bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ortho‐C−H Methylation and Ipso‐C−O Alkenylation of Aryl Triflates via Catellani Strategy
Authors: Yang Lei , Fu Jianbin , Tan Qihang , Li Chenglong , Zhang Shuo , Li Chunya , Liu Long , Huang Tianzeng , Chen Tieqiao
Published: January 2024

The ortho C−H methylation and ipso C−O alkenylation of aryl triflates was regio‐selectively achieved in one pot by palladium/norbornene (NBE) synergistic catalysis. This work provides an efficient method for preparing poly‐substituted aromatics with (deuterated) methyl and alkenyl groups from the readily available phenoxides.
A gem‐Dibromocyclopropane Ring‐Expansion/Mizoroki‐Heck Cyclisation Route to Tetrahydrodibenzofurans
Authors: Hu Nan , Chen Yu , Zhang Yu‐Qi , Lan Ping , Hu Ya‐Jian , Ward Jas S. , Gardiner Michael G. , Banwell Martin G.
Published: January 2024

Readily accessible, oxygenated 6,6‐dibromobicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes react with isovanillin in the presence of silver salts and an inorganic base to afford ring‐expanded/nucleophilic trapping products of various regio‐ and stereo‐chemical forms. Most such products undergo efficient, intramolecular Mizoroki‐Heck reactions to give the corresponding tetrahydrodibenzofurans. In certain cases, simple variations in the first step of such reaction sequences enables the preparation distinct ring‐expansion products that also cyclise to give tetrahydrodibenzofurans embodying alternative substitution patterns.
Collapse hybrid simulation for testing steel building columns subject to boundary condition changes
Authors: Skalomenos Konstantinos , Kurata Masahiro
Published: January 2024

This paper develops a hybrid simulation to experimentally evaluate the ultimate behavior of steel columns subject to boundary condition changes and bending moment redistribution due to the progressive seismic collapse of building structures. The proposed experimental method combines sub‐structuring test techniques and refined finite element (FE) analysis methods in a hybrid scheme. The inelastic behavior of steel moment‐resisting‐frames (MRF) is computationally simulated while ground‐floor columns are physically tested online with the FE frame analysis. Boundary conditions at the interface node between the column test and the frame analysis are reproduced with the aid of three actuators that impose axial loads and bending deformations to the column test. Two square tubular steel columns are tested as part of a five‐storey five‐bay steel MRF designed to employ two different heights of the ground floor (i.e., 4.6 and 5.1 m, respectively). The hybrid simulation revealed that individual failures of the peripherical frame members significantly alter the distribution of the bending moment along the height of the column test, thus changing the boundary conditions at its top end. The imposed moment distribution was further influenced by local buckling initiated at the base of the column test and ground‐floor beams and could cause the top end of the upper‐storey columns of the frame to buckle. In the MRF with 4.6 m‐height ground‐floor, this resulted in a global collapse mechanism that involved the ground floor and the second storey. In the MRF with 5.1 m‐height ground‐floor, a weak‐storey collapse mechanism was formed within the ground floor. Compared to a corresponding isolated column tested as cantilever using conventional methods, the columns tested with the proposed hybrid simulation exhibited a more favorable inelastic behavior primarily due to the more realistic loads and changes of boundary conditions which are ignored in conventional test methods.
Valley‐bottom wetlands as temporary buffers for source‐to‐sink dispersal of sediment and associated phosphorus in dryland landscapes
Authors: Wiener Kenwinn D. , Grenfell Suzanne E.
Published: January 2024

Sediment trapping in wetlands is an essential ecosystem service, with implications for downstream ecosystems and water users. There is however limited empirical evidence of the contemporary rates and magnitude of sediment trapping in valley‐bottom wetlands. Time‐averaged suspended sediment samples from the inlets and outlets of forestry‐ and agriculturally‐impacted valley‐bottom wetlands with contrasting morphometric characteristics were compared in terms of suspended sediment and associated total phosphorous (total P) fluxes over annual scales, a dataset that was limited by Covid travel constraints. Although both wetlands were net depositional, contemporary suspended sediment mass balances for the agriculturally‐impacted wetland revealed a temporal change in the amount of sediment trapped over two water years (2019/2020 and 2020/2021), with trapping efficacies of 91% and 24%, respectively. The proportion of sediment trapped in the water year of 2020/2021 within the adjacent wetland, with a small commercially forested catchment, was up to 4 times higher than the agriculturally‐impacted wetland, which drained a larger catchment. Rates of total P retention showed that the agriculturally‐impacted wetland was a net sink for phosphorus in 2019/2020, but shifted to a source of phosphorus in 2020/2021 as the export of suspended sediment was enhanced. However, this contrasts with the forestry‐impacted wetland, which was a net sink of sediment and associated phosphorus during the one‐year study period of 2020/2021. Overall, despite data constraints, this study suggests that the efficacy of valley‐bottom wetlands in the delivery of sediment trapping and phosphorus removal ecosystem services varies temporally and spatially. This variability is potentially related to the interaction between annual rainfall regimes, catchment size and wetland geomorphic character. The temporary nature of sediment recycling processes could serve to balance wetland dynamics by regulating vertical growth of valley floors and longitudinal slope stability and should be considered in catchment management and wetland restoration planning strategies.
Child health and its effect on adult social capital accumulation
Authors: Lebenbaum Michael , de Oliveira Claire , Gagnon France , Laporte Audrey
Published: January 2024

Although studies have demonstrated important effects of poor health in childhood on stocks of human and health capital, little research has tested economic theories to investigate the effect of child health on social capital in adulthood. Studies on the influence of child health on adult social capital are mixed and have not used sibling fixed effects models to account for unmeasured family and genetic characteristics, that are likely to be important. Using the Add‐Health sample, health in childhood was assessed as self‐rated health, the occurrence of a physical health condition or mental health condition, while social capital in adulthood was measured as volunteering, religious service attendance, team sports participation, number of friends, social isolation, and social support. We used sibling fixed effects models, which attenuated several associations to non‐significance. In sibling fixed effects models there was significant positive effects of greater self‐rated health on participation in team sports and social support, and negative effect of mental health in childhood on social isolation in adulthood. These results suggest that children with poor health require additional supports to build and maintain their stock of social capital and highlight further potential benefits to efforts that address poor child health.
How do hospitals respond to payment unbundling for diagnostic imaging of suspected cancer patients?
Authors: Hayes Helen , Stokes Jonathan , Sutton Matt , Meacock Rachel
Published: January 2024

Payments for some diagnostic scans undertaken in outpatient settings were unbundled from Diagnosis Related Group based payments in England in April 2013 to address under‐provision. Unbundled scans attracted additional payments of between £45 and £748 directly following the reform. We examined the effect on utilization of these scans for patients with suspected cancer. We also explored whether any detected effects represented real increases in use of scans or better coding of activity. We applied difference‐in‐differences regression to patient‐level data from Hospital Episodes Statistics for 180 NHS hospital Trusts in England, between April 2010 and March 2018. We also explored heterogeneity in recorded use of scans before and after the unbundling at hospital Trust‐level. Use of scans increased by 0.137 scans per patient following unbundling, a 134% relative increase. This increased annual national provider payments by £79.2 million. Over 15% of scans recorded after the unbundling were at providers that previously recorded no scans, suggesting some of the observed increase in activity reflected previous under‐coding. Hospitals recorded substantial increases in diagnostic imaging for suspected cancer in response to payment unbundling. Results suggest that the reform also encouraged improvements in recording, so the real increase in testing is likely lower than detected.
Awareness of eclampsia among rural tribal women of reproductive age
Authors: Chhabra S. , Kumar N. , Tejane H.
Published: January 2024

Background

Globally, eclampsia is the leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Objective

The present community‐based study was conducted among rural tribal women of reproductive age in remote villages of central India to determine their awareness of eclampsia and its likely impact.

Methods

This cross‐sectional analytic study included randomly selected 4500 tribal women, between 15 and 45 years of age, residing in 140 villages in the proximity of one village with a health facility (study center), and who were willing to undergo a personal interview. In‐depth face‐to‐face interviews (each lasting 15–30 min) of study subjects regarding awareness, knowledge, practices, and perceptions about eclampsia were conducted using a predesigned tool completed by research assistants (not the subjects).

Results

Of the 4500 women interviewed, the majority (62.4%) were 20–29 years old, minimally educated (40.6%), laborers (41.3%), and of a low socioeconomic class (40.8%). Of all the participants, only 35.9% were aware of eclampsia, associated events during pregnancy, labor, and the immediate post‐delivery period; 81.7% of those who were aware understood about symptoms and signs like headache, blurring of vision, dizziness, swelling over the body, ad high blood pressure. Of all the women who knew about eclampsia, 73.9% were aware that the occurrence of convulsions during antenatal and postnatal periods was an emergency and required urgent management, whereas 88.4% were not aware that severe convulsions affected maternal and neonatal health seriously, only 38.2% knew that eclampsia was a preventable condition.

Conclusion

There was lack of awareness about eclampsia in many women and, of those who knew, some were not aware that it was dangerous. There is a need for awareness among women and their families of the disorder, its impact, and what action is needed in case it occurs.
A novel three‐plasmid packaging system for chimeric SFV/SIN VRPs derived from Semliki Forest virus and Sindbis virus as a candidate gene delivery vector
Authors: Huang Yonghui , Dong Qisheng , Liu Guotao , Wang Tian , Gu Wenhao , Tian Zhen , Ma Qiang , Zhang Shoutao
Published: January 2024

Semliki Forest virus (SFV) viral replicon particles (VRPs) have been frequently used in various animal models and clinical trials. Chimeric replicon particles offer different advantages because of their unique biological properties. We here constructed a novel three‐plasmid packaging system for chimeric SFV/SIN VRPs. The capsid and envelope of SIN structural proteins were generated using two‐helper plasmids separately, and the SFV replicon contained the SFV replicase gene, packaging signal of SIN, subgenomic promoter followed by the exogenous gene, and 3′ UTR of SIN. The chimeric VRPs carried luciferase or eGFP as reporter genes. The fluorescence and electron microscopy results revealed that chimeric VRPs were successfully packaged. The yield of the purified chimeric VRPs was approximately 2.5 times that of the SFV VRPs (1.38 × 107 TU/ml vs. 5.41 × 106 TU/ml) (p < 0.01). Furthermore, chimeric VRPs could be stored stably at 4°C for at least 60 days. Animal experiments revealed that mice immunized with chimeric VRPs (luciferase) had stronger luciferase expression than those immunized with equivalent amount of SFV VRPs (luciferase) (p < 0.01), and successfully expressed luciferase for approximately 12 days. Additionally, the chimeric VRPs expressed the RBD of SARS‐CoV‐2 efficiently and induced robust RBD‐specific antibody responses in mice. In conclusion, the chimeric VRPs constructed here met the requirements of a gene delivery tool for vaccine development and cancer therapy.
Discretizing low‐intensity whole‐body vibration into bouts with short rest intervals promotes bone defect repair in osteoporotic mice
Authors: Matsumoto Takeshi , Hashimoto Keishi , Okada Hyuga
Published: January 2024

Continuous administration of low‐intensity whole‐body vibration (WBV) gradually diminishes bone mechanosensitivity over time, leading to a weakening of its osteogenic effect. We investigated whether discretizing WBV into bouts with short rest intervals was effective in enhancing osteoporotic bone repair. Ten‐week‐old female mice were ovariectomized and underwent drill‐hole defect surgery (Day 0) on the right tibial diaphysis at 11 weeks of age. The mice underwent one of three regimens starting from Day 1 for 5 days/week: continuous WBV at 45 Hz and 0.3 g for 7.5 min/day (cWBV); 3‐s bouts of WBV at 45 Hz, 0.3 g followed by 9‐s rest intervals, repeated for 30 min/day (repeated bouts of whole‐body vibration with short rest intervals [rWBV]); or a sham treatment. Both the cWBV and rWBV groups received a total of 20,250 vibration cycles per day. On either Day 7 or 14 posteuthanasia (n = 6/group/timepoint), the bone and angiogenic vasculature in the defect were computed tomography imaged using synchrotron light. By Day 14, the bone repair was most advanced in the rWBV group, showing a higher bone volume fraction and a more uniform mineral distribution compared with the sham group. The cWBV group exhibited an intermediate level of bone repair between the sham and rWBV groups. The rWBV group had a decrease in large‐sized angiogenic vessels, while the cWBV group showed an increase in such vessels. In conclusion, osteoporotic bone repair was enhanced by WBV bouts with short rest intervals, which may potentially be attributed to the improved mechanosensitivity of osteogenic cells and alterations in angiogenic vasculature.
Coupling scales in process‐based soil organic carbon modeling including dynamic aggregation
Authors: Zech Simon , Prechtel Alexander , Ray Nadja
Published: January 2024

Background

Carbon storage and turnover in soils depend on the interplay of soil architecture, microbial activities, and soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics. For a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms that drive these processes, not only the exploitation of advanced experimental techniques down to the nanoscale is necessary but also spatially explicit and dynamic image‐based modeling at the pore scale.

Aim

We present a modeling approach that is capable of transferring microscale information into macroscale simulations at the profile scale. This enables the prediction of future developments of carbon fluxes and the impact of changes in the environmental conditions linking scales.

Method

We consider a mathematical model for CO2 transport across soil profiles (macroscale), which is informed by a pore‐scale (microscale) model for C turnover. It allows for the dynamic, self‐organized re‐arrangement of solid building units, aggregates and particulate organic matter (POM) based on surface interactions, realized by a cellular automaton method, and explicitly takes spatial effects on POM turnover such as occlusion into account. We further include the macroscopic environmental conditions water saturation, POM content, and oxygen concentration.

Results

The coupled simulations of macroscopic transport and pore‐scale carbon and aggregate turnover reveal the complex, nonlinear interplay of the underlying processes. Limitations by diffusive transport, oxygen availability, texture‐dependent occlusion and turnover of OM drive CO2 production and carbon storage.

Conclusions

This emphasizes the need for such micro–macro models exchanging information on different scales to investigate and quantify the effects of structural changes, variations in environmental conditions, or degradation processes on carbon turnover.
Effect of black wolfberry anthocyanin and maltitol on the gelation and microstructural properties of curdlan/gellan gum hybrid gels
Authors: Dai Meng‐Qi , Wang Xue‐Chen , Gao Ling‐Yi , Zhang Li‐Chao , Lai Bin , Wang Ce , Yan Jia‐Nan , Wu Hai‐Tao
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Laboratory scale experiments have shown that curdlan and gellan gum gelled together as curdlan/gellan gum (CG) hybrid gels showed better gel properties than the individual curdlan and gellan gum. In this study, CG and black wolfberry anthocyanin (BWA), CG and maltitol (ML) hybrid gels were constructed using CG hybrid gel as matrix. The effects of BWA or ML on the gel properties and microstructure of CG hybrid gels were investigated and a confectionery gel was developed.

RESULTS

The presence of BWA increased the storage modulus (G') value of CG at 0.1 Hz, whereas ML had little effect on the G' value of CG. The addition of BWA (5 g L−1) and ML (0.3 mol L−1) increased the melting and gelling temperatures of CG hybrid gels to 42.4 °C and 34.1 °C and 44.2 °C and 33.2 °C, respectively. Meanwhile, the relaxation time T22 in CG‐ML and CG‐BWA hybrid gels was reduced to 91.96 and 410.27 ms, indicating the strong binding between BWA and CG, ML and CG. The hydrogen bond interaction between BWA or ML and CG was confirmed by the shift in the hydroxyl stretching vibration peak. Moreover, the microstructures of CG‐ML and CG‐BWA hybrid gels were denser than that of CG. In addition, confectionery gel containing CG‐BWA‐ML has good chewing properties.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that the incorporation of BWA or ML could improve the structure of CG hybrid gels and assign a sustainability potential for the development of confectionery gels based on CG complex. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Administration of Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis polysaccharide attenuates cisplatin‐induced inflammation and intestinal mucosal damage in colon‐26 carcinoma tumor‐bearing mice
Authors: Cai Bingna , Luo Lianxiang , Zhao Xiangtan , Chen Hua , Wan Peng , Huang Jingtong , Chen Deke , Pan Jianyu
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Our preliminary research revealed that the polysaccharide GP90 from Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis enhanced the antitumor effect of cisplatin, indicating that GP90 may increase the chemotherapeutic sensitivity. However, it is still necessary to fully understand whether GP90 can also improve the intestinal barrier dysfunction and systemic inflammation induced by cisplatin.

RESULTS

GP90 has been demonstrated to inhibit the excessive release of nitirc oxide, interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α induced by lipopolysaccharide in RAW264.7 cells. In vivo, GP90 effectively ameliorated the decrease in the serum CD4+/CD8+ T‐cell ratio induced by cisplatin and significantly reduced the increase in the inflammatory cytokines, CD4+Foxp3+, CD4+granzyme B+ and CD4+TNF‐α induced by cisplatin. Furthermore, when combined with cisplatin, GP90 increases the protein expression levels of mucin‐2 and zonula occludens‐1 in the mouse small intestine. Additionally, GP90 combined with cisplatin has a modulatory effect on the intestinal microbiota by elevating the Firmicutes‐to‐Bacteroidetes ratio and the relative abundance of beneficial microorganisms (Lachnospiraceae bacterium), at the same time as reducing the abundance of cisplatin specific Bacteroides acidifaciens and elevating the content of butyric acid and isobutyric acid.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, these findings indicate that GP90 potentially mitigates inflammation and protects the intestinal barrier in tumor‐bearing organisms undergoing chemotherapy. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Myofibroblastic cancer‐associated fibroblast subtype heterogeneity in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Kearney Joseph F. , Trembath Hannah E. , Chan Priscilla S. , Morrison Ashley B. , Xu Yi , Luan Chang Fei , McCabe Ian C. , Zarmer Sandra A. , Kim Hong Jin , Peng Xianlu L. , Yeh Jen Jen
Published: January 2024

Background

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a fibrotic stroma that has both tumor‐promoting and tumor‐restraining properties. Different types of cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been described. Here, we investigated whether CAFs within the same subtype exhibit heterogeneous functions.

Methods

We evaluated the gene and protein expression differences in two myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF) lines using single‐cell and bulk RNA‐sequencing. We utilized proliferation and migration assays to determine the effect of different CAF lines on a tumor cell line.

Results

We found that myCAF lines express an activated stroma subtype gene signature, which is associated with a shorter survival in patients. Although both myCAF lines expressed α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), platelet‐derived growth factor‐α (PDGFR‐α), fibroblast‐activated protein (FAP), and vimentin, we observed heterogeneity between the two lines. Similarly, despite being consistent with myCAF gene expression overall, heterogeneity within specific genes was observed. We found that these differences extended to the functional level where the two myCAF lines had different effects on the same tumor cell line. The myCAF216 line, which had slightly increased inflammatory CAF‐like gene expression and higher protein expression of α‐SMA, PDGFR‐α, and FAP was found to restrain migration of tumor cells.

Conclusions

We found that two myCAF lines with globally similar expression characteristics had different effects on the same tumor cell line, one promoting and the other restraining migration. Our study highlights that there may be unappreciated heterogeneity within CAF subtypes. Further investigation and attention to specific genes or proteins that may drive this heterogeneity will be important.
Topological Dissipative Photonics and Topological Insulator Lasers in Synthetic Time‐Frequency Dimensions
Authors: Dong Zhaohui , Chen Xianfeng , Dutt Avik , Yuan Luqi
Published: January 2024

The study of dissipative systems has attracted great attention, as dissipation engineering has become an important candidate toward manipulating light in classical and quantum ways. Here, the behavior of a topological system is theoretically investigated with purely dissipative couplings in a synthetic time‐frequency space. An imaginary bandstructure is shown, where eigen‐modes experience different eigen‐dissipation rates during the evolution of the system, resulting in mode competition between edge states and bulk modes. Numerical simulations show that distributions associated with edge states can dominate over bulk modes with stable amplification once the pump and saturation mechanisms are taken into consideration, which therefore points to a laser‐like behavior for edge states robust against disorders. This work provides a scheme for manipulating multiple degrees of freedom of light by dissipation engineering, and also proposes a great candidate for topological lasers with dissipative photonics.
Switchable Diffraction Pattern Based on Cascaded Metasurfaces
Authors: Zhang Xue , Li Tianhao , Zhou Hongqiang , Li Yao , Li Junjie , Li Xiaowei , Wang Yongtian , Huang Lingling
Published: January 2024

Metasurfaces have great advantages in the field of laser detection because of their ability to generate large amounts of point sources or various diffraction patterns. Here,cascaded metasurfaces (CM) for generating switchable spatial light distributions is utilized, which can be used for optical scanning and identifications. The light distribution is composed of several distinct diffraction patterns, and the scanning of the diffraction space is realized by multiple pixel‐scale alignment strategies between two pieces of CM. Through combining Dammann optimization and the gradient descent method, various diffraction patterns under different matching situations can be guaranteed by phase superposition. Various diffraction conditions with highly identifiable intensity distribution are guaranteed by using the optimization method. Such optical scanning devices based on CM have small footprints, high integration, flexible composition, and stable diffractive combination features. By manipulating CM to generate changeable spatial diffraction phenomenon may provide flexible modulation properties to optical scanning, measurement, and other applications.
Adbusting: How advertising altered by activists affects brands
Authors: Maier Erik , Mafael Alexander
Published: January 2024

A subversive phenomenon is challenging advertisers and brand managers: adbusting, a form of activism that alters existing brand communication (e.g., a billboard ad) to promote social/political issues (e.g., pro‐environmental behavior) or denounces the targeted brand (e.g., its labor standards). We conceptualize the effect of adbusting on consumers and provide empirical evidence that adbusting has ambiguous effects on consumers' brand perception. On the one hand, the incongruency of the message with consumers' existing brand schemata raises ad awareness. On the other hand, the effect of an adbust on subsequent cognitive and behavioral outcomes depends on the content of the adbust: if the brand itself is targeted (vs. a social or political issue), brand perception, word‐of‐mouth, and purchase intention are negatively affected. This negative effect is mitigated if the adbust targets a social/political issue. In a mixed‐method design, we use a panel of real‐world adbusts (Pilot Study) and four experimental studies (Studies 1–4) to shed light on these effects.
Bleeding hearts and heartless believers: How political ideology impacts consumer grit and moral consumer choices
Authors: Pant Logan , Kidwell Blair
Published: January 2024

Grit—passion and perseverance toward long‐term goals—is generally associated with conscientiousness and consistency and thus presumed to be ideologically conservative in nature. Yet, an understanding of how liberals and conservatives differ in grittiness remains elusive. In this research, overall grit did not differ between liberals and conservatives, rather ideology played an essential role in driving which dimension of grit (perseverance; passion) was emphasized. Contrary to conventional wisdom, grit‐based perseverance (passion) was more influential to liberals (conservatives). Across two studies and a pilot study (appendix), the authors find that while ideology had no direct influence on moral consumer choices, grit‐based perseverance (passion), related to consumers' liberal (conservative) ideology, significantly increased (decreased) intentions to make moral consumer choices. These findings delineate the relationship between political ideology and grit, and the impact on moral consumer choices. The current research offers important implications for practitioners as well as numerous avenues for future research.
Identification and interruption of inheritance of familial cryptic translocations: A case report
Authors: Ou Jian , Sun Jian , Yang Chuan‐Chun , Ni Meng‐Xia , Zou Qin‐Yan , Xing Shi‐Yu , Lin Chun‐Hua , Meng Qing‐Xia , Ding Jie , Zheng Ai‐Yan , Zhang Yan , Kong Ling‐Yin , Liang Bo , Li Hong
Published: January 2024

Background

Cryptic translocations can be identified via genetic analysis of aborted tissues or malformed infants, but it is difficult to deduce the parental origins of the translocations. In the absence of such information, it is not easy to distinguish translocations from normal embryos during pre‐implantation genetic testing, that seeks to block familial transmission of translocations.

Methods

Here, we present a new method that detects cryptic translocations and blocks familial transmission thereof. Whole‐genome, low‐coverage mate‐pair sequencing (WGLMPS) revealed chromosome breakpoint sequences, and preimplantation genetic haplotyping (PGH) was then used to discard embryos with cryptic translocations.

Results

Cryptic translocations were found in all four families, and familial transmission was successfully blocked in one family.

Conclusion

Whole‐genome, low‐coverage mate‐pair sequencing combined with preimplantation genetic haplotyping methods powerfully and practically identify cryptic translocations and block familial transmissions.
Compound heterozygous mutations in CFTR causing congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens in a Chinese pedigree
Authors: Li Lingyi , Qu Xiaowei , Cui Chenchen , Feng Ke , Xia Yanqing , Wan Feng , Ge Hengtao , Fang Yinghong , Zhang Cuilian , Guo Haibin
Published: January 2024

Background

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder rarely found in Asian populations. Most males with CF are infertile because of obstructive azoospermia (OA) caused by congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD). Compound heterozygous mutations of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) are among the most common pathogenic factors in CBAVD. However, few genealogical analyses have been performed.

Methods

In this study, whole‐exome sequencing and cosegregation analysis were performed in a Chinese pedigree involving two siblings with CBAVD. Moreover, in vitro gene expressions were used to analyze the pathogenicity of a novel CFTR mutation.

Results

We identified compound heterozygous mutations of CFTR comprising the known disease‐causing variant c.1210‐11T>G (also known as IVS9‐5 T) and c.2144delA;p.q715fs in two siblings with CBAVD. To verify the effects in vitro, we transfected vectors expressing wild‐type and mutated CFTR into 293T cells. The results showed that the CFTR protein containing the frameshift mutation (c.2144delA) was 60 kD smaller. With testicular sperm aspiration/intracytoplasmic sperm injection‐embryo transfer (TESA/ICSI‐ET), both CBAVD patients fathered healthy offspring.

Conclusion

Our study revealed that compound heterozygous mutations of CFTR are involved in CBAVD, expanding the known CFTR gene mutation spectrum of CBAVD patients and providing more evidence that compound heterozygous mutations can cause familial CBAVD.
CMRsim–A python package for cardiovascular MR simulations incorporating complex motion and flow
Authors: Weine Jonathan , McGrath Charles , Dirix Pietro , Buoso Stefano , Kozerke Sebastian
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To present an open‐source MR simulation framework that facilitates the incorporation of complex motion and flow for studying cardiovascular MR (CMR) acquisition and reconstruction.

Methods

CMRsim is a Python package that allows simulation of CMR images using dynamic digital phantoms with complex motion as input. Two simulation paradigms are available, namely, numerical and analytical solutions to the Bloch equations, using a common motion representation. Competitive simulation speeds are achieved using TensorFlow for GPU acceleration. To demonstrate the capability of the package, one introductory and two advanced CMR simulation experiments are presented. The latter showcase phase‐contrast imaging of turbulent flow downstream of a stenotic section and cardiac diffusion tensor imaging on a contracting left ventricle. Additionally, extensive documentation and example resources are provided.

Results

The Bloch simulation with turbulent flow using approximately 1.5 million particles and a sequence duration of 710 ms for each of the seven different velocity encodings took a total of 29 min on a NVIDIA Titan RTX GPU. The results show characteristic phase contrast and magnitude modulation present in real data. The analytical simulation of cardiac diffusion tensor imaging with bulk‐motion phase sensitivity took approximately 10 s per diffusion‐weighted image, including preparation and loading steps. The results exhibit the expected alteration of diffusion metrics due to strain.

Conclusion

CMRsim is the first simulation framework that allows one to feasibly incorporate complex motion, including turbulent flow, to systematically study advanced CMR acquisition and reconstruction approaches. The open‐source package features modularity and transparency, facilitating maintainability and extensibility in support of reproducible research.
Effect of interlaminar basalt fiber veil reinforcement on mode I fracture toughness of basalt fiber composites
Authors: Zhao Guozhi , Li Mengjia , Wang Shenglu , Peng Xilan , Wang Lulu , Li Xiping , Zhao Yuan , Gao Yin , Zhang Ye , Zheng Jiajia
Published: January 2024

Composite structures are vulnerable to delamination under out‐of‐plane loading due to the absence of reinforcing fibers in the thickness direction. This paper introduced the interlaminar basalt fiber veil technique to improve the interlaminar fracture toughness of basalt fiber‐reinforced thermoplastic composite laminates. The reinforcement effect of the basalt fiber veil on GIC of composite laminates was investigated by a double cantilever beam (DCB) test. The toughening effect, damage morphology, and the basalt fiber veil toughening mechanism were analyzed by mechanical response, optical photos, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the basalt fiber veil could significantly inhibit the propagation of interlaminar cracks. Compared to the unreinforced specimen, the maximum load of basalt fiber veil‐reinforced laminate was increased by 73%, the average platform load was increased by 72.7% and the GIC was increased by 157%.

Highlights

Improvement of GIC of basalt fiber‐reinforced thermoplastic laminates by basalt fiber veil.

The toughening mechanism for the basalt fiber veil.

The GIC of the fiber veil‐reinforced laminate was 157% higher than the unreinforced laminate.
Reciprocal longitudinal associations of defender self‐efficacy with defending and passive bystanding in peer victimization
Authors: Sjögren Björn , Thornberg Robert , Pozzoli Tiziana
Published: January 2024

Peer victimization in schools most often occurs in the presence of bystanders. When bystanders intervene on behalf of the victims, they are often successful in stopping the victimization. Defender self‐efficacy (i.e., the belief in one's ability to successfully defend victims) has consistently been associated with greater defending and less passive bystanding in peer victimization. However, the lack of longitudinal research designs has resulted in a limited understanding of how these relationships develop over time. This five‐wave longitudinal study involving 2507 Swedish students addressed this gap by examining longitudinal associations of defender self‐efficacy with defending and passive bystanding. Participating students answered a self‐report questionnaire once a year, from fourth to eighth grade. Our findings provide partial evidence for reciprocal associations among the variables. Moreover, there were more significant associations in the traditional than in the random intercept model, thus favoring between‐person interpretations of the longitudinal associations. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the link between defender self‐efficacy and bystander behavior of peer victimization, and that schools in their efforts in preventing school violence and bullying support students in increasing their defender self‐efficacy and capacity in defending.
Attention to the integration of literacy: A systematic review of early math interventions in informal learning environments
Authors: Carter Hannah , Nelson Gena , Boedeker Peter , Buckmiller Claire Werlin , Eames Jessie , Knowles Emma
Published: January 2024

Links between the development of early literacy and math skills are well documented. This systematic review focuses on how literacy is incorporated into informal math intervention studies for children in preschool to third grade, which has implications for researchers and those training caregivers to support their children at home. We reviewed 51 experimental or quasi‐experimental studies published from 1981 to 2021 that investigated the effectiveness of math interventions in informal learning environments with a caregiver interventionist. Findings revealed that 100% of studies included literacy in some way. We also investigated what types of literacy activities were integrated, how literacy was a part of data sources collected, and in what ways literacy was mentioned explicitly by authors in research reports. The most common literacy activity was speaking and listening, and the most frequently included literacy data source was standardized literacy achievement measures. Finally, researchers in the included studies did not detail literacy throughout their research reports. While early math interventions often integrate literacy, the research base including math interventions would benefit from more explicit rationales for their use of literacy, and caregivers should be provided information to help understand how literacy should be a part of the way they work with their child on math at home.
Registration of ‘PVL03’ rice
Authors: Angira Brijesh , Linscombe Steven D. , Webster Eric P. , Webster Connor , Harrell Dustin L. , Groth Donald E. , Dalla‐Lana Felipe , Zaunbrecher Richard E. , Dartez Valerie , Williams Brady , Theunissen Brent , Famoso Adam
Published: January 2024

‘PVL03’ (Reg. no. CV‐159, PI 699656), a Provisia (BASF) long‐grain rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar, was developed by the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station near Crowley, LA, and approved for release in 2020. PVL03 is the third rice cultivar released as part of the Provisia Rice System with resistance to Provisia herbicide, containing the active ingredient quizalofop‐p‐ethyl, an AACase (group 1) herbicide. PVL03 was derived from the cross ‘PVL01’/‘Catahoula’. Testing in the Provisia preliminary yield trial in 2018 and the multi‐location trial in 2019 indicated good yield potential and favorable agronomic characteristics. In 2020, PVL03 was evaluated in commercial advanced replicated trials across six locations in Louisiana. Four high‐yielding commercial cultivars were included as checks: ‘PVL02’, PVL01, ‘CL153’, and ‘Cheniere’. The average grain yield of PVL03 was 9.6 t ha−1 compared with 8.0 t ha−1 for PVL02, 8.1 t ha−1 for PVL01, 9.8 t ha−1 for CL153, and 9.1 t ha−1 for Cheniere. PVL03 was shorter than the previous Provisia cultivar, PVL02. The milled grain length was longer than that of PVL02, with a length‐to‐width ratio of 3.0. It has a typical US long‐grain rice cooking quality with intermediate amylose and gelatinization temperature. PVL03 is moderately susceptible to sheath blight and moderately resistant to leaf blast and bacterial panicle blight.
Size‐Dependent Characteristics of InGaN‐Based Blue and Green Micro‐Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Mohan Shyam , Jeong Joocheol , Kim Minho , Heo Yunseok , Park Jooyong , Lee Joonhyuk , Kim Jinwan , Heo Jeonghun , Nam Okhyun
Published: January 2024

This study focuses on investigating the size‐dependent characteristics (chip diameter: 100–10 μm) of InGaN‐based blue and green micro‐light‐emitting diodes (μLEDs) with respect to their electrical and optical properties. The LED's epistructure is grown using the metal–organic chemical vapor deposition technique, preceded by simulation and optimization using SiLENSe LED simulator. The cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy study confirms the epistructure. The Photoluminescence mapping of the epistructure reveals that the blue emission is at 461 nm (full width at half maximum [FWHM] ≈ 15.5 nm) and the green emission is at 510 nm (FWHM ≈ 17.5 nm). The study analyzes the size‐dependent external quantum efficiency (EQE), optical power, and peak wavelength shift between blue and green μLEDs. The electroluminescence (EL) study reveals that the redshift of the EL peak wavelength of μLEDs is attributed to the release of strain at reduced chip sizes. The size‐dependent EQE study shows a reduction of EQE with shrunken chip size, attributed to the increase of nonradiative Shockley–Read–Hall recombination. Finally, the study estimates the characteristics temperature of the μLEDs using temperature‐dependent EL measurement, revealing that blue μLEDs exhibit a significantly large value of characteristic temperature ≈1926 K.
Assessing Lattice Thermal Conductivity of Topological Insulator Bi2Se3 by Raman Thermometry
Authors: Kurian Elavunkel Vipin , Das Soumendra Kumar , Padhan Prahallad
Published: January 2024

Lattice thermal conductivity (κL) of the hexagon‐shaped nanocrystals cluster of Bi2Se3, prepared by the hot‐injection technique using nontoxic solvents, is studied. From the temperature‐dependent Raman spectra of Bi2Se3 nanocrystals, the average Debye temperature (θD) and Gruneisen parameter (γ) are calculated by adopting the bond‐order–length–strength correlation theory. The average room temperature κL of Bi2Se3 nanocrystals evaluated from the Slack model using θD and γ is ≈1.1 Wm−1K−1. The κL of Bi2Se3 nanocrystals is larger than out‐of‐plane κL (≈0.4 Wm−1K−1) but close to the in‐plane κL (≈1.4 Wm−1K−1) simulated using the Boltzmann transport equation for phonon with three‐phonon scatterings. Nanostructuring introduces grain boundaries in the Bi2Se3 that block the long mean free path of phonons physically, reduces the phonon mean free path, and decreases the κL. The anisotropic phonon scattering introduced by the weak van der Waals force between adjacent quintuple layers in the out‐of‐plane direction, in addition to the acoustic–optical phonon scattering and anharmonicity, hinders the efficient transport of thermal energy in the Bi2Se3 and results in a lower κL. By utilizing materials with anisotropic thermal conductivity, thermoelectric devices can be designed to preferentially conduct heat in specific directions while minimizing heat loss in others.
Differentially private outcome‐weighted learning for optimal dynamic treatment regime estimation
Authors: Spicker Dylan , Moodie Erica E. M. , Shortreed Susan M.
Published: January 2024

Precision medicine is a framework for developing evidence‐based medical recommendations that seeks to determine the optimal sequence of treatments, tailored to all of the relevant, observable patient‐level characteristics. Because precision medicine relies on highly sensitive, patient‐level data, ensuring the privacy of participants is of great importance. Dynamic treatment regimes (DTRs) provide one formalization of precision medicine in a longitudinal setting. Outcome‐weighted learning (OWL) is a family of techniques for estimating optimal DTRs based on observational data. OWL techniques leverage support vector machine (SVM) classifiers in order to perform estimation. SVMs perform classification based on a set of influential points in the data known as support vectors. The classification rule produced by SVMs often requires direct access to the support vectors. Thus, releasing a treatment policy estimated with OWL requires the release of patient data for a subset of patients in the sample. As a result, the classification rules from SVMs constitute a severe privacy violation for those individuals whose data comprise the support vectors. This privacy violation is a major concern, particularly in light of the potentially highly sensitive medical data that are used in DTR estimation. Differential privacy has emerged as a mathematical framework for ensuring the privacy of individual‐level data, with provable guarantees on the likelihood that individual characteristics can be determined by an adversary. We provide the first investigation of differential privacy in the context of DTRs and provide a differentially private OWL estimator, with theoretical results allowing us to quantify the cost of privacy in terms of the accuracy of the private estimators.
Design of UHPC prestressed girders for shear
Authors: Foster Stephen J. , Bentz Evan
Published: January 2024

Breakthrough technology of ultra‐high‐performance concrete (UHPC) introduced in the 1990s exhibits several exceptional mechanical properties that are advantageous in elements of bridge applications. Extensive research has aimed to industrialize UHPC and develop design models. This paper investigates several design models for shear, including a unified approach with that of conventional concrete based on the modified compression field theory (MCFT). An experimental database of UHPC prestressed concrete girders subjected to shear failure is compiled to evaluate model accuracy and a reliability study is conducted to establish appropriate safety factors. The analysis demonstrates that the proposed MCFT‐based model aligns well with experimental results, exhibiting a suitable level of conservatism for design. A reliability assessment of a typical prestressed girder designed according to Canadian Standards Association building and bridge loadings is performed, resulting in a structural reliability evaluation against a target reliability index. The study recommends specific strength reduction and safety factors for design approaches using UHPC.
A comparison of cardiovascular disease, cancer, mortality, and Graves' ophthalmopathy following treatment for hyperthyroidism: A Bayesian network meta‐analysis
Authors: Liu Xiaodong , Wong Carlos K. H. , Wu Tingting , Chan Wendy W. L. , Woo Yu Cho , Lam Cindy L. K. , Lang Brian H. H.
Published: January 2024

Objectives

This network meta‐analysis aimed to evaluate the association of anti‐thyroid drugs (ATD), radioactive iodine (RAI), and thyroidectomy with subsequent outcomes in patients with newly‐diagnosed hyperthyroidism.

Methods

The Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for observational studies and randomized controlled trials. Included studies were published on or before 1st May 2022 involving at least two of the treatments among ATD, RAI, and thyroidectomy for hyperthyroidism. Pairwise comparisons and Bayesian network meta‐analysis were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and their credible interval (CrI) of outcomes, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, overall mortality, and Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO).

Results

A total of 22 cohort studies with 131,297 hyperthyroidism patients were included. Thyroidectomy was associated with lower risks of mortality and GO than ATD (HR = 0.54, 95% CrI: 0.31, 0.96; HR = 0.31, 95% CrI: 0.12, 0.64) and RAI (HR = 0.62, 95% CrI: 0.41, 0.95; HR = 0.18, 95% CrI: 0.07, 0.35). RAI had a higher risk of GO (HR = 1.70, 95% CrI: 1.02, 2.99) than ATD treatment.

Conclusions

This Bayesian network meta‐analysis indicated that thyroidectomy was associated with lower risks of mortality and GO in newly‐diagnosed hyperthyroid patients compared to ATD and RAI. Relative to ATD, RAI therapy increased the risk of GO.