bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water vapour products from ERA5, MERSI‐II/FY‐3D, OLCI/Sentinel‐3A, OLCI/Sentinel‐3B, MODIS/Aqua and MODIS/Terra in Australia: A comparison against in situGPS water vapour data
Authors: Xu Jiafei , Liu Zhizhao
Published: April 2023

Australia is a region of high sensitivity to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation events in association with atmospheric water vapour, which is an essential atmospheric parameter in hydrological cycle, energy transport and climate monitoring. In this article, we thoroughly validated the quality of multisource precipitable water vapour (PWV) products sourced from ERA5 reanalysis, advanced Medium Resolution Spectral Imager (MERSI‐II) sensor on the FY‐3D satellite, Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) sensor on the Sentinel‐3A and Sentinel‐3B satellites, and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on the Aqua and Terra satellites. The PWV estimates measured by 453 in situ Global Positioning System (GPS) sites from 1 June 2019 to 31 May 2020 over Australia were employed as the common reference. The validation results show that all the reanalysis‐based and satellite‐based PWV products had a good agreement with reference GPS‐based PWV data. ERA5 reanalysis had the highest PWV accuracy with a root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) of 2.016 mm and a relative RMSE (RRMSE) of 12.038%, while the MODIS/Terra instrument had the lowest PWV accuracy (RMSE = 4.903 mm and RRMSE = 34.187%). In contrast to the MERSI‐II/FY‐3D instrument that underestimated PWV, the PWV data from ERA5, OLCI/Sentinel‐3A, OLCI/Sentinel‐3B, MODIS/Aqua and MODIS/Terra overestimated the water vapour values. The quality of reanalysis‐based and satellite‐based PWV measurements showed significant dependencies on several variables – location, PWV, solar zenith angle, season, elevation, land surface cover and latitude. It is expected that this research can help enhance the understanding of the quality of reanalysis and satellite water vapour products in Australia, that is, ERA5, OLCI/Sentinel‐3A, OLCI/Sentinel‐3B, MODIS/Aqua and MODIS/Terra. This work could provide an insight into improving the accuracy of reanalysis‐based and satellite‐based PWV data products after exploring the dependency factors that affect PWV performance as presented in our work.
Investigation of turbulent flows using spillway models aiming to aid downstream migration of fish
Authors: Shirinzad A. , Kumahor S. , Tachie M. F. , Ghamry H. , Katopodis C.
Published: April 2023

Dams and other flow control structures constitute obstacles to upstream and downstream aquatic habitats, reducing life‐cycle success and even eliminating diadromous and potamodromous fish species from river basins. Providing effective passage past hydroelectric dams is critical for restoring habitat connectivity and sustaining populations of fish species. Surface water release over spillways is effective in diverting fish from turbines and establishing a safe bypass for downstream migrants. Developing an effective passage system over spillways requires both biological knowledge of fish behavior and abilities, as well as hydraulic knowledge of spillway flows to provide hydrodynamic conditions that fish may exploit. The present study experimentally investigates several depths, velocity, and turbulence fields intended to promote the downstream migration of fish over spillways. Instantaneous velocity fields were measured in an open recirculating rectangular water channel. A 90° standard spillway model, as well as a spillway model with a modified upstream face slope of 45°, were tested for two water depths. The results show the presence of a distinct recirculation bubble at the heel of the 90° standard spillway with the shallower water depth. It was concluded that the upstream recirculation bubble may be suppressed by either increasing the water depth or decreasing the upstream face slope. Decreasing the upstream face slope also resulted in a more uniform distribution of acceleration and lower turbulence along the upstream face of the spillway. The modified spillways provide more suitable hydrodynamic conditions for downstream migrants.
Fine‐scale landscape phenology revealed through time‐lapse imagery: implications for conservation and management of an endangered migratory herbivore
Authors: John Christian , Kerby Jeffrey T. , Stephenson Thomas R. , Post Eric
Published: April 2023

Climate change modifies plant phenology through shifts in seasonal temperature and precipitation. Because the timing of plant growth can limit herbivore population dynamics, climatic alteration of historical patterns of vegetation seasonality may alter population trajectories in such taxa. Thus, sound management decisions may depend on understanding how plant growth varies across a landscape within and among distinct management units or protected areas. Here, we examine spatial variation in the timing of spring plant growth, measured using a network of automated time‐lapse cameras distributed across the range of endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae) in California, USA. We tracked greenness of individual plants across 2 years to compare spatial patterns of forage phenology in snowy and drought years. Green‐up timing was derived for individual plants across the camera network and compared with local estimates of green‐up timing from satellite data. Satellite‐derived estimates of green‐up timing showed strong correspondence with camera‐derived estimates in areas with dense vegetation cover and weak correspondence in areas with sparse vegetation cover. Daily time‐lapse imagery revealed consistent variation in green‐up timing across elevation, both among latitudinal zones and among individual plant species. Green‐up timing was earlier in 2020 than in 2019, reflecting differences in the end of the snowy season. Because bighorn forage seasonally on alpine species with a brief growing period, spring migration of bighorn may be linked to variation in snowmelt and plant growth across elevational gradients.
Synthesis of Ni/Co/Ni−G Composite Coatings and Analysis of Their Corrosion Resistance Properties to Q235 Carbon Steel
Authors: Xie Xiang , Qiao Gaoqun , Wang Xiaohu , Wang Xinzhen
Published: April 2023

In this work, nickel‐modified graphene nanosheets (Ni−G) were prepared by hydrothermal method for the first time. The microscopic morphological analysis showed that the nickel nanoparticles were successfully reductively deposited on the surface of Ni−G with uniform distribution. Ni−G can be uniformly and stably dispersed in the electrodeposition solution. Then Ni/Co/Ni−G composite coating was prepared by pulsed current co‐deposition method to provide corrosion resistance protection for Q235 carbon steel. The microstructure and morphology analysis of the composite coating shows that Ni−G were homogeneously incorporated in the coating and the composite coatings were uniform, dense and crack‐free. The hardness test results showed that the doping of Ni−G improved the hardness of the composite coating. The influence of the added amount of Ni−G in the electrodeposition solution on the anti‐corrosion performance of the composite coating was investigated. The electrochemical results illustrated that the composite coating prepared by adding 20 mL Ni−G dispersion achieved 98.04 % protection efficiency (
EIS) against carbon steel substrate in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, the Ni/Co/Ni−G20 composite coating has the best corrosion resistance.
Straightforward Synthesis of Trifluoromethylated Arenes via Copper‐Mediated Trifluoromethylation of Diaryliodonium Salts with Fluoroform
Authors: Zhang Jida , Feng Xiaomei , Guo Taiyang , Han Xuliang , Liu Haodong , Li Xiangye , Wang Xin , Li Hansheng , Li Xinjin
Published: April 2023

A mild and efficient copper‐mediated trifluoromethylation of diaryliodonium salts with readily available fluoroform has been developed. The reaction exhibits excellent functional group tolerance, affording trifluoromethylated arenes in good yields. This approach provides a straightforward incorporation of CF3 group into complex molecules for drug discovery.
Modulation of Cathodoluminescence by Surface Plasmons in Silver Nanowires
Authors: Liu Amelia C. Y. , Davis Timothy J. , Coenen Toon , Hari Sangeetha , Voortman Lenard M. , Xu Zhou , Yuan Gangcheng , Ballard Patrycja M. , Funston Alison M. , Etheridge Joanne
Published: April 2023

The waveguide modes in chemically‐grown silver nanowires on silicon nitride substrates are observed using spectrally‐ and spatially‐resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) excited by high‐energy electrons in a scanning electron microscope. The presence of a long‐range, travelling surface plasmon mode modulates the coupling efficiency of the incident electron energy into the nanowires, which is observed as oscillations in the measured CL with the point of excitation by the focused electron beam. The experimental data are modeled using the theory of surface plasmon polariton modes in cylindrical metal waveguides, enabling the complex mode wavenumbers and excitation strength of the long‐range surface plasmon mode to be extracted. The experiments yield insight into the energy transfer mechanisms between fast electrons and coherent oscillations in surface charge density in metal nanowires and the relative amplitudes of the radiative processes excited in the wire by the electron.
Simultaneously Suppressing Shuttle Effect and Dendrite Growth in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries via Building Dual‐Functional Asymmetric‐Cellulose Gel Electrolyte
Authors: Huang Yangze , Cheng Fulin , Cai Chenyang , Fu Yu
Published: April 2023

Polysulfides huttling and interfacial instability of Lithium‐anode are the main technical issues hindering commercialization of high‐energy‐density lithium−sulfur batteries. Simply addressing the problem of polysulfide shuttling or lithium dendrite growth can result in safety hazards or short lifespan. To synchronously tackle the aforementioned issues, the authors have designed an asymmetric cellulose gel electrolyte, a defective and ionized UiO66/black phosphorus heterostructure coating layer (Di‐UiO66/BP) and a cationic cellulose gelelectrolyte (QACA). Defective and ionized engineered UiO66 particles significantly enhances performance of UiO66/BP layer in anchoring free polysulfides, promoting smooth and effective polysulfide conversion and expediting the redox kinetics of sulfur cathode, therefore suppressing polysulfide shuttling. QACA electrolyte with numerous cationic groups can interact with anions via electrostatic adsorption, thus enhancing lithium‐ion transference number and contributing to formation of stable solid electrolyte interface to suppress lithium dendrite growth. Owing to the superior performance of QACA/Di‐UiO66/BP, the final cells exhibit outstanding electrochemical performance, presenting high sulfur utilization (1420.1 mAh g−1at 0.1 C), high‐rate capacity (665.4 mAh g−1at 4 C) and long cycle lifespan. This work proposes a strategy of designing asymmetric electrolytes to simultaneously address the challenges in both S‐cathode and Li‐anode, which contributes to advanced Li−S batteries and their practical application.
Dynamic Observation of the Coulomb Explosion and Field Evaporation of a Few‐Layer Graphene Nanoribbon
Authors: Wei Jiake , Xu Qiuhao , Xu Zhi , Wang Wenlong , Meng Sheng , Bai Xuedong
Published: April 2023

The Coulomb explosion and field evaporation are frequently observed physical phenomena for a metallic tip under an external electric field, which can modify the structures of the tip and have broad applications, such as in the atomic‐probe tomography and field ion microscopy. However, the mechanistic comprehending of how they change the structures of the tip and the differences between them are not clear. Here, dynamic observations of Coulomb explosions and field evaporations on the positively biased and charged few‐layer graphene (FLG) nanoribbon inside a transmission electron microscope are reported. By combining the atomic‐scale molecular dynamic simulations, it is shown that the FLG is split into several sheets under Coulomb explosion. It is also observed to break by emitting the carbon ions/segments under the field evaporation. It is further demonstrated that the split and breaking of FLG can be tuned by the shape of the nanoribbon. FLG ribbons with sharp tips have splitting and breaking occur in sequence. FLG with blunt tips break without a split. These results provide a fundamental understanding of Coulomb explosion and field evaporation in graphene nanomaterials and suggest potential methods to engineer graphene‐based nanostructures.
Usnea Acid‐Incorporated Ca2+/Mn2+ Ions Reservoirs for Elevated Ion‐Interference Therapy through Synergetic Biocatalysis and Osmolarity Imbalance
Authors: Zheng Pan , Ding Binbin , Zhu Guoqing , Lin Jun , Li Chunxia
Published: April 2023

Ion‐interference therapy (IIT) utilizes ions to disturb intracellular biological processes and has been received increasing attention in tumor treatments recently. However, the low therapeutic efficiency still hinders its further biological applications. Herein, via a simple and one‐pot gas diffusion process, polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐modified Mn2+ ions and usnic acid (UA)‐incorporated CaCO3 nanomaterials (PEGCaMnUA) as Ca2+/Mn2+ ions reservoirs are prepared for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐guided UA‐elevated IIT. Among PEGCaMnUA, UA not only increases cytoplasmic Ca2+ ions to amplify Ca2+ overload caused by CaCO3 decomposition, but also enhances Mn2+ ions‐participated Fenton‐like biocatalysis by intracellular H2O2 generation and glutathione consumption. Then increasing the intracellular oxidative stress and decreasing the triphosadenine supply induce apoptosis together, resulting in UA‐boosted IIT. The simple and efficient design of the dual ions reservoirs will contribute to improve the antitumor activity of IIT and further development of calcium‐based nanomaterials in the future.
A Selective Nano Cell Cycle Checkpoint Inhibitor Overcomes Leukemia Chemoresistance
Authors: Sun Jie , Xia Fan , Zhang Shaoqi , Zhang Bo , Guan Yunan , Hu Xi , Xue Pengpeng , Yang Shengfei , Zhou Yan , Ling Daishun , Li Fangyuan
Published: April 2023

Cell cycle checkpoint activation promotes DNA damage repair, which is highly associated with the chemoresistance of various cancers including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Selective cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors are strongly demanded to overcome chemoresistance, but remain unexplored. A selective nano cell cycle checkpoint inhibitor (NCCI: citric acid capped ultra‐small iron oxide nanoparticles) that can catalytically inhibit the cell cycle checkpoint of AML to boost the chemotherapeutic efficacy of genotoxic agents is now reported. NCCI can selectively accumulate in AML cells and convert H2O2 to •OH to cleave heat shock protein 90, leading to the degradation of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related proteinand checkpoint kinase 1, and the subsequent dysfunction of the G2/M checkpoint. Consequently, NCCI revitalizes the anti‐AML efficacy of cytarabine that is previously ineffective both in vitro and in vivo. This study offers new insights into designing selective cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors for biomedical applications.
Viscous Microcapsules as Microbioreactors to Study Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells Osteolineage Commitment
Authors: Ghasemzadeh‐Hasankolaei Maryam , Miranda João M. , Correia Clara R. , Mano João F.
Published: April 2023

It is essential to design a multifunctional well‐controlled platform to transfer mechanical cues to the cells in different magnitudes. This study introduces a platform, a miniaturized bioreactor, which enables to study the effect of shear stress in microsized compartmentalized structures. In this system, the well‐established cell encapsulation system of liquefied capsules (LCs) is used as microbioreactors in which the encapsulated cells are exposed to variable core viscosities to experience different mechanical forces under a 3D dynamic culture. The LC technology is joined with electrospraying to produce such microbioreactors at high rates, thus allowing the application of microcapsules for high‐throughput screening. Using this platform for osteogenic differentiation as an example, shows that microbioreactors with higher core viscosity which produce higher shear stress lead to significantly higher osteogenic characteristics. Moreover, in this system the forces experienced by cells in each LC are simulated by computational modeling. The maximum wall shear stress applied to the cells inside the bioreactor with low, and high core viscosity environment is estimated to be 297 and 1367 mPa, respectively, for the experimental setup employed. This work outlines the potential of LC microbioreactors as a reliable in vitro customizable platform with a wide range of applications.
Two‐Step Vapor‐Solid Reaction for the Growth of High‐Quality CsFA‐Based Lead Halide Perovskite Thin Films
Authors: Zhao Fuping , Zhong Jialing , Zhang Lixin , Yong Peng , Lu Jianfeng , Xu Mi , Cheng Yi-bing , Ku Zhiliang
Published: April 2023

Thin‐film solar cells based on organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite light absorbers have attracted intense attention both from the scientific and industrial communities in recent years. Researchers worldwide have developed various strategies for depositing high‐quality perovskite thin films including composition optimization, surface modification, and solvent engineering. However, these strategies are mainly based on the perovskite thin films which are deposited via solution processes. Though vacuum and vapor‐based techniques have been widely used in the modern thin‐film industry, these technologies still need further developments for the deposition of high‐quality organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite thin films. Herein, a novel two‐step vapor–solid reaction procedure for the deposition of high‐quality methylamine‐free hybrid perovskite thin films is proposed. The first vapor–solid reaction step gives the perovskite a proper chemical stoichiometric ratio, and the second step can refine the crystallinity of the film. Therefore, by utilizing this method, it is possible to obtain high‐quality perovskite thin films with larger grain sizes and lower tap densities. Consequently, perovskite solar cells based on these films have achieved a high power conversion efficiency of 20.79%.
Improving the Solar Energy Utilization of Perovskite Solar Cells via Synergistic Effects of Alkylamine and Alkyl Acid on Defect Passivation
Authors: Hsu Hsin-Tsung , Kung Yu-Min , Venkatesan Shanmuganathan , Teng Hsisheng , Lee Yuh-Lang
Published: April 2023

Defects in perovskite film are sources of charge recombination centers, which are detrimental to the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To decrease the density of defects, dodecylamine (DAM), dodecylic acid (DAC), and 12‐aminolauric acid (ALA) are utilized as additives to prepare methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite films. Herein, the passivation effects of these molecules on the properties of the MAPbI3 films and the performances of the corresponding PSCs are studied. The results show that DAM and DAC which contain –NH2 and –COOH groups, respectively, can increase the PCEs of the devices. This result implies that both groups serve as the Lewis base, passivating the defects of undercoordinated Pb2+. For the ALA molecules, the –NH2 and –COOH groups are present simultaneously at the two ends of the molecule; the passivation ability is more significant than the others, which is attributable to the synergistic effects of the two groups. By the passivation of ALA, the PCE of the PSC can increase from 18.42% to 19.96% under one sun illumination. Furthermore, the treatments of the passivation agents also increase the hydrophobicity of the perovskite films, improving the stability of the PSCs.
Structurally Complementary Star‐Shaped Unfused Ring Electron Acceptors with Simultaneously Enhanced Device Parameters for Ternary Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Huang Xu-Min , Chen Na , Ye Dong-Nai , Zhong Ai-Guo , Liu Hui , Li Zaifang , Liu Shi-Yong
Published: April 2023

Ternary strategy has attracted extensive attention for bulk heterojunction organic solar cells (BHJ OSCs) owing to their potentially improved light harvesting, cascaded energy levels, and optimized film morphology of binary BHJs. Herein, three novel star‐shaped unfused ring electron acceptors (SSUFREAs), i.e., H1–3, with and without fluorine‐substituent in phenyl core or peripheral group are designed and synthesized as third components via direct C–H arylation to incorporate into PM6:Y6 BHJ films. The structure–property–performance dependence study reveals that the isotropic charge transfer, complementary star‐shape structure and light absorption, and energy‐level cascades of H1–3 with PM6 and Y6 allow ternary BHJs to have higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to the PM6:Y6 binary BHJ. Among them, the ternary BHJ involving fluorine‐free H1, i.e., H1:PM6:Y6, possesses the highest PCE (16.57%) owing to the high‐lying frontier molecular orbital and the enlarged torsion angle, which enhances open‐circuit voltage, inhibits the excessive crystallization of Y6, and facilitates exciton dissociation as well as collection. The findings indicate that SSUFREAs have great potential to serve as third components to optimize morphology and improve the open‐circuit voltage of BHJ OSCs.
EdgeAuth: An intelligent token‐based collaborative authentication scheme
Authors: Jiang Xutong , Dou Ruihan , He Qiang , Zhang Xuyun , Dou Wanchun
Published: April 2023

Edge computing is regarded as an extension of cloud computing that brings computing and storage resources to the network edge. For some Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications such as supply‐chain supervision and collaboration, Internet of Vehicles, real‐time video analysis and so forth, users should be authenticated before visiting the geographically distributed edge servers. Limited by the considerable latency between the cloud and edge servers, and the limited capacity of edge servers, it is infeasible to copy the authentication method from cloud servers when users are authenticated in edge servers. In view of this challenge, this paper proposes a novel token‐based authentication scheme, named EdgeAuth, that enables fast edge user authentication through collaboration among cloud servers and edge servers. Under the EdgeAuth scheme, edge servers can rapidly verify the credentials of users who have been authenticated by the cloud server. EdgeAuth can also protect users from a series of authentication attacks, for example, the replay attack, DoS attack and man‐in‐the‐middle attack. The results of experiments conducted on a simulated edge computing environment validate the usefulness of EdgeAuth through a comparison in latency and throughput against two baseline schemes.
Effect of Inulin on Thermal Properties, Pasting, Rheology, and In Vitro Digestion of Potato Starch
Authors: Ji Xiaolong , Chen Jin , Jin Xueyuan , Chen Jiaxin , Ding Yongdan , Shi Miaomiao , Guo Xundan , Yan Yizhe
Published: April 2023

In this study, different concentrations of natural inulin (IN) are compounded with potato starch (PoS) to prepare an inulin‐potato starch (PoS‐IN) compound system, and the physical and chemical properties of the compound system such as pasting, rheology, and digestion are investigated. According to the findings, the complex system's viscosity, breakdown, and setback are greatly reduced. The addition of IN also prevents the complex system from being pasted and increases the stability of the PoS. The gel structure of the PoS‐IN complex gradually changes from solid‐like to liquid‐like. In addition, the in vitro digestion test results show that the content of resistant starch in the complex system increases with the increase in IN concentration. This study can provide guidance for the development and application of IN‐starch‐based food products, which can increase the nutritional value of traditional PoS‐based food products.
Reply to “Attempts to introduce a system of national, racial and/or ethnocultural discrimination in codes of biological nomenclature should not be tolerated: Comments on some recent proposals (Wright & Gillman, 2022, etc.)”
Authors: Wright Shane Donald , Gillman Len Norman
Published: April 2023

Sergei Mosyakin in a publication in this journal (Mosyakin, 2022) criticises our proposal (Gillman & Wright, 2020; Wright & Gillman, 2021) to introduce a system that would facilitate recognition of indigenous plant names. In particular, he contends that the proposal is discriminatory on the basis of race. We certainly do not think it would introduce such discrimination. The concept of a revised system based on chronological precedence does not in our view favour any race or ethnic grouping since it merely attributes priority for the name on the basis of temporal sequence. Our system could be used to justify priority by any people as long as it could be shown that it was the first name to apply to a particular species. It is thus dependent on the evidence relating to when a name was first used, not by whom it was first used. We also reiterate that the proposal would not usurp the science of taxonomy nor remove credit from the relevant authority.
Effect of IOF and its interaction with post‐hatch feeding procedure on hatchability, some organs development and post‐hatch performance in broiler chickens
Authors: Arevan Jafar , Sadeghi Amirali , Karimi Ahmad
Published: April 2023

Background

Under commercial conditions, chickens are fasted for the first 36 to 72 h post‐hatch. Delayed access to feed and water causes delayed development of the intestinal tract and retarded performance.

Objectives

This study focused on the chick's life as affected by in ovo feeding (IOF) and the animal's interaction with the feeding procedure. The birds in a factorial arrangement (2 × 3) were placed into six treatment groups in a completely randomised design. The treatment groups differed in feed procedure, 6 h [early feeding (EF)] or 36 h [common feeding (CF)] post‐hatch, with or without IOF with beta‐hydroxy‐beta‐methyl butyrate (HMB) or calcium gluconate (CG) in a saline solution, and were examined for hatchability and performance parameters until 24 h post‐hatch. In addition, physical and histological characteristics of breast, jejunum and serum indices in 14 days post‐hatch and performance criteria until 35 days of age were recorded.

Methods

On day 17 of the incubation period, eggs were subjected to the IOF procedure. One mL of sterile IOF solution including 0.1% HMB or 0.4% CG dissolved in 5% saline solution was injected into the eggs.

Results

Results showed that IOF groups had lower (p < 0.05) FCR than the control group. The highest mortality rate was noted in the control‐CF group. The lowest myofibril density was related to the HMB‐CF group. Myofibril periphery, area and diameter for the HMB‐CF group were larger (p < 0.05) than those of the other groups.

Conclusions

Results indicated that injection of HMB increased hatchability by almost 15%. The IOF of HMB improved the digestive tract and breast muscle development and improved FCR.
Atrioventricular dissociation in a cat with persistent truncus arteriosus
Authors: Monge‐Utrilla Oscar , García‐Rodríguez M Belén , Cuesta‐García Nerea , Diez‐Prieto Inmaculada
Published: April 2023

A 10‐month‐old female domestic shorthaired (DSH) cat was presented with peracute respiratory problems. Physical examination revealed dyspnoea, tachypnoea, cyanosis, weak pulse and bradycardia. Auscultation showed pulmonary crepitation and attenuated heart sounds and a pansystolic grade V/VI murmur. The electrocardiogram showed atrioventricular dissociation identified as third‐degree sinoatrial block. X‐rays showed increased density in the ventral and middle zones of the thorax and loss of definition of the cardiac silhouette and increased diffuse radiographic density of the entire abdomen.

Echocardiography revealed dilatation of the right atrium and concentric biventricular hypertrophy. A type 1 persistent truncus arteriosus was diagnosed at necropsy.

This is the first case report of this type of arrhythmia in a cat with persistent truncus arteriosus, and its relationship with the described congenital cardiac anomaly is discussed.
Moving beyond “Spoon” tasks: When do children autocue their episodic future thought?
Authors: Atance Cristina M. , Ayson Gladys , Martin‐Ordas Gema
Published: April 2023

Much developmental (and comparative) research has used Tulving's Spoon test (i.e., whether an individual will select an item needed to solve a future problem) as the basis for designing tasks to measure episodic future thinking, defined as the capacity to mentally pre‐experience the future. There is, however, intense debate about whether these tasks successfully do so. Most notably, it has been argued that children may pass (i.e., select an item with future utility) by drawing on non‐episodic, associative processes, rather than on the capacity to represent the future, per se. Although subsequent developmental tasks have sought to address this limitation, we highlight what we argue is a more fundamental shortcoming of Spoon tasks: they prompt future‐directed action making it impossible to determine whether children have used their episodic future thinking to guide their behavior. Accordingly, we know little about children's thought about the future that is independently generated (i.e., without prompting), or autocued, and is subsequently reflected (and measurable) by children's actions. We argue that this capacity is a critical, and heretofore overlooked, transition in future‐oriented cognition that may not occur until middle childhood. We further hypothesize that it is reliant on children developing richer and more detailed future event representations, along with the necessary cognitive control to transform these representations into actions that serve to benefit their future selves. The time is ripe for researchers to explore this aspect of cognitive development and we suggest several novel approaches to do so.

This article is categorized under:

Cognitive Biology > Cognitive Development
CESE Schemes with Numerical Dissipation
Authors: Wen Chih-Yung , Jiang Yazhong , Shi Lisong
Published: April 2023

As depicted in Chap. 2, the interface between the two sub-CEs (CD in Fig. 2.7), belongs to the SE of (j, n). The flux FC needs to be calculated through the Taylor expansion at point (j, n) toward the inverse time direction. As a result, the a scheme is reversible. This violates the second law of thermodynamics. Thus, the non-dissipative core suffers from the unphysical oscillations for practical applications.
Multi-dimensional CESE Schemes
Authors: Wen Chih-Yung , Jiang Yazhong , Shi Lisong
Published: April 2023

The previous chapter has shown that the necessary numerical dissipation can be introduced in 1D CESE schemes through either a central or upwind approach.
High-Order CESE Schemes
Authors: Wen Chih-Yung , Jiang Yazhong , Shi Lisong
Published: April 2023

This chapter is dedicated to the description of high-order CESE schemes. In the second-order CESE schemes.
Numerical Features of CESE Schemes
Authors: Wen Chih-Yung , Jiang Yazhong , Shi Lisong
Published: April 2023

In this chapter, some remarks are made on the numerical characteristics of the CESE schemes described in foregoing chapters. Due to the special formulation, rigorous analysis of the CESE schemes will take more efforts than that of traditional finite difference schemes. However, it is possible to extend the widely used modified equation analysis, modified wavenumber analysis, and von Neumann stability analysis to the CESE schemes.
Application: Compressible Multi-fluid Flows
Authors: Wen Chih-Yung , Jiang Yazhong , Shi Lisong
Published: April 2023

Multi-fluid flows involving shock-accelerated inhomogeneities and shock-induced instability play essential roles in a wide variety of problems including, but not limited to, supersonic combustion [1], inertial confinement fusion [2], and supernova explosion [3]. Numerical simulations of these complex flows prove to be challenging in the presence of moving and deformable material interfaces, especially for fluids with large differences in their densities or thermodynamic properties. Therefore, a discontinuity-capturing, mass-conserving, and positivity-preserving scheme is desirable for compressible multi-fluid simulations.
Application: Detonations
Authors: Wen Chih-Yung , Jiang Yazhong , Shi Lisong
Published: April 2023

Detonation is a shock-induced combustion in which chemical reactions are closely coupled with shock waves. The shock wave compresses the reactant with an abrupt increase in temperature and pressure, initiating the reactants to be burnt into products. The intense heat release permits the high propagating speed of the shock wave to be sustained. It is fundamental research related to both the safety industry and propulsion systems. For most explosive mixtures, detonation wave speeds are formulated by Chapman–Jouguet (CJ) theory. Typical detonation velocities for gaseous mixtures generally range from 1400 to 3000 m/s. Behind the shock, the time scale for reactions is commonly on the order of microseconds or even less. Furthermore, the detonation front is intrinsically unstable, forming transient multi-dimensional structures. Many studies revealed that high resolution is necessary to resolve the essential detonation structures. Due to its complex nature and multiple time scales, detonation is thus a challenging problem for solvers on shock-capturing capability, robustness, and computational efficiency. This chapter will present several essential aspects of detonation research by applying the CESE schemes.
Do prenatal factors shape the risk for dementia?: A systematic review of the epidemiological evidence for the prenatal origins of dementia
Authors: Wiegersma Aline Marileen , Boots Amber , Langendam Miranda W. , Limpens Jacqueline , Shenkin Susan D. , Korosi Aniko , Roseboom Tessa J. , de Rooij Susanne R.
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Prenatal factors such as maternal stress, infection and nutrition affect fetal brain development and may also influence later risk for dementia. The purpose of this systematic review was to provide an overview of all studies which investigated the association between prenatal factors and later risk for dementia.

Methods

We systematically searched MEDLINE and Embase for original human studies reporting on associations between prenatal factors and dementia from inception to 23 November 2022. Prenatal factors could be any factor assessed during pregnancy, at birth or postnatally, provided they were indicative of a prenatal exposure. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. We followed PRISMA guidelines for reporting.

Results

A total of 68 studies met eligibility criteria (including millions of individuals), assessing maternal age (N = 30), paternal age (N = 22), birth order (N = 15), season of birth (N = 16), place of birth (N = 13), prenatal influenza pandemic (N = 1) or Chinese famine exposure (N = 1), birth characteristics (N = 3) and prenatal hormone exposure (N = 4). We observed consistent results for birth in a generally less optimal environment (e.g. high infant mortality area) being associated with higher dementia risk. Lower and higher birth weight and prenatal famine exposure were associated with higher dementia risk. The studies on season of birth, digit ratio, prenatal influenza pandemic exposure, parental age and birth order showed inconsistent results and were hampered by relatively high risk of bias.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that some prenatal factors, especially those related to a suboptimal prenatal environment, are associated with an increased dementia risk. As these associations may be confounded by factors such as parental socioeconomic status, more research is needed to examine the potential causal role of the prenatal environment in dementia.
Post-traumatic stress symptoms and benefit finding: a longitudinal study among Italian health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Negri Luca , Bassi Marta , Accardi Roberto , Delle Fave Antonella
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Research has highlighted that the exposure of healthcare professionals to the COVID-19 pandemic for over two years can lead to the development and persistence of symptoms characteristic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with serious consequences on both the individual well-being and the quality of care provided. The present study was aimed at investigating the role of benefit finding in moderating post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) over time.

Methods

The longitudinal study, conducted between April and October 2020, involved 226 Italian health workers (44.7% nurses and midwives, 35% doctors, 20.3% technical and rehabilitation professionals), who filled out an online survey at the beginning of the study (T1), after three months (T2), and after six months (T3).

Participants (77.4% women; mean age = 41.93, SD = 12.06) completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and Benefit Finding, a 17-item questionnaire measuring the perceived level of positive consequences derived from stressful experiences. A hierarchical regression analysis highlighted the moderating effect of benefit finding (T2) on the association between PTSS values at T1 and T3.

Results

A buffering effect was observed, with higher benefit finding levels reducing the magnitude of the bivariate association between PTSS assessed at the beginning and at the end of the study.

Conclusion

Findings suggest the potential mental health related benefits of interventions allowing health professionals to identify positive aspects in the experience of working under prolonged emergency circumstances, such as the pandemic ones.
Predicting anisotropic behavior of textured PBF-LB materials via microstructural modeling
Authors: Mistry Nishant , Hitzler Leonhard , Biswas Abhishek , Krempaszky Christian , Werner Ewald
Published: April 2023

It is well established that large temperature gradients cause strong textures in as-built metal parts manufactured via laser beam powder bed fusion. Columnar grains with a preferred crystallographic orientation dominate the microstructure of such materials resulting in a pronounced anisotropic mechanical behavior. Such materials are often studied with the help of tensile tests and corresponding numerical simulations in different loading directions. For the purpose of simulations, the microstructure is usually modeled with a statistically representative volume element (RVE). In the present study, two RVE modeling techniques, based on different texture sampling algorithms, have been compared for their property prediction capabilities. It was found that the model, based on an equally weighted crystallographic orientations set, sufficiently predicted macroscopic mechanical properties and also reduced the computational cost. Furthermore, an efficient method to rotate the boundary conditions for tensile test simulations under different loading directions was developed, thereby reducing the required number of RVE models to just one. The method was compared with an alternate method, where, an RVE model with rotated microstructure was subjected to unchanged boundary conditions. For this study, tensile test simulation results were compared with data from destructive material tests for predominantly single-phase austenitic stainless steel (EN 1.4404/AISI 316L).
Complexity of stability in trading networks
Authors: Fleiner Tamás , Jankó Zsuzsanna , Schlotter Ildikó , Teytelboym Alexander
Published: April 2023

Efficient computability is an important property of solution concepts. We consider the computational complexity of finding and verifying various solution concepts in trading networks—multi-sided matching markets with bilateral contracts and without transferable utility—under the assumption of full substitutability of agents’ preferences. It is known that outcomes that satisfy trail stability always exist and can be found in linear time. However, we show that the existence of stable outcomes—immune to deviations by arbitrary sets of agents—is an $${{\textsf{N}}}{{\textsf{P}}}$$

N
P

-hard problem in trading networks. We also show that even verifying whether a given outcome is stable is $${{\textsf{N}}}{{\textsf{P}}}$$

N
P

-hard in trading networks.
US regulations to curb alleged cancer causes are ineffectual and compromised by scientific, constitutional and ethical violations
Authors: Gori Gio B. , Aschner Michael , Borgert Christopher J. , Cohen Samuel M. , Dietrich Daniel R. , Galli Corrado L. , Greim Helmut , Heslop-Harrison John S. , Kacew Sam , Kaminski Norbert E. , Klaunig James E. , Marquardt Hans W.J. , Pelkonen Olavi , Roberts Ruth , Savolainen Kai M. , Tsatsakis Aristidis , Yamazaki Hiroshi
Published: April 2023

The 1958 Delaney amendment to the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetics Act prohibited food additives causing cancer in animals by appropriate tests. Regulators responded by adopting chronic lifetime cancer tests in rodents, soon challenged as inappropriate, for they led to very inconsistent results depending on the subjective choice of animals, test design and conduct, and interpretive assumptions. Presently, decades of discussions and trials have come to conclude it is impossible to translate chronic animal data into verifiable prospects of cancer hazards and risks in humans. Such conclusion poses an existential crisis for official agencies in the US and abroad, which for some 65 years have used animal tests to justify massive regulations of alleged human cancer hazards, with aggregated costs of $trillions and without provable evidence of public health advantages. This article addresses suitable remedies for the US and potentially worldwide, by critically exploring the practices of regulatory agencies vis-á-vis essential criteria for validating scientific evidence. According to this analysis, regulations of alleged cancer hazards and risks have been and continue to be structured around arbitrary default assumptions at odds with basic scientific and legal tests of reliable evidence. Such practices raise a manifold ethical predicament for being incompatible with basic premises of the US Constitution, and with the ensuing public expectations of testable truth and transparency from government agencies. Potential remedies in the US include amendments to the US Administrative Procedures Act, preferably requiring agencies to justify regulations compliant with the Daubert opinion of the Daubert ruling of the US Supreme Court, which codifies the criteria defining reliable scientific evidence. International reverberations are bound to follow what remedial actions may be taken in the US, the origin of current world regulatory procedures to control alleged cancer causing agents.
Bubble-tree convergence and local diffeomorphism finiteness for gradient Ricci shrinkers
Authors: Buzano Reto , Yudowitz Louis
Published: April 2023

We prove bubble-tree convergence of sequences of gradient Ricci shrinkers with uniformly bounded entropy and uniform local energy bounds, refining the compactness theory of Haslhofer and Müller (Geom Funct Anal 21:1091–1116, 2011; Proc Am Math Soc 143(10):4433–4437, 2015). In particular, we show that no energy concentrates in neck regions, a result which implies a local energy identity for the sequence. Direct consequences of these results are an identity for the Euler characteristic and a local diffeomorphism finiteness theorem.
From Semi-Markov Random Evolutions to Scattering Transport and Superdiffusion
Authors: Ricciuti Costantino , Toaldo Bruno
Published: April 2023

We here study random evolutions on Banach spaces, driven by a class of semi-Markov processes. The expectation (in the sense of Bochner) of such evolutions is shown to solve some abstract Cauchy problems. Further, the abstract telegraph (damped wave) equation is generalized to the case of semi-Markov perturbations. A special attention is devoted to semi-Markov models of scattering transport processes which can be represented through these evolutions. In particular, we consider random flights with infinite mean flight times which turn out to be governed by a semi-Markov generalization of a linear Boltzmann equation; their scaling limit is proved to converge to superdiffusive transport processes.
Oridonin Attenuates Thioacetamide-Induced Osteoclastogenesis Through MAPK/NF-κB Pathway and Thioacetamide-Inhibited Osteoblastogenesis Through BMP-2/RUNX2 Pathway
Authors: Jin XiaoLi , Xu Jia , Yang Fanfan , Chen Jin , Luo Feng , Xu Bin , Xu Jian
Published: April 2023

Osteoporosis, an age-related metabolic bone disease, is mainly caused by an imbalance between osteoblast-mediated bone formation and osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. At present, there are many osteoporosis drugs that can promote bone formation or inhibit bone resorption. However, there were few therapeutic drugs that can simultaneously promote bone formation and inhibit bone resorption. Oridonin (ORI), a tetracyclic diterpenoid compound isolated from Rabdosia rubescens, has been proved to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor effects. However, little is known about the osteoprotective effect of oridonin. Thioacetamide (TAA) is a common organic compound with significant hepatotoxicity. Recent studies have found that there was a certain association between TAA and bone injury. In this work, we investigated the effect and mechanism of ORI on TAA-induced osteoclastogenesis and inhibition of osteoblast differentiation. The results showed that TAA could promote the osteoclastogenesis of RAW264.7 by promoting the MAPK/NF-κB pathway, and also promoted p65 nuclear translocation and activated intracellular ROS generation, and ORI can inhibit these effects to inhibit TAA-induced osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, ORI can also promote the osteogenic differentiation pathway and inhibit adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs to promote bone formation. In conclusion, our results revealed that ORI, as a potential therapeutic drug for osteoporosis, could protect against TAA-induced bone loss and TAA-inhibited bone formation.
Revisiting the concept of the ‘Neolithic Founder Crops’ in southwest Asia
Authors: Arranz-Otaegui Amaia , Roe Joe
Published: April 2023

Zohary and Hopf coined the term ‘founder crops’ to refer to a specific group of eight plants, namely three cereals (einkorn, emmer and barley), four legumes (lentil, pea, bitter vetch and chickpea), and a fibre/oil crop (flax), that founded early Neolithic agriculture in southwest Asia. Zohary considered these taxa as the first cultivated and domesticated species, as well as those that agricultural communities exploited and eventually spread to Europe and other regions. As a result, these eight species soon become the hallmark of the Neolithic plant-based subsistence. However, the ‘founder crops’ concept was defined at the end of the 1980s, when the development of agriculture was considered a rapid event, and therefore, terms like domestication, agriculture and plant cultivation were used interchangeably in the literature. The aim of this paper is thus to revisit concept of the ‘Neolithic founder crops’. Through a critical review of the archaeobotanical evidence gathered in the last 40 years, we evaluate the relative contribution of the ‘eight founder crop’ species to the plant-based subsistence across different periods of the southwest Asian Neolithic. We conclude that multiple groups of ‘founder’ species could be defined depending on whether one seeks to represent the most exploited plants of the Neolithic period, the first cultivated and domesticated crops, or the species that agricultural communities cultivated and eventually spread to Europe. Improved understanding of Neolithic plant-based subsistence in general, and agriculture in particular, will be attained by moving beyond conventional narratives and exploring the evolutionary history of plants other than the original ‘founder’ species.