bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predicted Dermal and Dietary Exposure of Bats to Pesticides
Authors: Brooks Amy C. , Nopper Joachim H. , Blakey Alex , Ebeling Markus , Foudoulakis Manousos , Weyers Arnd 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Wild birds and mammals that feed in agricultural habitats are potentially exposed to pesticides through various routes. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published a statement which concluded that the current EFSA risk assessment scheme for birds and mammals does not adequately cover bats (Chiroptera). In the present study, we take a more detailed look at the EFSA statement and assumptions made regarding direct (dermal) and indirect (dietary) exposure of bats to pesticides in terms of their realism and the potential implications for risk assessment outcomes. Regarding dietary exposure, errors in the residue per unit dose (RUD) values for flying insects (bat food), proposed in the EFSA bat statement, were identified and corrected. Lower RUD values based on a much broader data base are proposed. Using these more realistic RUD values, together with current assumptions regarding toxicity and exposure, the acute and long-term risk to bats appears to be within the range of those calculated for birds and ground-dwelling mammals under the current risk assessment scheme. Depending on the assumptions made, some uncertainties may remain and should be investigated further. According to the EFSA bat statement, dermal exposure of bats is the most significant route of exposure, resulting in the highest predicted daily doses. We demonstrated that the dermal exposure models in the EFSA bat statement predict much higher residues for bats than those measured for other flying organisms that have larger surface area to volume ratios, and thus would be expected to have the reverse relationship. We also illustrated that the amounts of spray liquid required to achieve the predicted dermal exposures of bats are implausibly high, with bats carrying an amount of spray liquid that exceeds their body weight many fold. It is recommended that a bat risk assessment framework should be based on realistic, sound science, allowing resources to be focused on those scenarios that are not already covered by the existing bird and mammal framework. Therefore, a quantitative risk assessment scheme should not be implemented until the many scientific uncertainties within the EFSA bat statement are addressed. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2595–2602. © 2022 Cambridge Environmental Assessments. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Bioaccumulation of Mercury and Radiocesium in Waterfowl Introduced to a Site with Legacy Contamination
Authors: Leaphart James C. , Abercrombie Sarah A. , Borchert Ernest J. , Bryan Albert L. , Beasley James C. 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Despite the propensity of waterfowl species to readily accumulate anthropogenic contaminants within polluted environments, few studies have examined bioaccumulation rates over time when entering such a contaminated site. We examined mercury (Hg) and radiocesium (137Cs) bioaccumulation over time in two waterfowl species released into a wetland system containing legacy contamination on the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Released birds were collected at select time intervals over an exposure period of 94 days. We quantified total Hg concentrations in blood, muscle, and liver tissues, and 137Cs activity in whole-body and muscle tissues. The relationship between the contaminant burdens of different body tissue types was examined over time. Likely a result of microhabitat selection, mallards in our study readily accumulated both Hg and 137Cs at consistent rates over time within our study system, while ring-neck ducks did not. The findings demonstrated that whole blood can be used as a robust, nondestructive sampling alternative to estimate Hg burdens within muscle and liver, and whole-body 137Cs activity is a good predictor of muscle burdens. Understanding such bioaccumulation information in waterfowl is useful for the assessment of the potential health risk in wildlife, as well as being important for human risk assessment toward the consumption of popular game species. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2479–2487. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Amygdala abnormalities across disease stages in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Liu Shuangwu , Zhao Yuying , Ren Qingguo , Zhang Dong , Shao Kai , Lin Pengfei , Yuan Ying , Dai Tingjun , Zhang Yongqing , Li Ling , Li Wei , Shan Peiyan , Meng Xiangshui , Wang Qian , Yan Chuanzhu 
Published: July 2022

AbstractTo examine selective atrophy patterns and resting‐state functional connectivity (FC) alterations in the amygdala at different stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and to explore any correlations between amygdala abnormalities and neuropsychiatric symptoms. We used the King's clinical staging system for ALS to divide 83 consecutive patients with ALS into comparable subgroups at different disease stages. We explored the pattern of selective amygdala subnucleus atrophy and amygdala‐based whole‐brain FC alteration in these patients and 94 healthy controls (HCs). Cognitive and emotional functions were also evaluated using a neuropsychological test battery. There were no significant differences between ALS patients at King's stage 1 and HCs for any amygdala subnucleus volumes. Compared with HCs, ALS patients at King's stage 2 had significantly lower left accessory basal nucleus and cortico‐amygdaloid transition volumes. Furthermore, ALS patients at King's stage 3 demonstrated significant reductions in most amygdala subnucleus volumes and global amygdala volumes compared with HCs. Notably, amygdala‐cuneus FC was increased in ALS patients at King's stage 3. Specific subnucleus volumes were significantly associated with Mini‐Mental State Examination scores and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale scores in ALS patients. In conclusions, our study provides a comprehensive profile of amygdala abnormalities in ALS patients. The pattern of amygdala abnormalities in ALS patients differed greatly across King's clinical disease stages, and amygdala abnormalities are an important feature of patients with ALS at relatively advanced stages. Moreover, our findings suggest that amygdala volume may play an important role in anxiety and cognitive dysfunction in ALS patients.
Design, synthesis, antimicrobial evaluation, and in‐silico studies of some 4‐thiazolidinone hybrids bearing coumarin and pyridine moieties
Authors: Desai Nisheeth C. , Mehta Harsh K. , Jethawa Aratiba M. , Monapara Jahnvi D. , Khedkar Vijay M. , Dave Bharti P. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractAntimicrobial resistance is a major threat to mankind. Many frontline medications are ineffective against antimicrobial‐resistant strains which are also responsible for the high mortality rate worldwide. The urgency to create new sets of antimicrobial agents is a priority in present circumstances. In continuation to this, we have strategically designed and synthesized some novel hybrids of 4‐thiazolidinone bearing coumarin and pyridine cores for the evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy. A three‐step multicomponent reaction was performed via imine formation, cyclization, and Knoevenagel condensation for the synthesis of titled compounds (5a‐o). The synthesized entities were characterized through different analytical techniques, that is, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectra. On evaluating the potency of our synthesized hybrids, we received some promising results. Compound 5m was identified as the most potent component possessing 50 μg/ml (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] value) against S. aureus and 250 μg/ml (MIC value) against C. albicans strains. Further, a molecular docking study against microbial DNA gyrase was carried out to understand the binding profile of synthesized molecules, which supported their in‐vitro antimicrobial activity. These data helped to gain an insight into their plausible mechanism of action. Their binding affinity scores correlated well with the in‐vitro antimicrobial activities while their binding modes proposed the involvement of steric, electrostatic, and hydrogen‐bonding interactions with the active site.
Achieving intracellular cytokine staining assay concordance on two continents to assess HIV vaccine-induced T-cell responses
Authors: Dintwe One B , De Rosa Stephen C , Huang Yunda , Flach Britta S , Manso Bryce , Carter Don , Omar Faatima Laher , Schwedhelm Katharine V , Yu Chenchen , Lu Huiyin , Morris Daryl , Kee Jia Jin , Voillet Valentin , Stirewalt Michael , Hural John , Moodie Zoe , Frahm Nicole , Cohen Kristen W , McElrath M Juliana , Andersen-Nissen Erica 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThe HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) conducts clinical trials on 4 continents in pursuit of a safe and effective HIV vaccine. Cellular immune responses to vaccination that define vaccine immunogenicity and/or immune correlates of protection can be measured using multiparameter intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) assays. The HVTN cellular immunology laboratory, located in Seattle, WA, conducts ICS assays for vaccine trials according to Good Clinical Laboratory Practices (GCLP). In 2013, the HVTN established a second GCLP compliant cellular immunology laboratory in Cape Town, South Africa to assess vaccine immunogenicity for HVTN trials conducted on the African continent. To ensure ICS readouts in the 2 laboratories were directly comparable, we conducted concordance testing using PBMC from healthy controls and vaccine trial participants. Despite standardized procedures and instrumentation, shared quality control measures and quality assurance oversight, several factors impacted our ability to obtain close agreement in T-cell responses measured in the 2 laboratories. One of these was the type of fetal bovine serum (FBS) used in the assay, which impacted lymphocyte cell viability and background responses. In addition, the differences in supernatant removal technique also significantly affected our ability to detect positive responses to vaccine antigens. Standardization of these factors allowed us to achieve and maintain ICS assay concordance across the 2 laboratories over multiple years, accelerating our efforts to evaluate HIV vaccines. The insights gained in this process are valuable for assay transfer efforts by groups of investigators that need to directly compare data generated in different laboratories around the globe.
Soy proteins as vehicles for enhanced bioaccessibility and cholesterol‐lowering activity of phytosterols
Authors: Liu Lingling , Xu Yanteng , Chen Fangyuan , Zhang Shuang , Li Li , Ban Zhaojun 
Published: July 2022

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe formulation of phytosterol (PS)‐enriched functional foods has attracted increasing interest in the recent years, owing to its potential health effects. However, the poor solubility and bioavailability greatly limit PS application in this regard. This study investigated whether soy protein isolate (SPI) could effectively perform as a nanocarrier for improving the water solubility, bioaccessibility, and cholesterol‐lowering activity of PSs.RESULTSIn this work, we fabricated SPI–PS nanocomplexes, which not only can enhance the stability and bioaccessibility of PS, but also improve the cholesterol‐lowering ability of SPI. This improvement was mainly due to the formation of protein‐active substance complexes, through hydrophobic interactions. The complexation with PSs resulted in formation of nanosized particles with greater sizes, lower ζ‐potential, and higher surface hydrophobicity. The encapsulation efficiency, loading amount, and solubility of PS were closely related to the applied PS concentration in the mixed dispersions, and the maximal PS solubility in the aqueous phase reached about 1.63 mg mL−1 at the highest PS concentration (2.0 mg mL−1). The PS molecules in the nanocomplexes were mainly present in the amorphous form. The enhanced in vitro cholesterol‐lowering activity of PS nanocomplexes relative to free PS seemed to be closely related to its higher bioaccessibility.CONCLUSIONThe findings are of relevance for the development of food‐grade PS ingredients suitable for the formulations of PS‐enriched functional foods. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Effect of the type of acetic fermentation process on the chemical composition of prickly pear vinegar (Opuntia ficus‐indica)
Authors: Es‐sbata Ikram , Castro Remedios , Zouhair Rachid , Durán‐Guerrero Enrique 
Published: July 2022

AbstractBACKGROUNDIn several countries, the cactus plant (Opuntia ficus‐indica (L). Mill.) has received renewed attention because of its ecological, socio‐economic and environmental role. In this study, prickly pear vinegar was produced employing two types of acetification processes: surface and submerged culture. Both acetification processes were performed at different temperatures (30, 37, 40 °C) by using two different species of thermotolerant acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter malorum and Gluconobacter oxydans). Polyphenols and volatile compounds analyzed by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and stir bar sorptive extraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, respectively, were considered as the main variables to determine the effect of the acetification process on the quality of the vinegar.RESULTSAs a result, 15 polyphenols and 70 volatile compounds were identified and quantified in the vinegar samples produced by both acetification processes. The results showed that the surface acetification method led to an increase in the concentration of phenolic components, which was higher than that in the submerged process. However, a significant increase in volatile compounds predominated by esters and acids was observed when submerged culture acetification was employed, whereas alcohols were predominant in surface culture vinegars. Moreover, multivariate statistical analysis showed that the components that mostly contributed to the differentiation between all vinegar samples were the volatile compounds.CONCLUSIONIt has been proved that prickly pear vinegar could be successfully produced at higher temperatures than usual, by employing thermotolerant bacteria, and that the type of acetification method significantly affects the final quality of the vinegar produced. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Natural compounds derived from Brassicaceae plants as an alternative to synthetic fungicides and their influence on soil fungus diversity
Authors: Maria Swiontek Brzezinska , Krystyna Pałubicka , Monika Latos , Aleksandra Janik , Patrycja Tarnawska , Kornelia Krajnik , Aleksandra Burkowska‐But , Joanna Świątczak , Piotr Jedziniak , Katarzyna Pietruszka , Agnieszka Kalwasińska 
Published: July 2022

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe study aimed to develop a new formulation based on active substances of natural origin to protect plant seedlings against fungal pathogens, and to evaluate the effect of this formulation on fungal communities in arable soil.RESULTSCoating seeds of common crop plants with a p‐coumaric acid (p‐CA)‐based preparation resulted in a significant reduction in the growth of most of the tested pathogens. When applied to soil, both the p‐CA‐based formulation and Porter 250 EC had a similar overall effect on soil fungal communities and significantly altered the structure of fungal communities at all of the times examined. Shifts in the fungal community composition concerned less than 2% of the total number of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). The strongest impact of the formulations on soil microbiota was recorded at the fourth week of treatment. Two ASVs assigned to Botrytis and Chromelosporium, known as plant pathogens, and an unidentified ASV from Diversisporales encompassing the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), were significantly depleted in soil samples treated with p‐CA in comparison with Porter 250 EC.CONCLUSIONThe p‐CA‐based preparation has the potential to be used as an alternative to synthetic fungicides. It shows a similar effect to Porter 250 EC on the organization of soil communities, determining changes in the character of the communities of fungi in general, at any given time. Moreover, p‐CA caused a reduction in ASVs belonging to Botrytis and Chromelosporium (plant pathogens) and ASVs of Diversisporales (containing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) in comparison with the commercial compound that was analyzed. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Metal Halide Perovskites toward Electrically Pumped Lasers
Authors: Liu Anqi , Guan Gangyun , Chai Xiaomei , Feng Nannan , Lu Min , Bai Xue , Zhang Yu 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThe rapid development of lasers since their launch has given a new lease to traditional optical technology and immensely boosted the development of natural science. Benefiting from the salient light absorption and light emission traits, perovskite lasers show incalculable prospects in applications of optical storage, optical interconnects, high‐quality displays, on‐chip photonic communications, etc. For perovskite lasers, device structure and working principle rather than just material property are also profound, especially for the realization and assessment of electrically pumped lasers, which is the prerequisite for the ultimate practical application of perovskite lasers. With this in mind, the key characteristic parameters of possible future electrically pumped lasers are discussed herein, and a systematic review of perovskite lasers is presented in a sequential order of development. To begin, the components of lasers are introduced in detail, with an emphasis on optical microcavities and diverse proposed working mechanisms, followed by introductions of representative advances in pulsed optically pumped perovskite lasers with various lasing modes, as well as state‐of‐the‐art developments in lasing phenomenon under continuous‐wave optical pumping. Finally, the challenges and fruitful progress toward electrically pumped perovskite lasers are discussed emphatically. It is hoped that this review will promote the realization of perovskite electrically pumped lasers and commercialization of perovskite lasers.
Design of a Dual‐Responsive Bilayered Actuator with Alternating Active Layers
Authors: Zhou Xiaohui , Feng Chunmei , Li Yuqi , Zhang Shiping , Song Botao 
Published: July 2022

AbstractInspired by biological deformation in nature, numerous efforts have been made on the fabrication of biomimetic actuators, and the most facile way is to endow a bilayered structure with one active layer and the other inert layer. Unfortunately, such actuators can generally achieve single‐stimulus response and small deformation due to only one active layer. Here, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polystyrene (PS) bilayered actuator with alternating active layers for realizing dual‐responsiveness and large deformation is designed and assembled. Basically, upon stimulation by humidity, the hydrophilic PVA layer acts as an active layer due to its excellent water affinity, while the strong hydrophobic PS layer is an inert layer, and the unmatched swelling of the two layers results in bending deformation. While when exposed to an organic vapor environment, the roles of the two layers are interchanged and the PS layer is switched to be active, leading to fast organic vapor‐triggered deformation. The effects of relative humidity, types of organic vapor, sizes of the actuator, thickness ratios of the two layers, and cutting angles on shape deformation are systematically investigated. The underlying mechanisms of dual‐responsive shape deformation are further clarified. Potential applications of the bilayered actuator are finally demonstrated.
Block Copolymer Synthesis by a Sequential Addition Strategy from the Organocatalytic Group Transfer Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate to the Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Lactide
Authors: Zaky Mohamed Samir , Guichard Gilles , Taton Daniel 
Published: July 2022

AbstractSequential block copolymerization involving comonomers belonging to different classes, e.g., a vinyl‐type monomer and a heterocycle, is a challenging task in macromolecular chemistry, as corresponding propagating species do not interconvert easily from one to the other by crossover reactions. Here, it is first evidenced that 1‐methoxy 2‐methyl 1‐trimethylsilyloxypropene (MTS), i.e., a silyl ketene acetal (SKA)‐containing initiator, can be used in presence of the P4‐t‐Bu phosphazene organic base to control the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of racemic lactide (rac‐LA). The elementary reaction, which rapidly transforms SKA groups into propagating alkoxides, can be leveraged to directly synthesize well‐defined poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐polylactide block copolymers. This is achieved using P4‐t‐Bu as the single organic catalyst and MTS as the initiator for the group transfer polymerization of methyl methacrylate, followed by the ROP of rac‐LA. Both polymerization methods are implemented under selective and controlled/living conditions at room temperature in THF. This sequential addition strategy further expands the scope of organic catalysis of polymerizations for macromolecular engineering of block copolymers involving propagating species of disparate reactivity.
Mechanically and Ultraviolet Light Stable Ultrathin Organic Solar Cell via Semi‐Embedding Silver Nanowires in a Hydrogen Bonds‐Based Polyimide
Authors: Wang Yongmei , Chen Qiaomei , Wang Yupu , Zhang Guangcong , Zhang Zhou , Fang Jie , Zhao Chaowei , Li Weiwei 
Published: July 2022

AbstractUltrathin organic solar cells (OSCs) with both high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and operational stability are of great significance for the industrial applications but still challenging. Here, a polyimide (PI) substrate for high‐performance and stable ultrathin OSCs, which is physically crosslinked via strong hydrogen bonds (denoted as HB–PI) to enhance the mechanical, thermal, solvent‐resistant, and UV filtering properties (with a cut‐off wavelength of 376 nm), is synthesized. An ultrathin flexible transparent composite electrode (FTCE, ≈7 µm) is fabricated via semi‐embedding AgNWs in the HB–PI substrate. The FTCE possesses excellent optoelectronic property, smooth surface, and high mechanical stability simultaneously. Based on this FTCE, an ultrathin OSC is constructed with a PCE of 13.52% (average of 13.22%). Moreover, the ultrathin OSC shows outstanding mechanical stability (PCE decreased by less than 4% after 1000 bending cycles at a small bending radius of 0.5 mm) and superior UV light stability (no evident PCE degradation after irradiation under UV light for 10 h). This work will provide a new avenue for fabricating high‐performance and stable ultrathin OSCs.