bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health Related Quality of Life in Osteoarthritis Patients with Total Knee Replacement: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Bakshi Amandeep Singh , Kumar Sanjeev , Sahni Girish , Jain Anku
Published: January 2022

Introduction: End-stage knee results in pain, loss of physical function and a decrease in Quality Of Life (QOL). Total Knee Replacement (TKR) is one of the most successful surgical interventions, providing substantial relief from pain. Because patient’s perceptions of treatment outcomes may vary from clinician’s judgment; measuring patient’s perspectives using Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) instruments has become an important approach for outcome evaluation. Aim: To assess the HRQOL outcome after TKR in patients with Osteoarthritis (OA) Knee. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted in Orthopaedic Department of tertiary care teaching hospital from July 2018 to June 2020. Of 63 patients eligible for the study, 56 completed the follow-up data. Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was measured preoperatively. Patients were followed-up at three months and six months, and postoperative KOOS were measured to evaluate HRQOL after TKR. Student t-test was used to analyse differences between KOOS mean aggregate and subscale scores. Results: There were 34 (60.71%) females and 22 (39.29%) males in the study. Mean age of the study population was 58.93±9.57 years. Left knee was involved in 33 (58.93%) cases and right in 23 (41.07%) cases. There was significant difference in preoperative KOOS (prKOOS) and postoperative KOOS (psKOOS) in the patients (p-value <0.001). It was observed that 29 (51.79%) patients were having excellent HRQOL outcome (psKOOS ≥90), 9 (16.07%) each good (psKOOS 80-89), 8 (14.29%) fair (psKOOS 70-79) HRQOL outcome and 10 (17.86%) poor HRQOL outcome (psKOOS <70) at six 6 months follow-up. Conclusion: At six months follow-up there was significant improvement in KOOS as well as subscales of symptom, pain, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), sport/recreation and QOL score. Thus, it can be said that TKR leads to significant improvement in HRQOL.
Shift Work among Nursing Staff in Public Hospitals in the Congo: Consequences on Sleep
Authors: Ataboho Ebenguela Ebatetou , Mantinou Juste Morel
Published: January 2022

Introduction: The negative effects of shift work on sleep are well documented. The requirement for permanent hospital care requires nursing staff to adopt this organization. The objective of this study was to assess these effects on the sleep of nursing staff in Congolese public hospitals.

Materials and Methods: This was a multi-centre, cross-sectional descriptive study conducted from January to November 2021 with nursing staff from nine public hospitals. Data were collected using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Results: The study included 700 nurses and orderlies with a 22.54% participation rate. Female staff (83.6%) and those aged 30 to 50 (76.1%) were predominant, with 64.9% being nursing staff and 35.1% being caregivers. The "2X12" work schedule was predominant (66.6%), 73.9% of staff had a continuous pace and 94.6% had rapid turnover. Daytime sleepiness, drowsiness and poor sleep quality were observed in 33.6%, 4.9% and 42% of nursing staff, respectively. Significant associations were found between sleep disorders on the one hand and age, number of dependent children, hours, and pace of shift work on the other.

Conclusion: The health impacts of the work, including sleep disorders in nursing staff in our hospitals, are real and require prevention, which will result in better services for patients.
Updates in Diagnosis and Management of Neonatal Cholestasis
Authors: Hamed Nazim Faisal , Alyasi Alaa Saud M. , Bedaiwi Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Abdulqader , Alshehri Turki Saleh , Ali A. Asseri Muhand , Alenaze Amer Faisal Alqaishesh , Albanaqi Ihtifal Salamh , Alenezi Almhnd Talal F. , Alanazi Khaled Abdulaziz , Kharaan Zaid Ibrahim Z. Al , Alhamwan Kawthar Fawaz Mansor , Alshahrani Mohammed Salem Slman , Obaid Ahmed Basheer Ahmed Al
Published: January 2022

Neonatal jaundice refers to the yellow coloration of the skin and sclera of newborn babies that results from hyperbilirubinemia. About 50% of term and 80% of preterm babies develop jaundice in the first week of life. Jaundice is also a common cause of readmission to hospital after early discharge of newborn babies. Jaundice mainly develop due to two factors—the cessation of fetal hemoglobin as it is substituted with adult hemoglobin and the comparatively immature metabolic trails of the liver, which are incapable to conjugate and so expel bilirubin as quickly as an adult. This grounds an accretion of bilirubin in the blood (hyperbilirubinemia), causes the symptoms of jaundice. The typical results in an infant who has cholestasis are prolonged jaundice, scleral icterus, acholic stools, dark yellow urine, and hepatomegaly. Trying of diagnosis of children with jaundice must begin with the classification of serum bilirubin into total bilirubin and direct (or combined) bilirubin. Phototherapy is introduced based on risk influences in the nomogram and  serum bilirubin levels. IV immunoglobulin is suggested for cumulative bilirubin levels from isoimmune hemolysis regardless of phototherapyand exchange transfusion is designated if there is a risk of neurologic dysfunction regardless beginning of phototherapy. This review aims to summarize current evidence regarding epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis and management of neonatal cholestasis.
To Estimate the Level of Awareness of Contraception amongst the Teenage Girls
Authors: Chimurkar V. K. , Sawal Anupama , Fulmali Darshana , Chauhan Vaishnavi V.
Published: January 2022

“What is contraception?”

Contraception is the method for birth control which helps to prevent unwanted pregnancies. There are so many methods of contraception including long acting reversible methods, barrier methods, hormonal methods, lactational amenorrhea method, fertility awareness based methods, emergency contraceptives, etc.

In present decade, the knowledge of contraception in teenage girls is mandatory as the involvement of teenagers in sexual activities is increasing day by day. The reasons can be many such as social media, electronic gadgets, peer pressure, etc. There are so many studies that have shown that knowledge of contraceptives, especially among the teenage girls in universities remains limited and the rate of sexual activity before marriage,  and  unwanted pregnancies, illegal abortions remains higher among college going  students.    It leads to various health conditions in girls as well as mental and social disturbances in both girls and boys.   There is a need to make them aware about the consequences they have to face after engaging in sexual activities and ending up with teenage pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions.

Current study aimed to assess the awareness of contraceptives, sexual behavior, and factors associated with contraceptives use among female undergraduate students as well as girls who are illiterate in Wardha region, Maharashtra.

Aim: ‘The study was conducted to estimate the level of awareness of contraception amongst the teenage girls’.

Objectives:

To provide proper sex education to the teenagers.

To aware teenagers about complications of teenage pregnancies.

To acknowledge them about sexual activities and their consequences.

To acknowledge them about contraceptives and their proper uses.           

Materials and Methods: Sawangi, Wardha.  Total   study participants were 140 girls. One group  of 70 girls,    age  between 13 years to 16 years, half of them from school located in Wardha and half of them from rural area around the Wardha.  Another group of 70 girls belongs to 17 years to 19 years, half of them from school and half from rural area.  The participants were on voluntary basis. The girls belong rural area that had never been to the school.  None of them were given questionnaire to fill. Answers were recorded on the questionnaire by the social worker who was assigned the job.  Adequate time was given to each adolescent to answer the questions asked. The data thus collected was analyzed. Prior permission and consent were taken from the school Principal and the parents.

Conclusion: The present study concludes that there should be sensitization of teenage girls about contraception and various contraceptive methods. It will help them to prevent the unwanted pregnancies and it adverse outcomes of abortions which is beneficial to maintain their further reproductive life.
Comparative Anti Inflammatory Activity of Hexane and Aqueous Extract of Mucuna pruriens
Authors: Divyashri S. , Priyadharshini R. , Rajeshkumar S. , Sinduja Palati
Published: January 2022

Introduction: Mucuna pruriens is a tropical legume native to Africa and tropical Asia. The plant is an annual climbing shrub with long vines that can reach a height of 15 meters in length. Mucuna pruriens belong to the family legume. It is a herbal drug that is used as a medicine for the treatment of male infertility, nervous disorder, and also as an aphrodisiac. It has been shown that it potentially has more medical importance. It causes orange hair that causes a severe itch when in contact with the skin. It releases a protein called mucanain.

Aim: To determine the anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous and hexane extract of Mucuna pruriens.

Materials and Methodology: The extract was prepared and the anti-inflammatory effect was done using a UV-Beckmann spectrometer. The anti-inflammatory activity of nanoparticles prepared using plant extract was investigated by albumin denaturation assay. The results of the test were described as the standard deviation and analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Correlation and analysis were done in SPSS.

Results: The hexane solution and aqueous solution of Mucuna pruriens have a high percentage of inhibition at the 30 μl, 40 μl and 50 μl concentration when compared with a standard solution. And hexane has a high percentage of inhibition at 50μl when compared with a standard solution. The obtained data were analyzed using spearman correlation analysis and the non-parametric correlation was statistically significant at p value< 0.05.

Conclusion: The aqueous and hexane extract of Mucuna pruriens show good anti- inflammatory activity. In that hexane extract has good anti-inflammatory activity when compared with aqueous extract. And it is used for disease. And further research should be done with the action and mechanism of Mucuna pruriens.
Angiotensin Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitor [ARNI] and Its Implications Ejection Fraction Preserved Heart Failure: A Recent Review
Authors: Trivedi Alokita , Punpale Ajinkya , Kale Swarali , Kumar Sunil
Published: January 2022

This review article discusses the Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitor which is remedy made up of two anti-hypertensive pharmaceuticals (sacubitril and valsartan). These medications may prolong life expectancy more than ACE inhibitors, which have been routinely used to treat heart failure. ARNi is now being used to treat individuals with heart failure those who have a low ejection fraction, which means their basic pumping chamber isn't working properly. Patients must be symptomatic despite receiving effective medical treatment for heart failure or be unable to tolerate a sufficient dose of ACE inhibitors to be eligible. Sacubitril and/or Valsartan are the debut members of a latest class of drugs described as angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors to receive FDA approval (ARNI). The FDA has approved the medicine for the management of chronic heart failure sufferers with a lower ejection fraction and NYHA classifications II, III, or IV.

Before commencing sacubitril and/or valsartan, patients must have to be able to accommodate ACEI or ARB. This intervention covers the instances, mode of action, approaches of administration, significant toxic reactions, risks and benefits, bioactivity, and surveilling of sacubitril & valsartan so as to the practitioners can control patients under therapy in settings into which it implies as a part of the effective interprofessional.
Determination of Bone Age and its Correlation to the Chronological Age Based on the Greulich and Pyle Method in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Albaker Abdulmalik B. , Aldhilan Asim S. , Alrabai Hamza M. , AlHumaid Salah , AlMogbil Ismail H. , Alzaidy Nawaf Fahad A. , Alsaadoon Saleh Asaad Hamad , Alobaid Ohud Abdulrahman , Alshammary Faisal Hassan
Published: January 2022

Introduction: Many clinical indications need the measurement of bone age, including growth and development abnormalities, the timing of corrective procedures in pediatric patients, and the assessment and treatment of specific endocrine conditions. These evaluations are also useful in forensic science.

Aim: This study aims to compare the bone age of children aged 4 to 18 years old with their chronological age in order to determine whether the Greulich-Pyle (GP) method is trustworthy for Saudi youngsters.

Materials & Methods: Multiple approaches for determining bone age have been published, but Greulich and Pyle's methodology is the most extensively utilized. This method is based on an inspectional evaluation that compares the radiograph to the pattern described in a 1950 atlas using a sample of North American children aged birth to 18 years for the female sex and up to 19 years for the male sex. It is one of the most commonly utilized procedures for assessing the skeletal age of children and adolescents since it is rapid and quick to perform. It is based on the fact that ossification centers in the hand and wrist bones emerge in a predetermined order. For male and female youngsters, the degree of ossification in various hand and wrist bones is compared to the nearest matching plate on the Greulich & Pyle Atlas. This cross-sectional study was performed during April 2021 to September 2021.

Results: Total 216 patients were included or selected in this study among age group 4-18 years, the sex distribution among them were 148 (68.5%) and 68 (31.5%) were male and female respectively. Chronological age and bone age assessment by GP methodamong doctors when chronological age was 135.2 ± 45.0 (range, 45-216 months). Chronological age in male and female were 143.5 ± 44.0 and 116.9 ± 41.8 respectively with p value <0.001 which was statistically significant. The bone age were observed in two reading, first reading and second reading after 15 days by two doctors separately and all the finding were recorded almost similar and significant with p value <0.001. Correlation between Chronological age and Bone age by GP method in both sex observed significant p value <0.001. Linear regression analysis showed that the bone ageand its correlation to the chronological age assessment in first reading in male(r=0.761 and p<0.001) and female(r=0.889 and p<0.001), in reading after 15 days in male(r=0.760 and p<0.001) and female(r=0.868 and p<0.001).

Conclusion: In order to evaluate whether the Greulich-Pyle (GP) technique is accurate for Saudi children, the bone age of children aged 4 to 18 years old should be evaluated to their chronological age, according to this research.
TLK1‐mediated MK5‐S354 phosphorylation drives prostate cancer cell motility and may signify distinct pathologies
Authors: Khalil Md Imtiaz , Singh Vibha , King Judy , De Benedetti Arrigo
Published: January 2022

Metastases account for the majority of prostate cancer (PCa) deaths, and targeting them is a major goal of systemic therapy. We identified a novel interaction between two kinases: tousled‐like kinase 1 (TLK1) and MAP kinase‐activated protein kinase 5 (MK5) that promotes PCa spread. In PCa progression, TLK1–MK5 signalling appears to increase following antiandrogen treatment and in metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Determinations of motility rates (2D and 3D) of different TLK1‐ and MK5‐perturbed cells, including knockout (KO) and knockdown (KD), as well as the use of specific inhibitors, showed the importance of these two proteins for in vitro dissemination. We established that TLK1 phosphorylates MK5 on three residues (S160, S354 and S386), resulting in MK5 activation, and additionally, mobility shifts of MK5 also supported its phosphorylation by TLK1 in transfected HEK 293 cells. Expression of MK5‐S354A or kinase‐dead MK5 in MK5‐depleted mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells failed to restore their motility compared with that of wild‐type (WT) MK5‐rescued MK5−/− MEF cells. A pMK5‐S354 antiserum was used to establish this site as an authentic TLK1 target in androgen‐sensitive human prostate adenocarcinoma (LNCaP) cells, and was used in immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies of age‐related PCa sections from TRAMP (transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate) mice and to probe a human tissue microarray (TMA), which revealed pMK5‐S354 level is correlated with disease progression (Gleason score and nodal metastases). In addition, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analyses of PCa expression and genome‐wide association study (GWAS) relations identify TLK1 and MK5 as potential drivers of advanced PCa and as markers of mCRPC. Our work suggests that TLK1–MK5 signalling is functionally involved in driving PCa cell motility and clinical features of aggressiveness; hence, disruption of this axis may inhibit the metastatic spread of PCa.
miR‐200a/b/‐429 downregulation is a candidate biomarker of tumor radioresistance and independent of hypoxia in locally advanced cervical cancer
Authors: Nilsen Anja , Hillestad Tiril , Skingen Vilde E. , Aarnes Eva‐Katrine , Fjeldbo Christina S. , Hompland Tord , Evensen Tina Sandø , Stokke Trond , Kristensen Gunnar B. , Grallert Beata , Lyng Heidi
Published: January 2022

Many patients with locally advanced cervical cancer experience recurrence within the radiation field after chemoradiotherapy. Biomarkers of tumor radioresistance are required to identify patients in need of intensified treatment. Here, the biomarker potential of miR‐200 family members was investigated in this disease. Also, involvement of tumor hypoxia in the radioresistance mechanism was determined, using a previously defined 6‐gene hypoxia classifier. miR‐200 expression was measured in pretreatment tumor biopsies of an explorative cohort (n = 90) and validation cohort 1 (n = 110) by RNA sequencing. Publicly available miR‐200 data of 79 patients were included for the validation of prognostic significance. A score based on expression of the miR‐200a/b/‐429 (miR‐200a, miR‐200b, and miR‐429) cluster showed prognostic significance in all cohorts. The score was significant in multivariate analysis of central pelvic recurrence. No association with distant recurrence or hypoxia status was found. Potential miRNA target genes were identified from gene expression profiles and showed enrichment of genes in extracellular matrix organization and cell adhesion. miR‐200a/b/‐429 overexpression had a pronounced radiosensitizing effect in tumor xenografts, whereas the effect was minor in vitro. In conclusion, miR‐200a/b/‐429 downregulation is a candidate biomarker of central pelvic recurrence and seems to predict cell adhesion‐mediated tumor radioresistance independent of clinical markers and hypoxia.
Machine Learning Guided Synthesis of Flash Graphene
Authors: Beckham Jacob L. , Wyss Kevin M. , Xie Yunchao , McHugh Emily A. , Li John Tianci , Advincula Paul A. , Chen Weiyin , Lin Jian , Tour James M.
Published: January 2022

Advances in nanoscience have enabled the synthesis of nanomaterials, such as graphene, from low‐value or waste materials through flash Joule heating. Though this capability is promising, the complex and entangled variables that govern nanocrystal formation in the Joule heating process remain poorly understood. In this work, machine learning (ML) models are constructed to explore the factors that drive the transformation of amorphous carbon into graphene nanocrystals during flash Joule heating. An XGBoost regression model of crystallinity achieves an r2 score of 0.8051 ± 0.054. Feature importance assays and decision trees extracted from these models reveal key considerations in the selection of starting materials and the role of stochastic current fluctuations in flash Joule heating synthesis. Furthermore, partial dependence analyses demonstrate the importance of charge and current density as predictors of crystallinity, implying a progression from reaction‐limited to diffusion‐limited kinetics as flash Joule heating parameters change. Finally, a practical application of the ML models is shown by using Bayesian meta‐learning algorithms to automatically improve bulk crystallinity over many Joule heating reactions. These results illustrate the power of ML as a tool to analyze complex nanomanufacturing processes and enable the synthesis of 2D crystals with desirable properties by flash Joule heating.
Sensitive and Homogeneous Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection Using Heterometallic Interfaces on Metal–Organic Framework‐Derived Structure
Authors: Lee Jae Yeon , Lee Seungki , Shin Donghun , Park Jung Tae , Choi Inhee
Published: January 2022

Here the use of heterometallic interfaces on metal–organic framework‐derived structures as surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)‐active substrates is investigated for sensitive and homogeneous SERS detection. Zeolitic imidazole framework‐67 (ZIF‐67) is grown on a conductive glass substrate via chemical bath deposition, followed by carbonization and oxidation to form ZIF‐67‐derived Co3O4 (ZIF‐67‐CO). For the sensitive and homogeneous SERS analysis, ZIF‐67‐CO is converted to the heterometallic interface Au–Ag@ZIF‐67‐derived Co3O4 (denoted as Au–Ag@ZIF‐67‐CO) via electrodeposition and successive chemical grafting. The optical properties of Au–Ag@ZIF‐67‐CO indicate a uniform and large‐scale distribution of both metals on the surface. Raman signals from the substrate are evenly enhanced based on the Raman intensity and shift mapping over a large area. Due to the multiple absorption bands of the Au–Ag@ZIF‐67‐CO substrate, signal enhancement can also be achieved with two different laser sources (532 and 785 nm) that are frequently used in SERS. As a result, concentration‐dependent and fingerprint SERS signals of small molecules such as 1,2‐bis‐(4‐pyridyl) ethylene, Nile blue A, and 1,1′‐diethyl‐2,2′‐cyanine iodide are obtained, and their signal enhancement factors are 104–105. Collectively, the use of heterometallic‐interfaced ZIF‐67‐CO will be a beneficial approach for collecting reproducible SERS signals of various target analytes.
Interpretability of Neural Networks with Probability Density Functions
Authors: Pan Tingting , Pedrycz Witold , Cui Jiahui , Yang Jie , Wu Wei
Published: January 2022

It is an interesting topic to interpret artificial neural networks (ANNs) by considering some change various approaches. This paper explores the relationship between the input and output units of the simplest ANN, a single layer perceptron for the binary classification problem, from the probability point of view. If the feature variables of datasets follow independent normal distribution and outputs are activated by sigmoid function or smooth Relu function, we advocate that the probability density function (pdf) of the output variable is an exponential family distribution. Furthermore, by introducing an intermediate variable, the pdf of the output variable can be written as a linear combination of three normal distributions with same spread but different centers. Based on these results, the probability of the predicted class label can be written as a standard normal cumulative distribution function (cdf). The originality of this paper comes with interesting theoretical results to provide ANNs with a new description of the relationship between input variables to output variables, which can enable ANNs to be understood from a new perspective. Extensive experiments based on one artificial synthesized dataset and ten real‐world benchmark datasets validate the reasonability of those results.
Smad4 Deficiency Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Immunogenicity by Activating the Cancer‐Autonomous DNA‐Sensing Signaling Axis
Authors: Xiong Wenjing , He Wenzhuo , Wang Tiantian , He Shuai , Xu Feifei , Wang Zining , Wang Xiaojuan , Guo Hui , Ling Jianhua , Zhang Huanling , Liu Yongxiang , Xing Kaili , Li Mengyun , Zhang Hongxia , Li Jiahui , Niu Ningning , Xue Jing , Zhan Qiuyao , Liu Ze‐Xian , Bei Jin‐Xin , Huang Peng , Liu Jinyun , Xia Liangping , Xia Xiaojun
Published: January 2022

Smad4, a key mediator of the transforming growth factor‐β signaling, is mutated or deleted in 20% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cancers and significantly affects cancer development. However, the effect of Smad4 loss on the immunogenicity and tumor immune microenvironment of PDAC is still unclear. Here, a surprising function of Smad4 in suppressing mouse PDAC tumor immunogenicity is identified. Although Smad4 deletion in tumor cells enhances proliferation in vitro, the in vivo growth of Smad4‐deficient PDAC tumor is significantly inhibited on immunocompetent C57BL/6 (B6) mice, but not on immunodeficient mice or CD8+ cell‐depleted B6 mice. Mechanistically, Smad4 deficiency significantly increases tumor cell immunogenicity by promoting spontaneous DNA damage and stimulating STING‐mediated type I interferon signaling,which contributes to the activation of type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1) and subsequent CD8+ T cells for tumor control. Furthermore, retarded tumor growth of Smad4‐deficient PDAC cells on B6 mice is largely reversed when Sting is codeleted, or when the cells are implanted into interferon‐alpha receptor‐deficientmice or cDC1‐deficientmice. Accordingly, Smad4 deficiency promotes PDAC immunogenicity by inducing tumor‐intrinsic DNA damage‐elicited type I interferon signaling.
A Guanosine‐Quadruplex Hydrogel as Cascade Reaction Container Consuming Endogenous Glucose for Infected Wound Treatment—A Study in Diabetic Mice
Authors: Li Yuanfeng , Su Linzhu , Zhang Yongxin , Liu Yong , Huang Fan , Ren Yijin , An Yingli , Shi Linqi , van der Mei Henny C. , Busscher Henk J.
Published: January 2022

Diabetic foot ulcers infected with antibiotic‐resistant bacteria form a severe complication of diabetes. Antimicrobial‐loaded hydrogels are used as a dressing for infected wounds, but the ongoing rise in the number of antimicrobial‐resistant infections necessitates new, nonantibiotic based designs. Here, a guanosine‐quadruplex (G4)‐hydrogel composed of guanosine, 2‐formylphenylboronic acid, and putrescine is designed and used as a cascade‐reaction container. The G4‐hydrogel is loaded with glucose‐oxidase and hemin. The first cascade‐reaction, initiated by glucose‐oxidase, transforms glucose and O2 into gluconic acid and H2O2. In vitro, this reaction is most influential on killing Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa in suspension, but showed limited killing of bacteria in biofilm‐modes of growth. The second cascade‐reaction, however, transforming H2O2 into reactive‐oxygen‐species (ROS), also enhances killing of biofilm bacteria due to hemin penetration into biofilms and interaction with eDNA G‐quadruplexes in the biofilm matrix. Therewith, the second cascade‐reaction generates ROS close to the target bacteria, facilitating killing despite the short life‐time of ROS. Healing of infected wounds in diabetic mice proceeds faster upon coverage by these G4‐hydrogels than by clinically common ciprofloxacin irrigation. Moreover, local glucose concentrations around infected wounds decrease. Concluding, a G4‐hydrogel loaded with glucose‐oxidase and hemin is a good candidate for infected wound dressings, particularly in diabetic patients.
Amidoxime Group‐Anchored Single Cobalt Atoms for Anti‐Biofouling during Uranium Extraction from Seawater
Authors: Sun Wenyan , Feng Lijuan , Zhang Jiacheng , Lin Ke , Wang Hui , Yan Bingjie , Feng Tiantian , Cao Meng , Liu Tao , Yuan Yihui , Wang Ning
Published: January 2022

Marine biofouling is one of the most significant challenges hindering practical uranium extraction from seawater. Single atoms have been widely used in catalytic applications because of their remarkable redox property, implying that the single atom is highly capable of catalyzing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and acts as an anti‐biofouling substance for controlling biofouling. In this study, the Co single atom loaded polyacrylamidoxime (PAO) material, PAO‐Co, is fabricated based on the binding ability of the amidoxime group to uranyl and cobalt ions. Nitrogen and oxygen atoms from the amidoxime group stabilize the Co single atom. The fabricated PAO‐Co exhibits a broad range of antimicrobial activity against diverse marine microorganisms by producing ROS, with an inhibition rate up to 93.4%. The present study is the first to apply the single atom for controlling biofouling. The adsorbent achieves an ultrahigh uranium adsorption capacity of 9.7 mg g−1 in biofouling‐containing natural seawater, which decreased only by 11% compared with that in biofouling‐removed natural seawater. These findings indicate that applying single atoms would be a promising strategy for designing biofouling‐resistant adsorbents for uranium extraction from seawater.
Wheat nitrogen response conditional on past yield and rainfall: A step in improving optimal nitrogen applications
Authors: Mills Brian E. , Brorsen B. Wade , Tostão Emilio , Biermacher Jon T.
Published: January 2022

Making precision nitrogen (N) application clearly profitable will likely require incorporating multiple sources of information. Low‐cost sources of information include rainfall and the previous year's yield. This paper uses data from a long‐term experiment on the response of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to N fertilizer, as well as rainfall data from the University of Oklahoma's Mesonet weather station. The goal was to determine optimal topdress levels of N. A regression was used to determine the previous year's yield and rainfall on the marginal product of farmer‐applied N. Information from lagged yield and rainfall increases profit by $2.79 ha–1. Therefore, lagged yield and rainfall could be a low‐cost information source to add to other sources of information to achieve the goal of widespread adoption of precision N application.
Site‐specific effects of winter cover crops on soil water storage
Authors: Nichols Virginia A. , Moore E. Britt , Gailans Stefan , Kaspar Thomas C. , Liebman Matt
Published: January 2022

Addition of an overwintering cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop (CC) to midwestern maize (Zea mays L.)‐based systems offers several environmental benefits, but the long‐term effects of this practice on soil hydrological properties are not well understood. We utilized four long‐term (10+ yr) trials (two commercial fields, two research plots) in Iowa that included a replicated winter rye CC and no‐cover treatment in no‐till maize/soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] systems. We took intact 7.62‐cm diam. soil samples from a 10‐to‐18‐cm depth shortly after cash crop planting in the spring. We measured the soil water retention curve using matric potentials ranging from saturation to –500 cmH2O. In addition, we measured organic matter, textural composition, and bulk densities of the soil samples. At the depth sampled, CCs did not meaningfully affect bulk density, water contents at saturation, or air‐entry potentials at any trial, nor increase the percentage of macropores. At two trials, soil water content at field capacity (–100 cmH2O) in the CC treatments was 2.5 vol% (SE: 1.2%; commercial field) and 2.4 vol% (SE: 1.3%; research plot) higher compared with the no‐cover treatments. This increase could meaningfully reduce the amount of water drained from a field after a saturating rain and should be considered when assessing CC impacts on landscape hydrology. The presence or absence of a CC effect on field capacity was not related to CC aboveground biomass production, previous cash crop, or soil texture at the trial sites. Based on our results, a causal model, and previous literature we hypothesize CC root characteristics are key to understanding variable effects of CCs on soil water storage. Our results indicate it is possible for CCs to meaningfully affect soil water storage, but more research is needed on the mechanisms by which these changes occur.
Method validation, residue analysis and dietary risk assessment of trifloxystrobin and trifloxystrobin acid in milk, eggs and pork
Authors: Bi Yingying , Han Lijun , Qin Fayi , Song Shuangyu , Lv Xinru , Dong Qin , Qiao Chengkui , Ren Bo
Published: January 2022

Trifloxystrobin (TFS) is a widely used strobilurin fungicide and its residues accumulating in animal‐derived food could result in potential harm to consumers. By optimization of extraction solvents and cleanup sorbents, a residue analysis method for TFS and its metabolite trifloxystrobin acid (TFSA) was established in milk, eggs and pork based on QuEChERS sample preparation and LC–MS/MS. The calibration curves exhibited good linearity with determination coefficients (R2) >0.9930 over the range of 0.5–250 ng/ml for both TFS and TFSA. The recoveries of the two analytes were 81–100% with RSD 3–10% and 76–96% with RSD 2–13%, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1 ng/g for both analytes. The milk, egg and pork samples, 30 each, were collected from the 30 main producing regions in China, and residues of TFS and TFSA were analyzed. The concentrations of both analytes were lower than the corresponding LOQs and maximum residue limits. Long‐term dietary risk assessment showed that the hazard quotients were 0.001–0.003%, indicating an absence of unacceptable risks in milk, eggs and pork to the health of common consumers in China.
Coping strategies and mental health in a sample of students accessing a university counselling service
Authors: Buizza Chiara , Cela Herald , Costa Andrea , Ghilardi Alberto
Published: January 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the coping strategies used by college students and their association with socio‐demographic characteristics and distress. The sample was composed of 219 students, who had previously accessed the university counselling service over a 5‐year period. The Symptom Checklist‐90‐Revised, the General Health Questionnaire‐12 and the Brief COPE Inventory were administered. Results showed that male students tended to use more active strategies than female students and that students studying health‐related subjects presented less distress than those studying technical subjects. Moreover, the results indicated that the self‐blame coping strategy is a major predictor of mental health issues and that interaction between age and area of study aggravated the symptomatology. Further research is needed to better understand the experience of distress from the college students' perspective, and to identify what interventions are really effective in supporting students to cope with distress.
A chemogenomic approach is required for effective treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Pampalakis Georgios , Angelis Georgios , Zingkou Eleni , Vekrellis Kostas , Sotiropoulou Georgia
Published: January 2022

ALS is a fatal untreatable disease involving degeneration of motor neurons. Μultiple causative genes encoding proteins with versatile functions have been identified indicating that diverse biological pathways lead to ALS. Chemical entities still represent a promising choice to delay ALS progression, attenuate symptoms and/or increase life expectancy, but also gene‐based and stem cell‐based therapies are in the process of development, and some are tested in clinical trials. Various compounds proved effective in transgenic models overexpressing distinct ALS causative genes unfortunately though, they showed no efficacy in clinical trials. Notably, while animal models provide a uniform genetic background for preclinical testing, ALS patients are not stratified, and the distinct genetic forms of ALS are treated as one group, which could explain the observed discrepancies between treating genetically homogeneous mice and quite heterogeneous patient cohorts. We suggest that chemical entity‐genotype correlation should be exploited to guide patient stratification for pharmacotherapy, that is administered drugs should be selected based on the ALS genetic background.
The biological properties of the decellularized tracheal scaffolds and 3D printing biomimetic materials: A comparative study
Authors: Pan Shu , Lu Yi , Li Jianfeng , Shi Hongcan
Published: January 2022

The construction of ideal tissue engineering trachea has always been a difficult problem in trachea transplantation surgery. The biological characteristics of decellularized matrix prepared by detergent‐enzymatic (DEM) and 3D printing biomimetic scaffold (PTS) in vivo and in vitro were compared. In order to comprehensively evaluate its performance, we tested morphological and biomechanical characteristics of the native tracheas(Group A), DEM(Group B), and PTS(Group C). The above groups were co‐cultured with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), after which cell attachment and proliferation on the scaffolds were detected. Allogeneic implantation experiments were performed to assess the in vivo biocompatibility of the studied scaffolds. Moreover, an in‐situ experiment of the tracheal repair was conducted to compare the survival of every group. The biomechanical properties of PTS were significantly better than those of other scaffolds (P < .05). And they retained their structural integrity in the host compared with the other scaffolds (P < .05). Besides, significantly milder immune‐rejection reactions were observed in Group C than those in Group A (P < .05). In situ experiments showed that Group C significantly a good postoperative condition compared with the other scaffold groups (P < .05). Fiberoptic bronchoscopy analysis of PTS showed a better condition in the lumen. In conclusion, PTS has excellent biomechanical properties. Although the PTS group showed lower biocompatibility than the decellularized group, it exhibited better cell attachment and proliferation. In situ transplantation results showed that PTS could be an ideal source of tissue engineering material for tracheal repair.
Product cones in dense pairs
Authors: Eleftheriou Pantelis E.
Published: January 2022

Let be an o‐minimal expansion of an ordered group, and a dense set such that certain tameness conditions hold. We introduce the notion of a product cone in , and prove: if expands a real closed field, then admits a product cone decomposition. If is linear, then it does not. In particular, we settle a question from [10].
Synchronization in a two‐supplier assembly system: Combining a fixed lead‐time module with capacitated make‐to‐order production
Authors: Meijer Mirjam Susanne , van Jaarsveld Willem , de Kok Ton
Published: January 2022

A high‐tech manufacturer often produces products that consist of many modules. These modules are either sourced from one of its suppliers or produced in‐house. In this paper, we study the common case of an assembly system in which one module is sourced from a supplier with a fixed lead‐time, while the other module is produced by the manufacturer itself in a make‐to‐order production system. Since unavailability of one of the modules has costly consequences for the production of the end‐product, it is important to coordinate between the ordering policy for one module and the production of the other. We propose an order policy for the lead‐time module with base‐stock levels depending on the number of outstanding orders in the production system of the in‐house produced module. We prove monotonicity properties of this policy and show optimality. Furthermore, we conduct a computational experiment to evaluate how the costs of this policy compare to those of a policy with fixed base‐stock levels and show that average savings of up to 17% are attained.
The Impact of Felony Diversion in San Francisco
Authors: Augustine Elsa , Lacoe Johanna , Raphael Steven , Skog Alissa
Published: January 2022

In the traditional criminal justice system, an arrest is followed by multiple decision points determining detention, prosecution, guilt, and sentence. Many jurisdictions across the U.S. are exploring alternative programs and approaches that consider individual needs and assessed risks at each decision point. San Francisco County, California, uses post‐filing pretrial diversion programs as alternatives to the traditional criminal justice system for defendants based on factors including social and behavioral needs. In this paper, we estimate the impact of a referral to felony pretrial diversion programs on case outcomes and subsequent criminal justice contact. To address selection bias associated with nonrandom assignment into diversion programs, we exploit the random assignment of felony cases to arraignment judges and use variation among judicial diversion referral rates as an instrument for the diversion referral. We find that a referral to diversion increases the time to disposition in the current case and decreases the probability of a subsequent conviction up to five years following case arraignment. Subgroup analyses find that the benefits of diversion are concentrated among females, those who are under the age of 25, and those facing drug sales charges.
Anchoring modified polystyrene to boron nitride nanosheets as highly thermal conductive composites for heat dissipation
Authors: Han Weifang , Chu Xiaohan , Li Yongwei , Xu Ziping , Li Wei , Fu Peng , Li Yuchao , Zhang Xinwei , Jia Zhengfeng , Zhang Xiangdong
Published: January 2022

Enhancing the heat dissipation capacity of polymer‐based composites requires effectively improving the compatibility of filler in a polymer matrix. Herein, hydroxylated boron nitride (BN‐OH) and modified polystyrene (mPS) are combined to achieve a high thermal conductive BN‐OH@mPS composite by using a facile in‐situ polymerization. Due to the strong interface interaction between BN‐OH and mPS, the proposed BN‐OH@mPS composite can have high thermal conductivity (TC). Specifically, the TC of the composite containing 10 wt% BN‐OH can reach 1.231 W/mK, which is 142% higher than that of BN/PS manufactured by a traditional method. Additionally, such a special structure brings a delayed decomposition process of the composite, making it possess high thermal stability. Overall, this serves as a universal route for developing thermal conductive non‐polar polymer/inorganic filler composites.
Playing Quantum Nonlocal Games with Six Noisy Qubits on the Cloud
Authors: Sheffer Meron , Azses Daniel , Dalla Torre Emanuele G.
Published: January 2022

Nonlocal games are extensions of Bell inequalities, aimed at demonstrating quantum advantage. These games are well suited for noisy quantum computers because they only require the preparation of a shallow circuit, followed by the measurement of non‐commuting observable. Here, the minimal implementation of the nonlocal game proposed in Science 362, 308 (2018) is considered. This game is tested by preparing a 6‐qubit cluster state using quantum computers on the cloud by IBM, IonQ, and Honeywell. The present implementation includes several levels of optimization, such as circuit identities and error mitigation, and allows us to cross the classical threshold and demonstrate quantum advantage in one quantum computer. The quantum nature of the cluster state is further studied by a Bell inequality that allows us to observe quantum advantage in less accurate quantum computers, at the expense of probing a larger number of circuits.
ISTSat‐1, a space‐based Automatic Dependent Surveillance‐Broadcast demonstration CubeSat mission
Authors: Monteiro João P. , Cunha Alberto , Silva Alexandre , Fernandes Carlos , Neves Diogo , Naf Fabian , Tavares Gonçalo , Freitas José , Pinto João , Piedade Moisés , Ramos Nuno , Gil Paulo J. S. , Macedo Paulo , Afonso Rúben , Encarnação Renato , Ramos Rodrigo , Almeida Tomás , Rocha Rui M.
Published: January 2022

The use of space‐based Automatic Dependent Surveillance‐Broadcast (ADS‐B) receivers to extend aircraft surveillance beyond line‐of‐sight communication has been discussed since the late 2000s and has been demonstrated in various missions. Although recent demonstrations have relied on small CubeSat platforms, the use of the smallest possible form factor has not been explored. This paper describes development of a spacecraft representing the first use of a 1 U CubeSat platform for aircraft tracking. To comply with the platform's limited power budget, the receiver departs from the typical application of FPGA boards to decoding ADS‐B signals and instead employs a general microprocessor. The spacecraft also features some innovations over traditional CubeSat platforms, such as distributed system‐level software amenable to extensive code reuse, redundant communications mechanisms, and software‐based radiation mitigation strategies. Having designed, built, and integrated all subsystems, as well as performed multiple test campaigns at system and subsystem level, the team now aims at completing formal functional and environmental testing before undergoing the launch campaign, foreseen for 2022.
Multiple imputation for longitudinal data using Bayesian lasso imputation model
Authors: Yamaguchi Yusuke , Yoshida Satoshi , Misumi Toshihiro , Maruo Kazushi
Published: January 2022

Multiple imputation is a promising approach to handle missing data and is widely used in analysis of longitudinal clinical studies. A key consideration in the implementation of multiple imputation is to obtain accurate imputed values by specifying an imputation model that incorporates auxiliary variables potentially associated with missing variables. The use of informative auxiliary variables is known to be beneficial to make the missing at random assumption more plausible and help to reduce uncertainty of the imputations; however, it is not straightforward to pre‐specify them in many cases. We propose a data‐driven specification of the imputation model using Bayesian lasso in the context of longitudinal clinical study, and develop a built‐in function of the Bayesian lasso imputation model which is performed within the framework of multiple imputation using chained equations. A simulation study suggested that the Bayesian lasso imputation model worked well in a variety of longitudinal study settings, providing unbiased treatment effect estimates with well‐controlled type I error rates and coverage probabilities of the confidence interval; in contrast, ignorance of the informative auxiliary variables led to serious bias and inflation of type I error rate. Moreover, the Bayesian lasso imputation model offered higher statistical powers compared with conventional imputation methods. In our simulation study, the gains in statistical power were remarkable when the sample size was small relative to the number of auxiliary variables. An illustration through a real example also suggested that the Bayesian lasso imputation model could give smaller standard errors of the treatment effect estimate.