bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) LC–MS/MS quantitation of venlafaxine and its O-desmethyl metabolite for a preclinical pharmacokinetic study in rabbits
Authors: Fazli Abdul Aala , Panigrahy Bala Krishna , Kumar Varinder , Raza Syed Naiem , Zarger Bilal Ahmad , Wani Taha Umair , Ahmad Shavej , Khuroo Arshad , Khan Nisar Ahmad 
Published: June 2022

AbstractPreclinical pharmacokinetic (PK) studies in animal models during the formulation development phase give preliminary evidence and near clear picture of the PK behavior of drug and/or its dosage forms before clinical studies on humans and help in the tailoring of the dosage form according to the expected and requisite clinical behavior. The present work reports a first of its kind preclinical PK study on extended-release (ER) solid oral dosage forms of venlafaxine (VEN) in New Zealand White rabbits. The VEN is a highly prescribed and one of the safest and most effective therapeutic agents used in the treatment of different types of depression disorders worldwide. The multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) LC–MS/MS method developed for this purpose demonstrated enough reliability in simultaneously quantitating VEN and its equipotent metabolite O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODV) in rabbit plasma. The method described uses solid-phase extraction for sample preparation followed by an ultrafast LC–MS/MS analysis. The chromatographic separation was achieved isocratically with a predominantly polar mobile phase by employing RPLC. The triple quadrupole LC/MS/MS system operated in MRM mode used an ESI probe as an ion source in positive polarity. The validation results are within the permissible limits of US FDA recommendations and acceptance criteria for bioanalytical method validation.
Glucosylceramide synthase inhibition protects against cardiac hypertrophy in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Baccam Gabriel C. , Xie Jian , Jin Xin , Park Hyejung , Wang Bing , Husson Hervé , Ibraghimov-Beskrovnaya Oxana , Huang Chou-Long 
Published: June 2022

AbstractA significant population of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) develops cardiac hypertrophy, which can lead to heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Soluble klotho (sKL), the shed ectodomain of the transmembrane protein klotho, protects the heart against hypertrophic growth. We have shown that sKL protects the heart by regulating the formation and function of lipid rafts by targeting the sialic acid moiety of gangliosides, GM1/GM3. Reduction in circulating sKL contributes to an increased risk of cardiac hypertrophy in mice. sKL replacement therapy has been considered but its use is limited by the inability to mass produce the protein. Therefore, alternative methods to protect the heart are proposed. Glucosylation of ceramide catalyzed by glucosylceramide synthase is the entry step for the formation of gangliosides. Here we show that oral administration of a glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor (GCSi) reduces plasma and heart tissue glycosphingolipids, including gangliosides. Administration of GCSi is protective in two mouse models of cardiac stress-induction, one with isoproterenol overstimulation and the other with 5/6 nephrectomy-induced CKD. Treatment with GCSi does not alter the severity of renal dysfunction and hypertension in CKD. These results provide proof of principle for targeting glucosylceramide synthase to decrease gangliosides as a treatment for cardiac hypertrophy. They also support the hypothesis that sKL protects the heart by targeting gangliosides.
Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae causes dieback on Pinus eldarica and its potential for infection of urban forest trees
Authors: Alizadeh Mehrdad , Safaie Naser , Shams-Bakhsh Masoud , Mehrabadi Mohammad 
Published: June 2022

AbstractNeoscytalidium novaehollandiae is one of the most important pathogens on woody plants which has increasingly been reported as a pathogen in different hosts in recent years. The pine trees are widely cultured in many cities of Iran. In recent years, dieback symptoms were observed on Pinus eldarica trees in Tehran and Qazvin provinces. The aim of this study was to investigate the dieback causal agent on P. eldarica trees in Iran. The branches and cones of P. eldarica trees were sampled for fungal isolation. The morphological and molecular characterizations (ITS, LSU, and TEF1-α regions) identified N. novaehollandiae as a dieback causal agent. This is the first report of N. novaehollandiae disease of P. eldarica trees in Iran. Furthermore, disease severity was assayed on 19 urban forest trees under three different temperature and relative humidity (RHs) regimes. C regime (29 °C and 15% RH) displayed more disease severity on detached branches than B (24 °C and 80% RH) and A (19 °C and 35% RH) ones. This study presents the host range of this pathogen, and showed that these potential hosts are prone to this pathogen under high temperature and low humidity which urban forest trees experienced in recent decades.
Prenatal stress perturbs fetal iron homeostasis in a sex specific manner
Authors: Zimmermann Peter , Antonelli Marta C. , Sharma Ritika , Müller Alexander , Zelgert Camilla , Fabre Bibiana , Wenzel Natasha , Wu Hau-Tieng , Frasch Martin G. , Lobmaier Silvia M. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe adverse effects of maternal prenatal stress (PS) on child’s neurodevelopment warrant the establishment of biomarkers that enable early interventional therapeutic strategies. We performed a prospective matched double cohort study screening 2000 pregnant women in third trimester with Cohen Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) questionnaire; 164 participants were recruited and classified as stressed and control group (SG, CG). Fetal cord blood iron parameters of 107 patients were measured at birth. Transabdominal electrocardiograms-based Fetal Stress Index (FSI) was derived. We investigated sex contribution to group differences and conducted causal inference analyses to assess the total effect of PS exposure on iron homeostasis using a directed acyclic graph (DAG) approach. Differences are reported for p < 0.05 unless noted otherwise. Transferrin saturation was lower in male stressed neonates. The minimum adjustment set of the DAG to estimate the total effect of PS exposure on fetal ferritin iron biomarkers consisted of maternal age and socioeconomic status: SG revealed a 15% decrease in fetal ferritin compared with CG. Mean FSI was higher among SG than among CG. FSI-based timely detection of fetuses affected by PS can support early individualized iron supplementation and neurodevelopmental follow-up to prevent long-term sequelae due to PS-exacerbated impairment of the iron homeostasis.
Observer‐based distributed model predictive control of complex systems with state coupling constraints
Authors: Du Shengli , Cao Boqi , Li Xu 
Published: June 2022

AbstractIn this paper, the cooperative distributed model predictive control (DMPC) problem of a class of complex systems consisting of several subsystems is studied. The states of these subsystems are coupled with each other, and thus bring challenges for the model predictive control algorithm. Moreover, though the subsystems can communicate with each other, they only can access to the output information of their neighboring subsystems. In this case, Luenberger observers are used to estimate the unknown states and a distributed prediction strategy is established for the studied system. Then, the optimal control of the closed‐loop system is realized by designing distributed model predictive controller on the basis of the estimated states. The terminal constraints are introduced in the proposed DMPC algorithm to ensure the iterative feasibility and also the stability of the closed‐loop. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by a numerical simulation.
A construction for girth‐8 QC‐LDPC codes using Golomb rulers
Authors: Kim Inseon , Song Hong‐Yeop 
Published: June 2022

AbstractIn this paper, an algebraic construction of regular QC‐LDPC codes by using the modular multiplication table mod P and Golomb rulers are proposed. It is proved that the proposed QC‐LDPC codes based on a Golomb ruler of length L have girth at least 8 if . The error performance of the proposed QC‐LDPC codes are simulated with various Golomb rulers. The proposed codes of length around 300 from the optimal 6‐mark Golomb ruler have an additional coding gain of at least 0.1 dB over 5G NR LDPC codes, 0.5 dB over those given earlier by others, both at FER 10−3. Some non‐trivial techniques to increase the length of a given Golomb ruler with and without an additional mark for improving the performance of the codes from Golomb rulers up to 0.7 dB are also found.
A single watermark based scheme for both protection and authentication of identities
Authors: Sharma S. , Zou J.J. , Fang G. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe security of a watermarking scheme is mainly categorised as either robust or fragile. The former can withstand an authorised alteration/attack, primarily used in copyright protection. The latter follows a zero tolerance towards any modification, used primarily in content authentication processes. The existing literature in the field projects that two separate watermarks are required to make a watermarking scheme robust and fragile, thus making the overall process cumbersome and complex. A novel image watermarking scheme that uses only one watermark while achieving both goals of copyright protection and authentication of identities is presented. An unconventional concept of checkpointing is introduced, which equips the proposed scheme to be either robust or fragile, making it superior in its application versatility. First, watermark embedding within the host/original image is achieved by a combination of transform domain techniques along with a novel median‐based embedding block selection procedure. Second, checkpointing is performed in the spatial domain. The watermarked image in the absence of an attack is correlated to the one that is being attacked, using the template energy comparison‐based approach. In the case of the robust watermark, such checkpointing can establish whether the carried out attack is authorised or not, determining the successful recovery of the watermark or vice‐versa. Moreover, in the case of the fragile watermark, a sole confirmation of the occurrence of an attack is sufficient to make the watermark recovery impossible. Finally, the experimental analysis of the proposed scheme illustrates its excellent performance and superiority over state‐of‐the‐art methods within the field.
Dynamic event‐triggered model predictive control of Vienna rectifiers in DC charging system
Authors: Du Yudong , Zhang Aimin , Huang Jingjing , Zhou Yunhong , Zhang Hang 
Published: June 2022

AbstractHere, a dynamic event‐triggered model predictive control (DETMPC) of Vienna rectifiers in the DC charging system is proposed to solve the excessive calculation burden of the conventional MPC method while maintaining the system performance. The status of the system is constantly updated, and the next model predictive control calculation is performed only when the system state meets the event‐triggered condition. Otherwise, the original switch state signal is maintained, which can greatly reduce the computational burden. A dynamic variable is introduced into the trigger condition to holdover the steady‐state performance as the system state changes. An experimental comparative analysis is carried out to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed DETMPC method. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively reduce calculation burden and switching loss while maintaining satisfactory system performance at the same time.
An improved wide ZVS soft‐switching range PWM bidirectional forward converter for low power applications with simple control circuit
Authors: Bahrami Hamid , Allahyari Hesamodin , Adib Ehsan 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThis paper presents a new PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) ZVS (Zero Voltage Switching) bidirectional forward DC‐DC converter. The proposed bidirectional forward converter uses two main switches and employs the leakage inductance of the transformer to transfer the power. Two auxiliary capacitors are paralleled with the main switches to provide the ZVS soft‐switching condition and to reset the transformer core. Having two main switches, one transformer, and two auxiliary capacitors makes the proposed converter simple and low cost. Compared with the main counterpart, the proposed converter uses PWM which is really simple relative to the phase shift voltage matching control approach. Moreover, to provide the ZVS soft switching conditions, the magnetizing inductance value should be large which decreases the circulating current and increases the efficiency significantly in both boost and buck directions especially at the low power. The ZVS soft‐switching conditions can be maintained from low power to full load. The operating modes of the proposed converter along with the design approach and the stress analysis are completely considered. To verify the theoretical results, a prototype is constructed and the theoretical results are compared with the experimental results.
Blockchain mediated virtual power plant: From concept to demonstration
Authors: Mnatsakanyan Ashot , Albeshr Hamad , Almarzooqi Ali , Iraklis Christos , Bilbao Endika 
Published: June 2022

AbstractLarge penetration of various types of distributed energy resources and new requirements in electricity markets, have facilitated creation of sophisticated distributed energy resource aggregation systems for providing grid services. Aggregators such as Virtual Power Plants enable participation of small‐ and medium‐scale distributed energy resources in electricity markets, interacting with grid operators to collectively provide ancillary power and energy services. These interactions between grid operator, Virtual Power Plants operator and distributed energy resources are complex both in terms of contractual agreements and provision of services. On all layers, accurate tracking of distributed energy resource usage and execution of contracts is required for establishing trust between transacting participants. Digitalisation and automation of processes such as control of distributed energy resources, verification and payouts for services will add value for solving complexity of dealing with multiple parties in a Virtual Power Plants aggregation model. The authors present a blockchain‐integrated Virtual Power Plants system that enables full automation of distributed energy resource controls through smart contracts, digital trust between participants and immediate payouts for services. Effectiveness of the developed blockchain mechanism is demonstrated on a pilot Virtual Power Plants system comprising distributed energy storage systems, renewables, EV charging stations and loads with a total size of 1.8 MWs. Additionally, we propose a new mechanism for managing renewable energy curtailments through blockchain.
Effects of exercise training on glycaemic control in youths with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: García‐Hermoso Antonio , Ezzatvar Yasmin , Huerta‐Uribe Nidia , Alonso‐Martínez Alicia M. , Chueca‐Guindulain Maria J. , Berrade‐Zubiri Sara , Izquierdo Mikel , Ramírez‐Vélez Robinson 
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACTThe aim of the study is to evaluate whether exercise interventions are associated with improved glycaemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and to examine its relationship with the characteristics of the intervention (i.e. type, intensity, length, and duration of the sessions). Eligible criteria were randomised controlled trials of youth aged 6–18 years with T1DM, participating in an exercise‐based intervention where glycaemic control is measured (i.e. glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c]). Pooled effect sizes (Hedges'g) were calculated using random‐effects inverse‐variance analyses. Fourteen studies enrolling 509 patients were analysed. Effect size was expressed as Hedges’ g to correct for possible small sample bias. Overall, HbA1c levels in the exercise group (g = –0.38 95% confidence interval [CI], –0.66 to –0.11; mean difference [MD] = –0.62%) were reduced compared with the control group. Concurrent training (g = –0.63 95%CI, –1.05 to –0.21), high‐intensity exercise (g = –0.43 95%CI, –0.83 to –0.03), interventions ≥24 weeks (g = –0.92 95%CI, –1.44 to –0.40), and sessions ≥60 minutes (g = –0.71 95%CI, –1.05 to –0.08) showed larger changes (MD = –0.66% to 1.30%). In conclusion, our study suggests that programmes longer than 24 weeks with at least 60 min/session of high‐intensity concurrent exercise may serve as a supportive therapy to metabolic control in youth with T1DM.Highlights
Exercise training has a moderate effect on the reduction of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin dose per day in youths with type 1 diabetes.
Exercise training moderately increases cardiorespiratory fitness youths with type 1 diabetes.
Reductions in HbA1c are stronger with high‐intensity and concurrent training (i.e. aerobic and strength) interventions, and longer programmes.
Reformulating provider profiling by grouping providers treating similar patients prior to evaluating performance
Authors: Silva Gabriella C , Gutman Roee 
Published: June 2022

Summary
Standard approaches to comparing health providers’ performance rely on hierarchical logistic regression models that adjust for patient characteristics at admission. Estimates from these models may be misleading when providers treat different patient populations and the models are misspecified. To address this limitation, we propose a novel profiling approach that identifies groups of providers treating similar populations of patients and then evaluates providers’ performance within each group. The groups of providers are identified using a Bayesian multilevel finite mixture of general location models. To compare the performance of our proposed profiling approach to standard methods, we use patient-level data from 119 skilled nursing facilities in Massachusetts. We use simulated and observed outcome data to explore the performance of these profiling methods in different settings. In simulations, our proposed method classifies providers to groups with similar patients’ admission characteristics. In addition, in the presence of limited overlap in patient characteristics across providers and misspecifications of the outcome model, the provider-level estimates obtained using our approach identified providers that under- and overperformed compared to the standard regression-based approaches more accurately.
Altered functional coupling between the cerebellum and cerebrum in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Li Hehui , Guan Qing , Huang Rong , Lei Mengmeng , Luo Yue-Jia , Zhang Zhanjun , Tao Wuhai 
Published: June 2022

AbstractCognitive processing relies on the functional coupling between the cerebrum and cerebellum. However, it remains unclear how the 2 collaborate in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients. With functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques, we compared cerebrocerebellar functional connectivity during the resting state (rsFC) between the aMCI and healthy control (HC) groups. Additionally, we distinguished coupling between functionally corresponding and noncorresponding areas across the cerebrum and cerebellum. The results demonstrated decreased rsFC between both functionally corresponding and noncorresponding areas, suggesting distributed deficits of cerebrocerebellar connections in aMCI patients. Increased rsFC was also observed, which were between functionally noncorresponding areas. Moreover, the increased rsFC was positively correlated with attentional scores in the aMCI group, and this effect was absent in the HC group, supporting that there exists a compensatory mechanism in patients. The current study contributes to illustrating how the cerebellum adjusts its coupling with the cerebrum in individuals with cognitive impairment.
Risk perception, farmer−herder conflicts and production decisions: evidence from Nigeria
Authors: Nnaji Amaka , Ratna Nazmun , Renwick Alan , Ma Wanglin 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThis paper investigates the influence of the risk perception of farmer−herder (FH) conflicts on rural households’ production decisions. Extending the farm household model to include the risk perception of farmer−herder conflicts, we test hypotheses derived using primary data from 401 rural households in Nigeria. Results indicate that higher risk perception of FH conflict reduces fertiliser use and increases the time allocated for farm work. Dividing households based on their risk aversion, we find that risk-averse households rent-in significantly less cropland compared to risk-taking households. Findings highlight the need for policies that sustainably tackle FH conflicts for improved agricultural production.
The association of HpDof1.7 and HpDof5.4 with soluble sugar accumulation in pitaya fruit by transcriptionally activating sugar metabolic genes
Authors: Mou Zhenliang , Zeng Runxi , Chen Nanhui , Liu Zongli , Zeng Zexiang , Qin Yonghua , Shan Wei , Kuang Jianfei , Lu Wangjin , Chen Jianye , Zhao Yating 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Soluble sugar is one of the most important factors affecting fruit flavor and quality. Here, we report the identification of two Dof (DNA-binding with one finger) transcription factors termed HpDof1.7 and HpDof5.4 and their roles in influencing sugar accumulation in pitayas. HpDof1.7 and HpDof5.4 share a similar expression pattern with sugar metabolism-related genes HpSuSy1 and HpINV2, and sugar transporter genes HpTMT2 and HpSWEET14 during pitayas maturation, and their expression pattern was also consistent with the accumulation of glucose and fructose, which were the predominant sugars in pitayas. HpDof1.7 and HpDof5.4 were both typical nucleus-localized proteins with trans-activation ability. Gel mobility shift assay revealed that HpDof1.7 and HpDof5.4 were bound to promoters of HpSuSy1, HpINV2, HpTMT2 and HpSWEET14. Finally, transient expression assays in tobacco leaves showed that HpDof1.7 and HpDof5.4 increased the activities of HpSuSy1, HpINV2, HpTMT2 and HpSWEET14 promoters, thus facilitating sugar accumulation by transcriptionally enhancing sugar metabolic pathway genes. Our findings provide a new perspective on the regulatory mechanisms of Dof transcription factors in sugar accumulation and pitaya fruit quality formation.