bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Value of Liver and Spleen Stiffness for Evaluation of Portal Hypertension in Compensated Cirrhosis
Authors: Reiberger Thomas
Published: December 2021

Patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease who develop clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are at high risk for hepatic decompensation and mortality if left untreated. Liver biopsy and hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurements are the current gold standard procedures for determining fibrosis severity and diagnosing CSPH, respectively; however, both are invasive, limiting their use in clinical practice and larger trials of novel agents. As such, there is an unmet clinical need for reliable, validated, noninvasive measures to detect CSPH and to further assess portal hypertension (PH) severity. Alterations in the biomechanical properties of the liver or spleen in patients with cirrhosis can be quantified by tissue elastography, which examines the elastic behavior of tissue after a force has been applied. A variety of methods are available, including magnetic resonance elastography, shear‐wave elastography, and the most thoroughly investigated measure, vibration‐controlled transient elastography. Liver stiffness (LS) and spleen stiffness (SS) measurements offer valuable alternatives to detect and monitor CSPH. Both LS and SS correlate well with HVPG, with thresholds of LS >20‐25 kPa and SS >40‐45 kPa indicating a high likelihood of CSPH. Because SS is a direct and dynamic surrogate of portal pressure, it has the potential to monitor PH severity and assess PH improvement as a surrogate marker for clinical outcomes. Importantly, SS seems to be superior to LS for monitoring treatment response in clinical trials focusing on reducing PH.
Pre‐crisis commitment human resource management and employees' attitudes in a global pandemic: The role of trust in the government
Authors: Chang Eunmi , Chin Hyun , Lee Jeong Won
Published: December 2021

Studies of human resource management (HRM) have produced plentiful results on commitment HRM, but its effects during a crisis have rarely been examined. Incorporating the commitment HRM view and the cognitive phenomenological framework, we examined whether and how commitment HRM practices implemented prior to the COVID‐19 mitigate employees' negative cognitive evaluations and attitudes during the pandemic. Moreover, a pandemic is a situation that requires strong government interventions, and we further examined whether employees' trust in the government would play a moderating role in explaining the effects of commitment HRM. With a multilevel framework, we measured commitment HRM via an analysis of big data provided online prior to the pandemic and matched the information to employees' responses collected from a survey after the outbreak of the pandemic. With data from 1010 employees and 52 companies, we found that employees in organizations with a higher utilization of commitment HRM showed less threat appraisals. Moreover, those experiencing fewer threat appraisals showed more commitment to their organizations. In addition, we found that the negative link between a company's commitment HRM and its employees' threat appraisals was pronounced when they had a lower level of trust in the government. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Metabolic syndrome in hypertensive and non‐hypertensive subjects
Authors: Senarathne Roshali , Hettiaratchi Usha , Dissanayake Nirodha , Hafiz Riyaza , Zaleem Sumara , Athiththan Lohini
Published: December 2021

Background and aims

Hypertension is a major risk factor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which attributes to one‐third of all deaths worldwide. It is also considered as a key feature of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of the present study was to compare the presence of characteristic features of MetS in hypertensive and non‐hypertensive males and females and find out the percentages of MetS in hypertensive and non‐hypertensive adults.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study, involving 120 participants that included 60 hypertensives and 60 non‐hypertensives (35‐55 years). Data were obtained through an interviewer‐administered questionnaire. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) and lipid parameters [triglyceride‐(TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL)] were analyzed, and waist circumference (WC) was measured. Percentages of MetS among hypertensive and non‐hypertensive groups were determined according to both modified Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) and new International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Results were analyzed using SPSS version 21.

Results

Among the characteristic features of MetS, mean FBS and WC were significantly higher in hypertensive males compared with non‐hypertensive males (P < .001 and P = .002 respectively), while mean value of TG was significantly higher (P = .005) in hypertensive females compared with non‐hypertensive females. Further, the percentage of subjects in the total hypertensive group with increased FBS and increased WC was significantly higher than the non‐ hypertensive group. The percentage of subjects with MetS was significantly (P < .001) higher in hypertensive group (68%) compared with non‐hypertensive group (20%) according to modified ATP III criteria. When compared with new IDF criteria, it was 63% and 20%, respectively.

Conclusion

The percentage of subjects with increased FBS, WC, and MetS was significantly higher in the hypertensive group compared with non‐hypertensives group. These findings emphasize the urgent need to develop national strategies for early detection, and to take preventive measures to make people aware of the impact of metabolic syndrome.
The relationship between anxiety, stress, spiritual health, and mindfulness among patients undergoing hemodialysis: A survey during the COVID‐19 outbreak in Southeast Iran
Authors: Dehghan Mahlagha , Namjoo Zakieh , Mohammadi Akbarabadi Fatemeh , Fooladi Zahra , Zakeri Mohammad Ali
Published: December 2021

Background and aims

Hemodialysis patients are prone to high stress and anxiety related to the acute coronavirus epidemic. Mindfulness and spiritual health are among the factors associated with stressful and anxious situations. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between mindfulness, spiritual health, and coronavirus stress/anxiety in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods

One hundred and forty‐four patients underwent hemodialysis participated in this cross‐sectional study. Patients completed the Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Form, Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), stress subscale of DASS‐21, The Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory‐ Short Form (FMI‐SF), and Spiritual Health Scale.

Results

The results showed that 28.5% of the participants had moderate to severe anxiety. According to the psychological symptom subscale (CDAS), 54.2% of the participants had moderate to severe anxiety. According to the physical symptom subscale, 41.7% of the participants had moderate to severe anxiety. Sixteen percent of the patients believed that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) outbreak and lockdown influenced their course of treatment. A significant association was found between coronavirus disease anxiety and mindfulness (r = −0.20, P < .05). No significant association was found between stress and mindfulness/spiritual health (P > .05).

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that coronavirus anxiety and stress are common in hemodialysis patients. Mindfulness may be effective in reducing coronavirus anxiety in hemodialysis patients. Therefore, interventions are suggested to increase the level of mindfulness and empower hemodialysis patients to cope with anxiety caused by crises such as the coronavirus outbreak.
Impact of volume fraction and fluid layer thickness on heat transfer effectiveness of water‐based nanofluids
Authors: Krishnan S Ramesh , Namboothiri V. N. Narayanan
Published: December 2021

The heat transfer effectiveness of nanofluids is adversely affected by the delay in convection onset. The lesser effectiveness, when compared to that of base fluid, is observed in a range of nanofluid layer thickness. The heat transfer coefficient of water–Al2O3 nanofluid can be enhanced by sustaining the equilibrium between Rayleigh number, temperature, particle volume fraction, and enclosure aspect ratio. In this paper, the specific correlation of fluid layer thickness and the onset of convection, which can significantly dominate the heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids are investigated using the concept of critical Rayleigh number. The water layer thickness for convection onset is first experimentally assessed for different real‐life heat flux densities. It is then performed for Al2O3–water nanofluid for varying volume fractions. With the increase in volume fraction even though thermal conductivity increases, the overall heat transfer enhancement of the nanofluid is reduced. Temperature involved (heat flux density), the volume fraction of the nanofluid used, nanofluid layer thickness (space availability for the cooling system), and mass of the nanoparticle influence heat transfer enhancement. A higher volume fraction may not always result in enhancement of heat transfer as far as nanofluids are concerned.
Unravelling groundwater contributions to evapotranspiration and constraining water fluxes in a high‐elevation catchment
Authors: Ryken Anna C. , Gochis David , Maxwell Reed M.
Published: December 2021

Despite the importance of headwater catchments for the water supply of the western United States, these regions are often poorly understood, particularly with respect to quantitative understanding of evapotranspiration (ET) fluxes. Heterogeneity of land cover, physiography, and atmospheric patterns in these high‐elevation regions lead to difficulty in developing spatially‐distributed characterization of ET. As the largest terrestrial water flux behind precipitation, ET represents a significant fraction of the water budget for any watershed. Likewise, groundwater is the largest available freshwater store and has been shown to play a large role in the water balance, even in headwater systems. Using an eddy covariance tower in the East River Catchment, a Colorado River headwaters basin, we estimated water and energy fluxes in high‐elevation, complex systems to better constrain ET estimates and calculate overall water and energy budgets, including losses from groundwater. We used the eddy covariance method to estimate ET from years 2017 through 2019 at a saturated, riparian end‐member site. Owing to complexities in near surface atmospheric structure such as stable boundary layers over snowpack and shallow terrain driven flow from surrounding landscape features, energy flux and ET estimates were limited to the warm season when energy closure residuals from the eddy‐covariance system were reliably less than 30%, a threshold commonly used in eddy covariance energy flux estimation. The resulting ET estimations are useful for constraining water budget estimates at this energy‐limited site, which uses groundwater for up to 84% of ET in the summer months. We also compared East River ET magnitudes and seasonality to two other flux towers (Niwot Ridge, CO and Valles Caldera, NM), located in the Rocky Mountains. These data are useful for constraining ET estimates in similar end‐member locations across the East River Catchment. Our results show that groundwater‐fed ET is a significant component of the water balance and groundwater may supply riparian ET even during low‐snow years.
Imperative role of electron microscopy in toxicity assessment: A review
Authors: Grover Aseem , Sinha Reshma , Jyoti Divya , Faggio Caterina
Published: December 2021

Electron microscope (EM) was developed in 1931 and since then microscopical examination of both the biological and non‐biological samples has been revolutionized. Modifications in electron microscopy techniques, such as scanning EM and transmission EM, have widened their applicability in the various sectors such as understanding of drug toxicity, development of mechanism, criminal site investigation, and characterization of the nano‐molecule. The present review summarizes its role in important aspects such as toxicity assessment and disease diagnosis in special reference to SARS‐COV2. In the biological system, EM studies have elucidated the impact of toxicants at the ultra‐structural level in various tissue in conformity to physiological alterations. Thus, EM can be concluded as an important tool in toxicity assessment and disease prognosis.
Preparation of highly specific monoclonal antibodies against SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid protein and the preliminary development of antigen detection test strips
Authors: Xie Chengzuo , Ding Haojie , Ding Jianzu , Xue Yangji , Lu Shaohong , Lv Hangjun
Published: December 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is outbreaking all over the world. To help fight this disease, it is necessary to establish an effective and rapid detection method. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is involved in viral replication, assembly, and immune regulation and plays an important role in the viral life cycle. Moreover, the N protein also could be a diagnostic factor and potential drug target. Therefore, by synthesizing the N gene sequence of SARS‐CoV‐2, constructing the pET‐28a (+)‐N recombinant plasmid, we expressed the N protein in Escherichia coli and obtained 15 monoclonal antibody (mAbs) against SARS‐CoV‐2‐N protein by the hybridomas and ascites, then an immunochromatographic test strip method detecting N antigen was established. In this study, we obtained 14 high‐titer and high‐specificity monoclonal antibodies, and the test strips exclusively react with the SARS‐CoV‐2‐N protein and no cross‐reactivity with other coronavirus and also recognize the recombinant N protein of Delta (B.1.617.2) variant. These mAbs can be used for the early and rapid diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection through serological antigen.
Comparative efficiency analysis of five‐level dual three‐phase multilevel inverter fed six‐phase induction motor drive
Authors: Rathore Vishal , Yadav Krishna Bihari
Published: December 2021

This paper presents an efficiency analysis of the six‐phase induction motor (SPIM) drive using a five‐level dual three‐phase space vector pulse width modulation technique. A dual three‐phase space vector is obtained by decomposing a five‐level six‐phase space vector into two three‐phase space vectors, which greatly simplifies the algorithm. This paper also presents a comparative efficiency analysis of SPIM drive with its three‐phase counterpart. As a proof of concept, Matlab/Simulink environment was used to simulate the proposed scheme. In addition, a prototype was developed and tested in the laboratory. Experimental results validate the simulation results to a good degree of satisfaction and verify the correctness of the proposed scheme.
Skin Color Match in Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery
Authors: Knott Philip Daniel , Alemi Sean A. , Han Mary , Seth Rahul , Park Andrea M. , Heaton Chase M. , Grekin Roy C. , Arron Sarah T. , Neuhaus Isaac , Yu Siegrid S. , Saylor Drew K. , Zhu Bovey Z.
Published: December 2021

Objectives/Hypothesis

To quantify the degree of color match achieved during microvascular facial reconstruction, and to describe a novel technique for improving reconstructive skin color match. We hypothesize that split‐thickness skin grafts (STSG) placed atop de‐epithelialized free tissue produces better facial skin color match than free tissue with intact epithelium.

Study Design

Cross sectional photographic study of reconstructed facial skin color match.

Methods

Sixty‐eight adults, who underwent head and neck reconstructive surgery, were divided into six categories based on cutaneous reconstructive technique: cervicofacial flap, radial forearm free flap (RFFF), fibula free flap, anterolateral thigh free flap (ALT), STSG over adiopofascial flap (STAFF), and STSG over myogenous flap (STMF). Averaged color samplings of the reconstructed defect and adjacent normal skin were taken from digital photographs. The color difference was calculated using the delta‐E calculation. Blinded expert observers also rated the degree of color match. Nonparametric cohort contrast and correlation statistical analyses were performed.

Results

The mean delta‐E's and 10‐point Likert ratings for the ALT, fibula, RFFF, STAFF, STMF, and cervicofacial flaps were 11.6, 10.0, 7.7, 6.3, 8.8, and 4.7, and 5.1, 6.4, 2.4, 3.2, 2.7, and 1.1, respectively. Likert scale inter‐rater correlation was strong, with coefficient = 0.80.

Conclusions

On average, STSG over de‐epithelialized myogenous and adipofascial free tissue transfers produced a better color match than the skin paddles of donor sites, with the exception of the radial forearm donor site. Delta‐E values obtained from photos correlated well with expert ratings of color match. This reliable technique for quantifying color match may be used in future studies.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 132:1753–1759, 2022
Enhanced Performance of All‐Solid‐State Li Metal Battery Based on Polyether Electrolytes with LiNO3 Additive
Authors: Cui Zhenxing , Inoue Shoichi , Hassoun Jusef , Tominaga Yoichi
Published: December 2021

Lithium metal is one of the most promising anode candidates for high‐energy‐density rechargeable batteries. However, uncontrolled lithium dendrites and other safety issues limit their practical applications. In this work, solid polymer electrolytes based on ethylene oxide and propylene oxide random copolymer (P(EO/PO)) and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) with lithium nitrate (LiNO3) electrolyte additive are prepared. The LiNO3 is expected to form stable and adequate solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer to regulate the lithium deposition and limit lithium dendrites during cycles. As the results, it is cleared that the addition of LiNO3 to P(EO/PO)‐LiFSI‐based electrolyte effectively reduces the lithium/electrolyte interface resistance, decreases the polarization voltage during charging and discharging, and improves the cycle stability.
Influence of π‐Endcaps on the Performance of Functionalized Quinolines for p‐Channel OFETs
Authors: Anjali Anshika , Imran Predhanekar Mohamed , Bhuvanesh Nattamai S. P. , Nagarajan Samuthira
Published: December 2021

This study investigates the influence of aryl and ethynyl linkers as well the effect of various pi‐end‐groups on the performance of the quinoline‐based organic field‐effect transistors. A series of new functionalized quinolines with D‐π‐A‐π‐D and A‐π‐A‐π‐A architectures are designed and synthesized via the Sonagashira cross‐coupling reaction. All the new compounds are well characterized and their photophysical properties are studied. The bottom gate‐top contact–organic field‐effect transistors devices are fabricated using the spin‐coating technique. By employing the pre and post‐annealing technique, films with uniform surface coverage are obtained. The variation in the end‐groups results in versatile packing arrangements which determine their good charge transport properties. The p‐channel transistor behavior is observed for all the new compounds. Among the molecules studied, methoxyphenyl and thiophen‐2‐yl terminal functionalized with D‐π‐A‐π‐D architecture exhibit the higher p‐channel transistor characteristics with hole mobilities of 1.39 and 1.33 cm2 V−1 s−1, respectively. The good charge carrier mobilities are supported by an electron‐donating methoxy group and thiophene as the end‐groups with high highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) levels, extensive π‐conjugation, and better self‐assembly.
Gegenbauer wavelet quasi‐linearization method for solving fractional population growth model in a closed system
Authors: Shah Firdous A. , Irfan Mohd , Nisar Kottakkaran S.
Published: December 2021

In this article, a novel collocation method is developed based on Gegenbauer wavelets together with the quasi‐linearization technique to facilitate the solution of population growth model of fractional order in a closed system. The operational matrices of fractional order integration are obtained via block‐pulse functions. The obtained matrices are employed to transform the given time‐fractional population growth model into a non‐linear system of algebraic equations. Then, the quasi‐linearization technique is invoked to convert the underlying equations to a linear system of equations. The performance and accuracy of the proposed method is elucidated by a presenting a comparison with some numerical methods existing in the open literature. The numerical outcomes shows that the present method is more efficient than the existing ones.
Laminated Timoshenko beams with interfacial slip and infinite memories
Authors: Guesmia Aissa , Muñoz Rivera Jaime E. , Sepúlveda Cortés Mauricio A. , Vera Villagrán Octavio
Published: December 2021

We study in this paper the well‐posedness and stability of three structures with interfacial slip and two infinite memories effective on the transverse displacement and the rotation angle. We consider a large class of kernels and prove that the system has a unique solution satisfying some regularity properties. Moreover, without restrictions on the values of the parameters, we show that the solution goes to zero at infinity and give an information on its speed of convergence in terms of the growth of kernels at infinity. A numerical analysis of the obtained theoretical results will be also given.
Evaluation of enzymatic proteoglycan loss and collagen degradation in human articular cartilage using ultrashort echo time‐based biomarkers: A feasibility study
Authors: Wan Lidi , Cheng Xin , Searleman Adam C. , Ma Ya‐Jun , Wong Jonathan H. , Meyer R. Scott , Du Jiang , Tang Guangyu , Chang Eric Y.
Published: December 2021

The objective of the current study was to investigate the feasibility of quantitative 3D ultrashort echo time (UTE)‐based biomarkers in detecting proteoglycan (PG) loss and collagen degradation in human cartilage. A total of 104 cartilage samples were harvested for a trypsin digestion study (n = 44), and a sequential trypsin and collagenase digestion study (n = 60), respectively. Forty‐four cartilage samples were randomly divided into a trypsin digestion group (tryp group) and a control group (phosphate‐buffered saline [PBS] group) (n = 22 for each group) for the trypsin digestion experiment. The remaining 60 cartilage samples were divided equally into four groups (n = 15 for each group) for sequential trypsin and collagenase digestion, including PBS + Tris (incubated in PBS, then Tris buffer solution), PBS + 30 U col (incubated in PBS, then 30 U/ml collagenase [30 U col] with Tris buffer solution), tryp + 30 U col (incubated in trypsin solution, then 30 U/ml collagenase with Tris buffer solution), and tryp + Tris (incubated in trypsin solution, then Tris buffer solution). The 3D UTE‐based MRI biomarkers included T1, multiecho T2*, adiabatic T1ρ (AdiabT1ρ), magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), and modeling of macromolecular proton fraction (MMF). For each cartilage sample, UTE‐based biomarkers (T1, T2*, AdiabT1ρ, MTR, and MMF) and sample weight were evaluated before and after treatment. PG and hydroxyproline assays were performed. Differences between groups and correlations were assessed. All the evaluated biomarkers were able to differentiate between healthy and degenerated cartilage in the trypsin digestion experiment, but only T1 and AdiabT1ρ were significantly correlated with the PG concentration in the digestion solution (p = 0.004 and p = 0.0001, respectively). In the sequential digestion experiment, no significant differences were found for T1 and AdiabT1ρ values between the PBS + Tris and PBS + 30 U col groups (p = 0.627 and p = 0.877, respectively), but T1 and AdiabT1ρ values increased significantly in the tryp + Tris (p = 0.031 and p = 0.024, respectively) and tryp + 30 U col groups (both p < 0.0001). Significant decreases in MMF and MTR were found in the tryp + 30 U col group compared with the PBS + Tris group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively). It was concluded that AdiabT1ρ and T1 have the potential for detecting PG loss, while MMF and MTR are promising for the detection of collagen degradation in articular cartilage, which could facilitate earlier, noninvasive diagnosis of osteoarthritis.
Exploring patient's experiential values and its impact on service quality assessment by Indian consumers in public health institution: A qualitative study
Authors: Dhal Alisha , Sharma Anjali
Published: December 2021

Satisfying patients is one of the essential facets of healthcare initiatives by any nation. The provision of high‐quality services is indispensable for the success of any service provider. This article aims to help determine experiential values that would aid in understanding the concept of healthcare quality assessment which has long been a means of controversy in practice and academic literature. Patient's experiential values, both extrinsic and intrinsic, impact the way patients assess the quality in terms of the service benefits received by them. This article has adopted a qualitative method to find and develop a patient‐centric quality assessment framework. Ten interviews were conducted with patients admitted more than a day in the private ward of a public hospital and their relatives who accompanied them (i.e., five patients and five relatives). Nvivo 12 Pro generates themes from the interviews and then triangulates with the observations and literature. With the help of this study, we could find the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that help in assessing the service quality. The intrinsic factors namely: belief, trust, safety, convenience, and confidence and extrinsic factors namely: cleanliness, facilities, access, and service delivery prove helpful in service quality assessment. Practitioners and policymakers can adapt this study to increase performance and deliver patient‐centered services.
The theoretical study of mechanical property and thermostability analysis of poly(vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide nanofiber composites with different architecture: Molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Wang Yuhua , Wang Weihua , Yang Ge , Zhang Zhiqiang , Li Ping
Published: December 2021

In order to get a deep insight into the correlation between the structure and properties of composite materials, the models of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/graphene oxide nanofiber (GOF) composites with different architecture (including random dispersion of GOF in the composites (referred as R‐PVA/GOF composite); columnar cladding of GOF (referred as C‐PVA/GOF composite) and 3D core‐shell structure of GOF (referred as 3D‐PVA/GOF composite) were built, and the mechanical property and thermostability of these composites were analyzed by the molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. It was found that the morphology of GOF in composites had significant influence on its properties. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of C‐PVA/GOF composite was the largest compared to those of other materials (3D‐PVA/GOF composite; R‐PVA/GOF composite and pure PVA). Moreover, the modulus and tensile yield strength of these materials were ordered as follows: C‐PVA/GOF > 3D‐PVA/GOF > R‐PVA/GOF > PVA. The microstructure analysis of materials revealed that the different morphology of GOF affected not only its interactions with PVA but also the ability of components to form hydrogen bonds, the arrangement of PVA molecular chains and the fraction of the free volume in the system, leading to differences in the properties of composites with different structures.
Mechanical, thermal and microstructural studies of Bauhinia Vahlii fiber reinforced polypropylene composite
Authors: Ray Rashmi , Das Sankar Narayan , Das Harish Chandra , Das Asutosh
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, the natural fibers reinforced thermoplastic polymers have been increasingly used in various automotive, construction, and packaging industries because of their high modulus, strength, and renewability. In this work, the thermoplastic polymer is reinforced by surface‐modified Bauhinia Vahlii (BV) fiber. The fabrication of composite at 10, 20, and 30 wt% BV fiber loading is done by compression molding technique and characterization of the composite is carried out. The tensile and flexural strength is found to be maximum at 10 wt% BV fiber content, indicating a strong interfacial bond between fiber and matrix as supported by scanning electron microscope of fracture surfaces of the composite. The impact strength and hardness of the BV/polypropylene (PP) composite increases with BV fiber loading. According to the dynamic mechanical analysis results, with rise in BV fiber content in the composite, the storage and loss modulus improved, but tan delta reduced. The thermogravimetric analysis and derivative thermogravimetry inferred that the composite's thermal stability lies between modified BV fiber and PP matrix. The differential scanning calorimetry curve studies the melting and crystallization behavior of the composite. The higher crystallinity index of composite is obtained at 10 wt% BV fiber content supported by tensile strength result. Both hot and cold‐water immersion processes studied the water absorption behavior of the composite. The composite with a higher percentage of fiber absorbs more water and takes less time to reach saturation. Compared to other produced composites and neat PP, it is observed that composites fabricated with 10% BV fiber content have superior characteristics.
Multi‐center retrospective study evaluating the efficacy and safety of apixaban versus warfarin for treatment of venous thromboembolism in patients with severe obesity
Authors: Crouch Ashley , Ng Tsz Hin , Kelley Denise , Knight Tamara , Edwin Stephanie ,   ASCEND‐HIGHER, Giuliano Christopher
Published: December 2021

Study Objective

Direct oral anticoagulants are the standard of care for venous thromboembolism (VTE) treatment. These agents are recommended regardless of patient weight and body mass index (BMI). However, there remains limited evidence supporting the use of apixaban in patients with severe obesity with a BMI ≥40 kg/m2 or weight ≥120 kg. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apixaban for VTE in patients with a BMI ≥40 kg/m2 or weight ≥120 kg.

Design

This multi‐center, retrospective study compared the use of apixaban versus warfarin in patients with severe obesity for the treatment of VTE between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019. Patients were identified by diagnosis codes for acute VTE and a weight ≥120 kg or BMI ≥40 kg/m2. The primary efficacy outcome was time to recurrence of VTE within 12 months, and the primary safety outcome was time to major bleeding within 12 months. Secondary outcomes included incidence of recurrent VTE, major bleeding, clinically relevant non‐major bleeding (CRNMB), all‐cause mortality, number of total hospital encounters, and switch in anticoagulant.

Main Results

A total of 1099 patients were included in the study. Of these, 314 patients received apixaban and 785 received warfarin. The mean weight and BMI were 137 kg and 46 kg/m2, respectively. Time to recurrent VTE was significantly longer in those treated with apixaban compared to warfarin (p = 0.018). After controlling for confounding factors, apixaban use was associated with a reduced risk of recurrent VTE compared to warfarin (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29–0.97, p = 0.04). There were no significant differences in major bleeding, CRNMB, or all‐cause mortality between groups.

Conclusion

In patients with a BMI ≥40 kg/m2 or weight ≥120 kg, apixaban appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of VTE.
Exploratory factor analysis, reliability, and validity of the interventionist knowledge and skills survey
Authors: Bahr Michael W. , Edwin Mary , Long Kara A.
Published: December 2021

This study examined the development and technical adequacy of the Interventionist Knowledge and Skill Survey (IKSS), a self‐assessment used for understanding the degree of knowledge and skills associated with interventionists working within a multitiered system of support (MTSS). A national sample of 600 school psychologists and school counselors completed 30 Likert‐type items pertaining to interventionist knowledge and skills for MTSS. Item analysis reduced the items to 22, and exploratory factor analysis and a parallel analysis identified four factors: Intervention Knowledge, Intervention Skills, Intervention Selection and Evaluation, and Consultation and Communication. Reliability analysis of the four subscales was adequate, and several other analyses provided evidence for the validity of the IKSS. Discussion focuses on use of the IKSS for research and practice as well as study limitations.
Polymer 4D printing: Advanced shape‐change and beyond
Authors: Imrie Patrick , Jin Jianyong
Published: December 2021

4D printing is an exciting branch of additive manufacturing. It relies on established 3D printing techniques to fabricate objects in much the same way. However, structures which fall into the 4D printed category have the ability to change with time, hence the “extra dimension.” The common perception of 4D printed objects is that of macroscopic single‐material structures limited to point‐to‐point shape change only, in response to either heat or water. However, in the area of polymer 4D printing, recent advancements challenge this understanding. A host of new polymeric materials have been designed which display a variety of wonderful effects brought about by unconventional stimuli, and advanced additive manufacturing techniques have been developed to accommodate them. As a result, the horizons of polymer 4D printing have been broadened beyond what was initially thought possible. In this review, we showcase the many studies which evolve the very definition of polymer 4D printing, and reveal emerging areas of research integral to its advancement.
Monosubstituted Polynitroalkoxy‐1,2,4,5‐Tetrazines: A New Family of Melt‐Castable Energetic Materials
Authors: Rudakov Gennady F. , Kalinichenko Alexandra I. , Nguyen Tu Q. , Zinchenko Svetlana S. , Cherkaev Georgij V. , Fedyanin Ivan V. , Sinditskii Valery P.
Published: December 2021

Several new energetic low‐melting monosubstituted polynitroalkoxy‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazines have been synthesized. Their thermal stability has been investigated by the methods of isothermal and non‐isothermal kinetics. These molecules display good thermal stability: trinitroethoxytetrazine can be safely kept in the molten state for about a week, dinitro‐fluoroethoxy derivative is significantly more stable. The volatility of the studied compounds increases in the series of substituents as (NO2)3CCH2O<F(NO2)2CCH2O<CH3(NO2)2CCH2O. The vapor pressure over the liquid fluorine derivative turned out to be 2 times less than the vapor pressure over the liquid trinitroazetidine (TNAZ). The combustion rates of synthesized low‐melting explosives of the tetrazine series, as well as other volatiles like TNT, are controlled by reactions in the flame (gas‐phase combustion mechanism). It was shown that trinitro and fluorodinitro derivatives most fully meet the requirements for the melt‐castable explosives.
Mass spectrometric‐based investigation of differentially protected azatryptophan derivatives using Orbitrap mass spectrometry: Differentiation of positional isomers under protonation and alkali‐cationization conditions
Authors: Gajjela Raju , Kandula Ravikanth Reddy , Kuppusamy Prakasam , Nimje Roshan Y. , Gupta Anuradha , Bagadi Muralidhararao , Mathur Arvind
Published: December 2021

Rationale

Differentiation and structural characterization of positional isomers of differentially protected azatryptophan derivatives using electrospray ionization high‐resolution tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐HRMS/MS) is important from the perspective of drug discovery research. Also, these derivatives can be used as building blocks for the synthesis of various biologically active compounds and have attracted significant attention in the field of modern drug discovery, especially peptide‐based drugs, protein folding and protein–protein interactions because of their interesting spectral properties.

Methods

ESI‐HRMS/MS in positive ionization mode was used to differentiate and characterize positional isomers of protected azatryptophan derivatives.

Results

ESI‐HRMS/MS of [M + H]+ and [M + Na]+ ions of positional isomers of differentially protected azatryptophan derivatives display distinct fragmentation patterns. The MS/MS of [M + H]+ ion of isomer 1 showed an additional ion at m/z 358.0846 ([M + H‐Boc‐C14H10‐HF]+) which was not present for 4. The fragment ion at m/z 332.0857 was observed for 1 and not for 4 which would be formed by the expulsion of butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) and fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) groups. Moreover, the ions 422.0812 and 378.0912 are found to be relatively more abundant for isomer 4 which could be probably attributed to the formation of stable ions. Similarly, other positional isomers exhibited distinct fragmentation from one another.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrates that ESI‐HRMS/MS can be used for differentiation and structural characterization of positional isomers of protected azatryptophan derivatives. The MS/MS of [M + H]+ and [M + Na]+ ions of these positional isomers displayed differences in their fragmentation behaviour. The impact of different substitutions at different positions (1 and 6) of protected azatryptophan derivatives (1–6) on their fragmentation behaviour was also investigated in detail. Also, the nitrogen atom at different positions in the pyrrolopyridine ring led to different fragmentation patterns.
Characterization of the metabolites of tirabrutinib generated from rat, dog and human liver microsomes using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography combined with high‐resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Hongjian , Hu Zhen , Zhang Huiping , Sun Xiyan , Yang Jianming , Yuan Jie
Published: December 2021

Rationale

Tirabrutinib is an orally administered Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor developed for the treatment of autoimmune disorders and haematological malignancies. The goals of this study were to identify the metabolites of tirabrutinib and to propose the metabolic pathways.

Methods

Tirabrutinib was individually incubated with rat, dog and human liver microsomes at 37°C for 1 h. To trap the potential reactive metabolites, glutathione (GSH) was incorporated into the incubation samples. The incubation samples were analysed using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography combined with high‐resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐HRMS). The metabolites were identified and characterized by exact masses, product ions and retention times.

Results

A total of 18 metabolites, including four GSH conjugates, were identified and characterized in terms of elemental compositions and product ions. The metabolic pathways of tirabrutinib included amide hydrolysis, O‐dealkylation, mono‐oxygenation, di‐oxygenation and GSH conjugation. Among these metabolites, M10 was the most abundant metabolite. Compared with dog, rat has the closer metabolic profiles to humans, and thus it would be more suitable for toxicity study.

Conclusions

This study provides valuable data regarding the in vitro metabolism of tirabrutinib, which may be helpful for further safety assessment of this drug.
Facial fabrication of superhydrophobic cellulose film with hierarchical morphologies
Authors: Xu Chang‐Lian
Published: December 2021

Hierarchical CuO spheres were firstly grown on the surface of cellulose film, and then stearic acid (STA) was utilized to decrease surface energy. The cupric ions fixed on the cellulose film transferred to one side and reacted with STA forming cupric stearates. The cupric stearates then self‐assembled into nanobelts/nanoribbons and spread over the film, which induces to form hierarchical morphologies. Both sides of CuO modified film are black and superhydrophilic in air; after modification with STA, the film becomes superhydrophobic for both sides, whereas one side is blue and the other side is black showing different morphologies. Water contact angles (WCAs) of the superhydrophobic film for both black and blue sides are 153.9 ± 0.6° and 153.5 ± 0.8°, respectively. Sliding angles (SAs) for both sides are lower than 9.5°, indicating non‐sticking superhydrophobic state. More importantly, the superhydrophobic cellulose–CuO–STA film is still superhydrophobic under hydrodynamic impact or pH of 3–11.
CrowdAssist: A multidimensional decision support system for crowd workers
Authors: Abhinav Kumar , Kaur Bhatia Gurpriya , Dubey Alpana , Jain Sakshi , Bhardwaj Nitish
Published: December 2021

Lately, crowdsourcing has emerged as a viable option for getting work done by leveraging the collective intelligence of the crowd. With many tasks posted every day, the size of crowdsourcing platforms is growing exponentially. Hence, workers face an important challenge in selecting the right task. Despite the task filtering criteria available on the platform to select the right task, crowd workers find it difficult to choose the most relevant task and must glean through the filtered tasks to find the relevant tasks. In this paper, we propose a framework for recommending tasks to workers. The proposed framework evaluates the worker's fitment over the tasks based on the worker's preference, past tasks he/she has performed, and tasks done by similar workers. We also proposed an approach to estimate the right price for a crowdsourced task for a specific worker. We evaluated our approach on the datasets collected from popular crowdsourcing platforms. Our experimental results show that the recommendation made by our framework for task and price is significantly better as compared with the baseline approach.
Synthesis of context‐aware business‐to‐business processes for location‐based services through choreographies
Authors: Filippone Gianluca , Autili Marco , Tivoli Massimo
Published: December 2021

Modern technologies and emerging wireless communication solutions in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) world are empowering the spread of the most disparate ready‐to‐use software services distributed over the globe and accessed by an increasing number of users. This state of affairs encourages the development of systems based on the reuse of existing services through composition approaches, notably choreographies. Also Public Administrations are driven towards a digitalization process which exploits composition approaches to build complex and interoperable systems that can be remotely accessed by citizens and authorities. However, an automatic support is needed in order to realize the service composition and the distributed coordination logic that enforces the correct choreography realization. Moreover, the need for building dynamic and user‐centered systems calls for the realization of choreographies capable to adjust their behavior to the surrounding context. This work presents our proposal for addressing the choreography realization problem, by describing an automated process for the synthesis of choreography‐based systems. The synthesized systems are location‐aware and able to adapt the services' interaction according to the user's needs and context conditions. We show and evaluate our approach at work on a real use case scenario in the Public Administration domain.
Regional variability in land and water use in fruit and vegetable production in the United States
Authors: McCarthy Ashley C. , Griffin Timothy S. , Srinivasan Sumeeta , Peters Christian J.
Published: December 2021

Public concern about the environmental consequences of our diets is growing and regional food systems have emerged as one strategy to reduce these impacts. However, the potential environmental benefits of regional food systems are still largely untested and more empirical evidence is needed. Land and water are critical inputs to agriculture, but natural resource requirements and associated environmental impacts are highly dependent crop production location. This study used statistical analyses of crop yield and water footprint data to examine regional variability in land and water requirements and location‐specific tradeoffs between these resources. Regional land requirements and water requirements differed among most of the 17 fruit and vegetable crops we examined. Our results also showed inverse relationships between land and irrigation water requirements for eight crops, indicating that location‐specific tradeoffs between land and water resources exist for these crops. Understanding these regional differences and tradeoffs in natural resource requirements can help us evaluate the environmental implications of a more regionalized food system.
Permanence
Authors: Ward Harriet , Moggach Lynne , Tregeagle Susan , Trivedi Helen
Published: December 2021

This chapter considers how far the Barnardos adoptees achieved legal, residential and emotional permanence after adoption. It draws on minimal follow-up data, available for 124 adoptees (59% of the original cohort); extensive data collected through responses to an online survey concerning 93 adoptees (44% of the cohort) 5–37 years after placement; and interviews focusing on 24 adult adoptees. Ages at follow-up ranged from 5 to 44. All adoptees had achieved legal permanence. Many had achieved residential permanence after numerous placements in care: 34% of those aged 18 or over were still living with their adoptive parents. Twelve (13%) placements had disrupted, but all except eight (9%) adoptees had achieved psychological permanence. Relationships between adoptees and adoptive parents were twice as likely to persist as those between care leavers and foster parents.
Anti-corruption
Authors: Ditlev-Simonsen Caroline D.
Published: December 2021

Representing at least five percent of world GDP, corruption is a great challenge in general, and especially associated with sustainable business, both nationally and internationally. In this chapter, I reflect on how to address corruption and anti-corruption practices. Typical forms of corruption include bribery, facilitation payments, gifts, hospitality and expenses, political contributions, charitable contributions, sponsorships, voluntary community contributions, trading in influence, and conflict of interest and impartiality. Corruption leads to weak institutions and injustice, less respect for rights, denial of basic services, and several of the world’s environmental damage and tragedies are associated with corruption. Studies show that almost half of the companies have experienced fraud over the past two years. This chapter addresses the corruption challenges, how they are addressed by corporations and key international laws as well as challenges associated with norms and behaviors. How to detect and avoid corruption receives key attention. As anti-corruption is a huge topic and challenge, and only limited space is available in the book, the topic is presented from a more general perspective. Even though anti-corruption is often left out when talking about sustainability, it cannot be excluded from a book on sustainability and responsibility.
The Business Case for Sustainability
Authors: Ditlev-Simonsen Caroline D.
Published: December 2021

In this chapter, I discuss how companies address sustainability challenges. First, the chapter begins with examples of different corporate approaches to taking responsibility for sustainability. Second, I explore how companies are viewed from the stakeholder perspective, so how others outside the company view the managers’ motivations for engaging in corporate responsibility. Although most companies are still motivated by risk reduction and/or marketing in their sustainability work, this chapter will reframe the motivations into something more positive—a business opportunity. Four cases will be presented, Nike, Arthur Andersen, Volkswagen, and companies involved in the Rana Plaza tragedy, and the companies’ approaches relative to the following strategies will be discussed: reacting, defending, accommodating, and, finally, a proactive approach in which a business’s profitability is anchored in sustainability. The chapter will conclude with reflections on business models for sustainability.