bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
El negacionismo económico. Un manifiesto contra los economistas secuestrados por su ideología, de Pierre Cahuc y André Zylberberg
Authors: Plaza-Vidaurre Marco
Published: February 2023

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Atlas fotográfico de alimentos peruanos para evaluar el consumo alimentario de niños de 6 a 12 meses de edad. Una primera aproximación desde la investigación
Authors: Mamani Urrutia Víctor Alfonso , Durán Galdo Rafael Federico , Salvatierra Ruiz Rosa Victoria
Published: February 2023

La evaluación de la ingesta de alimentos es fundamental, porque proporciona información actualizada y de buena calidad respecto al consumo de alimentos de una población. Sus resultados son muy importantes para la toma de decisiones oportunas sobre la alimentación y nutrición, especialmente en la etapa infantil. El presente Atlas fotográfico de alimentos peruanos fue desarrollado con el propósito de contar con una herramienta que permita mejorar la confiabilidad de las estimaciones del consumo alimentario de niños de 6 a 12 meses de edad. Para ello, recoge 57 alimentos en un total de 91 series de fotografías en diferentes presentaciones, seleccionados de un listado de alimentos de mayor consumo, recogidos en tres ciudades del Perú: Lima (costa), Huamanga (sierra) y Pucallpa (selva).
Manual de silvicultura urbana y periurbana
Authors:   Municipalidad de Lima
Published: February 2023

La Municipalidad de Lima ha elaborado el Manual de Silvicultura Urbana y Periurbana, cuyo objetivo es ser un instrumento de gestión y planificación que promueva la protección, la conservación, el manejo y la habilitación del arbolado urbano de la provincia de Lima, dirigido a las autoridades o privadas, así como a las personas naturales o jurídicas que tengan a su cargo la administración, el mantenimiento o el usufructo del arbolado urbano. Este manual ha sido estructurado en 12 módulos, con el fin de contribuir a la construcción de una ciudad sostenible y resiliente ante los efectos del cambio climático.
Manual de áreas verdes
Authors:   Municipalidad de Lima
Published: February 2023

El presente manual pretende ser una herramienta eficaz de consulta técnica, para la toma de decisiones respecto de la gestión y el manejo de áreas verdes. Asimismo, busca mostrar las consideraciones básicas que se deben tener presentes durante el planeamiento, la ejecución y el monitoreo de las áreas verdes urbanas. Los dieciséis módulos del Manual de Áreas Verdes incluyen, entre otros aspectos, la planificación, el financiamiento, el diseño, el establecimiento, el mantenimiento, la valorización, el control de plagas y la conservación de las áreas verdes.
Experimental Study on Fiber Balls for Bridging in Fractured-Vuggy Reservoir
Authors: Chen Lifeng , Huang Feiyang , Li Gang , Mao Zhiqiang , Hu Yu , Liu Liang , Zeng Huiyong , Xu Shiyu
Published: February 2023

For conventional particles used for conformance control in fractured-vuggy reservoirs, large-size particles easily plug the wellbore area but have difficulty plugging the zone far from the wellbore, while small-size particles easily move in depth. In this study, fiber balls for bridging in fractured-vuggy reservoirs were developed by wrapping the fiber in the precrosslinked gel. Due to the influence of temperature and salinity in the formation, the gel degraded and the filamentous fibers were released. Then, the released fibers bridged in the fractures while reducing the safety risk of the injection process. As a water plugging agent, the fiber balls can decrease the conductivity in high-permeability fractures and increase the conductivity in low-permeability fractures, thus improving waterflooding efficiency and enhancing oil recovery. The plugging performance of fiber balls was evaluated by coreflooding experiments. The experimental results show that the optimal formulation of fiber balls is 7% acrylamide (AM) + 3% polyamino acid ester + 0.75% potassium persulfate (K2S2O8) + 4% polypropylene fiber + 4% glass fiber + 0.15% polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PDA) + 0.08% N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (MBA) + 0.1% polyacrylamide (PAM). The release time of fibers from the external gel is 42 to 57 hours, meeting the requirements of conformance control. According to the results of the performance evaluation, the larger the fracture width, the worse the bridging effect of fibers. Besides, the rule of “3/2 bridging” fiber was proposed: When the fiber length is 3/2 times the fracture width, the fiber has the strongest bridging and plugging ability. With the increase in fracture width, the fiber concentration needs to be increased to have a good bridging performance. The results of this study can provide a new idea for the technology of conformance control in fractured-vuggy reservoirs.
Experienced career perspectives of nursing students and their supervisors in learning departments: A qualitative study
Authors: Boskma A.C.P. , Wolthuis F.W. , Roelofs P.D.D.M. , Wijlen A.T. van , Schie J.E. van , Rinkel J. M. de Man- van , Finnema E.J.
Published: February 2023

Background: Due to the nursing shortage, positive work environments are needed to retain (student) nurses. More and attractive internships for students need to be ensured. In order to provide more internship places learning departments were developed, which are characterized by a buddy system and supervisors who coaches at least two students during a shift. Gaining knowledge about career perspectives and job satisfaction is essential within the context of learning departments, as both will contribute to quality and safety of care and will support lifelong learning. The current study aimed to investigate how nurses and nursing students working and learning in learning departments experience preconditions for career opportunities.
Methods: Using a generic qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted through videocalls between March and April 2021 in the Netherlands. Inductive qualitative analysis based on ‘The Data Analysis Spiral’ was used.
Results: Career perspective is explored among six students and seven nurses. Five main themes were generated for both nurses and students; (1) personal goals; (2) skills and self-efficacy; (3) mentoring; (4) job satisfaction; and (5) career perspectives. Within the five main themes, subcategories were developed from 198 codes related to career opportunities. Results show career perspective is experienced differently. For students, the requirements to experience career perspective seem largely existing, as learning departments fits with personal goals, increases self-efficacy and provide coaching mentoring. Students felt learning departments contributed positively to becoming more skilled in working independently and collaborating with fellow students. This resulted in students feeling well prepared for the future. Nurses’ career perspectives varied from wanting more personal development to experiencing opportunities due to having great colleagues, a challenging patient category, satisfaction from sharing knowledge and a decreasing physical workload. Nurses who had affinity with coaching students experience more career perspective on learning departments.
Conclusion: Interviews provided in-depth insights within five themes. Interviews gave in-depth insight into the elements of learning departments that contribute to career perspectives of (student)nurses. The results can be used by nursing supervisors, teachers and policymakers to optimize nurses’ work environment, to eliminate leave intentions and improve quality of patientcare. The results should be taken into consideration when coaching students, developing manuals and implementing or optimizing learning departments.
Future research is recommended to investigate which tools/interventions are effective for nurses and other healthcare professionals to support career guidance.
Efficacy and safety of fire needle therapy for obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: study protocol for a single arm clinical trial
Authors: Shen Linbo , Zeng Hui , Song Yuqiang , Sun Sanfeng , Wang Jingfei , Sun Jingqing , Wen Yali , Zhang Yuzhuo , Fu Yuanbo
Published: February 2023

Background
Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated apnea and hypopnea while you're asleep, and the prevalence rate increases annually. Previous research revealed that the fire needle therapy for OSAHS good clinical efficacy but lacked proof from clinical trials. Therefore, we designed this single-arm clinical trial protocol to investigate the effectiveness and safety of treating OSAHS using fire needle therapy.
Methods/design:
166 adult subjects with mild to moderate OSAHS, ranging in age from 18 to 70, will be included in this study. All subjects will receive fire needle therapy twice a week for 4 weeks and follow-up for 12 months. The following points will include outcome assessment: (1) baseline;(2) 4 weeks following treatment's start;(3) 3 months following treatment's start; (4) 12 months following treatment's start. The primary outcome of the trial is the AHI index, and the secondary outcomes include oxygen desaturation index(ODI), lowest nocturnal oxygen saturation (LSpO2), percentage of SaO2 < 90% in total sleep time (TS90%), apnea index (AI), hypopnea index (HI), subjective symptoms (by ESS score, TCM syndrome score). Safety assessments include vital sign monitoring, routine blood tests, routine urine tests, blood biochemistry, the skin Reaction Scale, the modified Vancouver scar score, and adverse events.
Discussion
This single-arm clinical registry study will provide evidence-based medical evidence for the efficacy and safety of fire needle therapy in OSAHS.
Trail registration:
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100042309. Registered on January 7, 2021.
Optimization study of pharmaceuticals pollutants adsorption onto large surface area walnut shells activated carbon: Experimental design, Mechanism and DFT calculations
Authors: Yazid Hicham , Mersly Lekbira El , Mouchtari El Mountassir El , Kassimi Aziz El , Ayouchia Hicham Ben El , Himri Mamoune El , Rafqah Salah , Haddad Mohammadine El
Published: February 2023

The increasing accumulation of pharmaceuticals in aquatic ecosystems can degrade the freshwater quality and endanger human health. In our work, we will discuss the removal of three pharmaceuticals that are most detected in aquatic environments: ketoprofen (KTP), diclofenac (DCF), and sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The adsorption process removed these toxic pollutants on a bio-sourced activated carbon (AC) prepared from walnut shells (Ws) from the Atlas El Kabir -Marrakech region. MEB, elemental mapping, EDX, FTIR, and BET surface area characterized the properties of prepared activated carbon. The activated carbon obtained had a high surface area (2256 m2/g). The experimental design methodology to optimize the adsorption process using the AZURAD® software. This approach was applied to remove three pharmaceutical pollutants in an aqueous solution by AC-Ws. The effect of four independent variables, including pH, the dose of AC-Ws, and temperature (T), on the PPs elimination efficiency was studied. Using the desirability function approach, commonly optimized conditions for adsorption of the three pharmaceuticals (DCF, SMX, and KTP) were assessed with pH 4, the dose of AC-Ws 0.28g/L, and a Temperature of 22 °C. At these conditions, the removal efficiency was 99.95%, 99.16%, and 99% for DCF, SMX, and KTP, respectively. Freundlich's model describes the adsorption of two pharmaceuticals efficiently: SMX and DCF, but the Langmuir model characterizes the adsorption of KTP. The pseudo-first-order model provided a satisfactory explanation for PPs kinetic adsorption over walnut shell adsorbent. The thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic for KTP and SMX, whereas DCF adsorbs randomly and endothermic on the activated carbon. The Boehm method determined the organic functions present on the surface of the adsorbent. The pharmaceutical adsorption mechanism over AC-Ws surface sites was further evaluated using the density functional theory (DFT) method. Therefore, the material prepared in this work possesses intrinsic characteristics that make it an excellent adsorbent to treat pharmaceutical contaminants in wastewater.
Effectiveness of a community-based support programme to reduce social inequality in exclusive breastfeeding: study protocol for a cluster-randomised trial
Authors: Rossau Henriette Knold , Nilsson Ingrid Maria Susanne , Busck-Rasmussen Marianne , Ekstrøm Claus Thorn , Gadeberg Anne Kristine , Hirani Jonas Cuzulan , Strandberg-Larsen Katrine , Villadsen Sarah Fredsted
Published: February 2023

Background

Breastmilk is the ideal nutrition for infants, and breastfeeding protects infants and mothers from a range of adverse health outcomes. In Denmark, most mothers initiate breastfeeding but many cease within the first months resulting in just 14% reaching the World Health Organization recommendation of six months of exclusive breastfeeding. Furthermore, the low breastfeeding proportion at six months is characterised by a marked social inequality. A previous intervention tested in a hospital setting succeeded in increasing the proportion of mothers breastfeeding exclusively at six months. However, most breastfeeding support is provided within the Danish municipality-based health visiting programme. Therefore, the intervention was adapted to fit the health visiting programme and implemented in 21 Danish municipalities. This article reports the study protocol, which will be used to evaluate the adapted intervention.

Methods

The intervention is tested in a cluster-randomised trial at the municipal level. A comprehensive evaluation approach is taken. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated using survey and register data. Primary outcomes are the proportion of women who breastfeed exclusively at four months postpartum and duration of exclusive breastfeeding measured as a continuous outcome. A process evaluation will be completed to evaluate the implementation of the intervention; a realist evaluation will provide an understanding of the mechanisms of change characterising the intervention. Finally, a health economic evaluation will assess the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of this complex intervention.

Discussion

This study protocol reports on the design and evaluation of the Breastfeeding Trial – a cluster-randomised trial implemented within the Danish Municipal Health Visiting Programme from April 2022 to October 2023. The purpose of the programme is to streamline breastfeeding support provided across healthcare sectors. The evaluation approach is comprehensive using a multitude of data to analyse the effect of the intervention and inform future efforts to improve breastfeeding for all.

Trial registration

Prospectively registered with Clinical Trials NCT05311631 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05311631
Atomistic-geometric simulations to investigate the mechanical stability of monocrystalline sI methane hydrates under pressure
Authors: Zhu Xiaodan , Guerra André , Servio Phillip , Rey Alejandro
Published: February 2023

Gas hydrate mechanical stability under pressure is critically important in energy supply, global warming, and carbon-neutral technologies. The stability of these polyhedral guest-host crystals under increasing pressure is affected by host cage type and face connectivity as well as guest gas occupancy. The geometry-imposed cage connectivity generates crystal lattices that include inclusion-matrix material composite structures. In this paper, we integrate Density Functional Theory simulations with a polyhedral-inspired composite material model that quantifies stability limits, failure modes, and the impact of the type of cage occupancy. DFT reveals the existence of two failure mechanisms under increasing pressure: (i) a multistep lattice breakdown under total occupancy and under only large cage occupancy and (ii) a single-step breakdown under zero occupancy as well as with only small cage occupancy. The DFT-composite model predicts optimal occupancy pathways to generate strength and critical occupancy pathways to promote decomposition.
Potential for high toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to the European Daphnia longispina
Authors: Machado Anderson Abel de Souza , Ghadernezhad Nesar , Wolinska Justyna
Published: February 2023

Background

Current regulatory discussions about microplastics are often questioned on the basis of a lack of data indicating high ecotoxic hazards of these particles within standard recognized definitions. Moreover, there is scientific debate on what metrics to report the micro-nanoplastics toxicity (i.e. mass or particle counts-based exposure). We present here the high potential sensitivity of three genotypically different clones of the European Daphnia longispina species complex exposed to non-functionalized polystyrene nanobeads of 50 nm and 100 nm in diameter according to adapted OECD 202 test protocol.

Results

EC50s 48h varied from 0.2 to 8.9 mg L− 1 (mean 2.49 mg L− 1) for 50 nm beads, and from 32.7 to 90.3 mg L− 1 (mean 59.39 mg L−1) for the 100 nm. EC10s 48h varied from 0.0007 to 7.5 mg L− 1 (mean 0.28 mg L− 1) for 50 nm beads, and from 25.5 to 69.1 mg L− 1 (mean 47.51 mg L− 1) for the 100 nm. Inter-clonal variability was about 10-fold. Therefore, several 1000s-fold variations in mass-based ecotoxicity for these polystyrene beads could be observed if particle size and Daphnia genotype are considered jointly.

Conclusions

Such ecotoxicity potential is comparable to highly toxic chemicals in global and EU-based regulatory classification and labelling. Ecotoxicity based on particle counts suggested convergence of EC50s, with effects generally observed around 1011 to1015 particles L− 1. The present results highlight the potential high hazard of these particles and the relevance of particle size and exposure metrics on hazard conclusion.
Gene co-expression network analysis identifies hub genes associated with different tolerance under calcium deficiency in two peanut cultivars
Authors: Li Lin , Tang Kang , Zhang Bowen , Zhang Wei , Zeng Ningbo , Zhang Hao , Liu Dengwang , Luo Zinan
Published: February 2023

Background
Peanut is an economically-important oilseed crop and needs a large amount of calcium for its normal growth and development. Calcium deficiency usually leads to embryo abortion and subsequent abnormal pod development. Different tolerance to calcium deficiency has been observed between different cultivars, especially between large and small-seed cultivars.
Results
In order to figure out different molecular mechanisms in defensive responses between different cultivars, we treated a large-seed (sensitive) and a small-seed (tolerant) cultivar with different calcium levels. The transcriptome analyses identified a total of 58 and 61 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) within small-seed and large-seed peanut groups, and these DEGs were entirely covered by gene modules in each respective group via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). KEGG enrichment analyses have shown that the blue module genes in the large-seed cultivar were mainly enriched in plant-pathogen attack, phenolic metabolism and MAPK signaling pathway, while the green module genes in the small-seed cultivar were enriched in lipid metabolism such as glycerolipid and glycerophospholipid metabolisms. A total of eight hub-DEGs were finally identified from two gene modules, suggesting that the large-seed cultivar concentrated more on plant defensive responses and antioxidant activities, while the small-seed cultivar mainly focused on maintaining membrane features to enable normal photosynthesis and signal transduction.
Conclusion
The identified hub genes might give a clue for future gene validation study as well as breeding efforts to improve peanut survivability under calcium deficiency.
Circulating neutrophil extracellular trap (NET)-forming ‘rogue’ neutrophil subset, immunotype [DEspR+CD11b+], mediate multi-organ failure in COVID-19 - an observational study
Authors: Herrera Victoria L. M. , Bosch Nicholas A. , Lok J. Judith , Nguyen Mai Q. , Lenae Kaitriona A. , deKay Joanne T. , Ryzhov Sergey V. , Seder David B. , Ruiz-Opazo Nelson , Walkey Allan J.
Published: February 2023

Background: Cumulative research show association of neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) with poor outcomes in severe COVID-19. However, to date, no curative intent therapy has been identified to block neutrophil/NETs-mediated progression of multi-organ dysfunction. Because of emerging neutrophil heterogeneity, the study of subsets of circulating neutrophil-extracellular trap (NET)-forming neutrophils [NET+Ns] as mediators of multi-organ failure progression among patients with COVID-19 is critical to identification of therapeutic targets.
Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of circulating levels of CD11b+[NET+N] immunotyped for dual endothelin-1/signal peptide receptor, (DEspR±) expression by quantitative immunofluorescence-cytology and causal mediation analysis. In 36 consented adults hospitalized with mod-severe COVID-19, May to September 2020, we measured acute multi-organ failure via SOFA-scores and respiratory failure via SaO2/FiO2 (SF)ratio at time points t1 (average 5.5 days from ICU/hospital admission) and t2 (the day before ICU-discharge or death), and ICU-free days at day28 (ICUFD). Circulating absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) and [NET+N] subset-specific counts were measured at t1. Spearman correlation and causal mediation analyses were conducted.
Results: Spearman correlation analyses showed correlations of t1-SOFA with t2-SOFA (rho rS=0.80) and ICUFD (rS=-0.76); circulating DEspR+[NET+Ns] with t1-SOFA (rS= 0.71), t2-SOFA (rS =0.62), and ICUFD (rS =-0.63), and ANC with t1-SOFA (rS=0.71), and t2-SOFA (rS=0.61).
Causal mediation analysis identified DEspR+[NET+Ns] as mediator of 44.1% [95% CI:16.5,110.6] of the causal path between t1-SOFA (exposure) and t2-SOFA (outcome), with 46.9% [15.8,124.6] eliminated when DEspR+[NET+Ns] were theoretically reduced to zero. Concordantly, DEspR+[NET+Ns] mediated 47.1% [22.0,72.3%] of the t1-SOFA to ICUFD causal path, with 51.1% [22.8,80.4%] eliminated if DEspR+[NET+Ns] were reduced to zero. In patients with t1-SOFA >1, the indirect effect of a hypothetical treatment eliminating DEspR+[NET+Ns] projected a reduction of t2-SOFA by 0.98 [0.29,2.06] points and ICUFD by 3.0 [0.85,7.09] days. In contrast, there was no significant mediation of SF-ratio through DEspR+[NET+Ns], and no significant mediation of SOFA-score through ANC.
Conclusions: Despite equivalent correlations, DEspR+[NET+Ns], but not ANC, mediated progression of multi-organ failure in acute COVID-19, and its hypothetical reduction is projected to improve ICUFD. These translational findings warrant further studies of DEspR+[NET+Ns] as potential patient-stratifier and actionable therapeutic target for multi-organ failure in COVID-19.
Social Interactions and Vaccine Hesitancy: Evidence from
a Full Population Study in Sweden
Authors: Klaesson Johan , Lobo Jose , Mellander Charlotta
Published: February 2023

We investigate individuals’ information milieu and their decision to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The decision to accept or refuse a vaccine is intensely personal and involves the processing of information about phenomena likely to be unfamiliar to most individuals. We thus expect an interplay between an individual’s education and skills level and the information processing of others with whom she can interact and whose decision she can probe and observe. Using individual-level data for adults in Sweden, we can identify the proportion of an individual’s neighborhood and workplace who are unvaccinated as indicators of possible peer effects. We find that individuals with low levels of educational attainment and occupational skills are more likely to be unvaccinated when exposed to other unvaccinated individuals. The peer effects in each of these information milieus further increase the likelihood of not getting vaccinated—with the two acting as information channels that amplify each other.
Incorporating Economic Methods into Cochrane Systematic Reviews: Case Studies in Brain Tumour Research
Authors: Kernohan Ashleigh , Robinson Tomos , Vale Luke
Published: February 2023

Background:
Cochrane systematic reviews have established methods for identifying and critically appraising effects evidence in health. In addition to evidence regarding the effects of interventions, the resource implications of such interventions can have a huge impact on decision makers ability to adopt and implement them. We present examples of the three approaches to include economic evidence in Cochrane reviews.
Methods:
The Cochrane Handbook suggest three different methods of integrating economic evidence into reviews: the Brief Economic Commentary (BEC), the Integrated Full Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations (IFSREE) and using an Economic Decision Model. Using examples from a suite of systematic reviews in brain tumour research, we utilised each method to address three different research questions. A BEC was utilised in a review that evaluates the long-term side effects of radiotherapy (with or without chemotherapy). An IFSREE was utilised in a review assessing different treatment strategies for newly diagnosed glioblastoma in the elderly. Finally, an economic model was included in a review assessing diagnostic test accuracy for tests of codeletion of chromosomal arms in people with glioma
Results:
The BEC mirrored the results of the main review and found a paucity of quality evidence with regard with regard to side effects of radiotherapy in those with glioma. The IFSREE identified a single economic evaluation regarding glioblastoma in the elderly, but this study had a number of methodological issues. The economic model identified a number of potentially cost-effective strategies for tests for codeletion of chromosomal arms 1p and 19q in people with glioma.
Conclusions:
There are strengths and limitations of each approach of integrating economic evidence in a Cochrane systematic review. The type of research question, resources available and study timeline should be considered which choosing which approach to use when integrating economic evidence.
Building capacity for estimating fire emissions from tropical peatlands; a worked example from Indonesia
Authors: Krisnawati Haruni , Budiharto Budiharto , Zamzani Franky , Adinugroho Wahyu C , Qirom Muhammad A. , Weston Christopher J. , Volkova Liubov
Published: February 2023

Tropical peatlands are globally significant in the terrestrial carbon cycle as they are comprised of a large forest carbon sink and a large peat carbon store – both of which can potentially be exchanged with the atmosphere on decadal timeframes. Greenhouse gas emissions from fire-disturbance and development of tropical peatlands over the last few decades, and the potential for ongoing emissions, highlights the need for policy to slow or halt emissions and to activate mechanisms to sequester carbon through restoration of degraded peatlands. The UN REDD + scheme provides a means for developing economies to receive payments for avoided deforestation and forest degradation, but the steps to achieve REDD + compliance are rigorous and the details required can be a barrier to activating benefits – especially for peatlands where repeated cycles of fire truncate forest recovery and create a range of recovery classes. Therefore, the knowledge of the parameters required for estimating peat fire emissions needs to be improved to better understand the carbon balance of tropical peatlands at different fire regime. In this study we use published activity data from the extensive 1997 fires in the peatlands of Indonesian Borneo to detail a transparent and accountable way to estimate and report emissions from tropical peatland fires. This example for estimating and reporting emissions is provided to assist REDD + economies to efficiently develop their capacity for improving emissions estimates from fire-impacted tropical peatlands.
Aqueous pulsed electrochemistry enables one-pot cascade synthesis by reductive hydrogenation and oxidation-formed Cu(II) Catalyzed C−N Coupling
Authors: He Meng , Wu Yongmeng , Li Rui , Wang Yuting , Liu Cuibo , Zhang Bin
Published: February 2023

Electrocatalytic C−N bond formation from inorganic nitrogen wastes is an emerging sustainable adoption to fabricate valuable organic amines but is limited in reaction scope. Integrating heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis for one-pot reactions to construct C−N bonds is highly promising but remains a great challenge. Herein, we report an aqueous pulsed electrochemistry-mediated transformation of nitrite (NO2−) and arylboronic acids to arylamines with high yields. The overall process involves NO2− electroreduction to ammonia (NH3) over a Cu nanocoral cathode and subsequent coupling of NH3 with arylboronic acids catalyzed by in situ dissolved Cu(II) under a switched anodic potential. Cu(II) and the key Cu(II)-NH3 complex for C−N coupling are confirmed by combined in- and quasi-in-situ spectra. This pulsed protocol also promotes the migration of nucleophilic ArB(OH)3− and causes the consumption of OH− near the cathode surface, accelerating C−N formation and suppressing phenol byproduct. Cu(II) can be expediently recycled via facile electroplating. The wide substrate scope, ready synthesis of 15N-labeled arylamines, and methodological expansion to the Click reactions highlight the great promise.
Antioxidant system of garden cress sprouts for using in biomonitor of cadmium and lead contamination
Authors: Abdel-Aty Azza M. , Elsayed Alshaimaa M. , Gad Abdul Aziz M. , Barakat Amal Z. , Mohamed Saleh A.
Published: February 2023

Based on garden cress significantly used for phytoremediation, the antioxidant system included antioxidant-phenolic compounds and antioxidant-enzymes of 6-day-garden cress sprouts (GCS) were assessed as potential bio-indicators for cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) contamination. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of GCS germinated under Cd and Pb treatments (25–150 mg kg− 1) gradually increased with increasing concentration of metals and peaked by 2.0, 2.6, and 2.5, 2.3 folds at 150 mg kg− 1, respectively. By using DPPH, ABTS, and PMC antioxidant assays, the total antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds of GCS increased 6.1, 13.0, and 5.8-fold for Cd and 5.9, 14.6, and 8.2-fold for Pb at 150 mg kg− 1, respectively. The antioxidant enzymes of GCS (POD, CAT, GR, and GST) were significantly activated in response to Cd and Pb stress, and two new electrophoretic POD bands were detected. GCS was absorbed 19.0% and 21.3% of Cd and Pb at 150 mg metal kg− 1, respectively. In conclusion, the approaches of the antioxidant defense system of GSC could potentially be used as bio-indicator for monitoring Cd and Pb contamination in a short time of germination process.
Human microbiome transfer in the built environment differs based on occupants, objects, and buildings
Authors: Hoisington Andrew J. , Stamper Christopher E. , Bates Katherine L. , Stanislawski Maggie A. , Flux Michael C. , Postolache Teodor T. , Lowry Christopher A. , Brenner Lisa A.
Published: February 2023

Compared to microbiomes on other skin sites, the microbiome of the human hand has been found to have greater variability across time. To increase understanding regarding the longitudinal transfer of the hand microbiome to objects in the built environment, and vice versa, twenty-two participants provided skin microbiome samples from their dominant hands, as well as from frequently and infrequently touched objects in their office environments. Additional longitudinal samples from home environments were obtained from a subset of 11 participants. We observed stability of the microbiomes of both the hand and built environments within the office and home settings; however, differences in the microbial communities were detected across the two built environments. Occupants’ frequency of touching an object correlated to that object having a higher relative abundance of human microbes, yet the percent of shared microbes was variable by participants. Finally, objects that were horizontal surfaces in the built environment had higher microbial diversity as compared to objects and the occupants’ hands. This study adds to the existing knowledge of microbiomes of the built environment, enables more detailed studies of indoor microbial transfer, and contributes to future models and building interventions to reduce negative outcomes and improve health and well-being.
Chemical identification of certain antifungal extracts from Epicoccum nigrum against phytopathogenic Fusarium solani
Authors: Ali Sally A. , Abdelmoaty Hazem S. , Ramadan Hend H. , Salman Yomna B.
Published: February 2023

Epicocum nigrum strain AUMC 15771 was isolated from E.milii leaves, as well as four endophytic fungi were isolated from E.hirta leaves which were collected from Helwan University garden. On the basis of antifungal activities of the five isolated endophytic fungi against phytopathogenic F.solani.
Epicocum nigrum achieved a strong inhibition percent (94%). Ethyl acetate extracts of the cultural filtrates were active against F. solanicompared to the control and other extracts (Dichlorometane, Chloroform:Methanol (2:1). Both Light microscopy and Scanning electron microscopy showed that higher concentrations of Ethyl acetate extract caused a change in hyphal aggregation and spore′s formation of F.solani. Furthermore, higher concentrations of Ethyl acetate extracts of E.nigrum had a slight phytotoxic effect on Faba been (Vicia Faba.L) germination and root length compared to lower Ethyl acetate extract concentrations. Identification of antifungal agents in Ethyl acetate extract using GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4-Hexadeutero Octadecanal, 2, 2-Dideutero Octadecanal, and Isochiapin B as major components that could be have antifungal and antimicrobial substances. These results offer a viable and sustainable alternative to using E.nigrum extracts for controlling phytopathogenic F.solani.
Electronic and structural properties of functionalized Silica nanoparticles: DFT and SCC DFTB calculation
Authors: Houshmand Fatemeh , schofield jeremy , moafi zahra
Published: February 2023

Silica nanoparticles (SNP) are extremely promising tools in nanotechnology and nanomedicine. In this investigation, we aim at obtaining the optimized structures and evaluate the geometries of the ground state for (SiO2) n (n = 16,20) nanoclusters. The electronic properties computed by density functional theory (DFT) with GGA approximation and also SCC-DFTB with hybrid Slater-Koster files are investigated and the effect of functionalization on such properties is discussed. Solvolysis of these structures is examined and it is shown that the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital states shift to obviously higher energy levels which lead to more stable hydrogenated nanoclusters. The stability of nanoclusters rises by functionalization with amino and methylamine groups. Charge analysis of functionalized systems indicates the reactivity of nanoclusters. The results obtained in this paper are useful for chemical and biochemical applications of silica nanostructures.
WITHDRAWN: Biological variation of estimated glomerular filtrations rate in apparently healthy individuals within 24 h calculated using new CKD-EPI equations
Authors: Zhou ChaoQiong , Xie QianRong , Wang HuaLi , Wu Feng , He DaHai , Huang Ying , He Ying , Dai ShiRong , Chen Jie , Zhang Yan , Kong LiRui
Published: February 2023

Background
Glomerular filtrations rate (GFR) estimated based on serum creatinine (S-Crea) and/or serum cystatin C (S-Cys-C) levels is often used to assess renal function. The commonly used equations are the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI), However, short-term studies of the corresponding GFR biological variation(BV) are scarce, and all have included race coefficients. In this study, We aimed to use the MDRD and without race coefficients of CKD-EPI new equations (CKD-EPICrea, CKD-EPICys-C, and CKD-EPICrea+Cys-C) to estimate the BV of eGFR within 24 h.
Methods
30 apparently healthy subjects blood samples were collected once at 4-h intervals for 24h, Measuring S-Crea and S-Cys-C, using MDRD and CKD-EPI new equations to estimated GFR(eGFR).
Results
Based on the MDRD, CKD-EPICrea, CKD-EPICys-C, and CKD-EPICrea+Cys-C equations, the within-subject CVI (95% confidence interval (CI)) of eGFR for the 30 apparently healthy subjects were 8.39%(7.50–9.51),3.90%(3.49–4.42),6.58%(5.88–7.46)and5.03%(4.50–5.71), respectively. Further, the corresponding individual index(II) values were 0.69, 0.48, 0.51, and 0.31, respectively,and the corresponding positive and negative reference change values (RCVpos/neg) were (29.30%,-22.66%), (12.69%,-11.26%), (20.97%,-17.33%), and (15.88%,-13.70%), respectively. Additionally, the RCVpos/neg values of the individual apparently healthy subjects were significantly different,indicating obvious individual characteristics.The largest corresponding individual RCVpos/neg values were (56.51%,-36.11%), (20.99%,-17.35%), (44.93%,-31.00%),and (28.83%, -22.38%), respectively, while the smallest values were (12.36%,-11.00%), (5.32%, -5.05%), (5.76%,-5.45%), and (5.01%,-4.77%),respectively.
Conclusions
The presence of BV has impact on the interpretation of GFR results, in turn affecting the CKD stage,so when using eGFRs based on MDRD and CKD-EPI equations,it is necessary to combine RCVpos/neg values before interpreting the results.
Integrating genome wide association studies with selective sweep reveals genetic loci associated with tolerance to low phosphate availability in Brassica napus
Authors: Liu Haijiang , Yuan Pan , Cui Rui , Hammond John P , White Philip J. , Zhang Yuting , Zou Maoyan , Ding Guangda , Wang Sheliang , Cai Hongmei , Xu Fangsen , SHI LEI
Published: February 2023

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.; B. napus) is an important oil crop around the world. However, the genetic mechanism of B. napus adaptations to low phosphate (P) stress are largely unknown. In this study, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified 68 SNPs significantly associated with seed yield (SY) under low P (LP) availability in two trials. Among these SNPs, two, chrC07__39807169 and chrC09__14194798, were co-detected in two trials, and BnaC07.ARF9 and BnaC09.PHT1;2 were identified as candidate genes of them, respectively, by combine GWAS with quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). There were significant differences in the gene expression level of BnaC07.ARF9 and BnaC09.PHT1;2 between P -efficient and -inefficiency varieties at LP. SY_LP had a significant positive correlation with the gene expression level of both BnaC07.ARF9 and BnaC09.PHT1;2. BnaC07.ARF9 and BnaA01.PHR1 could directly bind the promoters of BnaA01.PHR1 and BnaC09.PHT1;2, respectively. Selective sweep analysis was conducted between ancient and derived B. napus, and detected 1280 putative selective signals. Within the selected region, a large number of genes related to P uptake, transport and utilization were detected, such as purple acid phosphatase (PAP) family genes and phosphate transporter (PHT) family genes. These findings provide novel insights into the molecular targets for breeding P efficiency varieties in B. napus.
Adsorption and mitigation impact of the monosodium glutamate (C₅H₈NO₄Na) bio-molecules on the steel rebar corrosion in the chloride-contaminated simulated concrete pore solution
Authors: Mohammadkhah Sahel , Dehghani Ali , Ramezanzadeh Bahram
Published: February 2023

Corrosion has caused significant annual costs for building construction and civil architectural designs. In this study, Monosodium glutamate (GLU) was proposed as a potential candidate for long-lasting corrosion inhibition to slow down the rate of corrosion in the concrete pore environment. In this regard, the electrochemical and morphological properties of the various GLU concentrated systems between 1 to 5 wt.% in the simulated concrete pore solution media were investigated. According to the EIS results, adding 4 wt.% of GLU could reduce the mild steel corrosion process by 86% through a mixed inhibition mechanism. Also, the polarization records represented that the samples' corrosion current density was diminished to 0.169 µA.cm-2 after the addition of 4 wt.% GLU into the harsh environment. Using the FE-SEM method, the growth of the GLU layer over the metal substrate was demonstrated. The results of spectroscopic methods, i.e., Raman and GIXRD, demonstrated that GLU molecules were successfully adsorbed over the surface of the metal. Contact angle test outcomes showed that by increasing the GLU concentration to its optimum level (4 wt.%), the surface hydrophobicity was dramatically raised to 62 degrees.
N-Oleoyl Glycine and N-Oleoyl Alanine Attenuate Alcohol Self-Administration and Preference in Mice
Authors: Yaka Rami , Shahen-Zoabi Samah , Smoum Reem , Bingor Alexey , Grad Etty , Nemirovski Alina , Shekh-Ahmad Tawfeeq , Mechoulam Raphael
Published: February 2023

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a key modulatory role during synaptic plasticity and homeostatic processes in the brain, and has an important role in the neurobiological processes underlying drug addiction. We have previously shown that an elevated ECS response to psychostimulant (cocaine) is involved in regulating the development and expression of cocaine-conditioned reward and cocaine sensitization. Here, we determine the involvement of ECS in alcohol addiction. We first measured the levels of endocannabinoids (eCBs) and eCB-like molecules in different regions of the brain reward system following chronic alcohol self-administration using LCMS. We found that following chronic intermittent alcohol consumption, N-oleoyl glycine (OlGly) levels were significantly elevated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), and N-oleoyl alanine (OlAla) was significantly elevated in the PFC, nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) in a region-specific manner. We next tested whether exogenous administration of OlGly or OlAla would attenuate alcohol consumption and preference. We found that systemic administration of OlGly or OlAla (60mg/kg, intraperitoneal) during intermittent alcohol consumption significantly reduced alcohol intake and preference. These findings suggest that the ECS negatively regulates alcohol consumption and boosting selective endocannabinoids exogenously has beneficial effects against alcohol consumption and potentially in preventing relapse.
Discrimination training affects stimulus generalization in mice during Pavlovian eyeblink conditioning
Authors: Fiocchi Francesca Romana , Dorp Nikki van , Dijkhuizen Stephanie , Berg Maurits van der , Wong Aaron , Jung Caroline , de Zeeuw Chris I. , Boele Henk-Jan
Published: February 2023

The delicate balance between generalization and discrimination of responses is crucial for survival in our ever-changing environment. In particular, it is important to understand how stimulus discrimination affects the level of stimulus generalization. For example, when we use non-differential training for Pavlovian eyeblink conditioning to investigate generalization of cerebellar-related eyelid motor responses, we find generalization effects on both amplitude and timing of the conditioned responses. However, it is unknown what the generalization effects are following differential training. We trained mice to close their eyelids to a 10kHz tone (CS+) while alternatingly exposing them to a tone frequency of either 4kHz, 9kHz or 9.5kHz (CS-). We tested the generalization effects with tones ranging from 2kHz to 20kHz. Our results show that the level of generalization tended to positively correlate with the difference between the CS+ and the CS- training stimuli. These effects of generalization were only found for the probability and amplitude of the conditioned responses, but we did not find any significant effect on the onset of the conditioned eyelid responses. These data highlight the specificity of the generalization effects following differential versus non-differential training.
Assessing Variants of Uncertain Significance Implicated in Hearing Loss Using a Comprehensive Deafness Proteome
Authors: Tollefson Mallory R. , Gogal Rose A. , Weaver A. Monique , Schaefer Amanda M. , Marini Robert J. , Azaiez Hela , Kolbe Diana L. , Wang Donghong , Weaver Amy E. , Casavant Thomas L. , Braun Terry A. , Smith Richard J. H. , Schnieders Michael
Published: February 2023

Hearing loss is the leading sensory deficit, affecting ~ 5% of the population. It exhibits remarkable heterogeneity across 223 genes with 6,328 pathogenic missense variants, making deafness-specific expertise a prerequisite for ascribing phenotypic consequences to genetic variants. Deafness-implicated variants are curated in the Deafness Variation Database (DVD) after classification by a genetic hearing loss expert panel and thorough informatics pipeline. However, seventy percent of the 128,167 missense variants in the DVD are “variants of uncertain significance” (VUS) due to insufficient evidence for classification. Here, we use the deep learning protein prediction algorithm, AlphaFold2, to curate structures for all DVD genes. We refine these structures with global optimization and the AMOEBA force field and use DDGun3D to predict folding free energy differences (∆∆GFold) for all DVD missense variants. We find that 5,772 VUSs have a large, destabilizing ∆∆GFold that is consistent with pathogenic variants. When also filtered for CADD scores (> 25.7), we determine 3,456 VUSs are likely pathogenic at a probability of 99.0%. These VUSs affect 119 patients (~ 3% of cases) sequenced by the OtoSCOPE targeted panel. Approximately half of these patients previously received an inconclusive report, and reclassification of these VUSs as pathogenic provides a new genetic diagnosis for six patients.
A New Cuproptosis-Related LncRNAs Prognostic Signature of Cervical Cancer
Authors: Liao Fuchun , Yin Weijiao , Yao Desheng
Published: February 2023

Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common gynecological tumor in the world. Cuproptosis is programmed cell death caused by increased intracellular concentrations of Cu2+. The aim of this study was to establish a new cuproptosis-related lncRNAs prognostic signature of cervical cancer to predict prognosis and guide treatment. Our study was the first to identify a cuproptosis-related lncRNAs in cervical cancer and established a cuproptosis-related lncRNAs prognostic signature. We also used qPCR to verify the relationship between these lncRNAs and cuproptosis in cervical cancer. This signature can be used to predict prognosis and response to immunotherapy in patients with cervical cancer. In addition, we found that there were differences in immune cell infiltration, immune function, and m6A between the high-risk and low-risk groups, and Patients in different risk groups have different sensitivities to small-molecule drug therapy. In addition, we build a nomogram model based on the risk model and clinical features, which is shown to have excellent predictive power. In summary, we have developed a novel prognostic cuproptosis-related lncRNAs signature that could provide new ideas for the treatment of cervical cancer patients.