bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Maternal metabolic factors and the association with gestational diabetes: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Habibi Nahal , Mousa Aya , Tay Chau Thien , Khomami Mahnaz Bahri , Patten Rhiannon K. , Andraweera Prabha H. , Wassie Molla , Vandersluys Jared , Aflatounian Ali , Bianco‐Miotto Tina , Zhou Shao J. , Grieger Jessica A. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractGestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with several adverse outcomes for the mother and child. Higher levels of individual lipids are associated with risk of GDM and metabolic syndrome (MetS), a clustering of risk factors also increases risk for GDM. Metabolic factors can be modified by diet and lifestyle. This review comprehensively evaluates the association between MetS and its components, measured in early pregnancy, and risk for GDM. Databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were searched from inception to 5 May 2021. Eligible studies included ≥1 metabolic factor (waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglycerides, and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol), measured at <16 weeks' gestation. At least two authors independently screened potentially eligible studies. Heterogeneity was quantified using I2. Data were pooled by random‐effects models and expressed as odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Of 7213 articles identified, 40 unique articles were included in meta‐analysis. In analyses adjusting for maternal age and body mass index, GDM was increased with increasing FPG (odds ratios [OR] 1.92; 95% CI 1.39–2.64, k = 7 studies) or having MetS (OR 2.52; 1.65, 3.84, k = 3). Women with overweight (OR 2.17; 95% CI 1.89, 2.50, k = 12) or obesity (OR 4.34; 95% CI 2.79–6.74, k = 9) also were at increased risk for GDM. Early pregnancy assessment of glucose or the MetS, offers a potential opportunity to detect and treat individual risk factors as an approach towards GDM prevention; weight loss for pregnant women with overweight or obesity is not recommended.Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020199225.
Abundance and accessibility of forage for reindeer in forests of Northern Sweden: Impacts of landscape and winter climate regime
Authors: Kater Ilona , Baxter Robert 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe survival of reindeer during winter, their period of greatest food stress, depends largely on the abundance and accessibility of forage in their pastures. In Northern Sweden, realized availability of forage is notably affected by snow conditions and the impacts of forestry. While these factors have been examined in isolation, their combined effect has, to the best of our knowledge to date, not been researched. In this study, vegetation surveys and analysis of snow conditions were undertaken in forest stands at various stages of recovery from clear‐cutting. The variation in abundance and growth of understory species edible by reindeer, such as lichen, was noted as forests matured. The barrier effect of ice lenses in the snow was also measured in these stands. Lichen biomass was significantly affected by a combination of stand maturity, understory vegetation height, and lichen height. Soil disturbance from the processes of felling and competition in the vegetation communities recovering from this disturbance were identified as key drivers of change in lichen biomass. Overall, clear‐cut forests had some of the greatest prevalence of ice lenses in the snow column, and forage availability at these sites was up to 61% less than in mature stands over 58 years in age. It is suggested that alternative silviculture methods are investigated for use in this reindeer herding region, as frequent clear‐cutting and consequent reduction in the average forest stand age and maturity class may be detrimental to reindeer grazing, reducing both abundance of forage, and access to it during winter.
Electrochemical redox properties of bridged and non‐bridged annulenediones
Authors: Gazit Aviv , Becker James Y. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe present article is fully confined to cyclic voltammetric measurements of a series of bridged and non‐bridged annulenediones (quinones of large conjugated rings of aromatic character). The evaluation of their electrochemical redox properties shed light on remarkable and interesting conclusions such as aromaticity, electrostatic repulsion, disproportionation constants, and stability of their reduced charged intermediates. The results reveal that in the case of the non‐bridged quinones 1–4, as the number of fused rings increases the reduction becomes gradually more difficult because the aromatic stabilization of the ‘quinone’ on conversion to aromatic ‘hydroquinone’ system decreases. However, since all studied annulenediones 5–11 possess a ‘C2’ bridge that keeps the macrocycles flat, causing better aromaticity, they are relatively easily reduced at both E1 and E2 potentials and therefore, they could be considered as quinones of aromatic systems. On the other hand, when the bridge is longer (as in 12 and 13) the macrocycles tend to bend, causing a decrease in the degree of aromaticity and as a consequence, their reduction becomes more difficult.
Improved performance of a residential combined heat and power system by integrating compact fuel processor and proton exchange membrane fuel cell
Authors: Zhang Jing , Li Duo , Zhong Hexiang , Li Jinxiao , Chen Shuhua , Song Rensheng , Jin Wenyao , Pan Liwei 
Published: April 2022

AbstractA combined heat and power (CHP) system, which consists of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell and an integrated fuel processor is developed based on solving the energy balance between endothermic and exothermic hydrogen production reactions. The developed system simplifies the traditional complex fuel processing, and only three reactor units are needed—catalytic combustion, new integrated hydrogen production reactor and CO removal. In the novel CHP system, the H2‐rich reformate production from methanol and water is approximately 8 Nm3 h−1 with an H2 concentration of 53%–55% and CO less than 30 ppm. The CHP system was run continuously for more than 1100 h. The power demand was observed to be about 2–9 kW corresponding to the usual load of a residential unit. To increase the whole system efficiency, anode off‐gas (AOG) from fuel cell was returned to the fuel processor and utilized in the catalytic combustion reactor to improve the energy efficiency of the whole system. The average system efficiency can be increased from 60.3% to 67% by utilization of the energy from AOG catalytic combustion.
Annual and seasonal variability in high latitude dust deposition, West Greenland
Authors: van Soest Maud A. J. , Bullard Joanna E. , Prater Clay , Baddock Matthew C. , Anderson N. John 
Published: April 2022

AbstractHigh latitude regions (≥ 50°N and ≥ 40°S) are thought to contribute substantially to contemporary global dust emissions which can influence biogeochemical cycling as well as geomorphic, cryospheric and atmospheric processes. However, there are few measurements of the emission or deposition of dust derived from these areas that extend beyond a single event or season. This article reports the deposition of locally‐derived dust to an ice‐free area of West Greenland over 2 years from 23 traps distributed across five sampling sites. Local dust sources include glacial outwash plains, glacially‐derived delta deposits and the reworking of loessic soils. Annual dust deposition is estimated at 37.3 to 93.9 g m−2 for 2017–2018 and 9.74 to 28.4 g m−2 in 2018–2019. This annual variation is driven by high deposition rates observed in spring 2017 of 0.48 g m−2 d−1 compared to the range of 0.03 to 0.07 g m−2 d−1 during the rest of the monitoring period. The high deposition rates in spring 2017 were due to warmer than average conditions and high meltwater sediment supply that delivered large quantities of sediment to local outwash plains in 2016. For other seasons, dust deposition was lower over both autumn–winter periods (0.03 g m−2 d−1) than during the spring and summer (0.04–0.07 g m−2 d−1). When sediment availability is limited, dust deposition increases with increasing temperature and wind speed. Secondary data from dust‐related weather type/observation codes and visibility records were found to be inconsistent with measured dust deposition during the period of study. One possible reason for this is the complex nature of the terrain between the observation and sample sites. The dust deposition rates measured here and the infidelity of the observed dust with secondary data sources reveal the importance of direct quantification of dust processes to accurately constrain the dust cycle at high latitudes.
Myeloarchitectonic plasticity in elite golf players' brains
Authors: Shao Xueyun , Luo Daiyi , Zhou Yulong , Xiao Zhuoni , Wu Jinjian , Tan Li Hai , Qiu Shijun , Yuan Di 
Published: April 2022

AbstractHuman neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that exercise influences the cortical structural plasticity as indexed by gray or white matter volume. It remains elusive, however, whether exercise affects cortical changes at the finer‐grained myelination structure level. To answer this question, we scanned 28 elite golf players in comparison with control participants, using a novel neuroimaging technique—quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI). The data showed myeloarchitectonic plasticity in the left temporal pole of the golf players: the microstructure of this brain region of the golf players was better proliferated than that of control participants. In addition, this myeloarchitectonic plasticity was positively related to golfing proficiency. Our study has manifested that myeloarchitectonic plasticity could be induced by exercise, and thus, shed light on the potential benefits of exercise on brain health and cognitive enhancement.
Severe hypokalemia in the emergency department: A retrospective, single‐center study
Authors: Makinouchi Ryuichirou , Machida Shinji , Matsui Katsuomi , Shibagaki Yugo , Imai Naohiko 
Published: April 2022

AbstractBackground and AimsHypokalemia is one of the most common problems in the emergency department (ED). Severe hypokalemia, defined as a serum potassium level ≤2.5 mEq/L, is a relatively uncommon electrolyte disorder, and few studies have reported its prevalence, etiology, symptoms, and management in the ED. Therefore, we aimed to investigate them in this study.MethodsThis retrospective single‐center study included adult patients whose serum potassium levels were measured in the ED between 2012 and 2019. Data including age, sex, serum potassium levels, and serum creatinine levels were collected from the electronic medical records.ResultsThe serum potassium levels of 21,616 adult patients were measured. The median age of these patients was 73 years (range: 57–83 years), and 38% were men. The prevalence of severe hypokalemia was 0.4%. The most common symptom of symptomatic severe hypokalemia was weakness (p = 0.001). Malnutrition, use of Japanese herbal medicine, and use of diuretics were the main causes of severe hypokalemia. Sixty‐one patients (70%) underwent electrocardiography. Fifty‐nine patients (68%) received treatment for severe hypokalemia within one day of the visit.ConclusionThe management of severe hypokalemia in the ED may be suboptimal. Emergency physicians should be vigilant to avoid missing hypokalemia.
Comparison of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with radiotherapy alone for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer in elderly patients: A randomized, multicenter, phase II clinical trial
Authors: Liu Yanxiao , Zheng Zhiyong , Li Minghao , Zhang Yaowen , Zhao Fujun , Gong Heyi , Lin Haiqun , Huang Wei , Chen Xiangming , Xu Zhiqiao , Li Xiaomin , Liu Wenzhi , Cui Yanhui , Zheng Anping , Li Baosheng 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThis randomized, multicenter, phase II clinical trial was performed to compare the safety and efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy using S‐1 (CCRT) with radiotherapy alone (RT) for elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). All eligible patients were randomly assigned to the CCRT group or the RT group at a 1:1 ratio. The CCRT group received 50.4 Gy radiotherapy concurrent with S‐1 and the RT group received 59.4 Gy radiotherapy alone. The primary endpoints were toxicity and the overall response rate (ORR), and the secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS). In total, 157 elderly patients with ESCC were recruited from December 2016 to March 2020. By June 2021, the median follow‐up duration had reached 38 months. No grade 5 toxicities occurred in either group and the overall rate of severe toxicities (≥grade 3) was higher in the CCRT group (19.2% vs 7.6%; P = .037), particularly neutropenia (7.7% vs 1.3%; P = .06). The CCRT group presented a significantly higher ORR (83.3% vs 68.4%; P = .009) and prolonged PFS (25.7 vs 13.9 months; P = .026) than the RT group. The median OS was 27.3 months in the CCRT group and 19.1 months in the RT group (P = .59). For patients older than 70 years with locally advanced ESCC, concurrent chemoradiotherapy with S‐1 had tolerable adverse effects and improved ORR and PFS compared to radiotherapy alone.
Penntorship: The value of mentoring during a pandemic
Authors: Berenblum Julie R. , Schlesinger Kylie T. , Aigbokhan Iyayi O. , Wolff Mark S. , Gluch Joan I. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractCOVID‐19 presented learning and social challenges for dental and high‐school students alike due to isolating environments with fewer interpersonal interactions. After recognizing these challenges, two pre‐doctoral dental students developed Penntorship, a program at University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, where dental students’ mentor students at West Philadelphia High School (WPHS) utilizing online technology.PurposeThis survey study explored the benefits of a newly developed mentoring program, Penntorship, for mentors and mentees.MethodsSeventy dental students volunteered to mentor WPHS students throughout the 2020–2021 school year. After receiving training by Mentor Independence Region, mentors coordinated weekly meetings with mentees on Zoom to assist with homework assignments, discuss interests, and assess mentee's career goals. Over six months, 185 mentor meetings were held by 56 dental students with 28 different high‐school students participating in the program. Surveys were distributed and analyzed to determine outcomes of the program.ResultsSurvey results revealed that both dental students and high‐school students gained new friendships, improved communication skills, and developed a positive perspective during the pandemic.ConclusionWith online learning formats and social distancing during the pandemic, dental students expressed a need for more social interaction. Penntorship served to support dental students during this challenging year and filled a social need for young individuals in the community. Both mentors and mentees benefited from the program and will continue to work together in the coming academic year.*IRB approval obtained 8/30/2021.
Minocycline incorporated cobalt oxide nanoparticles in dental sealants: An in vitro study
Authors: Alkheraif Abdulaziz Abdullah , AlMufareh Nawaf Abdulrahman , AlQhtani Faisal A. , Asiri Waleed , Abuhadi Roaa Ibrahim , Hamoud Majed , Khan Aftab Ahmed 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to introduce antibacterial property to pits and fissure sealant (PFS) in order to mitigate the major clinical problems associated with PFS, such as microleakage and secondary caries. We prepared a pH reliant cobalt oxide nanoparticle incorporated with minocycline (MNC@CO) and characterized to investigate its antibacterial potential against Streptococcus sobrinus. The physiochemical, morphological, and drug release kinetics at different pH (7.4, 5.0, and 3.5) from nanoparticles were investigated. The MNC@CO were added at 2.5% and 5.0% into experimental PFS and characterized for their antibiofilm capacity, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties including compressive and flexural strength. The groups 2.5% and 5.0% has shown statistically significant antimicrobial capacity against S. sobrinus compared to control (p < .05). The highest percentage of MNC release at different pH (especially at pH 5.0 and 3.5) was observed from 5.0% MNC@CO doped PFS. The PFS doped with 2.5% MNC@CO showed a highest compressive strength (110 MPa) over a period of 70 days as compared to 5.0% MNC@CO (75 MPa) and control (80 MPa). The flexural strength of both experimental groups was lower for both time points (24 h and 30 days) than control. In conclusion, the present study found that 2.5% MNC@CO doped PFS showed considerable anti‐biofilm potential without compromising mechanical properties.
Nutrient and toxic elements in soils and plants across 10 urban community gardens: Comparing pXRF and ICP‐based soil measurements
Authors: McStay Ainsley C. , Walser Sandra L. , Sirkovich Eric C. , Perdrial Nicolas , Richardson Justin B. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractUrban community gardens are becoming increasingly important to rehabilitate developed lands and combat the lack of access to fresh produce. Portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) offers a rapid, cost‐effective method for assessing the elemental composition of soils but needs further study to determine its efficacy in urban agriculture. The objectives of this study were to evaluate if pXRF measurements of macronutrients (Ca, K, P), micronutrients (Cu, Mn, Zn), and toxic elements (As, Pb) generate results comparable with traditional soil analyses and if the soil measurements correlate with plant tissue concentrations at 10 community gardens across the eastern United States. From field‐condition analyses of soils by pXRF and pseudototal digestions, we observed that both methods provide agreeable estimates of concentrations for some elements (Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb) but not for macronutrients (Ca, K, P). We hypothesize that low accuracy in pXRF measurements and macronutrients within silicates caused the poor agreement between the methods. Sieved and dried soil pXRF concentrations were in strong agreement with field‐condition pXRF concentrations, suggesting rock removal and drying did not improve measurements. Our results highlight that pXRF can be an accurate and effective tool for screening for Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Some elements, such as Pb in fruits; Mn, Cu, and Zn in leaves; and Zn and Pb in roots, could be estimated by soil pXRF or inductively coupled plasma–based analyses. Macronutrients were poorly estimated for fruits, leaves, and roots. Instead of soil concentrations, identifying genus‐specific and garden‐specific factors may be important for generating plant uptake predictive models.
Intra‐daily variation of Escherichia coli concentrations in agricultural irrigation ponds
Authors: Stocker Matthew D. , Smith Jaclyn E. , Hill Robert L. , Pachepsky Yakov A. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractMicrobial water quality is determined by comparing observed Escherichia coli concentrations with regulatory thresholds. Measured concentrations can be expected to change throughout the course of a day in response to diurnal variation in environmental conditions, such as solar radiation and temperature. Therefore, the time of day at which samples are taken is an important factor within microbial water quality measurements. However, little is known about the diurnal variations of E. coli concentrations in surface sources of irrigation water. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the intra‐daily dynamics of E. coli in three irrigation ponds in Maryland over several years and to determine the water quality parameters to which E. coli populations are most sensitive. Water sampling was conducted across the ponds at 0900, 1200, and 1500 h on a total of 17 dates in the summers of 2019–2021. One‐way ANOVA revealed significant diurnal variability in E. coli concentrations in Pond (P)1 and P2, whereas no significant effects were observed in P3. Escherichia coli die‐off rates calculated between sampling time points in the same day were significantly higher in P2 than in P1 and P3, and these rates ranged from 0.005 to 0.799 h–1 across ponds. Concentrations of dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and turbidity exerted the most control over E. coli populations. Results of this work demonstrate that sampling in the early‐morning hours provides the most conservative assessment of the microbial quality of irrigation waters.
Enhancement of gold nanorods‐assisted photothermal treatment on cancer with laser power in stepwise modulation
Authors: Kim Yeongeun , Kim Hyejin , Kang Hyun Wook 
Published: April 2022

AbstractObjectivesPhotothermal therapy (PTT) is a minimally invasive or noninvasive method by destructing cancer cells through selective thermal decomposition. However, a long period of laser irradiation to achieve coagulative necrosis often causes unfavorable thermal damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. The current study aims to evaluate the feasibility of temporal power modulation to improve the treatment efficacy of gold nanorods‐assisted PTT against tumor tissue.Materials and MethodsA total of 25 µg/ml of PEGylated gold nanorods (PEG‐GNR) was used as an absorbing agent during 1064 nm laser irradiation for PTT. Temperature monitoring was conducted on the aqueous solution of PEG‐GNR for dosimetry comparison. For in vivo tests, CT‐26 tumor‐bearing murine models with PEG‐GNR injected were treated with three irradiation conditions: 3 W/cm2 for 90 s, 1.5 W/cm2 for 180 s, and 3 W/cm2 for 60 s followed by 1.5 W/cm2 for 60 s (modulated). Ten days after the treatments, histology analysis was performed to assess the extent of coagulation necrosis in the treated tissues.ResultsThe temporal power modulation maintained the tissue temperature of around 50°C for a longer period during the irradiation. Histology analysis confirmed that the modulated group entailed a larger coagulative necrosis area with less thermal damage to the peripheral tissue, compared to the other irradiation conditions.ConclusionTherefore, the power‐modulated PTT could improve treatment efficacy with reduced injury by maintaining the constant tissue temperature. Further studies will examine the feasibility of the proposed technique in large animal models in terms of acute and chronic tissue responses and treatment margin for clinical translations.
Biomaterial Integration in the Joint: Pathological Considerations, Immunomodulation, and the Extracellular Matrix
Authors: von Mentzer Ula , Corciulo Carmen , Stubelius Alexandra 
Published: April 2022

AbstractDefects of articular joints are becoming an increasing societal burden due to a persistent increase in obesity and aging. For some patients suffering from cartilage erosion, joint replacement is the final option to regain proper motion and limit pain. Extensive research has been undertaken to identify novel strategies enabling earlier intervention to promote regeneration and cartilage healing. With the introduction of decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM), researchers have tapped into the potential for increased tissue regeneration by designing biomaterials with inherent biochemical and immunomodulatory signals. Compared to conventional and synthetic materials, dECM‐based materials invoke a reduced foreign body response. It is therefore highly beneficial to understand the interplay of how these native tissue‐based materials initiate a favorable remodeling process by the immune system. Yet, such an understanding also demands increasing considerations of the pathological environment and remodeling processes, especially for materials designed for early disease intervention. This knowledge will avoid rejection and help predict complications in conditions with inflammatory components such as arthritides. This review outlines general issues facing biomaterial integration and emphasizes the importance of tissue‐derived macromolecular components in regulating essential homeostatic, immunological, and pathological processes to increase biomaterial integration for patients suffering from joint degenerative diseases.