bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental evaluation of predator exclosures on nest, chick, and adult survival of piping plovers
Authors: Anteau Michael J. , Swift Rose J. , Sherfy Mark H. , Koons David N. , Ellis Kristen S. , Shaffer Terry L. , Toy Dustin L. , Ring Megan M.
Published: December 2021

Species of conservation concern often receive intensive management to improve vital rates and facilitate recovery. Piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) are federally listed in the United States and concerns over nest depredation have prompted widespread use of plover‐permeable predator exclosures placed around nests (0.5–2‐m radius). While effectiveness of exclosures for improving nest survival has been demonstrated, concerns remain about decreased chick survival (through predator cueing or density‐dependent processes) or increased vulnerability of adults to predation (ambush as adult leaves exclosure). Either one of these concerns could demographically outweigh the benefits of increased nest survival. During 2014–2016, we conducted an experiment designed to evaluate survival of uniquely identified nests (n = 418), chicks (n = 453), and adults (n = 367) at wetlands across the Northern Great Plains, USA. We assigned wetlands (n2014 = 26,n2015 = 28,n2016 = 25) into 2 groups: wetlands in which half of the nests received exclosures and wetlands in which none of the nests received exclosures. Exclosed nests had greater cumulative survival (0.73 [85% CI = 0.70–0.77]) than unexclosed nests at treatment wetlands (0.58 [0.54–0.62]) or unexclosed nests at control wetlands (0.52 [0.49–0.56]). Survival to fledging was highest for chicks hatched from exclosed nests (0.51 [0.47–0.56]), and similar between chicks hatched from unexclosed nests at treatment (0.34 [0.30–0.39]) and control (0.37 [0.32–0.42]) wetlands. Cumulative survival of adults during incubation varied by exclosure status, but adults associated with exclosed nests (0.90 [0.88–0.93]) and unexclosed nests at treatment wetlands (0.89 [0.86–0.92]) had greater survival than those associated with unexclosed nests at control wetlands (0.75 [0.64–0.84]). Adult annual survival rates varied by year (0.79–0.95) but not by exclosure status. The positive influence of exclosures on nest survival was not offset by a reduction in chick or adult survival, indicating that exclosures are a viable tool for piping plover conservation.
Understanding Yurok traditional ecological knowledge and wildlife management
Authors: Ramos Seafha C.
Published: December 2021

Indigenous communities have often been marginalized in the sciences through research approaches that are not inclusive of their cultures and histories. The term traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has entered the discourse in wildlife management and conservation; however, there can be challenges in cross‐cultural communication and conceptualizations of TEK when working between Western and Indigenous paradigms. Indigenous research methodologies (IRM) is an area of scholarship intended to build ethically and culturally appropriate ways to conduct research with Indigenous communities. I implemented 7 tenets of IRM in research to explore the conceptualization of TEK and wildlife management with the Yurok Tribe of California, USA. After conducting semi‐structured interviews with 20 Yurok community members from 2011 to 2013, I conducted emergent analysis and present 5 themes from the interviews related to phases of time, the conceptualization of Yurok TEK, and views on wildlife management through the Yurok cultural lens. This research may be helpful to wildlife biologists, students, academics, and others who are interested in IRM and culturally sensitive wildlife research with Indigenous communities. By bridging concepts from Indigenous studies, wildlife management, and human dimensions of wildlife, this work may serve as a nascent trajectory that creates more inclusive space for Indigenous peoples and worldviews in The Wildlife Society and other scientific disciplines.
Age, landscape, and arrival date explain ranging behavior of wintering red kites in southwest Europe
Authors: Panter Connor T. , Literák Ivan , Raab Rainer , Tolhurst Bryony A. , White Rachel L.
Published: December 2021

Understanding intrinsic and extrinsic influences of movement behavior in migratory species, with the potential to recommend management actions for species of conservation concern, requires data from across the species' range. For some raptor species, such as the red kite (Milvus milvus; kite), existing data focus on breeding populations or movements en route to wintering areas without considering movements within the wintering areas. Here, we contribute to filling this knowledge gap by investigating landscape‐level associations of kites in their southwestern European winter ranges between 2015 and 2020. We also explore aspects of the migration process in terms of geographical patterns in the location of over‐wintering grounds, including time spent and distances traveled within them. We predicted that space use in over‐wintering areas would be linked to the proportional amount of open, lowland, or urban land cover they contain at the landscape level. Specifically, we tested whether winter range sizes (95% kernel density estimator [KDE] home ranges and 50% KDE core areas) would be smaller in areas with greater proportional open and urban land cover within kite ranges. Controlling for the effects of age and sex, we compared results in 3 over‐wintering regions: the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, and the Pyrenean region of southern France. We tracked 36 kites by global positioning system‐global system for mobile communications (GPS‐GSM) telemetry over 70 individual winters between 2015 and 2020. Kites wintering in the Pyrenees had larger home ranges and core areas but moved less than those wintering in Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. As predicted, ranges were smaller in areas with greater proportional open and lowland land cover; however, there was no effect of urban areas. Older kites that arrived late to the wintering areas had larger home ranges than those that arrived early or on time. During the study 20 kites died or the transmitter malfunctioned. Six of 13 confirmed deaths were due to anthropogenic activity; 5 kites were poisoned. Our results confirm that land use and elevation are key influences of kite space use in southwestern European over‐wintering populations, but additional demographic intrinsic factors also affect ranging parameters. These data indicate that over‐winter conservation action for kites, for example supplementary feeding with livestock carrion, should focus on open lowland landscapes throughout the species' winter range.
Corporate governance hierarchies and the performance of commercial banks in Cameroon
Authors: Elle Serge Messomo
Published: December 2021

This study set out to determine how corporate governance hierarchies influence the performance of commercial banks in Cameroon. To attain this core objective, a questionnaire was administered to shareholders, members of boards of directors, top management, and nonexecutive employees of nine commercial banks operating in Cameroon. The data mobilized were analyzed using percentages, ordinary least square (OLS) regressions, and robust standard error tests. The findings reveal that the hierarchical effectiveness of internal auditing, executive compensation, and the ratings of institutions and financial markets significantly increase the performance of commercial banks in Cameroon. This was not the case with boards of directors and regulations.
De novo 22q11.2 deletions and auricular findings in two Chinese patients with microtia
Authors: Si Nuo , Zhang Zeya , Huang Xin , Wang Chanchen , Guo Peipei , Pan Bo , Jiang Haiyue
Published: December 2021

Background

Congenital microtia is a common craniofacial malformation resulting from both environmental and genetic factors. Recurrent chromosomal imbalances were observed in patients with microtia. The 22q11.2 deletion is one of the most common microdeletions in human beings. The cell division cycle 45 gene (CDC45) embedded in the proximal 22q11.2 deleted region is involved in craniofacial development. However, only a few studies have focused on the 22q11.2 deletion as genetic etiology in microtia patients and studied its associated external ear deformity characteristics in detail.

Methods

In this research, a total of 65 patients from north China with sporadic microtia were studied. Copy number variations of CDC45 were screened using AccuCopy assay. The 22q11.2 deletion harboring CDC45 was identified by whole‐genome sequencing and targeted next‐generation sequencing. A parental test was carried out to determine the origin of the deletion.

Results

CDC45 copy number loss was identified in two patients with microtia. A set of qPCR assays demonstrated two patients carried a typical proximal 22q11.2 deletion between the low‐copy repeats on chromosome 22q11.2 (LCR22A and LCR22D), encompassing CDC45. The 22q11.2 deletions were de novo in each patient. In‐depth auricular phenotype assessment showed these two patients have a distinct concha‐type ear malformation while other microtia patients have lobule‐type microtia among the 65 microtia patient cohort in this study.

Conclusion

Here we present two additional Chinese microtia patients with de novo 22q11.2 proximal deletion harboring CDC45 and further report these patients’ distinct ear malformation.
Network‐Based Approaches for Drug Repositioning
Authors: Song Tao , Wang Gan , Ding Mao , Rodriguez‐Paton Alfonso , Wang Xun , Wang Shudong
Published: December 2021

With deep learning creeping up into the ranks of big data, new models based on deep learning and massive data have made great leaps forward rapidly in the field of drug repositioning. However, there is no relevant review to summarize the transformations and development process of models and their data in the field of drug repositioning. Among all the computational methods, network‐based methods play an extraordinary role. In view of these circumstances, understanding and comparing existing network‐based computational methods applied in drug repositioning will help us recognize the cutting‐edge technologies and offer valuable information for relevant researchers. Therefore, in this review, we present an interpretation of the series of important network‐based methods applied in drug repositioning, together with their comparisons and development process.
Semiparametric spatio‐temporal models with unknown and banded autoregressive coefficient matrices
Authors: Wang Hongxia , Luo Xuehong , Ling Long
Published: December 2021

We consider a new class of semiparametric spatio‐temporal models with unknown and banded autoregressive coefficient matrices. The setting represents a type of sparse structure in order to include as many panels as possible. We apply the local linear method and least squares method for Yule–Walker equation to estimate trend function and spatio‐temporal autoregressive coefficient matrices respectively. We also balance the over‐determined and under‐determined phenomena in part by adjusting the order of extracting sample information. Both the asymptotic normality and convergence rates of the proposed estimators are established. We demonstrate, using both simulation and case studies, that the proposed estimators are stable among different sample sizes, and more efficient than the traditional method with known spatial weight matrices.
Compact wideband and harmonic suppressed quadrature coupler using susceptance loaded coupled lines
Authors: Liu Hongmei , Guan Mingyao , Zhang Hongxiao , Fang Shaojun , Wang Zhongbao
Published: December 2021

In the paper, a novel type of quadrature coupler with the features of wideband, arbitrary harmonic suppression and small size is proposed, for the first time, by employing susceptance loaded coupled lines. Design equations are derived using the even‐odd mode decomposition analysis. The discussions on arbitrary couplings and harmonic suppressions are also investigated. For demonstration, a prototype with a second harmonic suppression was fabricated and measured. The overall size is 0.19λg × 0.27λg, which is smaller than most of the reported wideband quadrature couplers. Measurement results show that the fractional bandwidth of 40% is obtained under the condition of 15‐dB return loss/isolation, 1‐dB amplitude imbalance, and 90° ± 5° phase difference. The proposed coupler can be a good candidate for wideband applications without using the multi‐cascading and complex miniaturization method.
Fiber strain sensor based on compact in‐line air cavity fabricated by conventional single mode fiber
Authors: Fan Jiaxuan , Li Wenyu , Liu Yuhao , Yang Shuxin , Li Jin
Published: December 2021

A Fabry‐Perot micro‐interferometer has been designed based on the conventional single‐mode fiber end fusion method for measuring strain along the fiber. During the splicing process of single‐mode optical fiber, the uniformly coated glycerine on the end face of the fiber is vaporized due to the high temperature of arc discharge to form a spherical air microcavity (Fabry‐Perot cavity). The experimental results show that the proposed sensor can determine the strain during 0–1.2 N with a linear response and the corresponding sensitivity of ~3.25 nm/N. The Fabry‐Perot micro‐interferometer strain probe proposed in this paper is simple to manufacture, compact in structure and easy to integrate. It has the promising potential in exploring the intelligent wearable devices for real‐time monitoring of micro‐strain changes such as pulse, blood pressure, and respiration.
Fractal‐based dynamic response of a pair of spur gears considering microscopic surface morphology
Authors: Yu Xin , Sun Yunyun , Liu Sheng , Wu Shijing
Published: December 2021

The meshing surfaces of a gear pair are rough from a microscopic perspective and the surface topography will affect the dynamic response. To study the influence of real surface topography on the gear system dynamic performance, this paper establishes a 3‐degree of freedom transverse‐torsional dynamic model with regard to the morphology of the interface. By fractal theory, the expression of backlash between gears is modified based on the height of asperities. The time‐varying stiffness is calculated according to the fractal method rather than assuming a constant, which is more realistic. The dimensionless dynamic differential equations are established and solved with surface topography affected backlash function and time‐varying stiffness. The dynamic response of the gear system with respect to fractal dimension and fractal roughness is analyzed.
A piecewise negative stiffness mechanism and its application in dynamic vibration absorber
Authors: Hao Yan , Shen Yongjun , Wang Junfeng , Yang Shaopu
Published: December 2021

A new type of piecewise negative stiffness (NS) mechanism is designed and the relationship between the force and displacement is studied. At first, the prototype of the piecewise NS mechanism is established, and the stiffness characteristic of this mechanism is analyzed. Then, the piecewise NS mechanism is applied to dynamic vibration absorber (DVA) system to establish a dynamic model with the piecewise linearity. The differential motion equations are derived according to Newton's law of mechanics. The approximate analytical solution and the amplitude frequency curve of the system with the piecewise NS are obtained by means of the averaging method. The correctness of the analytical solution is proved by comparing with the numerical solution. In the end, the comparisons with two other traditional DVAs show that the system in this paper has better vibration reduction effect under the condition of harmonic excitation and random excitation.
Research on current decoupling control of six‐phase permanent magnet linear synchronous motor for electromagnetic launch
Authors: Sun Xingfa , Xu Jin , Zhu Junjie
Published: December 2021

Six‐phase permanent magnet linear synchronous motor (PMLSM) for electromagnetic launch (EML) system presents the characteristics of a high order, nonlinearity, multivariable, strong coupling, and nonperiodic transient operation in the synchronous rotating coordinate system, posing a great challenge to the dynamic response ability of the current loop. Existing research on current decoupling control (CDC) mainly focuses on cross decoupling within a three‐phase system, even though there are neither decoupling methods for multiphase systems nor effective evaluation criteria for the decoupling and dynamic response performances. From this perspective, this paper first presents an equivalent reduced‐order complex‐matrix dynamic mathematical model of six‐phase PMLSM and analyze its transient coupling characteristics during the process of EML. Then, the CDC methods of six‐phase PMLSM based on direct compensation and matrix diagonalization principles are realized, respectively, to accomplish the cross decoupling and back electromotive force decoupling within and between different three‐phase windings. Finally, an all‐round method is proposed, for the first time, to evaluate the decoupling performances and dynamic response performances of different CDC strategies for six‐phase PMLSM. Significant superiority of deviation decoupling regulator in decoupling performance and robustness are verified based on high‐speed EML experimental platform of six‐phase PMLSM.
Machine‐learning‐based interatomic potentials for advanced manufacturing
Authors: Yu Wei , Ji Chaoyue , Wan Xuhao , Zhang Zhaofu , Robertson John , Liu Sheng , Guo Yuzheng
Published: December 2021

This paper summarizes the progress of machine‐learning‐based interatomic potentials and their applications in advanced manufacturing. Interatomic potential is essential for classical molecular dynamics. The advancements made in machine learning (ML) have enabled the development of fast interatomic potential with ab initio accuracy. The accelerated atomic simulation can greatly transform the design principle of manufacturing technology. The most widely used supervised and unsupervised ML methods are summarized and compared. Then, the emerging interatomic models based on ML are discussed: Gaussian approximation potential, spectral neighbor analysis potential, deep potential molecular dynamics, SCHNET, hierarchically interacting particle neural network, and fast learning of atomistic rare events.
Reduced multibody system transfer matrix method using decoupled hinge equations
Authors: Rui Xue , Bestle Dieter
Published: December 2021

In the multibody system transfer matrix method (MSTMM), the transfer matrix of body elements may be directly obtained from kinematic and kinetic equations. However, regarding the transfer matrices of hinge elements, typically information of their outboard body is involved complicating modeling and even resulting in combinatorial problems w.r.t. various types of outboard body's output links. This problem may be resolved by formulating decoupled hinge equations and introducing the Riccati transformation in the new version of MSTMM called the reduced multibody system transfer matrix method in this paper. Systematic procedures for chain, tree, closed‐loop, and arbitrary general systems are defined, respectively, to generate the overall system equations satisfying the boundary conditions of the system during the entire computational process. As a result, accumulation errors are avoided and computational stability is guaranteed even for huge systems with long chains as demonstrated by examples and comparison with commercial software automatic dynamic analysis of the mechanical system.
Risk factors for lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy
Authors: Pinto Marcus V. , Ng Peng‐Soon , Laughlin Ruple S. , Thapa Prabin , Aragon Pinto Catarina , Shelly Shahar , Shouman Kamal , Dyck Peter J. , Dyck P. James B.
Published: December 2021

Introduction/Aims

Recently, our group found an association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy (LRPN) in Olmsted County, Minnesota; we found a higher risk (odds ratio [OR], 7.91) for developing LRPN in diabetic compared with nondiabetic patients. However, the influence of other comorbidities and anthropomorphic variables was not studied.

Methods

Demographic and clinical data from 59 LRPN patients and 177 age/sex‐matched controls were extracted using the Rochester LRPN epidemiological study. Differences between groups were compared by chi‐square/Fisher exact test or Wilcoxon rank‐sum test. Uni‐ and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed.

Results

Factors predictive of LRPN on univariate analysis were DM (OR, 7.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.11‐15.21), dementia (OR, 6.36; 95% CI, 1.13‐35.67), stroke (OR, 3.81; 95% CI, 1.32‐11.01), dyslipidemia (OR, 2.844; 95% CI, 1.53‐5.27), comorbid autoimmune disorders (OR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.07‐6.93), hypertension (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.2‐4.13), obesity (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.11–3.8), body mass index (BMI) (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.04‐1.15), and weight (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.009‐1.037). On multivariate logistic regression analysis only DM (OR, 8.03; 95% CI, 3.86‐16.7), comorbid autoimmune disorders (OR, 4.58; 95% CI, 1.45‐14.7), stroke (OR, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.2‐14.25), and BMI (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01‐1.13) were risk factors for LRPN.

Discussion

DM is the strongest risk factor for the development of LRPN, followed by comorbid autoimmune disorders, stroke, and higher BMI. Altered metabolism and immune dysfunction seem to be the most influential factors in the development of LRPN.
A new optimal static synchronous series compensator‐governorcontrol action for small signal stability enhancement of random renewable penetrated hydro‐dominated power system
Authors: Nahak Narayan , Satapathy Omkar , Sengupta Purba
Published: December 2021

Subject to intermittent nature of renewable sources, small signal stability (SSS) is going to be a challenging task for power system operators. Also as per current deregulated market, stress is imposed on optimal usage of present resources like mechanical governors. In this work a new coordinated optimal damping control action of fractional static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) and governor is proposed to the critical condition of power system for SSS enhancement considering sudden and random variation in solar photovoltaic (SPV) and wind sources with different operating condition of hydro generations and change in reference voltage. Both SSSC and governor coordinate to damp system oscillations to improve stability. A new hybrid differential evolution (DE) with whale optimization algorithm (WOA) is proposed to tune the gains of SSSC and governor in proposed controller. A multi objective function incorporating speed and real power deviation has been taken for optimization problem. It has been observed that varying operating condition of hydro generator along with variations in SPV and wind sources instigate low frequency oscillation and proposed control action has better damping efficacy in comparison to only SSSC and governor. Also, the proposed multi‐objective DE‐WOA control law performs better than only DE and WOA algorithm.
Physical and mechanical properties of epoxy/Kota stone dust/fly ash hybrid composites for light duty structural applications
Authors: Rajput Virendra , Sahu Neelesh Kumar , Agrawal Alok , Gupta Gaurav
Published: December 2021

Kota stone dust (KSD) and fly ash (FA) are the wastes generated from the construction industry and thermal power plant, respectively. In the present work, a novel hybrid composite is developed to utilize KSD and FA as reinforcing phases in the epoxy matrix. The hand lay‐up method is adopted for the fabrication of 12 sets of samples. Four sets are prepared with single filler KSD and eight samples are prepared with a hybrid combination of KSD and FA. The prepared samples are undergone physical and mechanical tests. To understand the compatibility between filler‐matrix and visualize the dispersion of fillers in epoxy, micrographs are taken using the scanning electron microscope. The density and void contents of the material increases with an increase in filler content. The maximum water absorption measured is 0.96% for the combination of epoxy with 40 wt% KSD and 10 wt% FA. From mechanical testing, maximum tensile strength and flexural strength obtained is 34.4 MPa and 65.4 MPa, respectively, for a combination of epoxy with 20 wt% KSD and 5 wt% FA. Compressive strength and hardness increase with either of the content of the filler and reaches 116.28 MPa and 104 Shore D number, respectively, with 40 wt% KSD and 10 wt% FA. From experimentation, it was found that mechanical properties of the hybrid composites are better as compared to that of single filler composites though physical properties are slightly compromised by hybridization of fillers.
Stabilizing and improving elastic bioengineered scaffolds mimicking extracellular matrix for use in wound repair and regeneration
Authors: Warner Harleigh , Wagner William D.
Published: December 2021

Elastic composite scaffolds are used to mimic extracellular matrix in tissue regeneration. They are composed of synthetic elastomers in favor of natural elastin. Many elastomers require thermal polymerization for fiber stabilization. If the scaffold contains protein, additional treatments are required for stabilization. These treatments may modify the structure and function of the scaffold. In the present study a protein‐elastomeric polymer composite of poly (glycerol sebacate), (PGS), silk fibroin, and type I collagen (termed PFC) was used as a model material to investigate a new method to improve stabilization of electrospun fibers. The purpose of this study was to optimize conditions in order to reduce internal flow of an elastomeric prepolymer during fiber fabrication. Co‐electrospun sacrificial poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) was used to provide scaffold fiber stabilization during fiber formation in order to test different protocols to prevent fiber fusion. Using PEO at a 1:1 ratio with PFC followed by glutaraldehyde treatment, removal of PEO and heat treatment to polymerize PGS resulted in the most stable and consistent fiber morphology. Functionally, scaffolds had increased porosity and improved cell infiltration. The study provides an improved procedure for fabrication of composite electrospun scaffolds requiring stabilization by both chemical and thermal methods.
An investigation of maximum experimental safety gap of CH4H2 blended fuel at different initial pressures
Authors: Rui Liu , Pan Jun , Li Ting , Wang Qing Lu , Ma Honghao , Shen Wu Zhao
Published: December 2021

The MESG (maximum experimental safety gap) of CH4H2 mixtures were measured at different initial pressures (40–140 kPa). With an increase in hydrogen fraction, the classification of CH4H2 mixtures was from Group IIA to Group IIC. The mixtures were classified as Group IIB when the hydrogen fraction was between 25% and 77%, followed by Group IIC with continuous increase in the amount of hydrogen. For calculating MESG of CH4H2 blended fuel, the method based on oxygen amount is feasible at any initial pressure. It is different from Le Chatelier's equation, which is used to evaluate the low explosion limits for flammable mixtures but not suitable for calculating MESG. In this study, a formula calculating MESG‐based laminar flame velocity and initial pressure was proposed to obtain the MESG of CH4H2 mixtures more easily.
Pharmacometric modeling and machine learning analyses of prognostic and predictive factors in the JAVELIN Gastric 100 phase III trial of avelumab
Authors: Terranova Nadia , French Jonathan , Dai Haiqing , Wiens Matthew , Khandelwal Akash , Ruiz‐Garcia Ana , Manitz Juliane , von Heydebreck Anja , Ruisi Mary , Chin Kevin , Girard Pascal , Venkatakrishnan Karthik
Published: December 2021

Avelumab (anti–PD‐L1) is an approved anticancer treatment for several indications. The JAVELIN Gastric 100 phase III trial did not meet its primary objective of demonstrating superior overall survival (OS) with avelumab maintenance versus continued chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer/gastroesophageal junction cancer; however, the OS rate was numerically higher with avelumab at timepoints after 12 months. Machine learning (random forests, SIDEScreen, and variable‐importance assessments) was used to build models to identify prognostic/predictive factors associated with long‐term OS and tumor growth dynamics (TGDs). Baseline, re‐baseline, and longitudinal variables were evaluated as covariates in a parametric time‐to‐event model for OS and Gompertzian population model for TGD. The final OS model incorporated a treatment effect on the log‐logistic shape parameter but did not identify a treatment effect on OS or TGD. Variables identified as prognostic for longer OS included older age; higher gamma‐glutamyl transferase (GGT) or albumin; absence of peritoneal carcinomatosis; lower neutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio, lactate dehydrogenase, or C‐reactive protein (CRP); response to induction chemotherapy; and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0. Among baseline and time‐varying covariates, the largest effects were found for GGT and CRP, respectively. Liver metastasis at re‐baseline predicted higher tumor growth. Tumor size after induction chemotherapy was associated with number of metastatic sites and stable disease (vs. response). Asian region did not impact OS or TGD. Overall, an innovative workflow supporting pharmacometric modeling of OS and TGD was established. Consistent with the primary trial analysis, no treatment effect was identified. However, potential prognostic factors were identified.
Rational Control of GeSn Nanowires
Authors: Gong Ruiling , Zheng Lulu , Roca i Cabarrocas Pere , Chen Wanghua
Published: December 2021

Research on Si compatible direct bandgap semiconductors is a hot topic due to the high demand of Si compatible optoelectronics. The group IV compounds, namely GeSn, has been studied extensively in its different forms: thin films, nanowires (NWs), and nanocrystals. Importantly, the attention being paid to GeSn NWs has increased in recent years thanks to two key factors: 1) better crystalline quality due to an easier strain relaxation in NWs; and 2) extraordinary Sn content (up to 30 at.%) associated to a very fast NW growth (>20 nm s−1). Therefore, to effectively control the growth of GeSn NWs is a key issue for a practical application. Herein, various control aspects including the nature of the catalysts, the morphology of the NWs, and their Sn content are presented.
CO oxidation mediated by Al‐doped ZnO nanoclusters: A first‐principles investigation
Authors: Esrafili Mehdi D. , Arjomandi Rad Farzad
Published: December 2021

Using density functional theory the reaction pathways of CO oxidation mediated by Al‐doped Zn12O12 cluster and its assembled wire‐like (Zn12O12)n=2−4 structures were studied. It is revealed that O2 molecule is chemisorbed over the doped clusters while physisorbed over pristine (Zn12O12)n. Moreover, increasing the size of the nanocluster from AlZn11O12 to (AlZn11O12)4 enhances the O2 adsorption energy, although the amount of increase reduces as the cluster size grows. The adsorption energies of O2 over Al‐doped (Zn12O12)n clusters range from −1.83 to −2.14 eV, which are more negative than those of CO molecule (≈−0.80 eV). The Eley–Rideal (ER) and Langmuir–Hinshelwood (LH) pathways are used to investigate the oxidation mechanisms of the CO molecule. The energy barriers for the rate limiting step in the LH mechanism (i.e., OCOO → CO2 + Oads) are around 0.30 eV, which are substantially lower than the energy barriers in the ER process.
Iterative parameter identification algorithms for the generalized time‐varying system with a measurable disturbance vector
Authors: Jiang Anning , Ji Yan , Wan Lijuan
Published: December 2021

This article deals with the parameter identification of the generalized time‐varying systems. The time‐varying parameter vector can be expressed as a coefficient matrix multiplied by a measurable disturbance vector, the common identification methods cannot be used to estimate the parameters of the generalized time‐varying systems directly. This motivates us to develop new iterative identification algorithms. The gradient‐based iterative (GI) algorithm is proposed by means of the iterative technique. Moreover, a moving data window (MDW) is introduced, which can update the dynamical data by removing the oldest data and adding the newest measurement data. The MDW GI algorithm is proposed to improve the parameter estimation accuracy. The numerical simulation is provided and the simulation results show that the proposed identification methods are effective for the generalized time‐varying systems.
Surface Roughening Strategy for Highly Efficient Bifunctional Electrocatalyst: Combination of Atomic Layer Deposition and Anion Exchange Reaction
Authors: Seenivasan Selvaraj , Jung Hyeonjung , Han Jeong Woo , Kim Do‐Heyoung
Published: December 2021

Electrocatalytic water splitting, which is an interface‐dominated process, can be significantly accelerated by increasing the number of front‐line surface active sites (NA) of the electrocatalyst. In this study, a unique method is used for increasing the NA by converting the smooth ultrathin atomic‐layer‐deposited nanoshells of the electrocatalysts into nano‐roughened active shell layers using a controlled anion‐exchange reaction (AER). The coarse thin nanoshells present abundant surface active sites, which are generated owing to the inherent unit‐cell volume mismatch induced during the AER. Consequently, the nano‐roughened electrodes accelerate the sluggish water reaction kinetics and lower the overpotentials required for the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. In addition, the electronic modulation induced by the nanoshell layer at the core–nanoshell interface amplifies the local electron density, as confirmed using electrochemical analysis data and density functional theory calculations. Because of the integrity of the composite electrodes during water‐splitting half‐cell reactions, their durability for industrial seawater electrolysis is evaluated. The results indicate that their electrochemical activity does not change significantly after 10 days of continuous overall water splitting.
Numerical Modeling of the Tuyere Surface Abrasion under Different Operating Conditions of Blast Furnace
Authors: Chen Jian , Wu Dongling , Hu Yichao , Shen Yansong , Wang Geoff
Published: December 2021

The wear of tuyere in blast furnaces is a common problem in iron‐making production. One of the wear types is the abrasion caused by the impact of the coke and coal particles on the tuyere surface, which is also related to the hardness of the tuyere material. In this study, a computational fluid dynamics model is developed by considering pulverized coal injection, coke reaction, tuyere's heat transfer, and temperature affected hardness of the tuyere. With the obtained velocity field and temperature profiles, the heat transfer simulation with the particle abrasion model is applied on the tuyere surface to calculate the abrasive rate. The results indicated that the high temperature and severe abrasion occurred mostly on the tuyere's top surface for all simulated cases. The abrasive rate on the tuyere surface is around 5.2 × 10−6 kg (m2 s)−1, and the peak value reached 9.87 × 10−6 kg (m2 s)−1 under the operation condition of 0.26 oxygen concentration. The high‐temperature area on the tuyere surface is a key factor that affects the abrasive rate. The statistical analysis showed that the area of the temperature over 1000 K can reach nearly 30% for 0.26 oxygen concentration, while this area is less than 10% without oxygen enrichment.
Effects of Liquid Nitrogen Deep Freezing Treatment on Rice Starch Properties
Authors: Surojanametakul Vipa , Udomrati Sunsanee , Satmalee Prajongwate
Published: December 2021

Rice is the most important food crop in Thailand but has low value as commercial uses of rice are limited. Changes in rice starch after deep freezing with liquid nitrogen are studied. Results show that deep freezing affects the physicochemical properties of rice starch depending on amylose and moisture contents. Deep freezing cause alterations in particle size, swelling power, and acid hydrolysis. Pasting properties analyzed by a rapid visco analyzer (RVA) indicate that after freezing, samples are more stable to shear than native rice. Thermal properties determine by differential scanning calorimetry show that gelatinization enthalpy is lower in deep frozen samples. Scanning electron microscopy shows that starch granules are affected by deep freezing, while the sample surface exhibits merging between granules that contain large amounts of water.
Preparation and Characterization of Polyvinyl Alcohol‐Chitosan/Cerium‐Nanocellulose Hydrogel for Medical Dressing Application
Authors: Chen Qifeng , Wang Yunjia , Yin Fushou , Wang Wenxiong , Chen Guangxue , Lin Peisheng
Published: December 2021

Medical dressings require good antibacterial and mechanical properties. Polyvinyl alcohol based medical dressings are commercially available, and the antimicrobial properties of chitosan and cerium ions are known, and nanocellulose possesses excellent comprehensive properties, such as non‐toxicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol‐chitosan/cerium‐nanocellulose (PVA‐Cs/Ce‐CNF) composite hydrogels are prepared by a freeze‐thaw method and characterized by scanning electron microscope and X‐ray diffraction. It is expected to improve antibacterial activity of the composite hydrogels by adding a small amount of cerium, and their biological activity will not be affected. In addition, the effects of chitosan/cerium (Cs/Ce) complexes and nanocellulose with different contents on properties are investigated. The results show that PVA‐Cs/Ce‐CNF composite hydrogels have a 3D, highly porous structure with distributed pores of 8–30µm, good skin viscosity, efficient ability to absorb fluid, and suitable water vapor transmission rate of 2000—2500 g m−2 day−1. Two hydrogels in specific ratio show good strong tensile strength of 132.6 and 130.1 kPa respectively, and their elongation at break are over 400%. The PVA‐Cs/Ce‐CNF composite hydrogels are non‐toxic, and they have inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. These results suggest that the PVA‐Cs/Ce‐CNF composite hydrogels have great potential as medical dressings.
Mechanism understanding for stripping electrochemistry of Li metal anode
Authors: Jiang Feng‐Ni , Yang Shi‐Jie , Liu He , Cheng Xin‐Bing , Liu Lei , Xiang Rong , Zhang Qiang , Kaskel Stefan , Huang Jia‐Qi
Published: December 2021

The pursuit of sustainable energy has a great request for advanced energy storage devices. Lithium metal batteries are regarded as a potential electrochemical storage system because of the extremely high capacity and the most negative electrochemical potential of lithium metal anode. Dead lithium formed in the stripping process significantly contributes to the low efficiency and short lifespan of rechargeable lithium metal batteries. This review displays a critical review on the current research status about the stripping electrochemistry of lithium metal anode. The significance of stripping process to a robust lithium metal anode is emphasized. The stripping models in different electrochemical scenarios are discussed. Specific attention is paid to the understanding for the electrochemical principles of atom diffusion, electrochemical reaction, ion diffusion in solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and electron transfer with the purpose to strengthen the insights into the behavior of lithium electrode stripping. The factors affecting stripping processes and corresponding solutions are summarized and categorized as follows: surface physics, SEI, operational and external factors. This review affords fresh insights to explore the lithium anode and design robust lithium metal batteries based on the comprehensive understanding of the stripping electrochemistry.
Human capital and youth emigration in the “new normal”
Authors: Palalić Ramo , Duraković Benjamin , Ramadani Veland , Ferreira João J. M.
Published: December 2021

Every society's future lies in its youth, which can be considered a critical milestone for a nation's sociopolitical development. This research examines the young population attempting to identify and explores the students' perceptions about migration, their postulates, and the reasoning why so many students ultimately choose to emigrate. Data were collected in a questionnaire survey of 206 randomly selected students from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some different multivariate analyses were performed to test the hypotheses. Other results were further discussed. Results show that the country's legal framework is a key reason for the prevailing poor living standard. This has resulted in a large number of youths leaving the country. Overall, both the legal framework (for both young entrepreneurs and women) and the overall standard of living (quality of life, well‐being, salary, retirement, and education) are correlated with people choosing to emigrate. Furthermore, theoretical and practical implications are discussed. As far as we know, this is the first empirical study on this particular region that investigates the youth migration trends considered an important milestone for human capital development.
Reproducibility and replicability of high‐frequency, in‐home digital biomarkers in reducing sample sizes for clinical trials
Authors: Wu Chao‐Yi , Beattie Zachary , Mattek Nora , Sharma Nicole , Kaye Jeffrey , Dodge Hiroko H.
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Reproducibility and replicability of results are rarely achieved for digital biomarkers analyses. We reproduced and replicated previously reported sample size estimates based on digital biomarker and neuropsychological test outcomes in a hypothetical 4‐year early‐phase Alzheimer's disease trial.

Methods

Original data and newly collected data (using a different motion sensor) came from the Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH). Given trajectories of those with incident mild cognitive impairment and normal cognition would represent trajectories of the control and experimental groups in a hypothetical trial, sample sizes to provide 80% power to detect effect sizes ranging from 20% to 50% were calculated.

Results

For the reproducibility, identical P‐values and slope estimates were found with both digital biomarkers and neuropsychological test measures between the previous and current studies. As for the replicability, a greater correlation was found between original and replicated sample size estimates for digital biomarkers (r = 0.87, P < .001) than neuropsychological test outcomes (r = 0.75, P < .001).

Discussion

Reproducibility and replicability of digital biomarker analyses are feasible and encouraged to establish the reliability of findings.
Efficacy and Cost of GonaCon™ for Population Control in a Free‐ranging White‐tailed Deer Population
Authors: Walker Micah J. , Shank G. Christopher , Stoskopf Michael K. , Minter Larry J. , DePerno Christopher S.
Published: December 2021

As white‐tailed deer populations increase in developed and urban areas, lethal management is necessary to control population growth. However, concerns about safety and negative attitudes towards lethal control and using firearms near houses have prompted many communities to pursue nonlethal techniques. Therefore, in 2014 we initiated a 5‐year project to attempt to stabilize the local deer population on Bald Head Island (BHI), North Carolina, using the immunocontraceptive GonaCon™. Since 2014 we captured and inoculated 77 female deer with GonaCon™. From 2017 to 2018 we evaluated the efficacy and cost of GonaCon™ at reducing pregnancy in adult female white‐tailed deer on BHI. We obtained blood samples from 49 deer that had received either 1 or 2 doses of GonaCon™, and from 19 female deer that had received no GonaCon™ for pregnancy analysis using the pregnancy specific protein B assay. All untreated deer sampled were pregnant (n = 19), whereas 67% of deer sampled that received only a single dose were pregnant (n = 27), and 14% of deer that received 2 doses (n = 22) were pregnant. Thus, 2 doses of GonaCon™ were necessary to reduce pregnancy rates below 50%. The total direct cost of the 5‐year immunocontraception project was $320,030.52 and averaged $2,078.12/capture with an overall efficacy of 33% for one dose and 86% for 2 doses of GonaCon™. Conversely, the estimated cost for the local government (i.e., Village of Bald Head Island) to cull 30 deer in 2018 was $16,163.63, or $538.79/deer. The estimated deer population was 113 in 2014 and increased to 198 individuals by 2018. Further population projections suggested the white‐tailed deer population is projected to reach 342 individuals by 2022. Although 2 doses of GonaCon™ were effective at reducing pregnancy, administration across the BHI deer population was not successful in reducing the deer population, and culling will likely be necessary to reduce the population. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.
Successful assisted rearing and reintegration of a blue wildebeest calf into a managed herd prior to weaning
Authors: Bloomer Ethan G. , Swenson Julie , Haefele Holly , Eyres Adam
Published: December 2021

The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus; Burchell, 1823) is an African ungulate that is notoriously difficult to hand‐rear and reintegrate into managed herds. The following case report is of a female wildebeest neonate that was orphaned, bottle‐reared, and successfully reintroduced into a herd at a zoological facility. Since blue wildebeests are a highly precocial and herd‐oriented species that calve synchronously in the wild as a reproductive strategy to maximize survival, early release of assist‐reared neonates into managed herds before weaning may be an effective strategy for increasing the chance of acceptance. Wildebeest calves can also be easily trained for bottle‐feedings in the field to facilitate early release. Due to a lack of literature on the assisted rearing and reintegration of wildebeest calves into managed herds, this case report provides useful techniques for the feeding, training, and releasing of bottle‐reared wildebeests that may also be applicable to other assist‐reared herd species at zoological facilities.
Concept for Robot-Based Cable Assembly Regarding Industrial Production
Authors: Gebauer Daniel , Dirr Jonas , Reinhart Gunther
Published: December 2021

The assembly of cables in industrial production is still a largely manually performed task. Therefore, automatic cable assembly offers much potential in terms of efficiency. The major challenge of automating this task lies in the formlessness of the cables, which entails unknown and inconstant states of the assembly objects. In this paper, a process chain and a concept are presented for the automated cable assembly in an industrial context. The process chain consists of five process steps, which are used to structure existing approaches and system configurations for automated cable assembly from a production technology perspective. The emphasis is on the coverage of the process steps and the system technology. The presented concept represents an approach for robotic cable assembly focusing on the flexibility to process multiple product variants. Basis for the ability to handle a variety of variants is the avoidance of a forced shape on the cables. For this approach, system technology as well as challenges and possible solutions are presented.