bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Salinity and resource availability as drivers of Baltic benthic fungal diversity
Authors: Lobo Leonor Q. , Izabel‐Shen Dandan , Albertsson Jan , Raymond Caroline , Gunnarsson Jonas S. , Broman Elias , Nascimento Francisco J. A. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractMarine biodiversity consists of a complex network of organisms responsible for keeping the ecosystem's balance. Fungi are an understudied group of organisms despite their recognized importance for ecosystem processes and diversity. How fungi respond to environmental change remains poorly understood, especially in marine benthic habitats. The Baltic Sea is a brackish coastal ecosystem with steep environmental gradients in a relatively limited geographical area and is therefore a particularly good system to investigate the impact of different abiotic factors on benthic fungal diversity. This study used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to analyze the spatial dynamics of benthic fungal diversity in the Baltic Sea and quantify the environmental drivers that shape these dynamics. Based on 59 stations spreading over 1145 km the results showed that benthic fungal communities were dominated by the phylum Chytridiomycota, and the fungal species Alphamyces chaetifer and Operculomyces laminatus from this phylum were the main drivers of the community structure dissimilarities observed between regions. Water depth and salinity were the main predictors of the benthic fungal community composition. The impact of nutrient availability was also significant, possibly related to the known role of Chytridiomycota species such as A. chaetifer and O. laminatus in nutrient cycling. Our results indicate that the benthic fungal diversity of the Baltic Sea is shaped by salinity gradients and nutrient availability and highlights that the current fungal biodiversity is at risk of species shift or decline with predicted changes in salinity due to climate change and intensified eutrophication.
Apoptosis, a useful marker in the management of hot‐phase cardiomyopathy?
Authors: Bassetto Giulia , Merlo Marco , Dal Ferro Matteo , Setti Martina , Paldino Alessia , Collesi Chiara , Artioli Rebecca , Loffredo Francesco , D'Elia Saverio , Golino Paolo , Fabris Enrico , Bussani Rossana , Metra Marco , Limongelli Giuseppe , Sinagra Gianfranco 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAims‘Hot phases’, characterized by chest pain and troponin release, may represent the first clinical presentation of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies. Differential diagnosis with acute myocarditis is an unmet challenge for the clinicians. We sought to investigate histological and genetic features in patients with cardiomyopathy presenting with hot phases.Methods and resultsWe evaluated a case series of consecutive patients hospitalized for suspected ‘hot‐phase cardiomyopathy’ in two Italian centres from June 2017 to March 2022 (median follow‐up 18 months) that underwent both endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) and genetic testing. Apoptosis was confirmed with TUNEL assay. Among the 17 enrolled patients (mean age 34 ± 15 years, 76% male), only six patients (35%) presented standard histological and immunohistochemical markers for significant cardiac inflammation at EMB. Conversely, apoptosis was found in 13 patients (77%). Genetic testing was positive for a pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variant in genes involved in cardiomyopathies (most frequently in DSP) in eight patients (48%), rising to 62% among patients with apoptosis on EMB. Notably, all patients without apoptosis tested negative for P/LP disease‐related variants. Left ventricular ejection fraction was lower in patients showing apoptosis at EMB compared to those without (p = 0.003).ConclusionsApoptosis, rather than significant inflammation, was mostly prevalent in this case series of patients with ‘hot‐phase’ presentation, especially in carriers of variants in cardiomyopathy‐related genes. Detecting apoptosis on EMB might guide clinicians in performing genetic testing and in more tailored therapeutic choices in ‘hot‐phase cardiomyopathy’.
Prussian blue analogs photocatalyst promote the evolution of value‐added platform compounds via CoCNZn covalent bonds
Authors: Shi Junming , Gao Guoyang , Jin Can , Wu Hongqing , Wang Weizhen , An Yulong , Zhou Zhen , Huang Zhanhua , Chen Wenshuai 
Published: February 2024

AbstractValue‐added conversion of lignocellulose is a sustainable approach. Photo‐refining biomass is in line with current environmental protection strategies. However, photo‐reforming biomass suffers from poor catalyst stability and low conversion efficiency. Here, we designed fructose as a lignocellulosic model. The heterogeneous structure of Prussian blue coating was constructed with a special covalent bond structure of CoCNZn. This structure has a catalytic conversion mechanism that can accelerate electron transfer. Fructose was simultaneously converted to value‐added platform compounds (5‐HMF and formic acid) and gaseous fuels (CO, CH4) with a conversion rate of up to 92.5%, which is more than 1.7 times than that of catalysts without adding Prussian blue. Hydrogen transfer and carbon transfer on the carbon atoms of fructose facilitates the production and accelerates the spillover of CO from formic acid. This work provides new ideas for the development of Prussian blue catalysts and the conversion of pentose.image
Using of the Weibull distribution in developing global solar radiation forecasting models
Authors: Kaplan Ayşe Gül , Kaplan Yusuf Alper 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this study, a solar radiation prediction model was developed using the Weibull distribution function (WDF). The main purpose of this study is to develop a new model for solar radiation (SR) estimation using the WDF and to bring this model to the literature. Although the WDF is widely used in wind energy forecasting due to its compatibility with wind speed data, it has not been used before in solar radiation forecasting model development. In this study, it is aimed to make SR estimation with the WDF for the first time. SR data for all regions where this new model was developed and its performance was examined were obtained from the General Directorate of Meteorology. In order to decide the success of these developed models, five different statistical metrics (RPE, MPE, MAPE, SSRE, and t‐stat) were discussed in the study. When the results are evaluated in general, it is seen that the new developed model has an acceptable performance. According to all test results in the region where the model was developed, it is seen that the new developed model showed the best performance with 0.0353, 0.4068, 7.1851, 0.1144, and 0.0162 values, respectively. The performance of this new developed model was observed in three different regions. When the statistical test results in these regions were examined, it was seen that the new model developed had a similar performance to the popular solar forecasting models widely used in the literature.
Bio‐based lamb tail fat phase change material with enhanced thermal properties by incorporation of cyclophosphazene additives
Authors: Duyar Halil , Yalcin Ergin , Kup Aylikci Nuray , Celebi Elif B. , Aylikci Volkan , Hacivelioğlu Ferda 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAmong organic phase‐change materials (PCM), paraffin is commonly used, but it is not environmentally friendly due to its petrochemical origin. For efficient utilization of solar or thermal energy, new PCM are needed, or it is necessary to improve the thermal properties of existing materials. Therefore, the utilization of renewable alternatives such as lamb's tail fat as a latent heat storage material is of particular importance for the evaluation of bio‐based waste oils. In this study, new PCM were developed by using different concentrations of cyclophosphazene derivatives as an additive to the starting lamb tail fat (LTF) material. According to the results, doping the LTF with 1% and 2% hexa(N,N‐dibutyl‐4‐aminophenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene (HBACP) the heat of fusion is significantly improved, while the 1% hexa(2‐ethylhexyloxy)cyclotriphosphazene (HEHCP) doping decreased the heat of fusion. In a comparison of various doped PCM, it was found that the tail fat doped with 1% HBACP had a heat of fusion of 166.6 kJ/kg, but a lower specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity than that doped with 2% HBACP. On the other hand, 1% HEHCP had the lowest thermal conductivity but a higher specific heat capacity than 1% HBACP. In addition, it was found that the PCM developed by incorporating HBACP could be operated as a cooling fluid for photovoltaic modules or as a working fluid in concentrated solar energy systems due to the higher heat of fusion value of 1% HBACP and the higher specific heat capacity of 2% HBACP, which consists of lamb's tail fat.
Impact of aluminum alloy grade as anode on electrochemical performance for Al‐Air cell in alkaline electrolyte
Authors: Rani Bharti , Yadav Jitendra Kumar , Saini Priyanka , Pandey Anant Prakash , Dixit Ambesh 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWe report the electrochemical performance of aluminum‐air (Al‐Air) cells for three commercially available aluminum alloys, that is, Al 1200, Al 8011, and Al 6061 together with the pure aluminum as anode. The contact angle and Tafel analysis are used to understand the surface adherence and corrosion characteristics. The respective Al‐Air coin cells are fabricated with 1.54 cm2 active electrode area and discharge characteristics are evaluated at different current densities that is, 0.65, 1.3, and 2.6 mA cm−2. The specific capacity, power density, and energy density are calculated, and observed that Al 1200 is less wettable and less corrosive with better discharge performance along with higher specific capacity and energy density with respect to other Al grade anodes including pure aluminum. A detailed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and post‐mortem analysis of the anodes are also investigated to verify the corrosion at various Al anode materials. The potential of the fabricated battery is shown by glowing an LED light using the optimal Al‐Air cell. Thus, the present work demonstrates that Al 1200 can be used as suitable anode material for efficient Al‐Air electrochemical cells.
Thermodynamic analysis of adsorption cooling system using composite halide salts
Authors: Anilkumar Sannapareddy , Sharma Rakesh , Kumar E. Anil 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn the development of an adsorption cooling system, it has been observed that halide composites exhibit less hysteresis than pure halide salts. Therefore, it is important to thermodynamically analyze the composite salt‐based adsorption cooling system (ACS) to understand its performance. In this study, we conduct a thermodynamic first‐law and second‐law analysis of ACS using reactive salts such as BaCl2, BaCl2‐ENG, CaCl2‐ENG, SrCl2‐ENG, and MnCl2‐ENG, with ammonia as the refrigerant. We compared the coefficient of performance (COP) with that of a pure halide salt‐based ACS. The theoretical COP of the ACS at a mass ratio of 4 is estimated as 0.45, 0.4, 0.27, 0.37, and 0.22, and the second‐law efficiency is estimated as 44.28%, 38.76%, 20.71%, 16.26%, and 6.92% for BaCl2, BaCl2‐ENG, CaCl2‐ENG, SrCl2‐ENG, and MnCl2‐ENG reactive salts, respectively. Among the different salts, BaCl2 shows the highest COP. However, the COP values are lower than the maximum theoretical coefficient of performance (COPmax) due to the sensible mass of the reactor, and COP values decrease with an increase in the mass ratio due to an increase in sensible mass. It is noteworthy that the COP of the pure salt‐based ACS is higher than that of the composite salt‐based ACS because the ammonia uptake of pure salt is greater than that of the composite salt.
Assessing departmental readiness to support minoritized faculty
Authors: Carter‐Veale Wendy Y. , Cresiski Robin H. , Sharp Gwen , Lankford Jordan D. , Ugarte Fadel 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThough increasing numbers of racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) individuals earn PhDs and national initiatives focus on faculty diversity, challenges persist in recruiting, hiring, and retaining REM faculty. While a pervasive issue nationally, the literature predominantly focuses on faculty diversity at research‐intensive institutions. This exploratory case study pilots a readiness instrument to evaluate the commitment and willingness of a biomedical department at a primarily undergraduate institution to embrace faculty diversity before initiating a postdoctoral faculty conversion program. We introduce the Community Readiness Model (CRM) into an academic context, offering academic departments a robust framework and tool to evaluate readiness and capacity to recruit, retain, and support REM faculty.Practical Takeaways
Academic departments can be conceived of as a type of community.
The adapted Department Readiness Tool can be a valuable method of evaluating a department's readiness to support the success of underrepresented minority faculty.
Departments may score highly on some areas of readiness but relatively low on others, which provides insight into where time and resources should be invested to improve readiness.
Social domains of poor mental health: A qualitative pilot study of community stakeholders’ understanding and demarcation of mental illness and its interpretations in rural Nigeria
Authors: Lawal Saheed A. , Adedeji Isaac A. , Ogunniyi Adesola , Henderson David 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackground and AimsAlthough previous studies on mental health/illness in Nigeria have explored knowledge and attitude of community members using quantitative approaches, few studies have engaged stakeholders within rural communities on the issue of mental illness using qualitative approaches. Community stakeholders play a critical role in influencing health behaviors. The objective of this pilot study was to explore community stakeholders’ understanding and demarcation of mental illness, and its interpretations in a rural Nigerian town. This is with the aim of shaping stakeholders understanding of people when they experience mental distress within the community.MethodsThe study was conducted in Ijebu‐Igbo town of Ogun State in south‐west Nigeria. In‐depth interviews were conducted among two religious’ leaders: a Pastor and an Imam, a traditional healer, a medical doctor, and a registered nurse, and a focus group discussion was held in a church with members of its advisory committee.ResultsThe findings showed that community stakeholders gave multiple interpretations of mental illness and many attribute mental illness to spiritual attack, ancestral curse, anger of the gods, and personal affliction (Ogun‐Afowofa). This has been categorized as familial and individual attributes in this study which is part of the main themes derived. The study findings also show that the understanding of community members regarding the root causes of mental illness is somewhat vague based on their poor knowledge of mental illness. This is because of the various interpretations they gave to explain mental health is based on their cultural orientation, socialization, and belief system, and not based on any medical knowledge.ConclusionThis pilot study was conducted to justify the main study. There is therefore a need for health education interventions to enlighten and educate community stakeholders with requisite knowledge for better understanding and interpretation of mental illness. Also, through mental health education interventions, community members will gain clarity on what mental health is and what it is not.
Comparison of the efficacy and safety of TAF, TDF, and LdT to prevent the transmission of hepatitis B in pregnant women: A retrospective study
Authors: Pan Shufang , Zhang Ying , Zeng Yingfu , Lin Chaoshuang 
Published: February 2024

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the efficacy and safety of telbivudine (LdT), tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF), and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for preventing hepatitis B transmission in immune‐tolerant pregnant women with HBV infection.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study involving women who had hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA) ≥ 2 × 105 IU/mL and initiated LdT, TDF, or TAF to prevent mother‐to‐child transmission (MTCT). The primary endpoint was the safety of mothers and infants. The secondary endpoints were maternal HBV DNA reduction at delivery and MTCT rate.ResultsA total of 96 patients were enrolled in the study (LdT group, n = 36; TDF group, n = 35; TAF group, n = 25). All infants received hepatitis B virus immunoprophylaxis. The MTCT rate was 0%([0 of 25] vs. [0 of 35] vs. [0 of 36], p > .05). No severe liver function damage occurred in any of the mothers. Babies delivered in all groups had prenatal ultrasound screening abnormalities, but abnormality rates were not statistically significant between groups.ConclusionThe application of TDF, TAF, or LdT to immune‐tolerant HBV‐infected pregnant women in middle–late pregnancy can successfully interrupt MTCT of the HBV virus. However, for all three groups of pregnant women who delivered babies with abnormal prenatal ultrasound screening, an expanded sample size may be needed for further observation.
Prevented perinatal HIV infections in the era of antiretroviral prophylaxis and treatment, United States, 1994–2020
Authors: Lampe Margaret A. , Nesheim Steven R. , Mendoza Maria C. B. , Borkowf Craig B. , Henderson Alexis C. , Ewing Alexander C. , Kourtis Athena P. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractObjectiveThe primary aim of this serial cross‐sectional analysis is to estimate the total number of prevented perinatal HIV transmissions from the time of the initial recommendation for perinatal zidovudine (ZDV) prophylaxis in 1994 through 2020 in the US.MethodsThe estimated number of prevented transmissions was calculated as annual differences between expected and observed numbers of perinatal HIV transmissions. Annual expected number of transmissions was estimated by multiplying the annual number of births to women with HIV by 0.2255 (22.55%), i.e., the transmission rate of the control group in the ACTG Protocol 076 trial. We used published point estimates or, if only ranges were given, the midpoints of those ranges as the best estimates of the annual numbers of births to women with HIV and infants with perinatal HIV. When data were not available, we linearly interpolated or extrapolated the available data to obtain estimated numbers for each year.ResultsBetween 1978 and 2020, the approximate number of live births to women with HIV was 191 267 (95% confidence interval [CI] 190 392–192 110) and for infants with diagnosed perinatal HIV, it was 21 379 (95% CI 21 088–21 695). Since 1994, the annual number of infants born with HIV decreased from 1263 (95% CI 1194–1333) to 33 in 2019 (95% CI 22–45) and 36 in 2020 (95% CI 25–48), corresponding to a 97% reduction. Cumulatively, an estimated total of 22 732 (95% CI 21 340–24 462) perinatal HIV infections were prevented from 1994 through to 2020.ConclusionThe elimination of perinatal HIV transmission—accompanied by the cumulative number of prevented cases exceeding that of perinatal HIV infections—is a major public health achievement in the US.
Pupil versus 1st Purkinje capsulotomy centration with femtosecond laser: Long term outcomes with a sinusoidal trifocal lens
Authors: Salgado Ramiro M. P. C. , Torres Paulo F. A. A. S. , Marinho António A. P. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractPurposeTo assess the role of femtosecond laser‐assisted capsulotomy centration in the long‐term intraocular positioning of a multifocal intraocular lens.DesignProspective comparative study.MethodsA total of 60 eyes of 30 patients underwent femtosecond laser‐assisted Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE). For every patient, capsulotomy centration was randomly performed according to pupil centre (PC) in one eye and first Purkinje reflex (FPR) in the other. The intraocular lens (IOL) positioning, visual acuities, spherical equivalent, internal aberrometry and quality of vision were assessed and compared at 3 years' follow‐up between groups (PC and FPR).ResultsIntraocular lens positioning showed a statistically significant difference between groups, with a closer centration to the visual axis in the FPR patients (p < 0.001). Internal aberrometry showed higher values in the PC capsulotomy centration group (p < 0.01).ConclusionsFPR centered capsulotomy is associated to a closer centration of the IOL to the visual axis.
Ultrasound‐switchable fluorescence thermometry with dual detection channels using temperature‐sensitive liposomes
Authors: Yao Tingfeng , Ren Liqin , Yuan Baohong 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTemperature measurements in biological tissues play a crucial role in studying metabolic activities. In this study, we introduce a noninvasive thermometry technique based on two‐color ultrasound‐switchable fluorescence (USF). This innovative method allows for a local temperature mapping within a microtube filled with temperature‐sensitive liposomes as nano imaging agents. By measuring the temperature‐dependent fluorescence emission of the liposomes using a spectrometer, we identify four characteristic temperatures. The local background temperature can be estimated by analyzing the corresponding appearance time of these four characteristic temperatures in the dynamic USF signals captured by a camera‐based USF system with two detection channels. Simultaneous measurements with an infrared (IR) camera showed a 0.38°C ± 0.27°C difference between USF thermometry and IR thermography in a physiological temperature range of 36.48°C–40.14°C. This shows that the two‐color USF thermometry technique is a reliable, noninvasive tool with excellent spatial and thermal resolution.
Thermal isomerization rates in retinal analogues using Ab‐Initio molecular dynamics
Authors: Ghysbrecht Simon , Keller Bettina G. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractFor a detailed understanding of chemical processes in nature and industry, we need accurate models of chemical reactions in complex environments. While Eyring transition state theory is commonly used for modeling chemical reactions, it is most accurate for small molecules in the gas phase. A wide range of alternative rate theories exist that can better capture reactions involving complex molecules and environmental effects. However, they require that the chemical reaction is sampled by molecular dynamics simulations. This is a formidable challenge since the accessible simulation timescales are many orders of magnitude smaller than typical timescales of chemical reactions. To overcome these limitations, rare event methods involving enhanced molecular dynamics sampling are employed. In this work, thermal isomerization of retinal is studied using tight‐binding density functional theory. Results from transition state theory are compared to those obtained from enhanced sampling. Rates obtained from dynamical reweighting using infrequent metadynamics simulations were in close agreement with those from transition state theory. Meanwhile, rates obtained from application of Kramers' rate equation to a sampled free energy profile along a torsional dihedral reaction coordinate were found to be up to three orders of magnitude higher. This discrepancy raises concerns about applying rate methods to one‐dimensional reaction coordinates in chemical reactions.