bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Coated Urea and Its Release Pattern
Authors: Lalchhuanawmi . , Backiyavathy M. R. , Kaleeswari R. K. , Rahale C. Sharmila
Published: July 2022

The main aim of this paper was to develop three different type of urea fertilizer coating with ethyl cellulose and starch-super absorbent polymer and to study their effectiveness in the release of nitrogen. The synthesis and characterization of the coated fertilizer was carried out in Department of Nanoscience and Technology, TNAU, Coimbatore-03, India. A column experiment was also set up at Radioisotope Laboratory in TNAU, Coimbatore-03, India for a period of 30 days. The column experiment consists of 5 treatments and 3 replications with a Completely Randomized Block (CRD) design with level of significance of 0.05%. The treatments consist of control, uncoated urea, Ethyl cellulose (EC), Starch-Super absorbent polymer (SAP) and EC+Strach-SAP coating. Double coated urea (EC+Starch-SAP) showed the slowest nitrogen release pattern among the three coating types with a release of only 40% of nitrogen in the first day of incubation and a gradual release of nitrogen till the 20th day.
Evaluation of the Performance of Parental Lines and their F1 Hybrids for Yield and Attributing Traits in Vegetable Pea [Pisum sativum (L.) var. hortense]
Authors: Singh Vikash , Ram C. N. , Singh Navneet , Kumar Dijendra
Published: July 2022

The present investigation was carried out to obtain information based on per se performances of parents and their combinations for genetic improvement in vegetable pea. Ten promising genotypes were crossed in a diallel manner (excluding reciprocals). Half diallel set of 45 F1’s in vegetable pea was evaluated in Randomized Complete Block Design (RBD) with three replications for eighteen yield and yield attributing traits during Rabi 2020-21 (Y1) and 2021-22 (Y2) at the Main Experimental Station (MES), Department of Vegetable Science, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Narendra Nagar, Kumarganj, Ayodhya (U.P.) India. The study evident that highly significant differences were observed for most of the traits under study. Based on per se performance, parent P10 (60.84 g) exhibited the highest green pod yield per plant followed by P5 (55.80 g). The per se performance of crosses i.e.  P7 x P10 (81.88 g) followed by P6 x P10 (81.87 g), P5 x P10 (79.66 g) and P5 x P7 (78.89 g) produced significantly higher green pod yield per plant than the general mean. These hybrids may be exploited as a new variety after selection and subjected to multi-locational trials for their release as cultivation on a commercial scale.
Bacteriological and Physicochemical Analysis of Fish Pond Effluents in Warri and Its Environs, Nigeria
Authors: Eunice Odesiri-Eruteyan, , Voke Urhibo,
Published: July 2022

Aims: This study was to ascertain the bacteriological and physicochemical characteristics of fish pond effluents.

Study Design:  Waste water samples were collected from six (6) different ponds, three (3) earthen ponds (A, B & C) and three (3) concrete ponds (D, E & F).

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in a laboratory in the Department of Environmental Management and toxicology, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria. The research lasted for six months.

Methodology: Standard procedures were adopted for sample collection, microbiological and physicochemical analyses. Waste water samples were analyzed for total bacterial count, total coliform count and Escherichia coli (E. coli) count. Physicochemical parameters measured were pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature and many others.

Results: Pond C which was an earthen pond was found with the highest bacterial, coliform and E. coli. counts  (2.8 × 105   ±0.01, 1.2 × 103  ±0.10 and 0.5 ×102 ±0.04 cfu/ml), and pond F, a concrete pond, recorded the lowest bacterial and coliform counts of (2.3 × 104  ±0.05, 0.2 × 103  ±0.00 cfu/ml respectively and insignificant E. coli count. The isolated bacteria species were Lactobacillus sp., E. coli, Klebsiella sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Enterobacter sp. and Proteus sp. The occurrence of the isolated bacteria was highest in pond C with 71.43%. The values of turbidity and total hardness were above WHO and FEPA standards, while values of other physicochemical characteristics complied with WHO and FEPA standards. The antibiotics susceptibility test of the bacterial isolates revealed multiple antibiotics resistance.

Conclusion: The study revealed that these ponds were disgustingly infected with pathogenic bacteria that could affect cultured fishes by causing diseases, lowering the fish yield and resulting into economic loss, threatening human’s health and contaminating the environment where the effluents are discharged into.
Application of Analytical Hierarchical Process in Equipment Maintenance Scheduling and Decision-Making Process in Oil/Gas
Authors: Udeh Chibuike Mathew , Anikwe Martin Atu Ngozika , Audu Eliazar Elisha
Published: July 2022

Operational efficiency and reliability of equipment directly impact production and revenue streams. Maintenance, an essential aspect of Oil/Gas operations, is a set of activities that aim at preserving the condition of equipment to reduce the probability of failure and increase operating life cycle of equipment. The culture of maintenance evolves considerably from run to failure and corrective to preventive maintenance practices. These set of activities are expensive and significantly affect the cost of sales and operating expenditure especially in Oil and Gas sector. With the need to optimize operating cost, use of data in prioritizing equipment maintenance becomes necessary. This paper provides a novel approach for prioritizing critical equipment maintenance activities using Analytical Hierarchical Process (AH). A family of Weibull distribution function are use to define five parameters (criteria) namely the Weibull Continuous Distribution Function (CDF), Weibull Probability Density Function, Reliability function, failure rate and equipment availability. To validate the use of AHP method, data from Nine (9) critical equipment from a pump station in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria was used to prioritize maintenance activities. The slope shape parameter values of \(\gamma\) \(\epsilon\){0.5,1,2} are considered, which affects the shape of the distribution functions. The results show that multi-criterion AHP-approach supports subjective decision making by providing quantitative weighted ranking of equipment based on priority. The result indicates that equipment with best values has lowest priority ranking.
Evaluate Functional Outcomes of Postoperative Septoplasty with and Without Splints and Packing
Authors: Rajput Muhammad Iqbal , Mahar Gulam Shabir , Ansari Noor Alam , Khaskhili Muhammad Saleh , Irfan Rao , Meraj Munazzah
Published: July 2022

Aim: To evaluate functional outcomes of septoplasty with and without splints and packing. Methodology: This cross sectional study was done at ENT department PUMHSW Nawabshah Pakistan. In this study 100 patients were selected who underwent septoplasty procedure both under local and general anaesthesia. This sample size was divide into two groups, group 1 (n=50) had splints and packing while the other group 2 had not. This study was approved by ethical review committee PUMHSW Nawabshah. Written inform consent was taken from all participants. Written proforma was used to analyze functional results of septoplasty with and without splint and packing. Results: Out of 50 patients who were having nasal obstructions 3 (69%) were relieved in group 1 33(66%) were relived in cases of group 2. Headache were relieved in 20 out 30 patients (66%) and 20 out 27 (74%) in cases group1 and 2 respectively. Rhinorhea was relieved in 9 out of 18 patients (50%) in group 1 while 5 out 11 (48%) in group 2.

Conclusion: There was no significant difference regarding post operative functional outcomes in both groups.
The Evaluation of Prevalence and Hematological Parameters for Assessment of Severity of Coronavirus Infection
Authors: Soomro Umair Ali , Hingoro Majid Ali , Pathan Nazir Ahmed , Kalo Allah Wadhayo , Soomro Rasheed Ahmed , Soomro Qandeel Abbas
Published: July 2022

Objectives: We determined the prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19 virus) infection on the basis of age, sex, clinical presentation and risk of ABO Blood Groups antigens with COVID-19 virus. We also highlight the Hematological Parameters such as neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio and thrombocytopenia to assess severity of COVID-19 viral infection.   

Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted from May 2020 to May 2021 at rural and urban areas of District Shaheed Benazir Abad in the homes of patients diagnosed with Covid-19 viral infection where they were present in quarantine. A total of 351 patients with their ages ranging between 12 and 68 including 329 males and 21 females present in isolation within their homes with diagnosis of coronavirus infection were included in this study. The clinical features of the patients were noted, and 5 ml of blood was collected in an EDTA bottle from each patient for determination of blood group and complete blood account at the diagnostic and research pathology laboratory of PUMHS, Nawab Shah.

Results: The mean age of these patients was 40 ± 28 years while male to female ratio was 15.6:1. Out of the 351 patients, 169 (45.3%) were blood group A, 117 (33.8%) were blood group B, 50 (11.3%) were blood group AB and 26 (8.6%) were blood group O. The mean value of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was found to be 4.7 ±1.7 while the mean value of platelets count was 210000 ± 95000/ mm3 in these patients.

Conclusion: We concluded that the ratio of coronavirus infection among the patients with Blood Group A was higher than the B, AB and O. However, the study revealed a significantly higher proportion of AB+ male patients as compared to females who were infected with COVID-19.
The Antioxidant Modulating Properties of Justicia carnea Extract on Sheep Red Blood Cells Immunized Mice
Authors: Iwetan Benedict Bolakponumigha , Obianime Atuboyedia Wolfe , Ewhre Lawrence Oberhiri , Kweki Godfrey Rume
Published: July 2022

Aims: Inflammatory cytokines as well as exogenously invading antigens among others are keenly involved in the generation of oxidative stress such as reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species capable of causing related diseases. hence this study aimed at evaluating the In-vivo antioxidant modulatory properties of Justicia carnea aqueous leave extract on sheep red blood cells immunized mice.

Study Design:  The animals were grouped into six with five animals per group (Vehicle; distilled water 10 mL/Kg, Sheep Red Blood Cells 0.2 mL/Kg, Justicia carnea  125 mg/Kg, 250 mg/Kg and 500 mg/Kg, and Levamisole 7.5 mg/Kg )

Place and Duration of Study: The animals used for this study were breed, feed and housed at ambient temperature and well-ventilated animal house of the Basic Medical Sciences in Delta State University, Abraka and Emma-maria laboratory Abraka. The study lasted for two (2) weeks.

Methodology: All groups were immunized at day zero and day 5 with SRBC inducing immune response except for the VEH group that was not immunized. Treatment of the various groups with respective treatment agents commenced on day 3 to day 9. On day 10 the antioxidant enzymes (Determination of Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, Myeloperoxidase, Malondialdehyde, Glutathione Peroxidase, Nitric oxide and Xanthine Oxidase) of the brain, liver, kidney and Spleen were carried out.

Results: The findings in this study reveal the antioxidant enhancement by the plant Justicia carnea being significant when compared to the Vehicle and Sheep Red Blood Cells. Levamisole a standard immunostimulants drug also has significant antioxidant potentials.

Conclusion: The study was able to showcase the antioxidants activities of the plant Justicia carnea. Pharmacological antioxidants may be developed from the plant, which might be helpful in immune related diseases.
Vida e morte de um príncipe do Congo
Authors: Ferreira Roquinaldo , Reginaldo Lucilene
Published: July 2022

O artigo toma como fio condutor a trajetória do príncipe Nicolau de Água Rosada para analisar a conjuntura do tráfico de escravos em Angola e Congo. Em 1845, ele foi como emissário para Lisboa depois de um tratado antitráfico firmado entre Portugal e seu pai, o rei Henrique II. Permaneceu cerca de dois anos em Portugal, e no seu retorno a Angola tornou-se funcionário da administração colonial. Água Rosada alcançou notoriedade ao se manifestar publicamente contra um tratado de vassalagem assinado pelo rei Pedro V em 1859. Paradoxalmente, foi acusado de ser aliado dos portugueses, sendo assassinado em 1860 por africanos contrários ao avanço da presença europeia no baixo Congo. Nicolau nunca se pronunciou contra ou a favor do tráfico de escravos. No entanto, sua trajetória só pode ser entendida a partir de uma perspectiva que situe o tráfico como elemento central da geopolítica da África Centro-Ocidental.
Complicando a Diáspora
Authors: Reis Luiza Nascimento dos
Published: July 2022

Resenha de:

Butler, Kim; e Domingues, Petrônio. Diásporas imaginadas: Atlântico Negro e histórias afro-brasileiras. São Paulo: Perspectiva, 2020. 360 p.
Sueli Carneiro em preto e branco
Authors: Rios Flavia
Published: July 2022

Resenha de:

SANTANA, Bianca. Continuo preta: a vida de Sueli Carneiro. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2021. 296 p.
Automation of radiation treatment planning for rectal cancer
Authors: Huang Kai , Das Prajnan , Olanrewaju Adenike M. , Cardenas Carlos , Fuentes David , Zhang Lifei , Hancock Donald , Simonds Hannah , Rhee Dong Joo , Beddar Sam , Briere Tina M. , Court Laurence
Published: July 2022

Purpose

To develop an automated workflow for rectal cancer three‐dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) treatment planning that combines deep learning (DL) aperture predictions and forward‐planning algorithms.

Methods

We designed an algorithm to automate the clinical workflow for 3DCRT planning with field aperture creations and field‐in‐field (FIF) planning. DL models (DeepLabV3+ architecture) were trained, validated, and tested on 555 patients to automatically generate aperture shapes for primary (posterior–anterior [PA] and opposed laterals) and boost fields. Network inputs were digitally reconstructed radiographs, gross tumor volume (GTV), and nodal GTV. A physician scored each aperture for 20 patients on a 5‐point scale (>3 is acceptable). A planning algorithm was then developed to create a homogeneous dose using a combination of wedges and subfields. The algorithm iteratively identifies a hotspot volume, creates a subfield, calculates dose, and optimizes beam weight all without user intervention. The algorithm was tested on 20 patients using clinical apertures with varying wedge angles and definitions of hotspots, and the resulting plans were scored by a physician. The end‐to‐end workflow was tested and scored by a physician on another 39 patients.

Results

The predicted apertures had Dice scores of 0.95, 0.94, and 0.90 for PA, laterals, and boost fields, respectively. Overall, 100%, 95%, and 87.5% of the PA, laterals, and boost apertures were scored as clinically acceptable, respectively. At least one auto‐plan was clinically acceptable for all patients. Wedged and non‐wedged plans were clinically acceptable for 85% and 50% of patients, respectively. The hotspot dose percentage was reduced from 121% (σ = 14%) to 109% (σ = 5%) of prescription dose for all plans. The integrated end‐to‐end workflow of automatically generated apertures and optimized FIF planning gave clinically acceptable plans for 38/39 (97%) of patients.

Conclusion

We have successfully automated the clinical workflow for generating radiotherapy plans for rectal cancer for our institution.
An Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties, Microstructures, and Strengthening Mechanisms of Pure Mg Processed by High‐Pressure Torsion at Different Temperatures
Authors: Li Zhuoliang , Ding Hua , Huang Yi , Langdon Terence G.
Published: July 2022

Pure Mg samples are processed by high‐pressure torsion (HPT) for up to ten turns at temperatures of 293 and 423 K. The microstructures of these samples are significantly refined and bimodal structures are obtained after 10 turns of HPT processing at both 293 and 423 K. Tensile experiments are conducted at room temperature to reveal the mechanical properties of pure Mg subjected to HPT processing at different temperatures. The yield strength increases with increasing numbers of turns after processing at 293 K whereas the yield strength shows almost no variation with increasing numbers of turns at 423 K. Pure Mg processed at 423 K exhibits a higher strain hardening ability and a larger uniform elongation than after processing at 293 K. Calculations show that the grain size, bimodal structure, and dislocation density are the main factors affecting both the yield strength of the material and the work hardening behavior.
In‐Sensor Computing: Materials, Devices, and Integration Technologies
Authors: Wan Tianqing , Shao Bangjie , Ma Sijie , Zhou Yue , Li Qiao , Chai Yang
Published: July 2022

The number of sensor nodes in the Internet of Things is growing rapidly, leading to a large volume of data generated at sensory terminals. Frequent data transfer between the sensors and computing units causes severe limitations on the system performance in terms of energy efficiency, speed, and security. To efficiently process a substantial amount of sensory data, a novel computation paradigm that can integrate computing functions into sensor networks should be developed. The in‐sensor computing paradigm reduces data transfer and also decreases the high computing complexity by processing data locally. Here, the hardware implementation of the in‐sensor computing paradigm at the device and array levels is discussed. The physical mechanisms that lead to unique sensory response characteristics and their corresponding computing functions are illustrated. In particular, bioinspired device characteristics enable the implementation of the functionalities of neuromorphic computation. The integration technology is also discussed and the perspective on the future development of in‐sensor computing is provided.
Assessment of availability of trace elements in turf soil after biosolids application
Authors: Johnston Theresa , Tian Guanglong , Voigt Thomas , Lindo Pauline , Cox Albert , Granato Thomas , Zhang Heng , Podczerwinski Ed
Published: July 2022

Soil amendments rich in organic matter and micronutrients can benefit plants by increasing the availability of micronutrients. To evaluate changes in the availability of trace elements in biosolids‐amended soil, soil and plant samples were collected from six managed turfgrass locations across the Chicago metropolitan area that received air‐dried biosolids topdressing at two rates: 2.2 Mg ha–1 per application (low biosolids rate), 11 Mg ha–1 per application (high biosolids rate), and urea 48.8 kg ha–1 total N per application (control). The low and high rates refer to biosolids total N and plant‐available N, respectively, considered for meeting the turfgrass N recommendation. Biosolids and urea application was conducted for each year of 2006–2008 with multiple applications per year. For micronutrients tested, biosolids application increased concentrations of soil‐available (Mehlich‐3 extraction) Zn (29.5 ± 2.9 mg kg–1, mean ± SE) and Cu (9.0 ± 0.6 mg kg–1) for the high rate vs. the control (10.4 ± 2.9 mg kg–1 for Zn and 6.1 ± 0.7 mg kg–1 for Cu). Soil‐available Mn, Fe, and Mo in the biosolids treatments did not differ from the control. Application of biosolids increased turf plant Cu, Zn, Mn, and Mo concentrations for both 2007 and 2008 and Fe for 2007 vs. the control with statistical significance at the high rate of biosolids. Topdressing with a plant‐available N‐based application rate for biosolids increased turfgrass nutrition of micronutrients without a concern of heavy metals.
Explainable Fragment‐Based Molecular Property Attribution
Authors: Jia Lingxiang , Feng Zunlei , Zhang Haotian , Song Jie , Zhong Zipeng , Yao Shaolun , Song Mingli
Published: July 2022

“AI & Drug Discovery” mode has significantly promoted drug development and achieved excellent performance, especially with the rapid development of deep learning, making remarkable contributions to protecting human physiological health. However, due to the “black‐box” characteristic of the deep learning model, the decision route and predicted results in different research stages assisted by deep models are usually unexplainable, limiting their application in practice and more in‐depth research of drug discovery. Focusing on the drug molecules, an explainable fragment‐based molecular property attribution technique is proposed for analyzing the influence of particular molecule fragments on properties and the relationship between the molecular properties herein. Quantitative experiments on 42 benchmark property tasks demonstrate that 325 attribution fragments, which account for 90% of the overall attribution results obtained by the proposed method, have positive relevance to the corresponding property tasks. More impressively, most of the attribution results randomly selected are consistent with the existing mechanism explanations. The discovery mentioned above provides a reference standard for assisting researchers in developing more specific and practical drug molecule studies, such as synthesizing molecule with the targeted property using a fragment obtained from the attribution method. An interactive preprint version of the article can be found at: https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.165279262.29589148.
Exploring the relationships between genetic, linguistic and geographic distances in Bantu‐speaking populations
Authors: González‐Santos Miguel , Montinaro Francesco , Grollemund Rebecca , Marnetto Davide , Atadzhanov Masharip , May Celia A. , Mabunda Nedio , Maret Pierre de , Oosthuizen Ockie , Oosthuizen Erica , Capelli Cristian
Published: July 2022

Objectives

The predominance of Bantu languages in sub‐Saharan Africa has sparked a large debate over the processes through which they came to disperse over time and space—the “Bantu expansion.” The overall genetic similarity shown by Bantu‐speaking populations indicates that movement of people occurred too, but the extent of the correlation between genetics, linguistics and geography has been a matter of debate among scholars of different disciplines. In this work, we aim to investigate how genetic, linguistic and geographic distances relate to each other in Bantu‐speaking populations.

Methods

We analyzed genome‐wide SNP array data from a set of 37 Bantu and non‐Bantu‐speaking populations together with related linguistic and geographic data. Due to the complex demographic relationships resulting from events of admixture in the history of these populations, we develop and implement a method for controlling the signatures of admixture.

Results

Genetic distances were only minimally correlated with linguistic and geographic distances, possibly as the result of gene flow from neighboring groups into Bantu‐speaking populations. When signatures of admixture are controlled for, the correlation of genetic data with linguistic and geographic distances significantly increases.

Discussion

The increase of the correlation between linguistic and genetic distances after the signatures of admixture are taken into account is in agreement with a scenario of spatial co‐dispersal of languages and people. Additional specific cultural and demographic dynamics have probably further affected the relationship between language and genetics, which will be necessary to take into account when integrating multidisciplinary data to reconstruct the history of populations.
Heart morphology during the embryonic development ofPodocnemis unifilisTrosquel 1948 (Testudines: Podocnemididae)
Authors: Rocha Layla Ianca Queiroz , Oliveira Maria Fabiele da Silva , Dias Lucas Castanhola , Franco de Oliveira Moacir , de Moura Carlos Eduardo Bezerra , Magalhães Marcela dos Santos
Published: July 2022

Cardiogenesis is similar in all vertebrates, but differences in the valvuloseptal morphogenesis among non‐crocodilian reptiles, birds, and mammals are noted. The origin of mesenchymal structures such as valves that regulate the passage of blood and the formation of partial septa that prevent the complete mixing of oxygen‐rich and low‐oxygen blood present in adult chelonians are essential in the evolutionary understanding of complete septation, endothermy and malformations, even in mammals. In this context, this study analyzed the heart morphogenesis ofPodocnemis unifilis(Testudines: Podocnemididae) from the 4th to the 60th day of incubation. We identified the tubular heart stage, folding of the cardiac tube and expansion of the atrial and ventricular compartments followed by atrial septation by theseptum primum, ventricle septation by partial septa, outflow tract septation and the formation of bicuspid valves with cartilage differentiation at the base. The formation of the first atrial septum with the mesenchymal cap is noted during the development of the atrial septum, joining the atrioventricular cushion on the 17th day and completely dividing the atria. Small secondary perforations appeared in the mid‐cranial part, observed up to the 45th day. Partial ventricle septation into the pulmonary, venous, and arterial subcompartments takes place by trabeculae carneae thickening and grouping on the 15th day. The outflow tract forms the aorticopulmonary and interaortic septa on the 16th day and the bicuspid valves, on the 20th day. Therefore, after the first 20 days, the heart exhibits a general anatomical conformation similar to that of adult turtles.
Representativeness of autistic samples in studies recruiting through social media
Authors: Rødgaard Eya‐Mist , Jensen Kristian , Miskowiak Kamilla Woznica , Mottron Laurent
Published: July 2022

Survey‐based research with recruitment through online channels is a convenient way to obtain large samples and has recently been increasingly used in autism research. However, sampling from online channels may be associated with a high risk of sampling bias causing findings not to be generalizable to the autism population. Here we examined autism studies that have sampled on social media for markers of sampling bias. Most samples showed one or more indicators of sampling bias, in the form of reversed sex ratio, higher employment rates, higher education level, lower fraction of individuals with intellectual disability, and later age of diagnosis than would be expected when comparing with for example population study results from published research. Findings from many of the included studies are therefore difficult to generalize to the broader autism population. Suggestions for how research strategies may be adapted to address some of the problems are discussed.

Lay Summary

Online surveys offer a convenient way to recruit large numbers of participants for autism research. However, the resulting samples may not fully reflect the autism population. Here we investigated the samples of 36 autism studies that recruited participants online and found that the demographic composition tended to deviate from what has been reported about the autism population in previous research. The results may thus not be generalizable to autism in general.
An undergraduate genome research course using “big data”
Authors: Bennett Evan N. , Page Shallee T.
Published: July 2022

The ability to analyze large data sets (“Big Data”) is an increasingly important skill in modern science. In Biochemistry, the increased volume and velocity of data is particularly evident in the rapid expansion of biological databases. We present a modular bioinformatics course to survey the analysis of genomic data for advanced undergraduates. Research activities include genome scanning for endogenous retroviruses, annotating genomic sequences and a brief exploration of programming in R. A summative poster session was used to disseminate their work. This course is amenable to remote or online instruction. Supplemental materials provided include a schedule and outline. This article reports a session from the virtual international 2021 IUBMB/ASBMB workshop, “Teaching Science on Big Data.”
Epilepsy in patients with congenital heart disease: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Zelano Johan , Dellborg Mikael , Eriksson Peter , Mandalenakis Zacharias
Published: July 2022

Background

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital defect, and reports suggest an increased risk of subsequent epilepsy. We used Swedish comprehensive population‐based registers to investigate the risk of epilepsy in patients with CHD compared to matched controls and identify underlying factors of epilepsy.

Methods

All patients with CHD born between 1970 and 2017 and 10 age‐ and sex‐matched controls were included. Epilepsy was ascertained by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems codes, and the cumulative hazard of epilepsy was described using Cox regression.

Results

The study cohort consisted of 71,941 patients with CHD and 714,462 matched controls. The cumulative incidence of epilepsy in the study period was 3% in patients with CHD and 0.9% in controls. The risk of epilepsy was 3.6 times higher (95%, confidence interval: 3.4–3.8) in patients with CHD than in controls. Among patients with CHD, several brain comorbidities, including intellectual disability and stroke, as well as having undergone more than two cardiac interventions were significantly associated with epilepsy in a multivariable model.

Conclusions

In this nationwide, register‐based cohort study, we found an almost fourfold increased risk of epilepsy in patients with CHD compared to controls; however, the absolute risk was low. Among the identified risk factors, stroke may be potentially preventable.
The increasing relevance of European rural young people in policy agendas: Contributions from community psychology
Authors: Simões Francisco , Fernandes‐Jesus Maria , Marta Elena , Albanesi Cinzia , Carr Nicholas
Published: July 2022

Our paper aims to provide a short guide on how community psychologists can contribute to the improvement of rural young people's prospects. After briefly introducing the demographic trends of these young people in continental Europe for the past decade, we list the current challenges faced by rural European young generations, as well as the opportunities emerging for them from the twin transition that can inspire the community psychology field. We then contextualize community psychologists' interventions in this domain according to an ecological‐systemic standpoint and by embracing a Participatory Action Research (PAR) perspective on research and practice. We further detail the reasons for adopting a PAR approach in research and practice to address rural young people's challenges and opportunities. Finally, we highlight four potential intermediation missions to uphold community psychologists' rural youth development input, based on the adopted theoretical and methodological standpoint. We conclude that our short guide can facilitate community psychology professionals' complete understanding of rural young generations' prospects, in line with the expected increase in the need for rural young people's participation. Our proposal may also have long‐term benefits for rural communities by contributing to the redesigning of intergenerational relationships and securing critical mass.
Controlling StyleGANs using rough scribbles via one‐shot learning
Authors: Endo Yuki , Kanamori Yoshihiro
Published: July 2022

This paper tackles the challenging problem of one‐shot semantic image synthesis from rough sparse annotations, which we call “semantic scribbles.” Namely, from only a single training pair annotated with semantic scribbles, we generate realistic and diverse images with layout control over, for example, facial part layouts and body poses. We present a training strategy that performs pseudo labeling for semantic scribbles using the StyleGAN prior. Our key idea is to construct a simple mapping between StyleGAN features and each semantic class from a single example of semantic scribbles. With such mappings, we can generate an unlimited number of pseudo semantic scribbles from random noise to train an encoder for controlling a pretrained StyleGAN generator. Even with our rough pseudo semantic scribbles obtained via one‐shot supervision, our method can synthesize high‐quality images thanks to our GAN inversion framework. We further offer optimization‐based postprocessing to refine the pixel alignment of synthesized images. Qualitative and quantitative results on various datasets demonstrate improvement over previous approaches in one‐shot settings.
Decatungstate‐Photocatalyzed Dearomative Hydroacylation of Indoles: Direct Synthesis of 2‐Acylindolines
Authors: Varlet Thomas , Bouchet Damien , Van Elslande Elsa , Masson Géraldine
Published: July 2022

We report herein a convenient and scalable dearomative hydroacylation reaction of indoles. Employing readily available aldehydes as the acyl source and TBADT as an inexpensive direct HAT photocatalyst, a variety of indoles derivatives were converted into synthetically interesting 2‐acylindolines in good to excellent yields as well as great diastereoselectivity under mild conditions. An asymmetric version of the reaction was successfully developed and an experimental mechanistic investigation was carried out in order to gain further insights on the assumed reaction pathway.
Development and psychometric properties of the leader apology scale
Authors: Altunoğlu Ali Ender , Şahin Faruk , Babacan Sümeyra
Published: July 2022

Three studies examine the utility and validity of the Turkish version of the leader apology measure using organizational samples from several industries. Study 1 (N = 263) indicated that four distinct and internally consistent factors shaped employee response to the leader apology measure. The proposed four‐factor structure of leader apology was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 (N = 207). Leader apology measure was positively associated with authentic leadership, employees' organizational identification, and work engagement. Study 3 (N = 166) provided concurrent evidence that leader apology is positively associated with follower job satisfaction, and transformational leadership mediates this relationship. The results suggest that manager–employee relationships may benefit from leader apology.
Eating‐ and oral health‐related quality of life in patients under fixed orthodontic treatment
Authors: Babaee Hemmati Yasamin , Mirmoayed Arastoo , Ghaffari Mohammad Ebrahim , Falahchai Mehran
Published: July 2022

Objective

The eating problems and changes in the diet and dietary intake of patients under orthodontic treatment are of great importance, and the available studies on this topic are mostly qualitative. Thus, this study aimed to assess the oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) and the eating‐related quality of life (ERQoL) of patients under fixed orthodontic treatment.

Materials and Methods

This prospective study evaluated 105 patients (65 males, 40 females) with a mean age of 26 ± 1.1 years, who required fixed orthodontic treatment. All participants filled out the Oral Health Impact Profile‐14 (OHIP‐14) questionnaire before treatment (T0), and at 1 (T1), 3 (T2), and 6 (T3) months after treatment, and the ERQoL questionnaire at 1 (T1), 3 (T2), and 6 (T3) months after treatment. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance with Greenhouse–Geisser and Huynh‐Feldt corrections and Bonferroni test for pairwise comparisons (α = .05).

Results

The OHIP‐14 total score increased at T1 and decreased at T2 and T3, with significant differences between all four time points (p < .001). The ERQoL total score decreased over time, and significant differences were noted between all three time points (p < .001). No significant difference existed in OHRQoL or ERQoL with regard to gender at any time point (p > .05).

Conclusion

The reduction in OHRQoL due to fixed orthodontic treatment was temporary and improved over time. The eating problems also decreased with time.
Controlled freezing studies as a corollary selection method for winterhardiness in perennial flax
Authors: Tork David G. , Anderson Neil O. , Wyse Donald L. , Betts Kevin J.
Published: July 2022

Perennial flax (Linum spp.) breeding objectives at the University of Minnesota (UMN) are to develop agronomic (oilseed, fiber) and horticultural (cut flower, garden perennial) varieties that are hardy in Minnesota (USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 and 4). The objective of this research was to determine the range of cold hardiness in UMN perennial flax breeding populations compared with wild accessions of L. austriacum, L. lewisii, and L. perenne. Fifty‐three genotypes from seven populations were low temperature acclimated, followed by controlled freezing using a programmable freezer. The observed lethal temperature for 50% plant kill (LT50) ranged from >0 °C (0% survival) to <−12 °C (100% survival), for the test temperatures of 0, −4, −8, −10, and −12 °C. Cold damage was measured after 4 wk of regrowth as the proportion of alive shoots and a root damage rating. Significant negative correlations were observed between LT50 and proportion of alive shoots (r = −.918) and root damage rating (r = −.935). Both L. austriacum and L. perenne had significantly less cold damage than L. lewisii and the breeding populations. This study establishes methods of screening perennial flax cold tolerance that are more cost effective, rapid, and repeatable compared to field evaluations.
Effective Ligand Design: Zinc Complexes with Guanidine Hydroquinoline Ligands for Fast Lactide Polymerization and Chemical Recycling
Authors: Hermann Alina , Becker Tabea , Schäfer Martin A. , Hoffmann Alexander , Herres‐Pawlis Sonja
Published: July 2022

In this study, the synthesis of two new guanidine hydroquinoline ligands served as basis for six new zinc guanidine complexes. Two of these complexes showed very high activity in the lactide polymerization under industrial conditions. The lactide polymerization was demonstrated in solution and melt conditions observing high activity and molar masses up to 90 000 g mol−1. Density functional theory studies elucidated the high activity of the complexes associated with the influence of the ligand backbone and the use of triflate counterions. On the way towards a circular economy, polymerization and depolymerization go hand in hand. So far, guanidine complexes have only shown their good activity in the ring opening polymerization of esters, and guanidine complexes with pure N donors have not been tested in recycling processes. Herein, the excellent ability of zinc guanidine complexes to catalyze both polymerization and depolymerization was demonstrated. The two most promising zinc complexes efficiently mediated the methanolysis of polylactide into methyl lactate under mild reaction conditions.
Promoting Reversible Dissolution/Deposition of MnO2 for High‐Energy‐Density Zinc Batteries via Enhancing Cut‐Off Voltage
Authors: Ruan Pengchao , Xu Xilian , Zheng Dong , Chen Xianhong , Yin Xinyu , Liang Shuquan , Wu Xianwen , Shi Wenhui , Cao Xiehong , Zhou Jiang
Published: July 2022

Zn//MnO2 batteries based on the MnO2/Mn2+ conversion reaction mechanism featuring high energy density, safety, and affordable cost are promising in large‐scale energy storage application. Nonetheless, the continuous H+ intercalation at low potential reduces the average output voltage and the energy efficiency, impeding the development of the high‐performance zinc battery. In this work, a strategy was proposed of enhancing the cut‐off voltage from the perspective of electrochemical parameters, toward high energy efficiency and stable output voltage of the Zn//MnO2 battery. This strategy was beneficial to promoting MnO2 dissolution/deposition through the increase of acidity caused by the constant accumulation of MnO2 and inhibiting H+ (de)intercalation during cycling process, thereby improving the energy efficiency (83.5 %) along with the stable average output voltage (1.88 V) under the cut‐off voltage of 1.8 V. This work provides a new pathway to promote aqueous zinc batteries with high energy density and stable output voltage.
Single‐cell RNA sequencing reveals localized tumour ablation and intratumoural immunostimulant delivery potentiate T cell mediated tumour killing
Authors: Hoover Ashley R. , Liu Kaili , DeVette Christa I. , Krawic Jason R. , Medcalf Alexandra D. , West Connor L. , Hode Tomas , Lam Samuel S.K. , Welm Alana L. , Sun Xiao‐Hong , Hildebrand William H. , Chen Wei R.
Published: July 2022

Background

Metastatic breast cancer poses great challenge in cancer treatment. N‐dihydrogalactochitosan (GC) is a novel immunoadjuvant that stimulates systemic immune responses when administered intratumourally following local tumour ablation. A combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and GC, referred to as localized ablative immunotherapy (LAIT), extended animal survival and generates an activated B cell phenotype in MMTV‐PyMT mouse mammary tumour microenvironment (TME). However, how T cell populations respond to LAIT remains to be elucidated.

Methods

Using depletion antibodies, we studied the contributions of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells to the therapeutic effect of LAIT. Using single‐cell RNA‐sequencing (scRNAseq), we analysed tumour‐infiltrating T cell heterogeneity and dissected their transcriptomes upon treatments of PTT, GC, and LAIT (PTT+GC).

Results

Loss of CD8+ T cells after LAIT abrogated the therapeutic benefits of LAIT. Ten days after treatment, proportions of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in untreated TME were 19.2% and 23.0%, respectively. Upon LAIT, both proportions were increased to 25.5% and 36.2%, respectively. In particular, LAIT increased the proportions of naïve and memory cells from a resting state to an activated state. LAIT consistently induced the expression of co‐stimulatory molecules, type I IFN responsive genes, and a series of antitumor cytokines, Ifng, Tnf, Il1, and Il17 in CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. LAIT also induced immune checkpoints Pdcd1, Ctla4, and Lag3 expression, consistent with T cell activation. Relevant to clinical translation, LAIT also upregulated genes in CD8+ and CD4+ T cells that positively correlated with extended survival of breast cancer patients.

Conclusions

Overall, our results reveal that LAIT prompts immunological remodelling of T cells by inducing broad proinflammatory responses and inhibiting suppressive signalling to drive antitumour immunity.
WDR62 variants contribute to congenital heart disease by inhibiting cardiomyocyte proliferation
Authors: Hao Lili , Ma Jing , Wu Feizhen , Ma Xiaojing , Qian Maoxiang , Sheng Wei , Yan Tizhen , Tang Ning , Jiang Xin , Zhang Bowen , Xiao Deyong , Qian Yanyan , Zhang Jin , Jiang Nan , Zhou Wenhao , Chen Weicheng , Ma Duan , Huang Guoying
Published: July 2022

Background

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and has high heritability. Although some susceptibility genes have been identified, the genetic basis underlying the majority of CHD cases is still undefined.

Methods

A total of 1320 unrelated CHD patients were enrolled in our study. Exome‐wide association analysis between 37 tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) patients and 208 Han Chinese controls from the 1000 Genomes Project was performed to identify the novel candidate gene WD repeat‐containing protein 62 (WDR62). WDR62 variants were searched in another expanded set of 200 TOF patients by Sanger sequencing. Rescue experiments in zebrafish were conducted to observe the effects of WDR62 variants. The roles of WDR62 in heart development were examined in mouse models with Wdr62 deficiency. WDR62 variants were investigated in an additional 1083 CHD patients with similar heart phenotypes to knockout mice by multiplex PCR‐targeting sequencing. The cellular phenotypes of WDR62 deficiency and variants were tested in cardiomyocytes, and the molecular mechanisms were preliminarily explored by RNA‐seq and co‐immunoprecipitation.

Results

Seven WDR62 coding variants were identified in the 237 TOF patients and all were indicated to be loss of function variants. A total of 25 coding and 22 non‐coding WDR62 variants were identified in 80 (6%) of the 1320 CHD cases sequenced, with a higher proportion of WDR62 variation (8%) found in the ventricular septal defect (VSD) cohort. WDR62 deficiency resulted in a series of heart defects affecting the outflow tract and right ventricle in mouse models, including VSD as the major abnormality. Cell cycle arrest and an increased number of cells with multipolar spindles that inhibited proliferation were observed in cardiomyocytes with variants or knockdown of WDR62. WDR62 deficiency weakened the association between WDR62 and the cell cycle‐regulated kinase AURKA on spindle poles, reduced the phosphorylation of AURKA, and decreased expression of target genes related to cell cycle and spindle assembly shared by WDR62 and AURKA.

Conclusions

WDR62 was identified as a novel susceptibility gene for CHD with high variant frequency. WDR62 was shown to participate in the cardiac development by affecting spindle assembly and cell cycle pathway in cardiomyocytes.
Examining older adults with neuroatypical conditions for MCI/dementia: Barriers and recommendations of the Neuroatypical Conditions Expert Consultative Panel
Authors: Janicki Matthew P. , Hendrix James A. , McCallion Philip ,   and the Neuroatypical Conditions Expert Consultative Panel
Published: July 2022

The Neuroatypical Conditions Expert Consultative Panel composed of numerous clinical and academic experts was convened to examine barriers to the examination of cognitive impairment in adults with a variety of neuroatypical conditions. Neuroatypical conditions affect normative intellectual development and function (such as intellectual disability and intellectual disability with conjoint psychiatric conditions), thought, moods, and cognition (such as severe mental illness), communication functions (such as the autism spectrum and hearing/vision impairments), and brain and motor function (such as cerebral palsy and acquired or traumatic brain injury). The panel concluded that current federal guidance for the assessment of cognitive impairment for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia does not sufficiently include information as to how to assess such adults. In addition, it concluded that adults with these conditions (1) challenge clinicians when attempting to discern current behavior and function from that which was pre‐existing; (2) often have inherent comprehension and oral communication difficulties, motor task performance impediments, and difficulty with visuals; and (3) pose difficulties when assessed with standardized dementia measures and can benefit from the use of specialized instruments. The panel recommended that federal guidance be broadened to include adaptations of assessment practices to accommodate neuroatypical conditions; that educational packs be developed for clinicians about such conditions and on detecting and diagnosing MCI or dementia; and that research be expanded to produce more evidence‐based information on both assessing adults with neuroatypical conditions for later‐life adult cognitive diseases/disorders and planning post‐diagnostic care.