bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chain, Network and Framework Formation in Uranyl Ion Complexes with 1,1′‐Biphenyl‐3,3′,4,4′‐Tetracarboxylate
Authors: Thuéry Pierre , Harrowfield Jack 
Published: August 2021

Abstract1,1′‐Biphenyl‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride has been reacted with uranyl nitrate under solvo‐hydrothermal conditions and in the presence of different counterions to give three complexes of varying periodicity. [Co(en)3]‐ [UO2(bptc)(HCOO)] ⋅ 2.5H2O (1) crystallizes as a monoperiodic coordination polymer in which the bptc4− ligand is exclusively bound through formation of two 7‐membered chelate rings. The [Co(en)3]3+ counterion is essentially a hydrogen bond donor, forming 15 hydrogen bonds with carboxylate and water oxygen atoms. In [H2NMe2]2[UO2(bptc)] ⋅ 0.5H2O (2), half the ligand forms a 7‐membered chelate ring, and the other half bridges two uranium atoms, resulting in the formation of a diperiodic network with hcb topology, the H2NMe2+ counterions being located between the undulating sheets. [PPh4]4[(UO2)4(bptc)3] ⋅ 6H2O (3) contains a mixture of ligands forming either four 4‐membered or two 7‐membered chelate rings, the latter with further bridging, which gives a triperiodic framework displaying large channels, each of which contains two rows of PPh4+ counterions. These results are compared to those of previous studies with this ligand, and of similar studies of phthalate complexes of uranyl ion, in particular in relation to 7‐membered chelate ring formation.
Cisplatin Inhibits Neurotransmitter Release during Exocytosis from Single Chromaffin Cells Monitored with Single Cell Amperometry
Authors: Wang Mengying , Liu Yuying , Du Jinchang , Zhou Junlan , Cao Lijiao , Li Xianchan 
Published: August 2021

AbstractChemotherapy with cisplatin induces side effects such as memory loss, confusion of thinking, and difficulties with multi‐tasking. However, the mechanism of cisplatin inducing nervous dysfunction is still unknown. Herein, we examine whether and how cisplatin regulates the release of neurotransmitter during exocytosis in single chromaffin cells using single cell amperometry. The results show that cisplatin reduces the amount of transmitter released during exocytosis by reducing the duration of the exocytotic events, including the opening and closing time of the fusion pore. Furthermore, the stability of the initial fusion pore formed during exocytosis is also reduced by cisplatin. Our study holds the promise for understanding the side effects of cisplatin on the nervous system at single cell level.
A multi‐port MMC topology with reduced capacitor size for use in grid‐connected PV systems
Authors: Safaee Sheila , Ketabi Abbas , Farshadnia Mohammad , Shahidehpour Mohammad 
Published: August 2021

AbstractIn this article, a novel multi‐port modular multilevel inverter topology is presented for grid‐connected photovoltaic systems, which feature a smaller capacitor size compared with its counterparts. In the proposed MMC topology, each submodule is an individual input port being fed by an independent PV array through a boost converter. This allows modularity of the proposed topology, easing its maintenance and facilitating its expansion for PV integration. Individual maximum power point tracking controllers are used to operate the boost converters in each submodule to extract maximum energy from their PV arrays under different radiation conditions. A model‐predictive control scheme is designed for regulating the proposed multi‐port MMC topology to inject the harvested solar power to the grid. This controller enables minimized circulating currents in the MMC arms and balanced capacitor voltages in the MMC submodules, while total harmonic distortion (THD) of injected current to the grid is kept within the limits. The proposed multi‐port MMC topology with model‐predictive control is validated under different radiation conditions for a grid‐connected PV system to indicate that the proposed topology has a desirable performance under different radiation conditions.
Should females prefer old males?
Authors: Segami Julia Carolina , Lind Martin I. , Qvarnström Anna 
Published: August 2021

AbstractWhether females should prefer to mate with old males is controversial. Old males may sire offspring of low quality because of an aging germline, but their proven ability to reach an old age can also be an excellent indicator of superior genetic quality, especially in natural populations. These genetic effects are, however, hard to study in nature, because they are often confounded with direct benefits offered by old males to the female, such as experience and high territory quality. We, therefore, used naturally occurring extra-pair young to disentangle different aspects of male age on female fitness in a natural population of collared flycatchers because any difference between within- and extra-pair young within a nest should be caused by paternal genetic effects only. Based on 18 years of long-term data, we found that females paired with older males as social partners experienced an overall reproductive advantage. However, offspring sired by old males were of lower quality as compared to their extra-pair half-siblings, whereas the opposite was found in nests attended by young males. These results imply a negative genetic effect of old paternal age, given that extra-pair males are competitive middle-age males. Thus, offspring may benefit from being sired by young males but raised by old males, to maximize both genetic and direct effects. Our results show that direct and genetic benefits from pairing with old males may act in opposing directions and that the quality of the germline may deteriorate before other signs of senescence become obvious.
A neglected conceptual problem regarding phenotypic plasticity's role in adaptive evolution: The importance of genetic covariance and social drive
Authors: Bailey Nathan W. , Desjonquères Camille , Drago Ana , Rayner Jack G. , Sturiale Samantha L. , Zhang Xiao 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThere is tantalizing evidence that phenotypic plasticity can buffer novel, adaptive genetic variants long enough to permit their evolutionary spread, and this process is often invoked in explanations for rapid adaptive evolution. However, the strength and generality of evidence for it is controversial. We identify a conceptual problem affecting this debate: recombination, segregation, and independent assortment are expected to quickly sever associations between genes controlling novel adaptations and genes contributing to trait plasticity that facilitates the novel adaptations by reducing their indirect fitness costs. To make clearer predictions about this role of plasticity in facilitating genetic adaptation, we describe a testable genetic mechanism that resolves the problem: genetic covariance between new adaptive variants and trait plasticity that facilitates their persistence within populations. We identify genetic architectures that might lead to such a covariance, including genetic coupling via physical linkage and pleiotropy, and illustrate the consequences for adaptation rates using numerical simulations. Such genetic covariances may also arise from the social environment, and we suggest the indirect genetic effects that result could further accentuate the process of adaptation. We call the latter mechanism of adaptation social drive, and identify methods to test it. We suggest that genetic coupling of plasticity and adaptations could promote unusually rapid ‘runaway’ evolution of novel adaptations. The resultant dynamics could facilitate evolutionary rescue, adaptive radiations, the origin of novelties, and other commonly studied processes.
Mosaic vaccination: How distributing different vaccines across a population could improve epidemic control
Authors: McLeod David V. , Wahl Lindi M. , Mideo Nicole 
Published: August 2021

AbstractAlthough vaccination has been remarkably effective against some pathogens, for others, rapid antigenic evolution results in vaccination conferring only weak and/or short-lived protection. Consequently, considerable effort has been invested in developing more evolutionarily robust vaccines, either by targeting highly conserved components of the pathogen (universal vaccines) or by including multiple immunological targets within a single vaccine (multi-epitope vaccines). An unexplored third possibility is to vaccinate individuals with one of a number of qualitatively different vaccines, creating a “mosaic” of individual immunity in the population. Here we explore whether a mosaic vaccination strategy can deliver superior epidemiological outcomes to “conventional” vaccination, in which all individuals receive the same vaccine. We suppose vaccine doses can be distributed between distinct vaccine “targets” (e.g., different surface proteins against which an immune response can be generated) and/or immunologically distinct variants at these targets (e.g., strains); the pathogen can undergo antigenic evolution at both targets. Using simple mathematical models, here we provide a proof-of-concept that mosaic vaccination often outperforms conventional vaccination, leading to fewer infected individuals, improved vaccine efficacy, and lower individual risks over the course of the epidemic.
Clinical Staging of Mass‐Forming Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Computed Tomography Versus Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Kim Yeun‐Yoon , Yeom Suk‐Keu , Shin Hyejung , Choi Sang Hyun , Rhee Hyungjin , Park Ji Hoon , Cho Eun‐Suk , Park Sumi , Lee Seung Soo , Park Mi‐Suk 
Published: August 2021

We compared the performance of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for preoperative clinical staging of mass‐forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), using the eighth American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) system. This retrospective, multicenter, cohort study consecutively identified patients who underwent partial hepatectomy for mass‐forming iCCA and had preoperative CT and MRI performed from January 2009 to December 2015. CT and MRI characteristics were used to determine clinical stage based on the eighth AJCC system. Performances of CT and MRI for clinical T and N staging were compared using generalized estimating equations. In 334 patients (median age, 63 years; 221 men), MRI sensitivities were significantly higher than CT sensitivities for detecting T1b or higher stages (91.0% vs. 80.5%, respectively, P < 0.001), T2 or higher stages (89.1% vs. 73.8%, respectively, P < 0.001), and T3 or T4 stage (77.8% vs. 58.0%, respectively, P < 0.001). MRI was also more sensitive at identifying multiple tumors than CT (66.7% vs. 50.0%, respectively, P = 0.026), without a significant difference in specificity (78.1% vs. 80.1%, respectively, P = 0.342). Sensitivities were comparable between CT and MRI for determination of size >5 cm (i.e., T1b for single tumor) and extrahepatic organ invasion (i.e., T4). Sensitivities of CT and MRI were not different for N stage (65.0% vs. 64.0%, respectively, P = 0.808), but the specificity of CT was significantly higher than that of MRI (80.7% vs. 72.9%, respectively, P = 0.001) when using a composite reference standard. Conclusion: MRI showed superior sensitivity to CT for diagnosing T2 and T3 stages, particularly multiple tumors. CT and MRI had comparable sensitivity for N staging, but CT provided higher specificity than MRI.
Improving healthcare performance through Activity‐Based Costing and Time‐Driven Activity‐Based Costing
Authors: Niñerola Angels , Hernández‐Lara Ana‐Beatriz , Sánchez‐Rebull Maria‐Victòria 
Published: August 2021

AbstractImproving healthcare performance has become a need for resource optimisation in a field where they are scarce. Activity‐Based Costing (ABC) has been applied for more than 30 years to allocate costs and provide information for decision‐making. This paper seeks to review previous literature in the health field that analysed this cost system and its new version, TDABC (Time‐Driven Activity‐Based Costing). Five hundred ninety articles published from 1989 to 2019 were retrieved from Scopus and Medline. The review includes descriptive, relational and content analyses. Results show that the interest in applying these cost systems is growing, especially in journals focusing on the financial aspects of health, policy and planning, and radiology. However, there is a difference in the application of ABC and TDABC. ABC is more related to efficiency and more used in laboratories. In contrast, TDABC is primarily used in hospitals and addressing the value of health rather than cost‐effectiveness. On the other hand, the findings suggest that TDABC present greater opportunities for publication compared with ABC. Its progression is higher and gets more citations. The current article contributes to broadening the field's vision and encourages authors for further research.
Nanoprobe‐based mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for rapid phospholipid profiling
Authors: Mernie Elias Gizaw , Tseng Mei‐Chun , Wu Wen‐Ti , Liu Tzu‐Ming , Chen Yu‐Ju 
Published: August 2021

AbstractPhospholipids are the major components of cellular membranes and possess important biological roles. Despite their significance in diagnosis and therapeutic application in various diseases, systematic profiling of phospholipids remains challenging due to time‐consuming sample preparation and their inherent structure complexity. Taking advantages of complementary, simple, and fast structural analysis by matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization‐time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), we reported a nanoprobe‐based dual detection strategy for large‐scale phospholipid profiling. Based on electrostatic interaction between nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) chelated iron ion and phosphate head on phospholipids, we developed an NTA‐decorated magnetic nanoparticle (MNP)‐based strategy for enrichment of phospholipids from lung cancer cell lines. Compared to the conventional liquid–liquid extraction, NTA@MNP nanoprobe enrichment demonstrated 2.6‐fold more identified phospholipids. By direct on‐particle analysis, FTIR confirmed the P‐O‐C and phosphate stretching characteristic of the phospholipid head group, and MALDI‐TOF MS identified a total of 59 phospholipids from PC9 and A549 lung cancer cells. Comparing the variation of phospholipids between two cell lines, we identified significantly more phospholipids in the PC9 cells (49) compared to 35 phospholipids in the A549 cells. The comparison also revealed 24 and 10 cell line‐specific phospholipids in the PC9 and A549 cells, respectively. Given the demonstrated rapid enrichment and unambiguous identification of phospholipids at cellular levels, the developed approach can provide systematic profiling to study the under‐explored phospholipid species.
Using the theory of planned behaviour to determine radiation protection among South African diagnostic radiographers: a cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Lewis Shantel , Downing Charlene , Hayre Christopher M 
Published: August 2021

AbstractIntroductionThe use of ionising radiation in medicine accounts for the majority of radiation exposure from artificial sources. Therefore, all measures to safeguard against unnecessary radiation exposure must be taken. As radiographers are central to radiation protection, this study aimed to determine South African radiographers’ attitude towards radiation protection, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control concerning radiation protection.MethodsThis quantitative cross‐sectional study used an online theory of a planned behaviour radiation protection questionnaire shared through social media platforms from August 2019 to February 2020. Diagnostic radiographers registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and employed at radiology departments in South Africa were invited to participate in the study.ResultsFour hundred and seventeen radiographers in South Africa responded to the questionnaire. The majority of respondents (90%, n = 376) plan to use radiation protection; however, only 16% continuously used radiation protection in the past. Respondents felt that using radiation protection was extremely good (72.2%), pleasant (47%), beneficial (74.1%), rewarding (55.2%) and worth the time (52.5%); 57% of respondents indicated that using radiation protection takes longer to complete the examination. Respondents report that approval from patients (43.5%), patients’ family (32%), radiographer coworkers (31%), radiology managers (47%) and radiologists (43.9%) is very much important to them.ConclusionThe study shows that even though fewer respondents use radiation protection at present, most respondents plan and intend to use radiation protection measures. Respondents felt that radiation protection was good and beneficial, with some respondents feeling that radiation protection is not worth the time, which coincide with lengthening the examination. Overall, South African radiographers’ attitudes towards radiation protection, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control and radiation protection intention were high.
Detection of a novel species A, DS‐1‐like, G4P[6] rotavirus strain from a Brazilian child with gastroenteritis
Authors: Bandeira Renato da Silva , Souto Lizandra Caroline dos Santos , de Souza Layse Costa , Linhares Alexandre C. , Mascarenhas Joana D'Arc Pereira 
Published: August 2021

AbstractRotaviruses belonging to species A (RVA) remain among the most common causes of severe gastroenteritis in children aged <5 years, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Genome reassortment events between two human strains or human and animal strains represent one of the mechanisms which appear to generate the broad genetic variability of circulating. According to a nucleotide, sequence‐based classification system, RVA strains are currently classified into three genotype constellations including Wa‐like (genogroup I), DS‐1‐like (genogroup II), and AU‐like (genogroup III). The present study reports the detection of an unusual RVA G4P[6] strain (coded as strain HSE005), which might have originated from a natural reassortment event between human and animal RVA strains. Molecular characterization of this isolate showed that it belonged to genogroup II, genotype G4P[6]. In addition, two genes (VP3 and NSP4) of this strain denoted evidence of reassortment events involving strains of distinct zoonotic evolutionary origins. Therefore, we propose that a new G4P[6] strain was identified, highlighting a possible first zoonotic transmission including a reassortment event that involved the VP3 gene.
Assessment of core and support functions of the communicable disease surveillance system in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Authors: Hamalaw Soran Amin , Bayati Ali Hattem , Babakir‐Mina Muhammed , Benvenuto Domenico , Fabris Silvia , Guarino Michele , Giovanetti Marta , Ciccozzi Massimo 
Published: August 2021

AbstractEarly detection and prompt response are crucial measures to prevent and control outbreaks. Public health agencies, therefore, designed the Communicable Disease Surveillance System (CDSS) to obtain essential data instantaneously to be used for appropriate action. However, a periodic evaluation of CDSS is indispensable to ensure the functionality of the system. For this reason, this study aims to assess the performance of the core and support functions of the CDSS in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. A descriptive cross‐sectional study was used. From a total of 291 health facilities HFs (Primary health care centers and Hospitals) in the Kurdistan region of Iraq that have surveillance activities, 74 HFs were selected using a random stratified sampling approach. The World Health Organization (WHO) generic questionnaire has been used to interview the surveillance staff, together with direct collection of the data. Our analysis shows a lack of surveillance guiding manual in the HFs. Even at the district level, where a surveillance manual existed, case definitions, thresholds, and control measures were still missing. To note, more than 93% of HFs had organized and comprehensive patients registers for the collection of their clinical and secondary data. Also, all HFs had functioning laboratories. The majority of them (almost 93%) were equipped to collect, process, and store blood, stool, and urine specimens. About 72% of these laboratories were also able to transport timely the specimens to more specialized laboratories. At all levels, data reporting to the higher level exceeded the recommended minimum rate of 80%. The reporting system at the district level was based on emails, while in the periphery on hand‐delivered in paper‐based formats (50%), telephone (22%), and social media (22%). Furthermore, our analysis highlights the lack of data analysis: only 3.8% of Primary Health Care Centers conduct simple data analysis regularly, while hospitals do not do any sort of analysis. Also, only a few HFs investigated an outbreak, though using system routine sources to capture these public health events. Our findings show a lack in epidemic preparedness (3%), in feedback (53%), in standard guidelines, training, supervision, and resource allocations in HFs (0%). Taken together, our data show the importance of strengthening the CDSS in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, by reinforcing the surveillance system with continuous feedback, supervision, well‐trained and motivated staff, technical support, and coordination between researchers and physicians.
Autoimmune complications of COVID‐19
Authors: Yazdanpanah Niloufar , Rezaei Nima 
Published: August 2021

AbstractCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is still propagating a year after the start of the pandemic. Besides the complications patients face during the COVID‐19 disease period, there is an accumulating body of evidence concerning the late‐onset complications of COVID‐19, of which autoimmune manifestations have attracted remarkable attention from the first months of the pandemic. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, autoimmune thyroid diseases, Kawasaki disease, Guillain‐Barre syndrome, and the detection of autoantibodies are the cues to the discovery of the potential of COVID‐19 in inducing autoimmunity. Clarification of the pathophysiology of COVID‐19 injuries to the host, whether it is direct viral injury or autoimmunity, could help to develop appropriate treatment.