bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Expended Polystyrene (EPS) Waste as Sorbent for Crude Oil Spill Cleanup: From Laboratory Experiments to Field Application
Authors: Naser Dr. Mohammed I. 
Published: May 2021

EPS is a major constituent of plastic waste. Reuse of waste EPS which is non-biodegradable, to useful products is a way of effective waste management. Oil is one of the most important energy sources but oil spill accidents often take place during the oil utilization process, resulting in threats to the environment. We reported the use of EPS waste to obtain an adsorbent material to cleanup crude oil spill from water. The effects of major factors such as sorption time, adsorbent surface areas, kind of surface (smooth or rough) and thermo-modification and mechanical modification (punching holes) were investigated on laboratory experiments and presented at ADIPEC 2014( Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, 10-13 Nov., 2014, Session 52 Environment, SPE 172000-MS). The laboratory experiments carried out with about 0.9 g EPS sorbent for oil sorption times of 5 to 120 min at 350 g oil only and at 100 g oil over 500 mL water. The sorbent were punched with holes of 1.65 mm diameter. To verify the above laboratory experiments a field study for oil spill cleanup at crude oil pond from a rupture pipeline in Basrah was conducted. About 40 g EPS waste of small pieces (0.100-0.200 g) packed in 40x30 cm mesh net plastic bags. More than 40 bags were placed on the surface of a pond containing the spill crude oil over water. The pond was of about 6 meter diameter with oil layer of about 1.0 cm thickness. The bags were agitated manually after placing it on the oil surface to increase oil distribution to all EPS pieces. Oil sorption Capacity (OSC) of EPS in the field application increased with the increasing of the sorption times. The oil sorption was measured after 30 min sorption time and then every 15 min till 150 min. OSC of 43- 53 g oil/ g EPS sorbent for a sorption time of 30- 150 min respectively, were determined. The OSC are about 4 times the maximum OSC of the laboratory tests. The increasing in OSC of field application over laboratory tests due to utilization of all EPS 6 surfaces in place of one surface in laboratory tests, using lower density EPS and high density crude oil. The use of EPS waste in oil spill cleanup will reduce pollution in two ways, remediation of oil spill and reduce the landfill area due EPS waste
Podiatric Medical Resident Wellness: A Group Survey Study
Authors: Deheer Patrick A. , Wolfe William , Nichols Joshua A. , Badell Bethany J. , Patel Niral A. 
Published: May 2021

Background: Burnout and medical resident well-being has become an increasingly studied topic in medical degree (MD) and doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) fields and specialties, which has led to systemic changes in postgraduate education and training. Although an important topic to address for physicians of all experience levels and fields of practice, there is little research on this topic as it pertains specifically to the podiatric medical community.
Methods: A wellness needs assessment was developed and distributed to podiatric medical residents via electronic survey to assess overall wellness levels of residents and to highlight several subdomains of well-being in the training programs of the podiatric medical profession.
Results: A total of 121 residents completed the wellness needs assessment. Survey respondents indicated that they experienced high levels of professional burnout, with large numbers of them experiencing depression and anxiety. When analyzing the different subdomains of wellness, levels of intellectual and environmental wellness were high, and levels of financial and physical wellness were reported as low. In addition, free response answers were recorded in the survey regarding well-being initiatives that have been implemented in residency programs, and in many cases no such programs are reported to exist.
Conclusions: Podiatric medical residents experience compromised well-being similar to their MD/DO counterparts. These exploratory survey group results are concerning and warrant further investigation as well as organizational introspection. Analyzing well-being and implementing changes that can support podiatric physicians at all levels of training could decrease the deleterious effects of burnout in all its forms.
Concurrent anemia and stunting among schoolchildren in Wonago district in southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional multilevel analysis
Authors: Amare Hiwot Hailu , Lindtjorn Bernt 
Published: May 2021

Background
Even if many schoolchildren in Ethiopia are anemic and stunted, few have studied the co-existence of anemia and stunting among schoolchildren in Ethiopia. In addition, multilevel analysis to explore the variation in prevalence of concurrent anemia and stunting (CAS) across schools and classes is rarely applied. Thus, we aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of CAS at the individual, household, and school level among schoolchildren in southern Ethiopia.

Methods
We recruited 864 students aged 7–14 years from the Wonago district in southern Ethiopia using a three-stage random sampling, assigning four schools to level one, 24 classes to level two. We then randomly selected 36 children from each class, and recorded their weight, height, haemoglobin, intestinal helminthic infections, hygienic practices, dietary practices, household food insecurity, and socio-demographic information. A multivariate, multilevel logistic regression model was applied to detect potential risk factors for CAS.

Results
The prevalence of CAS was 10.5% (85/810) among schoolchildren, which increased with age in years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.39 [95% confidence interval 1.13, 1.71, P = 0.002]) and among children who always did not wash their hands with soap after use of latrine (aOR 4.30 [1.21, 15.3, P = 0.02]). Children who walked barefoot (aOR 10.4 [2.77, 39.1, P = 0.001]), were infected with Trichuris trichiura (aOR 1.74 [1.05, 2.88, P = 0.03]), or had head lice infestation (aOR 1.71 [1.01, 2.92, P = 0.04]) had higher CAS prevalence. Prevalence rates of CAS were low in those using treated drinking water (aOR 0.32 [95% CI 0.11, 0.97, P = 0.04]). Most of the risk factors for CAS were identified at the individual level. The clustering effect measured by the intra-cluster correlation coefficient was 6.8% at school level and 19% at class.

Conclusion
CAS prevalence is a moderate public health problem among schoolchildren in southern Ethiopia and varies across classes and schools. After controlling for clustering effects at the school and class levels, we found an association between CAS and increasing age, not always washing hands with soap after using latrine, walking barefoot, and T. trichiura infection. Using treated water for drinking was found to have a protective effect against CAS. Thus, educating children on personal hygiene and provision of safe drinking water could reduce the CAS burden in schoolchildren in rural areas of southern Ethiopia.
Genome-wide identification, classification and expression profile analysis of the HSF gene family in Hypericum perforatum
Authors: Zhou Li , Yu Xiaoding , Wang Donghao , Li Lin , Zhou Wen , Zhang Qian , Wang Xinrui , Ye Sumin , Wang Zhezhi 
Published: May 2021

Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) are critical regulators of plant responses to various abiotic and biotic stresses, including high temperature stress. HSFs are involved in regulating the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) by binding with heat stress elements (HSEs) to defend against high-temperature stress. The H. perforatum genome was recently fully sequenced; this provides a valuable resource for genetic and functional analysis. In this study, 23 putative HpHSF genes were identified and divided into three groups (A, B, and C) based on phylogeny and structural features. Gene structure and conserved motif analyses were performed on HpHSFs members; the DNA-binding domain (DBD), hydrophobic heptad repeat (HR-A/B), and exon-intron boundaries exhibited specific phylogenetic relationships. In addition, the presence of various cis-acting elements in the promoter regions of HpHSFs underscored their regulatory function in abiotic stress responses. RT-qPCR analyses showed that most HpHSF genes were expressed in response to heat conditions, suggesting that HpHSFs play potential roles in the heat stress resistance pathway. Our findings are advantageous for the analysis and research of the function of HpHSFs in high temperature stress tolerance in H. perforatum.
Development of Screening Method for Moisture Deficit Tolerance of Black Pepper Genotypes
Authors: Alagupalamuthirsolai M. , Srinivasan V. , Sarathambal C. , Thankamani C. K. , Krishnamurthy K. S. , Subila K. P. 
Published: May 2021

Black pepper is basically a rainfed crop in India. Drought is the chief abiotic stress causing up to 50-80% crop loss in black pepper. Lack of precise screening methodology to develop moisture stress tolerant lines is a limiting factor in black pepper productivity. To develop a rapid screening methodology, a laboratory experiment was conducted with rooted black pepper cuttings under hydroponic culture. The experiment was designed in a completely randomized with four replications. Moisture stress was imposed with six different concentrations of Polyethylene glycol-6000 (5, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 20 per cent) along with control in black pepper cv. Panniyur-1, IISR-Thevam, IISR-Sreekara and IISR-Girimunda. The results showed that Panniyur-1, IISR-Thevam, IISR-Sreekara and IISR-Girimunda at the PEG-6000 concentrations of 8%, 10%, 10%, 10% respectively reduced per cent cuttings survival almost by 50% Lethal dose (LD50) after 10 days of PEG stress and also, a signiﬁcant increase in proline was recorded up to 10% PEG-6000. Hence, 10% PEG-6000 appears to be an ideal concentration for screening black pepper genotypes for moisture stress tolerance.
Resourcing as an Antecedent of Effective Online Learning Adaptation in the Face of COVID-19: The Case of Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUoT)
Authors: Nuru S. Tindi , Fred Ssemugenyi , Oyekola Peter , Ngene C. Tochukwu 
Published: May 2021

This pandemic has utterly disrupted traditional education systems around the world. Even as a global search for sure-fire innovative solutions to the pandemic rages on, it is increasingly becoming clear that online teaching is no more of an option but, a necessity; changes that were occasioned by COVID-19 might be here to stay! While some are nervous that the abrupt unprecedented pivot to online delivery mode might result in a poor user experience that could stifle sustained growth, others are optimistic that a new normal of learning has emerged with significant takeaways. This study sought to examine how universities are adapting to the new normal of teaching online using a case study of PNGUoT. While acknowledging that the transition to online, asynchronous learning poses just as many challenges for students as it does academics, the study delves into the potential confluence of forces that are antecedents to effective online learning such as institutional policies, media, instructors and learners, and seeks to establish whether they can meaningfully predict effective online learning. A systematic search from literature coupled with the study findings suggests a moderately strong positive effect of resourcing on effective online learning thereby rejecting a null hypothesis and accepting its alternate. The study concludes that the adoption of online learning will continue to persist in the post-pandemic era and as such, therefore, stakeholders in the education space must bolster their capabilities to provide quality online learning as a panacea.
Usability of detecting delivery errors during treatment of prostate VMAT with a gantry‐mounted transmission detector
Authors: Honda Hirofumi , Tominaga Masahide , Sasaki Motoharu , Oita Masataka , Kanzaki Hiromitsu , Hamamoto Yasushi , Ishii Yoshiaki , Yamamoto Ryuji , Mochizuki Teruhito , Kido Teruhito , Uto Yoshihiro 
Published: May 2021

AbstractVolumetric‐modulated arc therapy (VMAT) requires highly accurate control of multileaf collimator (MLC) movement, rotation speed of linear accelerator gantry, and monitor units during irradiation. Pretreatment validation and monitoring of these factors during irradiation are necessary for appropriate VMAT treatment. Recently, a gantry mounted transmission detector “Delta4 Discover® (D4D)” was developed to detect errors in delivering doses and dose distribution immediately after treatment. In this study, the performance of D4D was evaluated. Simulation plans, in which the MLC position was displaced by 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 mm from the clinically used original plans, were created for ten patients who received VMAT treatment for prostate cancer. Dose deviation (DD), distance‐to‐agreement (DTA), and gamma index analysis (GA) for each plan were evaluated by D4D. These results were compared to the results (DD, DTA and GA) measured by Delta4 Phantom + (D4P). We compared the deviations between the planned and measured values of the MLC stop positions A‐side and B‐side in five clinical cases of prostate VMAT during treatment and measured the GA values. For D4D, when the acceptable errors for DD, DTA, and GA were determined to be ≤3%, ≤2 mm, and ≤3%/2 mm, respectively, the minimum detectable errors in the MLC position were 2.0, 1.5, and 1.5 mm based on DD, DTA, and GA respectively. The corresponding minimum detectable MLC position errors were 2.0, 1.0, and 1.5 mm, respectively, for D4P. The deviation between the planned and measured position of MLC stopping point of prostate VMAT during treatment was stable at an average of −0.09 ± 0.05 mm, and all GA values were above 99.86%. In terms of delivering doses and dose distribution of VMAT, error detectability of D4D was comparable to that of D4P. The transmission‐type detector “D4D” is thus suitable for detecting delivery errors during irradiation.
Brain MRS correlates with mitochondrial dysfunction biomarkers in MELAS‐associated mtDNA mutations
Authors: Gramegna Laura L. , Evangelisti Stefania , Di Vito Lidia , La Morgia Chiara , Maresca Alessandra , Caporali Leonardo , Amore Giulia , Talozzi Lia , Bianchini Claudio , Testa Claudia , Manners David N. , Cortesi Irene , Valentino Maria L. , Liguori Rocco , Carelli Valerio , Tonon Caterina , Lodi Raffaele 
Published: May 2021

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate correlations between brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H‐MRS) findings with serum biomarkers and heteroplasmy of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations. This study enrolled patients carrying mtDNA mutations associated with Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke‐like episodes (MELAS), and MELAS‐Spectrum Syndrome (MSS).MethodsConsecutive patients carrying mtDNA mutations associated with MELAS and MSS were recruited and their serum concentrations of lactate, alanine, and heteroplasmic mtDNA mutant load were evaluated. The brain protocol included single‐voxel 1H‐MRS (1.5T) in the medial parieto‐occipital cortex (MPOC), left cerebellar hemisphere, parieto‐occipital white matter (POWM), and lateral ventricles. Relative metabolite concentrations of N‐acetyl‐aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), and myo‐inositol (mI) were estimated relative to creatine (Cr), using LCModel 6.3.ResultsSix patients with MELAS (age 28 ± 13 years, 3 [50%] female) and 17 with MSS (age 45 ± 11 years, 7 [41%] female) and 39 sex‐ and age‐matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. These patients demonstrated a lower NAA/Cr ratio in MPOC compared to HC (p = 0.006), which inversely correlated with serum lactate (p = 0.021, rho = −0.68) and muscle mtDNA heteroplasmy (p < 0.001, rho = −0.80). Similarly, in the cerebellum patients had lower NAA/Cr (p < 0.001), Cho/Cr (p = 0.002), and NAA/mI (p = 0.001) ratios, which negatively correlated with mtDNA blood heteroplasmy (p = 0.001, rho = −0.81) and with alanine (p = 0.050, rho = −0.67). Ventricular lactate was present in 78.3% (18/23) of patients, correlating with serum lactate (p = 0.024, rho = 0.58).ConclusionCorrelations were found between the peripheral and biochemical markers of mitochondrial dysfunction and brain in vivo markers of neurodegeneration, supporting the use of both biomarkers as signatures of MELAS and MSS disease, to evaluate the efficacy of potential treatments.
Interictal spike networks predict surgical outcome in patients with drug‐resistant focal epilepsy
Authors: Azeem Abdullah , von Ellenrieder Nicolas , Hall Jeffery , Dubeau Francois , Frauscher Birgit , Gotman Jean 
Published: May 2021

AbstractObjectiveTo determine if properties of epileptic networks could be delineated using interictal spike propagation seen on stereo‐electroencephalography (SEEG) and if these properties could predict surgical outcome in patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy.MethodsWe studied the SEEG of 45 consecutive drug‐resistant epilepsy patients who underwent subsequent epilepsy surgery: 18 patients with good post‐surgical outcome (Engel I) and 27 with poor outcome (Engel II–IV). Epileptic networks were derived from interictal spike propagation; these networks described the generation and propagation of interictal epileptic activity. We compared the regions in which spikes were frequent and the regions responsible for generating spikes to the area of resection and post‐surgical outcome. We developed a measure termed source spike concordance, which integrates information about both spike rate and region of spike generation.ResultsInclusion in the resection of regions with high spike rate is associated with good post‐surgical outcome (sensitivity = 0.82, specificity = 0.73). Inclusion in the resection of the regions responsible for generating interictal epileptic activity independently of rate is also associated with good post‐surgical outcome (sensitivity = 0.88, specificity = 0.82). Finally, when integrating the spike rate and the generators, we find that the source spike concordance measure has strong predictability (sensitivity = 0.91, specificity = 0.94).InterpretationsEpileptic networks derived from interictal spikes can determine the generators of epileptic activity. Inclusion of the most active generators in the resection is strongly associated with good post‐surgical outcome. These epileptic networks may aid clinicians in determining the area of resection during pre‐surgical evaluation.
All‐Printed Green Micro‐Supercapacitors Based on a Natural‐derived Ionic Liquid for Flexible Transient Electronics
Authors: Migliorini Lorenzo , Piazzoni Claudio , Pohako‐Esko Kaija , Di Girolamo Marta , Vitaloni Andrea , Borghi Francesca , Santaniello Tommaso , Aabloo Alvo , Milani Paolo 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe fabrication and characterization of green, flexible, and ultra‐thin supercapacitors that are able to operate above 1.5 V is reported, using an all‐printed fabrication process. The devices are produced by aqueous spray casting of a natural‐derived electrolyte ionogel composed by 2‐hydroxyethyl cellulose and by the ionic liquid choline lactate, while the electrodes are composed of highly porous nanostructured carbon films deposited by supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD). The obtained supercapacitors (device thickness < 10 μm) are stable to bending and they possess power values up to 120 kW kg–1. The combination of aqueous spray casting and SCBD constitutes a versatile, scalable, and eco‐friendly fabrication process able to directly print interconnected elements suitable for transient electronic systems.
Controlling Structure with Injectable Biomaterials to Better Mimic Tissue Heterogeneity and Anisotropy
Authors: Babu Susan , Albertino Filippo , Omidinia Anarkoli Abdolrahman , De Laporte Laura 
Published: May 2021

AbstractTissue regeneration of sensitive tissues calls for injectable scaffolds, which are minimally invasive and offer minimal damage to the native tissues. However, most of these systems are inherently isotropic and do not mimic the complex hierarchically ordered nature of the native extracellular matrices. This review focuses on the different approaches developed in the past decade to bring in some form of anisotropy to the conventional injectable tissue regenerative matrices. These approaches include introduction of macroporosity, in vivo pattering to present biomolecules in a spatially and temporally controlled manner, availability of aligned domains by means of self‐assembly or oriented injectable components, and in vivo bioprinting to obtain structures with features of high resolution that resembles native tissues. Toward the end of the review, different techniques to produce building blocks for the fabrication of heterogeneous injectable scaffolds are discussed. The advantages and shortcomings of each approach are discussed in detail with ideas to improve the functionality and versatility of the building blocks.
Encapsulation of Hydrophilic Compounds in Small Extracellular Vesicles: Loading Capacity and Impact on Vesicle Functions
Authors: Hettich Britta Franziska , Bader Johannes Josua , Leroux Jean‐Christophe 
Published: May 2021

AbstractTheir natural functions in intercellular communication render extracellular vesicles (EV) highly attractive for drug delivery applications. However, the loading efficiency of present methods to incorporate particularly hydrophilic low molecular weight drugs of biomedical interest is largely unexplored, as is the impact these methods may have on the intrinsic structural and biological vesicle properties. Here, different methods are exploited to incorporate hydrophilic non‐membrane permeable compounds into stem cell‐derived small EV, and to assess the vesicle characteristics after the different loading processes. When comparing several methods head‐to‐head, the loading capacity increases in the order saponin ≤ sonication < fusion < freeze‐thawing ≤ osmotic shock. Interestingly, the structural and biological functions of small EV are dependent on the applied encapsulation process, with the functional properties being altered at a greater extent. Therefore, the importance of including additional characterization parameters to probe alterations of the biological functionality of small EV is clearly demonstrated. Here, freeze‐thawing and particularly the osmotic shock have proven to be the most appropriate methods for EV loading, as they achieve a high drug encapsulation and yet preserve the investigated structural and biological vesicle characteristics.
Atomically Thin Sheets of Lead‐Free 1D Hybrid Perovskites Feature Tunable White‐Light Emission from Self‐Trapped Excitons
Authors: Klement Philip , Dehnhardt Natalie , Dong Chuan‐Ding , Dobener Florian , Bayliff Samuel , Winkler Julius , Hofmann Detlev M. , Klar Peter J. , Schumacher Stefan , Chatterjee Sangam , Heine Johanna 
Published: May 2021

AbstractLow‐dimensional organic–inorganic perovskites synergize the virtues of two unique classes of materials featuring intriguing possibilities for next‐generation optoelectronics: they offer tailorable building blocks for atomically thin, layered materials while providing the enhanced light‐harvesting and emitting capabilities of hybrid perovskites. This work goes beyond the paradigm that atomically thin materials require in‐plane covalent bonding and reports single layers of the 1D organic–inorganic perovskite [C7H10N]3[BiCl5]Cl. Its unique 1D–2D structure enables single layers and the formation of self‐trapped excitons, which show white‐light emission. The thickness dependence of the exciton self‐trapping causes an extremely strong shift of the emission energy. Thus, such 2D perovskites demonstrate that already 1D covalent interactions suffice to realize atomically thin materials and provide access to unique exciton physics. These findings enable a much more general construction principle for tailoring and identifying 2D materials that are no longer limited to covalently bonded 2D sheets.