bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Near‐surface controls on peatland hydrology: Implications for rapid adaptation and enhanced resilience to disturbances
Authors: Tilak Amey S. , Hoyne Seamus , Kettridge Nicholas
Published: June 2022

Northern peatlands faced compounding disturbances that transformed such critical ecosystems from long‐term carbon sinks into carbon sources. Considerable investment is therefore directed for restoring their carbon sequestration potential through large‐scale rewetting/rehabilitation. However, rapid need to transform their carbon dynamics contrasts with millennial timescales over which peat profiles that control key ecohydrological processes within these ecosystems have developed. This study demonstrates the sensitivity of vadose zone hydrology of northern peatlands to hydrophysical properties of the very near‐surface peat layer and therefore the potential capability of at least some ecohydrological processes to respond rapidly to developments in peat properties as a result of restoration. HYDRUS 1‐D Monte Carlo simulations were undertaken of near‐surface peat layers of various species and depths overlying degraded peat layer during periods of sustained drying. The modelling results showed that shallow additions of newly developed Sphagnum peat, just a couple of centimetres in depth, substantially modified near‐surface hydrology of peat profiles and significantly altered the time taken for reaching important ecohydrological pressure heads. Whilst a degraded peat layer reached threshold pressure head (TP) of −100 cm in 119 h, addition of 2.5‐cm layer of S. magellancium reduced the average time to TP by 18 hours, whilst S. fuscum and amalgamated Sphagnum overlying degraded peat across initial WTDs (5, 10, 15 and 20 cm) increased average time to TP by 304 and 540 h, respectively. This demonstrates that whilst peat hydrophysical properties have developed over millennia, ecohydrological dynamics of these systems rapidly adjusted through restoration approaches in response to disturbances.
Canopy opening increases leaf‐shredding arthropods and nutrient mineralization but not mass loss in wet tropical forest
Authors: Moreno Ivia I. , Barberena‐Arias Maria F. , González Grizelle , Lodge D. Jean , Cantrell Sharon A.
Published: June 2022

Hurricanes alter forest habitat by opening the canopy and depositing fresh wood and leaves. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of hurricane and drought‐driven changes to forests on green litter decomposition, invertebrate communities, and nutrient mineralization over a short period (6 months) after disturbance. We used three complete replicated blocks with two canopy treatments: control and trim + detritus. Green leaves were enclosed in litterbags of three different mesh sizes to determine the effect of soil fauna of varying body sizes. Litterbags were retrieved from the field after 21, 35, 84, and 168 days and transported to the laboratory in individually sealed plastic bags. We extracted and identified invertebrates, measured leached and mineralized litter nutrients using ion resin membranes placed for 1 week under the leaves inside the litterbags, and determined litter mass loss. Additional resin membranes were placed in the lowest litter layer above the mineral soil. The number of arthropod taxonomic groups and nutrient mineralization differed significantly between control and trim + detritus. Regardless of mesh size, bags in control plots had consistently higher invertebrate richness than in trim + detritus plots. Nitrogen mineralization and phosphorous mineralization were significantly higher in trim + detritus in large mesh size, and decomposer arthropod abundance was highest in large‐sized mesh bags. These data suggest that within functional categories, variations in feeding behavior among arthropod orders may affect the release of nutrients from organic matter. Percent mass loss did not differ between canopy treatments or litterbag mesh sizes, but instead decreased during drought. Invertebrate composition, but not abundance, differed significantly between canopy treatments with greater dominance by shredders (Lepidoptera and Diptera larvae) in trim + detritus, which corresponded to higher rates of nutrient mineralization from green leaves. These results suggest that regional drought dominated the mesoclimate surpassing any microclimate variation in response to canopy treatments. Since mass loss did not differ between canopy treatments or litterbag mesh sizes, our results suggest that differences in short‐term nutrient fluxes from green litter are mostly related to changes in the litter invertebrate food web rather than rates of decomposition.
Locating potential historical fire‐maintained grasslands of the eastern United States based on topography and wind speed
Authors: Hanberry Brice B. , Noss Reed F.
Published: June 2022

Historically, grasslands with limited tree presence were embedded in a matrix of predominantly open oak and pine forests in the eastern United States. These open ecosystems mostly have been lost to other land uses, particularly agriculture, and also to closed forests under fire exclusion because frequent surface fire prevents tree encroachment. We located the potential extent of eastern fire‐maintained grasslands by applying the random forests and C5.0 classifiers to determine the relationship between mapped areas of historical grasslands and topography and wind speed, which are proxies for surface fire frequency. A generalized ruleset was that fire‐maintained grasslands occurred at roughness values of less than 95, or flatter sites, and wind speeds ≥3.4 m s−1, which created large fire compartments. Potential grasslands covered 27 million ha, or 14% of the 200 million ha of the eastern United States, although these fire‐maintained locations also may have been savannas or open woodlands historically. Currently, potential grassland locations are 40% crops, 25% pasture, 18% forests, and 13% developed land, with about 1.5% each of herbaceous upland vegetation, herbaceous wetlands, and shrublands. According to historical accounts, fire‐maintained grasslands generally transitioned to dense young tree growth within a 20‐year interval after fire exclusion; in Kentucky, the transition transpired during the periods 1790–1810 or 1810–1830, but dates vary with Euro‐American settlement time. Finding the forgotten grasslands of the eastern United States, with this mechanistic approach to estimate fire disturbance, is an important first step for recovering and managing eastern grassland biodiversity.
Mammalian eDNA on herbaceous vegetation? Validating a qPCR assay for detection of an endangered rodent
Authors: Lyman Jacque A. , Sanchez Daniel E. , Hershauer Samantha N. , Sobek Colin J. , Chambers Carol L. , Zahratka Jennifer , Walker Faith M.
Published: June 2022

Vegetation is an underutilized medium for environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. eDNA methods leveraging water as a substrate exclude application to many terrestrial species. The use of eDNA to detect small mammals can complement current survey approaches (live capturing, track plating, and camera trapping) while reducing risks to the animals. The endangered New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius luteus) is specialized to herbaceous riparian zones, making it an ideal candidate for developing a terrestrial eDNA detection method. We developed a species‐specific assay for quantitative real‐time PCR, then tested the long‐term persistence of jumping mouse eDNA on plant material using four herbaceous day nests collected three to six months after occupancy. We conducted a field trial using sterile cotton swabs at six locations along two occupied streams to evaluate our assay's capability to detect present‐day eDNA. Each of 60 swabs was used to swab a 0.50 m2 area along streamside transects that included vegetation such as forbs, grasses, and sedges. We also opportunistically swabbed plants (n = 9) following visual observation of jumping mice. We determined the limit of detection for both assays are fewer than eight copies per reaction. We detected eDNA in three of four nests. From field trial samples, we successfully detected the species from randomly swabbed vegetation (N = 3), and four of nine swabs from vegetation recently used by individuals. Further work is required to develop a robust survey method using this eDNA detection approach. Our study demonstrated that mammalian eDNA can persist on nest vegetation long after the animal was present, highlighting the promise of using eDNA from plants to detect rare or endangered terrestrial species.
Nutritional composition and phytochemical screening in different parts of Hibiscus syriacus L.
Authors: Park Yunmi , Kwon Soon‐ho , Jang You Lim , Lee Doo‐Hee , Yang Seung‐Ok , Eo Hyun Ji , Park Gwang Hun , Kwon Hae‐Yun
Published: June 2022

As the national flower of Korea, the Hibiscus syriacus L. (Rose of Sharon) is symbolic in its abundance and is a prominent feature of Korean culture. H. syriacus has played an important role in Korea, not only as an ornamental plant but also as an essential ingredient in folk remedies through its various parts. This study aimed to characterize the nutritional and biochemical composition of each plant unit of H. syriacus “Wonhwa.” The units are namely: the petals, leaves, roots, and sprouts from its seeds. According to the results each unit produced, the sprouts had the highest content of amino acids and fatty acids which adhere to the requirements of nutritionally excellent food ingredients. The petals produced high quantities of glucose, sucrose, and fumaric acid, with the highest antioxidant activity among the four units. The main bioactive compounds detected in H. syriacus extracts in the four units were o‐coumaric acid, p‐coumaric acid, schaftoside, isoschaftoside, apigenin‐6‐C‐glucoside‐7‐o‐glucoside, and kaempferol‐3‐O‐galactoside‐7‐O‐rhamnoside. Overall, the highest number of bioactive compounds, 2 phenolic acids and 22 flavonoids, were identified in the petals. These results suggest the possibility of excellent pharmacological activity in the petals.
Cognitive enhancement: Effects of methylphenidate, modafinil, and caffeine on latent memory and resting state functional connectivity in healthy adults
Authors: Becker Maxi , Repantis Dimitris , Dresler Martin , Kühn Simone
Published: June 2022

Stimulants like methylphenidate, modafinil, and caffeine have repeatedly shown to enhance cognitive processes such as attention and memory. However, brain‐functional mechanisms underlying such cognitive enhancing effects of stimulants are still poorly characterized. Here, we utilized behavioral and resting‐state fMRI data from a double‐blind randomized placebocontrolled study of methylphenidate, modafinil, and caffeine in 48 healthy male adults. The results show that performance in different memory tasks is enhanced, and functional connectivity (FC) specifically between the frontoparietal network (FPN) and default mode network (DMN) is modulated by the stimulants in comparison to placebo. Decreased negative connectivity between right prefrontal and medial parietal but also between medial temporal lobe and visual brain regions predicted stimulant‐induced latent memory enhancement. We discuss dopamine's role in attention and memory as well as its ability to modulate FC between large‐scale neural networks (e.g., FPN and DMN) as a potential cognitive enhancement mechanism.
Integrating institutional and individual self‐reflexivity practices into clinical pharmacy practice: A critical review of race in a widely utilized medical guideline
Authors: Jubran Nadia , Bratta Phil
Published: June 2022

In this clinical pharmacy forum, an argument is presented that clinical pharmacists and their respective institutions must be self‐reflexive about race, racism, and implicit bias in treating patients. Drawing on the Public Health Critical Race praxis and self‐reflexivity practices, this forum provides a critical review of a widely utilized medical guideline and tool, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and its respective Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Estimator, as an example of how self‐reflexive practices on race, racism, and implicit bias can be accomplished. This critical review offers clinical pharmacists entry points of considerations and actions that can more robustly aid themselves and their institutions to enact racial justice policies and practices in medical contexts.
The impact of PM2.5 on kidney
Authors: Xu Chunming , Zhang Qian , Huang Guochen , Huang Jia , Zhang Hongxia
Published: June 2022

PM2.5 poses a severe risk to kidneys, inducing kidney function decline, increasing the risk of suffering from chronic kidney diseases and promoting the occurrence and development of various renal tumors. The mechanism of PM2.5‐induced renal injury may involve oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and cytotoxicity. This paper elaborated PM2.5‐induced kidney damage and the corresponding possible mechanism so as to raise awareness of air pollution and reduce the damage to human body.
High‐Resolution Ultrasound of Facial Muscles
Authors: Pistoia Federico , Picasso Riccardo , Zaottini Federico , Sanguinetti Sara , Caprioli Simone , Tovt Luca , Pansecchi Michelle , Martinoli Carlo
Published: June 2022

The aim of the present work is to review the sonographic appearance of facial muscles with high‐frequency transducers and to illustrate a step‐by‐step scanning technique that enables an effective evaluation of them. In addition, we highlighted the clinical application showing some pathological cases demonstrated with ultrasound (US). The recent technological advances have greatly enlarged the potential of high‐resolution US in the evaluation of the face. Furthermore, the clinical indications of this technique are expected to increase in the near future.
Twisted Rainbow Light and Nature‐Inspired Generation of Vector Vortex Beams
Authors: Bouchal Petr , Bouchal Zdeněk
Published: June 2022

Twisted vector light beams (optical vortices) arise from a spiral modulation of the geometric (Pancharatnam–Berry) phase converting the light spin to the orbital angular momentum. The preferred geometric‐phase elements using liquid crystals and plasmonic metasurfaces realize this conversion by structuring their building blocks, i.e., precisely orienting individual crystal molecules or plasmonic nanoantennas. Here, an analogous mechanism is discovered in the spiral phase modulation of light reflected by dielectric spheres and first demonstrated in natural phenomena, namely in the rainbow formation. The spiral geometric phase is documented by holographic imaging of full circle primary and secondary rainbows created in the laboratory. The measurement uses a wide‐angle holographic camera (field of view ≈120°) taking time‐resolved self‐correlation holograms (300 ms). The holograms allow a quantitative restoration of the spiral geometric phase of light reflected from thousands of randomly falling water drops. The capability of individual drops to generate vector vortex beams under circularly polarized illumination is proven theoretically and demonstrated in experiments using glass microspheres. The spherical reflectors are discovered as simple generators of vector vortex beams and vortex arrays, inspiring novel geometric‐phase elements.
The convexity of compressible subsonic impinging jet flows
Authors: Wang Xiaohui
Published: June 2022

We proved the existence and uniqueness of compressible subsonic impinging jet flow in previous work. As a continuation, in this paper, we investigate the shape of free boundary to the impinging jet flow. More specifically, if the nozzle wall is concave to the fluid, then the free boundary of flow will be convex to the fluid. On another hand, the higher regularity of free boundary at separation point is obtained, provided that the nozzle satisfies corresponding hypotheses.
Fourth‐order Schrödinger type operator with unbounded coefficients in L2(ℝN)
Authors: Gregorio Federica , Tacelli Cristian
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we study generation results in
for the fourth‐order Schrödinger type operator with unbounded coefficients of the form

where
and
with
and
. We obtain that
generates an analytic strongly continuous semigroup in
for
. Moreover, the maximal domain
can be characterized for
by the weighted Sobolev space
Technical note: Correcting angular dependencies using non‐polarized components of Cherenkov light in water during high‐energy X‐ray irradiation
Authors: Toyonaga Chihiro , Yamamoto Seiichi , Yabe Takuya , Okudaira Kuniyasu , Yogo Katsunori , Hirano Yoshiyuki , Kataoka Jun
Published: June 2022

Objective

Dose distribution measurements of high‐energy X‐rays from medical linear accelerators (LINAC) in water are important for quality control (QC) of the system. Although Cherenkov‐light imaging is a useful method for measuring the high‐energy X‐ray dose distribution, depth profiles have an underestimated dose at increased depths due to the angular dependency of the Cherenkov light generated in water. In this study, we use a linear polarizer to separate the majority of polarized components from the majority of unpolarized components of Cherenkov‐light images in water and then use this information to correct for angular dependencies.

Methods

A water phantom, a cooled charge‐coupled device (CCD) camera, and a polarizer were installed in a black box. Then, the water phantom was irradiated from the upper side with 6 or 10 MV X‐rays, and the Cherenkov light generated in water was imaged with the polarizer axis at both parallel and perpendicular orientations to the beam. By using these images from the two orientations relative to the beam, we corrected the angular dependency of the Cherenkov light.

Results

By subtracting the images measured with the polarizer perpendicular to the beams from the images measured with the polarizer parallel to the beams, we could obtain images with only the polarized components. Using these images, we could calculate the images with non‐polarized components that had similar depth profiles to those calculated with a planning system. The average difference between corrected depth profiles and those calculated with the planning system was less than 1%, while that between uncorrected depth profiles and the planning system was more than 8.3% in depths of water from 20 to 100 mm.

Conclusion

We conclude that the use of the polarizer has the potential to improve the accuracy of dose distribution in Cherenkov‐light imaging of water using high‐energy X‐rays.
Polygenic early‐onset colorectal cancer in pediatric patients
Authors: Phen Claudia , Berens Donovan , Moriarty Kelsey , Ng Kenneth , Sengupta Anita , Rojas Isabel
Published: June 2022

Colorectal cancer in the pediatric population is a rare but transpirable phenomenon. The occurrence should prompt suspicion for underlying genetic mutations in the setting of a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome. In this series, we outline three pediatric patients with colonic adenocarcinoma who were found to have one or more germline mutations. The presence of compound mutations may lead to a hypermutator phenotype resulting in earlier presentation of colorectal cancer in childhood and adolescence. The diagnosis of colorectal cancer in pediatric patients warrants timely recognition, multigene panel testing, genetic counseling for the patient and family, and increased surveillance for intestinal and extra‐intestinal tumors.
Antenatal diagnosis of chorioamnionitis: A review of the potential role of fetal and placental imaging
Authors: Hall Megan , Hutter Jana , Suff Natalie , Avena Zampieri Carla , Tribe Rachel M. , Shennan Andrew , Rutherford Mary , Story Lisa
Published: June 2022

Chorioamnionitis is present in up to 70% of spontaneous preterm births. It is defined as an acute inflammation of the chorion, with or without involvement of the amnion, and is evidence of a maternal immunological response to infection. A fetal inflammatory response can coexist and is diagnosed on placental histopathology postnatally. Fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS) is associated with poorer fetal and neonatal outcomes. The only antenatal diagnostic test is amniocentesis which carries risks of miscarriage or preterm birth. Imaging of the fetal immune system, in particular the thymus and the spleen, and the placenta may give valuable information antenatally regarding the diagnosis of fetal inflammatory response. While ultrasound is largely limited to structural information, MRI can complement this with functional information that may provide insight into the metabolic activities of the fetal immune system and placenta. This review discusses fetal and placental imaging in pregnancies complicated by chorioamnionitis and their potential future use in achieving non‐invasive antenatal diagnosis.
Very high PD‐L1 expression as a prognostic indicator of overall survival among patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer receiving anti‐PD‐(L)1 monotherapies in routine practice
Authors: Shah Mohsin , Hubbard Rebecca A. , Mamtani Ronac , Marmarelis Melina E. , Hennessy Sean
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Programmed death or ligand‐1 (PD‐(L)1) pathway inhibitors confer improved survival as the first‐line treatment for advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) in patients with PD‐L1 expression (PD‐L1 + e ≥ 50%) compared to platinum‐doublet chemotherapy and have become a standard therapy. Some recent evidence suggests that among aNSCLC patients with PD‐L1 + e of ≥50% receiving pembrolizumab monotherapy, very high levels of PD‐L1 + e (≥90%) may be associated with better outcomes. We sought to assess whether very high PD‐L1 + e (≥90%) compared to high PD‐L1 + e (50%–89%) is associated with an overall survival benefit in aNSCLC patients receiving anti‐PD‐(L)1 monotherapies.

Methods

We conducted a single‐site retrospective cohort study of aNSCLC patients who initiated PD‐(L)1 inhibitor monotherapy as the first‐line treatment from October 24, 2016, to August 25, 2021, and had a PD‐L1 + e ≥ 50%. The primary outcome was overall survival, measured from the start of the first‐line PD‐(L)1 inhibitor monotherapy (index date) to date of death or last confirmed activity prior to the cohort exit date. Propensity score‐based inverse probability weighting (IPW) was used to control for confounding in Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis.

Results

One hundred sixty‐six patients with aNSCLC receiving PD‐(L)1 inhibitor monotherapy met inclusion criteria. 54% were female, 90% received pembrolizumab, median age was 68 years, 70% had non‐squamous cell carcinoma, 94% had a history of smoking, 29% had a KRAS mutation, and 37% had very high PD‐L1 + e. Unweighted covariates at cohort entry were similar between groups (absolute standardized mean differences [SMDs] <0.1) except for race (SMD = 0.2); age at therapy initiation (SMD = 0.13); smoking status (SMD = 0.13), and BRAF mutation status (SMD = 0.11). After weighting, baseline covariates were well balanced (all absolute SMDs <0.1). In the weighted analysis, having a very high PD‐L1 + e was associated with lower mortality (weighted hazard ratio 0.57, 95% CI 0.36–0.90) and longer median survival: 3.85 versus 1.49 years.

Conclusions

Very high PD‐L1 + e (≥90%) was associated with an overall survival benefit over high PD‐L1 + e (50%–89%) in patients receiving the first‐line PD‐(L)1 inhibitor monotherapy in a model controlling for potential confounders. These findings should be confirmed in a larger real‐world data set.
Registration of USDA‐N7005 soybean germplasm with high yield and 62.5% pedigree from Japanese accessions Tamahikari and PI 416937
Authors: Bagherzadi Laleh , Gillen Anne M. , McNeece Brant T. , Mian Rouf , Song Qijian , Talierico Earl , Fallen Ben , Li Zenglu , Carter Thomas E.
Published: June 2022

USDA‐N7005 soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (Reg. no. GP‐457, PI 699962) was released by the USDA‐ARS and the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service in August 2021. USDA‐N7005 is an early‐maturity group VII, F4‐derived germplasm with excellent yield potential that traces 62.5% of its pedigree to Japanese accessions that are not part of the historical genetic base of U.S. soybean breeding. Currently, Japanese germplasm constitutes only a small portion of the U.S. soybean base. USDA‐N7005 was derived from the cross of cultivar ‘USDA‐N7002’ × Japanese cultivar ‘Tamahikari’. USDA‐N7005 traces 12.5% of its ancestry to Japanese landrace PI 416937 via USDA‐N7002 and 50% to Japanese cultivar Tamahikari. USDA‐N7005 is the second public release in the United States derived from Tamahikari. Over 13 environments of the United Soybean Board Southern Diversity Yield Trials and 19 test environments of the USDA Uniform Soybean Tests‐Southern States, USDA‐N7005 yielded 108% (p < .05) and 101% of the adapted parent cultivar USDA‐N7002, respectively, and matured 2–3 d earlier. The new release also yielded 100% of check cultivars ‘NC‐Roy’ and ‘USDA‐N7003CN’ and 96% of cultivar ‘NC‐Dilday’ in the Uniform Tests. USDA‐N7005 was similar in height and lodging to parent USDA‐N7002 but exhibited elevated seed oil content and larger seed size. USDA‐N7005 was resistant to root‐knot nematode and stem canker, with resistance comparable to that of resistant parent USDA‐N7002. The superior agronomic performance and diverse pedigree of USDA‐N7005 make it desirable parental stock for broadening the base of U.S. soybean breeding.
Effectiveness electronic density‐based descriptor to index hard–hard interaction
Authors: Benomrane Brahim , Hamza Reguig Farouk , Krallafa Abdelghani Mohamed
Published: June 2022

We attempt to introduce the effectiveness electronic density (EED) based on the ratio of the valence and the atomic electrons to measure the contribution of the valence electronic density in an atom. The valence density plays a substantial role in polarizability, the latter being inversely related to the hardness. In the present work, we suggest the EED, found to be, inversely related to the polarizability as a descriptor to identify the hard–hard interaction. This approach is tested and validated on typical reactions such as protonation and deprotonation processes to address the chemical reactivity of the molecular system from the hardness/softness concepts. The results obtained are found to be in good agreement with experimental and chemical behaviour.
Metal‐free terpolymerization of propylene oxide, carbon dioxide, and carbonyl sulfide: A facile route to sulfur‐containing polycarbonates with gradient sequences
Authors: Kiriratnikom Jiraya , Guo Jiafang , Cao Xiaohan , Khan Munir Ullah , Zhang Chengjian , Zhang Xinghong
Published: June 2022

Introducing sulfur atoms into polycarbonate can improve its optical properties, but is limited by the lack of efficient synthetic methods. Here we develop a facile method to achieve the one‐pot/one‐step incorporation of sulfur atoms into polycarbonate chains using raw chemicals of propylene oxide (PO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbonyl sulfide (COS). The metal‐free Lewis acid–base pair composed of N, N‐dimethylcyclohexylamine combined with triethyl borane can effectively catalyze the terpolymerization of PO, CO2, and COS, affording a sulfur‐containing polycarbonate with high molecular weight (Mn) up to 58.4 kDa and narrow dispersity (Đ = 1.24–1.56). The obtained terpolymers display gradient sequence with tunable thiocarbonate units (27%–81%) upon simply varying the feed ratio of COS. The refractive indices of the terpolymers can be enhanced up to 1.55 at high thiocarbonate content, suggesting promising applications of the terpolymer in optical materials.
Investigations of polygonal patterned ground in continuous Antarctic permafrost by means of ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography: Some unexpected correlations
Authors: Forte Emanuele , French Hugh M. , Raffi Rossana , Santin Ilaria , Guglielmin Mauro
Published: June 2022

The results of a combined geophysical and geomorphological investigation of thermal‐contraction‐crack polygons near Gondwana station (Germany) in northern Victoria Land (Antarctica) are reported. An area of about 20,000 m2 characterized by random orthogonal polygons was investigated using integrated ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, geomorphological surveys, and two trench excavations. The polygons are well developed only at elevations higher than 6–7 m above current sea level on Holocene‐age raised beaches. It is concluded that the polygons are composite in nature because the shallow linear depressions that outline the polygons are underlain by fissures that can contain both sandy gravel and foliated ice (i.e., ice wedges) even in the same polygon network and at distances of just a few meters. Unexpectedly, most of the polygons follow the border of the raised beaches and develop in correspondence with stratigraphic layers dipping toward the sea, imaged by ground penetrating radar (GPR) profiles and interpreted as prograding layers toward the present‐day shoreline.
Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry determination of the water content of staurolite
Authors: Azevedo‐Vannson Samantha , Remusat Laurent , Bureau Hélène , Béneut Keevin , Cesare Bernardo , Khodja Hicham , Jiménez‐Mejías María , Roskosz Mathieu
Published: June 2022

Rationale

Staurolite is an important mineral that can reveal much about metamorphic processes. For instance, it dominates the Fe–Mg exchange reactions in amphibolite‐facies rocks between about 550 and 700°C, and can be also found at suprasolidus conditions. Staurolite contains a variable amount of OH in its structure, whose determination is a key petrological parameter. However, staurolite is often compositionally zoned, fine‐grained, and may contain abundant inclusions. This makes conventional water analysis (e.g., Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy or by chemical titration) unsuitable. With its high sensitivity at high spatial resolution, Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (NanoSIMS) is potentially a valuable tool for determining water contents in staurolite. However a calibration with relevant standards covering a large range of water content is required to obtain accurate and reliable analyses, because matrix effects typically prevent direct quantification of water content by SIMS techniques.

Methods

In this study, a calibration for NanoSIMS analyses of water content by using minerals with crystallographic structures comparable to that of staurolite (i.e., amphibole and kyanite, an inosilicate and a nesosilicate, respectively) has been developed.

Results

Water measurements in an inclusion‐free crystal from Pizzo Forno, Ticino, Switzerland, by FTIR spectroscopy (1.56 ± 0.14 wt% H2O) and by Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA) (1.58 ± 0.15 wt% H2O) are consistent with NanoSIMS results (1.56 ± 0.04 wt% H2O).

Conclusions

This implies that our approach can accurately account for NanoSIMS matrix effects in the case of staurolite. With this calibration, it is now possible to investigate variations in water content at the microscale in metamorphic minerals exhibiting high spatial variability and/or very small size (few micrometers).
Hydrofluorocarbons pneumonitis as a complication of inhalation injury following air‐conditioning repairs
Authors: Abdul Malik Afifah Aqilah , Ng Boon Hau , Nik Abeed Nik Nuratiqah , Abdul Hamid Mohamed Faisal , Ban Andrea Yu‐Lin
Published: June 2022

Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) pneumonitis is an uncommon cause of inhalation injury. HFCs are a group of chemicals predominantly used for refrigeration and cooling. A 19‐year‐old air‐conditioning technician developed acute onset of dyspnoea and chest tightness while servicing an air conditioner in a confined space. We diagnosed him with HFC pneumonitis based on the history of exposure and the high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT) thorax findings. He was treated with steroids and supportive oxygen therapy. He recovered fully after 5 days of hospitalization and was discharged. Review at 2 weeks in the outpatient setting showed significant radiological improvement on HRCT thorax.
Stealthy multiplicative attacks against cyber‐physical systems: A gap metric approach
Authors: Zhao Zhengen , Xu Yunsong , Li Yuzhe , Cui Lei , Huang Yimin , Zhen Ziyang
Published: June 2022

In this article, a stealthy multiplicative attack design scheme for cyber‐physical systems equipped with parity space based detector is proposed, with the aid of gap metric method. First, a novel stealthiness index defined by the gap metric is presented for multiplicative attacks, and the security analysis issue of parity space based detector is formulated. Then, the attack subspace satisfying the stealthiness constraint is constructed, and the subspace rotation is applied to parameterize the multiplicative attacks. Moreover, a joint optimization method is presented to design the stealthy multiplicative attacks. Finally, simulations on a flight vehicle demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Atomic‐Scale Laminated Structure of O‐Doped WS2 and Carbon Layers with Highly Enhanced Ion Transfer for Fast‐Charging Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Li Zhenwei , Yuan Fu , Han Meisheng , Yu Jie
Published: June 2022

WS2 anode materials show huge potential for fast‐charging lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) due to the naturally good 2D diffusion pathways but suffer from large Li+ diffusion barrier energy and poor intrinsic electrical conductivity. Here, a defect‐rich atomic‐scale laminated structure of WS2 and C (D‐WS2‐C) with O doping and enlarged interlayer distance from 0.62 to 1.06 nm of WS2 is first fabricated, which is assembled into micron‐sized spheres to prepare WS2/C composite microspheres. D‐WS2‐C with maximized molecular layer contact area between WS2 and carbon and large interlayer spacing greatly enhances the electrical conductivity of WS2 and reduces Li‐ion diffusion energy barrier, confirmed by density functional theory calculations. Besides, the unique D‐WS2‐C enables the formation of vast superfine W nanoparticles (1–2 nm) during the conversation reaction, resulting in the construction of a space charge zone on W surface. Based on these characteristics of D‐WS2‐C, the prepared WS2/C composite microspheres show superior fast‐charging capability with a high capacity of 647.8 mAh g−1 at 20 C in half cells. For full cells, a high‐energy density of 100.9 Wh kg−1 is achieved at a charge time of only 8.5 min at 5 C, representing the best fast‐charging performances in WS2‐based anode materials to date.
A study on compressive strength of ultrafine graded fly ash replaced concrete and machine learning approaches in its strength prediction
Authors: Suprakash Adapala Sunny , Karthiyaini Somasundaram , Shanmugasundaram Muthusamy
Published: June 2022

Ultrafine graded fly ash (UFGFA) is a well‐graded pozzolanic material among silica‐rich reactive pozzolans that contributes to the improvement of the early pozzolanic reactivity of cement paste, mortar, and concrete at early ages. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the effect of UFGFA on the development of compressive strength in M20, M25, and M30 grade concretes with a partial replacement of cement ranging from 0% to 40% by weight at various water‐binder (W/B) ratios of 0.43–0.53. Compressive strength development was examined at ages 7, 14, 28, and 56 days. Additionally, three machine learning (ML) models (linear regression, ANN, and GEP) were used to predict the compressive strength of the concretes using different predictive classifications. According to the investigations, experimental studies indicate that a lower W/B ratio and a minimum amount of UFGFA replacement result in an increase in strength at an early age of 7 days. At 14, 28, and 56 days, higher strength results were obtained when 15%–30% UFGFA was replaced with a W/B ratio less than 0.5, whereas a reduction in strength was observed when more than 30% UFGFA was replaced with cement and with W/B ratio greater than 0.5. All machine learning models produced good predictions of compressive strength, with LR models having least performance and ANN has the more accurate fit. ANN models outperformed the other three machine learning models, but GEP models performed identically near to the ANN model, with expressions generated, that can be used for further development of predictive model.
Unravelling the species diversity, phylogeny and biogeography of the mycoheterotrophic Voyrieae (Gentianaceae) and the description of a new species
Authors: Gomes Sofia I.F. , Kikuchi Izai A.B.S. , Lachenaud Olivier , Perdomo Julian , Léotard Guillaume , Maas Paul J.M. , Maas‐van de Kamer Hiltje , Merckx Vincent S.F.T.
Published: June 2022

Because different tropical forest regions possess their own species diversity and communities, it is crucial to investigate the diversification history of their biota to understand how biodiversity was assembled. However, this requires reliable species concepts and robust, well‐sampled phylogenies. Here we focus on the fully mycoheterotrophic genusVoyria(Gentianaceae) and its diversification history in the Neotropics. We use a likelihood‐based approach to test species boundaries inVoyriawith a population‐level ITS dataset and we build an extensive multigene species‐level phylogenetic framework forVoyria, which we use to infer the biogeographic evolution of the genus. We find strong support for the established morphology‐based species delimitation in this genus but we also discover a new species, which we describe here. Ancestral area reconstructions place the origin of the Voyrieae in the Guianas. Frequent exchange with other forest regions is inferred to have started from the Oligocene and continued toward the present. In these exchanges, the Guianas appeared to have acted as the most important source, while other regions mainly functioned as sinks. We conclude that well‐sampled phylogenies of fully mycoheterotrophic plants, which are ecologically restricted to rainforest habitats, can be instrumental to test hypotheses on rainforest biome evolution.
“Like special oriental spices added into Western food”: An ecological study of anEFLstudent's literacy autobiography and its pedagogical implications
Authors: Yang Shizhou
Published: June 2022

Little is known about literacy autobiography (LA) in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Using the triad of translingualism, transnationalism, and investment as a lens to examine the classroom writing ecology (which is composed of the participants, process, artifacts, and structure), the present ethnographic case study explores a Chinese graduate student's LA writing in a writing course for translators. Data include multiple drafts, weekly journals, interviews, and course documents. The researcher found that the classroom writing ecology had a great impact on the student's LA writing. Although transnationalism did not directly motivate her to invest in LA writing, it informed her writing in significant ways, and her sustained investment in LA writing culminated in strong signs of translingualism in her final draft. This study contends that translingualism and transnationalism are both relevant in EFL literacy education. It also contributes new knowledge on the pedagogical use of LA to facilitate EFL learners' acquisition of academic literacy and to nurture their translingual subjectivity. In adopting LA in EFL writing education, teachers are encouraged to provide a classroom writing ecology that supports multilingual students' LA‐mediated identity work by embracing a resource perspective on students' prior literacy experiences, a dialogical pedagogy, and a research‐oriented, multidraft approach.
Fabrication of poly(vinyl alcohol) bottle with high barrier property and mechanical property via compound plasticization
Authors: Zuo Wenqiang , Xu Dawei , Li Li , Wang Qi
Published: June 2022

The conventional solution method can hardly manufacture the three‐dimensional poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) part, thus blocking its further industrial development. Complex‐shaped PVA products could be fabricated by thermal processing, however, the migration of plasticizers in PVA melt‐processed products frequently leads to deteriorated performance and limited application. In this article, part glycerol was replaced by solid polyols with higher molecular weight in compound plasticizing systems, finally realizing the continuous production of three‐dimensional PVA bottles. The remaining glycerol offered the easy access for solid polyols to enter the PVA molecules, which provided better stability for the plasticized system during the blow molding processing. With the incorporation of solid polyols, the migration behaviors of plasticizers were remarkably inhibited. The extraction migration rate was remarkably reduced from 54.1% to 7.4%, and the contact migration rate was reduced from 14.0% to 5.4%. The environmental‐friendly PVA bottles possessed the excellent barrier properties and axial bearing pressure capacity. The permeation rate of petroleum ether was reduced from 1.6 to 0.9 g·mm/m2·day, and the axial bearing pressure was increased from 74.3 to 148.7 N, demonstrating the promising application for PVA in barrier packaging fields.
Testing for implicit bias: Values, psychometrics, and science communication
Authors: Byrd Nick , Thompson Morgan
Published: June 2022

Our understanding of implicit bias and how to measure it has yet to be settled. Various debates between cognitive scientists are unresolved. Moreover, the public's understanding of implicit bias tests continues to lag behind cognitive scientists'. These discrepancies pose potential problems. After all, a great deal of implicit bias research has been publicly funded. Further, implicit bias tests continue to feature in discourse about public‐ and private‐sector policies surrounding discrimination, inequality, and even the purpose of science. We aim to do our part by reconstructing some of the recent arguments in ordinary language and then revealing some of the operative norms or values that are often hidden beneath the surface of these arguments. This may help the public learn more about the science of implicit bias. It may also help both laypeople and scientists reflect on the values, interests, and stakeholders involved in establishing, justifying, and communicating scientific research.

This article is categorized under:

Cognitive Biology > Social Development
Liberty, Loyalty, and Solidarity: The Role of Transnational, National, and Local Resources in Voluntary Organizations in Russia
Authors: Kravchenko Zhanna
Published: June 2022

This chapter traces the transformation of volunteer work as an organizational resource in the context of the transformation of Russian civil society over the past 30 years. Utilized by voluntary associations as well as by professionalized NGOs, this type of resource can serve as a vehicle for building personal relationships and commitments with corporate partners while also eliciting individual work and financial contributions. By examining a charity organization and a community-based association and a charity organization operating in St. Petersburg since the late 1980s and early 1990s, respectively, this study links the structures and processes that integrate volunteering into the organizational fabric to an overall structure of resource mobilization patterns at the local, national, and transnational levels.
Pecunia olet: The Funding Dilemma for Think Tanks in Poland
Authors: Jezierska Katarzyna
Published: June 2022

Think tanks are a special type of civil society organization engaged in research and advocacy. They produce and deliver social analysis to policymakers and the wider public, aiming to influence policy in a given direction while declaring themselves detached from vested interests. This chapter focuses on how the image of independence rhymes with think tanks’ need for significant economic resources, revealing two main strategies to resolve the resulting funding dilemma. The first strategy entails diversification of funding sources; the second is avoiding certain types of funding outright. The concrete sources that individual think tanks eschew turn out to be linked to their ideological profiles: conservative institutions highlighted foreign funding as the most problematic, while market liberal and centrist liberal institutions shunned state funding.
From Local to Digital and Back: E-Resourcefulness Among Urban Movements in Poland
Authors: Domaradzka Anna
Published: June 2022

In recent years, websites, blogs, and social media profiles have become important resources for managing the activities of neighborhood groups and wider networks of urban activists in Poland. Via the Internet, residents obtain information, local activists mobilize other community members, and organizers announce various types of local activities and events. At the grassroots level, online platforms help to maintain relations between involved neighbors and to build a common identity related to a given place. On the supra-local level, they are even more important as networking tools for knowledge sharing and the coordination of lobbying activities nationwide. The selected case demonstrates that effectiveness in modern social initiatives can be maximized by combining bottom-up initiatives with the communication possibilities offered by the Internet.
Building a Tontine Simulation in R
Authors: Milevsky Moshe Arye
Published: June 2022

In this chapter I explain the core of the (basic, version 1.0) modern tontine simulation algorithm and provide R-scripts that can be used to generate forecasted values for what I have called the Modern Tontine (MoTo) Fund.
Goodbye LogNormal Distribution
Authors: Milevsky Moshe Arye
Published: June 2022

The R-scripts presented and developed in the prior chapters assumed an investment return generating process that is both static and LogNormal, via the basic function. Indeed, had this work been done in the 1970s, or perhaps the 1670s when national (versus natural) tontines were first launched, that might have been sufficient.
Keine Zukunft? Alter und Altern in der ‚alternden Gesellschaft‘
Authors: Lang Frieder R. , Lessenich Stephan , Rothermund Klaus
Published: June 2022

Keine andere Altersgruppe ist in unserer Gesellschaft in ähnlichem Maße Gegenstand von homogenisierenden und stereotypisierenden Zuschreibungen wie ‚die Alten‘. Dabei ist das höhere Alter nicht weniger ‚bunt‘ als jede andere Lebensphase. Hinter der gleichmacherischen Rede von ‚den‘ älteren Menschen verbirgt sich eine soziale Welt ungeahnter Diversität. Diese Vielfalt des Alters und Alterns, des Älterwerdens und des Alterserlebens sichtbar zu machen, war ein zentrales Anliegen der Studie Altern als Zukunft. Von Altersbildern über die Vorsorge bis zum Zeithandeln finden sich durchgängig Hinweise, dass Alter und Altern keine globalen oder einheitlichen Phänomene sind, sondern immer nur mit Bezug zu bestimmten Lebenskontexten analysiert und verstanden werden können.
Zukunftshandeln und Altersvorsorge
Authors: Lang Frieder R.
Published: June 2022

Im Projekt Altern als Zukunft wurden Erwartungen, Einstellungen und Handlungen untersucht, die sich auf die Vorsorge für das Alter und auf die persönliche Zukunft beziehen. Im Vordergrund stehen drei Fragekomplexe, die sich dem Vorsorgehandeln widmen und dessen motivationaler Verankerung: Erstens geht es darum, wie Altersvorsorge ja nach Lebenskontext und Themenfeld verschieden gedacht, geplant und gestaltet wird. Zweitens geht es um die Bewertungen der möglichen Folgen des Vorsorgehandelns. Drittens werden die Wünsche behandelt, die Menschen für ihre Zukunft im Alter haben. Bei allen Fragekomplexen werden auch Einflüsse des Alters und des kulturellen Kontexts betrachtet.