bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Harnessing Friction in Intertwined Structures for High‐Capacity Reusable Energy‐Absorbing Architected Materials
Authors: Li Jinyou , Chen Zhe , Li Qunyang , Jin Lihua , Zhao Zhihua
Published: March 2022

Energy‐absorbing materials with both high absorption capacity and high reusability are ideal candidates for impact protection. Despite great demands, the current designs either exhibit limited energy‐absorption capacities or perform well only for one‐time usage. Here a new kind of energy‐absorbing architected materials is created with both high absorption capacity and superior reusability, reaching 10 kJ kg−1 per cycle for more than 200 cycles, that is, unprecedentedly 2000 kJ kg−1 per lifetime. The extraordinary performance is achieved by exploiting the rate‐dependent frictional dissipation between prestressed stiff cores and a porous soft elastomer, which is reinforced by an intertwined stiff porous frame. The vast interfaces between the cores and elastomer enable high energy dissipation, while the magnitude of the friction force can adapt passively with the loading rate. The intertwined structure prevents stress concentration and ensures no damage and reusability of the constituents after hundreds of loading cycles. The behaviors of the architected materials, such as self‐recoverability, force magnitude, and working stroke, are further tailored by tuning their structure and geometry. This design strategy opens an avenue for developing high‐performance reusable energy‐absorbing materials that enable novel designs of machines or structures.
Degenerated Hole Doping and Ultra‐Low Lattice Thermal Conductivity in Polycrystalline SnSe by Nonequilibrium Isovalent Te Substitution
Authors: He Xinyi , Zhang Haoyun , Nose Takumi , Katase Takayoshi , Tadano Terumasa , Ide Keisuke , Ueda Shigenori , Hiramatsu Hidenori , Hosono Hideo , Kamiya Toshio
Published: March 2022

Tin mono‐selenide (SnSe) exhibits the world record of thermoelectric conversion efficiency ZT in the single crystal form, but the performance of polycrystalline SnSe is restricted by low electronic conductivity (σ) and high thermal conductivity (κ), compared to those of the single crystal. Here an effective strategy to achieve high σ and low κ simultaneously is reported on p‐type polycrystalline SnSe with isovalent Te ion substitution. The nonequilibrium Sn(Se1−xTex) solid solution bulks with x up to 0.4 are synthesized by the two‐step process composed of high‐temperature solid‐state reaction and rapid thermal quenching. The Te ion substitution in SnSe realizes high σ due to the 103‐times increase in hole carrier concentration and effectively reduced lattice κ less than one‐third at room temperature. The large‐size Te ion in Sn(Se1−xTex) forms weak SnTe bonds, leading to the high‐density formation of hole‐donating Sn vacancies and the reduced phonon frequency and enhanced phonon scattering. This result—doping of large‐size ions beyond the equilibrium limit—proposes a new idea for carrier doping and controlling thermal properties to enhance the ZT of polycrystalline SnSe.
Impact of preoperative skeletal muscle mass and physical performance on short‐term and long‐term postoperative outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer after esophagectomy
Authors: Sugimura Keijiro , Miyata Hiroshi , Kanemura Takashi , Takeoka Tomohira , Shinnno Naoki , Yamamoto Kazuyoshi , Omori Takeshi , Motoori Masaaki , Ohue Masayuki , Yano Masahiko
Published: March 2022

Background

In patients with esophageal cancer who undergo esophagectomy, preoperative skeletal muscle mass loss has been reported to be associated with postoperative complications and poor prognosis. However, physical performance has not been fully investigated.

Methods

This study included 363 patients who underwent esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer in 2013‐2018. Preoperative skeletal muscle index (SMI) was measured with multifrequency bioelectrical impedance. Preoperative 6‐minute walk distance (6MWD) was measured as an indicator of physical performance. We investigated the association between these factors and postoperative complications or long‐term prognosis.

Results

Preoperative SMI was not associated with the occurrence of postoperative complications (33% vs 35%, P = .820), but low preoperative 6MWD was significantly associated with the occurrence of postoperative complications rather than high 6MWD (60% vs 30%, P < .001), especially pulmonary complications (23% vs 8%, P = .001). In the analysis of long‐term prognosis, low preoperative SMI was associated with poor survival (Hazard ratio [HR] 1.77, P = .004). Low preoperative 6MWD was also associated with poor survival (HR 2.55, P < .001). Multivariate prognostic analysis showed that pT stage (HR 1.97, P = .001), pN stage (HR 3.27, P < .001), and 6MWD (HR 1.93, P = .008) were independent prognostic factors. In the low 6MWD group, the rate of death from other diseases was significantly higher than the other groups.

Conclusions

It is useful to evaluate 6MWD as a physical performance in addition to SMI when evaluating sarcopenia from the perspective of predicting postoperative complications and long‐term prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy.
Numerical study on settlement behaviors of slush hydrogen in cryogenic tank
Authors: Xia Siqi , Xie Fushou , Sun Qiang , Li Yanzhong
Published: March 2022

Slush hydrogen can be used as a promising propulsion fuel for deep space exploration vehicles because of its more excellent thermodynamic properties compared with liquid hydrogen. To study stratification and settlement characteristics of slush hydrogen in cryogenic tanks, a transient model based on Eulerian–Eulerian two‐fluid method was developed and was verified by experiment data. Many numerical simulations were conducted to determine the influence of settlement, including particle diameter (dp = 0.5–0.015 mm), initial volume fraction of solid hydrogen (αs = 30%–50%), and heat leakage of cryogenic tank (qleak = 15–45 W m−2). It was found that there is a critical particle diameter for settlement of slush hydrogen, which is about 0.02 mm. Meanwhile, a large range of natural convection circulation has been observed in the entire tank. Numerical results of this paper could improve uniform distribution of slush hydrogen for highly efficient storage and application.
Synthesis of zeolite A with high whiteness from coal gangue by two‐step pretreatment method
Authors: Liu Shanfang , Yan Shuo , Li Yun , Cao Jilin
Published: March 2022

The comprehensive utilization of coal gangue (CG) is restricted by color elements in CG including C and FexOy. The magnetic separation and hydrothermal acid leaching are combined to pretreat the solid waste CG to synthesize zeolite A with high whiteness. Firstly, Fe2O3 component in CG is in situ reduced by C to magnetite in the process of high‐temperature calcination for decarburization followed by physical magnetic separation. Secondly, the residual Fe impurity in CG is further removed by hydrothermal acid leaching. The effects of calcination temperature, calcination time, acid leaching temperature, acid concentration, and liquid to solid ratio on Fe removal rate (RFe2O3) and the whiteness of the synthesized zeolite A are investigated. The influence of Fe impurities on the Ca2+ ion exchange capacity (E) of the zeolite A synthesized from CG is clarified. RFe2O3 could reach the value of 88.53%. The synthesized zeolite A exhibits a typical cubic morphology with rounded edges, the high whiteness of 95.46%, and the satisfactory E with the value of 296.02 mgCaCO3·g−1, both of which meet the requirements of national standard. This work suggests that this pretreatment method for CG would have broad prospects in the efficient resource utilization of CG.
Data‐mining‐based of ancient traditional Chinese medicine records from 475 BC to 1949 to potentially treat COVID‐19
Authors: Han Yaxue , Yang Zi , Fang Shan , Zhang Mengqing , Xie Zhijun , Fan Yongsheng , Zhao Ting
Published: March 2022

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) plays a role in preventing and treating COVID‐19 in China. Based on the manifestations and symptoms of COVID‐19, our study used the data mining method to summarize related therapeutic experience left by predecessors who used TCM to treat epidemics in their eras. Initially, we collected abundant medical records with similar manifestations of COVID‐19 in Chinese ancient times. The key words including wen (瘟), yi (疫), li (疠), and zhang (瘴) were searched in ZhongyiZhiku (https://www.zk120.com/) from Warring States Period (475 BC–221 BC) to the Republic of China era (1912–1949) to locate ancient medical records according to inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. Moreover, COVID‐19‐related manifestations and corresponding medications in those records were categorized. Eventually, Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System version 2.5 was used to build a medical record database of TCM treating COVID‐19. Our study collected 263 epidemic medical records comprising COVID‐19 related manifestations and found that Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) combinations excavated from ancient medical records included Ren Shen Bai Du San, Wu Ling San, Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Da Cheng Qi Tang, Da Chai Hu Tang, Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang, and Qing Wen Bai Du Yin. The recurrent CMMs with a high frequency for treating COVID‐19 manifestations were Scutellariae Radix (Huang Qin), Paeoniae Alba Radix (Bai Shao), Poria (Fu Ling), and Bupleuri Radix (Chai Hu). Our study suggests that TCM might offer new therapeutic strategies for COVID‐19.
SEntFiN 1.0: Entity‐aware sentiment analysis for financial news
Authors: Sinha Ankur , Kedas Satishwar , Kumar Rishu , Malo Pekka
Published: March 2022

Fine‐grained financial sentiment analysis on news headlines is a challenging task requiring human‐annotated datasets to achieve high performance. Limited studies have tried to address the sentiment extraction task in a setting where multiple entities are present in a news headline. In an effort to further research in this area, we make publicly available SEntFiN 1.0, a human‐annotated dataset of 10,753 news headlines with entity‐sentiment annotations, of which 2,847 headlines contain multiple entities, often with conflicting sentiments. We augment our dataset with a database of over 1,000 financial entities and their various representations in news media amounting to over 5,000 phrases. We propose a framework that enables the extraction of entity‐relevant sentiments using a feature‐based approach rather than an expression‐based approach. For sentiment extraction, we utilize 12 different learning schemes utilizing lexicon‐based and pretrained sentence representations and five classification approaches. Our experiments indicate that lexicon‐based N‐gram ensembles are above par with pretrained word embedding schemes such as GloVe. Overall, RoBERTa and finBERT (domain‐specific BERT) achieve the highest average accuracy of 94.29% and F1‐score of 93.27%. Further, using over 210,000 entity‐sentiment predictions, we validate the economic effect of sentiments on aggregate market movements over a long duration.
Research‐informed teaching: The case of Musical Futures
Authors: Mariguddi Anna , Cain Tim
Published: March 2022

Drawing on descriptions of research‐into‐practice initiatives, this article presents a new framework to aid understanding of how research findings influence educational practice at scale. The framework focuses upon five areas: trustworthiness of the findings and generalisability; implications and instructions for practice; support for implementation; fidelity of the implementation; and accountability. Green's informal learning model for music education is focused upon as one example of how research findings influence classroom practice, explored through the lens of the framework. The empirical research was conducted in two phases: (1) semi‐structured interviews were conducted with key figures relating to the initiative; (2) four case studies were undertaken, involving secondary school music teachers and their pupils. The research examined the extent to which research‐informed teaching was evident in the schools, and what factors might influence this. Methods used within the case studies included observation, interviews and document sources. Data was analysed thematically. It was found that Green's model was evident in the case study schools to some extent, but there was a gap identified between Green's underpinning research and its implementation. Furthermore, data showed that the five aspects proposed in the framework influenced the success and longevity of the approach. It is therefore proposed that the findings of this study might inform future research‐into‐practice initiatives in education—by informing researchers of key considerations to be made when aiming to develop research‐informed teaching.
The effect of solvent on preparation of CH3NH3PbI3 photodetectors via an antisolvent‐free method
Authors: Qu Junfeng , Liang Youjian , Xu Shuhong , Zhang Rong , Lu Changgui , Wang Chunlei , Cui Yiping
Published: March 2022

During the fabrication of lateral‐structured photodetectors based on CH3NH3PbI3 film, antisolvents represented by toluene are usually used to accelerate the crystallization of perovskite. Using antisolvent not only leads to the formation of shrinkage holes at the bottom of the perovskite layer, but the toxicity of antisolvents would also hinder the industrial preparation of perovskite devices. An antisolvent‐free method is a possible solution to avoid these problems. Here, we report a lateral‐structured photodetector based on an antisolvent‐free method. The lateral photodetector exhibited a high responsivity of 1.75 A⋅W−1 and specific detectivity (D*) of 3.54 × 1012 Jones. In particular, the results indicated that the solvent had an influence on perovskite film morphology, crystallization, and device performance. The prepared CH3NH3PbI3 film presented needle‐like crystals and low performance with single precursor solvent N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). In comparison, appropriate mixing of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) could improve the morphology, crystallization, and performance of the film. In addition, the solvent volume ratio of the precursor had a profound effect on the performance of the as‐prepared photodetectors. At a DMSO:DMF volume ratio of 5:5, the as‐prepared film had massive perovskite crystals and fewer defects, resulting in optimal device performance, which can be explained by Urbach energy.
Sustainable development and incumbents' open innovation strategies for a greener competence‐destroying technology: The case of electric vehicles
Authors: Cabigiosu Anna
Published: March 2022

Given that entire industries face sustainable development challenges, it is important to understand the dynamics that lead incumbents to develop competence‐destroying sustainable product innovations. This paper provides a longitudinal analysis of automobile incumbents' open innovation strategies during the era of shift from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles by describing the process through which they leverage open innovation for the provision and development of electric batteries, the most distinct component of electric vehicles. The paper analyses the strategies of 13 carmakers over a period of 26 years and identifies a path‐based open innovation framework for green technology characterised by an inverse U‐shaped breadth and depth of partnerships correlated to different levels of technological uncertainty until carmakers start moving from market to hierarchy by producing in‐house electric batteries.
Optimising the quality of multidisciplinary team meetings: A narrative review
Authors: Tran Thanh Hai , de Boer Jasper , Gyorki David E. , Krishnasamy Meinir
Published: March 2022

Background

Understanding of factors that contribute to implementation of effective cancer multidisciplinary team meetings (MDMs) is still limited. Published literature on the effect of teamwork function, leadership roles, decision‐making processes and structural components on the quality of MDMs was reviewed and synthesised.

Methods

In this paper, a MEDLINE review (September 2020) was performed to assess clinical decision‐making in the context of MDM discussions.

Results

Twenty‐nine eligible studies were included. Six studies addressed the infrastructural aspects of MDMs. Nine studies used either qualitative or mixed method approach to develop and validate observational tools to assess the quality of MDMs. Seven studies used qualitative approaches to explore the opinions of MDM members on factors that impact on the effectiveness of MDMs. Five studies used validated observational tools to observe and assess the effectiveness of MDMs. One prospective study explored the relationship between quality of information presented at MDMs and ability of MDM members to make clinical decisions. The final study prospectively tested the ability of a multicomponent intervention to improve decision‐making processes within MDMs.

Conclusions

A broad range of factors including teamwork, leadership, case complexity, decision‐making processes and availability of patient information were identified to impact the quality of MDMs. Evidence currently available largely focuses on the development of tools to identify factors in need of improvement to optimise MDMs. Robust research is required to identify the factors that are demonstrated to enhance MDM quality which can then aid the standardisation of how MDMs are conducted.
Rod‐Like SnO2/SnS Mosaics for Reversible Large‐Capacity Li‐Ion Storage
Authors: Lin Xueyu , Dong Chenlong , Tang Yufeng , Huang Fuqiang
Published: March 2022

Hindering the phase aggregation and improving the electrochemical reversibility is a primary task of Sn‐based anodes for lithium‐ion storage. Constructing a mosaic structure is an alternative solution to accelerate the reaction kinetics and relieve the aggregation of Sn. Herein, a novel rod‐like SnO2/SnS mosaic microstructure is proposed to obtain a reversible high‐capacity anode. The microstructure is composed of alternative ionic conductive SnS blocks into SnO2 nanodomains. Serving as an anode, the SnO2/SnS mosaic harvests a highly reversible capacity of 1182.5 mA h g−1 after 50 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. At a relatively high current density, it delivers a stable capacity of 1271.9 mA h g−1 after 600 cycles at 1 A g−1 and a capacity of 657 mA h g−1 after 300 cycles at 2 A g−1, which is superior to most reported Sn‐based anodes. The soaring electrochemical performance could be attributed to highly reversible layer‐structured SnS blocks with a fast channel for electron/Li+ transfer.
Use of ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide in combination with brentuximab vedotin or romidepsin based on CD30 positivity in relapsed/refractory peripheral T‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Gentille Cesar , Sarfraz Humaira , Joshi Jitesh , Randhawa Jasleen , Shah Shilpan , Pingali Sai Ravi
Published: March 2022

Background

Relapsed/refractory peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (R/R PTCL) has a poor prognosis. Romidepsin (Ro) and brentuximab vedotin (Bv), combined with ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) has not been significantly studied in PTCL.

Aim

We report outcomes of Bv‐ICE in CD30 (+) and Ro‐ICE in CD30 (−) R/R PTCL treated in “Blinded for peer review” Cancer Center.

Methods and Results

We retrospectively identified R/R PTCL patients treated with BV‐ICE or romidepsin‐ICE from May 2016 to September 2019. Out of 13 R/R PTCL patients, 6 were treated with Bv‐ICE and 7 with Ro‐ICE. Bv‐ICE had an overall response rate (ORR) of 66.7%, with all the patients achieving a complete response. ORR was 71.4% for Ro‐ICE with 57.1% of patients achieving a complete response. Two patients treated with Bv‐ICE and three treated with Ro‐ICE received transplantation.

Conclusion

In our experience, treatment with Bv‐ICE and Ro‐ICE based on CD30 positivity is feasible and effective to treat patients with R/R PTCL.
Deep recurrent neural network‐based Aquila optimization‐based online shaming emotion analysis
Authors: Aarthi B. , Chelliah Balika J.
Published: March 2022

Thanks to the emergence of social media and internet platforms, people currently have a plethora of possibilities for openly expressing their thoughts. As a result, it provides millions of ways to create intelligent systems; yet, some people take advantage of these platforms by insulting, harassing, or abusing others. As a result, emotional analysis of online shaming is necessary for avoiding the attackers' negative consequences. In this field, several studies are conducted to classify shaming and non‐shaming comments in order to identify shamers. The optimum classification, on the other hand, has yet to be established. As a result, we introduced a novel deep learning approach known as deep recurrent neural network based classifier, which categorizes the comments. Based on the category. To improve classification accuracy, we used the Aquila optimization algorithm, which improves shaming classification based on category. The experimental analysis is carried out by determining some performance indicators and comparing them to other existing works. The performance analysis reveals that the proposed method outperforms all other approaches.
Simple Two‐step, High Yield Protocol for Isolation and Amplification of Bacteriophages Against Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Authors: Khan Atif , Joshi Hiren
Published: March 2022

Bacteriophages are bacteria‐targeting viruses that may prove useful as therapeutic agents against multidrug‐resistant bacterial strains. Though phage therapy is a century‐old concept, there is very limited progress on its therapeutic application due to the rapid expansion of antibiotics portfolios in the last few decades. However, the emergence of multidrug‐resistant organisms has brought our attention back to bacteriophages. The first step towards developing effective phage therapy against multidrug‐resistant bacteria is isolation, amplification, and purification of specific bacteriophages. There are many reported protocols for isolating host‐specific bacteriophages from the environment. However, most of them are complex, multistep, low‐yielding, resource‐intensive protocols, requiring elaborate laboratory setup. We have demonstrated a simple two‐step, high‐yielding protocol for isolating and amplifying bacteriophages against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We have shown that mixing various environmental samples (i.e., sample pooling) and phage amplification at two different temperatures significantly enhance the yield of MRSA phages. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Preparation of water sample filtrate for isolation of bacteriophages

Basic Protocol 2: Bacterial strain and culture conditions

Basic Protocol 3: Native bacteriophage count in water sample filtrate

Basic Protocol 4: Isolation and enrichment of MRSA‐specific bacteriophages

Basic Protocol 5: Quantification of bacteriophages by drop cast method

Basic Protocol 6: Effect of incubation temperature and heat shock on bacteriophage yield
High expression of protein tyrosine kinase 7 in oral squamous cell carcinoma: Clinicopathological correlation and prognosis relevance
Authors: Kimura Yujiro , Yoshizawa Kunio , Hotta‐Osada Asami , Moroi Akinori , Ishii Hiroki , Sakurai Daiju , Saitoh Masao , Oishi Naoki , Kondo Tetsuo , Ueki Koichiro
Published: March 2022

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the　immunohistochemistry (IHC) of protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7) expression and clinicopathological factors of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods

Tissue specimens were obtained from 80 patients with primary OSCC. IHC scoring was conducted according to the rate of positive cell and staining intensity. We used the IHC score to classify the degree of PTK7 expression and evaluate clinicopathological factors and prognosis.

Results

The number of the high expression group (IHC Score 2 or 3) was 45 cases and that of the low expression group (IHC Score 0 or 1) was 35 cases. A significant difference between high expression and low expression groups was found in the N category (p = .008), degree of differentiation (p < .001), and pattern of invasion (p < .001). In accordance with the exacerbation of OSCC with respect to three parameters (N category, degree of differentiation, and pattern of invasion), the ratio of high expression of PTK7 increased. The overall 5‐year survival rate was 59.3% in the high expression group and 87.3% in the low expression group (p < .05). The pathological prognostic signs affecting overall survival were evaluated by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazards model and showed an association with lymph node metastasis and invasion patterns.

Conclusion

This study suggests that a high IHC score of PTK7 is a potential biomarker for predicting potential metastasis.
Low profile multiband microstrip patch antenna with frequency reconfigurable feature using PIN diode for S, C, X, and Ku band applications
Authors: Lavadiya Sunil P. , Sorathiya Vishal , Kanzariya Sunny , Chavda Bhavik , Naweed Ahmad , Faragallah Osama S. , Eid Mahmoud M. A. , Rashed Ahmed Nabih Zaki
Published: March 2022

The proposed work represents a simple and effective approach to achieve frequency tunability. The tunability is attained by the switching mechanism of the two PIN diodes. The biasing issue is reduced due to the usage of two PIN diodes. Simulation is carried by a high‐frequency structure simulator tool and compared with the fabricated structure for the authentication. Antenna fabrication is performed by low‐profile material FR‐4. Three modes were analyzed and compared in terms of resonating frequency, reflectance response, gain, bandwidth, and electric field based upon switching of PIN diodes. The proposed antenna structure provides a multiband response with the four frequency tunable bands along with maximum frequency tunability of 700 MHz and a minimum reflectance response of −28.22 dB. The proposed structure opens a new door of applications like satellite communication, military, and a sensor for the S, C, X, and Ku bands. The presented design was also compared with the previously published papers to identify the improvement.
High‐resolution imaging sheds new light on a multi‐tier symbiotic partnership between a “walking” solitary coral, a sipunculan, and a bivalve from East Africa
Authors: Herrán Natalia , Narayan Gita R. , Doo Steve S. , Klicpera André , Freiwald André , Westphal Hildegard
Published: March 2022

Marine symbioses are integral to the persistence of ecosystem functioning in coral reefs. Solitary corals of the species Heteropsammia cochlea and Heterocyathus aequicostatus have been observed to live in symbiosis with the sipunculan worm Aspidosiphon muelleri muelleri, which inhabits a cavity within the coral, in Zanzibar (Tanzania). The symbiosis of these photosymbiotic corals enables the coral holobiont to move, in fine to coarse unconsolidated substrata, a process termed as “walking.” This allows the coral to escape sediment cover in turbid conditions which is crucial for these light‐dependent species. An additional commensalistic symbiosis of this coral‐worm holobiont is found between the Aspidosiphon worm and the cryptoendolithic bivalve Jousseaumiella sp., which resides within the cavity of the coral skeleton. To understand the morphological alterations caused by these symbioses, interspecific relationships, with respect to the carbonate structures between these three organisms, are documented using high‐resolution imaging techniques (scanning electron microscopy and µCT scanning). Documenting multi‐layered symbioses can shed light on how morphological plasticity interacts with environmental conditions to contribute to species persistence.
Habitat and climate shape growth patterns in a mountain ungulate
Authors: Reiner Rudolf , Zedrosser Andreas , Zeiler Hubert , Hackländer Klaus , Corlatti Luca
Published: March 2022

Uptake and use of energy are of key importance for animals living in temperate environments that undergo strong seasonal changes in forage quality and quantity. In ungulates, energy intake strongly affects body mass gain, an important component of individual fitness. Energy allocation among life‐history traits can be affected by internal and external factors. Here, we investigate large‐scale variation in body growth patterns of Alpine chamois Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra, in relation to sex, age, temperature, and habitat variations across 31 (sub)populations in the Central European Alps. Taking advantage of an exceptionally large dataset (n = 178,175) of chamois hunted over 27 consecutive years between 1993 and 2019 in mountain ranges with different proportions of forest cover, we found that (i) patterns of body mass growth differ between mountain ranges, with lower body mass but faster mass growth with increasing proportion of forest cover and that (ii) the effect of spring and summer temperatures on changes in body growth patterns are larger in mountain ranges with lower forest cover compared to mountain ranges with higher forest cover. Our results show that patterns of body mass growth within a species are more plastic than expected and depend on environmental and climatic conditions. The recent decline in body mass observed in Alpine chamois populations may have greater impacts on populations living above the treeline than in forests, which may buffer against the effects of increasing temperatures on life‐history traits.
Structural and functional development of twelve newly established floodplain pond mesocosms
Authors: Stehle Sebastian , Manfrin Alessandro , Feckler Alexander , Graf Tobias , Joschko Tanja J. , Jupke Jonathan , Noss Christian , Rösch Verena , Schirmel Jens , Schmidt Thomas , Zubrod Jochen P. , Schulz Ralf
Published: March 2022

Ecosystems are complex structures with interacting abiotic and biotic processes evolving with ongoing succession. However, limited knowledge exists on the very initial phase of ecosystem development and colonization. Here, we report results of a comprehensive ecosystem development monitoring for twelve floodplain pond mesocosms (FPM; 23.5 m × 7.5 m × 1.5 m each) located in south‐western Germany. In total, 20 abiotic and biotic parameters, including structural and functional variables, were monitored for 21 months after establishment of the FPMs. The results showed evolving ecosystem development and primary succession in all FPMs, with fluctuating abiotic conditions over time. Principal component analyses and redundancy analyses revealed season and succession time (i.e., time since ecosystem establishment) to be significant drivers of changes in environmental conditions. Initial colonization of both aquatic (i.e., water bodies) and terrestrial (i.e., riparian land areas) parts of the pond ecosystems occurred within the first month, with subsequent season‐specific increases in richness and abundance for aquatic and terrestrial taxa over the entire study period. Abiotic environmental conditions and aquatic and terrestrial communities showed increasing interpond variations over time, that is, increasing heterogeneity among the FPMs due to natural environmental divergence. However, both functional variables assessed (i.e., aquatic and terrestrial litter decomposition) showed opposite patterns as litter decomposition rates slightly decreased over time and interpond differences converged with successional ecosystem developments. Overall, our results provide rare insights into the abiotic and biotic conditions and processes during the initial stages of freshwater ecosystem formation, as well as into structural and functional developments of the aquatic and terrestrial environment of newly established pond ecosystems.
Diversity investigation by application of DNA barcoding: A case study of lepidopteran insects in Xinjiang wild fruit forests, China
Authors: Zhan Jinyu , Zheng Yufeng , Xia Qing , Wang Jin , Liu Sibo , Yang Zhaofu
Published: March 2022

To investigate the species diversity of lepidopteran insects in Xinjiang wild fruit forests, establish insect community monitoring systems, and determine the local species pool, we test the applicability of DNA barcoding based on cytochromecoxidase subunit I (COI) gene for accurate and rapid identification of insect species. From 2017 to 2019, a total of 212 samples with ambiguous morphological identification were selected for DNA barcoding analysis. Five sequence‐based methods for species delimitation (ABGD, BINs, GMYC, jMOTU, and bPTP) were conducted for comparison to traditional morphology‐based identification. In total, 2,422 samples were recorded, representing 143 species of 110 genera in 17 families in Lepidoptera. The diversity analysis showed that the richness indices for Noctuidae was the highest (54 species), and for Pterophoridae, Cossidae, Limacodidae, Lasiocampidae, Pieridae, and Lycaenidae were the lowest (all with 1 species). The Shannon–Wiener species diversity index (H′) and Pielou's evenness (J′) of lepidopteran insects first increased and then decreased across these 3 years, while the Simpson diversity index showed a trend of subtracted then added. For molecular‐based identification, 67 lepidopteran species within 61 genera in 14 families were identified through DNA barcoding. Neighbor‐joining (NJ) analysis showed that conspecific individuals were clustered together and formed monophyletic groups with a high support value, except forLacanobia contigua(Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Noctuidae: Hadeninae). Sixty‐seven morphospecies were classified into various numbers of MOTUs based on ABGD, BINs, GMYC, jMOTU, and bPTP (70, 96, 2, 71, and 71, respectively). In Xinjiang wild fruit forests, the family with the largest number of species is Noctuidae, followed by Geometridae, Crambidae, and the remaining families. The highest Shannon diversity index is observed for the family Noctuidae. Our results indicate that the distance‐based methods (ABGD and jMOTU) and character‐based method (bPTP) outperform GMYC. BINs is inclined to overestimate species diversity compared to other methods.
Evidence of low within‐pair genetic relatedness in a relict population of Thorn‐tailed Rayadito despite long‐term isolation
Authors: Botero‐Delgadillo Esteban , Quirici Verónica , Ippi Silvina , Vásquez Rodrigo A. , Kempenaers Bart
Published: March 2022

Investigating whether mating patterns are biased in relation to kinship in isolated populations can provide a better understanding of the occurrence of inbreeding avoidance mechanisms in wild populations. Here, we report on the genetic relatedness (r) among breeding pairs in a relict population of Thorn‐tailed Rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda) in north‐central Chile that has experienced a long‐term history of isolation. We used simulations based on 8 years of data to assess whether mating is random with respect to relatedness. We found that mean and median population values of pair relatedness tended to be lower than randomly generated values, suggesting that mating is not random with respect to kinship. We hypothesize that female‐biased dispersal is the main mechanism reducing the likelihood of mating among kin, and that the proportion of related pairs (i.e., r > 0.125) in the study population (25%) would presumably be higher in the absence of sex‐biased dispersal. The occurrence of other mechanisms such as extra‐pair copulations, delayed breeding, and active inbreeding avoidance through kin discrimination cannot be dismissed and require further study.
Variation of the seed endophytic bacteria among plant populations and their plant growth‐promoting activities in a wild mustard plant species, Capsella bursa‐pastoris
Authors: Choi Byungwook , Jeong Seorin , Kim Eunsuk
Published: March 2022

Recent studies have revealed that some bacteria can inhabit plant seeds, and they are likely founders of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere of or inside plants at the early developmental stage. Given that the seedling establishment is a critical fitness component of weedy plant species, the effects of seed endophytic bacteria (SEB) on the seedling performance are of particular interest in weed ecology. Here, we characterized the SEB in natural populations of Capsella bursa‐pastoris, a model species of weed ecology. The composition of endophytic bacterial community was evaluated using deep sequencing of a 16S rDNA gene fragment. Additionally, we isolated bacterial strains from seeds and examined their plant growth‐promoting traits. Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Alpha‐, and Gammaproteobacteria were major bacterial phyla inside seeds. C. bursa‐pastoris natural populations exhibited variable seed microbiome such that the proportion of Actinobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria differed among populations, and 60 out of 82 OTUs occurred only in a single population. Thirteen cultivable bacterial species in six genera (Bacillus, Rhodococcus, Streptomyces, Staphylococcus, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas) were isolated, and none of them except Staphylococcus haemolyticus were previously reported as seed endophytes. Eight isolates exhibited plant growth‐promoting traits like phosphate solubilization activity, indole‐3‐acetic acid, or siderophore production. Despite the differences in the bacterial communities among plant populations, at least one isolated strain from each population stimulated shoot growth of either C. bursa‐pastoris or its close relative A. thaliana when grown with plants in the same media. These results suggest that a weedy plant species, C. bursa‐pastoris, contains bacterial endophytes inside their seeds, stimulating seedling growth and thereby potentially affecting seedling establishment.
Insect pest damage increases faba bean (Vicia faba) yield components but only in the absence of insect pollination
Authors: Riggi Laura G.A. , Raderschall Chloé A. , Lundin Ola
Published: March 2022

Identifying and quantifying crop stressors interactions in agroecosystems is necessary to guide sustainable crop management strategies. Over the last 50 years, faba bean cropping area has been declining, partly due to yield instabilities associated with uneven insect pollination and herbivory. Yet, the effect of interactions between pollinators and a key pest, the broad bean beetle Bruchus rufimanus (florivorous and seed predating herbivore) on faba bean yield has not been investigated. Using a factorial cage experiment in the field, we investigated how interactions between two hypothesized stressors, lack of insect pollination by bumblebees and herbivory by the broad bean beetle, affect faba bean yield. Lack of bumblebee pollination reduced bean weight per plant by 15%. Effects of the broad bean beetle differed between the individual plant and the plant‐stand level (i.e., when averaging individual plant level responses at the cage level), likely due to high variation in the level of herbivory among individual plants. At the individual plant level, herbivory increased several yield components but only in the absence of pollinators, possibly due to plant overcompensation and/or pollination by the broad bean beetle. At the plant‐stand level, we found no effect of the broad bean beetle on yield. However, there was a tendency for heavier individual bean weight with bumblebee pollination, but only in the absence of broad bean beetle herbivory, possibly due to a negative effect of the broad bean beetle on the proportion of legitimate flower visits by bumblebees. This is the first experimental evidence of interactive effects between bumblebees and the broad bean beetle on faba bean yield. Our preliminary findings of negative and indirect associations between the broad bean beetle and individual bean weight call for a better acknowledgment of these interactions in the field in order to understand drivers of crop yield variability in faba bean.
Plant–arthropod interactions of an endangered California lupine
Authors: Motta Carina I. , Luong Justin C. , Seltmann Katja C.
Published: March 2022

The reintroduction of endangered plant species is an essential conservation tool. Reintroductions can fail to create resilient, self‐sustaining populations due to a poor understanding of environmental factors that limit or promote plant success. Biotic factors, specifically plant–arthropod interactions, have been shown to affect the establishment of endangered plant populations. Lupinus nipomensis (Nipomo Mesa lupine) is a state of California (California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.1) and federally (65 FR 14888) endangered endemic plant with only one extant population located along the central California coast. How arthropods positively or negatively interact with L. nipomensis is not well known and more information could aid conservation efforts. We conducted arthropod surveys of the entire L. nipomensis extant population in spring 2017. Observed arthropods present on L. nipomensis included 17 families, with a majority of individuals belonging to Thripidae. We did not detect any obvious pollinators of L. nipomensis, providing support for previous studies suggesting this lupine is capable of self‐pollinating, and observed several arthropod genera that could potentially impact the reproductive success of L. nipomensis via incidental pollination or plant predation.
Association between dosing and combination use of medications and outcomes in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: data from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry
Authors: D'Amario Domenico , Rodolico Daniele , Rosano Giuseppe M.C. , Dahlström Ulf , Crea Filippo , Lund Lars H. , Savarese Gianluigi
Published: March 2022

Aims

To assess the association between combination, dose and use of current guideline‐recommended target doses (TD) of renin–angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi), angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitors (ARNi) and β‐blockers, and outcomes in a large and unselected contemporary cohort of patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction.

Methods and results

Overall, 17 809 outpatients registered in the Swedish Heart Failure Registry (SwedeHF) from May 2000 to December 2018, with ejection fraction <40% and duration of HF ≥90 days were selected. Primary outcome was a composite of time to cardiovascular death and first HF hospitalization. Compared with no use of RASi or ARNi, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 0.83 (0.76–0.91) with <50% of TD, 0.78 (0.71–0.86) with 50%–99%, and 0.73 (0.67–0.80) with ≥100% of TD. Compared with no use of β‐blockers, the adjusted HR (95% CI) was 0.86 (0.76–0.91), 0.81 (0.74–0.89) and 0.74 (0.68–0.82) with <50%, 50%–99% and ≥100% of TD, respectively. Patients receiving both an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi)/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)/ARNi and a β‐blocker at 50%–99% of TD had a lower adjusted risk of the primary outcome compared with patients only receiving one drug, i.e. ACEi/ARB/ARNi or β‐blocker, even if this was at ≥100% of TD.

Conclusion

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction patients using higher doses of RASi or ARNi and β‐blockers had lower risk of cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization. Use of two drug classes at 50%–99% of TD dose was associated with lower risk than one drug class at 100% of TD.
Catalytic Hydrophosphination of Isocyanates by Molecular Antimony Phosphanides
Authors: Schwamm Ryan J. , Coles Martyn P.
Published: March 2022

The terminal antimony phosphanides Sb(NONDipp)(PR2) (NONDipp=[O(SiMe2NDipp)2]2−; Dipp=2,6‐iPr2C6H3; R=Cy, Ph) were assessed for catalytic hydrophosphination reactivity. Stoichiometric reactions showed that phenylisocyanate inserts into the Sb−P bond to afford the phosphanylcarboxamidate complex, and subsequent reaction with Cy2P−H confirmed liberation of Cy2PC(O)NHPh. Catalytic hydrophosphination of PhN=C=O by Ph2P−H was demonstrated using 1 mol % catalyst at room temperature. A mixture of mono‐ and di‐insertion products were produced under these conditions.
Synthesis, Photophysics, Computational Approaches, and Biomolecule Interactive Studies of Metalloporphyrins Containing Pyrenyl Units: Influence of the Metal Center
Authors: Hahn da Silveira Carolina , Chaves Otávio A. , Marques Amanda C. , Rosa Nathália M. P. , Costa Luiz Antônio S. , Almeida Iglesias Bernardo
Published: March 2022

A classical methodology to design free‐basemeso‐tetra‐(1‐pyrenyl)porphyrin (H2TPyrP) and their corresponding metalloporphyrins containing Zn(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(III), and Mn(III) was described. These porphyrins were characterized in terms of structure, photophysical, and interactions profile withcalf‐thymusdeoxyribonucleic acid (CT‐DNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA).H2TPyrPexhibited five characteristic bands in the visible wavelength: Soret (432 nm) and Q‐bands (520–650 nm range), while the metalloporphyrins showed some spectrum shifts according to the nature of the ion, which were also explored by time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) calculations. The fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φfl, ΦΔ, respectively) decreased with the presence of metal species in the porphyrin core. The porphyrins interact spontaneously via a ground‐state association in the minor groove of CT‐DNA following the increasing order of binding:CuTPyrP<H2TPyrP<CoTPyrP<MnTPyrP<NiTPyrP<ZnTPyrP, while for BSA the suitable complex geometry for Co(III) and Mn(III) complexes increased the binding capacity.
Illuminating past river incision, sediment source and pathways using luminescence signals of individual feldspar grains (Rangitikei River, New Zealand)
Authors: Guyez Anne , Bonnet Stéphane , Reimann Tony , Carretier Sébastien , Wallinga Jakob
Published: March 2022

Single‐grain post‐infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (SG‐pIRIR) of feldspar has recently been introduced as a method to date Quaternary deposits. The method is particularly appropriate for fluvial deposits that cannot be dated by more conventional quartz optically stimulated luminescence dating and that are heterogeneously bleached (i.e. where only part of the grains is exposed to sufficient light to remove the full luminescence signal). Besides age estimation, single grain equivalent dose (De) distributions also reflect the variable bleaching degree and origins of grains. Thereby, the SG‐pIRIR signal offers a valuable tool to reconstruct sediment pathways. This study builds upon these ideas and develops a dual aspect that combined river terrace dating and SG‐pIRIR sediment pathway reconstruction for fluvial deposits in terraces and modern river floodplain along the Rangitikei River (RR), New Zealand. We found that the RR last aggrading phase (17.4 ± 1.9 ka to 11.6 ± 1.5 ka) was followed by a first phase of fast incision related to knickpoint retreat followed by a steady incision and widening of the RR canyon. TheDedistribution of fluvial deposits varies accordingly, due in particular to variable input of bedrock particles with saturated pIRIR signal from landsliding of valley flanks. Our study illustrates that the SG‐pIRIR approach is well suited to date terraces and shows how SG‐pIRIRDedistributions provide proxies to reconstruct sediment sources and pathways.