bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Slippery quartz surfaces for anti‐fouling optical windows
Authors: Li Minjing , Yang Tongzhen , Yang Qing , Wang Shaokun , Fang Zheng , Cheng Yang , Hou Xun , Chen Feng
Published: December 2022

The surface of camera‐based medical devices is easily smeared by blood and fog during the surgical procedure, causing visual field loss and bringing great distress to both doctors and patients. In this article, a slippery liquid‐infused porous surface (SLIPS) on a quartz window surface that can repel various liquids, especially blood droplets is reported. A femtosecond laser pulse train was used to create periodic microhole structures on the silica surface. The subsequent low surface energy treatment and lubricant infusion led to the successful preparation of a slippery surface. Such blood‐repellent windows exhibited high transparency, great antifogging, and antibacterial properties. In addition, the slippery ability of the as‐prepared surface exhibited outstanding stability since the surface could withstand harsh treatments/environments, such as repeated pipette scratches and immersion in different pH solutions. The as‐prepared millimeter‐sized quartz samples with SLIPS were attached to the endoscope lens as a protective coating and could maintain high visibility after repeated immersion in blood. We believe that the coating developed in this study will provide inspiration for the design of next‐generation endoscopes or other camera‐guided devices that will resist fouling, keep clear vision, and reduce operation time, thus offering great potential applications in lesion diagnosis and therapy.
No stress memory pattern was detected in sugar maple and white spruce seedlings subjected to experimental droughts
Authors: Ribeyre Zoé , Messier Christian , Nolet Philippe
Published: December 2022

An increase in the frequency and magnitude of drought events threatens the health of forests and the economic, ecological, and societal services they provide. It has been widely demonstrated that trees undergoing a succession of stresses may accumulate lesions that in turn lead to a decrease in their vigor and eventually to death. However, recent studies have shown that a nonlethal stress should also initiate a stress memory, which triggers a faster and stronger plant defensive response when a new stress occurs. Although this mechanism is well understood in many herbaceous plants, a better understanding in trees is needed. The aim of our study was to explore the capacity of two forest tree species to develop a stress memory. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the tree seedlings' vigor after one or two consecutive droughts separate from a rehydration period during the same growing season. No stress memory pattern was observed for the two tree species as, on the contrary, we even observed a stress accumulation pattern in sugar maple. It remains possible that some individuals in our study developed stress memory, but that we were not able to detect it. The fine‐tuning of experimental parameters and the conducting of longitudinal studies would be helpful to detect individual capacity in stress memory activation.
Optimal energy allocation trade‐off driven by size‐dependent physiological and demographic responses to warming
Authors: Thunell Viktor , Gårdmark Anna , Huss Magnus , Vindenes Yngvild
Published: December 2022

Body size–dependent physiological effects of temperature influence individual growth, reproduction, and survival, which govern animal population responses to global warming. Considerable knowledge has been established on how such effects can affect population growth and size structure, but less is known of their potential role in temperature‐driven adaptation in life‐history traits. In this study, we ask how warming affects the optimal allocation of energy between growth and reproduction and disentangle the underlying fitness trade‐offs. To this end, we develop a novel dynamic energy budget integral projection model (DEB–IPM), linking individuals' size‐ and temperature‐dependent consumption and maintenance via somatic growth, reproduction, and size‐dependent energy allocation to emergent population responses. At the population level, we calculate the long‐term population growth rate (fitness) and stable size structure emerging from demographic processes. Applying the model to an example of pike (Esox lucius), we find that optimal energy allocation to growth decreases with warming. Furthermore, we demonstrate how growth, fecundity, and survival contribute to this change in optimal allocation. Higher energy allocation to somatic growth at low temperatures increases fitness through survival of small individuals and through the reproduction of larger individuals. In contrast, at high temperatures, increased allocation to reproduction is favored because warming induces faster somatic growth of small individuals and increased fecundity but reduced growth and higher mortality of larger individuals. Reduced optimum allocation to growth leads to further reductions in body size and an increasingly truncated population size structure with warming. Our study demonstrates how, by incorporating general physiological mechanisms driving the temperature dependence of life‐history traits, the DEB–IPM framework is useful for investigating the adaptation of size‐structured organisms to warming.
Trace Cobalt Doping and Defect Engineering of High Surface Area α‐Ni(OH)2 for Electrocatalytic Urea Oxidation
Authors: Liu Yi , Yang Zhihui , Zou Yuqin , Wang Shuangyin , He Junying
Published: December 2022

Owing to the intrinsically sluggish kinetics of urea oxidation reaction (UOR) involving a six‐electron transfer process, developing efficient UOR electrocatalyst is a great challenge remained to be overwhelmed. Herein, by taking advantage of 2‐Methylimidazole, of which is a kind of alkali in water and owns strong coordination ability to Co2+ in methanol, trace Co (1.0 mol%) addition was found to induce defect engineering on α‐Ni(OH)2 in a dual‐solvent system of water and methanol. Physical characterization results revealed that the synthesized electrocatalyst (WM‐Ni0.99Co0.01(OH)2) was a kind of defective nanosheet with thickness around 5–6 nm, attributing to the synergistic effect of Co doping and defect engineering, its electron structure was finely altered, and its specific surface area was tremendously enlarged from 68 to 172.3 m2 g−1. With all these merits, its overpotential to drive 10 mA cm−2 was reduced by 110 mV. Besides, the interfacial behavior of UOR was also well deciphered by operando electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.
Reaction of Nitro‐Substituted Donor‐Acceptor Cyclopropanes with Pyrazoles in DMSO: Unexpected Formation of Tandem Kornblum‐Type Ring‐Opening Oxidation/Aza‐Michael Addition Products
Authors: Thangamalar Subaramaniam , Srinivasan Kannupal
Published: December 2022

The ring‐opening reaction of nitro‐substituted donor‐acceptor cyclopropanes with pyrazoles in DMSO was investigated. Unexpectedly, the cyclopropanes underwent Kornblum‐type ring‐opening oxidation with DMSO to form aroylmethylidene malonates as intermediates in the reactions. The intermediates further underwent aza‐Michael addition with pyrazoles in tandem manner to give the corresponding aza‐Michael adducts. The highlights of the methodology include the occurrence of ring‐opening/oxidation under neutral conditions with DMSO and formation of aza‐Michael adducts with pyrazoles under catalyst‐free conditions.
Radical Arylaminoformylation of Activated Alkenes to Amides Containing All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters
Authors: Liu Jing , Zhang Baohui , Hu Junjie , Qiu Zhenpeng , Chen Xinyan , Tian Xianxiang , Wang Qi , Zheng Guohua , Yuan Ming
Published: December 2022

Herein we report an Ag+/S2O82− inducted measure for functionalized succinyl diamides bearing an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter via a radical aminoformylation/aryl‐migration/desulfonylation cascade. The improved process is developed employing readily available and inexpensive oxalic monoamide as a carbamoyl radical precursor through radical Smiles rearrangement. Additionally, the tolerance to oxygen and water, operational simplicity, convenient reagents, as well as scalability, enhance the practical value of the proposed synthesis strategy.
Monoaryl‐Substituted Norbornadiene Photoswitches as Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage Compounds: Synthesis and Investigation
Authors: Schulte Robin , Afflerbach Sandra , Ihmels Heiko
Published: December 2022

In the search for improved photochromic systems that may be used for the efficient reversible conversion of light into chemical energy, eight monoaryl‐substituted norbornadienes are presented, which carry naphthyl, anthracenyl, or donor‐acceptor‐phenyl substituents to establish an extended π system. The substrates were synthesized by Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reactions, and their absorption properties, the key parameters of the photochromic equilibrium, and the energy storage density of the quadricyclane products were examined. It was observed that these compounds have favorable properties for chemical energy storage. Specifically, 2‐(1‐naphthyl)norbornadiene showed a pronounced red shift of the absorption, a long half‐life (35 d) and a relatively high energy storage density (361 KJ/Kg) of the respective quadricyclane. Therefore, the so far neglected monoaryl‐norbornadienes represent a useful and complementary class of compounds that should be considered in the development of efficient molecular solar thermal energy storage (MOST) compounds, which can reversibly convert sunlight into chemical energy.
Let's talk about this: Co‐rumination and dyadic dynamics of moral repair following wrongdoing
Authors: Wenzel Michael , Rossi Cara , Thai Michael , Woodyatt Lydia , Okimoto Tyler G. , Worthington Everett L.
Published: December 2022

Interpersonal transgressions threaten victims, offenders, and their relationships, often leading the parties to ruminate about the wrongdoing, not only individually but also together, in acts of co‐rumination. We investigate how two forms of co‐rumination—co‐reflection and co‐brooding—influence, or are influenced by, individual rumination and victim forgiveness or offender self‐forgiveness. Our study used a prospective‐longitudinal‐dyadic design (N = 110 dyads), where relationship couples were recruited prior to an incident and, once a partner reported feeling wronged by the other, completed repeated surveys over four time‐points 24–48 h apart. Cross‐lagged panel models indicated that co‐rumination was related to increased subsequent individual rumination; forgiveness and self‐forgiveness were related to reduced subsequent co‐rumination; and self‐punitiveness showed positive feedback cycles with co‐brooding and offender rumination, whereas genuine self‐forgiveness seemed to draw on co‐reflection via individual rumination and, in turn, reduced co‐reflection. Co‐rumination plays an important, yet complex, role within processes of moral repair.
Volume and complexity of the thalamus in Anorexia Nervosa: An exploratory evaluation
Authors: Collantoni Enrico , Meregalli Valentina , Manara Renzo , Meneguzzo Paolo , Tenconi Elena , Favaro Angela
Published: December 2022

Objective

Recent neuroscientific findings have highlighted the role of the thalamus in several cognitive functions, ranging from perception to cognitive flexibility, memory, and body representation. Since some of these functions may be involved in the pathophysiology of Anorexia Nervosa (AN), this study aims at exploring thalamic structure in different phases of the disorder.

Method

The sample included 38 patients with acute AN, 20 patients who fully recovered from AN (recAN), and 38 healthy controls (HC), all female. All participants underwent high‐resolution MRI. The volumes of the whole thalamus and 25 thalamic nuclei were extracted using an automated segmentation algorithm, and thalamic fractal dimension was estimated using the calcFD toolbox.

Results

Patients with acute AN, compared to HC, displayed reduced thalamic volume and complexity both at the whole level and at the level of specific nuclei. In patients recAN, instead, alterations were observed only at the level of the right laterodorsal and central lateral nuclei.

Conclusions

In the acute phase of the disorder patients with AN present a widespread reduction in thalamic volume and complexity. However, these alterations seem to normalise almost completely following weight restoration, thus suggesting the involvement of malnutrition‐related mechanisms.
Maximizing the energy efficiency in intelligent reflecting surface‐aided unmanned aerial vehicle data collection system in presence of malicious jammers
Authors: Ji Zhi
Published: December 2022

In this article, intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) aided an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data collection system is investigated, where an IRS is deployed to assist in the communication from a cluster of Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) devices to a UAV in the presence of a jammer. We aim to improve the energy efficiency (EE) via the joint design of UAV trajectory, IRS passive beamforming, device power allocation and communication scheduling. However, the formulated nonlinear fractional programming problem is challenging to solve due to its nonconvexity and coupled variables. To overcome the difficulty, we propose an alternating optimization based algorithm to solve it sub‐optimally by leveraging the Dinkelbach's algorithm, successive convex approximation (SCA) technique, and block coordinate descent (BCD) method. Extensive simulation results show that the proposed design can significantly improve the anti‐jamming performance. In particular, for the remote jammer case, the proposed design can largely shorten the flight path and thus decrease the energy consumption via the signal enhancement; while for the local jammer case, which is deemed highly challenging in conventional systems without IRS since the retreating away strategy becomes ineffective, our proposed design even achieves a higher performance gain owing to the efficient jamming signal mitigation.
Diet quality and dietary acid load in relation to cardiovascular disease mortality: Results from Fasa PERSIAN cohort study
Authors: Fereidouni Sahar , Hejazi Najmeh , Homayounfar Reza , Farjam Mojtaba
Published: December 2022

Dietary intake is a determining factor in the morbidity and mortality of chronic disorders. However, not many documents have investigated this relationship. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of the Mediterranean dietary score (MDS), Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), DASH score, and dietary acid load with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. A total of 2158 CVD patients (mean age of 54.73 ± 8.62 years) from the Fasa cohort study, Iran, participated in the current study. Diet quality indices including DII, AHEI, MDS, DASH, and dietary acid load (NEAP score) were computed using a validated 125‐item Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Cox regression analyses were used to determine HRs and 95% CIs. During a follow‐up of 3 years, we documented 59 CVD deaths. After adjusting for relevant confounders (age, gender, family history of CVD, smoking, physical activity, alcohol intake, and HTN) in the final model, we found that higher DII scores and dietary acid load were significantly related to increased mortality due to CVD (HR = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.01–1.24; and HR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01–1.03). However, the DASH score was insignificantly associated with decreased CVD mortality by 20.4% (HR = 0.79; 95% CI = 0.57–1.09). There was no significant relationship among AHEI score, MDS, and CVD mortality. This study showed that increasing dietary acidity and the use of inflammatory food compounds could contribute to CVD mortality. Also, adherence to the DASH diet may be associated with reduced CVD mortality.
Structure, evolutionary context and chronological data of the Monforte de Moyuela Roman dam (Ebro Basin, NE of Spain)
Authors: Peña‐Monné José Luis , Sampietro‐Vattuone María Marta , Paula Uribe Agudo , García Giménez Rosario , Muñoz Arsenio , Villas David Badia , Magallón Botaya María Ángeles
Published: December 2022

The Monforte de Moyuela dam, also known as Ermita de la Virgen del Pilar dam, is a Roman reservoir built on a tributary of the Aguasvivas River (Ebro basin, Spain). A multidisciplinary study has been carried out to investigate this kind of Roman water infrastructure. It is the fifth‐highest dam (16.8 m) in the Iberian Peninsula and the seventh in the Roman Empire. The initial dam was built ca. 100 B.C.–10 A.D., probably in the period of Augustus, like other nearby Roman dams. It was quickly filled due to the extreme and generalized anthropic degradation in the basin during the Roman period. During the mid‐2nd century, the wall was increased in height and its final silting was dated to the early 7th century. The study of theopus caementiciummortars shows constructive differences between the initial and subsequent phases of the wall. These mortars provided charcoal for dating the two phases. In addition, the stratigraphic and edaphological study of the reservoir's sedimentary fill, together with the14C ages, allowed us to reconstruct the two main activity cycles and the final siltation of the dam. Subsequently, the dam broke in two phases, which created the two stepped sections located on the current valley bottom. The data obtained allowed the creation of a geomorphological map and an evolutionary model of the valley showing the main differentiated stages, from the initial construction of the dam to its final opening. Although some remains of canals downstream of the dam have been identified, the use of this dam, which remained active for several centuries, still needs to be investigated in greater detail.
Petrogenetic, geochemical, and geochronological constraints on magmatic evolution of the Chilas Complex gabbros, Kohistan arc, NW Himalaya
Authors: Zafar Tehseen , Rehman Hafiz Ur , Lutfi Wasiq , Ullah Zaheen , Nouri Fatemeh , Sepidbar Fatemeh , Oyebamiji Abiola , Leng Chengbiao , Farhan Muhammad , Rehman Saif Ur
Published: December 2022

The Kohistan Arc preserves an exquisite and ideal petrogenetic record for studying mafic magmatism in an arc environment. Here we report the geochronological, mineralogical, and geochemical data of the gabbros from the Chilas Complex of Kohistan in order to understand their genesis, timing, role in crustal thickening, and tectonic evolution in Neo‐Tethys. The mineral composition of orthopyroxene (Opx) in gabbros displays transitional to metamorphic behaviour with high amount of Al2O3 (0.59–2.66 wt.%), suggesting the influence of subsolidus re‐equilibration during cooling or magmatic crystallization. Thermobarometric constraints propose the crystallization of Chilas gabbros around 892–985°C and ≤1.5 GPa pressure coupled with high H2O content (5.6%–7.7%). Geochemical modelling and isotopic peculiarities such as (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.000018–0.704140) and 206Pb/204Pb (18.526–18.554) suggest that the source of gabbros was depleted, likely controlled by peridotite melts and experienced insignificant crustal contamination. Relatively lower ratios of Nb/Yb (0.89–3.32) and TiO2/Yb (0.14–0.79) imply that the garnet was not a residual phase during the partial melting of a mantle source. The Chilas gabbros with depletion in Nb and Ta, enrichment in light rare earth element (LREE)s, the lower Ce/Pb ratios, plot of Th/La versus Th, and negative anomalies of Eu provide a consistent clue regarding the negligible participation of recycled components. Zircon U–Pb concordant ages of 83–86 Ma indicate the timing of emplacement and a Cretaceous magmatic event in the Chilas Complex. We infer that the Cretaceous magmatic flare‐up is a significant crustal growth event of Kohistan and consider the underplating of mantle‐derived magmas as one of the primary reasons for the crustal thickening based on zircon Hf isotopic signatures. The average chemical composition of Kohistan Complex provides support for the generation of andesitic magmas in arcs and the “andesite model” of continental crustal growth. We propose the similar petrogenesis for the Nidar, Kargil, and Chilas gabbros linking the formation of these variants within Neo‐Tethys based on identical magmatic records.
Astrocytic aryl hydrocarbon receptor mediates chronic kidney disease‐associated mental disorders involving GLT1 hypofunction and neuronal activity enhancement in the mouse brain
Authors: Huang Yu‐Jie , Hung Chia‐Chi , Hsu Pei‐Chien , Lee Po‐Yi , Tsai Yen‐An , Hsin Yu‐Chiao , Lee Xie‐Ting , Chou Chia‐Cheng , Chen Mei‐Lien , Tarng Der‐Cherng , Lee Yi‐Hsuan
Published: December 2022

Chronic kidney disease (CKD)‐associated mental disorders have been attributed to the excessive accumulation of hemodialysis‐resistant indoxyl‐3‐sulfate (I3S) in the brain. I3S not only induces oxidative stress but is also a potent endogenous agonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Here, we investigated the role of AhR in CKD‐induced brain disorders using a 5/6 nephrectomy‐induced CKD mouse model, which showed increased I3S concentration in both blood and brain, anxiety and impaired novelty recognition, and AhR activation in the anterior cortex. GFAP+ reactive astrocytes were increased accompanied with the reduction of glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1) on perineuronal astrocytic processes (PAPs) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in CKD mice, and these alterations were attenuated in both neural lineage‐specific and astrocyte‐specific Ahr conditional knockout mice (nAhrCKO and aAhrCKO). By using chronic I3S treatment in primary astrocytes and glia‐neuron (GN) mix cultures to mimic the CKD brain microenvironment, we also found significant reduction of GLT1 expression and activity in an AhR‐dependent manner. Chronic I3S treatment induced AhR‐dependent pro‐oxidant Nox1 and AhR‐independent anti‐oxidant HO‐1 expressions. Notably, AhR mediates chronic I3S‐induced neuronal activity enhancement and synaptotoxicity in GN mix, not neuron‐enriched cortical culture. In CKD mice, neuronal activity enhancement was observed in ACC and hippocampal CA1, and these responses were abrogated by both nAhrCKO and aAhrCKO. Finally, intranasal AhR antagonist CH‐223191 administration significantly ameliorated the GLT1/PAPs reduction, increase in c‐Fos+ neurons, and memory impairment in the CKD mice. Thus, astrocytic AhR plays a crucial role in the CKD‐induced disturbance of neuron‐astrocyte interaction and mental disorders.
Fetal behavior during MRI changes with age and relates to network dynamics
Authors: Ji Lanxin , Majbri Amyn , Hendrix Cassandra L. , Thomason Moriah E.
Published: December 2022

Fetal motor behavior is an important clinical indicator of healthy development. However, our understanding of associations between fetal behavior and fetal brain development is limited. To fill this gap, this study introduced an approach to automatically and objectively classify long durations of fetal movement from a continuous four‐dimensional functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data set, and paired behavior features with brain activity indicated by the fMRI time series. Twelve‐minute fMRI scans were conducted in 120 normal fetuses. Postnatal motor function was evaluated at 7 and 36 months age. Fetal motor behavior was quantified by calculating the frame‐wise displacement (FD) of fetal brains extracted by a deep‐learning model along the whole time series. Analyzing only low motion data, we characterized the recurring coactivation patterns (CAPs) of the supplementary motor area (SMA). Results showed reduced motor activity with advancing gestational age (GA), likely due in part to loss of space (r = −.51, p < .001). Evaluation of individual variation in motor movement revealed a negative association between movement and the occurrence of coactivations within the left parietotemporal network, controlling for age and sex (p = .003). Further, we found that the occurrence of coactivations between the SMA to posterior brain regions, including visual cortex, was prospectively associated with postnatal motor function at 7 months (r = .43, p = .03). This is the first study to pair fetal movement and fMRI, highlighting potential for comparisons of fetal behavior and neural network development to enhance our understanding of fetal brain organization.
Trismus intra‐operative release and expansion (TIRE): A novel operative treatment for trismus
Authors: Shih Michael C. , Gudipudi Rachana , Nguyen Shaun A. , Gordis Tamar M. , Amin Julian , Wilsgard Jamie , Davis Betsy K. , Jasper Sara , Day Terry A.
Published: December 2022

Background

Trismus is a common symptom for patients with head and neck cancer. This study aimed to evaluate outcomes using the novel Trismus Intra‐operative Release and Expansion (TIRE).

Methods

All patients from 2012 to 2022 with histories of head and neck cancers and trismus treated with TIRE were included. Data examined included measured interincisal distance (IID) before and after treatment, and improvement or worsening of trismus.

Results

Thirty‐eight patients with trismus were identified, and fourteen underwent TIRE. All had undergone surgery, and 13 had completed radiation therapy prior to TIRE. Mean improvement of IID immediately after TIRE was 18.44 ± 6.02 mm (p < 0.0001). At first follow‐up (2.51 ± 3.23 months, n = 8), mean improvement from pre‐operational measurements was 11.14 ± 9.17 mm (p = 0.018).

Conclusion

TIRE was initially successful in increasing IID in some patients, but sustained improvements were not consistently seen past 1 year follow‐up. TIRE could help resolve trismus enough to proceed with options for trismus therapy using devices and/or mouth opening exercises.
Higher serum interleukin‐12 levels are associated with the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder: A case‐control study results
Authors: Nahar Zabun , Sal‐Sabil Nisat , Sohan Md. , Qusar MMA Shalahuddin , Islam Md. Rabiul
Published: December 2022

Background and Aims

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the fourth biggest health‐related concern that dramatically impacts individuals' mental and physical health. Alteration of serum proinflammatory cytokine levels may take part in the development and progression of MDD. We aimed to explore and compare the role of interleukin‐12 (IL‐12) in MDD patients and healthy controls (HCs) and its involvement with the disease severity.

Methods

The present study included 85 patients and 87 age‐sex matched HCs. A qualified psychiatrist utilized the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM‐5) criteria to diagnose patients and evaluate HCs. We applied the Ham‐D rating scale to measure the severity of depression. Serum IL‐12 levels were measured using ELISA kits.

Results

We observed a notable increase in the serum levels of IL‐12 in MDD patients compared to HCs (164.27 ± 10.18 pg/ml and 82.55 ± 4.40 pg/ml; p < 0.001). Moreover, we noticed a positive correlation between serum IL‐12 levels and Ham‐D scores in MDD patients (r = 0.363; p = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed a good predictive performance (AUC = 0.871; p < 0.001) at the cut‐off point of 53.46 pg/ml for serum IL‐12.

Conclusion

The current study findings support that IL‐12 levels are involved with the pathogenesis and inflammatory process in MDD. At the same time, this involvement may make this cytokine eligible for the risk evaluation of MDD. However, we recommend further interventional studies to explore more accurate associations between IL‐12 and depressive disorder.
Effect of COVID‐19 infection on sex hormone levels in hospitalized patients: A prospective longitudinal study in Iran
Authors: Afshari Poorandokht , Zakerkish Mehrnoosh , Abedi Parvin , Beheshtinasab Maryam , Maraghi Elham , Meghdadi Hossein
Published: December 2022

Introduction

This study aimed to evaluate the levels of sex hormones in patients with COVID‐19 in Ahvaz, Iran.

Methods

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted at Razi hospital, Ahvaz, Iran, from July 2020 to Febuary 2021. The levels of sex hormones including estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and total and free testosterone were measured in 162 patients with COVID‐19 infection during hospitalization and 1 month after discharge. A demographic questionnaire and a checklist were used to collect the data. Mann−Whitney U test, χ2 test, Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon test, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data.

Results

Sex hormones were assessed in 162 patients at baseline; however, a month after discharge, only 69 patients provided consent for assessment, and 9 had passed away. The estradiol level was 407.70 ± 623.37 and 213.78 ± 407.17 pg/ml in female patients with severe and moderate diseases at baseline, respectively which reduced to 195.33 ± 380.04 and 58.20 ± 39.45 pg/ml after discharge (p = 0.011 and p = 0.001). The alteration in the levels of progesterone, LH, and FSH were not significant.

The level of LH in both groups of male patients with severe (6.64 ± 2.91 IU) and moderate disease (6.42 ± 4.44 IU) was high, which reduced after discharge (4.16 ± 2.44 and 3.93 ± 3.15 IU, respectively), but this decrease was significant only in the patients with severe disease (p < 0.0001). The alteration of FSH and free testosterone were not significant. The level of testosterone was 1.19 ± 0.73 and 1.46 ± 1.22 ng/ml at baseline in patients with severe and moderate diseases which increased to 2.64 ± 1.25 ng/ml, p < 0.0001, and 2.54 ± 0.93 ng/ml, p = 0.001, respectively after discharge.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that the level of estradiol in female patients increased significantly while the level of testosterone in male patients decreased during the active phase of infection. Due to the attrition of patients in the follow‐up period, more studies are needed to confirm these results.
The effects of typical grass cover combined with biocrusts on slope hydrology and soil erosion during rainstorms on the Loess Plateau of China: An experimental study
Authors: Dan Chenxi , Liu Gang , Zhao Yunge , Shu Chengbo , Shen Enshuai , Liu Chang , Tan Qinghua , Zhang Qiong , Guo Zhen , Zhang Yang
Published: December 2022

Biological soil crust (BSC), as a groundcover, is widely intergrown with grass. The effects of grass combined with BSCs on slope hydrology and soil erosion during rainfall are still unclear. In this study, simulated rainfall experiments were applied to a soil flume with four different slope cover treatments, namely, bare soil (CK), grass cover (GC), BSC, and GC + BSC, to observe the processes of runoff and sediment yield. Additionally, the soil moisture at different depths during infiltration was observed. The results showed that the runoff generated by rainfall for all treatments was in the following order: BSC > GC + BSC > CK > GC. Compared with CK, GC promoted infiltration, and BSC inhibited infiltration. The BSCs obviously inhibited infiltration at a depth of 8 cm. When the rainfall continued to infiltrate down to 16 and 24 cm, the effects of grass on promoting infiltration were stronger than those of BSCs on inhibiting infiltration. Compared with CK, the flow velocity of the BSC, GC and GC + BSC treatments was reduced by 62.8%, 32.3% and 68.3%, respectively. The BSCs and grass increased the critical shear stress by increasing the resistance. Additionally, the average sediment yield of GC and both treatments with BSCs was reduced by 80.8% and >99%, respectively, compared with CK. The soil erosion process was dominated by the soil detachment capacity in the CK, BSC and GC + BSC treatments, while the GC treatment showed a transport‐limited process. This study provides a scientific basis for the reasonable spatial allocation of vegetation in arid and semiarid areas and the correction of vegetation cover factors in soil erosion prediction models.
Characterizing stream temperature hysteresis in forested headwater streams
Authors: Miralha Lorrayne , Wissler Austin D. , Segura Catalina , Bladon Kevin D.
Published: December 2022

Stream temperature (Ts) is a key water quality parameter that controls several biological, ecological, and chemical processes in aquatic systems. In forested headwaters, exchanges of energy across air‐water‐streambed interfaces may influence Ts regimes, especially during storm events as the sources of runoff change over space and time. Analysis of the hysteretic behaviour of Ts during storm events may provide insights into rainfall‐runoff responses, but such relationships have not been thoroughly investigated. As such, our objectives were to (a) quantify the variability of stream temperature hysteresis across seasons in different sub‐regions and (b) investigate the relationship between the hysteretic response and catchment characteristics. Ts hysteresis during storm events was assessed based on the hysteresis index (HI), which describes the directionality of hysteresis loops, and the temperature response index (TRI), which indicates whether Ts increased or decreased during a storm event. We analysed Ts data from 10 forested headwater reaches in two sub‐regions (McGarvey and West Fork Tectah) in Northern California. We also performed a clustering analysis to examine the relationship amongst HI, TRI, topographic metrics, and meteorological characteristics of the study areas. Overall, the hysteretic behaviour of Ts varied across seasons—the greatest HI occurred during spring and summer. Interestingly, in the McGarvey streams the variability in Ts hysteresis co‐varied strongly with topographic metrics (i.e., upslope accumulative area, average channel slope, topographic wetness index). Comparatively, in West Fork Tectah the variability of Ts hysteresis co‐varied most strongly with meteorological metrics (i.e., antecedent rainfall events, solar radiation, and air temperature). Variables such as the gradient between stream and air temperatures, slope, and wetted width were significant for both sub‐regional hysteretic patterns. We posit that the drivers of Ts response during storms are likely dependent on catchment physiographic characteristics. Our study also illustrated the potential utility of stream temperature as a tracer for improving the understanding of hydrologic connectivity and shifts in the dominant runoff contributions to streamflow during storm events.
Improving snow water equivalent simulations in an alpine basin by blending precipitation gauge and snow pillow measurements
Authors: Pelak Norman , Sohrabi Mohammad , Safeeq Mohammad , Conklin Martha
Published: December 2022

Mountain snowpack is a critical freshwater reservoir that sustains ecosystems and provides water for hydropower, agriculture, and urban uses. Accurate basin‐scale snowpack estimates are essential for ecosystem and water resources management. Our ability to predict snowpack evolution is hampered by the low density of precipitation gauges in high mountain regions, as most precipitation gauges are installed in easily accessible areas, which are often below the snowline. These measurements are typically spatially interpolated to fill data gaps in high mountain areas, resulting in a range of gridded products with considerable differences. On the other hand, natural resources agencies rely on a few strategically placed snow pillows and snow courses to infer basin‐scale snow water equivalent (SWE). In the Kings River Basin, California, there is an opportunity to combine precipitation and snow pillow measurements to improve basin‐scale snowpack estimates. In this study, we blend precipitation gauge observations with snowpack measurements to force a spatially distributed, process‐based snowpack evolution model in order to improve basin‐scale precipitation and snowpack predictions. We test the blended precipitation (Blended scenario) against other gridded precipitation products, which are derived from precipitation gauges only (Gauge scenario) and the PRISM precipitation product (PRISM scenario). Our results show that the Blended scenario had improved snowpack predictions (NSE = 0.85) over the Gauge and PRISM scenarios (NSE = 0.37 and 0.81) when compared to observed SWE, which can be attributed to better representation of precipitation at high elevations. The Blended scenario was also the only scenario to produce sufficient surface water input (SWI) to account for the combined estimates of full natural flow and evapotranspiration in the basin. We also examine the model sensitivity to warming and discuss the impact of warming on SWE and SWI and implications for water management. The results underscore the need for improved snow observation networks at high elevations that can be used to improve the representation of precipitation patterns, which is critical for the hydrologic modelling of mountainous basins.
Comparing water use patterns of sand‐binding species in an alpine semi‐arid desert
Authors: Tian Lihui , Wu Huawu , Wang Haijiao , Zhang Dengshan , He Xiaofan , Wang Qiaoyu
Published: December 2022

The processes of species obtaining water resources are crucial to evaluate the adaptability of plantations, which can affect the establishment and survival of restored ecosystems and functions of water‐limited ecosystems. However, there are still limitations in understanding water use patterns of different four plantations (Populus sylvestris, Salix cheliophe, Hippophae rhamnoides and Artemisia ordosica) in the Qinghai Lake basin. Stable isotopes of xylem water of four individual species were analysed at different dunes located at the eastern shore of Qinghai Lake in 2018 and 2019. The purpose of this study was to explore potential water sources used by different life form plants, to identify whether the soil moisture content and root distribution determined the plants water use patterns. Results from the Bayesian mixing model MixSIAR showed that all species mainly uses three levels of soil water, but they extracted soil water from different layers in different growing seasons among species. All species primarily depended on water from upper soil layers at the early growing stage, but P. sylvestris and S. cheliophe also absorbed much proportion middle and deep soil layers' water in dry year of 2019. All four species shift to use middle or deep soil layer water rather than shallow water in July with the most rainfall and soil water content (SWC). However, it was only used by P. sylvestris and H. rhamnoides in 2018. In all, seasonal water use pattern of different species was affected by SWC, soil texture and root distribution. Compared with moratorium plantations such as S. cheliophe, mixed afforestation of P. sylvestris and H. rhamnoides maximized of soil water sources absorbed by the plants. The study can shed light on plant–water relationships to facilitate the woody species for afforestation and desertification restoration management in the semi‐arid desert ecosystem.
Nanoparticles based composite coatings with tunable vascular endothelial growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein‐2 release for bone regeneration
Authors: Chen Mingcong , Chen Yang , Wei Cheng
Published: December 2022

Bone healing is a complex cascade involving precisely coordinated spatiotemporal presentation of multiple growth factors (GFs), including osteogenic and angiogenic GFs, and each stage of bone healing requires varying types and content of GFs. In this study, we fabricated a composite nanocoating with tunable vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (BMP‐2) that was coated on the surface of a polydopamine (PDA)‐decorated tertiary calcium phosphate (TCP) scaffold using VEGF‐loaded chitosan/bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (CS/BSA‐NPs) and BMP‐2‐loaded poly‐L‐lysine/oxidized alginate nanoparticles (PLL/OALG‐NPs). It was found that VEGF could be efficiently released to promote vascularization in early bone repair stages due to the rapid biodegradation of CS/BSA‐NPs, while bone formation can be promoted by a sustained release of BMP‐2 from the slowly degrading PLL/OALG‐NPs. The composite coating and TCP scaffold can be conjugated due to the excellent adhesive property of PDA. The composite coating can achieve the rapid release of VEGF and sustained release of BMP‐2, which can activate GFs for accelerating bone healing.
How statin drugs affect exosomes?
Authors: Sekhavati Niloofar , Noori Elmira , Abbasifard Mitra , Butler Alexandra E. , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: December 2022

Statins reduce serum cholesterol and isoprenoids by the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis in the mevalonate pathway. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles (30–200 nm) released by all cells that regulate cell‐to‐cell communication in health and disease by transferring functional proteins, metabolites and nucleic acids to recipient cells. There are many reports that show an effect of statins on exosomes, from their production and release to their content and performance. In this review, we have summarized existing data on the impact of statins on the biosynthesis, secretion, content, uptake and function of exosomes.
UnderstandingRamachandranplot for dipeptide: A density functional theory and information‐theoreticapproach study
Authors: An Xiaoyan , Zhang Wenbiao , Rong Chunying , Liu Shubin
Published: December 2022

The Ramachandran plot in biochemistry visualizes the propensity of amino acid residues to assume different secondary structures. It can be obtained by different approaches such as bioinformatics and molecular dynamics. In this work, we systematically scan the two single bonds around the α‐carbon of a peptide to generate the three‐dimensional potential energy surface and then project it onto the coordinate plane to generate the Ramachandran plot. Using the two schemes of the total energy partition and information‐theoretic approach in density functional theory, we analyze the plot and find out that the dominant contributor to determine the local minima of secondary structures, especially β‐sheets, in the Ramachandran plot is the electrostatic interaction, whereas steric and exchange‐correlation contributions play minor yet indispensable roles, especially for determining α‐helixes. As the generalization of our prior studies for systems with one rotatable bond, our current results confirm what we yielded before from the viewpoint of energetic contributions, and at meanwhile provide an in‐depth understanding about the nature and origin of secondary structure propensities from the Ramachandran plot.
Predictive validity of current sarcopenia definitions (EWGSOP2, SDOC, and AWGS2) for clinical outcomes: A scoping review
Authors: Stuck Anna K. , Basile Giacomo , Freystaetter Gregor , de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino Caroline , Lang Wei , Bischoff‐Ferrari Heike A.
Published: December 2022

Over the last 3 years new definitions of sarcopenia by the Sarcopenia Definition and Outcome Consortium (2020, SDOC), European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (2019, EWGSOP2) and Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia (2019, AWGS2) have been proposed. The objective of this scoping review was to explore predictive validity of these current sarcopenia definitions for clinical outcomes. We followed the PRISMA checklist for scoping reviews. Based on a systematic search performed by two independent reviewers of databases (Pubmed and Embase) articles comparing predictive validity of two or more sarcopenia definitions on prospective clinical outcomes published since January 2019 (the year these definitions were introduced) were included. Data were extracted and results collated by clinical outcomes and by sarcopenia definitions, respectively. Of 4493 articles screened, 11 studies (mean age of participants 77.6 (SD 5.7) years and 50.0% female) comprising 82 validity tests were included. Overall, validity tests on the following categories of clinical outcomes were performed: fracture (n = 40, assessed in one study), mortality (n = 18), function (n = 11), institutionalization (n = 7), falls (n = 4), and hospitalization (n = 2). Thereby, EWGSOP2 was investigated in 15 validity tests (18.3%) on all categories of clinical outcomes, whereas SDOC was investigated in four validity tests (4.9%) in one study on fractures in men only, and none of the validity tests investigated predictive validity by the AWGS2. However, we were not able to pool the data using a meta‐analytic approach due to important methodological heterogeneity between the studies. We identified various definitions of clinical outcomes that were used to test predictive validity of sarcopenia definitions suggesting that an agreement on an operational definition of a clinical outcome is key to advance in the field of sarcopenia. Moreover, data on predictive validity using the sarcopenia definitions by the SDOC and AWGS2 are still scarce and lacking, respectively. In a next step, prospective studies including both women and men are needed to compare predictive validity of current sarcopenia definitions on defined key clinical outcomes.
Waist circumference and end‐stage renal disease based on glycaemic status: National Health Insurance Service data 2009–2018
Authors: Cho Yun Kyung , Huh Ji Hye , Moon Shinje , Kim Yoon Jung , Kim Yang‐Hyun , Han Kyung‐do , Kang Jun Goo , Lee Seong Jin , Ihm Sung‐Hee
Published: December 2022

Background

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). This study aimed to examine the effect of waist circumference (WC) on the risk for ESRD based on glycaemic status in a Korean population‐based sample.

Methods

This cohort study with a 9.2‐year follow‐up period used a population‐based National Health Insurance Service health checkup database with approximately 10 585 852 participants who were followed up from 2009 to the time of ESRD diagnosis. WC was categorized into seven levels in 5‐cm increments, with Level 4 as the reference group. Glycaemic status was categorized into the following groups: normal fasting glucose (NFG), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), newly diagnosed T2DM, T2DM treated with ≤2 oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHAs) and diabetes treated with ≥3 OHAs or insulin. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ESRD according to WC values and glycaemic status of the participants.

Results

The study finally included 10 177 245 patients with a mean age of 47.1 (13.8) years. The study population included 5 604 446 men (55.1%) and 4 572 799 women (45.9%). In total, 8.3% (n = 877 143) of the study population had diabetes. During the mean follow‐up of 9.2 (1.0) years (93 554 951 person‐years of follow‐up), 23 031 individuals were newly diagnosed with ESRD. The ESRD risk increased in parallel with an increase in WC in participants without T2DM, that is, the NFG and IFG groups (adjusted HRs [95% CIs] of WC Levels 4, 5 and 6: 1.17 [1.09–1.26], 1.37 [1.25–1.51] and 1.84 [1.63–2.07] in the NFG group and 1.06 [0.97–1.16], 1.23 [1.10–1.38] and 1.80 [1.57–2.06] in the IFG group, respectively). In patients with T2DM, the risk for ESRD was significantly increased in those with a low WC (adjusted HRs [95% CIs] of WC Level 1: 2.23 [1.77–2.80], 3.18 [2.70–3.74] and 10.31 [9.18–11.59] in patients with newly diagnosed diabetes, patients on ≤2 OHAs and those on ≥3 OHAs or insulin, respectively). The association between WC and ESRD thus showed a J‐shaped pattern in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM and a U‐shaped pattern in those on ≤2 OHAs and on ≥3 OHAs or insulin.

Conclusions

Central obesity substantially increases the risk of developing ESRD regardless of glycaemic status. The harmful effects of low WC only become significant with the progression of T2DM.