bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RNA‐sequencing for transcriptional profiling of whole blood in early stage and metastatic pancreatic cancer patients
Authors: Kalantari Sima , Kazemi Bahram , Roudi Raheleh , Zali Hakimeh , D'Angelo Alberto , Mohamadkhani Ashraf , Madjd Zahra , Pourshams Akram
Published: October 2022

We investigated the transcriptional profile of whole blood in early and metastatic stages of pancreatic cancer (PaC) patients to identify potential diagnostic factors for early diagnosis. Blood samples from 18 participants (6 healthy individuals, 6 patients in early stage (I/II) PaC, and 6 patients in metastatic PaC) were analyzed by RNA‐sequencing. The expression levels of identified genes were subsequently compared with their expression in pancreatic tumor tissues based on TCGA data reported in UALCAN and GEPIA2 databases. Overall, 331 and 724 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes in early and metastatic stages, respectively. Of these, 146 genes were shared by early and metastatic stages. Upregulation of PTCD3 and UBA52 genes and downregulation of A2M and ARID1B genes in PaC patients were observed from early stage to metastasis. TCGA database showed increasing trend in expression levels of these genes from stage I to IV in pancreatic tumor tissue. Finally, we found that low expression of PTCD3, A2M, and ARID1B genes and high expression of UBA52 gene were positively correlated with PaC patients survival. We identified a four‐gene set (PTCD3, UBA52, A2M, and ARID1B) expressed in peripheral blood of early stage and metastatic PaC patients that may be useful for PaC early diagnosis.
SPARC expression in tumor microenvironment induces partial epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition of esophageal adenocarcinoma cells via cooperating with TGF‐β signaling
Authors: Ma Wen , Yan Yanli , Bai Shuheng , Zhou Yun , Wang Xuan , Feng Zhaode , Li Guangzu , Zhou Shuling , Zhang Jiangzhou , Ren Juan
Published: October 2022

Secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) has been characterized as an oncoprotein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but its involvement in the pathological development of esophageal adenocarcinoma (ESAD) remains poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to explore the sources of SPARC in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and its functional role in ESAD. Bioinformatic analysis was conducted using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)‐esophageal cancer (ESCA) and Genotype‐Tissue Expression (GTEx). ESAD tumor cell line OE33 and OE19 cells were used as in vitro cell models. Results showed that SPARC upregulation was associated with unfavorable disease‐specific survival (DSS) in ESAD. ESAD tumor cells (OE33 and OE19) had no detectable SPARC protein expression. In contrast, IHC staining in ESAD tumor tissues suggested that peritumoral stromal cells (tumor‐associated fibroblasts and macrophages) were the dominant SPARC source in TME. Exogenous SPARC induced partial epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition of ESAD cells, reflected by reduced CDH1 and elevated ZEB1/VIM expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Besides, exogenous SPARC enhanced tumor cell invasion. When TGFBR2 expression was inhibited, the activation of TGF‐β signaling induced by exogenous SPARC was impaired. However, the activating effects were rescued by overexpressing mutant TGFBR2 resistant to the shRNA sequence. Copresence of exogenous SPARC and TGF‐β1 induced higher expression of mesenchymal markers and enhanced the invading capability of ESAD cells than TGF‐β1 alone. In conclusion, this study suggests a potential cross‐talk between ESAD tumor stromal cells and cancer cells via a SPARC‐TGF‐β1 paracrine network.
Generalized Brønsted‐Evans‐Polanyi Relationships for Reactions on Metal Surfaces from Machine Learning
Authors: Göltl Florian , Mavrikakis Manos
Published: October 2022

Brønsted‐Evans‐Polanyi (BEP) relationships, i. e., a linear scaling between reaction and activation energies, lie at the core of computational design of heterogeneous catalysts. However, BEPs are not general and often require reparameterization for each class of reactions. Here we construct generalized BEPs (gBEPs), which can predict activation energies for a diverse dataset of reactions of C, O, N and H containing molecules on metal surfaces. In a first step we develop a set of descriptors based on scaling relationships that can capture the change in chemical identity of reactants during the reaction. Subsequently, we use the reaction energy, these descriptors and a single descriptor for the surface structure to parameterize machine learning based regression approaches for the prediction of activation energies. The best approach we developed shows a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.11 eV for the training set (80 % of the data set) and 0.23 eV for the test set (20 % of the data set). The methodology presented here allows to calculate activation energies within fractions of seconds on a typical personal computer and due to its generality, accuracy and simplicity in application it might prove to be useful in transition metal catalyst design.
Basella alba Leaves‐Assisted Eco‐Fabrication of Ag/ZnO Nanocomposites for Anti‐Bactericidal Activity and Catalytic Degradation of Anthropogenic Pollutants
Authors: Elumalai Gomathi , Maruthai Jayapriya , Jayaraman Kuberan , Ramachandran Krithikadevi , Mathiyalagan Kouthaman
Published: October 2022

Basella alba aqueous leaf extract was employed for the synthesis of ZnO and Ag/ZnO nanocomposites (NC), eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals. UV‐visible spectroscopic analysis, X‐ray diffraction studies, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopic analysis were used to determine the optical properties, crystalline structure, phytoconstituents, surface morphology, and elemental composition of the fabricated nanomaterials. The synthesized NC were employed as antioxidant in order to determine their free radical‐quenching effect. In vitro antibacterial activity assays exhibited their enhanced potential on selective gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacterial pathogens. The Ag/ZnO NC display a rapid catalytic reduction rate for rhodamine B, methylene blue, and methyl orange with degradation rates of 88 %, 90 %, and 92 %, respectively. Thus, an environmentally benign, cost‐effective synthetic methodology is presented for the size‐controlled synthesis of nanomaterials which act as multifunctional platform to alleviate organic pollutants.
Current gaps and opportunities in screening, prevention, and treatment of cervical cancer
Authors: Rimel Bobbie J. , Kunos Charles A. , Macioce Nikeya , Temkin Sarah M.
Published: October 2022

In their fiscal year 2021 reports, the US House and Senate Appropriations Committees requested that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) evaluate current research related to women's health and topics that include stagnant cervical cancer survival. In response, the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health, with input from women's health experts; members of the public; representatives from NIH institutes, centers, and offices; and members of the NIH Advisory Committee on Research on Women's Health, reviewed the public health needs and current NIH activities on cervical cancer. The Advancing NIH Research on the Health of Women: A 2021 Conference held in October 2021 reviewed these findings and allowed the identification of opportunities to strengthen research. In this review, the authors summarize public health needs related to cervical cancer and NIH activities in this realm. Cervical cancer has become a rare disease in the United States, yet significant portions of the US population remain under screened or unscreened for cervical cancer, human papillomavirus vaccination rates remain low, access to high‐quality treatment remains a challenge for many, and large inequities by race and ethnicity persist. Novel, inclusive, and intentional research is needed to produce improvements in cervical cancer survival within the United States.
Lifespan changes in cannabinoid 1 receptor mRNA expression in the female C57BL/6J mouse brain
Authors: Li Xulin , Zhao Gaoyang , Huang Hongren , Ye Jialin , Xu Junfeng , Zhou Yuan , Zhu Xiaojuan , Wang Liping , Wang Feng
Published: October 2022

Many brain functions that underlie behavior, cognition, and emotions vary with age, as does susceptibility to neuropsychological disorders. The expression of specific genes that are involved in these functions, such as the genes encoding for oxytocin, its receptors, and apolipoprotein D, varies with age across different brain regions. The cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) is one of the most widely spread G‐protein coupled receptors in the central nervous system and is increasingly recognized for its important contribution to various brain functions. Although changes in CB1R expression with age have been reported in the male mouse brain, they have not been well investigated in the female brain. Here, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization to target CB1R mRNA in the whole brains of female C57BL/6J mice aged 4, 6, 12, 52 (12 months) and 86 weeks (20 months), and quantified CB1R‐positive cells in 36 brain regions across the whole brain. The results showed that CB1R‐positive cells number changed with age. Specifically, CB1R expression increased with age in some subregions of the cortex, decreased with age in the lateral septal area, and reached its lowest level at 52 weeks in the thalamus, hypothalamus, and hindbrain subregions. Cluster analysis revealed that some brain regions shared similar temporal characteristics in CB1R‐positive cell number across the lifespan. Our results provide evidence that investigation of the neural basis of age‐related characteristics of female brain functions is not only warranted but required.
A novel TCNN–Bi‐LSTM deep learning model for predicting sentiments of tweets about COVID‐19 vaccines
Authors: Aslan Serpil
Published: October 2022

Many researchers in various disciplines have focused on extracting meaningful information from social media platforms in recent years. Identification of behaviors and emotions from user posts is examined under the heading of sentiment analysis (SA) studies using the natural language processing (NLP) techniques. In this study, a novel TCNN‐Bi‐LSTM model using the two‐stage convolutional neural network (TCNN) and bidirectional long short‐term memory (Bi‐LSTM) architectures was proposed. While TCNN layers enable the extraction of strong local features, the output of these layers feeds the Bi‐LSTM model that remembers forward‐looking information and capture long‐term dependencies. In this study, first, preprocessing steps were applied to the raw dataset. Thus, strong features were extracted from the obtained quality dataset using the FastText word embedding technique that pre‐trained with location‐based and sub‐word information features. The experimental results of the proposed method are promising compared to the baseline deep learning and machine learning models. Also, experimental results show that while the FastText data embedding technique achieves the best performance compared to other word embedding techniques in all deep learning classification models, it has not had the same outstanding success in machine learning models. This study aims to investigate the sentiments of tweets about the COVID‐19 vaccines and comments on these tweets among Twitter users by using the power of Twitter data. A new dataset collected from Twitter was constructed to be used in experimental results. This study will facilitate detecting inappropriate, incomplete, and erroneous information about vaccination. The results of this study will enable society to broaden its perspective on the administered vaccines. It can also assist the government and healthcare agencies in planning and implementing the vaccination's promotion on time to achieve the herd immunity provided by the vaccination.
Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling for Ceftazidime‐Avibactam Renal Dose Adjustments in Pediatric Patients 3 months and Older
Authors: Franzese Richard , Riccobene Todd , Carrothers Timothy , Vourvahis Manoli , Winter Erica , Lovern Mark , McFadyen Lynn
Published: October 2022

Ceftazidime‐avibactam is a novel β‐lactam/β‐lactamase inhibitor combination developed to treat serious Gram‐negative bacterial infections; approved indications include complicated urinary tract infection, complicated intra‐abdominal infection, and hospital‐acquired pneumonia including ventilator‐associated pneumonia in patients ≥ 3 months old. Because of the predominantly renal clearance of ceftazidime and avibactam, dose adjustments (reductions) are required for patients with estimated creatinine clearance (CrCL) ≤ 50 mL/min. We describe the application of combined adult and pediatric population pharmacokinetic models in developing ceftazidime‐avibactam dose recommendations for pediatric patients ≥ 2 to < 18 years old with body surface area‐normalized CrCL ≤ 50 mL/min/1.73 m2, including moderate, severe, or very severe renal impairment, or end‐stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis, and for patients ≥ 3 months to < 2 years old with mild, moderate, or severe renal impairment. Models included allometric scaling for all subjects and simulations (1,000 subjects per age group, renal function group, and indication) were performed nonparametrically using post hoc random effects. Doses were selected based on simulated pediatric patients achieving steady‐state exposures similar to adults and high probability of target attainment (using a simultaneous joint target for both ceftazidime and avibactam). Because there were few children with renal impairment in the ceftazidime‐avibactam clinical trials, selected pediatric doses were guided by extrapolation and matching of adult exposures associated with efficacy and within established safety margins. The recommended doses for pediatric patients with estimated CrCL ≤ 50 mL/min/1.73 m2 use equivalent adjustments in dose quantity and/or administration interval (vs. the corresponding age group with normal renal function) as those for adults.
Teacher agency in the reform of universal primary education in Uganda
Authors: Ogwang Tom Henry
Published: October 2022

Although teacher agency is increasingly recognised by educationists in the Global South, it is not always well understood or accommodated in policy, as experienced with Universal Primary Education (UPE) reforms in Uganda. This empirical study analyses its role on the UPE reforms, the factors that shape it and its implications for curriculum making. The study adopted a qualitative case study of two UPE schools, utilising an ecological approach to understanding teacher agency. It found that UPE teachers in the selected schools were strongly achieving agency in their daily practice through different forms of ‘resistance’, ‘mitigation’ and ‘cooperation’. Their agency is being shaped by ecological factors comprising of their temporal dimensions mediated by the affordances and constraints of their cultures, structures and materials, with significant implications. The study concludes that stakeholders need to better explicate teacher agency in policy and scholarship.
Longer‐term impact of COVID‐19 among individuals with self‐reported eating disorders in the United States, the Netherlands, and Sweden
Authors: Termorshuizen Jet D. , Sun Quan , Borg Stina , Mantilla Emma F. , Goode Rachel W. , Peat Christine M. , Thornton Laura M. , Watson Hunna , van Furth Eric F. , Birgegård Andreas , Bulik Cynthia M.
Published: October 2022

Objective

We assessed eating disorder (ED) illness status, symptomatology, treatment access, anxiety, and depression in the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic among individuals with a pre‐existing ED in the United States (US), the Netherlands (NL), and Sweden (SE).

Methods

Participants completed online surveys in April–July 2020, at the early stage of the pandemic, and one year later. At one‐year follow‐up, we added questions addressing retrospective changes in ED symptoms, treatment, and anxiety/depression since the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic. We present descriptive statistics and assess change in ED symptomatology, treatment, and anxiety/depression among those with an active or lingering ED.

Results

Participants (US n = 132; NL n = 219; SE n = 702) were mostly young and female with a history of anorexia nervosa (>60% in all three countries). Across countries, respondents reported impact of COVID‐19 on ED symptoms at both time points, with improvement in US and NL at one‐year follow‐up, and stable but less impact on ED symptoms in SE. Furthermore, at one‐year follow‐up, roughly half of those in treatment reported reduced treatment access and quality, and the majority of the sample reported increased anxiety and depressive mood since the start of the pandemic.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that the self‐perceived impact of COVID‐19 changed over time but remained concerning even one year after the start of the pandemic. Clinicians, community organizations, and policy makers are encouraged to address potentially changing treatment needs in the face of public health emergency events.

Public Significance

Our findings suggest that the impact of COVID‐19 on individuals with eating disorders decreased over time but remained concerning even one year after the start of the pandemic and that the impact differed across countries. Clinicians, community organizations, and policy makers are encouraged to incorporate this knowledge to address potentially changing treatment needs in the face of public health emergency events.
Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation by combination of light illumination and bias voltages toward anti‐virus coating applications
Authors: Shimakura Keita , Saeki Sho , Segawa Yuta , Kobayashi Taizo
Published: October 2022

In this work, oxidative decomposition reaction of organic reactant on TiO2 surface was investigated under soaking conditions by combination of applying voltages and light illumination. Since carriers of TiO2 thin films originate from point defects such as oxygen vacancies, reactive carriers possibly exist on TiO2 thin films even under room light illuminating condition and dark condition. Thus, enhancement degrees of photooxidation by applying bias voltages onto TiO2 thin films were compared under dark, visible light illumination and UV illumination conditions. Bias voltages were applied to localize the photogenerated carriers at the vicinity of TiO2 surface for enhancing photooxidation. Sol‐gel derived TiO2 thin films with porous nano structure exhibited a stronger oxidative decomposition reaction than sputter‐deposited TiO2 thin films.
Microfabrication of surface acoustic wave devices with AlN thin film deposited on half‐inch quartz wafer
Authors: Nagano Asahi , Kitamura Kanato , Noda Shuichi , Murakami Sunao , Iguchi Kohei , Khumpuang Sommawan , Hara Shiro
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we have fabricated surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices with six sets of interdigital transducers (IDTs) on half‐inch wafers of quartz with deposited thin films of aluminum nitride (AlN). Firstly, AlN thin films have been deposited by reactive sputtering in Ar‐N2gas mixture at 400°C with the high‐power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) system which was developed for microfabrication process in the localized clean environment with half‐inch wafer (Minimal Fab). After that, IDTs of Al thin films have been prepared on the AlN thin films. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the AlN thin films shows that the AlN films havec‐axis (002) orientation. Furthermore, the frequency responses have been measured with four paired IDTs of the SAW devices, which were selected from six sets of IDTs as an input electrode and an output electrode. These results show device properties responding to the design of the IDTs and also suggest the potential of the fabricated SAW devices as the four‐paralleled frequency filter and/or sensing system.
Inkjet‐Printing Controlled Phase Evolution Boosts the Efficiency of Hole Transport Material Free and Carbon‐Based CsPbBr3 Perovskite Solar Cells Exceeding 9%
Authors: Zhang Lihua , Chen Shi , Zeng Jie , Jiang Zhengyan , Ai Qian , Zhang Xianfu , Hu Bihua , Wang Xingzhu , Yang Shihe , Xu Baomin
Published: October 2022

Hole transport material free carbon‐based all‐inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are promising for commercialization due to its low‐cost, high open‐circuit voltage (Voc) and superior stability. Due to the different solubility of PbBr2 and CsBr in conventional solvents, CsPbBr3 films are mainly obtained by multi‐step spin‐coating through the phase evolution from PbBr2 to CsPb2Br5 and then to CsPbBr3. The scalable fabrication of high‐quality CsPbBr3 films has been rarely studied. Herein, an inkjet‐printing method is developed to prepare high‐quality CsPbBr3 films. The formation of long‐range crystalline CsPb2Br5 phase can effectively improve phase purity and promote regular crystal stacking of CsPbBr3. Consequently, the inkjet‐printed CsPbBr3 C‐PSCs realized PCEs up to 9.09%, 8.59% and 7.81% with active areas of 0.09, 0.25, and 1 cm2, respectively, demonstrating the upscaling potential of our fabrication method and devices. This high performance is mainly ascribed to the high purity, strong crystal orientation, reduced surface roughness and lower trap states density of the as‐printed CsPbBr3 films. This work provides insights into the relationship between the phase evolution mechanisms and crystal growth dynamics of cesium lead bromide halide films.
A comparison between hospital follow‐up and collaborative follow‐up in patients with acute heart failure
Authors: Washida Koichi , Kato Takao , Ozasa Neiko , Morimoto Takeshi , Yaku Hidenori , Inuzuka Yasutaka , Tamaki Yodo , Seko Yuta , Yamamoto Erika , Yoshikawa Yusuke , Shiba Masayuki , Kitai Takeshi , Yamashita Yugo , Taniguchi Ryoji , Iguchi Moritake , Nagao Kazuya , Kawase Yuichi , Nishimoto Yuji , Kuragaichi Takashi , Hotta Kozo , Morinaga Takashi , Toyofuku Mamoru , Furukawa Yutaka , Ando Kenji , Kadota Kazushige , Sato Yukihito , Kuwahara Koichiro , Kimura Takeshi
Published: October 2022

Aims

There are no previous studies focusing on collaborative follow‐ups between hospitals and clinics for patients discharged after acute heart failure (AHF) in Japan. The purpose of this study was to determine the status of collaboration between hospitals and clinics for patients with AHF in Japan and to compare patient characteristics and clinical outcomes using a large Japanese observational database.

Methods and results

Of 4056 consecutive patients hospitalized for AHF in the Kyoto Congestive Heart Failure registry, we analysed 2862 patients discharged to go home, who were divided into 1674 patients (58.5%) followed up at hospitals with index hospitalization (hospital follow‐up group) and 1188 (41.5%) followed up in a collaborative fashion with clinics or other general hospitals (collaborative follow‐up group). The primary outcome was a composite of all‐cause death or heart failure (HF) hospitalization within 1 year after discharge. Previous hospitalization for HF and length of hospital stay longer than 15 days were associated with hospital follow‐up. Conversely, ≥80 years of age, hypertension, and cognitive dysfunction were associated with collaborative follow‐up. The cumulative 1‐year incidence of the primary outcome, all cause death, and cardiovascular death were similar between the hospital and collaborative follow‐up groups (31.6% vs. 29.6%, P = 0.51, 13.1% vs, 13.9%, P = 0.35, 8.4% vs. 8.2%, P = 0.96). Even after adjusting for confounders, the difference in risk for patients in the hospital follow‐up group relative to those in the collaborative follow‐up group remained insignificant for the primary outcome, all‐cause death, and cardiovascular death (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.97–1.27, P = 0.14, HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.91–1.33, P = 0.33, HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.87–1.05, P = 0.33). The cumulative 1‐year incidence of HF hospitalization was higher in the hospital follow‐up group than in the collaborative follow‐up group (25.5% vs. 21.3%, P = 0.02). The risk of HF hospitalization was higher in the hospital follow‐up group than in the collaborative follow‐up group (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.01–1.39, P = 0.04).

Conclusions

In patients hospitalized for AHF, 41.5% received collaborative follow‐up after discharge. The risk of HF hospitalization was higher in the hospital follow‐up group than in the collaborative follow‐up, although risk of the primary outcome, all‐cause death, and cardiovascular death were similar between groups.
Identification of differential methylome signatures of white pigmented skin patches in Nili Ravi buffalo of India
Authors: Gurao Ankita , Vasisth Rashi , Singh Ravinder , Dige Mahesh S. , Vohra Vikas , Mukesh Manishi , Kumar Sanjay , Kataria Ranjit S.
Published: October 2022

The DNA methylation events mark a major epigenetic change in the genome, reflecting non‐genetic disease developments and varied phenotypes. The water buffalo is a dairy production animal with wide agro‐climatic distribution in India. Breed‐wise the coat color of water buffalo varies from ash‐gray to jet black. A typical pigmentation pattern is found in one of the breeds of North India, Nili Ravi, with variedly distributed white patches. The DNA methylation pattern could potentially reveal the epigenetic factors responsible for the pigmentation patterns. To address this question, the DNA isolated from the skin tissues of Nili Ravi with varied white pigmentation and black Murrah buffaloes was subjected to reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. DNA methylation analysis revealed, 68.44%, 63.39%, and 47.94% of the promoter regions were hypermethylated in Nili Ravi over‐white versus Murrah, Nili Ravi under‐white versus Murrah, and Nili Ravi under‐white versus Nili Ravi over‐white, respectively. Major genes identified to be differentially methylated among over‐white and under‐white skin tissues in Nili Ravi included TBX2, SNAI2, HERC2, and CITED1. Overall the results have indicated differential methylation patterns to be potentially involved in hyper or hypopigmentation in Nili Ravi and Murrah buffaloes.
A numerical investigation of injector hole configuration and injection parameters in a dimethyl ether fueled DICI engine
Authors: Sahu Balram , Srivastava Dhananjay Kumar
Published: October 2022

The lower calorific value of dimethyl ether (DME) is approximately 65% of that of diesel; therefore, a higher quantity of DME must be supplied per cycle to generate the same magnitude of power. A retrofitted DME‐fueled engine generally uses a longer fuel injection duration to provide the excess fuel mass. The present work seeks to find the most appropriate way to increase the mass flow rate of a DME‐fueled direct‐injected compression ignition engine by varying the number of nozzle holes, nozzle hole diameter, and injection pressure. The results show that increasing mass flow rate increases peak combustion pressure and heat release rate but decreases combustion duration. Increasing the number of injector holes increases indicated specific fuel consumption (ISFC) and exhaust emissions (NOx, HC, and CO) due to mixing between unburned fuel spray and neighboring combustion products. Increasing the nozzle hole diameter or fuel injection pressure increases spray tip penetration and improves fuel‐air mixing before combustion initiates. Increasing the nozzle hole diameter by merely 22 μm than the baseline injector reduces ISFC and exhaust emissions at a slightly retarded start of injection (SOI). However, the lowest ISFC was found at the 30 MPa injection pressure at the most advanced SOI, at the expense of higher NOx.
A hybrid approach for deriving horizontal site amplification factors considering both the similarity of HVSRE and the vertical amplification correction function
Authors: Wang Ziqian , Nakano Kenichi , Ito Eri , Kawase Hiroshi , Matsushima Shinichi
Published: October 2022

Under hypothetical and idealized conditions, the horizontal site amplification factor (HSAF) is defined as the ratio of the horizontal Fourier amplitude spectrum (FAS) at a point on the Earth's surface with respect to the horizontal FAS at the identical location but on the outcropping seismological bedrock. The HSAF reflects the profile of local sedimentary soils and weathered rock formations, indicating site effects. In most cases, such an idealized HSAF is difficult to measure directly. Thus, quantitatively estimating a HSAF value is a crucial task in strong‐motion prediction over the last century. Fortunately, many strong‐motion stations have been constructed throughout Japan, facilitating the characterization of HSAFs down to seismological bedrock at more than 1600 observational sites by the generalized inversion technique (GIT). First, this study reported the similarity distribution of the HSAF and the horizontal‐to‐vertical spectral ratio of earthquakes (HVSRE). Subsequently, we proposed a hybrid method from a novel aspect for estimating HSAF in terms of the observed similarity distribution and the vertical amplification correction function (VACF) proposed previously. Compared with the direct use of HVSRE for substituting HSAF, the hybrid method proposed herein demonstrated an improvement of greater than 30% in terms of the residuals between estimated HSAFs and those separated from observations.
Mahuika‐Auckland: A spatially and temporally resolved fossil fuel CO2 emissions data product for Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Keller Elizabeth D. , Hilton Timothy W. , Benson Adrian , Karalliyadda Sapthala , Xie Shanju , Gurney Kevin R. , Turnbull Jocelyn C.
Published: October 2022

Accurate, high‐resolution and sector‐specific greenhouse gas emissions information is increasingly needed for the development of local, targeted mitigation policies. We describe a detailed, spatially and temporally resolved CO2 emissions data product, Mahuika‐Auckland, for Auckland, New Zealand, based on Auckland's regional greenhouse gas and air emissions inventories. Emissions are provided at 500 m spatial resolution and at a 1‐hr time step, a level of detail not previously available for any New Zealand city. We divide fossil fuel emissions into six sectors that comprise the majority of Auckland Region's CO2 emissions profile: on‐road transport, industrial non‐point buildings and point sources, commercial non‐point buildings, residential non‐point buildings, air transport and sea transport. We also include separate layers representing biogenic CO2 emissions (primarily waste and wood burning), as these are significant sources in Auckland. We distribute emissions spatially and temporally based on activity data, energy and fuel consumption patterns, and population statistics. The code to generate Mahuika‐Auckland has been designed to be flexible so that updated information and/or data from more recent years can easily be incorporated. This data product improves upon New Zealand's current inventories that are only resolved at the regional and annual scale, providing a new level of detail that can be used as a prior estimate for atmospheric inversions, to inform emissions reduction policies and to guide the development of zero carbon pathways.
International environmental complexity and the demand for generalists and specialists in executive selection
Authors: Vallone Tommaso , Elia Stefano , Greve Peder
Published: October 2022

Research Summary

This study investigates the selection of generalists and specialists as an organizational response to the complexity of firms' international operations. Drawing on the concept of executive job demands, we identify institutional ambiguity and economic sophistication as two distinct sources of country environmental complexity resulting from a firm's foreign investment and predict how they affect the selection of new executives at multinational firms. Our hypotheses associate institutional ambiguity and economic sophistication with the appointment of executives with generalist and specialist backgrounds, respectively. We also examine how the two sources of environmental complexity interact and test multiple alternative specifications to enhance our understanding of environmental complexity as a determinant of executive job demands in the context of international business. Our empirical analyses are performed on a sample of 436 executive appointments occurring in 132 UK‐based manufacturing firms, observed between 2008 and 2018. Findings show general support for our main hypotheses. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings as well as directions for future research.

Managerial Summary

This study suggests that companies operating across different international environments through their subsidiary operations will be exposed to distinct demands that vary according to the type of environmental complexity. Our results reveal that companies tend to appoint top managers with specialist backgrounds when their focus is on economically sophisticated environments, whereas top managers with generalist backgrounds tend to be preferred in institutionally ambiguous environments. Our findings enhance our understanding of the demand for executive generalists and specialists in the international business context by showing that top managers' backgrounds are matched with the prevailing type of complexity deriving from the international operations of the firm, thus, questioning the widely held notion that executive generalists are generally preferred over specialists. Our study has important implications for the composition of top management teams and the shaping of executive career paths at multinational firms.
Mental health over the life course: Evidence for a U‐shape?
Authors: Dijk Hermien , Mierau Jochen
Published: October 2022

Mental health problems impose substantial individual and societal costs over the life‐cycle. The age‐profile of mental health problems is, however, not well understood. Hence, we study the age‐profile of mental health while introducing minimal bias to reach identification. Using mental health data from the United States Panel Study of Income Dynamics we apply first difference estimation to derive an unbiased estimate of the second derivative of the age effect as well as an estimate up to a linear period trend of the first derivative. Next, we use a battery of estimators with varying restrictions to approximate the first derivative. Our results suggest that the age profile of mental health in the US is not U‐shaped and we find tentative evidence that the age‐profile could follow an inverse U‐shape where individuals experience a mental health high during their life course. Further analyses, using German and Dutch data, confirm that these results do not only apply to the US, but also to Germany and the Netherlands.
Exploring the dynamics of flow attenuation at a beaver dam sequence
Authors: Graham Hugh A. , Puttock Alan K. , Elliott Mark , Anderson Karen , Brazier Richard E.
Published: October 2022

Beavers influence hydrology by constructing woody dams. Using a Before After Control Impact experimental design, we quantified the effects of a beaver dam sequence on the flow regime of a stream in SW England and consider the mechanisms that underpin flow attenuation in beaver wetlands. Rainfall‐driven hydrological events were extracted between 2009 and 2020, for the impacted (n = 612) and control (n = 634) catchments, capturing events 7 years before and 3 years after beaver occupancy, at the impacted site. General additive models were used to describe average hydrograph geometry across all events. After beaver occupancy, Lag times increased by 55.9% in the impacted site and declined by 17.5% in the control catchment. Flow duration curve analysis showed a larger reduction in frequency of high flows, following beaver dam construction, with declines of Q5 exceedance levels of 33% for the impacted catchment and 15% for the control catchment. Using event total rainfall to predict peak flow, five generalized linear models were fitted to test the hypothesis that beaver dams attenuate flow, to a greater degree, with larger storm magnitude. The best performing model showed, with high confidence, that beaver dams attenuated peak flows, with increasing magnitude, up to between 0.5 and 2.5 m3 s−1 for the 94th percentile of event total rainfall; but attenuation beyond the 97th percentile cannot be confidently detected. Increasing flow attenuation, with event magnitude, is attributed to transient floodplain storage in low gradient/profile floodplain valleys that results from an increase in active area of the floodplain. These findings support the assertion that beaver dams attenuate flows. However, with long‐term datasets of extreme hydrological events lacking, it is challenging to predict the effect of beaver dams during extreme events with high precision. Beaver dams will have spatially variable impacts on hydrological processes, requiring further investigation to quantify responses to dams across differing landscapes and scales.
The importance of proper pH adjustment and control to achieve complete in situ enhanced reductive dechlorination
Authors: Ortiz-Medina Juan Fausto , Yuncu Bilgen , Ross Lydia , Elkins Brad
Published: October 2022

In situ bioremediation of chlorinated compounds such as perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) through enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD) requires appropriate growth conditions for organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB). One of the most important factors controlling OHRB metabolism is groundwater pH. Dehalococcoides spp. (DHC) growth may be inhibited when pH is lower than 6.0, which can lead to the accumulation of toxic daughter compounds including cis-dichloroethylene (cDCE) and vinyl chloride (VC). Aquifer pH may decline as HCl is released during reductive dechlorination and from substrate fermentation to fatty acids and carbonic acid. In this article, we demonstrate that using proper pH adjustment and control in situ is an appropriate strategy to achieve complete ERD (i.e., complete conversion of PCE and TCE to nontoxic ethylene) in remediation sites with inherently low pH values and/or low buffering capacity. To analyze the effectiveness of this approach, field monitoring results are presented for a challenging site containing high concentrations of PCE and TCE (>10 000 µg/L and >1000 µg/L, respectively) and low aquifer pH (~4.9). Addition of a bioaugmentation culture, emulsified vegetable oil (EVO), and a colloidal buffer (CoBupHTM) to increase pH, stimulated rapid conversion of PCE and TCE to cDCE and VC. However, further conversion of cDCE and VC was very limited. To stimulate complete conversion to ethylene, additional CoBupHTM and nutrients were injected, resulting in a rapid increase in metabolic rates, and maintained the aquifer pH at ~6.5 for more than five years, thus demonstrating that complete ERD can be achieved in sites with similar characteristics. Proper pH adjustment and control is needed to limit the accumulation of toxic intermediates, maintaining in situ bioremediation as an efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly option to treat chlorinated compounds. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:943–948. © 2022 SETAC
Classifying environmental significance levels of production-oriented operational activities with F-ARAS and F-MOORA methods
Authors: Polat Ulviye
Published: October 2022

In most decision analysis approaches, application results are obtained in the form of a ranking or selection set. However, classification is needed for analysis of results. In this study, “environmental significance levels and range values” were created for the ranking results obtained using fuzzy Multi Criteria Decision Making approaches. Environmental significance levels have been established for 26 operational activities for which environmental impacts have been determined. Operational activities were analyzed using the Fuzzy-Additive Ratio Assessment (F-ARAS), Fuzzy-Multi Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis (F-MOORA) Ratio, and F-MOORA Reference Point methods with six evaluation criteria, including the total impact score criteria. The results obtained were analyzed with “environmental significance levels and range values,” which can also be named as environmental risk classes created for the first time in this study depending on the changes in standard deviation. According to the comparison results, when F-ARAS and F-MOORA Ratio methods were evaluated together, 19 activities were in the same class (73%). Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:763–774. © 2022 SETAC
Angiogenic factors assessment in pre‐eclampsia high‐risk population for the prediction of small‐for‐gestational age neonates: A prospective longitudinal study
Authors: Mula Raquel , Prats Pilar , García Sandra , Serra Bernat , Scazzocchio Elena , Meler Eva
Published: October 2022

Objective

The authors aimed to compare cross‐sectional versus longitudinal models for prediction of small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) neonates among pregnancies with high risk of early pre‐eclampsia (PE).

Methods

A prospective longitudinal study was performed in Hospital Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona. The study population included 390 pregnancies with a high risk of early PE according to the first trimester algorithm. Cross‐sectional models combining first trimester risk plus placental growth factor and FMS‐like tyrosine kinase 1/placental growth factor ratio, respectively, were created at 19–22, 24–26, and 27–30 weeks and compared with a model assessing longitudinal changes of these parameters. Models adding mean uterine artery pulsatility index and abdominal circumference were evaluated. SGA neonates were defined as having a birth weight less than the tenth centile.

Results

The predictive performance of a model assessing longitudinal changes of angiogenic factors was similar to that of single evaluations at the second and early third trimesters. The performance of the models combining angiogenic factors with mean uterine artery pulsatility index and abdominal circumference was better than those using only biochemical markers. However, the longitudinal evaluation of biochemical and biophysical parameters did not perform better than cross‐sectional evaluations.

Conclusions

Evaluation of angiogenic factors are useful for prediction of SGA neonates in a high‐risk population for early PE. However, longitudinal models do not increase their predictive capacity.
Obstetric rectal buttonhole tears: A case series and literature review
Authors: Tunney Elizabeth , O'Leary Bobby , Malone Fergal , Geary Michael
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Isolated rectal buttonhole tears are a rare obstetric complication and so there is a lack of consensus for their management. The current case series reviews the published literature on obstetric rectal buttonhole injuries and provides further cases from our institution.

Methods

A literature review was performed and all results were reviewed. Rectal buttonhole tears following vaginal delivery between 2012 and 2022 in our institution were identified. Repair technique and postoperative management were recorded.

Results

There were 14 published case reports. Seven case reports described a two‐layer closure, and seven reports described a three‐layer closure. Four cases were repaired in collaboration with colorectal surgeons. Twelve cases were asymptomatic after 6 weeks. One woman had a defunctioning stoma following a wound breakdown and one woman was readmitted with a rectal hemorrhage. We identified two women in our institution with buttonhole tears. Three‐layer repairs were performed in both cases and each woman made an uneventful recovery.

Conclusion

Repair techniques of rectal buttonhole tears vary among institutions. Despite this variance, most women experience no short‐term morbidity following these injuries. This review adds to the current literature with examples of different repair techniques and outcomes.
Creation of a novel specialty residency in thrombosis and hemostasis management
Authors: Inglis Lauren N. , Triller Darren M. , Burnett Allison E. , Grandoni Jessica , Matta Lina , Sylvester Katelyn , Dager William E. , Gulseth Michael P. , Fanikos John
Published: October 2022

Antithrombotic and hemostatic medications are essential, yet high‐risk therapies commonly used for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis and bleeding. Since first demonstrating the ability to improve the safety and quality of heparin and warfarin‐related care many years ago, pharmacists now play an important expanded role in more comprehensive and complex thrombosis and hemostasis management programs. Such programs encompass the prevention and treatment of thrombosis and bleeding across care settings, medical indications, and professional services. These programs impact not only appropriate use of antithrombotic medications, but also of antidotes, blood products, medical devices, laboratory testing, and other important aspects of care. In addition to providing direct patient care, pharmacists are increasingly involved in the development and implementation of system‐level processes and quality improvement activities that require technical knowledge, leadership skills, and effective multidisciplinary collaboration. Evolution in health care regulation and accreditation standards, along with national efforts to advance the concept of Anticoagulation Stewardship, will likely accelerate the growth and expansion of thrombosis and hemostasis management programs, increasing the demand for well‐trained and experienced clinical pharmacists. However, none of the existing accredited specialty pharmacy residency programs encompasses the full range of skills and experiences necessary for new pharmacists to practice effectively in this complex and rapidly evolving field. This manuscript describes the evolution of the Hemostasis and Antithrombotic Stewardship program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the development of a novel postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) pharmacy residency in this specialty area. It provides details of the new PGY2 residency program curriculum and puts forth a vision of success for such programs at the local and national levels.
Bioactive composite hydrogels as 3D mesenchymal stem cell encapsulation environment for bone tissue engineering: in vitro and in vivo studies
Authors: Vurat Murat Taner , Parmaksiz Mahmut , Elçin Ayşe Eser , Elçin Yaşar Murat
Published: October 2022

Although decellularized bone matrix (DBM) has often been used in scaffold form for osteogenic applications, its use as a stem cell encapsulation matrix adaptable to surgical shaping procedures has been neglected. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of utilizing solubilized DBM and nanohydroxyapatite (nHAp)‐incorporated DBM hydrogels as encapsulation matrix for bone marrow‐derived MSCs (BM‐MSCs). First, DBM and DBM/nHAp hydrogels were assessed by physical, chemical, turbidimetric, thermal, and mechanical methods; then, in vitro cytocompatibility and in vitro hemocompatibility were investigated. An in vivo study was performed to evaluate the osteogenic properties of hydrogels alone or with BM‐MSCs encapsulated in them. The findings revealed that hydrogels retained high levels of collagen and glycosaminoglycans after successful decellularization. They were found to be cytocompatible and hemocompatible in vitro, and were able to gel with sufficient mechanical stability at physiological temperature. BM‐MSCs survived in culture for at least 2 weeks as metabolically active when encapsulated in both DBM and DBM/nHAp. Preliminary in vivo study showed that DBM‐nHAp has higher osteogenicity than DBM. Moreover, BM‐MSC encapsulated DMB/nHAp showed predominant bone‐like tissue formation at 30 days in the rat ectopic site compared to its cell‐free form.