robyn E.
Published: March 2022

The Permian–Triassic boundary sediments at Ursula Creek accumulated in a continental shelf basin, or on the continental slope of the western Canadian passive margin, at 30°N palaeolatitude along the eastern Panthalassic Ocean margin. The area lay within the cold northerly ocean currents at the junction of westerly and north‐easterly trade wind belts, the latter causing summer coastal upwelling. The shift from uppermost Permian grey radiolarian cherts and grey shales to lowermost Triassic grey and black shales and fine‐grained dolomites is typical of deep‐water Panthalassic sediments. The palaeogeographical situation and palaeoenvironments are comparable to those of the present Canadian north‐western Pacific margin. The Ursula Creek section reveals the progressive decline of seafloor oxygen values in the Changhsingian Stage), followed by the persistent development of euxinic conditions in the latest Changhsingian and throughout the Early Triassic; a transition that coincides with the disappearance of a siliceous sponge fauna and the loss of diverse radiolarian populations. Much of the detrital sediment was supplied by summer north‐east Trade winds from the deserts of western North America, although variable amounts may have come across the Panthalassic Ocean as dust from contemporary volcanic eruptions. Relative palaeoproductivity changes show no consistent change in productivity across the Permian–Triassic boundary producing results that are comparable with those from the similar Opal Creek section to the south‐east. The Ni/Co, Cu/Zn, U/Al and Th/U ratios indicate variable redox conditions in all sections, but with a tendency for oxic conditions to change to dysoxic across the Permian–Triassic boundary. The lack of consistent element geochemical changes across the boundary accompanied by significant isotopic changes, here and elsewhere, suggests that atmospheric and oceanic chemistry rather than physical changes, like provenance and sea‐level changes, drove Permian–Triassic environmental changes and extinctions.
Macrophage plasticity as a therapeutic target in tuberculosis
Authors: Arish Mohd , Naz Farha
Published: March 2022

The macrophages contribute to host defense against intracellular pathogens such as mycobacteria. Mycobacteria interact with macrophages altering their polarization state, which propagates establishment of infection. Thus, molecular macrophage properties in mycobacterial infections are critical both for understanding the biology of the infections as well as identifying therapeutic targets. Here, we review recent advances in the understanding how altered macrophage polarization in mycobacterial infections may lead to the design of targeted therapies that may reprogram these macrophages for enhanced mycobactericidal function.
Seismic rocking simulation of unreinforced masonry parapets and façades using the discrete element method
Authors: Galvez Francisco , Sorrentino Luigi , Dizhur Dmytro , Ingham Jason M.
Published: March 2022

When subjected to high‐intensity out‐of‐plane seismic loading that results in the threshold value of static stability being exceeded, unreinforced masonry parapets and façades form mechanisms that exhibit rigid body rocking motion before collapse. The discrete element method was used to perform rocking simulations which were compared to experimental observations and analytical models to obtain relationships that enable the stiffness proportional Rayleigh damping parameter (β) to be estimated from the coefficient of restitution. The seismic performance of parapets and façades was compared using incremental dynamic analysis, and similar performance was observed between the compared models, confirming the validity of the developed expressions to obtain β. The gap size generated after failure between the façade and the return wall was parametrized and the outcome revealed the hazardous situation that arises when the connectivity between the uncollapsed façade and the adjacent return walls is damaged during an earthquake. Pulse‐like accelerations, generally associated with near‐fault earthquakes, caused collapse of parapets and façades at substantially lower accelerations when compared to earthquakes with oscillations that were evenly distributed in time. It was concluded that when assessing the seismic vulnerability of a rocking façade located near a fault, a capacity equal to that of a free‐standing block should be used, validating the assumption made in some seismic assessment guidelines of not considering the effect of return walls when assessing the façade capacity. For façades located far from a fault a range of earthquakes that represent the site conditions needs to be included in any dynamic capacity assessment.
The influence of the vertical component of ground motion on the probabilistic treatment of the rocking response of free‐standing blocks
Authors: Lachanas Christos G. , Vamvatsikos Dimitrios , Vassiliou Michalis F.
Published: March 2022

The influence of the vertical component of ground motion is investigated for assessing the distribution of the seismic response of unanchored rigid blocks. Multiple stripes of site‐hazard‐consistent ground motions are employed for calculating the seismic response of rigid rocking blocks with and without the inclusion of the vertical component. The comparison of the resulting response is being made both for single records and full suites, employing a paired record versus an ensemble‐statistics comparison, respectively. It is shown that on a single record basis, the vertical component may have a non‐negligible but highly variable influence on the rocking response, sometimes detrimental, sometimes beneficial. Still, when considering any large ensemble of records, the effect becomes statistically insignificant, except for the very specific case of rocking uplift for stocky blocks. To this end, for cases where the appearance of uplift is associated with damage, closed‐form expressions are proposed to modify the lognormal fragility function of rocking initiation given the block slenderness and the ratio of the peak vertical over the peak horizontal ground acceleration.
Study on mechanical model and shaking table test of spherical tank rolling isolation
Authors: Lyu Yuan , Sun Jiangang , Li Zhuohua , Teng Jun , Cui Lifu , Cheng Lihua
Published: March 2022

This paper proposed a spherical tank rolling isolation structural system assembled by the spherical tank, I‐steel ring beam and rolling isolation devices, and carried out the corresponding mechanical model research and shaking table test. First, a restoring force model for rolling isolation device with symmetrical concave surface was introduced. Based on the restoring force model and potential fluid theory, a mechanical model considering the interaction of fluid, support and rolling isolation layer was established. Numerical analysis results show that the rolling isolation reduction ratio always remains high at different liquid level heights. Shaking table tests were carried out to study the damping performance of the spherical tank rolling isolation structural system, and to provide verification for the established mechanical model. Test results showed that the seismic response of the spherical tank rolling isolation structural system was much lower than that of the nonisolated spherical tank. The reduction ratio of acceleration and support deformation can reach 56% to 82%, which greatly reduced the risk of structural failure. In addition, the calculated results of the mechanical model were in good agreement with the test results.
Surface Functionalized MXenes for Wastewater Treatment—A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Damptey Lois , Jaato Bright N. , Ribeiro Camila Silva , Varagnolo Silvia , Power Nicholas P. , Selvaraj Vimalnath , Dodoo‐Arhin David , Kumar R. Vasant , Sreenilayam Sithara Pavithran , Brabazon Dermot , Kumar Thakur Vijay , Krishnamurthy Satheesh
Published: March 2022

Over 80% of wastewater worldwide is released into the environment without proper treatment. Whilst environmental pollution continues to intensify due to the increase in the number of polluting industries, conventional techniques employed to clean the environment are poorly effective and are expensive. MXenes are a new class of 2D materials that have received a lot of attention for an extensive range of applications due to their tuneable interlayer spacing and tailorable surface chemistry. Several MXene‐based nanomaterials with remarkable properties have been proposed, synthesized, and used in environmental remediation applications. In this work, a comprehensive review of the state‐of‐the‐art research progress on the promising potential of surface functionalized MXenes as photocatalysts, adsorbents, and membranes for wastewater treatment is presented. The sources, composition, and effects of wastewater on human health and the environment are displayed. Furthermore, the synthesis, surface functionalization, and characterization techniques of merit used in the study of MXenes are discussed, detailing the effects of a range of factors (e.g., PH, temperature, precursor, etc.) on the synthesis, surface functionalization, and performance of the resulting MXenes. Finally, the limits of MXenes and MXene‐based materials as well as their potential future research directions, especially for wastewater treatment applications are highlighted.
A nonlinear dynamic factor model of health and medical treatment
Authors: Peracchi Franco , Rossetti Claudio
Published: March 2022

Quantitative assessments of the relationship between health and medical treatment are of great importance to policy makers. To overcome endogeneity problems we formulate and estimate a tractable dynamic factor model where observed health outcomes are driven by the individual's latent health. The dynamics of latent health reflects both exogenous health deterioration and endogenous health investments. Our model allows us to investigate the effect of medical treatment on current health, as well as on future medical treatment and health outcomes. We estimate the model by maximum simulated likelihood and minimum distance methods using a rich longitudinal data set from Italy obtained by merging a number of administrative archives. These data contain detailed information on medical drug purchase, hospitalization, and mortality for a representative sample of elderly hypertensive patients. Our findings show that the observed autocorrelation in medical treatment reflects both permanent and time‐varying observed and unobserved heterogeneity. They also show that medical drug purchase significantly maintains future health levels and prevents transitions to worse health. This suggests that policies aimed at increasing the awareness and the compliance of hypertensive patients help reduce cardiovascular risks and consequent hospitalization and mortality.
Tropicalisation of epidemiological models in Africa: A mixed and hybrid approach to better predict COVID‐19 indicators
Authors: Diouf Massamba , Fournier‐Tombs Eléonore , Maiga Abdine , Lb Faye Sylvain
Published: March 2022

Context

Since the outbreak of the SARS‐COV2 epidemic turned into a COVID‐19 pandemic, international bodies such as the WHO as well as governments have announced projections for morbidity and mortality indicators related to COVID‐19. Most of them indicated that the health situation would be worrying.

Although using artificial intelligence with mathematical algorithms and/or neural networks, the results of the SIR models were poorly performing and not very accurate in relation to the observed reality in the African states in general and in Senegal in particular. Hence the imperative need to configure the modelling process and approach considering local contexts.

Method

The model implemented is a mixed prediction model based on the Bucky model developed by OCHA and adapted to the context.

The construction of the mixed model was done in two steps (basic model with publicly available data, such as those from United Nations‐like organisations such as OCHA or WHO for Senegal), (adding more specific data collected through the mixed epidemiological survey). This survey was conducted in Senegal in six localities (Dakar, Thies, Diourbel, Kedougou, Saint‐Louis and Ziguinchor) chosen according to the number of confirmed cases of COVID‐19. In total, 1000 individuals distributed in proportion to the size of the regions were interviewed in April 2021.

Results

The projected cases in the baseline model were already considerably higher than the cases reported in April. This may be plausible, given the low detection rates throughout Senegal during this period. However, the hybrid model predicted an even higher infection rate than the baseline, perhaps mainly due to vulnerability related to food insecurity and solid cooking fuels. This may mean that there would be more unreported cases than reported. Overall, the mortality rate of both models would be considerably lower than the government‐reported mortality rate, even though the number of confirmed cases remains high. This may be an underestimate of the death rate.

Conclusion

An accurate and reliable prediction in times of epidemics and/or pandemics, such as COVID‐19, should be based on mixed or hybrid data integrating a quantitative and qualitative approach to enable better policymaking. The projections resulting from this approach would still be effective and would take better account of local realities and contexts, especially for developing countries.
Factors associated with burnout among medical laboratory professionals in Ontario, Canada: An exploratory study during the second wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Nowrouzi‐Kia Behdin , Dong Jingwen , Gohar Basem , Hoad Michelle
Published: March 2022

Objective

The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with burnout among medical laboratory technologists (MLT) in Ontario, Canada during the second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Methods

We employed a cross‐sectional design and used a self‐reported questionnaire designed for MLT in Ontario, Canada.

Results

There were 441 (47.5% response rate) MLT who were included in the analytic sample. Most of the respondents were women, with a mean age of 43.1 and a standard deviation of 11.7. The prevalence of experiencing burnout was 72.3% for MLT. In the adjusted demographic model, those ≥50 (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.22–0.59) were 0.36 or about one third as likely to experience burnout as those under 50. Similarly, those who held a university degree were less likely to experience burnout compared with high school degree (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15–0.79). In the adjusted occupational model, high quantitative demands (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.21–3.88), high work pace (OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.25–3.98), high job insecurity (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.39–4.82), high work life conflict (OR = 5.08, 95% CI: 2.75–9.64) and high job satisfaction (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.20–0.88), high self‐rated health (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17–0.56) were significant.

Conclusion

This study provides preliminary evidence regarding the factors associated with burnout in MLT. Additional research is needed to understand their relationship with workers health and well‐being and in the delivery of health services.
Healthcare utilization among older Brazilians during the COVID‐19 pandemic: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Ageing‐COVID‐19 initiative
Authors: Macinko James , V. Seixas Brayan , Woolley Natalia Oliveira , Lima‐Costa Maria Fernanda
Published: March 2022

Background

As the COVID‐19 pandemic progresses, understanding its sustained impact on healthcare access and utilization represents a vital task for decision‐makers and health systems. This study investigates how three aspects of health care utilization (i.e., consultations for COVID‐19 related symptoms, cancelation of previously scheduled care and hospitalisation in the past 30 days) relate to individual and municipal factors in a nationally‐representative sample of Brazilians aged 50 and over.

Methods

Data were obtained for 6584 participants from the second wave of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSI‐Brazil in Portuguese) who were administered supplemental telephone interviews between September and October 2020. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and multivariate analysis using survey‐weighted Poisson regression were applied to evaluate all three outcomes of interest (consultation, care cancelation, and hospitalisation). Predicted probabilities were also calculated to understand the overall effect of relevant covariates.

Results

Women were 76% less likely to seek care for COVID‐19 symptoms (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.24, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.10, 0.53) and 82% more likely to have healthcare cancelled due to the pandemic (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.43, 2.33) than men. Those who live in municipalities with low coverage (<40%) of community‐based primary care (the Family Health Strategy) were more likely (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.00, 3.22) to be hospitalised for any reason in the past 30 days and more likely to experience healthcare cancelation (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.01, 2.02). Living in the Southeast and Midwest regions was associated with 62% and 78%, respectively, lower odds of previously scheduled care being cancelled due to the pandemic, in comparison to the North region (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.21, 0.67, and OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.14, 0.36). Living in the Southeast region was associated with over 7.61 higher odds of having sought care for COVID‐19‐related symptoms, relative to those living in the North (OR = 7.61, 95% CI = 2.16, 26.85).

Conclusion

Results highlight the uneven impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on health care utilization between males and females, and across Brazilian municipalities and regions.
Preexisting Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Blunts the Development of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis
Authors: Rios‐Arce Naiomy D , Murugesh Deepa K , Hum Nicholas R , Sebastian Aimy , Jbeily Elias H , Christiansen Blaine A , Loots Gabriela G
Published: March 2022

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) affects 9.5% of the population. T1DM is characterized by severe insulin deficiency that causes hyperglycemia and leads to several systemic effects. T1DM has been suggested as a risk factor for articular cartilage damage and loss, which could expedite the development of osteoarthritis (OA). OA represents a major public health challenge by affecting 300 million people globally, yet very little is known about the correlation between T1DM and OA. In addition, current studies that have looked at the interaction between diabetes mellitus and OA have reported conflicting results with some suggesting a positive correlation whereas others did not. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether T1DM exacerbates the development of spontaneous OA or accelerates the progression of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) after joint injury. Histological evaluation of T1DM and control joints determined that T1DM mice displayed cartilage degeneration measurements consistent with mild OA phenotypes. RNA sequencing analyses identified significantly upregulated genes in T1DM corresponding to matrix‐degrading enzymes known to promote cartilage matrix degradation, suggesting a role of these enzymes in OA development. Next, we assessed whether preexisting T1DM influences PTOA development subsequent to trauma. At 6 weeks post‐injury, T1DM injured joints displayed significantly less cartilage damage and joint degeneration than injured non‐diabetic joints, suggesting a significant delay in PTOA disease progression. At the single‐cell resolution, we identified increased number of cells expressing the chondrocyte markers Col2a1, Acan, and Cytl1 in the T1DM injured group. Our findings demonstrate that T1DM can be a risk factor for OA but not for PTOA. This study provides the first account of single‐cell resolution related to T1DM and the risk for OA and PTOA. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Skeletal muscle mitoribosomal defects are linked to low bone mass caused by bone marrow inflammation in male mice
Authors: Tian Jingwen , Chung Hyo Kyun , Moon Ji Sun , Nga Ha Thi , Lee Ho Yeop , Kim Jung Tae , Chang Joon Young , Kang Seul Gi , Ryu Dongryeol , Che Xiangguo , Choi Je‐Yong , Tsukasaki Masayuki , Sasako Takayoshi , Lee Sang‐Hee , Shong Minho , Yi Hyon‐Seung
Published: March 2022

Background

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) is a critical regulator of skeletal muscle mass and function. Although muscle atrophy due to mitochondrial dysfunction is closely associated with bone loss, the biological characteristics of the relationship between muscle and bone remain obscure. We showed that muscle atrophy caused by skeletal muscle‐specific CR6‐interacting factor 1 knockout (MKO) modulates the bone marrow (BM) inflammatory response, leading to low bone mass.

Methods

MKO mice with lower muscle OxPhos were fed a normal chow or high‐fat diet and then evaluated for muscle mass and function, and bone mineral density. Immunophenotyping of BM immune cells was also performed. BM transcriptomic analysis was used to identify key factors regulating bone mass in MKO mice. To determine the effects of BM‐derived CXCL12 (C–X–C motif chemokine ligand 12) on regulation of bone homeostasis, a variety of BM niche‐resident cells were treated with recombinant CXCL12. Vastus lateralis muscle and BM immune cell samples from 14 patients with hip fracture were investigated to examine the association between muscle function and BM inflammation.

Results

MKO mice exhibited significant reductions in both muscle mass and expression of OxPhos subunits but increased transcription of mitochondrial stress response‐related genes in the extensor digitorum longus (P < 0.01). MKO mice showed a decline in grip strength and a higher drop rate in the wire hanging test (P < 0.01). Micro‐computed tomography and von Kossa staining revealed that MKO mice developed a low mass phenotype in cortical and trabecular bone (P < 0.01). Transcriptomic analysis of the BM revealed that mitochondrial stress responses in skeletal muscles induce an inflammatory response and adipogenesis in the BM and that the CXCL12–CXCR4 (C–X–C chemokine receptor 4) axis is important for T‐cell homing to the BM. Antagonism of CXCR4 attenuated BM inflammation and increased bone mass in MKO mice. In humans, patients with low body mass index (BMI = 17.2 ± 0.42 kg/m2) harboured a larger population of proinflammatory and cytotoxic senescent T‐cells in the BMI (P < 0.05) and showed reduced expression of OxPhos subunits in the vastus lateralis, compared with controls with a normal BMI (23.7 ± 0.88 kg/m2) (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Defects in muscle mitochondrial OxPhos promote BM inflammation in mice, leading to decreased bone mass. Muscle mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to BM inflammatory cytokine secretion via the CXCL12–CXCR4 signalling axis, which is critical for inducing low bone mass.
How native and exotic Brazilian fruits affect the profile of organic acids and the yeast performance during the mead fermentation process?
Authors: da Silva Monteiro Wanderley Bruna Rafaela , da Silva Haas Isabel Cristina , Biluca Fabíola Carina , Brugnerotto Patricia , de Sena Aquino Ana Carolina Moura , Oliveira Costa Ana Carolina , de Mello Castanho Amboni Renata Dias , Fritzen‐Freire Carlise Beddin
Published: March 2022

Background

A preliminary investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of the addition of pulps of feijoa, uvaia, and blackberry on the aliphatic organic acids (AOA) profile and on the yeast activity during the fermentation of meads.

Results

A multivariate analysis showed a clear distinction between the samples. The addition of pulps promoted a noticeable increase in malic, lactic, and succinic acids throughout fermentation. Furthermore, these additions resulted in beverages with lower levels of acetic acid. Gluconic acid was predominant in all samples. The mead containing feijoa showed high levels of citric acid. The meads containing blackberry and uvaia reached maximum yeast activity in the first 3 days of fermentation while the control sample and the mead with feijoa showed their highest activity after 7 days.

Conclusion

The use of the feijoa, uvaia, and blackberry in mead can represent a good natural source of AOA, thereby improving its fermentative process, besides being an alternative for the valuation of underexploited species of Brazilian fruits.
Pre‐processing treatments improved the physicochemical properties of Bambara groundnut flours and preference of formulated cake
Authors: Isah Shehu , Akanbi Taiwo O. , Aryee Alberta N. A.
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Demand is growing among consumers for plant‐based products which offer similar formulation options and full sensory experience. The suitability of Bambara groundnut (BG) flours (soaked/wet‐milled, unsieved/dry‐milled sieved and) as an alternative to wheat flour in cake formulations were evaluated and characterized by their physicochemical, textural, microscopic, and sensory properties.

RESULTS

The protein and fiber content of the flours ranged between 19.1% and 20.8% and 3.67% and 6.63%, respectively. Texture expressed as hardness decreased with pretreatment by a factor of 15% in all samples and particle size distribution was reduced by a factor of 22%. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis confirmed the reduction of particle size when BG flours were used in cake formulations. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray elemental analysis showed micro‐, macro‐, and trace elements, including P, S, K, Na, Mo, Mg, Cr, Fe, Br and Ni in BG flours and cake. Sensory analysis showed better texture, mouthfeel, taste, general appearance, and overall acceptability score for cake formulated with soaked BG flour.

CONCLUSION

Minimal pretreatment may improve the profile and diversify the application of underutilized crops such as BG.
Improvement of sleep by resistant dextrin prebiotic in type 2 diabetic women coincides with attenuation of metabolic endotoxemia: involvement of gut–brain axis
Authors: Saleh‐Ghadimi Sevda , Dehghan Parvin , Sarmadi Bahareh , Maleki Parham
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Resistant dextrin, as a prebiotic and functional food, may possess favorable effects in type 2 diabetes. This study was conducted to assess whether supplementation with resistant dextrin can improve sleep and quality of life in obese type 2 diabetic women.

RESULTS

In this randomized controlled trial, female obese type 2 diabetic patients (n = 76) were randomly assigned into intervention group (n = 38) and placebo group (n = 38), and received 10 g day−1 of resistant dextrin or maltodextrin for a period of 8 weeks, respectively. Sleep quality and quality of life (QOL) were assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and SF‐36 health survey, respectively. Fasting blood samples were driven to measure serum bacterial endotoxin, fasting blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), pro‐inflammatory/anti‐inflammatory biomarkers (IL‐18, IL‐6, IL‐10, TNF‐α), and biomarkers of hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis function [tryptophan (TRP), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), kynurenine (KYN), cortisol]. Supplementation with resistant dextrin improved sleep (P < 0.001) and QOL (P < 0.001) significantly. It also caused a significant decrease in levels of endotoxin, HbA1c, IL‐18, IL‐6, TNF‐α and a significant increase in IL‐10 levels. Significant and positive correlations were found between endotoxin (r = 0.488, P = 0.003), IL‐6 (r = 0.436, P = 0.008), IL‐18 (r = 0.475, P = 0.003), cortisol (r = 0.545, P = 0.048), KYN/TRP (r = 0.527, P = 0.001), and PSQI scores.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that resistant dextrin improves sleep and QOL in obese women with type 2 diabetes. Its beneficial effects may be attributed in part to modulation of glycemia, metabolic endotoxemia and subsequently a decrease in biomarkers of inflammation and HPA axis activity. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Do tapered tracheostomy cuffs improve translaryngeal gas flow when compared to barrel cuffed fenestrated tubes: A laboratory study
Authors: Borg Ulf , Bull Katie
Published: March 2022

Objective

The benefits of tracheostomy are well documented and include improved comfort and a reduction in sedative requirements that may facilitate more rapid ventilation weaning. A stable airway established with tracheostomy allows pulmonary toilet that may help in addressing aspiration. It is postulated that it may also increase translargyngeal airflow and allow phonation. We hypothesized that taper‐shaped cuffed tracheostomy tubes have less bulk upon cuff deflation, and on this basis, gas flow past the deflated tapered cuff is better than non‐tapered barrel cuffs and equal to gas flow in equivalent‐sized fenestrated versions.

Methods

This comparative bench study measured exhaled gas flow of Shiley™ Flexible taper‐cuffed tracheostomy and Fenestrated Shiley™ FEN tubes of equivalent sizes. Three sizes of Shiley™ tracheostomy tubes were used in printed 3D model tracheas, Jackson sizes 4, 6, and 10 (6.5, 7.5, and 10 mm ISO sizes). A standard ventilator provided tidal volumes to mechanical lungs. Because expiratory volume was the focus, the mechanical lungs exhaled through the model trachea and only the air exiting the model trachea, representing exhalation, was measured.

Results

Across three sizes, the Shiley™ Flexible tracheostomy tube allowed significantly more translaryngeal airflow compared to the tracheostomy tube with fenestrations.

Conclusion

This bench study showed significantly improved air flow past the cuff compared to fenestrated tubes. Improved airflow may help the phonation ability of patients. Clinical studies are required to elucidate use of this cuff design to allow phonation in patients with a tracheostomy.

Level of evidence: NA.
A High Fat “Western‐style” Diet Induces AMD‐Like Features in Wildtype Mice
Authors: Keeling Eloise , Lynn Savannah A. , Koh Yen Min , Scott Jenny A. , Kendall Aaron , Gatherer Maureen , Page Anton , Cagampang Felino R. , Lotery Andrew J. , Ratnayaka J. Arjuna
Published: March 2022

Scope

The intake of a “Western‐style” diet rich in fats is linked with developing retinopathies including age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). Wildtype mice are given a high fat diet (HFD) to determine how unhealthy foods can bring about retinal degeneration.

Methods and results

Following weaning, female C57BL/6 mice are maintained on standard chow (7% kcal fat, n = 29) or a HFD (45% kcal fat, n = 27) for 12 months. Animals were sacrificed following electroretinography (ERG) and their eyes analyzed by histology, confocal immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy. HFD mice become obese, but showed normal retinal function compared to chow‐fed controls. However, diminished β3tubulin labeling of retinal cross‐sections indicated fewer/damaged neuronal processes in the inner plexiform layer. AMD‐linked proteins clusterin and TIMP3 accumulated in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and Bruch's membrane (BrM). Neutral lipids also deposited in the outer retinae of HFD mice. Ultrastructural analysis revealed disorganized photoreceptor outer segments, collapsed/misaligned RPE microvilli, vacuoles, convoluted basolateral RPE infolds and BrM changes. Basal laminar‐like deposits were also present alongside abnormal choroidal endothelial cells.

Conclusions

We show that prolonged exposure to an unhealthy “Western‐style” diet alone can recapitulate early‐intermediate AMD‐like features in wildtype mice, highlighting the importance of diet and nutrition in the etiology of sight‐loss.
Rethinking the neighborhood information for deep learning‐based optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Jiang Zhe , Huang Zhiyu , You Yunfei , Geng Mufeng , Meng Xiangxi , Qiu Bin , Zhu Lei , Gao Mengdi , Wang Jing , Zhou Chuanqing , Ren Qiushi , Lu Yanye
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a premium imaging modality for noninvasive microvasculature studies. Deep learning networks have achieved promising results in the OCTA reconstruction task, benefiting from their powerful modeling capability. However, two limitations exist in the current deep learning‐based OCTA reconstruction methods: (a) the angiogram information extraction is only limited to the locally consecutive B‐scans; and (b) all reconstruction models are confined to the 2D convolutional network architectures, lacking effective temporal modeling. As a result, the valuable neighborhood information and inherent temporal characteristics of OCTA are not fully utilized. In this paper, we designed a neighborhood information‐fused Pseudo‐3D U‐Net (NI‐P3D‐U) for OCTA reconstruction.

Methods

The proposed NI‐P3D‐U was investigated on an in vivo animal dataset by a cross‐validation strategy under both fully supervised learning and weakly supervised learning pipelines. To demonstrate the OCTA reconstruction capability of the proposed NI‐P3D‐U, we compared it with several state‐of‐the‐art methods.

Results

The results showed that the proposed network outperformed the state‐of‐the‐art deep learning‐based OCTA algorithms in terms of visual quality and quantitative metrics, and demonstrated an effective generalization for different training strategies (fully supervised and weakly supervised) and imaging protocols. Meanwhile, the idea of neighborhood information fusion was also expanded to other network architectures, resulting in significant improvements.

Conclusions

These investigations indicate that the proposed network, which combines the neighborhood information strategy with temporal modeling architecture, is well capable of performing OCTA reconstruction, and has a certain potential for clinical applications.
Poly(ester imide)s with low coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) and low water absorption (VI): an attempt to reduce the modulus while maintaining low CTEs and other desired properties
Authors: Hasegawa Masatoshi , Hori Atsushi , Hosaka Chisato , Ishii Junichi
Published: March 2022

Here, a challenging target in the development of high‐temperature dielectric substrates was established: to significantly reduce the modulus of dielectric substrates while maintaining their low coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) and other desired properties, to suppress the spring‐back force, which is generated in folded flexible printed circuit boards. An ester‐linked tetracarboxylic dianhydride with an asymmetric and longitudinally extended structure (TA‐HPBAHQ) exhibited good polymerizability with various aromatic diamines and led to the formation of poly(ester imide) (PEsI) precursors with sufficiently high molecular weights. The thermally imidized TA‐HPBAHQ‐based PEsI films obtained using rigid diamines exhibited a very high glass transition temperature (Tg), ultralow CTE, suppressed water uptake and an extremely low coefficient of humidity (hygroscopic) expansion. In particular, the combination of TA‐HPBAHQ and m‐tolidine significantly lowered the modulus and improved the film ductility while maintaining a low CTE close to that of copper foil with other desired properties. In addition, a TA‐HPBAHQ analogue, TA‐HNAHQ, containing a 2,6‐naphthalene unit, was used. TA‐HNAHQ‐based PEsIs exhibited a further decreased modulus and other excellent properties similar to those of the TA‐HPBAHQ‐based systems except for the appearance of a β‐transition in certain cases, depending on the diamines used. Certain selected PEsIs exhibited an extremely low tan δ at 10 GHz and a relatively good or the highest rank of flame retardancy. Thus, certain PEsIs examined in this study are promising candidates as new dielectric substrates required to exhibit a low CTE, suppressed modulus and other target properties for use in next‐generation flexible printed circuit boards. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Polyurethane‐based polymer electrolyte for lithium ion batteries: a review
Authors: Misenan Muhammad Syukri Mohamad , Khiar Azwani Sofia Ahmad , Eren Tarık
Published: March 2022

For the past decade, lithium ion batteries have dominated the high‐performance and mobile markets. Despite their domination in many sectors, the development of contemporary commercial lithium ion batteries is hampered by safety concerns such as leakage, burning and even explosions caused by organic liquid electrolytes with low boiling points. Polymer electrolytes are a promising option to solve or mitigate these issues. Polymer electrolytes have the advantages of low flammability, good flexibility, excellent thermal stability and high safety. Among others, polyurethane (PU) has attracted attention as a promising polymer electrolyte candidate for the future. The soft and hard segments of the polymeric chain given by polyols and isocyanates, respectively, give PU its characteristic multiphase structure. The PU's soft segment can operate as a polymeric solvent to solvate the cations, while the hard segment can be functionalized to retain a wider range of electrochemical stability, allowing the construction of polymer electrolytes in electrochemical devices. Numerous researchers have concentrated on developing high‐performance PU‐based polymer lithium ion batteries. Nonetheless, low lithium ion conductivity characteristics remain the most significant obstacles to its commercialization. In order to tackle the issues and improve the overall performance, both physical and chemical modifications are widely investigated to form a PU‐based polymer electrolyte. In the light of this work, this review discusses PU as a polymer host and the approaches to increase its ionic conductivity, including polymer blending, copolymerization, crosslinking, filler addition, plasticization, salt dopant addition as well as the integration of PUs into polymeric ionic liquids. In this review, previous work regarding PU‐based polymer electrolytes from 1988 to 2021 is discussed and summarized. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
A poly‐diagnostic study of the shield gas‐assisted atmospheric pressure plasma jet propagation upon a dielectric surface
Authors: Narimisa Mehrnoush , Onyshchenko Yuliia , Van Rooij Olivier , Morent Rino , Sobota Ana , De Geyter Nathalie
Published: March 2022

The significance of shield gases on atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) propagation over a horizontal dielectric surface using various diagnostic methods has been investigated. The obtained results imply that adding nitrogen as a shield gas only has an impact on the N2 reactive species generation, mainly close to the plasma effluent while argon shield gas can boost the optical emission intensity of all excited species, especially at distances further away from the plasma jet, which is in agreement with the observed length of the plasma propagation all over the surface. On the basis of the obtained results, the employment of a shield gas can improve the plasma jet efficiency to achieve the desired treatment effect on a flat surface.
Embodiment, tailoring, and trust are important for co‐construction of meaning in physiotherapy after stroke: A qualitative study
Authors: Sivertsen Marianne , De Jaegher Hanne , Arntzen Ellen Christin , Alstadhaug Karl Bjørnar , Normann Britt
Published: March 2022

Background and Purpose

Physiotherapy, with an emphasis on high intensity, individually tailored, and person‐centered treatment, is an effective route for recovery after a stroke. No single approach, however, has been deemed paramount, and there is limited knowledge about the patient experience of assessment, goal‐setting, and treatment in physiotherapy. In this study, we seek to report patient experiences of I‐CoreDIST—a new physiotherapy intervention that targets recovery—and those of usual care. The purpose is to investigate how individuals with stroke experience the bodily and interactive course of physiotherapy during their recovery process.

Methods

A qualitative study, nested within a randomized controlled trial, consisting of in‐depth interviews with 19 stroke survivors who received either I‐CoreDIST or usual care. Data were analyzed using systematic text condensation, and this analysis was informed by enactive theory.

Results

Interaction with the physiotherapist, which was guided by perceived bodily changes, fluctuated between being, on the one hand, formal/explicit and, on the other, tacit/implicit. The experiences of participants in the intervention group and the usual care group differed predominantly with regards to the content of therapy sessions and the means of measuring progress; divergences in levels of satisfaction with the treatment were less pronounced. The perception of positive bodily changes, as well as the tailoring of difficulty and intensity, were common and essential features in generating meaning and motivation. An embodied approach seemed to facilitate sense‐making in therapy situations. In the interaction between the participants and their physiotherapists, trust and engagement were important but also multifaceted, involving both interpersonal skills and professional expertise.

Conclusion

The embodied nature of physiotherapy practice is a source for sense‐making and meaning‐construction for patients after a stroke. Trust in the physiotherapist, along with emotional support, is considered essential. Experiencing progress and individualizing approaches are decisive motivators.
Spray performance evaluation of a six‐rotor unmanned aerial vehicle sprayer for pesticide application using an orchard operation mode in apple orchards
Authors: Wang Changling , Liu Yang , Zhang Zhenhua , Han Leng , Li Yangfan , Zhang Hao , Wongsuk Supakorn , Li Yuanyuan , Wu Xuemin , He Xiongkui
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

In the last decade, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sprayers have been growing rapidly worldwide as a new method for pesticide application, especially in Asian countries. More and more manufacturers and service providers are currently aiming at UAV spraying operation for fruit trees with higher economic value. We evaluated the spray performance of an electric six‐rotor UAV sprayer using an orchard operation mode (different application volumes and flight patterns) in a hilly apple orchard with small and sparse trees (SS) and a plain orchard with tall‐spindle trees (TS).

RESULTS

Application volume (APV) had a significant influence on the spray coverage parameters in both orchards, while flight pattern, intra‐row, inter‐row and verti‐row, had a relatively limited influence at 60 0 and 85 7 L/ha. The UAV's downwash airflow produced a good spray penetration in the isolated SS trees, but not for the conjoined TS trees. It is better to fly along and above rows at 63.5 L/ha or higher for SS trees. The excessively low underside coverage is the main drawback of UAV orchard pesticide application and the underside droplet size was generally less than 200 μm.

CONCLUSION

Spray performance is closely related to tree shape, planting pattern, UAV payload, application volume, spray droplet size and downwash airflow field. The results provide data support for the best operational practice development and the decision model for the application volume of UAV sprayer orchard operations. The underside spray performance requires further improvement by several effective measures. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Endotherapic treatment to control Toumeyella parvicornisCockerell infestations on Pinus pineaL
Authors: Di Sora Nicolò , Rossini Luca , Contarini Mario , Chiarot Enrico , Speranza Stefano
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

The pine tortoise scale, Toumeyella parvicornis (Cockerell, 1897), is a damaging insect pest native to North America. Its accidental introduction into Europe, where it was first reported in central‐southern Italy, is leading to severe infestations among stone pine trees, Pinus pinea L. causing severe infestations and generating a major risk to the health and safety of the citizens as well. This preliminary study aimed at finding an effective low‐impact control strategy against Toumeyella parvicornis. We evaluated the effect of endotherapic abamectin injected into infested stone pines in the Parco Archeologico di Ostia Antica (Rome).

RESULTS

Results showed that endotherapic abamectin significantly reduced the pine tortoise adult female populations and had a persistence into plants of approximately 60 days. The first trace of abamectin on the plant's crown was detected 1 month after the treatment. Moreover, the survey highlighted a higher presence of the pest on the twigs of the plants than on needles.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings offer an important tool in fighting the damaging activity of this phytophagous, especially in an urban context where interventions with treatments are strictly regulated by national laws. Endotherapy, in fact, would reduce the dispersion of active ingredients by drift, an aspect that could represent a valid alternative to manage plants in public areas. Given the actual lack of scientific information about other control solutions, abamectin endotherapic treatments would be the more effective strategy currently applicable. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Rheology, In Vitro Digestion and Functional Properties of Sagittaria sagittifolia L. Resistant Starch as Affected by Different Preparation Methods
Authors: Feng Yuqin , Juliet Igbokwe Chidimma , Qin Wei , Duan Yuqing , Gao Xingxing , Liu Qiaoling , Zhang Haihui , Ma Haile
Published: March 2022

In this study, the effects of different preparation methods on the rheology, in vitro digestion, and functional properties of Sagittaria sagittifolia L. resistant starch (ARS) are investigated. Compared with S. sagittifolia L. native starch (ANS), the ARS that is prepared by subcritical water (SW‐ARS), ultrasonic‐assisted subcritical water (USW‐ARS), autoclaving (AM‐ARS), and ultrasonic‐assisted autoclaving (UAM‐ARS) show higher dilatancy, light transmittance, water and oil retention, but lower solubility and in vitro digestibility. In addition, the differences between the storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) of ARS are significantly lower than that of ANS. Moreover, there is a cross phenomenon between G′ and G″ of ARS after ultrasonic pretreatment. Besides, the ability of ARS to reduce the pH value of fermentation broth is much lower than that of ANS, among which SW‐ARS is the weakest, USW‐ARS has the highest acetic acid and formic acid production during in vitro digestion fermentation. These results suggest that the ARS prepared by different methods is suitable for the developing of starch‐based material with excellent properties.