bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Seasonal Variation in Neurologic Hospitalizations in the United States
Authors: Hamedani Ali G. , Thibault Dylan , Willis Allison W. 
Published: December 2022

ObjectiveCertain neurologic diseases have been noted to vary by season, and this is important for understanding disease mechanisms and risk factors, but seasonality has not been systematically examined across the spectrum of neurologic disease, and methodologic guidance is also lacking.MethodsUsing nationally representative data from the National Inpatient Sample, a stratified 20% sample of all non‐federal acute care hospitalizations in the United States, we calculated the monthly rate of hospitalization for 14 neurologic diseases from 2016 to 2018. For each disease, we assessed seasonality of hospitalization using chi‐squared, Edward, and Walter‐Elwood tests and seasonal time series regression models. Statistical tests were adjusted for multiple hypothesis testing using Bonferroni correction.ResultsMeningitis, encephalitis, ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, Guillain‐Barre syndrome, and multiple sclerosis had statistically significant seasonality according to multiple methods of testing. Subarachnoid hemorrhage, status epilepticus, myasthenia gravis, and epilepsy had significant seasonality according to Edwards and Walter‐Elwood tests but not chi‐square tests. Seasonal time series regression illustrated seasonal variation in all 14 diseases of interest, but statistical testing for seasonality within these models using the Kruskal‐Wallis test only achieved statistical significance for meningitis.InterpretationSeasonal variation is present across the spectrum of acute neurologic disease, including some conditions for which seasonality has not previously been described, and can be examined using multiple different methods. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:743–751
Preparation of chlorine resistant thin‐film‐composite reverse‐osmosis polyamide membranes with tri‐acyl chloride containing thioether units
Authors: Li Dongsheng , Lu Haoran , Yan Xinyi , Wan Haohan , Yan Guangming , Zhang Gang 
Published: December 2022

AbstractA novel tri‐acyl chloride monomer containing reductive thioether units (T‐TDC) was prepared. It was conducted to partially replace trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and react with m‐phenylenediamine (MPD) by interfacial polymerization to prepare a series of T‐TDC/TMC/MPD copolymer thin‐film‐composite reverse‐osmosis polyamide membranes. Through this routine, the reductive thioether units was introduced into the film molecular chain to protect amide bonds from being chlorinated by oxidizing during the membrane cleaning process. The enhanced chlorine resistance of these resultant membranes was revealed by FT‐IR and XPS characterization: it could be found thioether was prior to amide oxidation, and its oxidation process can be divided into two steps (the thioether units was first converted to sulfoxide groups, and then further oxidized to sulfone groups). Through this routine, the active chlorine was consumed partially, then the amide bond was protected. The experiment result is consistent with the DFT theoretical calculation. The chlorine exposure concentration of the normalized flux and rejection decreased to 1 increased gradually with the addition of copolymerization ratio of T‐TDC, especially for the sample 20%‐TTDC‐TFC, its chlorine exposure concentration was 3 and 4 times higher respectively than that of 0%‐TTDC‐TFC when its normalized flux and rejection at 1. In addition, it can be found that the polar sulfone and sulfoxide groups can form hydrogen bonds to prevent the membrane from degrading immediately. This method provides an effective way for improving the service life of RO film.
Metabolomic analysis of the sera of patients with the long‐term inhalation of caffeine‐sodium benzoate using LC–MS
Authors: Yu Tianwei , Yan Quanzhi , Tian Lili , Zhao Huiying , Suo Feiya , Suriguga  , Li Weixin , Guo Rong , Yang Hao 
Published: December 2022

AbstractThe present study aimed to systematically assess the potential biomarkers in the serum samples of patients with long‐term inhalation of caffeine‐sodium benzoate (CSB). LC–MS was applied to analyze the metabolic profiles of serum samples of patients with the long‐term intake of CSB (n = 35) and other volunteers with no intake of CSB treated as the control group (n = 35). The raw data of metabolic profiles were analyzed via principal component analysis, partial least squares analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares analysis. MBRole 2.0 online tools were used to analyze the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis of different metabolites. The serum metabolic profiles showed several metabolites with large variations, including 2‐propyl‐2,4‐pentadienoic acid, 24‐hydroxycholesterol, 3‐O‐sulfogalactosylceramide (d18:1/24:1(15Z)), 3‐O‐sulfogalactosylceramide (d18:1/12:0), 3‐O‐sulfogalactosylceramide (d18:1/14:0), 3a,7a‐dihydroxy‐5b‐cholestan‐26‐al, 3a,7a‐dihydroxy‐5b‐cholestane, 7a,25‐dihydroxycholesterol, bilirubin, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways involved in metabolism included ‘choline metabolism in cancer’ and ‘glycerophospholipid metabolism’. In conclusion, the present study provides a basis with which to explore the molecular‐specific mechanisms concerning the effects of the long‐term inhalation of CSB on human physical and mental health.
A low‐cost, high‐throughput microfluidic nano‐culture platform for functional metagenomics
Authors: Kaur Manpreet , Ferreiro Aura , Hung Cheng‐Yu , Dantas Gautam , Ramasubramanian Anand K. 
Published: December 2022

AbstractFunctional metagenomics is an attractive culture‐independent approach for functional screening of diverse microbiomes to identify known and novel genes. Since functional screening can involve sifting through tens of thousands of metagenomic library clones, an easy high‐throughput screening approach is desirable. Here, we demonstrate a proof‐of‐concept application of a low‐cost, high‐throughput droplet based microfluidic assay to the selection of antibiotic resistance genes from a soil metagenomic library. Metagenomic library members encapsulated in nanoliter volume water‐in‐oil droplets were printed on glass slides robotically, and cell growth in individual drops in the presence of ampicillin was imaged and quantified to identify ampicillin‐resistant clones. From the hits, true positives were confirmed by sequencing and functional validation. The ease of liquid handling, ease of set‐up, low cost, and robust workflow makes the droplet‐based nano‐culture platform a promising candidate for screening and selection assays for functional metagenomic libraries.
Randomized phase II study of capecitabine plus cisplatin with or without sorafenib in patients with metastatic gastric cancer (STARGATE)
Authors: Ryu Min‐Hee , Lee Kyung Hee , Shen Lin , Yeh Kun‐Huei , Yoo Changhoon , Hong Young Seon , Park Young Iee , Yang Sung Hyun , Shin Dong Bok , Zang Dae Young , Kang Won Ki , Chung Ik‐Joo , Kim Yeul Hong , Ryoo Baek‐Yeol , Nam Byung‐Ho , Park Young Soo , Kang Yoon‐Koo 
Published: December 2022

AbstractBackgroundIn this randomized phase II study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in combination with capecitabine and cisplatin (XP) as first‐line chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer.Patients and MethodsPatients with metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma were randomized (1:1) to receive either sorafenib plus XP (S + XP) or XP alone. In cases of disease progression in the XP arm, crossover to sorafenib alone was allowed. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), response rates, safety profiles, and biomarkers, and the response rates and PFS with secondline sorafenib alone after progression in the XP arm.ResultsBetween Jan 2011 and Feb 2013, a total of 195 patients were accrued (97 in the S + XP arm and 98 in the XP alone arm). The overall response rate was 54% with S + XP, and 52% with XP alone (p = 0.83). With a median follow‐up of 12.6 months (range, 0.1–29.2), the median PFS assessed by independent review was 5.6 months in the S + XP arm and 5.3 months in the XP arm (hazard ratio [HR] 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67–1.27, p = 0.61). Overall survival was not different between the two arms (median 11.7 vs. 10.8 months; HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.65–1.31, p = 0.66). Frequencies of grade 3/4 toxicities were similar between the S + XP and XP alone arms, except for neutropenia (21% vs. 37%), anorexia (0% vs. 5%), and hand‐foot skin reaction (7% vs. 1%). Among 51 patients who crossed over to sorafenib alone after disease progression in the XP arm, there was no objective response and their median PFS was 1.3 months (95% CI, 1.2–1.7).ConclusionThe addition of sorafenib to XP chemotherapy was safe but not more effective than XP alone for first‐line treatment of metastatic gastric cancer.
Moebius syndrome—Case report
Authors: Gheorghe Dan Cristian , Stanciu Adina E. , Zamfir‐Chiru‐Anton Adina , Doru Oprea , Epure Veronica 
Published: December 2022

AbstractMoebius Syndrome is a rare multifactorial condition defined by congenital complete or partial VII and VIth cranial nerves palsy and other physical abnormalities. We present the case of a 3 months old infant with Moebius sequence and breathing and eating difficulties, managed by tracheostomy and laryngoplasty.
Efficient and Stable Cu‐Cu2O@NC Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Conversion of Glycerol to Lactic Acid
Authors: Zhang Junjie , Wu Xueying , Chen Jiazhi , Wang Xi , Mai Yuliang 
Published: December 2022

AbstractDeveloping efficient Cu‐based catalysts for catalytic conversion of glycerol to lactic acid has attracted much attention because of the low cost and high activity. However, construction of efficient Cu‐based catalysts with high stability for aqueous reactions at high temperatures still remains a challenge. Herein, highly dispersed Cu0 and Cu2O nanoparticles encapsulated by N‐doped C (Cu‐Cu2O@NC) were constructed by calcination of Cu‐based MOF for the catalytic dehydrogenation of glycerol to lactic acid under N2 atmosphere. The Cu‐Cu2O@NC‐400 catalyst exhibited 100 % conversion of glycerol with 84.8 % selectivity to lactic acid at 220 °C for 90 min. The Cu‐Cu2O@NC‐400 catalyst could be reused for eight times with almost no loss in the catalytic activity. The Cu‐Cu2O@NC‐400 catalyst is stable in the harsh reaction conditions, for the aggregation of Cu nanoparticles is avoided due to the confinement effect. The Cu‐Cu2O@NC‐400 catalyst demonstrated high catalytic activity and superior reusability benefitting from the N‐doping and highly dispersed Cu nanoparticles embedded in N‐doped C. This work will pave the way for designing efficient catalysts with high stability for catalytic dehydrogenation of alcohols.
An Advanced Characterization Toolbox for Selective Olefin Oxidation Catalysts
Authors: Klag Linda , Sheppard Thomas L. , Grunwaldt Jan‐Dierk 
Published: December 2022

AbstractThe selective oxidation of propylene and isobutene form a central cornerstone in chemical industry, typically catalysed by bismuth molybdate based multicomponent systems. Over the past decades, a detailed knowledge has been gained on the mechanism by theoretical and experimental studies including in situ and operando characterization techniques, using simplified model catalysts. These have provided excellent insight, but in industrially applied selective oxidation typically multi‐component catalysts are used, leading to higher activity and selectivity. New concepts and characterization methods allow now studies of the more complex multicomponent catalysts covering the various length and time scales and potentially providing new insights into the dynamics and cooperation during catalysis. Starting with an overview of past concepts and milestones, we report on latest developments and future trends in the field of selective oxidation of lower olefins. Thereby we focus both on conventional spectroscopic and advanced characterisation methods and discuss the importance of integral and spatially‐resolved approaches. We conclude that fundamental understanding of such complex oxidation reactions requires combined and interdisciplinary research, now possible with the new characterization tools, data analysis schemes and reactor modelling approaches. This allows bridging the various complexity scales.
First‐in‐Human Studies of Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Utreloxastat (PTC857), a Novel 15‐Lipooxygenase Inhibitor for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Gao Lan , Giannousis Peter , Thoolen Martin , Kaushik Diksha , Latham Joey , Tansy Aaron , Ma Jiyuan , Johnston Mayzie , Dali Mandar , Golden Lee , Klein Matthew , Kong Ronald , Trimmer Jeffrey 
Published: December 2022

AbstractUtreloxastat (PTC857) is a 15‐lipoxygenase inhibitor being developed to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This first‐in‐human study investigated the safety and pharmacokinetics of utreloxastat in healthy volunteers (N = 82) in a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial. The effects of a single ascending dose (100–1000 mg), multiple ascending doses (150–500 mg), and food (500 mg) on the pharmacokinetics and safety of utreloxastat were evaluated. Following single doses, the time to maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) was observed ≈4 hours after dosing and the terminal half‐life ranged from 20 to 25.3 hours. The Cmax and area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC) increased slightly over dose proportionally. Following multiple doses (once daily/twice daily), the apparent clearance reduced and terminal half‐life was ≥33 hours. There was no apparent difference of exposure following morning or evening doses. Varying diets increased the Cmax and AUCs of utreloxastat but did not alter time to Cmax. There were no gender‐based differences in exposure. Utreloxastat showed no marked safety signal following single doses up to 1000 mg and multiple doses over 14 days of 500 mg once daily or 250 mg twice daily. The results support further development of utreloxastat for the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at a 250‐mg twice‐daily dose administered with food.
Face image de‐identification by feature space adversarial perturbation
Authors: Xue Hanyu , Liu Bo , Yuan Xin , Ding Ming , Zhu Tianqing 
Published: December 2022

SummaryPrivacy leakage in images attracts increasing concerns these days, as photos uploaded to large social platforms are usually not processed by proper privacy protection mechanisms. Moreover, with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as deep neural network (DNN), an adversary can detect people's identities and collect other sensitive personal information from images at an unprecedented scale. In this paper, we introduce a novel face image de‐identification framework using adversarial perturbations in the feature space. Manipulating the feature space vector ensures the good transferability of our framework. Moreover, the proposed feature space adversarial perturbation generation algorithm can successfully protect the identity‐related information while ensuring the other attributes remain similar. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments on two face image datasets to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. Our results show that the proposed method can generate real‐looking privacy‐preserving images efficiently. Although our framework has only been tested on two real‐life face image datasets, it can be easily extended to other types of images.
Critical role of parasite‐mediated energy pathway on community response to nutrient enrichment
Authors: Thongthaisong Patch , Kasada Minoru , Grossart Hans‐Peter , Wollrab Sabine 
Published: December 2022

AbstractParasites form an integral part of food webs, however, they are often ignored in classic food web theory or limited to the investigation of trophic transmission pathways. Specifically, direct consumption of parasites by nonhost predators is rarely considered, while it can contribute substantially to energy flow in food webs. In aquatic systems, chytrids constitute a major group of fungal parasites whose free‐living infective stages (zoospores) form a highly nutritional food source to zooplankton. Thereby, the consumption of zoospores can create an energy pathway from otherwise inedible phytoplankton to zooplankton (“mycoloop”). This parasite‐mediated energy pathway might be of special importance during phytoplankton blooms dominated by inedible or toxic primary producers like cyanobacteria, which are on the rise with eutrophication and global warming. We theoretically investigated community dynamics and energy transfer in a food web consisting of an edible nonhost and an inedible host phytoplankton species, a parasitic fungus, and a zooplankton species grazing on edible phytoplankton and fungi. Food web dynamics were investigated along a nutrient gradient contrasting nonadaptive zooplankton species representative for filter feeders like cladocerans and zooplankton with the ability to actively adapt their feeding preferences like many copepod species. Overall, the importance of the mycoloop for zooplankton increases with nutrient availability. This increase is smooth for nonadaptive consumers. For adaptive consumers, we observe an abrupt shift from an almost exclusive preference for edible phytoplankton at low nutrient levels to a strong preference for parasitic fungi at high nutrient levels. The model predicts that parasitic fungi could contribute up to 50% of the zooplankton diet in nutrient‐rich environments, which agrees with empirical observations on zooplankton gut content from eutrophic systems during blooms of inedible diatoms or cyanobacteria. Our findings highlight the role of parasite‐mediated energy pathways for predictions of energy flow and community composition under current and future environmental change.
Opportunistic depredation of songbird nestlings by female praying mantids (Mantodea: Mantidae)
Authors: Kolnegari Mahmood , Fasano Antonio , Zareie Khalil , Panter Connor T. 
Published: December 2022

AbstractPraying mantids (class Insecta, order Mantodea) are a group of predatory insects comprising approximately 2500 described species, that occur across all continents except Antarctica, with the greatest species diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. Mantids predominantly prey on other invertebrates but are known to feed on small vertebrates. During April and May 2021, we observed mantid feeding events in Manujan County, Kerman Province in southern Iran. Two distinct feeding events were observed where female European Mantids (Mantis religiosa) preyed on Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) and Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) nestlings. In addition, we collated information from online searches of mantids feeding on nestlings elsewhere in the world, revealing two more observations. In Taiwan, a Giant Asian Mantid (Hierodula patellifera) was recorded preying on a nestling Warbling White‐eye (Zosterops japonicus) and in Brazil, a mantid (Stagmatoptera sp.) was recorded feeding on a nestling White‐throated Seedeater (Sporophila albogularis). To date, the only existing scientific evidence of praying mantids feeding on passerine nestlings was recorded in 1922. We propose two potential explanations for the observed trophic interactions between mantids and passerine nestlings: (1) during egg production female mantids, especially those in poor physical condition, may opportunistically feed on nestlings in order to increase fecundity via nutrient gain and (2) mantids may initially be attracted toward the nest by parasitic or coprophagous insects, as a result of poor nest sanitation, and subsequently prey on nestlings after detecting movements. Our unusual observations represent the first records of praying mantids feeding on nestling passerines in nearly 100 years.
Preparation, Characterization, and Gastrointestinal Digestion of Triterpenol‐Loaded Liposomes
Authors: Sun Xiaotian , Guo Xin , Liu Ruijie , Chang Ming , Wang Xinguo 
Published: December 2022

AbstractTriterpenol is an important phytochemical that is beneficial to humans. However, there are limitations of application due to its poor solubility. Liposomes are increasingly utilized as a delivery system for phytochemicals with poor solubility which is suitable for triterpenol. In the present study, the stability of triterpenol‐loaded liposomes (Tri‐LP) is demonstrated. Tri‐LP stability is observed when the mass ratio of phospholipids to triterpenol is 4:1. Sodium alginate (ALG) and chitosan showed different effects on Tri‐LP. Tri‐LP coated by ALG (Tri‐LP‐ALG) is stabilized by H‐bonding, while electrostatic interactions can stabilize Tri‐LP coated by chitosan (Tri‐LP‐CH). Tri‐LP‐ALG is more stable than Tri‐LP‐CH during storage. The bioaccessibility of Tri‐LP is 11%. ALG and chitosan show no influence on bioaccessibility of Tri‐LP, but reduce the release rate of triterpenol during digestion. Overall, the findings suggest that Tri‐LP showed good promise for future application in functional beverages.Practical Applications: Triterpenol has poor solubility both in oil and water, which greatly limits the functional utilization of triterpene in organisms. Liposomes offer a novel approach to triternenol oral delivery system. It meets the current demands for food health. Liposomes can improve the absorption and utilization of triterpenol in vivo digestion. Many studies and applications of liposomes has carried out in medical field while nutritional supplements with liposomes technology are not common in the market. Triterpenol‐loaded liposomes can not only increase applications in phytochemicals with poor absorption but also offer an interesting attempt of liposomes in food development.
Investigation on a diesel engine fueled with hydrogen‐compressed natural gas and Kusum seed biodiesel: Performance, combustion, and emission approach
Authors: Parimi Krishna Bharathi , Sukhvinder Kaur Bhatti , Lankapalli Sathya Vara Prasad , Sagari Jaikumar 
Published: December 2022

AbstractThe objective of the present study is to evaluate the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of a compression‐ignition engine using hydrogen‐compressed natural gas (HCNG)‐enriched Kusum seed biodiesel blend (KSOBD20). The flow rate of HCNG was set at 5, 10, and 15 liters per minute (lpm), and the injection pressure was varied in the range of 180–240 bar. Brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake‐specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were improved when HCNG was added to the KSOBD20. Combustion characteristics, namely, cylinder pressure (CP) and net heat release rate (NHRR), were also improved. Emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and smoke were also reduced, with the exception of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The higher injection pressure (240 bar) had a positive effect on operating characteristics. At an injection pressure of 240 bar, for KSOB20 + 15 lpm HCNG, the highest BTE and the lowest BSFC were found to be 32.09% and 0.227 kg/kWh, respectively. Also, the CP and NHRR were 69.34 bar and 66.04 J/deg. CO, HC, and smoke levels were finally reduced to 0.013%, 47 ppm, and 9%, respectively, with increased NOx levels of 1623 ppm. For optimum results in terms of engine characteristics, the fuel combination KSOBD20 + 15 lpm HCNG at fuel injection pressure 240 bar is recommended. Thus, HCNG‐enriched KSOBD20 can be used as an alternative fuel in diesel engines without requiring any modifications to increase performance and reduce emissions.