bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lentic Meadows and Riparian Functions Impaired After Horse and Cattle Grazing
Authors: Burdick Jacob , Swanson Sherman , Tsocanos Sebastian , Mccue Sabrina
Published: July 2021

Perennially and intermittently available water in lentic, spring‐fed herbaceous meadows supports wetland plants that build and maintain absorbent soil organic matter, capture sediment, prevent erosion, and thereby sustain riparian ecosystems. Enhanced forage and available water attract a diversity of wildlife and grazing animals that can degrade riparian vegetation through prolonged overuse. We tested novel monitoring methods and adapted existing methods to obtain quantified vegetation data that have been consistently linked to riparian functionality and compared these data to ungulate species use. We quantified ungulate use with time‐lapse cameras at 10 Nevada spring‐fed herbaceous meadows where core greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat, public land grazing allotments, and free‐roaming horse (Equus caballus) herd management areas (Bureau of Land Management) or territories (U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service) overlapped. Free‐roaming horses used most study sites over longer periods and grazed more intensely than cattle or domestic sheep. Native ungulate grazing intensity was comparatively negligible. Free‐roaming horses selected spring‐fed meadow sites on average 51 (±33 [SE]) times more than the surrounding rangelands, and cattle selected them 30 ± 23 times more. Within the wettest area of a site, study sites with longer duration of use and higher intensity of use had more soil alteration and bare ground. Riparian ecosystem degradation occurred where meadows had limited rest or recovery time from grazing during the growing season. At all sites we noted loss of riparian function, especially within the hydric areas with the highest potential to grow abundant cover of stabilizing wetland plant species. Transects for monitoring soil alteration and vegetation cover in this hydric location can provide a leading indicator of riparian recovery or degradation and help in adjusting free‐roaming horse population levels or livestock management strategies. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.
Sage‐Grouse Population Dynamics are Adversely Affected by Overabundant Feral Horses
Authors: Coates Peter S. , O'neil Shawn T. , MuÑoz Diana A. , Dwight Ian A. , Tull John C.
Published: July 2021

In recent decades, feral horse (Equus caballus; horse) populations increased in sagebrush (Artimesia spp.) ecosystems, especially within the Great Basin, to the point of exceeding maximum appropriate management levels (AMLmax), which were set by land administrators to balance resource use by feral horses, livestock, and wildlife. Concomitantly, greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage‐grouse) are sagebrush obligates that have experienced population declines within these same arid environments as a result of steady and continued loss of seasonal habitats. Although a strong body of research indicates that overabundant populations of horses degrade sagebrush ecosystems, empirical evidence linking horse abundance to sage‐grouse population dynamics is missing. Within a Bayesian framework, we employed state‐space models to estimate population rate of change (λ) using 15 years (2005–2019) of count surveys of male sage‐grouse at traditional breeding grounds (i.e., leks) as a function of horse abundance relative to AMLmax and other environmental covariates (e.g., wildfire, precipitation, % sagebrush cover). Additionally, we employed a post hoc impact‐control design to validate existing AMLmax values as related to sage‐grouse population responses, and to help control for environmental stochasticity and broad‐scale oscillations in sage‐grouse abundance. On average, for every 50% increase in horse abundance over AMLmax, our model predicted an annual decline in sage‐grouse abundance by 2.6%. Horse abundance at or below AMLmax coincided with sage‐grouse λ estimates that were consistent with trends at non‐horse areas elsewhere in the study region. Thus, AMLmax, as a whole, appeared to be set adequately in preventing adverse effects to sage‐grouse populations. Results indicated 76%, 97%, and >99% probability of sage‐grouse population decline relative to controls when horse numbers are 2, 2.5, and ≥3 times over AMLmax, respectively. As of 2019, horse herds exceeded AMLmax in Nevada, USA, by >4 times on average across all horse management areas. If feral horse populations continue to grow at current rates unabated, model projections indicate sage‐grouse populations will be reduced within horse‐occupied areas by >70.0% by 2034 (15‐year projection), on average compared to 21.2% estimated for control sites. A monitoring framework that improves on estimating horse abundance and identifying responses of sage‐grouse and other key indicator species (plant and animal) would be beneficial to guide management decisions that promote co‐occurrence of horses with sensitive wildlife and livestock within landscapes subjected to multiple uses. Published 2021. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. The Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.
Salvage Following Transoral Laser Microsurgery for Early Glottic Cancer in National Veteran Database
Authors: Voora Rohith S. , Panuganti Bharat , Flagg Mitchell , Kumar Abhishek , Qian Alexander S. , Kotha Nikhil V. , Qiao Edmund M. , Weissbrod Philip A. , Rose Brent , Orosco Ryan K.
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) is commonly utilized for early glottic cancer and offers favorable oncologic and functional outcomes. However, the survival implications of salvage therapy for recurrent or persistent disease have not been definitively characterized.

Study Design

Retrospective, national database cohort study.

Methods

Data were extracted from Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI) concerning the TLM‐based management of T1–T2 glottic squamous cell carcinoma patients between 2000 and 2017. Patients were characterized as either requiring TLM‐only, or in cases of persistent or recurrent local disease, TLM plus change in treatment modality (radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, or open surgery). Predictors of overall survival (OS), cancer‐specific survival (CSS), and salvage‐free survival were evaluated via Cox and Fine‐Gray models.

Results

About 553 patients (70.9% T1a, 13.4% T1b, 15.7% T2) were included, with a median follow‐up time of 74.5 months. The need for non‐TLM salvage increased along with more advanced disease (11.7% T1a, 29.7% T1b, 32.2% T2). Compared to patients with T1a disease, those with T1b and T2 tumors initially treated with TLM had a significantly higher probability of receiving non‐TLM salvage (T1b: HR 2.70, 95% CI: 1.61–4.54; T2: HR 3.02, 95% CI: 1.88–4.84). In a multivariable model, receipt of non‐TLM salvage was not a significant predictor of either OS (HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.62–1.33, P = .624) or CSS (HR 1.21 95% CI 0.51–2.86, P = .667).

Conclusion

The majority of patients with early glottic cancer that are managed with TLM do not require additional salvage therapy. When non‐TLM salvage was required, there was no decrement in OS or CSS.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 131:2766–2772, 2021
The downside of purchasing a servant brand: The effect of servant brand consumption on consumer charitable behavior
Authors: Ho Cony M. , Lin Szu‐Han (Joanna) , Wyer Robert S.
Published: July 2021

Charitable behaviors are essential to organizations and consumers. The majority of research to date has focused on the personal characteristics of donators and donation recipients that influence charitable behaviors. However, our understanding of the influence of the shopping process on subsequent charitable behaviors is limited. In this study, we focus on how purchasing a servant brand could influence consumers' subsequent charitable behavior. Across five studies, we investigated the effect of purchasing a servant (vs. partner) brand on consumers' subsequent charitable behaviors. This effect occurs because purchasing a servant brand enhances consumers' dominance‐feeling and reduces their feelings of empathy, and their reduced empathy in turn undermines their subsequent willingness to donate. Finally, we demonstrate the moderating roles of power distance beliefs and shopping environment in attenuating the detrimental effect of servant brand consumption on reduced empathy and subsequent charitable behaviors. These findings offer important insights into the ubiquitous nature of brands in consumers' everyday lives by detailing how servant brand consumption influences charitable behavior.
Ethnicity's effect on social media‐based comment intention: Comparing minority and majority consumers
Authors: Bozkurt Sıddık , Gligor David , Hollebeek Linda D.
Published: July 2021

Social media‐based interactions between consumers and firms have received considerable attention in recent years. Despite significant interest in this phenomenon, little is known about how ethnicity impacts consumers' comment intention on social media. This is an important limitation, as ethnicity represents a significant driver of consumer behavior. Addressing this gap, we investigate whether minority (vs. majority) group consumers are more likely to publicly comment on a firm's social media post, when the majority of existing comments is made by ethnically similar consumers. We also explore whether perceived similarity affects these behaviors, and establish the moderating role of ethnic identity, social media usage intensity, and shared content ethnic association (vs. disassociation) in the proposed relationships. To explore these issues, we conduct two survey experiments. The findings reveal ethnicity as an important driver of consumers' intent to comment on firm‐based social media posts. Specifically, compared to ethnic majority (i.e., Caucasian) consumers, ethnic minority (i.e., African American) consumers are more likely to comment on a social media post when most of the post's existing comments are made by ethnically similar consumers, owing to their perceived similarity to existing commenters. Moreover, consumers' ethnic identity, social media usage intensity level, and shared content associations play an important role in these relationships.
Deciphering Trifolium pratense L. holobiont reveals a microbiome resilient to future climate changes
Authors: Wahdan Sara Fareed Mohamed , Tanunchai Benjawan , Wu Yu‐Ting , Sansupa Chakriya , Schädler Martin , Dawoud Turki M. , Buscot François , Purahong Witoon
Published: July 2021

The plant microbiome supports plant growth, fitness, and resistance against climate change. Trifolium pratense (red clover), an important forage legume crop, positively contributes to ecosystem sustainability. However, T. pratense is known to have limited adaptive ability toward climate change. Here, the T. pratense microbiomes (including both bacteria and fungi) of the rhizosphere and the root, shoot, and flower endospheres were comparatively examined using metabarcoding in a field located in Central Germany that mimics the climate conditions projected for the next 50–70 years in comparison with the current climate conditions. Additionally, the ecological functions and metabolic genes of the microbial communities colonizing each plant compartment were predicted using FUNGuild, FAPROTAX, and Tax4Fun annotation tools. Our results showed that the individual plant compartments were colonized by specific microbes. The bacterial and fungal community compositions of the belowground plant compartments did not vary under future climate conditions. However, future climate conditions slightly altered the relative abundances of specific fungal classes of the aboveground compartments. We predicted several microbial functional genes of the T. pratense microbiome involved in plant growth processes, such as biofertilization (nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, and siderophore biosynthesis) and biostimulation (phytohormone and auxin production). Our findings indicated that T. pratense microbiomes show a degree of resilience to future climate changes. Additionally, microbes inhabiting T. pratense may not only contribute to plant growth promotion but also to ecosystem sustainability.
Measuring the absolute abundance of the microbiome by adding yeast containing 16S rRNA gene from a hyperthermophile
Authors: Kim Ju Yeong , Yi Myung‐hee , Kim Myungjun , Lee Seogwon , Moon Hye Su , Yong Dongeun , Yong Tai‐Soon
Published: July 2021

High‐throughput sequencing (HTS) of 16S rRNA gene amplicons provides compositional information regarding the microbial community, but not the absolute abundance of the bacteria. We aimed to develop a standardized method for quantifying the absolute abundance of bacteria in microbiome studies. To demonstrate the utility of our approach, we quantified the number of bacteria from the compositional data of the fecal and cecal microbiomes. The 16S rRNA gene of a hyperthermophile, Thermus aquaticus, was cloned into Pichia pastoris (yeast) genome, and an equivalent amount of the yeast was added to the stool and cecal samples of mice before DNA extraction. 16S rRNA gene library construction and HTS were performed after DNA extraction. The absolute abundances of bacteria were calculated using T. aquaticus reads. The average relative abundances of T. aquaticus in the five stool and five cecal samples were 0.95% and 0.33%, respectively, indicating that the number of bacteria in a cecum sample is 2.9 times higher than that in a stool sample. The method proposed for quantifying the absolute abundance of the bacterial population in this study is expected to overcome the limitation of showing only compositional data in most microbiome studies.
Low‐level germline mosaicism of a novel SMARCA2 missense variant: Expanding the phenotypic spectrum and mode of genetic transmission
Authors: Pan Nina , Chen Songchang , Cai Xiaoqiang , Li Jianli , Yu Tao , Huang He‐feng , Zhang Jinglan , Xu Chenming
Published: July 2021

Background

Nicolaides–Baraitser syndrome (NCBRS) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder with multiple abnormalities. To date, all pathogenic variants in SMARCA2 causing NCBRS are de novo and most are missense variants located in the ATPase domain of SMARCA2 protein.

Methods

In this study, a familial trio whole‐exome sequencing was performed on the proband presenting with intellectual disability, early‐onset epilepsy, and autistic features. A novel missense variant c.553C>G (p.Gln185Glu) in SMARCA2 was identified, which is located in the QLQ domain. The same variant was subsequently also found in the mother's ongoing pregnancy. Samples from accessible tissues such as saliva and sperm other than blood were collected from the parents, and the detection of the target variant was performed by amplicon‐based deep sequencing.

Results

Low‐level mosaicism of the target variant c.553C>G (p.Gln185Glu) was detected in the father's sperm with allele fraction of 2.8% by amplicon‐based deep sequencing, which was not detected in either parents’ blood or saliva specimens. Heterozygosity of this variant was confirmed in the proband.

Conclusion

This is the first report of paternal germline mosaicism for a SMARCA2 disease‐causing variant. In addition, the missense variant c.553C>G (p.Gln185Glu) in the QLQ domain causes mainly neurological and developmental phenotypes with unremarkable characteristic facial features and limb abnormalities. Our findings expand the phenotypic spectrum and mode of genetic transmission associated with the SMARCA2 variants.
Novel air‐filled substrate integrated waveguide bandpass filter with nonresonant node structures
Authors: Wu Yongbiao , Yang Kai , Chen Peng , Zhang Lanhai , Li Guopeng
Published: July 2021

A low‐loss bandpass filter with a nonresonant node (NRN) based air‐filled substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) is proposed in this study. It is based on a second‐order inductive diaphragm‐coupled filter with an additional NRN to introduce a transmission zero (TZ) in the upper stopband. Measured results show that the filter has a center frequency of 32.27 GHz with the bandwidth of 0.9 GHz. The insertion loss in the passband is 1.2 dB, and the return loss is better than 24 dB. Due to the presence of TZ in the upper sideband, the AFSIW filter has a sharper transition performance and achieves good selectivity.
Compact fourth/third order dual‐band bandpass filter with independently controllable passbands
Authors: Lu Jianguo , Xu Jun , Zhang Fan
Published: July 2021

This article reports a compact microstrip dual‐band bandpass filter (DBBPF) using two pairs of λ/4 short‐circuited stepped impedance resonators (SSIRs) and a stub‐loaded triple‐mode resonator (STR). The first and fourth λ/4 SSIRs not only couple with the second and third SSIRs to form the lower passband, but also serve as the feeding structure and provide source‐load coupling for the higher passband, formed by the STR. As a result, a compact filter size can be achieved, and two extra transmission zeros are created for the higher passband to enhance the passband selectivity. Meanwhile, both the center frequency and bandwidth of each passband can be controlled independently. Furthermore, the impedance and length ratios of the two pairs of λ/4 SSIRs are dissimilar to achieve wide stopband. A fourth/third order DBBPF prototype centered at 1.575 GHz (GPS) and 3.5 GHz (WiMAX) is ultimately implemented to demonstrate the design concept, and the measurements match the simulations with good consistency.
Volumetric coronary endothelial function assessment: a feasibility study exploiting stack‐of‐stars 3D cine MRI and image‐based respiratory self‐gating
Authors: Bonanno Gabriele , Weiss Robert G. , Piccini Davide , Yerly Jérôme , Soleimani Sahar , Pan Li , Bi Xiaoming , Hays Allison G. , Stuber Matthias , Schär Michael
Published: July 2021

Abnormal coronary endothelial function (CEF), manifesting as depressed vasoreactive responses to endothelial‐specific stressors, occurs early in atherosclerosis, independently predicts cardiovascular events, and responds to cardioprotective interventions. CEF is spatially heterogeneous along a coronary artery in patients with atherosclerosis, and thus recently developed and tested non‐invasive 2D MRI techniques to measure CEF may not capture the extent of changes in CEF in a given coronary artery. The purpose of this study was to develop and test the first volumetric coronary 3D MRI cine method for assessing CEF along the proximal and mid‐coronary arteries with isotropic spatial resolution and in free‐breathing. This approach, called 3D‐Stars, combines a 6 min continuous, untriggered golden‐angle stack‐of‐stars acquisition with a novel image‐based respiratory self‐gating method and cardiac and respiratory motion‐resolved reconstruction. The proposed respiratory self‐gating method agreed well with respiratory bellows and center‐of‐k‐space methods. In healthy subjects, 3D‐Stars vessel sharpness was non‐significantly different from that by conventional 2D radial in proximal segments, albeit lower in mid‐portions. Importantly, 3D‐Stars detected normal vasodilatation of the right coronary artery in response to endothelial‐dependent isometric handgrip stress in healthy subjects. Coronary artery cross‐sectional areas measured using 3D‐Stars were similar to those from 2D radial MRI when similar thresholding was used. In conclusion, 3D‐Stars offers good image quality and shows feasibility for non‐invasively studying vasoreactivity‐related lumen area changes along the proximal coronary artery in 3D during free‐breathing.
Nurses competence in the reporting of medication‐related incidents: An intervention study
Authors: Salcedo‐Diego Isabel , Ruiz‐Antorán Belén , Payares‐Herrera Concepción , de Andrés‐Gimeno Begoña , Serrano‐Gallardo Pilar
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Less than 5% of all harmful medicine‐related incidents (MIs) or adverse drug reactions received by the Spanish Pharmacovigilance system are notified by Registered Nurses (RNs). The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of a multifaceted institutional intervention (MII) in patient safety on the reporting competence of medication incidents of hospital RNs.

Design

One‐group pre‐test–posttest design.

Setting

Tertiary, public, teaching hospital in Spain.

Participants

A total of 139 RNs responded to pre‐ and postintervention questionnaires constituting the paired sample subjected to analysis.

Intervention

A MII, consisting of educational activities and materials, change in MI reporting form from paper to electronic and appointment of reporting support services, was designed and directed to all hospital RNs and midwifes.

Main outcome measures

Overall MIs reporting competence (OC) and its dimensions (attitudes, knowledge and skills) were measured through a synthetic variable (total OC value range: 34–170 points) by means of an electronic questionnaire.

Results

A statistically significant 7.96‐point increase in OC from baseline to the final measurement was obtained (CI: 5.05–10.85). There was an increase of 7.38 points in the skills dimension (CI: 5.06–9.68). After the MII, 73.4% nurses improved their OC and 33.8% reported at least one no‐harm MI postintervention compared to 4.4% pre‐intervention (p < .001). A one‐point increase in OC improved the probability of becoming reporter by 2.9% and a one‐point increase in skills by 6.4%.

Conclusion

MIs reporting competence among RNs increased after a multifaceted institutional intervention, due to an improvement in the skills dimension. The MII was also effective in raising both, the rate of RNs who become reporters and the number of no‐harm MIs reported.
Factors associated with unplanned transfers among cancer patients at a freestanding acute rehabilitation facility
Authors: Bhakta Akash , Roy Ishan , Huang Kevin , Spangenberg Jacqueline , Jayabalan Prakash
Published: July 2021

Background

Cancer patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation often have high risk of complications leading to unplanned transfer to acute care. Prior studies have identified factors associated with these transfers but have been limited to examining factors that pertain to initial admission to rehabilitation and were not conducted in a freestanding inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Objective

The study aimed to include these prerehabilitation factors in addition to factors upon initial assessment in rehabilitation. It was hypothesized that specific factors from each of these periods would be associated with unplanned transfer to acute care.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Freestanding academic inpatient rehabilitation facility affiliated with an academic tertiary care facility with a comprehensive cancer center.

Patients

Retrospective review of 330 specific encounters unique to 250 patients from March 2017 to September 2018.

Main Outcome Measures

The outcome measure was unplanned transfer to acute care. A binary logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship between factors from oncologic history, acute care course, and factors upon admission to rehabilitation to unplanned transfer to acute care.

Results

From 330 encounters, there were 111 unplanned transfers (34%). Unplanned transfer to acute care was independently associated with gastrointestinal malignancy (odds ratio [OR] 4.4, p = .01), 6‐minute walk test less than 90 m (OR 4.6, p = .003), and prior unplanned transfer (OR 3.5, p = .007).

Conclusions

The study suggests that oncologic and functional prerehabilitation markers are associated with an increased likelihood of unplanned transfer during inpatient cancer rehabilitation. These findings will provide a framework for creating predictive tools for unplanned transfers in cancer rehabilitation patients.
The prognostic value of digital rectal exam for the existence of advanced pathologic features after prostatectomy
Authors: Prebay Zachary J. , Medairos Robert , Doolittle Johnathan , Langenstroer Peter , Jacobsohn Kenneth , See William A. , Johnson Scott C.
Published: July 2021

Background

Accurate staging at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis is fundamental to risk stratification and management counseling. Digital rectal exam (DRE) is foundational in clinical staging of prostate cancer, even with a known limited interexaminer agreement and poor sensitivity for detecting extraprostatic disease. We sought to evaluate the prognostic value of DRE for the presence of advanced pathologic features (APFs) following radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods

All patients undergoing RP as primary treatment for clinically localized prostate cancer in the National Cancer Database between 2008 and 2014 were identified. Patients with additional malignancies, prior treatment with radiation or systemic therapy, incongruent clinical staging and DRE findings or without fully evaluable clinical staging were excluded. The primary outcome was the presence of postsurgical APFs, defined as positive surgical margins, nodal disease, or pathologic stage T3 or greater. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to account for prostate‐specific antigen (PSA), biopsy grade group, percent of positive biopsy cores, and clinical stage.

Results

In total, 91,525 patients consisting of 69,182 cT1, 20,641 cT2, and 1702 cT3–T4 were included. The average age was 61.1 ± 7.0 years, and the average PSA was 8.6 ± 10.3 ng/ml. On multivariable analysis, cT3 and T4 were associated with the presence of APFs (odds ratio [OR] 11.12, p < .01 and 5.28, p = .04), however, cT2 was only slightly associated with the presence of APFs when compared with cT1 (OR 1.15, p < .01). Furthermore, cT2 was associated with more node‐positive disease (OR 1.63, p < .01), positive margins (OR 1.06, p < .01), and more than or equal to pT3 disease (OR 1.22, p < .01).

Conclusions

Overall, advanced clinical stage as assessed by DRE was independently associated with an increasing risk of APFs. For individual APFs, the greatest effect is noticed between clinical stage and nodal positivity and less so between clinical stage and positive margins. DRE continues to hold value, particularly for patients with locally advanced disease and potential lymph node disease.
Control and Measurement of Quantum Light Pulses for Quantum Information Science and Technology
Authors: Karpiński Michał , Davis Alex O. C. , Sośnicki Filip , Thiel Valérian , Smith Brian J.
Published: July 2021

Manipulation of quantum optical pulses, such as single photons or entangled photon pairs, enables numerous applications, from quantum communications and networking to enhanced sensing. Common methods to shape laser pulses based upon filtering or amplification cannot be employed with quantum light pulses as these approaches introduce detrimental loss and noise to the system. Here, methods to control and measure quantum light pulses based upon deterministic application of targeted phases in time and frequency domains are reviewed, along with recent demonstrations of quantum applications.
Measuring risk‐taking and patience in financial decision making
Authors: Breuer Wolfgang , Renerken Thomas , Salzmann Astrid Juliane
Published: July 2021

We empirically compared the consistency among different kinds of measures for risk‐taking and patience in a survey and an experiment. We evaluated how these variables relate to financial decisions, using a novel set of easy‐to‐apply survey questions as proxy. The main finding is that our results based on the novel survey questions describing financial behavior and on lifelike financial behavior in the laboratory are very similar. Therefore, relatively low‐cost elicitation measures may be used to forecast decision making, which, in turn, may be described by our novel set of survey questions.
Bidirectional drought‐related canopy dynamics across pantropical forests: a satellite‐based statistical analysis
Authors: Liu Liyang , Gong Fanxi , Chen Xiuzhi , Su Yongxian , Fan Lei , Wu Shengbiao , Yang Xueqin , Zhang Jing , Yuan Wenping , Ciais Philippe , Zhou Chenghu
Published: July 2021

Droughts cause extreme anomalies in tropical forest growth, but the direction and magnitude of tropical forests in response to droughts are still widely debated. Here, we used four satellite‐based canopy growth proxies (CGPs), including three optical and one passive microwave, and in situ fluxes observations from eddy covariance (EC) measurements for a retrospective investigation of the impacts of historical droughts on tropical forest growth from a statistical point of view. Results indicate two opposite directions in drought‐related canopy dynamics across pantropical forests. The canopy of tropical forests with higher CGPs is more vulnerable to drought stress and recovers faster in the post‐drought recovery period. In contrast, the canopy of tropical forests with lower CGPs increases during the drought period and declines in the subsequent recovery period, which is beyond general expectation. In situ measurements from eddy‐covariance flux towers showed that forests with higher gross primary production and latent heat flux decreased photosynthesis and evapotranspiration during the drought period but increased photosynthesis and evapotranspiration faster during the post‐drought recovery period, supporting the findings from satellite observations. Our statistical analysis against climatic factors predicts that higher‐CGPs tress with probably taller and bigger canopies are more responsive to shortage of water availability caused by drought; while lower‐CGPs tress with shorter and smaller canopies are more responsive to sunlight availability and tend to increase their canopy leaves and enhance photosynthesis in sunnier days during the drought period. Our results highlight the differences in tropical forests in responding to drought stress, which are worth incorporated in Earth system models for time‐series evaluations.
Simultaneously Enhanced Efficiency and Operational Stability of Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells via Solid‐Additive‐Mediated Aggregation Control
Authors: Zhang Xue , Cai Jinlong , Guo Chuanhang , Li Donghui , Du Baocai , Zhuang Yuan , Cheng Shili , Wang Liang , Liu Dan , Wang Tao
Published: July 2021

The additive strategy is widely used in optimizing the morphology of organic solar cells (OSCs). The majority of additives are liquid with high boiling points, which will be trapped within device and consequently deteriorate performance during operation. In this work, solid but volatile additives 2‐(4‐fluorobenzylidene)‐1H‐indene‐1,3(2H)‐dione (INB‐F) and 2‐(4‐chlorobenzylidene)‐1H‐indene‐1,3(2H)‐dione (INB‐Cl) are designed to replace the common 1,8‐diiodooctane (DIO) in nonfullerene OSCs. These additives present during solution casting but evaporate after moderate heating. Molecular dynamics simulations show that they can reduce the adsorption energy to improve π‐π stacking among nonfullerene acceptor (NFA) molecules, an effect that enhances light absorption and electron mobility. Both INB‐F and INB‐Cl enhance efficiency, with INB‐F achieving a maximum efficiency of 16.7% from 15.1% of the reference PBDB‐T‐2F (PM6):BTP‐BO‐4F (Y6‐BO) cell, and outperforming DIO. Remarkably, they can simultaneously enhance the operational stability, with the INB‐F‐treated OSC maintaining over 60% of the initial efficiency after 1000 h operation, demonstrating a T80 lifetime of 523 h, which is a significant improvement over T80 values of 66.2 h for the reference and 6.6 h for DIO‐treated OSC. The simultaneously enhanced efficiency and operational lifetime are also effective in PM6:BTP‐BO‐4Cl (Y7‐BO) OSCs, demonstrating a universal strategy to improve the performance of OSCs.
Construction of a Skill Evaluation System Based on database‐driven Approach for a Hydraulic Excavator
Authors: Miyazaki Ryunosuke , Akiyama Masaki , Koiwai Kazushige , Kozui Masatoshi , Yamashita Koji , Yamamoto Toru
Published: July 2021

In industries, particularly the construction field, the number of workers is decreasing because of the falling number of young new hires and the increasing number of existing elderly workers. Therefore, it is important to improve the productivity of each worker at a construction site. At many construction sites, operation and decision‐making skills of construction machine operators are required, and work productivity depends on these skills of the operators. However, the number of elderly skilled operators is decreasing, and it is necessary to accurately train young unskilled operators to develop the aforementioned skills in order to improve productivity. Thus, a system that can quantitatively evaluate the operation skills of the operator is required. This study proposes a system that can quantitatively evaluate the operator's skills by using a database‐driven technique. The proposed method is applied to the swing operation of a hydraulic excavator. Furthermore, skill evaluation is carried out by multiple operators, and the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Pre‐Filter Design for Iterative Controller Parameter Tuning Using Data‐Driven Minimum Variance Regulatory Controllers
Authors: Shiroi Shotaro , Masuda Shiro
Published: July 2021

Data‐driven minimum variance regulatory controllers directly tunes controller parameters using regulatory control data for improving disturbance attenuation properties. The approach is originally derived for one‐shot controller parameter tuning. That is followed by iterative methods by way of just repeating one‐shot tuning method. The present work considers such iterative controller parameter tuning method, and proposes a gradient‐based pre‐filter that makes the gradient vector of the data‐driven cost criterion have almost the same direction as one of the original model‐based cost criterion while the global minimizer of the cost criterion remains unchanged. The pre‐filter includes the feedback invariant polynomial in the denominator, which can be estimated from time‐series analysis of the closed‐output and the information of the input delay time. Finally, the effectiveness of the pre‐filter design is shown through a numerical example. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Should we be discouraging use of ‘anticancer’ supplements in dogs and cats with cancer?
Authors: Giuliano Antonio , Mason Sarah L , Elliott James , Mosca Andrea , Treggiari Elisabetta
Published: July 2021

Antonio Giuliano and colleagues argue that ‘anticancer’ supplements could be harmful and hinder chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, and so their use should be discouraged in cancer patients.
Detection of aluminium hydroxide‐induced granulomas in sheep by computed tomography: A feasible approach for small ruminant lentiviruses diagnosis and research
Authors: Rodríguez‐Largo Ana , Castells Enrique , de Miguel Ricardo , Gómez Álex , Ruiz Héctor , Pérez Marta , Reina Ramsés , Ferrer Luis M. , Luján Lluís
Published: July 2021

Aluminium (Al) hydroxide use as adjuvant induces local formation of long‐lasting subcutaneous granulomas in sheep. Macrophages within these granulomas have been identified as a new small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) replication site in naturally infected animals. Diagnosis of Al hydroxide‐induced granulomas in sheep is mostly based on postmortem observations but little information is available on in vivo detection. Computed tomography (CT) is used for studying these reactions in other animal species. To determine if CT could be a tool for in vivo diagnosis and research of subcutaneous Al hydroxide‐induced granulomas in sheep. A retrospective survey on thoracic CT scans was performed on 46 adult sheep. Analysis included absence or presence, number and location of subcutaneous nodules. Thoracic CT scans and pathological studies were prescribed to two further sheep. Single or multiple subcutaneous nodules were detected in 26 (56.52%) sheep. One or two nodules per animal were most often observed (36.95%). Size ranged between 1.5 and 4.5 cm. Pre‐contrast two‐dimensional (2D) CT images showed focal or multifocal increases in subcutaneous tissue thickness. Post‐contrast 2D CT images revealed hypointense areas in the centre. Histopathology indicated the presence of granulomas composed by a large number of activated macrophages, surrounding a central core of necrosis. Large intracytoplasmic Al‐positive aggregates were demonstrated by lumogallion staining. CT is a useful tool to detect subcutaneous Al hydroxide‐induced granulomas in vivo in sheep. CT provides a diagnostic and research tool that can be very useful in future works in Al hydroxide‐induced pathology, SRLV infection, or both.
Combining nanomedicine and immune checkpoint therapy for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Boone Christine E. , Wang Lu , Gautam Aayushma , Newton Isabel G. , Steinmetz Nicole F.
Published: July 2021

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a pillar of the cancer therapy armamentarium. Immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) is a mainstay of modern immunotherapy. Although ICT monotherapy has demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in some patients, the majority do not respond to treatment. In addition, many patients eventually develop resistance to ICT, disease recurrence, and toxicity from off‐target effects. Combination therapy is a keystone strategy to overcome the limitations of monotherapy. With the integration of ICT and any therapy that induces tumor cell lysis and release of tumor‐associated antigens (TAAs), ICT is expected to strengthen the coordinated innate and adaptive immune responses to TAA release and promote systemic, cellular antitumor immunity. Nanomedicine is well poised to facilitate combination ICT. Nanoparticles with delivery and/or immunomodulation capacities have been successfully combined with ICT in preclinical applications. Delivery nanoparticles protect and control the targeted release of their cargo. Inherently immunomodulatory nanoparticles can facilitate immunogenic cell death, modification of the tumor microenvironment, immune cell mimicry and modulation, and/or in situ vaccination. Nanoparticles are frequently multifunctional, combining multiple treatment strategies into a single platform with ICT. Nanomedicine and ICT combinations have great potential to yield novel, powerful treatments for patients with cancer.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: A next generation contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Chen Can , Ge Jianxian , Gao Yun , Chen Lei , Cui Jiabin , Zeng Jianfeng , Gao Mingyuan
Published: July 2021

As a research hotspot, the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents has attracted great attention over the past decades for improving the accuracy of diagnosis. Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles with core diameter smaller than 5.0 nm are expected to become a next generation of contrast agents owing to their excellent MRI performance, long blood circulation time upon proper surface modification, renal clearance capacity, and remarkable biosafety profile. On top of these merits, USPIO nanoparticles are used for developing not only T1 contrast agents, but also T2/T1 switchable contrast agents via assembly/disassembly approaches. In recent years, as a new type of contrast agents, USPIO nanoparticles have shown considerable applications in the diagnosis of various diseases such as vascular pathological changes and inflammations apart from malignant tumors. In this review, we are focusing on the state‐of‐the‐art developments and the latest applications of USPIO nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents to discuss their advantages and future prospects.

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging
Au70S20(PPh3)12 as Superatomic Analog to 18‐electron Transition‐Metal Complexes
Authors: Muñoz‐Castro Alvaro
Published: July 2021

Ligand‐protected gold clusters are usually understood in terms of the superatom concept, where certain species are able to behaves as prototypical molecules. Here, we discuss the metalloid cluster Au70S20(PPh3)12 in terms of the bonding characteristics of its inner 18‐cluster electron Au224+ core. Our interpretation is based on a SP3‐hybridized core involving four fused Au6 units denoting four equivalent hybridized localized orbitals, with the remaining electrons from the 1D10 state remaining as formally non‐bonding orbitals. Such characteristics expose a rationalization of Au70S20(PPh3)1 as a superatomic analog for a transition metal complex, following the 18‐electron rule, mimicking the classical bonding picture of the tetrahedral Ni(CO)4 complex. The Au22 core as an aggregate of Au6 units encourages the search for further examples of SP3‐cluster nodes precluding larger aggregates, contributing to the design opportunities of functional clusters and nanoparticles.
Introduction: Problematising the Maintenance of Nuclear Weapons
Authors: Beaumont Paul
Published: July 2021

The nuclear era has prompted a great deal of investigation into how best to manage nuclear weapons, but far less on how states maintain them. Indeed, Security Studies was for a long time mainly concerned with studying nuclear weapons management strategies: deterrence, arms control, and addressing the security challenges related to new nuclear technology. Amidst this, the question of why states maintain nuclear weapons typically receives short shrift: it’s security silly. Yet, only nine nuclear weapon-armed states exist, while 186 get by without nuclear weapons, and most seem content with non-nuclear status. Thus, it makes sense to consider the few states that maintain such unpopular, yet expensive weapons to be a puzzle. Indeed, picking up and running with Nick Ritchie’s notion of “nuclear regimes of truth”, this chapter proposes a research agenda studying the discursive maintenance of nuclear weapons. That is, how governments manage to (re)produce foreign policy discourses that constitute nuclear weapons as legitimate and desirable. In short, such an approach aims to make nuclear weapon states strange. Thus, while the rest of the book explores Britain’s nuclear regime of truth, this introductory chapter lays the groundwork for post-positivist scholars to investigate and unsettle other societies’ nuclear regimes of truth too.
CP violation from charged Higgs bosons in the three Higgs doublet model
Authors: Logan Heather E. , Moretti Stefano , Rojas-Ciofalo Diana , Song Muyuan
Published: July 2021

Abstract

We demonstrate a new type of cancellation of contributions to the electron and neutron electric dipole moments (EDMs) that occurs in three Higgs doublet models (3HDMs) when CP violation appears in the charged Higgs sector. The cancellation becomes exact when the two physical charged Higgs bosons in the model are degenerate in mass. Depending on the model parameters, degeneracies at the 10% level are however sufficient to evade current bounds on the electron and neutron EDMs. We demonstrate that viable parameter space remains with both charged Higgs bosons lighter than 500 GeV and large CP-violating phases while also satisfying theoretical constraints from perturbativity and experimental ones from $$ \overline{B} $$

B
¯

→ Xsγ and direct searches.
Notes on hyperloops in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 Chern-Simons-matter theories
Authors: Drukker Nadav , Tenser Marcia , Trancanelli Diego
Published: July 2021

Abstract

We present new circular Wilson loops in three-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 quiver Chern-Simons-matter theory on S3. At any given node of the quiver, a two-parameter family of operators can be obtained by opportunely deforming the 1/4 BPS Gaiotto-Yin loop. Including then adjacent nodes, the coupling to the bifundamental matter fields allows to enlarge this family and to construct loop operators based on superconnections. We discuss their classification, which depends on both discrete data and continuous parameters subject to an identification. The resulting moduli spaces are conical manifolds, similar to the conifold of the 1/6 BPS loops of the ABJ(M) theory.
Fishnet four-point integrals: integrable representations and thermodynamic limits
Authors: Basso Benjamin , Dixon Lance J. , Kosower David A. , Krajenbrink Alexandre , Zhong De-liang
Published: July 2021

Abstract

We consider four-point integrals arising in the planar limit of the conformal “fishnet” theory in four dimensions. They define a two-parameter family of higher-loop Feynman integrals, which extend the series of ladder integrals and were argued, based on integrability and analyticity, to admit matrix-model-like integral and determinantal representations. In this paper, we prove the equivalence of all these representations using exact summation and integration techniques. We then analyze the large-order behaviour, corresponding to the thermodynamic limit of a large fishnet graph. The saddle-point equations are found to match known two-cut singular equations arising in matrix models, enabling us to obtain a concise parametric expression for the free-energy density in terms of complete elliptic integrals. Interestingly, the latter depends non-trivially on the fishnet aspect ratio and differs from a scaling formula due to Zamolodchikov for large periodic fishnets, suggesting a strong sensitivity to the boundary conditions. We also find an intriguing connection between the saddle-point equation and the equation describing the Frolov-Tseytlin spinning string in AdS3 × S1, in a generalized scaling combining the thermodynamic and short-distance limits.
TBA equations and quantization conditions
Authors: Emery Yoan
Published: July 2021

Abstract

It has been recently realized that, in the case of polynomial potentials, the exact WKB method can be reformulated in terms of a system of TBA equations. In this paper we study this method in various examples. We develop a graphical procedure due to Toledo, which provides a fast and simple way to study the wall-crossing behavior of the TBA equations. When complemented with exact quantization conditions, the TBA equations can be used to solve spectral problems exactly in Quantum Mechanics. We compute the quantum corrections to the all-order WKB periods in many examples, as well as the exact spectrum for many potentials. In particular, we show how this method can be used to determine resonances in unbounded potentials.
On the τ flavor of the cosmic neutrino flux
Authors: Farzan Yasaman
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Observation of high energy cosmic neutrinos by ICECUBE has ushered in a new era in exploring both cosmos and new physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). In the standard picture, although mostly νμ and νe are produced in the source, oscillation will produce ντen route. Certain beyond SM scenarios, like interaction with ultralight DM can alter this picture. Thus, the flavor composition of the cosmic neutrino flux can open up the possibility of exploring certain beyond the SM scenarios that are inaccessible otherwise. We show that the τ flavor holds a special place among the neutrino flavors in elucidating new physics. Interpreting the two anomalous events observed by ANITA as ντ events makes the tau flavor even more intriguing. We study how the detection of the two tau events by ICECUBE constrains the interaction of the neutrinos with ultralight dark matter and discuss the implications of this interaction for even higher energy cosmic neutrinos detectable by future radio telescopes such as ARA, ARIANNA and GRAND. We also revisit the 3 + 1 neutrino scheme as a solution to the two anomalous ANITA events and clarify a misconception that exists in the literature about the evolution of high energy neutrinos in matter within the 3 + 1 scheme with a possibility of scattering off nuclei. We show that the existing bounds on the flux of ντ with energy of EeV rules out this solution for the ANITA events. We show that the 3 + 1 solution can be saved from both this bound and from the bound on the extra relativistic degrees of freedom in the early universe by turning on the interaction of neutrinos with ultralight dark matter.