Prosocial motives underlie scientific censorship by scientists: A perspective and research agenda.

Science is among humanity's greatest achievements, yet scientific censorship is rarely studied empirically. We explore the social, psychological, and institutional causes and consequences of scientific censorship (defined as actions aimed at obstructing particular scientific ideas from reaching an audience for reasons other than low scientific quality). Popular narratives suggest that scientific censorship is driven by authoritarian officials with dark motives, such as dogmatism and intolerance. Our analysis suggests that scientific censorship is often driven by scientists, who are primarily motivated by self-protection, benevolence toward peer scholars, and prosocial concerns for the well-being of human social groups. This perspective helps explain both recent findings on scientific censorship and recent changes to scientific institutions, such as the use of harm-based criteria to evaluate research. We discuss unknowns surrounding the consequences of censorship and provide recommendations for improving transparency and accountability in scientific decision-making to enable the exploration of these unknowns. The benefits of censorship may sometimes outweigh costs. However, until costs and benefits are examined empirically, scholars on opposing sides of ongoing debates are left to quarrel based on competing values, assumptions, and intuitions.

Ureteric stents: Overview of current clinical applications and economic implications.

Ureteric stents are one of the most crucial tools used for various clinical conditions in the urological field. Placement of a ureteric stent, for short- or long-term use, remains one of the commonest urological interventional procedures. In the past few decades, ureteral stents have undergone notable technological advancements. However, an ideal stent without significant side-effects is yet to be engineered. Indwelling ureteric stents are often accompanied by physical distress to the patient and clinical complications, such as bacterial adhesion, encrustation, malpositioning, stent fracture and forgotten stent syndrome, that influence patients' health-related quality of life. In the market, different stent types are available, designed to reduce infections, and improve patient symptoms and tolerance. In this review, we have emphasized the recent developments that have taken place in stent design, size, materials and coating. This overview looks at current practices and problems related to stents, along with clinical and economic considerations. Few trial studies have been enumerated in the context of utilization of a ureteral stent symptom questionnaire and various stent models to compare their effects in patients.

Studying Proton Mobility in Zeolites by Varying Temperature Infrared Spectroscopy.

We report a varying temperature infrared spectroscopic (VTIR) study with partial deuterium isotopic exchange as a method for characterizing proton mobility in acidic materials. This VTIR technique permits the estimation of activation energies for proton diffusion. Different acidic materials comprising classical proton-conducting materials, such as transition metal phosphates and sulfonated solids, as well as different zeolites, are tested with this new method. The applicability of the method is thus extended to a vast library of materials. Its underlying principles and assumptions are clearly presented herein. Depending on the temperature ranges, different activation energies for proton transfer are observed irrespective of the different materials. In addition to the well-studied transition metal phosphates, Si-rich zeolites appear to be promising proton-transfer materials (with Eact < 40 kJ mol-1) for application in high-temperature (>150 °C) PEM fuel cells. They significantly outperform Nafion and sulfonated silica, which exhibit higher activation energies with Eact ~ 50 and 120 kJ mol-1, respectively.

Proton Mobility, Intrinsic Acid Strength, and Acid Site Location in Zeolites Revealed by Varying Temperature Infrared Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory Studies.

The intrinsic Brønsted acid strength in solid acids relates to the energy required to separate a proton from a conjugate base, for example a negatively charged zeolite framework. The reliable characterization of zeolites' intrinsic acidity is fundamental to the understanding of acid catalysis and setting in relation solid Brønsted acids with their activity and selectivity. Here, we report an infrared spectroscopic study with partial isotopic deuterium exchange of a series of 15 different acidic aluminosilicate materials, including ZSM-5 zeolites with very few defects. Varying Temperature Infrared spectroscopy (VTIR) permitted estimating activation energies for proton diffusion. Two different proton transfer mechanisms have been distinguished for two different temperature ranges. Si-rich zeolites appeared to be promising proton-transfer materials ( Eact. < 40 kJ mol-1) at temperatures above 150 °C (423 K). Further, a linear bathochromic shift of the Si-(OD)-Al stretching vibration as a function of temperature was observed. It can be assumed that this red-shift is related to the intrinsic O-(H/D) bond strength. This observation allowed the extrapolation and estimation of precise v(O-D)@0 K values, which could be attributed to distinct crystallographic locations through Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. The developed method was used to reliably determine the likelihood of the position of a proton in ZSM-5 zeolites under catalytically relevant conditions ( T > 423 K), which has so far never been achieved by any other technique.

π-Conjugated Discrete Oligomers Containing Planar and Nonplanar Aromatic Motifs.

A new family of π-conjugated oligomers featuring a nonplanar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, corannulene, and a planar aromatic unit, thiophene, is synthesized through an iterative metal-catalyzed coupling protocol. The two structural motifs are connected through an acetylene linkage. In the shorter oligomers, a thiophene unit is attached to one or two corannulenes. In the higher analogues, two, three, and four thiophene units are placed in an alternating fashion with three, four, and five corannulene units, respectively. Photophysical studies reveal extended π-effects that initially increase and then attenuate as a function of the oligomer length. Notably, longer oligomers are found to be highly active for nonlinear absorption and emission properties. The oligomer with three corannulene and two thiophene units exhibits a two-photon absorption cross section of 600 GM and two-photon-excited intense green luminescence. This work, therefore, introduces the concept of combining planar and nonplanar aromatic motifs in the design of π-conjugated discrete oligomers, establishes synthetic feasibility of such hybrid materials, reports on their photophysical properties that is anticipated to have significant implications for future research targets, and features the discovery that corannulene derivatives can exhibit excellent nonlinear optical activity when extended through π-bridges.

Aggregation-Induced Emission-Based Chemodosimeter Approach for Selective Sensing and Imaging of Hg(II) and Methylmercury Species.

Methylmercury (CH3Hg+) is the common form of organic mercury and is more toxic than its inorganic or elemental forms. Mercury is emanated in the course of various natural events and human activities and converts to methylmercury by anaerobic organisms. CH3Hg+ are ingested by fish and subsequently bioaccumulated in their tissue and, eventually, enter the human diet, causing serious health issues. Therefore, selective and sensitive detection of bioaccumulated CH3Hg+ in fish samples is essential. Herein, the development of a simple, highly sensitive and selective aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based turn-on probe for both inorganic mercury ions and organicmercury species is reported. The probe's function is based on mercury ion-promoted transmetalation reaction of aryl boronic acid. The probe, a tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-monoboronic acid (1), was successfully utilized for AIE-based fluorescence imaging study on methylmercury-contaminated live cells and zebrafish for the first time. Both Hg(II) and CH3Hg+ ensued a fast transmetalation of TPE-boronic acid causing drastic reduction in the solubility of the resulting product (TPE-HgCl/TPE-HgMe) in the working solvent system. At the dispersed phase, the aggregated form of TPE-mercury ions recovers planarity because of restricted rotational freedom promoting aggregation-induced emission. Simple design, cost-effective synthesis, high selectivity, inexpensive instrumentation, fast signal transduction, and low limit of detection (0.12 ppm) are some of the key merits of this analytical tool.

Development of a Ru Nanoparticle Loaded Thiol Functionalized Meso Porous Silica Modified Screen Printed Au Electrode for Electrochemical Detection and Estimation of Glucose.

Here we report the development of a glucose sensor based on electrochemical detection. The working electrode was a screen printed Au electrode, which was modified with Ru nanoparticle loaded thiol functionalized mesoporous silica. This sensor demonstrated its capability of detecting and estimating glucose concentration in aqueous medium over a wide range of concentration with high sensitivity, durability and reproducibility.

Fluorescence Turn-on Chemosensor for the Detection of Dissolved CO2 Based on Ion-Induced Aggregation of Tetraphenylethylene Derivative.

Herein, a sensitive fluorimetric assay for dissolved carbon dioxide (dCO2) was developed by using ion-induced self-assembly of a tetraphenylethylene derivative by taking advantage of its aggregation induced emission property. Chitosan, a commercially available polymer having amine functionality was utilized for the ion induced assay. In the presence of dCO2, the amine groups in the chitosan get protonated to convert neutral chitosan to a positively charged species, triggering negatively charged tetraphenylethene derivative (probe 1) to aggregate with it by electrostatic interaction. The aggregation causes intense blue fluorescence output from the system. The extent of the aggregation is reliant on the charge density of polymer, which is equivalent to dCO2 concentration. A linear relationship from 5 to 50 µM of dCO2, with a limit of detection of 5 × 10(-6) M (0.00127 hPa) was obtained. This is the first report for detecting dCO2 utilizing the AIE property.

SAMBA HIV semiquantitative test, a new point-of-care viral-load-monitoring assay for resource-limited settings.

Routine viral-load (VL) testing of HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is used to monitor treatment efficacy. However, due to logistical challenges, implementation of VL has been difficult in resource-limited settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the SAMBA semi-Q (simple amplification-based assay semiquantitative test for HIV-1) in London, Malawi, and Uganda. The SAMBA semi-Q can distinguish between patients with VLs above and below 1,000 copies/ml. The SAMBA semi-Q was validated with diluted clinical samples and blinded plasma samples collected from HIV-1-positive individuals. SAMBA semi-Q results were compared with results from the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 test, v2.0. Testing of 96 2- to 10-fold dilutions of four samples containing HIV-1 subtype C as well as 488 samples from patients in the United Kingdom, Malawi, and Uganda yielded an overall accuracy for the SAMBA semi-Q of 99% (95% confidence interval [CI], 93.8 to 99.9%) and 96.9% (95% CI 94.9 to 98.3%), respectively, compared to to the Roche test. Analysis of VL data from patients in Malawi and Uganda showed that the SAMBA cutoff of 1,000 copies/ml appropriately distinguished treated from untreated individuals. Furthermore, analysis of the viral loads of 232 patients on ART in Malawi and Uganda revealed similar patterns for virological control, defined as either <1,000 copies/ml (SAMBA cutoff) or <5,000 copies/ml (WHO 2010 criterion; WHO, Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Infection in Adults and Adolescents: Recommendations for a Public Health Approach, 2010). This study suggests that the SAMBA semi-Q has adequate concurrency with the gold standard measurements for viral load. This test can allow VL monitoring of patients on ART at the point of care in resource-limited settings.

An evaluation of the pharmacotherapeutic options for the treatment of adult phimosis. A systematic review of the evidence.

INTRODUCTION: Topical pharmacotherapy is often practiced in the treatment of adults with phimosis or Lichen Sclerosus (LS). However, it is unclear if it is effective. AREAS COVERED: The authors review pharmacological treatments in adults with phimosis or LS using the Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) methodology. They searched seven databases using key words phimosis, drug treatment, medical, treatment, lichen sclerosis, pharmacological treatment, medications, comparison study for all English language articles from 1962 to 2021. Inclusion criteria were patients >18 yr., and the use of topical medical treatment with outcome data. The article includes the authors' expert opinion and their perspectives for the future. EXPERT OPINION: There is limited research, with significant heterogeneity, which suggests the probable safety of topical steroids with some potential to reduce the signs and symptoms of LS. However, good quality research, with patient reported outcome data, is required to establish its true role and effectiveness.

Does quality of life in patients undergoing shock wave lithotripsy change with repeat procedures: a prospective pilot study from a teaching hospital.

Introduction: Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a well-established treatment for kidney stone disease (KSD) and despite its decreased popularity in the past, it has now gained renewed interest due to its minimally invasive nature and good outcomes, especially in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of our study was to perform a service evaluation to analyse and identify quality of life (QoL) changes [using Urinary Stones and Intervention Quality of Life (USIQoL) questionnaire] after repeat SWL treatments. This would enable a greater understanding of SWL treatment and reduce the current gap of knowledge regarding patient specific outcomes in the field. Material and methods: Patients affected by urolithiasias underwent SWL treatment between September 2021 and February 2022 (6 months), were included in the study. A questionnaire was given to the patients in each SWL session and consisted of three main topic areas: a domain on Pain and Physical Health, on Psycho-social Health and on Work (see appendix below). Patients also completed a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in relation to the pain related to the treatment. Data from the questionnaires were collected and analysed. Results: A total of 31 patients filled in two or more surveys, with a mean age of 55.8 years. On repeat treatments, pain and physical health domain was significantly better (p = 0.0046), psycho-social health domain was significantly better (p <0.001), work domain was significantly better (p = 0.009) and a correlation [on Visual Analog Scale (VAS)] was observed between pain decreasing in subsequent SWL procedures. Conclusions: Our study found that the choice of SWL to treat KSD does improve a patient's QoL. This could be related to improvement of physical health, psychological and social wellbeing, and ability to work. Higher QoL and low pain scores are observed in relation to repeat SWL treatment and are not directly associated to stone-free status.

Urinary Stones and Intervention Quality of Life (USIQoL): Development and Validation of a New Core Universal Patient-reported Outcome Measure for Urinary Calculi.

BACKGROUND: Urolithiasis has a significant impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). OBJECTIVE: To develop a core patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) using modern psychometric methods to quantify the impact of urolithiasis and different treatments. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients with urinary calculi, attending urology departments, covering all index categories and treatment spectrum, participated during different development phases. The pilot instrument was created from potential items (phases 1 and 2) within the conceptual framework. The instrument was pretested (phase 3) and then underwent psychometric evaluation in two parts (phases 4 and 5). OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The validity and reliability of the new PROM were assessed using Rasch measurement theory (RUMM 2030 statistical software) and traditional analyses. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: In total, 683 patients (median age 51 yr, range 18-92 yr) participated during different phases. The initial 60-item draft (five scales) was completed by 212 patients (phase 4). A revised 25-item draft was produced after removal of unstable items. In the second field test, the revised version was evaluated by 369 patients. This led to the final Urinary Stones and Intervention Quality of Life (USIQoL; 15 items) with summated logit scores. The PROM includes three scales: pain with physical health (six items), psychosocial health (seven items) and work performance (two items). Lower scores indicate better outcomes. Results demonstrate that USIQoL is reliable (r ≥ 0.8) and internally consistent (α ≥ 0.7), and has good construct validity (good hypothesised correlations, r > 0.3) and satisfactory sensitivity to change (p < 0.01). All scales demonstrated unidimensionality with good item fit and person separation indices. A limitation is that USIQoL was developed in the English language within the UK population. CONCLUSIONS: USIQoL is a short, unidimensional, valid, and reliable PROM for assessing the HRQoL impact of urinary calculi and treatments. It is expected to serve as a core PROM across the entire spectrum of urolithiasis. PATIENT SUMMARY: Kidney stones are a common condition for which various treatment options are available. The condition and treatments have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life. This can be measured objectively using a valid and reliable patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) developed using modern methods. We have developed a PROM that provides helpful and accurate measurement useful for all stakeholders.

Ruthenium Supported on High-Surface-Area Zirconia as an Efficient Catalyst for the Base-Free Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid.

Several ZrO2 -supported ruthenium catalysts were prepared and utilized in the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) under base-free conditions. Full conversion of HMF and almost perfect selectivity towards FDCA (97 %) were achieved after 16 h by using pure O2 as an oxidant and water as a solvent. The catalytic tests show that the size of the Ru particles is crucial for the catalytic performance and that the utilization of high-surface-area ZrO2 leads to formation of very small Ru particles. Superior activity was obtained for catalysts based on ZrO2 that had been synthesized by a surface-casting method and has high surface areas up to 256 m2 g-1 . In addition to good activity and selectivity, these catalysts show also high stability and constant activity upon recycling, confirming the suitability of Ru/ZrO2 in the base-free oxidation of HMF.

Quantum dot decorated aligned carbon nanotube bundles for a performance enhanced photoswitch.

Photoactive materials that are triggered by the irradiation of light to generate an electrical response provide an ecofriendly platform to afford efficient power sources and switches. A chemical assembly of well-known elements with aligned carbon nanotube bundles is reported here, which was employed to form an efficient photo-induced charge transfer device. The primary elements of this device are ultra-long multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) bundles, polyaniline (PANI) thin film coating, and CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Highly ordered and horizontally aligned MWCNT bundles were coated with PANI to enhance charge transfer properties of active QDs in this platform. The obtained device (CdSe-MWCNT@PANI) constructed on a silicon base exhibits highly efficient power conversion capabilities owing to the aligned MWCNT bundle assisted enhanced charge transport pathways generated within the device. The device also shows a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 9.81 mA cm(-2) and an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.46 V. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the device is 5.41%, and the current response is quite stable, highly responsive, and reproducible.

Photopolymerization of Diacetylene on Aligned Multiwall Carbon Nanotube Microfibers for High-Performance Energy Devices.

Linear two-dimensional materials have recently attracted an intense interest for supercapacitors because of their potential uses as electrodes in next-generation wearable electronics. However, enhancing the electrochemical properties of these materials without complicated structural modifications remains a challenge. Herein, we present the preparation of a hybrid electrode system via polydiacetylene (PDA) cloaking on the surface of aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) through self-assembly based in situ photopolymerization. This strategy eliminates the need for initiators and binders that hinder electrochemical performance in conventional conducting polymer based composite electrodes. As noncovalent PDA cloaking did not alter the chemical structure of MWCNTs, high inherent conductivity from sp2 hybridized carbon was preserved. The resulting hybrid microfiber (MWCNT@PDA) exhibited a significant increase in specific capacitance (1111 F g-1) when compared to bare MWCNTs (500 F g-1) and PDA (666.7 F g-1) in a voltage window of 0-1.2 V at a current density of 3 A g-1 in 0.5 M K2SO4 electrolyte. The specific capacitance was retained (ca. 95%) after 7000 charge/discharge cycles. The present results suggest that aligned MWCNTs cloaked with conjugated polymers could meet the demands for future flexible electronics.

Genome-wide maps of recombination and chromosome segregation in human oocytes and embryos show selection for maternal recombination rates.

Crossover recombination reshuffles genes and prevents errors in segregation that lead to extra or missing chromosomes (aneuploidy) in human eggs, a major cause of pregnancy failure and congenital disorders. Here we generate genome-wide maps of crossovers and chromosome segregation patterns by recovering all three products of single female meioses. Genotyping >4 million informative SNPs from 23 complete meioses allowed us to map 2,032 maternal and 1,342 paternal crossovers and to infer the segregation patterns of 529 chromosome pairs. We uncover a new reverse chromosome segregation pattern in which both homologs separate their sister chromatids at meiosis I; detect selection for higher recombination rates in the female germ line by the elimination of aneuploid embryos; and report chromosomal drive against non-recombinant chromatids at meiosis II. Collectively, our findings show that recombination not only affects homolog segregation at meiosis I but also the fate of sister chromatids at meiosis II.

Salivary Alpha Amylase as a Noninvasive Biomarker for Dental Fear and Its Correlation with Behavior of Children during Dental Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: OBJECTIVEs of our studies were to predict dental fear in a child patient depending on salivary alpha amylase (sAA) level before and after dental treatment and to evaluate correla-tion of later with behavior of child patient during dental treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-seven children between age of 5 and 12 years were divided in three groups. Group 1 consisted of 25 school children who did not undergo any dental treatment. Groups 2 and 3 underwent dental treatment without and with local anesthesia respectively. Groups 2 and 3 were administered child fear survey schedule-dental subscale (CFSS-DS) questionnaire before treatment. Salivary samples were collected for sAA estimation in groups 2 and 3 children before and after completion of dental treatment and behavior during treatment was noted using Frankel behavior rating scale. Group 1 acted as control in which salivary sample was collected in absence of dental stress. RESULTS: When groups 2 and 3 were combined, pretreatment sAA level had a statistically significant (p = 0.0094) correlation with CFSS-DS scores. CONCLUSION: Alpha amylase can be used as a screening tool to predict level of dental fear in a child patient. How to cite this article: Noorani H, Joshi HV, Shivaprakash PK. Salivary Alpha Amylase as a Noninvasive Biomarker for Dental Fear and Its Correlation with Behavior of Children during Dental Treatment. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2014;7(1):19-23.

Ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia, and cleft lip/palate syndrome: A case report of "Incomplete syndrome".

Ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia, and cleft lip/palate (EEC) is a rare syndrome having ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia, and cleft lip/palate. So far, very few cases have been reported in literature. However, we report a case of incomplete EEC syndrome having ectrodactyly and cleft lip and palate with absence of signs of ectodermal dysplasia with no other systemic anomalies. Other feature noted is the syndactyly of toes which is reported rarely in this syndrome. A multidisciplinary approach for treatment is needed which is co-ordinated by pedodontist or pediatrician.