bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pennisetum setaceum or Pennisetum advena cultivars, what ornamental do we have in our garden
Authors: van Valkenburg Johannes Leonardus Cornelis Hendrikus , Costerus Maarten , Westenberg Marcel
Published: July 2021

Pennisetum Rich. or following recent taxonomic insights Cenchrus L. is a genus with some 120 species worldwide, especially in warm areas. The genus includes some crops, some ornamentals but mostly species that are considered weedy. The name of one of the weedy species Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. is also found on labels of ornamental grasses as P. setaceum “Rubrum.” It has been debated to belong to a species on its own Pennisetum advena Wipff & Veldkamp or Cenchrus advena (Wipff & Veldkamp) Morrone, only known from cultivation, whereas others still adhere to a broader species concept of P. setaceum. The recent inclusion of P. setaceum on the EU List of Union concern has revitalized the discussion on this issue for commercial reasons. Based on a morphological and molecular comparison (ITS, rbcL, and the trnh‐psbA intergenic spacer sequences) of the type specimen of P. advena, five of its “cultivars” in trade and collections of P. setaceum from different regions of the world we conclude that plants currently in trade in Western Europe belong to a separate species P. advena. A drooping inflorescence is consistent as is the difference in width of the leaf blade, the leaf blade being flat or involute, the central vein being swollen or not, and the length of the stipe being 0.3–1.1 mm in P. advena and 1.1–3.1 mm in P. setaceum. On the chloroplast markers rbcL and trnH‐psbA, the species consistently differ in 2 and 4 base pairs, respectively. On the nuclear ITS sequence, there is only 90% overlap between the two species. This justifies these ornamentals to be excluded from the List of Union concern of EU regulation 1143/2014.
Comparison of AET partitioning and water balance between degraded meadow and artificial pasture in Three‐River Source Region on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhang Lifeng , Schlaepfer Daniel R. , Chen Nina , Gu Song , Lauenroth William K.
Published: July 2021

Actual evapotranspiration (AET) is the main component of water balance and comprises evaporation (E) and transpiration (T). Despite widespread recognition of the importance of water in terrestrial ecosystems, knowledge about key processes in the water balance is surprisingly limited, especially for how water is partitioned between E and T. We used a daily time step soil water model (SOILWAT2) and 10 years of data to describe AET partitioning and water balance of a degraded meadow and an artificial pasture in the Three‐River Source Region on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. Our results showed that there are two important environmental factors influencing water balance processes: evaporative demand of the atmosphere and precipitation. Due to the same evaporative demand and precipitation regime, the AET between our two sites was similar in seasonal trends and annual amounts. On an annual basis, AET and deep drainage accounted for almost 100% of the precipitation received by both the two sites. Despite the similarity of annual AET between the degraded meadow and the artificial pasture, the AET partitioning between the two sites was substantially different. Mean annual transpiration/actual evapotranspiration (T/AET) was 27% in the degraded meadow and 52% in the artificial pasture. The key controls on AET partitioning were vegetation and soil, and compared to soil, our study emphasized the influence of vegetation, and high amounts of biomass resulted in the highest values of T/AET in the artificial pasture. Additionally, we identified deep drainage as an important and previously overlooked component of water balance accounting for an average of approximately 21% of the annual precipitation in both the two study sites.
Simultaneous Trace Electrochemical Determination of Xanthine Theophylline and Theobromine with a Novel Sensor Based on a Composite Including Metal Oxide Nanoparticle Multi‐walled Carbon Nanotube and Nano‐Na‐montmorillonite Clay
Authors: Fitoz Alper , Yazan Zehra , Önal Müşerref
Published: July 2021

We report the simultaneous determination of purine molecules with biological significance on pencil graphite electrode (PGE) modified with a composite solution including NiO nanoparticles, multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and natural nano‐Na‐montmorillonite clay (NNaM) using DPV technique. The novel sensor, NiO/MWCNT/NNaM/PGE, achieved simultaneous determination of xanthine, theophylline, and theobromine at the detection limits 0.077 μM, 0.361 μM, and 0.458 μM with the linear working ranges 0.5–150 μM, 5–200 μM, and 5–250 μM in Britton‐Robinson buffer at pH 2.0, respectively. The sensor revealed excellent performance for the simultaneous determination of XT, TP, and TB in three real‐world samples.
Control of Interfacial Potentials and Redox Reactions on Bipolar Electrodes Using Ag/AgCl
Authors: Mutalib Nurul Asyikeen Ab , Deng Yi , Hsueh An‐Ju , Kariya Koki , Kurihara Toshiaki , Suzuki Hiroaki
Published: July 2021

The interfacial potential difference on the surface of bipolar electrodes was controlled by placing Ag/AgCl on part of the electrode. Oxygen reduction on the cathodic pole was coupled with an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) reaction on the anodic pole. In an open bipolar system, the ECL intensity depended on the location of Ag/AgCl and the concentration of Cl− ions. A current flowed through Ag/AgCl and the ratio of currents generated at the anodic and cathodic poles was affected by the position of Ag/AgCl. Further, the effect of Ag/AgCl placement was also demonstrated in a closed bipolar system using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and glucose as analytes. Ag/AgCl was also effective in adjusting the sensitivity to these analytes to achieve the best performance. This method of interfacial potential control is expected to contribute toward the development of reliable sensing devices and applications such as redox cycling, which require precise potential control.
Insights into the Photodegradation of the Contact Allergen Fragrance Cinnamyl Alcohol: Kinetics, Mechanism, and Toxicity
Authors: Wu Junji , Gao Yanpeng , Guo Teng , Luo Na , Li Guiying , An Taicheng
Published: July 2021

Fragrances can cause general health issues, and special concerns exist surrounding the issue of skin safety. Cinnamyl alcohol (CAL) is a frequent fragrance contact allergen that has various toxic effects on indiscriminate animals. In the present study, the photodegradation transformation mechanism of CAL and toxicity evolution during this process were examined. The results showed that CAL (50 μM) can be completely degraded after 90-min ultraviolet (UV) irradiation with a degradation rate of 0.086 min–1. Increased toxicity on bioluminescent bacteria was observed during this process, with lethality increasing from 10.6% (0 min) to 50.2% (90 min) under UV light irradiation. Further, the photodegradation mechanisms of CAL were explored to find the reason behind the increased toxicity observed. Laser flash photolysis and quenching experiments showed that O2•–, 1O2, and •OH were mainly responsible for CAL photodegradation, together with 3CAL* and eaq–. The 5 main photodegradation products were cinnamyl aldehyde, benzaldehyde, benzenepropanal, cinnamic acid, and toluene, as identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–quadrupole-time-of-flight–mass spectrometry. Once exposed to air, CAL was found to be easily oxidized to cinnamyl aldehyde and subsequently to cinnamic acid by O2•–- or 1O2-mediated pathways, leading to increased toxicity. Benzaldehyde exhibited bioreactive toxicity, increasing the toxicity through •OH-mediated pathways. Theoretical prediction of skin irritation indicated that cinnamyl aldehyde (0.83), benzenepropanal (0.69), cinnamyl aldehyde (0.69), and benzaldehyde (0.70) were higher than CAL (0.63), which may cause a profound impact on an individual's health and well-being. Overall, the present study advances the understanding of the photodegradation processes and health impacts of fragrance ingredients. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2705–2714. © 2021 SETAC

Abstract

Photochemical degradation mechanism of Cinnamyl alcohol (CAL) mainly involved O2•– or 1O2*, •OH*, 3CAL*– and eaq– mediated pathways. The five main photodegradation products were cinnamyl aldehyde, benzaldehyde, benzenepropanal, cinnamic acid and toluene. The irritation prediction and preliminary toxicity investigations provided the evidence that more toxic compounds were produced during the photo irradiation procedure.
Rotation‐translation collision model for DSMC with restricted energy exchange
Authors: Macrossan Michael Neal
Published: July 2021

In the standard implementation of Borgnakke–Larsen (BL) rotation and translation energy exchange in DSMC not every rotational mode of each molecule is active in every collision. In some collisions, the rotation mode of one molecule is “frozen” (cannot be changed by the collision); in other collisions the rotation mode of both molecules is frozen. Different relaxation rates are obtained by varying the proportion of frozen‐rotation collisions. In 1974 Larsen and Borgnakke proposed a “restricted exchange” version of BL in which a portion of the energy of each mode is frozen in each collision; the method seemed physically plausible but did not satisfy the detailed balance condition. In 1978 Pullin proposed a general restricted exchange of BL exchange which did satisfy the detailed balance condition; it was more CPU intensive than the original BL scheme. It was seen as “laborius” and “cumbersome” and it seemed to be incompatible with vibration energy‐exchange models. Here a simplified version, a special case, of Pullin's restricted exchange scheme is described. The new method is only 12%–17% more CPU‐intensive than standard BL methods and can be used with the standard DSMC quantum vibration exchange model. It is shown that the elimination of frozen‐rotation collisions changes the high energy distribution of vibration energy in nonequilibrium conditions which may slightly decrease the nonequilibrium dissociation rate when restricted exchange is used with the quantum‐kinetic method for dissociation reactions.
The role of insurance status as a mediator of racial disparities in oropharyngeal cancer outcomes
Authors: Shukla Navika , Ma Yifei , Megwalu Uchechukwu C.
Published: July 2021

Background

To assess the role of insurance status as a mediator of racial disparities in oropharyngeal cancer outcomes.

Methods

This was a population‐based retrospective cohort study. Data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 database. The study cohort included 11 627 patients diagnosed with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 2010 and 2015.

Results

The association between black race and increased risk of unresectable disease was slightly attenuated, but persistent, after including insurance status as a covariate (odds ratio [OR] 1.34, 95%CI 1.10–1.63). Likewise, black race was no longer associated with worse disease‐specific survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.11, 95%CI 0.99–1.26), but remained associated with worse overall survival with a slightly decreased effect size (HR 1.13, 95%CI 1.01–1.25).

Conclusions

Insurance status plays a significant role in, but does not completely account for, the persistent racial disparities in oropharyngeal cancer outcomes.
Postoperative thyroid storm after radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus
Authors: Iwahara Naoya , Abe Takashige , Nagai So , Yoshino Masanao , Saito Hitoshi , Okada Hiromi , Kikuchi Hiroshi , Matsumoto Ryuji , Osawa Takahiro , Shinohara Nobuo
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Thyroid storm is a rare life‐threating condition. We report a case of thyroid storm after radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus.

Case presentation

A 76‐year‐old man with a left renal tumor and tumor thrombus extending into the inferior vena cava underwent left radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy. After the surgery, his postoperative course rapidly deteriorated, including central nervous system disturbance, fever, tachycardia, congestive heart failure, and hepatic manifestation. Thyroid function test revealed perioperative hyperthyroidism. Corticosteroids and inorganic iodide improved his condition, suggesting that he developed thyroid storm after surgery. He was discharged 5 months after surgery and has been free from disease recurrence for more than 2 years.

Conclusion

Thyroid storm after surgery is rare. However, this postoperative complication is important because it is fatal if not diagnosed and treated properly.
Increasing food intake affects digesta retention, digestibility and gut fill but not chewing efficiency in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Authors: Findeisen Eva , Südekum Karl‐Heinz , Fritz Julia , Hummel Jürgen , Clauss Marcus
Published: July 2021

In ruminants, the level of food intake affects net chewing efficiency and hence faecal particle size. For nonruminants, corresponding data are lacking. Here, we report the effect of an increased food intake of a mixed diet in four domestic rabbit does due to lactation, and assess changes in particle size (as determined by wet sieving analysis) along the rabbit digestive tract. During lactation, rabbits achieved a distinctively higher dry matter intake than at maintenance, with a concomitant reduction in mean retention times of solute and particle markers, an increase in dry matter gut fill, a reduction in apparent digestibility of dry matter, and an overall increase in digestible dry matter intake. By contrast, there was no change in faecal mean particle size (mean ± SD: 0.58 ± 0.02 vs. 0.56 ± 0.01 mm). A comparison of diet, stomach content and faecal mean particle size suggested that 98% of particle size reduction occurred due to ingestive mastication and 2% due to digestive processes. Very fine particles passing the finest sieve, putatively not only of dietary but mainly of microbial origin, were particularly concentrated in caecum contents, which corresponds to retention of microbes via a ‘wash‐back' colonic separation mechanism, to concentrate them in caecotrophs that are re‐ingested. This study gives rise to the hypothesis that chewing efficiency on a consistent diet is not impaired by intake level in nonruminant mammals.
Early, nonlethal ploidy and genome size quantification using confocal microscopy in zebrafish embryos
Authors: Small Christopher D. , Davis James P. , Crawford Bryan D. , Benfey Tillmann J.
Published: July 2021

Ploidy transitions through whole genome duplication have shaped evolution by allowing the sub‐ and neo‐functionalization of redundant copies of highly conserved genes to express novel traits. The nuclear:cytoplasmic (n:c) ratio is maintained in polyploid vertebrates resulting in larger cells, but body size is maintained by a concomitant reduction in cell number. Ploidy can be manipulated easily in most teleosts, and the zebrafish, already well established as a model system for biomedical research, is therefore an excellent system in which to study the effects of increased cell size and reduced cell numbers in polyploids on development and physiology. Here we describe a novel technique using confocal microscopy to measure genome size and determine ploidy non‐lethally at 48 h post‐fertilization (hpf) in transgenic zebrafish expressing fluorescent histones. Volumetric analysis of myofiber nuclei using open‐source software can reliably distinguish diploids and triploids from a mixed‐ploidy pool of embryos for subsequent experimentation. We present an example of this by comparing heart rate between confirmed diploid and triploid embryos at 54 hpf.
Post‐COVID syndrome: A single‐center questionnaire study on 1007 participants recovered from COVID‐19
Authors: Kayaaslan Bircan , Eser Fatma , Kalem Ayse K. , Kaya Gamze , Kaplan Betul , Kacar Duygu , Hasanoglu Imran , Coskun Belgin , Guner Rahmet
Published: July 2021

Post recovery manifestations have become another concern in patients who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Numerous reports have shown that COVID‐19 has a variety of long‐term effects on almost all systems including respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, psychiatric, and dermatological systems. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of the post‐COVID syndrome among COVID‐19 survivors and to determine the factors associated with persistent symptoms. This prospective study enrolled in patients with COVID‐19 followed in hospital or outpatient clinics in Ankara City Hospital. We performed a special questionnaire to inquire about the presence of persistent symptoms beyond 12 weeks from the first diagnosis. Demographic data, comorbid diseases, characteristics of acute COVID‐19, presence of persistent symptoms by systems, and knowledge about outpatient clinic visits after recovery were assessed. Of a total of 1007 participants, 39.0% had at least one comorbidity, and 47.5% had persistent symptoms. Fatigue/easy fatigability, myalgia, and loss of weight were the most frequent persistent symptoms (overall 29.3%) followed by respiratory symptoms (25.4%). A total of 235 participants had visited outpatient clinics due to several reasons during the post‐COVID‐19 period, and 17 of them were hospitalized. Severe acute COVID‐19, hospitalization, and presence of comorbidity were independent factors for the development of persistent symptoms. Fully understanding the spectrum of the post‐COVID syndrome is essential for appropriate management of all its long‐term effects. Our study once again underlined the fact that the prevalence of post‐COVID syndrome is higher than expected and concerns many systems, and a multidisciplinary follow‐up should be provided to COVID‐19 survivors in the post recovery period.
Recurrent outburst floods and explosive volcanism during the Younger Dryas–Early Holocene deglaciation in south Iceland: evidence from a lacustrine record
Authors: Geirsdóttir Áslaug , Miller Gifford H. , Harning David J. , Hannesdóttir Hrafnhildur , Thordarson Thor , Jónsdóttir Ingibjörg
Published: July 2021

Lake sediment records give valuable insight into the dynamic events that characterized the last deglaciation in Iceland. Here, we focus on the well‐dated sediment record from Hestvatn, a low‐elevation lake in south Iceland, that features six graded bedding events deposited by outburst floods from glacial lakes dammed by the decaying Iceland Ice Sheet (IIS) in the time period of the Vedde Ash and the G10ka Series tephra. Using climate proxies preserved in the sediment cores, in conjunction with regional glacial geomorphology, we reconstruct the retreat of the IIS in south Iceland, from a marine‐based glacier during the Younger Dryas to a land‐based glacier during the Preboreal. As the ice sheet margin withdrew to the central highlands, ice‐dammed lakes formed along glacier margins. The ice‐dams were occasionally breached, generating large‐scale jökulhlaups (catastrophic outburst floods) that deposited thick turbidite sequences preserved in the sediment record of Hestvatn. The high concentration of volcanic material incorporated within deglacial sediments indicates that along with IIS retreat, subglacial volcanic activity may have helped initiate some of the jökulhlaups. Onset of more stable Holocene conditions was reached after the final turbidite at ~10 ka bp, when the IIS had withdrawn from most of the highlands of Iceland.
Cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated protein 4 in gastric cancer: Prognosis and association with PD‐L1 expression
Authors: Pereira Marina Alessandra , de Castria Tiago Biachi , Ramos Marcus Fernando Kodama Pertille , Dias André Roncon , Cardili Leonardo , de Moraes Rafael Dyer Rodrigues , Zilberstein Bruno , Nahas Sergio Carlos , Ribeiro Ulysses , de Mello Evandro Sobroza
Published: July 2021

Background

Cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated protein 4 (CTLA‐4) is one of the most studied immune checkpoint in gastric cancer (GC). However, the prognostic role of CTLA‐4 expression in GC is poorly described. This study aimed to evaluate CTLA‐4 expression in GC and its impact on survival, including patients treated with standard platinum‐based chemotherapy (CMT), and association with PD‐L1 expression.

Methods

All GC patients who underwent D2‐gastrectomy were investigated retrospectively. Tumor samples were examined for CTLA‐4 and PD‐L1 by immunohistochemistry. Tumor‐infiltrating inflammatory cells, including CD4 + and CD8 + , were also examined.

Results

Among the 284 GC patients included, 159 (56%) were CTLA‐4 positive and the remaining 125 (44%) were classified as negative. CTLA‐4 positive GC was associated with increased inflammatory cell infiltration (p < 0.001), high CD8 + T cells (p = 0.016) and PD‐L1 expression (p = 0.026). Considering GC referred for treatment, CTLA‐4 negative patients who received CMT had a significant improvement in disease‐free survival compared to untreated CLTA‐4 negative (p = 0.028). In multivariate analysis, GC positive for both CTLA‐4 and PD‐L1 had a prognostic impact on survival.

Conclusion

CTLA‐4 positive was associated with PD‐L1 expression and a high tumor‐infiltrating CD8 + T cells. Accordingly, positivity for both CTLA‐4 and PD‐L1 was an independent factor associated to better survival in GC patients.
Socioeconomic factors in timing of esophagectomy and association with outcomes
Authors: Chen Kevin A. , Strassle Paula D. , Meyers Michael O.
Published: July 2021

Background and Objectives

Disparities in esophageal cancer are well‐established. The standard treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer is chemoradiation followed by surgery. We sought to evaluate the association between socioeconomic factors, time to surgery, and patient outcomes.

Methods

All patients ≥18 years old diagnosed with T2/3/4 or node‐positive esophageal cancer between 2004 and 2016 and who underwent chemoradiation and esophagectomy in the National Cancer Database were included. Multivariable regression was used to assess the association between socioeconomic variables and time to surgery (grouped into <56, 56–84, and 85–112 days).

Results

A total of 12 157 patients were included. Five‐year overall survival was 39%, 35%, and 35% for the three groups examined. Postoperative 30‐ and 90‐day mortality was increased in both the 56–84 days to surgery group (odds ratio [OR]: 1.30 and 1.20, respectively) and the 85–112 days group (OR: 1.37 and 1.56, respectively) when compared to <56 days. Patients of a minority race, public insurance, or lower income were more likely to have a longer time to surgery.

Conclusion

Longer time to surgery is associated with increased postoperative mortality and is more common in patients with lower socioeconomic status. Further research exploring reasons for delays to esophagectomy among disadvantaged patients could help target interventions to reduce disparities.
The sharing economy at the base of the economic pyramid: How access‐based services can help overcome ownership risks
Authors: Schaefers Tobias , Narayanamurthy Gopalakrishnan , Moser Roger , Leban Marina
Published: July 2021

The sharing economy provides short‐term access to products without the risks associated with ownership. While extant research primarily examined it in the context of affluent consumer segments, the sharing economy may offer opportunities for consumers at the base of the economic pyramid, where ownership risks prevent access to products that could create societal benefits. Drawing from risk perception theory, we examine how access‐based services, as an alternative to ownership, can mitigate perceived risk dimensions. An experimental study reveals that, in contrast to consumers with higher income, low‐income consumers perceive access‐based services to entail less financial risk, resulting in a greater inclination to access a good than to own it. In a second study, we explore these differences by comparing access with a risk mitigation strategy. We find that at the base of the pyramid, access is perceived to entail less financial risk than both ownership and ownership with a warranty. The results indicate the importance of the sharing economy for addressing the limited availability of resources for alleviating poverty. Based on our findings, we derive implications for consumers and service providers at the base of the pyramid, and discuss how the COVID‐19 pandemic may be detrimental to the identified opportunities.
Tunable Photoluminescence Properties of Microcrystalline Cellulose with Gradually Changing Crystallinity and Crystal Form
Authors: Jiang Jiantang , Lu Shijia , Liu Man , Li Chuchu , Zhang Yuanchao , Yu Tian Bo , Yang Lei , Shen Yifeng , Zhou Qing
Published: July 2021

Nonconventional luminogens with persistent room temperature phosphoresce (p‐RTP) are attracting increasing attention owing to their momentous significance and diverse technical applications in optoelectronic and biomedical. So far, the p‐RTP emission of some amorphous powders or single crystals has been studied in depth. The p‐RTP emission of amorphous and fully crystalline states and their emission properties are widely divergent, while the difference of their p‐RTP emission mechanism is still controversial. The relevance between crystallinity change and p‐RTP properties is rarely studied. Furthermore, there is almost no research on the photoluminescence (PL) property change and emission mechanism under the crystal form transformation of semi‐crystalline polymer. Herein, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is chosen as a model compound to explore its crystallinity and the change in luminescence during the crystal form transformation to make up for this gap. By precisely adjusting the crystallinity and crystal cellulose conversion of MCC, the changing trend of quantum efficiency, and p‐RTP lifetime is consistent with the change of crystallinity, and the cellulose I may be more beneficial to PL emission than cellulose II. Clustering‐triggered emission mechanism can reasonably explain these interesting photophysical processes, which also can be supported by single‐crystal analysis and theoretical calculations.
Cationic Diazapentacenium Polymers Made in a Sequence of CN Cross Coupling Polymerization and Acid‐Mediated Postpolymerization Cyclization
Authors: Wetterling Dario , Forster Michael , B. Rodrigues Ana Clara , Seixas de Melo J. Sérgio , Scherf Ullrich
Published: July 2021

Polycationic stepladder polymers containing 5,12‐diazapentacenium bistriflate repeat units are made in a two‐step sequence of a carbon‐nitrogen cross coupling polymerization and subsequent postpolymerization cyclization. The deeply colored products show a rather weak conjugative interaction between the dicationic diazapentacenium repeat units along the polymer chains.
Development of a neonate X‐ray phantom for 2D imaging applications using single‐tone inkjet printing
Authors: Cruz‐Bastida Juan P. , Marshall Emily L. , Reiser Nikolaj , George Jonathan , Pearson Erik A. , Feinstein Kate A. , Al‐Hallaq Hania A. , Burton Christiane S. , Beaulieu Danielle , MacDougall Robert D. , Reiser Ingrid
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Inkjet printers can be used to fabricate anthropomorphic phantoms by the use of iodine‐doped ink. However, challenges persist in implementing this technique. The calibration from grayscale to ink density is complex and time‐consuming. The purpose of this work is to develop a printing methodology that requires a simpler calibration and is less dependent on printer characteristics to produce the desired range of x‐ray attenuation values.

Methods

Conventional grayscale printing was substituted by single‐tone printing; that is, the superposition of pure black layers of iodinated ink. Printing was performed with a consumer‐grade inkjet printer using ink made of potassium‐iodide (KI) dissolved in water at 1 g/ml. A calibration for the attenuation of ink was measured using a commercial x‐ray system at 70 kVp. A neonate radiograph obtained at 70 kVp served as an anatomical model. The attenuation map of the neonate radiograph was processed into a series of single‐tone images. Single‐tone images were printed, stacked, and imaged at 70 kVp. The phantom was evaluated by comparing attenuation values between the printed phantom and the original radiograph; attenuation maps were compared using the structural similarity index measure (SSIM), while attenuation histograms were compared using the Kullback–Leibler (KL) divergence. A region of interest (ROI)‐based analysis was also performed, where the attenuation distribution within given ROIs was compared between phantom and patient. The phantom sharpness was evaluated in terms of modulation transfer function (MTF) estimates and signal spread profiles of high spatial resolution features in the image.

Results

The printed phantom required 36 pages. The printing queue was automated and it took about 2 h to print the phantom. The radiograph of the printed phantom demonstrated a close resemblance to the original neonate radiograph. The SSIM of the phantom with respect to that of the patient was 0.53. Both patient and phantom attenuation histograms followed similar distributions, and the KL divergence between such histograms was 0.20. The ROI‐based analysis showed that the largest deviations from patient attenuation values were observed at the higher and lower ends of the attenuation range. The limiting resolution of the proposed methodology was about 1 mm.

Conclusion

A methodology to generate a neonate phantom for 2D imaging applications, using single‐tone printing, was developed. This method only requires a single‐value calibration and required less than 2 h to print a complete phantom.
The effects of an initial depolarization pulse on dissolved phase hyperpolarized 129Xe brain MRI
Authors: Shepelytskyi Yurii , Grynko Vira , Li Tao , Hassan Ayman , Granberg Karl , Albert Mitchell S.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of an initial 90° depolarization RF pulse on the dissolved‐phase hyperpolarized (HP) xenon‐129 (129Xe) brain imaging and to compare the SNR variability of HP 129Xe images acquired without an initial depolarization RF pulse to those following the initial depolarization pulse.

Methods

Five cognitive normal healthy volunteers were imaged using a Philips Achieva 3.0T MRI scanner during a single breath‐hold following inhalation of 1 L of HP 129Xe. Each participant underwent six HP 129Xe scans. Three scans were performed using conventional single‐slice projection HP 129Xe brain imaging, and the other three scans were performed using the HP 129Xe time‐of‐flight imaging with an initial rectangular depolarization pulse.

Results

Although the utilization of an initial depolarization results in the reduction of the mean image SNR, the presence of an initial depolarization RF pulse reduces the SNR variability of the HP 129Xe brain image by a factor of 2.26. The highest SNR variability was observed from the posterior brain region, where the anterior region possessed the lower level of signal variability.

Conclusion

An initial 90° depolarization RF pulse, applied prior to the HP 129Xe image acquisition, reduced the HP 129Xe signal variability more than two times between the different breath‐hold images.
When breaking the rule becomes necessary: The impact of leader–member exchange quality on nurses pro‐social rule‐breaking
Authors: Irshad Muhammad , Bartels Jos , Majeed Mehwish , Bashir Sajid
Published: July 2021

Aim

Despite the literature on nursing leadership, the research on the quality of exchange relationship between nursing leaders and nurses is in its initial stages. Also, the underlying mechanism that exists between leader–member exchange and employee outcomes warrants further inquiry. This study aimed to fill these gaps by investigating the role of leader–member exchange relationships and organizational identification in nurses' intentional violation of hospital regulations to promote their patients' welfare, also called pro‐social rule‐breaking. In contrast to a vast number of previous studies, we argue that pro‐social rule‐breaking can be positive for organizations. Therefore, nurses should be given margin and autonomy to break hospital rules when needed by establishing a high‐quality exchange relationship with the supervisor.

Design

A quantitative study was conducted on nurses working in hospitals in Pakistan by utilizing a non‐probability convenience sampling technique.

Method

Data from nurses and their colleagues (n = 224) were collected at three‐time points between June 2019 and August 2019 through questionnaires.

Results

The results proved that nurses' possessing a high‐quality exchange relationship with their supervisor feels a higher level of identification with their organization. In turn, they are more likely to engage in pro‐social rule‐breaking as a form of constructive deviance.
Depressive symptoms among cancer patients: Variation by gender, cancer type, and social engagement
Authors: Park Gum‐Ryeong , Kim Jinho
Published: July 2021

Prior literature has documented an association between cancer and depressive symptoms. There has been a limited understanding about whether the association between cancer and depressive symptoms varies by gender and whether social engagement moderates this association. Using seven waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N = 10,055), we examine the association between cancer and depressive symptoms among middle‐ and older‐aged adults in Korea. We conduct fixed‐effects regression models to account for unobserved characteristics of individuals that may confound this association. We first investigate whether the association between cancer and depressive symptom differs by gender. We distinguish among cancer types to assess potentially distinctive mental health consequences of different types of cancer. Then, we explore whether social engagement moderates the cancer‐depressive symptoms association. Naive OLS models yielded significant associations between cancer and depressive symptoms for both men and women. However, our preferred fixed effects estimates revealed that the association was statistically significant only for men, and not for women. This association was especially pronounced for lung cancer. We also found that one's level of social engagement including informal connections and formal social activities moderates the link between cancer and depressive symptoms. Cancer is not only a leading cause of death, but also a serious threat to one's mental health. This study sheds light on gender differences in psychological reactions to cancer among Korean adults. Findings of this study hold important implications for programs aiming to improve the mental health and quality of life of cancer patients.
Biocompatibility, drug release, and anti‐tumor effect of pH‐sensitive micelles prepared from poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline)‐poly(DL‐lactide) block copolymers
Authors: Wang Yuandou , Zhang Baogang , Shen Xin , Li Qian , Su Feng , Li Suming
Published: July 2021

Various ratios PEOz‐PDLLA diblock copolymers were synthesized through ring‐opening polymerization of DL‐lactide initiated by monohydroxyl terminated poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEOz‐OH). The chemical composition and molar mass of the resulting copolymers were determined by using NMR and GPC. Spherical micelles with a diameter from 104 to 136 nm were obtained via self‐assembly of PEOz‐PDLLA in water, as evidenced by TEM and DLS. The CMC of copolymers was well below 0.01 mg/mL, and showed a decreasing trend with increase of PDLLA block length. A two‐step procedure was applied to encapsulate curcumin taken as a hydrophobic model drug. Copolymers with longer PDLLA block exhibit enhanced drug loading capacity. In vitro drug release was carried out in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at physiological and slightly acidic pH values. A pH‐sensitive biphasic drug release behavior was detected with an initial burst release followed by slower prolonged release. Lower pH or shorter PDLLA block length leads to higher drug release rate because of faster degradation of micelles. Hemo‐ and cytocompatibility studies illustrated the excellent biocompatibility of PEOz‐PDLLA micelles. MTT assay showed a significant cytotoxicity of curcumin‐loaded micelles against A549 lung cancer cells. Therefore, it can be inferred that PEOz‐PDLLA block copolymers with outstanding biocompatibility, controllable drug loading performance, and prolonged drug release present a good potential as nano‐carrier of hydrophobic drugs.
Registration of ‘Ho 11‐573’ sugarcane
Authors: Todd James , Hale Anna , Pan Yong‐Bao , Tew Thomas L. , Dufrene Edwis O. , Duet Michael , Verdun David , Landry Cory , Grisham Michael P. , Kimbeng Collins , Gravois Kenneth A. , Bischoff Keith P. , Pontif Michael , Jackson Windell , Waguespack Herman , Davidson Wayne , Scott Andrew W. , Hernandez Eduardo , Klostermann Matt , Nuessly Gregg S. , White William , Richard Randy
Published: July 2021

‘Ho 11‐573’ (Reg. no. CV‐201, PI 698597) sugarcane (an interspecific hybrid of Saccharum officinarum L., S. barberi Jeswiet, S. spontaneum L., and S. sinense Roxb. amend. Jeswiet) was selected and evaluated by scientists at the USDA‐ARS, working cooperatively with the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, the American Sugar Cane League of the U.S.A., Inc., and Rio Farms, Inc. It was released primarily for the Texas sugarcane industry. In field evaluations combined across crops and in ratoons, Ho 11‐573 had yields equivalent to CP 89‐2143 and CP 72‐1210, the most widely grown Texas commercial cultivars. Cane yield (Mg/ha) of Ho 11‐573 from plant‐cane crop evaluations at five locations was significantly higher than CP 89‐2143 or CP 72‐1210. Ho 11‐573 is moderately susceptible to smut and brown rust. It is resistant to leaf scald but is susceptible to ratoon stunt. Sugarcane mosaic and orange rust have not been observed on Ho 11‐573.
Early infestations by arthropod pests induce unique changes in plant compositional traits and leaf reflectance
Authors: Nansen Christian , Murdock Machiko , Purington Rachel , Marshall Stuart
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND

With steadily growing interest in the use of remote‐sensing technologies to detect and diagnose pest infestations in crops, it is important to investigate and characterize possible associations between crop leaf reflectance and unique pest‐induced changes in plant compositional traits. Accordingly, we compiled plant compositional traits from chrysanthemum and gerbera plants in four treatments: non‐infested, or infested with mites, thrips or whiteflies, and we acquired hyperspectral leaf reflectance data from the same plants over time (0–14 days).

RESULTS

Plant compositional traits changed significantly in response to arthropod infestations, and individual chrysanthemum and gerbera plants were classified with 78% and 80% accuracy, respectively. Based on leaf reflectance, individual plants from the four treatments were classified with moderate accuracy levels of 76% (gerbera) and 73% (chrysanthemum) but with a clear distinction between non‐infested and infested plants. Accurate and consistent diagnosis of biotic stressors was not achieved.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first study in which infestations by multiple economically important arthropod pests are directly compared and associated with leaf reflectance responses and changes in plant compositional traits. It is important to highlight that imposed stress levels were low, period of infestation was short, and hyperspectral remote‐sensing data were acquired at four time points with analyses based on large data sets (3826 leaf reflectance profiles for chrysanthemum and 4041 for gerbera). This study provides novel insight into crop responses to different biotic stressors and into possible associations between plant compositional traits and hyperspectral leaf reflectance data acquired from crop leaves.
Sustainable natural bioresources in crop protection: antimicrobial hydroxycoumarins induce membrane depolarization‐associated changes in the transcriptome of Ralstonia solanacearum
Authors: Yang Liang , Guan Dailu , Valls Marc , Ding Wei
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND

Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the most devastating pathogens affecting crop production worldwide. The hydroxycoumarins (umbelliferone, esculetin and daphnetin) represent sustainable natural bioresources on controlling plant bacterial wilt. However, the antibacterial mechanism of hydroxycoumarins against plant pathogens still remains poorly understood.

RESULTS

Here we characterized the effect of three hydroxycoumarins on the transcriptome of R. solanacearum. All three hydroxycoumarins were able to kill R. solanacearum, but their antibacterial activity impacted differently the bacterial transcriptome, indicating that their modes of action might be different. Treatment of R. solanacearum cultures with hydroxycoumarins resulted in a large number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), involved in basic cellular functions and metabolic process, such as down‐regulation of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis, lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis, RNA modification, ribosomal submits, oxidative phosphorylation and electrontransport, as well as up‐regulation of genes involved in transcriptional regulators, drug efflux, and oxidative stress responses. Future studies based on in vitro experiments are proposed to investigate lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis pathway leading to R. solanacearum cell death caused by hydroxycoumarins. Deletion of lpxB substantially inhibited the growth of R. solanacearum, and reduced virulence of pathogen on tobacco plants.

CONCULSION

Our transcriptomic analyses show that specific hydroxycoumarins suppressed gene expression involved in fatty acid synthesis, RNA modification, ribosomal submits, oxidative phosphorylation and electrontransport. These findings provide evidence that hydroxycoumarins inhibit R. solanacearum growth through multi‐target effect. Hydroxycoumarins could serve as sustainable natural bioresources against plant bacterial wilt through membrane destruction targeting the lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis pathway.
Patterned III‐Nitrides on Porous GaN: Extending Elastic Relaxation from the Nano‐ to the Micrometer Scale
Authors: Keller Stacia , Pasayat Shubhra S. , Gupta Chirag , DenBaars Steven P. , Nakamura Shuji , Mishra Umesh K.
Published: July 2021

Investigations of the use of patterned porous GaN underlayers to achieve elastic relaxation of lattice‐mismatched top layers such as InGaN and AlGaN are reviewed. Thereby, the degree of relaxation of the top layers increases with the porosity and associated decrease in mechanical hardness of the porous GaN underlayers as well as with decreasing pattern size and increase in thickness of the lattice‐mismatched top layers, following the trends observed for nanostructures. Micrometer‐sized, high‐fill‐factor GaN‐on‐porous‐GaN tile arrays are used as universal substrate for the deposition of InGaN and AlGaN. Due to the elastic nature of the relaxation process, the threading dislocation density in the epitaxial material grown on top of the GaN‐on‐porous‐GaN tiles is equivalent to that in the GaN base material. InGaN and AlGaN layers grown on top of relaxed or partially relaxed InGaN or AlGaN underlayers by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition display a higher indium or aluminum content compared to their counterparts deposited on coloaded planar GaN reference wafers due to the decreased lattice mismatch. First applications of the patterned porous GaN‐based technology for optoelectronic and electronic devices are presented and serve as a pathway toward future implementations.
Contribution of traditional Chinese medicine combined with conventional western medicine treatment for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19), current evidence with systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Jiang Fei , Xu Nana , Zhou Yanxi , Song Jinxing , Liu Jinjuan , Zhu Hong , Jiang Jihong , Xu Yonghong , Li Rongpeng
Published: July 2021

This study provides current evidence for efficacy and safety of treating COVID‐19 with combined traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and conventional western medicine (CWM). Six databases were searched from January 1 to December 31, 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), case–control studies (CCTs), and cohort studies on TCM or TCM combined with CWM treatment for COVID‐19 were included. The quality of included RCTs was assessed by Cochrane risk of bias tool, and the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of cohort studies and CCTs. Review Manager 5.4 software was used to perform meta‐analysis. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. A total of 35 studies (3,808 patients) composing 19 RCTs and 16 observational studies were included. The results of meta‐analysis revealed that comparing with CWM alone, integrated TCM and CWM had significant improvement in total effective rate, improvement rate of chest CT, the rate of disease progression, as well as improvement of fever, fatigue and cough. The overall quality of evidence was very low to moderate. In conclusion, TCM combined with CWM was a potential treatment option for increasing clinical effective rate, improving the clinical symptoms, and preventing disease progression in COVID‐19 patients. High‐quality clinical trials are required in the further.
Impact of Potential‐Induced Degradation on Different Architecture‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Purohit Zeel , Song Wenya , Carolus Jorne , Chaliyawala Harsh , Lammar Stijn , Merckx Tamara , Aernouts Tom , Tripathi Brijesh , Daenen Michaël
Published: July 2021

Organic–inorganic perovskites photovoltaic materials are considered as one of the promising candidates for the emerging photovoltaic (PV) sector. It has drawn tremendous attention from fundamental research and PV industries, due to its high efficiency, chemical properties, and low fabrication cost. But, its lifetime under real field operation is always the major obstacle toward commercialization. Potential‐induced degradation (PID) is known as the common reliable threat in the established commercial PV technologies which lead to catastrophic failure within a short time. Thus, it is essential to enable reliability assessment of PID on the precommercial development stage of perovskite photovoltaics to further enrich the confidence by identifying, eliminating, and developing an understanding of the possible degradation mechanism in the field condition. In this article, different architecture‐based perovskite solar cells are studied to reveal the degradation mechanism under PID for the first time. The results show that PSCs of n–i–p with a phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) layer have good stability under PID compared with other treated structures with only 4% degradation after 18 h.
Fine‐Tuning Aggregation of Nonfullerene Acceptor Enables High‐Efficiency Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Xie Yuanpeng , Ye Linglong , Cai Yunhao , Zhang Xue , Xu Jinqiu , Wang Tao , Liu Feng , Sun Yanming
Published: July 2021

Molecular aggregations of electron donor and electron acceptor are significantly important for light absorption, exciton separation, and charge transport, which determine the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, hot solution (HS) casting and thermal annealing (TA)‐dependent aggregation behaviors of a new nonfullerene acceptor (NFA), C10‐IT4F, are systematically investigated. Upon the TA treatment, the crystallization of C10‐IT4F is largely enhanced, and the active layer forms polyhedron crystals in 100 nm scale. This excessive aggregation prevents the exciton diffusion to DA interfaces and increases charge recombination, leads to a moderate PCE of 11%. In contrast, the HS treatment significantly improves the J‐aggregation of C10‐IT4F, and thus produces a new absorption feature in the near‐infrared region. As a result, OSCs processed by the HS method yield a high PCE of 14.2%. The results highlight the effect of processing methods on the molecular aggregation of NFAs and photovoltaic performance of OSCs.