bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil quality of the tea and apple-growing sites in Mindat District, Chin state, Myanmar: A preliminary study
Authors: Kwee Yaung , Soe Khin
Published: September 2021

In this study, two sites from tea and apple growing sites were collected from Pyay village and Nine Mile village, Mindat district, Chin state of West Myanmar under a humid subtropical climate. The results of physicochemical properties of observed soils were neutral pH, favorable moisture, silty clay loam texture, very high content of organic carbon, organic matter and total nitrogen. However, the tea growing soil was very poor in phosphorus and potassium content. Moreover, both soils lack of available potassium. The content of heavy metals in both soils was not varied from each other and followed the order: Fe (iron) > Cu (copper) >Zn (zinc) > Pb (lead) > Cr (chromium) and was below the maximum allowed concentrations (MAC). Therefore, the studied soils are generally favorable for cultivation under the condition of application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. However, due to the regular application of fertilizers and pesticides, it is necessary to monitor these soils for PTE levels. Further research is recommended, which must include analyses of the physicochemical properties of soils to a two depths of 0-30 and 30-60 cm, especially for the area where fruit plants are grown. In addition, higher density of soil samples and sub-samples are necessary to produce a reliable dataset that will allow proper statistical analysis.
Perspectives for cultivation of diversified crops in a rice (Oryza sativa L.)-based crop rotation in the Kyzylorda region, Kazakhstan
Authors: Tokhetova Laura , Baizhanova Bibigul , Baykenzhieva Ainur , Kultasov Bekzat , Predić Tihomir
Published: September 2021

In the Aral Sea basin of Kyzylorda region, Kazakhstan, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a main crop and annually occupies more than 45% of the total area of agricultural crops. However, about 90% of Syr Daria River waters is consumed for agricultural purposes, mainly for irrigation of paddy fields. In addition, there is an annual variability in the volume of water during the growing season, which creates certain threats to ensuring guaranteed water supply to irrigated lands and may pose a desertification risks. In addition, in the studied region, due to insufficient application of phosphorus fertilizers nutrient imbalance has been observed in the soil. The aim of the research was to develop sustainable production of rice by introduction of diversified cultures such as barley, soybean and rapeseed: Hordeum vulgare (L.), Glycine max (L.) and Brassica napus (L.), respectively, in a rice-based crop rotation and application of the different doses of mineral fertilizers in the Kyzylorda region. The results of the study showed that application of phosphorus as the main fertilizer at a dose of 90 kg ha-1 gives a significant increase in yield. Studied barley and rapeseed crops showed better adaptability to the specific agroecological conditions. These crops are recommended to be introduced into the rice crop rotations in order to produce rice using environmentally friendly technology.
МЕЂУНАРОДНИ СУСРЕТИ ПОЗОРИШНИХ ШКОЛА ДРАМСКИХ УМЈЕТНОСТИ (СТАНИСЛАВСКИ ПОЧЕТАК СТАНИСЛАВСКИЙ НАЧАЛО)
Authors: Агостини Рената
Published: September 2021

Московски државни институт позоришних умјетности ГИТИС организује сваке године Међународни студентски фестивал позоришних умјетности Станиславски. Почетак (Станиславский. Начало). Фестивал окупља еминентне позоришне школе Русије, као и школе које у традицији образовања глумца његују рад по Систему Станиславског. Aкадемија умјетности Универзитета у Бањој Луци је четири године учесник фестивала. Ова фестивалска пракса је од изузетног значаја за размјену искустава, различитих приступа, метода и технике у обуци глумаца, како за студенте, тако и за педагоге различитих земаља.
Design and fabrication of off-axis meta-lens with large focal depth
Authors: Ding Ji-Fei , Liu Wen-Bing , Li Han-Hui , Luo Yi , Xie Chen-Kai , Huang Li-Rong ,   Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China,   Wuhan Maritime Communication Research Institute Wuhan 430200, China
Published: September 2021

A kind of off-axis meta-lens with large focal depth based on a single-layer metasurface is designed and fabricated. Our proposed off-axis focus is realized by combining the two functions of deflection and focus through phase superposition method, and the focal depth can be increased by optimizing the input aperture and off-axis deflection angle. Three-dimensional finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is used for numerical simulation to construct the off-axis meta-lens, then the off-axis meta-lens is fabricated and its focus performance is tested in a microwave anechoic chamber.

Experimental results indicate that at the designed electromagnetic wave frequency (9 GHz), the measured off-axis deflection angle is 27.5° and the focal length is 335.4 mm, which agree with the designed values of 30° and 350 mm. The measured full-wave half-maximum (FWHM) at the focal point is 48.2 mm, however, the simulated FWHM is 40.2 mm, which means that the imaging quality of the measured focus spot is slightly worse than the simulated one. This is mainly due to the fact that the actual parameters of the fabricated meta-lens are inconsistent with simulated parameters. In addition, during the measurement, the large sampling interval in the x- direction also leads to experimental errors.

The focusing efficiency of the off-axis meta-lens at the working frequency of 9 GHz is calculated to be 16.9%. The main reason for the low focusing efficiency is that the plasmonic metasurface works in the transmission mode, which can manipulate only the cross-polarized component of the incident wave, and the maximum efficiency will not exceed 25%. Moreover, the focal depths at 8 GHz, 9 GHz and 10 GHz are 263.2 mm, 278.5 mm and 298.2 mm, respectively, which are 7.02 times, 8.36 times and 9.98 times the corresponding wavelengths, indicating that a larger focal depth off-focus meta-lens is achieved.

This kind of off-axis meta-lens has a simple structure, good off-axis focus ability and large focal depth, which has potential applications in a compact and planar off-axis optical system and large focal depth imaging system. Although the working waveband in this article is the microwave band, according to the size scaling effect of the metasurface, it is also possible to design a large focal depth off-axis meta-lens in other bands such as visible light and terahertz bands by using the same method.
Ectocytosis prevents accumulation of ciliary cargo in C. elegans sensory neurons
Authors: Razzauti Adria , Laurent Patrick
Published: September 2021

Cilia are sensory organelles protruding from cell surfaces. Release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from cilia was previously observed in mammals, Chlamydomonas, and in male Caenorhabditis elegans. Using the EV marker TSP-6 (an ortholog of mammalian CD9) and other ciliary receptors, we show that EVs are formed from ciliated sensory neurons in C. elegans hermaphrodites. Release of EVs is observed from two ciliary locations: the cilia tip and/or periciliary membrane compartment (PCMC). Outward budding of EVs from the cilia tip leads to their release into the environment. EVs’ budding from the PCMC is concomitantly phagocytosed by the associated glial cells. To maintain cilia composition, a tight regulation of cargo import and removal is achieved by the action of intra-flagellar transport (IFT). Unbalanced IFT due to cargo overexpression or mutations in the IFT machinery leads to local accumulation of ciliary proteins. Disposal of excess ciliary proteins via EVs reduces their local accumulation and exports them to the environment and/or to the glia associated to these ciliated neurons. We suggest that EV budding from cilia subcompartments acts as a safeguard mechanism to remove deleterious excess of ciliary material.
Characterizing human mobility patterns in rural settings of sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Meredith Hannah R , Giles John R , Perez-Saez Javier , Mande Théophile , Rinaldo Andrea , Mutembo Simon , Kabalo Elliot N , Makungo Kabondo , Buckee Caroline O , Tatem Andrew J , Metcalf C Jessica E , Wesolowski Amy
Published: September 2021

Human mobility is a core component of human behavior and its quantification is critical for understanding its impact on infectious disease transmission, traffic forecasting, access to resources and care, intervention strategies, and migratory flows. When mobility data are limited, spatial interaction models have been widely used to estimate human travel, but have not been extensively validated in low- and middle-income settings. Geographic, sociodemographic, and infrastructure differences may impact the ability for models to capture these patterns, particularly in rural settings. Here, we analyzed mobility patterns inferred from mobile phone data in four Sub-Saharan African countries to investigate the ability for variants on gravity and radiation models to estimate travel. Adjusting the gravity model such that parameters were fit to different trip types, including travel between more or less populated areas and/or different regions, improved model fit in all four countries. This suggests that alternative models may be more useful in these settings and better able to capture the range of mobility patterns observed.
Monocyte-derived transcriptome signature indicates antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis as a potential mechanism of vaccine-induced protection against HIV-1
Authors: Shangguan Shida , Ehrenberg Philip K , Geretz Aviva , Yum Lauren , Kundu Gautam , May Kelly , Fourati Slim , Nganou-Makamdop Krystelle , Williams LaTonya D , Sawant Sheetal , Lewitus Eric , Pitisuttithum Punnee , Nitayaphan Sorachai , Chariyalertsak Suwat , Rerks-Ngarm Supachai , Rolland Morgane , Douek Daniel C , Gilbert Peter , Tomaras Georgia D , Michael Nelson L , Vasan Sandhya , Thomas Rasmi
Published: September 2021

A gene signature was previously found to be correlated with mosaic adenovirus 26 vaccine protection in simian immunodeficiency virus and simian-human immunodeficiency virus challenge models in non-human primates. In this report, we investigated the presence of this signature as a correlate of reduced risk in human clinical trials and potential mechanisms of protection. The absence of this gene signature in the DNA/rAd5 human vaccine trial, which did not show efficacy, strengthens our hypothesis that this signature is only enriched in studies that demonstrated protection. This gene signature was enriched in the partially effective RV144 human trial that administered the ALVAC/protein vaccine, and we find that the signature associates with both decreased risk of HIV-1 acquisition and increased vaccine efficacy (VE). Total RNA-seq in a clinical trial that used the same vaccine regimen as the RV144 HIV vaccine implicated antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) as a potential mechanism of vaccine protection. CITE-seq profiling of 53 surface markers and transcriptomes of 53,777 single cells from the same trial showed that genes in this signature were primarily expressed in cells belonging to the myeloid lineage, including monocytes, which are major effector cells for ADCP. The consistent association of this transcriptome signature with VE represents a tool both to identify potential mechanisms, as with ADCP here, and to screen novel approaches to accelerate the development of new vaccine candidates.
PARROT is a flexible recurrent neural network framework for analysis of large protein datasets
Authors: Griffith Daniel , Holehouse Alex S
Published: September 2021

The rise of high-throughput experiments has transformed how scientists approach biological questions. The ubiquity of large-scale assays that can test thousands of samples in a day has necessitated the development of new computational approaches to interpret this data. Among these tools, machine learning approaches are increasingly being utilized due to their ability to infer complex nonlinear patterns from high-dimensional data. Despite their effectiveness, machine learning (and in particular deep learning) approaches are not always accessible or easy to implement for those with limited computational expertise. Here we present PARROT, a general framework for training and applying deep learning-based predictors on large protein datasets. Using an internal recurrent neural network architecture, PARROT is capable of tackling both classification and regression tasks while only requiring raw protein sequences as input. We showcase the potential uses of PARROT on three diverse machine learning tasks: predicting phosphorylation sites, predicting transcriptional activation function of peptides generated by high-throughput reporter assays, and predicting the fibrillization propensity of amyloid beta with data generated by deep mutational scanning. Through these examples, we demonstrate that PARROT is easy to use, performs comparably to state-of-the-art computational tools, and is applicable for a wide array of biological problems.
A machine-learning scraping tool for data fusion in the analysis of sentiments about pandemics for supporting business decisions with human-centric AI explanations
Authors: Kumar Swarn Avinash , Nasralla Moustafa M. , García-Magariño Iván , Kumar Harsh
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing daily routines for many citizens with a high impact on the economy in some sectors. Small-medium enterprises of some sectors need to be aware of both the pandemic evolution and the corresponding sentiments of customers in order to figure out which are the best commercialization techniques. This article proposes an expert system based on the combination of machine learning and sentiment analysis in order to support business decisions with data fusion through web scraping. The system uses human-centric artificial intelligence for automatically generating explanations. The expert system feeds from online content from different sources using a scraping module. It allows users to interact with the expert system providing feedback, and the system uses this feedback to improve its recommendations with supervised learning.
Isokinetic force-power profile of the shoulder joint in males participating in CrossFit training and competing at different levels
Authors: Torres-Banduc Maximiliano A. , Jerez-Mayorga Daniel , Moran Jason , Keogh Justin W.L. , Ramírez-Campillo Rodrigo
Published: September 2021

Background

As participants who engage in CrossFit training and competition perform a large volume of high intensity overhead activities, injuries to the shoulder are one of the most common in this sport. Previous research in other sports has indicated that the isokinetic force power profile of the shoulder joint (IPSJ) rotator muscles may assist in the prediction of shoulder injury.

Aim

Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the IPSJ in males engaged in CrossFit training at different competitive levels.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study design, participants (age, 24.1 ± 2.7 years) classified as ‘beginner’ (n = 6), ‘intermediate’ (n = 7) or ‘advanced’ (n = 9) provided informed consent to participate in this study. The IPSJ assessment involved rotational and diagonal movements, including internal and external shoulder rotator muscles, at both 180°.s−1 and 300°.s−1. The variables analysed were peak torque/body mass (%), mean power (W) and the external/internal peak torque/body mass ratio (%). A Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the IPSJ of the three groups, with Dunn’s test used for post-hoc analysis. The alpha level was set at p < 0.05.

Results

The IPSJ showed greater torque and power values in those who competed at the advanced level as compared to those at a lower competitive level (i.e. intermediate, beginner). This was observed mainly for the internal rotation and internal diagonal movements at both 180°.s−1 and 300°.s−1. However, such differences between competitive levels were, in general, absent for the external rotation and external diagonal movements. Moreover, the participants from the advanced competitive level exhibited an imbalance of peak torque between the muscles responsible for the external–internal rotational and external-internal diagonal movements of the shoulder (i.e. peak torque external/internal ratio <66%), particularly in the dominant shoulder.

Conclusion

These findings suggest greater development of the shoulder internal rotators and a higher probability of shoulder injury in CrossFit athletes at the advanced competitive level. Based on these results, participants engaged in CrossFit training and competition may wish to increase the volume of training for the shoulder external rotator muscles to complement the large increases in shoulder internal rotator strength that occur as a part of their regular training regimes.
Oats: Its Biologically Active Compounds as Functional Food Source
Authors: Bhatt Yamini , Pandey Hemlata
Published: September 2021

Oats are known to be a healthy food for the heart mainly due to their high β-glucan content. Besides, they contain more than 20 unique polyphenols, avenanthramides, which have shown strong antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo. The polyphenols of oats have also recently been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anti-itching activity, which may provide additional protection against coronary heart disease, colon cancer, and skin irritation. Oats have been labelled as a functional food as they contain β-glucan, minerals, and antioxidants. Owing to their high nutritional value, oat-based food products like bread, biscuits, cookies, probiotic drinks, breakfast cereals, flakes, and infant food are gaining increasing consideration.
Organisational Learning Strategies and Employee Performance in Water and Sewerage Companies: Empirical from Nairobi City County, Kenya
Authors: Irungu Antony Mwangi , Wanyoike Rosemarie
Published: September 2021

Despite organisational learning strategies being focal in enabling employee’s development, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company is unable to employ organisational learning strategies for sustainable employee performance. Owing to the failures in addressing these concerns. this research accessed the manner in which organisational learning strategies related to employee performance in this company. The objectives of the research were to specifically establish the effect of; acquiring information, distributing information, interpreting information, behavioural and cognitive changes on the performance of public water utilities in Kenya. In its methodology, the research espoused descriptive research design as it used 374 senior officers of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company as its target population. The sample size drawn from this population was 112 respondents; accounting for 30% of the entire population. The research sought data from primary sources, which was collected through administration of structured questionnaire. Quantitative approach was employed in analysis to obtain descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics. The inferential statistics were for testing existence of relationship and for predicting a study model. The study found that at 5% significance level, acquiring information there is a strongly positively significant effect on employee performance at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, distributing information has a low significant negative effect on employee performance at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, practising interpreting information at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company has a strong significant positive influence on its performance of employees, and behavioural and cognitive changes strongly significantly and positively affect performance of employee at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company. The study suggested new organizational learning approaches for implementation by Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company to improve their employee efficiency and hence enhance their performance.
Paris Agreement Implementation in Nigeria: Compliance Level, Constraints and Possible Ways Forward
Authors: Anwadike B. C.
Published: September 2021

Nigeria has traditionally been an active participant within the United Nations (UN) systems and ideals enshrined in their conventions and treaties by being a signatory to various environmental treaties and conventions notably the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Nigeria signed the Kyoto Protocol and more recently the Paris Agreement on climate change alongside other 140 countries in December 2015 to mitigate the effects of global warming caused by the uncontrolled emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Nigeria is seriously impacted by climate change with consequences that includes vulnerability to drought, famine, flooding due to variability or change in rainfall pattern especially in the humid south and decreased rainfall in the savana region, soil erosion, sea level rise causing coastal areas to be submerged, declining surface and subsurface water etc Nigeria being a signatory to the Paris Agreement says she is committed to reducing GHG emissions by 20%  relative to a business as usual (BAU) of economic an emissions growth by 2030. As much as her good intentions abound, there are obvious constraints to the implementation of the Paris Accord and these include; institutional deficiencies and failure, ambiguos environmental legislation and laws, lack of policy framework, paucity of fund, fear of revenue loss from oil, lack of political will to diversify the economy, climate change has not been integrated into the development plan, paucity of GHG emission data etc.
Metallic Composition Analysis of Crude Petroleum from Some Oil Fields in Ghana
Authors: Wilson Robert , Gafrey Calvin Kwesi , Amoako George , Anderson Benjamin
Published: September 2021

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of chemical elements in crude petroleum using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopic technique has attracted the attention of scientific world because it is fast, cheap, non-destructive and assurance in quality compared to other methods. Metallic element characterisation of crude petroleum is important in the petrochemical industry because it determines rock reservoir properties, the technology needed for extraction and refinery process, hence an exciting field that calls for research. X-ray fluorescence method was used for metallic composition analysis of four rundown crude petroleum samples (SB-2, SB-4, TB-2 and TB-1) from three oil fields (Saltpond, TEN and Jubilee). It was conducted at the National Nuclear Research Institute of Ghana. Analysis of the four samples concluded that oil field maturity decreases orderly from Saltpond, Jubilee and TEN. Vanadium-nickel ratios for each crude petroleum sample was less than 0.5, indicating that both Saltpond and Tano sedimentary rocks are of marine organic origin. Higher concentration levels of rare earth metal elements (scandium and yttrium) in the Saltpond sedimentary basin compared to Tano sedimentary rock suggest seismic effect of McCarthy Hills on Saltpond Basin. The strong negative correlation between the vanadium-nickel ratio (predictor) and scandium concentration (dependent) among the three oil fields implies that scandium concentration can equally be used to characterise the oil fields just as the vanadium-nickel ratios.
TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE EFFECT ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM THE INDONESIA LOGISTICS BUREAU
Authors: Pangarso Astadi , Saragih Romat , Nuriz Waode Alaya
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this research was to analyze the effects of transformative leadership and organizational culture on employee performance in the context of the Indonesian Logistics Bureau. This study filled a research gap, and required repeated tests to assess the impact of transformative leadership and organizational culture on employee performance from different viewpoints. The research tool used was a cross-sectional quantitative study by a questionnaire (survey) of up to 69 respondents for all personnel of the Indonesia Logistics Bureau West Java Regional Division. Multiple linear regression analysis of data processing techniques revealed that the performance of employees was influenced by transformative leadership and organizational culture. The results of this analysis included positive guidance, in particular on the importance of a leader's role in empowering and encouraging workers through active engagement with them, and the presence of positive organization principles boosted organization performance.
JOB AUTONOMY, JOB CRAFTING AND EMPLOYEES’ WELL-BEING DURING WORKING FROM HOME
Authors: Saragih Susanti , Margaretha Meily , Anantyanda Luthfia
Published: September 2021

Workplace stressed employees’ well-being because people have to work from home (WFH) and adapt to a new routine of work and life since Covid-19 struck the world. Employees who WFH increase their perception of more autonomous on how to handle their tasks, this is known as job autonomy. This study aimed to examine the relationship between job autonomy and well-being, and the mediating effects of job crafting on job autonomy and employees’ well-being during WFH in Covid-19 Pandemic. An online survey was conducted and there were 427 respondents involved. The model was analyzed using WarpPLS 7.0 and the results showed that no significant relationship was found between job autonomy and well-being. Moreover, job autonomy and job crafting are related as well as job crafting and well-being. Job crafting significantly mediate the relationship between job autonomy and well-being. This study showed that during WFH, employee experience an excessive degree of job freedom and it give them more work pressure and decrease employees' subjective well-being.  In a conclusion, this study brings several concerns that organizations should be giving attention to.
#I ENVY, THEREFORE, I BUY! #: THE ROLE OF CELEBGRAM TRUSTWORTHINESS AND PARA-SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN CONSUMER PURCHASE INTENTION
Authors: Purwanto Purwanto
Published: September 2021

Businessmen’s marketing strategies that take advantage of the fame of celebgrams as influencers are incredibly appropriate in the social media era. The present study deals with the dynamics of celebgram trustworthiness and social interaction with their followers in relation to possession envy and consumer purchase intention. To test the proposed model, the researchers collected data from 181 respondents in Indonesia through an online survey and analyzed it using the Smart PLS. The results of the present study showed that celebgram trustworthiness had no positive effect on possession envy but it had a positive effect on consumer purchase intention. Furthermore, parasocial interactions had a positive effect on possession envy and consumer purchase intention and possession envy had a positive effect on consumer purchase intention. The present study provides a theoretical contribution to the literature on retail and consumer services and offers managerial implications for instafamous-based marketing.
ONLINE FEEDBACK IMPACT ONLINE SHOPPERS' IMPULSE PURCHASES IN MALAYSIA
Authors: Hong Lu Man , Wan Zulkiffli Wan Farha , Che Amran Che Adawiah
Published: September 2021

Online shopping has risen to the third position among Malaysians who use the Internet. Typically, past customer online reviews are deciding factors for an online business's success or failure because online consumers encounter online reviews while visiting a website, and it has a direct effect on their ability to purchase impulsively and online impulse buying conduct. The majority of previous research on market-generated context as a factor in online impulse buying behaviour has concentrated on the market-generated background. As a result, this research identified two types of online reviews as independent variables: hedonic and utilitarian value online reviews, browsing, and willingness to buy impulsively as mediating and moderating variables. While online impulse buying behaviour a dependent variable. This study only involves online shoppers who have made at least one purchase on both Lazada Malaysia and Shopee Malaysia websites. This study took a quantitative approach, with 100 responses collected from online shoppers who had made at least one purchase on Shopee Malaysia and Lazada Malaysia through an online questionnaire. Due to the deletion of one straight-lining response, 99 responses were subjected to data analysis using SmartPLS software. According to the results, hedonic value online reviews influence browsing, and browsing influences the urge to buy impulsively and directly to online impulse purchasing.
Logarithmic norm based robust adaptive state‐feedback control of the linear time‐varying systems under system uncertainty and external disturbances
Authors: Vrabel Robert
Published: September 2021

The conceptually new approach based on the logarithmic norm to design of robust adaptive state‐feedback controller for linear time‐varying (LTV) systems under system's modeling uncertainty and nonlinear external disturbances is proposed. This controller, in the special cases when the control matrix of the system is invertible, makes every LTV system globally asymptotically insensitive to the external disturbances regardless how large these are, in the sense, that all solutions of the controlled system converge to zero ast → ∞. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated by the design of the crane control system.
Bioactive Glass Flakes as Innovative Fillers in Chitosan Membranes for Guided Bone Regeneration
Authors: Zhang Huijun , Wu Jingjing , Wan Ying , Romeis Stefan , Esper Julian D. , Peukert Wolfgang , Zheng Kai , Boccaccini Aldo R.
Published: September 2021

Herein, novel bioactive glass flakes (BGFs) (45S5 composition), obtained by compression in the liquid phase in a stirred media mill, are combined with chitosan (CS) to develop composite membranes using solvent casting for guided bone regeneration (GBR). The incorporation of BGFs endows CS membranes with superior bioactivity as evidenced by rapid hydroxyapatite formation after 3 days of immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). Moreover, the addition of BGFs reduces the swelling ratio of CS membranes, beneficial for GBR applications. The swelling behavior can also be modulated by tuning the added amount of BGFs. In vitro cell studies indicate the noncytotoxicity of composite membranes toward osteoblast cell line MC3T3‐E1, although the presence of BGFs slightly reduces the cell viability compared to pure CS membranes. The incorporation of BGFs also improves the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3‐E1 cells as indicated by the enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity. The results show the feasibility of BGFs as anisotropic bioactive fillers in polymeric matrices. In conclusion, the developed CS‐BGF composite membranes show promising potential as a novel material for GBR.
Tracking Twin Boundary Jerky Motion at Nanometer and Microsecond Scales
Authors: Bronstein Emil , Tóth László Zoltán , Daróczi Lajos , Beke Dezsö László , Talmon Ronen , Shilo Doron
Published: September 2021

The jerky motion of twin boundaries in the ferromagnetic shape memory alloy Ni‐Mn‐Ga is studied by simultaneous measurements of stress and magnetic emissions (ME). A careful design of the experimental conditions results in an approximately linear relationship between the measured ME voltage and the nm‐scale volumes exhibiting twinning transformation during microsecond‐scale abrupt “avalanche” events. This study shows that the same distributions of ME avalanches, related to features of jerky twin boundary motion, are found both during and between stress drop events. Maximum likelihood analysis of statistical distributions of several variables reveals a good fit to power laws truncated by exponential functions. Interestingly, the characteristic cutoffs described by the exponential functions are in the middle of the distribution range. Further, the cutoff values can be related to the physical characteristics of the studied problem. Particularly, the cutoff of amplitudes of ME avalanches matches the value predicted by high rate magnetic pulse tests performed under much larger driving force values. This observation implies that avalanches during slow rate twin boundary motion and velocity changes observed by high rate tests represent the same behavior and can be described by the same theory.
Isocyanide‐Induced Esterification of Sulfinic Acids to Access Sulfinates
Authors: Yang Jianjing , Dong Haozhe , Yan Kelu , Song Xiaodan , Yu Jie , Wen Jiangwei
Published: September 2021

The isocyanide‐induced esterification of sulfinic acids with alcohols or thiophenols access to sulfinates has been developed. Various primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols could be compatible with the established protocols. Notably, such an isocyanide‐induced synthetic strategy presented the advantages of simple operation, good functional group tolerance, and more than 40 examples up to 99% yields.

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Intermediate Phase‐Free Process for Methylammonium Lead Iodide Thin Film for High‐Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Yun Yeonghun , Vidyasagar Devthade , Lee Minho , Gong Oh Yeong , Jung Jina , Jung Hyun‐Suk , Kim Dong Hoe , Lee Sangwook
Published: September 2021

Solvent engineering by Lewis‐base solvent and anti‐solvent is well known for forming uniform and stable perovskite thin films. The perovskite phase crystallizes from an intermediate Lewis‐adduct upon annealing‐induced crystallization. Herein, it is explored the effects of trimethyl phosphate (TMP), as a novel aprotic Lewis‐base solvent with a low donor number for the perovskite film formation and photovoltaic characteristics of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). As compared to dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethylformamide (DMF), the usage of TMP directly crystallizes the perovskite phase, i.e., reduces the intermediate phase to a negligible degree, right after the spin‐coating, owing to the high miscibility of TMP with the anti‐solvent and weak bonding in the Lewis adduct. Interestingly, the PSCs based on methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) derived from TMP/DMF‐mixed solvent exhibit a higher average power conversion efficiency of 19.68% (the best: 20.02%) with a smaller hysteresis in the current‐voltage curve, compared to the PSCs that are fabricated using DMSO/DMF‐mixed (19.14%) or DMF‐only (18.55%) solvents. The superior photovoltaic properties are attributed to the lower defect density of the TMP/DMF‐derived perovskite film. The results indicate that a high‐performance PSC can be achieved by combining a weak Lewis base with a well‐established solvent engineering process.
Review of cannabis reimbursement by workers’ compensation insurance in the U.S. and Canada
Authors: Howard John , Wurzelbacher Steven , Osborne Jamie , Wolf Jennifer , Ruser John , Chadarevian Raji
Published: September 2021

Changing public attitudes about cannabis consumption have currently led 36 U.S. states and the District of Columbia to approve laws that make cannabis available to consumers with qualifying medical conditions. This article reviews the 36 states and the District of Columbia with medical cannabis access laws to determine if the state or the District also allows reimbursement of the costs of cannabis for a work‐related health condition under that state's or District's workers’ compensation insurance (WCI) laws and administrative regulations. The legal basis for a state allowing or not allowing WCI reimbursement is described. The review found that only six of the 36 states expressly allow cannabis WCI reimbursement, six expressly prohibit it, 14 states do not require reimbursement, and 10 states, and the District of Columbia, are silent on the issue. The article describes the role of the insurer, treating physician, and worker in obtaining WCI reimbursement in the six states that expressly allow cannabis WCI reimbursement. Comparisons are made to how selected Canadian provinces and territories administer cannabis reimbursement under Canada's new national cannabis legalization law. The article discusses the future role of cannabis legalization in the United States and the evolving role of cannabis from an international perspective.
Kontrolle von Genexpression in Säugetierzellen mithilfe von parallel schaltbaren Guide‐RNAs für Cas12a**
Authors: Oesinghaus Lukas , Simmel Friedrich C.
Published: September 2021

Die räumliche und zeitliche Kontrolle der Aktivität von CRISPR‐assoziierten (Cas‐)Proteinen ist von großem Interesse für Grundlagenforschung und Therapie. Hier zeigen wir, dass schaltbare “Guide‐RNAs” (gRNAs) für Cas12a mithilfe von RNA‐Polymerase II in Säugetierzellen transkribiert werden können. Darauf folgt eine Aktivierung durch Input‐abhängige Prozessierung des 3′‐Endes des gRNA‐Transkripts. Wir demonstrieren diese Prozessierung durch einen RNA‐Strangverdrängungsmechanismus, eine microRNA‐abhängige Verarbeitung sowie via Abspaltung durch ein auf Guanin reagierendes Ribozym. Des Weiteren zeigen wir, dass Cas12a zusammen mit mehreren unabhängig schaltbaren gRNAs kompakt auf einem einzelnen Transkript integriert werden kann, indem stabilisierende RNA‐Triplexe verwendet werden. Dies ebnet einen Weg zu Cas12a‐basierten Konstrukten für die Genregulation mit Multi‐Input‐Schaltfähigkeit. Wir zeigen mithilfe von Lumineszenz und Fluoreszenz, dass dieses Prinzip in HEK‐ und Maus‐Fibroblastenzellen funktioniert und sich auch zur schaltbaren Hochregulierung eines endogenen Gens nutzen lässt.
Sub‐Nanometer Thick Wafer‐Size NiO Films with Room‐Temperature Ferromagnetic Behavior
Authors: Wang Jiong , Ma Liang , Wang Xiangyi , Wang Xiaohan , Yao Junjie , Yi Qinghua , Tang Rujun , Zou Guifu
Published: September 2021

Adding ferromagnetism into semiconductors attracts much attentions due to its potential usage of magnetic spins in novel devices, such as spin field‐effect transistors. However, it remains challenging to stabilize their ferromagnetism above room temperature. Here we introduce an atomic chemical‐solution strategy to grow wafer‐size NiO thin films with controllable thickness down to sub‐nanometer scale (0.92 nm) for the first time. Surface lattice defects break the magnetic symmetry of NiO and produce surface ferromagnetic behaviors. Our sub‐nanometric NiO thin film exhibits the highest reported room‐temperature ferromagnetic behavior with a saturation magnetization of 157 emu/cc and coercivity of 418 Oe. Attributed to wafer size, the easily‐transferred NiO thin film is further verified in a magnetoresistance device. Our work provides a sub‐nanometric platform to produce wafer‐size ferromagnetic NiO thin films as atomic layer magnetic units in future transparent magnetoelectric devices.
Enantio‐ and Diastereodivergent Synthesis of Spirocycles through Dual‐Metal‐Catalyzed [3+2] Annulation of 2‐Vinyloxiranes with Nucleophilic Dipoles
Authors: Peng Youbin , Huo Xiaohong , Luo Yicong , Wu Liang , Zhang Wanbin
Published: September 2021

The development of efficient and straightforward methods for obtaining all optically active isomers of structurally rigid spirocycles from readily available starting materials is of great value in drug discovery and chiral ligand development. However, the stereodivergent synthesis of spirocycles bearing multiple stereocenters remains an unsolved challenge owing to steric hindrance and ring strain. Herein, we report an enantio‐ and diastereodivergent synthesis of rigid spirocycles through dual‐metal‐catalyzed [3+2] annulation of oxy π‐allyl metallic dipoles with less commonly employed nucleophilic dipoles (imino esters). A series of spiro compounds bearing a pyrroline and an olefin were easily synthesized in an enantio‐ and diastereodivergent manner (up to 19:1 dr, >99 % ee), which showed great promise as a new type of N‐olefin ligand. Preliminary mechanistic studies were also carried out to understand the process of this bimetallic catalysis.
Supramolecular Self‐Assembled DNA Nanosystem for Synergistic Chemical and Gene Regulations on Cancer Cells
Authors: Li Feng , Lv Zhaoyue , Zhang Xue , Dong Yuhang , Ding Xiaohui , Li Zhemian , Li Shuai , Yao Chi , Yang Dayong
Published: September 2021

Incorporating multiple molecular interactions within a system to realize the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells is prospected to be of great potential in cancer therapy. Herein, we report a supramolecular self‐assembled DNA nanosystem, which reprogrammed the cellular antioxidant system via synergistic chemical and gene regulations. In the nanosystem, amphipathic telluroether was coordinated with MnII to self‐assemble into micelle, on which a siNrf2 integrated DNA network was assembled. The great electron‐donating capability of telluroether was revealed to greatly promote MnII‐based Fenton‐like reaction to generate subversive .OH in cancer cells. In response to adenosine triphosphoric acid, the siNrf2 was specially released in cytoplasm for down‐regulating expression of detoxification enzymes, which enhanced chemocatalysis‐mediated oxidative stress in cancer cells, thus significantly suppressing tumor progression.
Nuclear organization of orexinergic neurons in the hypothalamus of a lar gibbon and a chimpanzee
Authors: Williams Victoria M. , Bhagwandin Adhil , Swiegers Jordan , Bertelsen Mads F. , Hård Therese , Thannickal Thomas C. , Siegel Jerome M. , Sherwood Chet C. , Manger Paul R.
Published: September 2021

Employing orexin‐A immunohistochemical staining we describe the nuclear parcellation of orexinergic neurons in the hypothalami of a lar gibbon and a chimpanzee. The clustering of orexinergic neurons within the hypothalamus and the terminal networks follow the patterns generally observed in other mammals, including laboratory rodents, strepsirrhine primates and humans. The orexinergic neurons were found within three distinct clusters in the ape hypothalamus, which include the main cluster, zona incerta cluster and optic tract cluster. In addition, the orexinergic neurons of the optic tract cluster appear to extend to a more rostral and medial location than observed in other species, being observed in the tuberal region in the anterior ventromedial aspect of the hypothalamus. While orexinergic terminal networks were observed throughout the brain, high density terminal networks were observed within the hypothalamus, medial and intralaminar nuclei of the dorsal thalamus, and within the serotonergic and noradrenergic regions of the midbrain and pons, which is typical for mammals. The expanded distribution of orexinergic neurons into the tuberal region of the ape hypothalamus, is a feature that needs to be investigated in other primate species, but appears to correlate with orexin gene expression in the same region of the human hypothalamus, but these neurons are not revealed with immunohistochemical staining in humans. Thus, it appears that apes have a broader distribution of orexinergic neurons compared to other primate species, but that the neurons within this extension of the optic tract cluster in humans, while expressing the orexin gene, do not produce the neuropeptide.
Rissbreitennachweis und Mindestbewehrung nach EC 2 – aktuelles Modell versus Vorschlag für die Revision
Authors: Tue Nguyen Viet , Fehling Ekkehard , Schlicke Dirk , Krenn Christina
Published: September 2021

Die Begrenzung von Rissbreiten auf ein akzeptables Maß und die Ermittlung der erforderlichen Mindestbewehrung sind wichtige Bestandteile der Planung von Stahlbeton‐ und Spannbetontragwerken. Erfahrungen mit unterschiedlichen Bauweisen und Tragwerkstypen von Weißen Wannen bis hin zu Spannbetonbrücken zeigen, dass das derzeit verwendete Konzept in Deutschland und Österreich sehr zielführend ist und wesentliche Änderungen nicht notwendig sind. Im Entwurf für die bevorstehende Revision des EC2 wird ein neues Konzept für die Rissbreitenermittlung und Mindestbewehrung vorgestellt, welches im Gegensatz zu dem derzeitigen Konzept in Deutschland und Österreich mehr auf der Auswertung einer Datenbank basiert und weniger die mechanischen Zusammenhänge des Stahl‐ bzw. Spannbetons nach der Rissbildung berücksichtigt. Hierzu werden zahlreiche empirische Faktoren eingeführt, die nicht nur das Verständnis, sondern auch die Anwendung in der Praxis deutlich erschweren. Eine Verbesserung der Aussagegenauigkeit zu den Rissbreiten wird hiermit allerdings nicht erzielt und die Mindestbewehrung wird vor allem für vorgespannte gegliederte Querschnitte und dicke Bauteile deutlich unterschätzt. In diesem Aufsatz wird das vorgeschlagene Konzept für die Revision des EC2 detailliert erläutert. Die darin enthaltenen wesentlichen Schwächen und Widersprüche werden anhand des Vergleichs mit dem derzeitigen Konzept in Deutschland und Österreich sowie detaillierten Betrachtungen mittels 2D‐FEM‐Simulationen mit diskreten Rissen und adäquater Berücksichtigung der Verbundspannungs‐Schlupf‐Beziehung verdeutlicht. Hiermit sollten Grundlagen für eine sachliche Diskussion vor der Einführung des neuen EC2 geschaffen werden.
Quality assurance review: Intra‐operative evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer
Authors: Aldoheyan Tamadar , Klein Julianne
Published: September 2021

Background

Intraoperative consultation (IOC) of axillary sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy continues to play a role in selected breast cancer patients. The reported sensitivity rates for intraoperative SLN evaluation in breast cancer range from 47% to 80%. We study a center where the majority of SLN IOC is performed by imprint cytology, and a protocol was established to limit microscopic examination to three slides for a reporting TAT goal of 30 min.

Methods

Approval to conduct this study was obtained from the REB. A retrospective review was performed on all consecutive SLN cases sent for IOC. Reported IOC assessments of all cases were compared with the final pathology.

Results

Of 164 patients, there were 22 (13%) false negative IOC events, including 15 missed macro‐metastasis and 7 missed micro‐metastasis. The overall sensitivity for touch imprint in detecting SLNs macro‐metastasis was 70.9%. Reporting total turnaround time was on average 3 min longer, whereas sensitivity and specificity were not significantly different in the two protocol periods.

Conclusion

Implementation of an IOC policy for a maximum of three slides for imprint cytology did not result in a significant impact on the sensitivity, specificity, or total turnaround time for SLN in breast cancer patients. False negative IOC events were mainly due to sampling error. Quality review was made difficult by limited documentation related to the gross handling of the specimens at IOC. System factors identified include insufficient space for the IOC report on the pathology requisition, and the lack of clearly communicated expectations for documentation.