bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Position Dependent Effects of the Aza‐Substitution on the Electronic Properties and Crystal Structures Based on Hexaazaphenalene Isomers
Authors: Watanabe Hiroyuki , Tanaka Kazuo , Chujo Yoshiki
Published: June 2022

We synthesized two hexaazaphenalene derivatives, 6AP‐Pm (2,5‐di(tert‐butyl)‐1,3,4,6,7,9b‐hexaazaphenalene) and 6AP‐Pz (2,5‐di(tert‐butyl)‐1,3,4,6,8,9b‐hexaazaphenalene) and compared the electronic properties with the pentaazaphenalene derivative 5AP (2,5‐di(tert‐butyl)‐1,3,4,6,9b‐pentaazaphenalene). We clarified the position‐dependent effects of the aza‐substitution on the electronic states followed by the optical and electrochemical properties. In comparison to 5AP, 6AP‐Pm had the blue‐shifted UV‐vis absorption spectrum due to the lowered HOMO level and the slightly affected LUMO level. On the other hand, 6AP‐Pz showed the red‐shifted UV‐vis absorption spectrum owing to the slightly‐affected HOMO level and the lowered LUMO level. From the theoretical investigations, it is suggested that one of frontier molecular orbitals can be lowered by the aza‐substitution. Consequently, these opposite behaviors should be induced in the optical properties. Furthermore, 5AP, 6AP‐Pm and 6AP‐Pz showed the different favored packings in the crystalline state presumably because the effect on their dipole moments by the nitrogen atoms was varied. It is demonstrated that the aza‐substitution to aromatic rings is applicable not only for specifically modulating the energy level of one of molecular orbitals but also for altering molecular distributions in crystal.
Exploring structure and dynamics of the polylactic‐co‐glycolic acid–polyethylene glycol copolymer and its homopolymer constituents in various solvents using all‐atom molecular dynamics
Authors: Nyambura Chris W. , Sampath Janani , Nance Elizabeth , Pfaendtner Jim
Published: June 2022

Polylactic‐co‐glycolic acid (PLGA)‐basedpolymers are synthetic materials that are prominent in drug delivery. PLGA homopolymer is biodegradable, biocompatible and is often polymerized to polyethylene glycol (PEG) to form a block copolymer used to form core‐shell nanoparticles. PEG is known for reducing blood clearance and opsonization, in addition to imparting “stealth” properties to various drugs and biomaterials. Current formulation methodologies for PLGA–PEG copolymer nanoparticles can be tuned to control key parameters for improved therapeutic delivery; however, molecular‐level understanding of copolymer‐solvent interactions during nanoparticle formulation is lacking. Therefore, three different PLGA–PEG/solvent pairs are examined, in comparison to their homopolymer constituents, to better understand copolymerization effects and its impact on nanoparticle formulation. Results show that at room temperature PLGA–PEG oligomers in dimethyl sulfoxide are the most rigid in good solvent conditions (Flory exponent >0.5) and have the largest end‐to‐end relaxation times when compared to acetone and water. PEG has a Flory exponent of ~0.5 in both water and acetone, showing that the molecular dynamic model that is employed can reproduce its amphiphilic nature in solution. Knowledge of PLGA–PEG structure and dynamics can be used in the design of novel biomedical technologies that improve drug efficacy and reduce cost of treatment.
A riverine biodiversity hotspot in northern Myanmar supports three new and narrowly endemic freshwater mussel species
Authors: Bolotov Ivan N. , Konopleva Ekaterina S. , Chan Nyein , Lunn Zau , Win Than , Gofarov Mikhail Y. , Kondakov Alexander V. , Tomilova Alena A. , Vikhrev Ilya V.
Published: June 2022

The Western Indochina Subregion (Myanmar) represents a freshwater biodiversity hotspot of worldwide significance and houses a plethora of endemic freshwater species, among which are amphibians, fish, and various aquatic invertebrates.

The freshwater mussel (Bivalvia: Unionidae) fauna of western Indochina is characterized by high taxonomic richness, with almost all species and several genera being endemic to the subregion. Furthermore, there are a number of species endemic to a single basin or even to a single tributary of a larger river system (the so‐called intra‐basin endemic taxa).

Here, the discovery of three new, narrowly endemic freshwater mussel species from northern Myanmar is presented: Radiatula kachinensis sp. nov., Trapezidens mogaungensis sp. nov. (upper Ayeyarwady basin), and Lamellidens chindwinensis sp. nov. (upper Chindwin basin). All the new species are upland river specialists, which are under high human pressure as a result of habitat degradation, deforestation, oil palm expansion, river damming, and biological invasions.

A nearly complete lack of data on the life cycles and fish hosts should be considered the most striking gap in recent knowledge of tropical Asian freshwater mussels. Here, available data on 27 species belonging to the genera Radiatula, Trapezidens, and Lamellidens are revised. It is shown that certain fish hosts are known for two species only.

Further spread of the alien Chinese pond mussels (Sinanodonta woodiana species complex) in Indochina may be considered one of the significant threats to native freshwater mussel populations. Here, it is shown that the temperate invasive lineage of S. woodiana is established in at least three non‐native populations in the Ayeyarwady and Salween basins. Moreover, the first arrival of the tropical invasive lineage of S. woodiana to Myanmar is announced, although it has been predicted previously. This lineage was found at two sites on the Shan Plateau (Ayeyarwady basin) close to the Chinese border.
Neurochemical plasticity of the carotid body in hypertension
Authors: Atanasova Dimitrinka Y. , Dandov Angel D. , Lazarov Nikolai E.
Published: June 2022

The carotid body (CB), a main peripheral arterial chemoreceptor, has lately been implicated in the pathophysiology of various cardiovascular disorders. Emerging experimental evidence supports a causal relationship between CB dysfunction and augmented sympathetic outflow which is the common hallmark of human sympathetic‐related diseases, including essential hypertension. To gain insight into the neurotransmitter profile of chemosensory cells in the hypertensive CB, we examined the expression and cellular localization of some classical neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and gaseous signaling molecules as well as neurotrophic factors and their receptors in the CB of spontaneously hypertensive rats, a common animal model of hypertension. Our immunohistochemical experiments revealed an elevated catecholamine and serotonin content in the hypertensive CB compared to normotensive controls. GABA immunostaining was seen in some peripherally located glomus cells in the CB of SHR and it was significantly lower than in control animals. The density of substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide‐immunoreactive fibers was diminished whereas that of neuropeptide Y‐immunostained nerve fibers was increased and that of calcitonin gene‐related peptide‐containing fibers remained almost unchanged in the hypertensive CB. We have further demonstrated that in the hypertensive state the production of nitric oxide is impaired and that the components of the neurotrophin signaling system display an abnormal enhanced expression. Our results provide immunohistochemical evidence that the altered transmitter phenotype of CB chemoreceptor cells and the elevated production of neurotrophic factors modulate the chemosensory processing in hypertensive animals which contributes to autonomic dysfunction and elicits sympathetic hyperactivity, consequently leading to elevated blood pressure.
Improved model‐free adaptive predictive control based on recursive least‐squares estimation algorithm
Authors: Pham Hoang Anh , Söffker Dirk
Published: June 2022

Data‐driven control has received increasing attention by researchers in recent years because no system modeling procedure is required. By combination of data‐driven and model predictive control, this paper discusses an improved model‐free adaptive predictive control approach with application to vibration reduction of an elastic crane. For system linearization, instead of using traditional compact‐form dynamic linearization, this contribution considers the partial‐form dynamic linearization (PFDL) technique in case of multivariable systems. A linearized output predictive model of the unknown system is constructed locally. To estimate and predict the time‐varying parameter matrices, namely, pseudo‐Jacobian matrix (PJM), recursive least‐squares algorithms are utilized for online estimation improvement. As a result, an improved PFDL‐based model‐free controller is designed and applied firstly to the ship‐mounted boom crane representing a typical flexible system. Simulation results indicate that significant reduction of the elastic boom and payload oscillations are achieved, and better control performance can be observed in comparison with other traditional methods.
Osteopontin activity modulates sex‐specific calcification in engineered valve tissue mimics
Authors: Schroeder Megan E. , Batan Dilara , Gonzalez Rodriguez Andrea , Speckl Kelly F. , Peters Douglas K. , Kirkpatrick Bruce E. , Hach Grace K. , Walker Cierra J. , Grim Joseph C. , Aguado Brian A. , Weiss Robert M. , Anseth Kristi S.
Published: June 2022

Patients with aortic valve stenosis (AVS) have sexually dimorphic phenotypes in their valve tissue, where male valvular tissue adopts a calcified phenotype and female tissue becomes more fibrotic. The molecular mechanisms that regulate sex‐specific calcification in valvular tissue remain poorly understood. Here, we explored the role of osteopontin (OPN), a pro‐fibrotic but anti‐calcific bone sialoprotein, in regulating the calcification of female aortic valve tissue. Recognizing that OPN mediates calcification processes, we hypothesized that aortic valvular interstitial cells (VICs) in female tissue have reduced expression of osteogenic markers in the presence of elevated OPN relative to male VICs. Human female valve leaflets displayed reduced and smaller microcalcifications, but increased OPN expression relative to male leaflets. To understand how OPN expression contributes to observed sex dimorphisms in valve tissue, we employed enzymatically degradable hydrogels as a 3D cell culture platform to recapitulate male or female VIC interactions with the extracellular matrix. Using this system, we recapitulated sex differences observed in human tissue, specifically demonstrating that female VICs exposed to calcifying medium have smaller mineral deposits within the hydrogel relative to male VICs. We identified a change in OPN dynamics in female VICs in the presence of calcification stimuli, where OPN deposition localized from the extracellular matrix to perinuclear regions. Additionally, exogenously delivered endothelin‐1 to encapsulated VICs increased OPN gene expression in male cells, which resulted in reduced calcification. Collectively, our results suggest that increased OPN in female valve tissue may play a sex‐specific role in mitigating mineralization during AVS progression.
Facet overhang: A novel parameter in the pathophysiology of multifidus muscle atrophy
Authors: Chua Michelle , Salame Khalil , Khashan Morsi , Ofir Dror , Hochberg Uri , Ankory Ran , Lidar Zvi , Regev Gilad J.
Published: June 2022

The relationship between degenerative zygapophysial joint (facet) arthropathy and multifidus muscle atrophy has not been rigorously evaluated. The purpose of this study was to determine if specific morphological features of degenerative facet arthropathy are correlated with multifidus muscle atrophy. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and imaging studies of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Facet overhang, bridging osteophyte formation, facet effusion, and facet angles were evaluated by univariable and multivariable regression to identify independent associations with deep and superficial parts of the multifidus total cross‐sectional area (tCSA), functional cross‐sectional area (fnCSA), and fatty infiltration (FI). Facet overhang was classified as severe in 50 females (53.2%) versus 56 males (36.9%) (p = 0.030). Severity of facet overhang and female sex were independently associated with smaller deep part of the multifidus tCSA and fnCSA as well as higher FI, reflecting greater atrophy of the deep region compared to total muscle mass. In comparison, severe facet overhang (p < 0.001; OR = 3.47, 95% CI = 2.13–5.66) and female sex (p < 0.001; OR = 4.19, 95% CI = 2.58–6.79) were independently associated only with higher superficial part of the multifidus FI, reflecting muscle steatosis without significant lean muscle atrophy. In patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, facet overhang is an independent risk factor for deep part of the multifidus atrophy. Bridging osteophyte formation, facet effusion, and facet angles were not independently associated with deep part of the multifidus atrophy.
Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction towards industrial applications
Authors: Xu Dezhi , Li Kangkang , Jia Baohua , Sun Wenping , Zhang Wei , Liu Xue , Ma Tianyi
Published: June 2022

Recently, research on the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR) has attracted considerable attention due to its potential to resolve environmental problems caused by CO2 while utilizing clean energy and producing high‐value‐added products. Considerable theoretical research in the lab has demonstrated its feasibility and prospect. However, industrialization is mandatory to realize the economic and social value of eCO2RR. For industrial application of eCO2RR, more criteria have been proposed for eCO2RR research, including high current density (above 200 mA cm−2), high product selectivity (above 90%), and long‐term stability. To fulfill these criteria, the eCO2RR system needs to be systematically designed and optimized. In this review, recent research on eCO2RR for industrial applications is summarized. The review starts with focus on potential industrial catalysts in eCO2RR. Next, potential industrial products are proposed in eCO2RR. These products, including carbon monoxide, formic acid, ethylene, and ethanol, all have high market demand, and have shown high current density and product selectivity in theoretical research. Notably, the innovative components and strategy for industrializing the eCO2RR system are also highlighted here, including flow cells, seawater electrolytes, solid electrolytes, and a two‐step method. Finally, some instructions and possible future avenues are presented for the prospects of future industrial application of eCO2RR.
Circular RNA MYLK as a prognostic biomarker in patients with cancers: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Foroumadi Roham , Rashedi Sina , Asgarian Sara , Mardani Mahta , Keykhaei Mohammad , Farrokhpour Hossein , Javanshir Salar , Sarallah Rojin , Rezaei Nima
Published: June 2022

Background

Circular RNA (circRNA) myosin light chain kinase (circMYLK) has recently received increasing attention in cancer biology. Several studies have suggested that circMYLK expression is linked to prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics of various malignancies.

Aims

This study was carried out to systematically review the impact of circMYLK on the progression of multiple cancers and assess the significance of circMYLK in the prognosis and clinicopathological features of the patients.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were systematically searched until July 2, 2021. For qualitative synthesis, the signaling pathways of circMYLK in the progression of different cancers were summarized. Regarding the meta‐analysis, overall survival (OS) and eight clinicopathological characteristics of patients with cancers were addressed. Odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to assess the association of circMYLK with prognostic and clinicopathological features.

Results

Twelve studies investigating the role of circMYLK in cancer progression met the inclusion criteria. Among these, seven studies investigated the prognostic significance of circMYLK, and nine studies ascertained the clinicopathological importance of circMYLK in patients with various malignancies. CircMYLK acts as a tumor promoter circRNA, leading to migration, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of neoplastic cells and inhibiting their apoptosis through interaction with several miRNAs and corresponding downstream signaling pathways. Overexpression of circMYLK was correlated with poor OS (HR = 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.52–2.02) and larger tumor size (OR = 2.90; 95% CI 1.03–8.15), higher T stage (OR = 2.49; 95% CI 1.20–5.18), lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.55; 95% CI 1.41–4.62), and higher TNM stage (OR = 4.62; 95% CI 2.99–7.14).

Conclusions

CircMYLK is involved in the progression of numerous cancers via different signaling pathways. This circRNA can serve as a promising prognostic biomarker for several types of malignancies. Furthermore, high expression of circMYLK is associated with advanced clinicopathological characteristics in various tumors.
Numerical Analysis of Dislocation Density of c‐, a‐, m‐axes Grown Al2O3 Crystals during Annealing Process
Authors: Kakimotoa, Koichi , Nakanoa Satoshi
Published: June 2022

A numerical study of dislocation density is carried out by 3D and time‐dependent analysis using the Alexander–Haasen model to estimate growth direction dependence of plastic deformation of Al2O3 single crystals during the annealing process. The direction of crystal growth is set to c‐, a‐, and m‐axes. The calculated results show distribution of dislocation density in the crystal grown in the c‐axis has a sixfold symmetry while those in the crystals grown in the a‐ and m‐axes show asymmetric distribution. Dislocation densities in the a‐ and m‐axes Al2O3 crystals are larger than that in the c‐axis crystal.
Efficient Solar Cells Sensitized by Organic Concerted Companion Dyes Suitable for Indoor Lamps
Authors: Wang Xueyan , Wang Yuqing , Zou Jiazhi , Luo Jiaxin , Li Chengjie , Xie Yongshu
Published: June 2022

In this work, organic concerted companion (CC) dyes CCOD‐1 and CCOD‐2 were constructed by covalently linking two organic dye units with complementary absorption spectra. Both CC dyes exhibited intense absorption from 300 to 650 nm with the band edges extended to 700 nm. These CC dyes were used to fabricate dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), and the photovoltaic performance was investigated using different light sources. CCOD‐2 possessed bulkier outer shelter than CCOD‐1 owing to the longer carbon chains (C12) at the donor moiety, and thus it had stronger anti‐aggregation and anti‐charge‐recombination ability. Under simulated sunlight (AM1.5G), CCOD‐2 exhibited enhanced photovoltaic behavior with an open‐circuit voltage (VOC) of 759 mV, short‐circuit current density (JSC) of 19.23 mA ⋅ cm−2, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.4 %, respectively. Notably, under the illumination of the indoor T5 fluorescent lamp (2500 lux), CCOD‐2 afforded an enhanced PCE of 28.0 % with remarkable VOC and JSC of 692 mV and 0.424 mA cm−2, respectively. Notably, the PCE achieved for CCOD‐2 outperformed those of the reference sensitizer N719 and our previously reported CC dyes XW61 and XW70‐C8 under the same indoor lamp conditions. In summary, the novel organic CC dyes developed in this work were demonstrated to be promising for fabricating DSSCs to efficiently harvest the energy of indoor lamps.
A biobehavioral circadian model of restrictive eating and binge eating
Authors: De Young Kyle P. , Bottera Angeline R.
Published: June 2022

Caloric consumption occurs in rhythms, typically during daytime, waking hours, marked by peaks at mealtimes. These rhythms are disrupted in individuals with eating disorders; mealtime peaks are blunted and delayed relative to sleep/waketimes. Individuals with eating disorders also tend to experience an overall phase delay in appetite; they lack hunger earlier in the day and experience atypically high hunger later in the day, the latter of which may culminate in binge‐eating episodes. This disruptive appetitive behavior—early in the day restrictive eating and later in the day binge eating—may be partially accounted for by circadian disruptions, which play a role in coordinating appetitive rhythms. Moreover, restrictive eating and binge eating themselves may further disrupt circadian synchronization, as meal timing serves as one of many external signals to the central circadian pacemaker. Here, we introduce the biobehavioral circadian model of restrictive eating and binge eating, which posits a central role for circadian disruption in the development and maintenance of restrictive eating and binge eating, highlighting modifiable pathways unacknowledged in existing explanatory models. Evidence supporting this model would implicate the need for biobehavioral circadian regulation interventions to augment existing eating disorder treatments for individuals experiencing circadian rhythm disruption.

Public Significance

Existing treatments for eating disorders that involve binge eating and restrictive eating mandate a regular pattern of eating; this is largely responsible for early behavioral change. This intervention may work partly by regulating circadian rhythm and diurnal appetitive disruptions. Supplementing existing treatments with additional elements specifically designed to regulate circadian rhythm and diurnal appetitive rhythms may increase the effectiveness of treatments, which presently do not benefit all who receive them.
The association between markers of type I collagen synthesis and echocardiographic response to spironolactone in patients at risk of heart failure: findings from the HOMAGE trial
Authors: Kobayashi Masatake , Girerd Nicolas , Ferreira João Pedro , Kevin Duarte , Huttin Olivier , González Arantxa , Bozec Erwan , Clark Andrew L. , Cosmi Franco , Cuthbert Joe , Diez Javier , Edelmann Frank , Hazebroek Mark , Heymans Stephane , Mariottoni Beatrice , Pellicori Pierpaolo , Petutschnigg Johannes , Pieske Burkert , Staessen Jan A. , Verdonschot Job A.J. , Rossignol Patrick , Cleland John G.F. , Zannad Faiez ,   on behalf of the HOMAGE Trial Committees and Investigators
Published: June 2022

Aims

Procollagen type I C‐terminal propeptide (PICP) and procollagen type III N‐terminal propeptide (PIIINP) are markers reflecting collagen synthesis in cardiac fibrosis. However, they may be influenced by the presence of non‐cardiac comorbidities (e.g. ageing, obesity, renal impairment). Understanding the associations between markers of collagen synthesis and abnormalities of cardiac structure and function is important to screen for myocardial fibrosis and monitor the antifibrotic effect of medications.

Methods and results

The HOMAGE (Heart ‘OMics’ in AGEing) trial showed that spironolactone decreased serum PICP concentrations and improved cardiac remodelling over 9 months in a population at risk of developing heart failure (HF). We evaluated the associations between echocardiographic variables, PICP, PIIINP and galectin‐3 at baseline and during the course of the trial. Among 527 individuals (74 ± 7 years, 26% women), median serum concentrations of PICP, PIIINP and galectin‐3 were 80.6 μg/L (65.1–97.0), 3.9 μg/L (3.1–5.0), and 16.1 μg/L (13.5–19.7), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, higher serum PICP was significantly associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, left atrial enlargement, and greater ventricular stiffness (all p < 0.05), whereas serum PIIINP and galectin‐3 were not (all p > 0.05). In patients treated with spironolactone, a reduction in serum PICP during the trial was associated with a decrease in E/e′ (adjusted‐beta = 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.14–1.73; p = 0.022).

Conclusions

In individuals at high risk of developing HF, serum PICP was associated with cardiac structural and functional abnormalities, and a decrease in PICP with spironolactone was correlated with improved diastolic dysfunction as assessed by E/e′. In contrast, no such associations were present for serum PIIINP and galectin‐3.
Analysis of microbial diversity and succession during Xiaoqu Baijiu fermentation using high‐throughput sequencing technology
Authors: Wang Qing , Wang ChaoYan , Xiang XiaoQing , Xu HaiLin , Han GuoQiang
Published: June 2022

In this study, high‐throughput sequencing (HTS) was used to compare and analyze the microbial diversity and succession during the brewing process of xiaoqu Baijiu. A total of 34 phyla and 378 genera of bacteria, as well as four phyla, 32 genera of fungi were detected. At the phylum level, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Ascomycota, and Mucoromycota were the dominant groups. During the brewing process of xiaoqu Baijiu, the dominant bacteria were Weissella and unidentified Rickettsiales within the first 2 days of brewing, followed by Lactobacillus at 3 days until to the end of brewing. The dominant fungi were Rhizopus, Saccharomyces, and Issatchenkia. The relative abundance of Rhizopus decreased with the extension of brewing time, while the relative abundance of Saccharomyces increased, and Saccharomyces became the dominant species at the second day of brewing. This study revealed the diversity and changes of the microbial community during the brewing process of xiaoqu Baijiu, providing theoretical support and laying a foundation for future study on the contribution of microbial metabolism during brewing of xiaoqu Baijiu, thereby promoting the development of xiaoqu Baijiu industry.
Comparative study of simultaneous use of a double or a triple skin facade with phase change materials, green roof, and photovoltaics in residential buildings of Iran
Authors: Izadpanah Sobhan , Fazelpour Farivar , Eftekhari Yazdi Mohammad
Published: June 2022

Researchers have proposed and studied many methods to reduce energy consumption in the construction sector. However, simultaneous use of phase‐change material (PCM) and green roofs in a building with double‐ or triple‐skin facades (DSF or TSF) has not been analyzed to date. Accordingly, this is the first study to evaluate and compare the design of two scenarios combining passive and active methods, including (1) simultaneous use of a DSF, PCM, green roof, and photovoltaics (PV), and (2) simultaneous use of a TSF, PCM, green roof, and PV in hot arid steppe‐dry mid‐latitude (Tehran) desert biome‐dry tropical (Yazd), and mild‐humid climate (Amol) in Iran. It was found that the first scenario works better in reducing the heating load and the second scenario is more effective in reducing the cooling load. The results indicate that the reduction of the annual heating load in the first scenario was 49, 45.1, and 40.7 MWh/year in Tehran, Yazd, and Amol, respectively, and that the reduction of cooling load in the second scenario was 48.4, 31.9, and 16 MWh/year in Yazd, Tehran, and Amol, respectively. The 14 different modes of combining these passive methods and PV system were then compared. The results indicate that the second proposed scenario caused the lowest annual energy consumption compared to that of other modes and saved 70% of annual energy consumption. Consequently, the effect of leaf area index, cavity width, and orientation that are selected as primary parameters affecting the thermal performance of the mentioned methods on this scenario were investigated.
CGNet‐assisted Automatic Vessel Segmentation for Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Authors: Yu Xiaojun , Ge Chenkun , Aziz Muhammad Zulkifal , Li Mingshuai , Shum Perry Ping , Liu Linbo , Mo Jianhua
Published: June 2022

Automatic optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) vessel segmentation is of great significance to retinal disease diagnoses. Due to the complex vascular structure, however, various existing factors make the segmentation task challenging. This paper reports a novel end‐to‐end three‐stage channel and position attention (CPA) module integrated graph reasoning convolutional neural network (CGNet) for retinal OCTA vessel segmentation. Specifically, in the coarse stage, both CPA and graph reasoning network (GRN) modules are integrated in between a U‐shaped neural network encoder and decoder to acquire vessel confidence maps. After being directed into a fine stage, such confidence maps are concatenated with the original image and the generated fine image map as a 3‐channel image to refine retinal micro‐vasculatures. Finally, both the fine and refined images are fused at the refining stage as the segmentation results. Experiments with different public datasets are conducted to verify the efficacy of the proposed CGNet. Results show that by employing the end‐to‐end training scheme and the integrated CPA and GRN modules, CGNet achieves 94.29% and 85.62% in area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the two different datasets, outperforming the state‐of‐the‐art existing methods with both improved operability and reduced complexity in different cases. Code is available at https://github.com/GE-123-cpu/CGnet-for-vessel-segmentation.
Human mucosal Vα7.2+CD161hi T cell distribution at physiologic state and inHelicobacter pyloriinfection
Authors: Boonpattanaporn Norasate , Kongkaew Thidarat , Sengprasert Panjana , Souter Michael N T , Lakananurak Narisorn , Rerknimitr Rungsun , Corbett Alexandra J , Reantragoon Rangsima
Published: June 2022

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like, unconventional T cells that are present in peripheral blood and mucosal surfaces. A clear understanding of how MAIT cells in the mucosae function and their role in host immunity is still lacking. Therefore, our aim was to investigate MAIT cell distribution and their characteristics in the gastrointestinal (GI) mucosal tissue based on Vα7.2+CD161hi identification. We showed that Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells are present in both intraepithelial layer and lamina propriae of the GI mucosa, but have different abundance at each GI site. Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells were most abundant in the duodenum, but had the lowest reactivity to MR1-5-OP-RU tetramers when compared with Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells at other GI tissue sites. Striking discrepancies between MR1-5-OP-RU tetramer reactive cells and Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells were observed along each GI tissue sites. Vα7.2+CD161hi TCR repertoire was most diverse in the ileum. Similar dominant profiles of TRBV usage were observed among peripheral blood, duodenum, ileum, and colon. Some TRBV chains were detected at certain intestinal sites and not elsewhere. The frequency of peripheral blood Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells correlated with mucosal Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells in lamina propriae ileum and lamina propriae colon. The frequency of peripheral blood Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells in Helicobacter pylori-infected individuals was significantly lower than uninfected individuals, but this was not observed with gastric Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells. This study illustrates the biology of Vα7.2+CD161hi T cells in the GI mucosa and provides a basis for understanding MAIT cells in the mucosa and MAIT-related GI diseases.
Survival rates of two nesting aggregations of diamondback terrapins at neighboring sites in New York City
Authors: Roe Maria T. , Anadón Jose D. , Burke Russell L.
Published: June 2022

The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a charismatic and long‐lived species of the United States eastern coast, and the only North American turtle that exclusively inhabits coastal brackish waters. Many terrapin populations are declining, and these declines have been largely linked to human activities; however, few studies have documented human and natural factors affecting terrapin population demography. Jamaica Bay, an urban estuary located in southern New York City, USA, is home to 2 nesting aggregations of terrapins, located at Ruler's Bar Hassock (RBH) and John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK). We analyzed mark‐recapture data for RBH from 2003–2018 and JFK from 2011–2018 to estimate annual survivorship of female diamondback terrapins and test the effects of 3 factors (a hurricane, water quality represented by nitrogen concentration, and injuries) on survival. The initial estimated annual survival was high (0.93) at RBH but declined to 0.89, while survival remained constant at JFK (0.92). Models examining the effect of Hurricane Sandy (2012) indicated a significant decline in survival in the 2 years following the hurricane in the RBH nesting aggregation but no change at JFK. Water quality did not influence trends in either aggregation, but the presence of major injuries (caused by boat collisions, predators, and the hurricane) significantly reduced annual survival at RBH. We propose increasing terrapin survivorship through mitigation of boat traffic, reducing populations of northern raccoons (Procyon lotor) to reduce injury to female terrapins and decrease egg and hatchling mortality, and increased law enforcement to reduce on‐going poaching and capture as illegal by‐catch.
A decision‐making experiment under wind power forecast uncertainty
Authors: Möhrlen Corinna , Bessa Ricardo J. , Fleischhut Nadine
Published: June 2022

As the penetration levels of renewable energy sources increase and climatic changes produce more and more extreme weather conditions, the uncertainty of weather and power production forecasts can no longer be ignored for grid operation and electricity market bidding. In order to support the energy industry in the integration of uncertainty forecasts into their business practices, this work describes an experiment conducted with 105 participants from the energy industry. In the framework of an IEA Wind Task 36 workshop, the experiment aimed to investigate existing psychological barriers in the industry to adopt probabilistic forecasts and to better understand human decision processes. We designed and ran a ‘decision game’ to demonstrate the potential benefits of uncertainty forecasts in a realistic—although simplified—problem, where an energy trader had to decide whether to trade 100% or 50% of the energy of an offshore wind park on a given day based on deterministic and probabilistic uncertainty day‐ahead forecasts. The focus thus was on a decision‐making process dealing with extremes that can cause high costs in the form of security issues in the electric grid for system operators, or high monetary losses for traders, who have bid a power production into the market that failed to be produced due to high‐speed shutdown of the wind turbines. This paper presents the obtained results, extracts behavioural conclusions and identifies how to overcome psychological barriers to the adoption of uncertainty forecasts in the energy industry.
Effect of wooden pallets characteristics on the compression strength of palletized plastic pails
Authors: Alvarez Valverde Mary Paz , Horvath Laszlo
Published: June 2022

Palletized unit loads are composed of pallets, packages, and unit load stabilizers. The interactions between components are significant for designing efficient and sustainable pallets. Although there has been research on corrugated boxes, there is no research revolving around plastic pails. The objective of this study was to understand how plastic pails are affected by the pallet's top deckboard thickness and the effect of the pail's location on the pallet. The first phase of testing investigated the pail location effect in five different locations on a small‐scale pallet segment. The second phase further investigated the two locations that had the best and worst performances in terms of pail strength. One additional location was chosen based on a previous study on corrugated boxes. It was found that the pallet's top deckboard thickness and the location of the pail both had significant impacts on pail deformation, pallet deflection, and pail compression strength. This study also indicated that symmetrical and asymmetrical loading created different trends when comparing pail deformation, pallet deformation, and pail compression strength. It was found that the thickness of the deckboards is relevant when investigating pail failure but the experiments were unable to find a consistent trend between pallet deflection and pail failure load. These factors can all be taken into account by unit load designers in order to create safe and sustainable pallets.
Pure State Tomography with Fourier Transformation
Authors: Wang Yu , Li Keren
Published: June 2022

Extracting information from quantum devices has long been a crucial problem in the field of quantum mechanics. By performing elaborate measurements, quantum state tomography, an important and fundamental tool in quantum science and technology, can be used to determine unknown quantum states completely. In this study, methods to determine multi‐qubit pure quantum states uniquely and directly are explored. Two adaptive protocols are proposed, with their respective quantum circuits. Herein, two or three observables are sufficient, while the number of measurement outcomes are either the same as or fewer than those in existing methods. Additionally, experiments on the IBM 5‐qubit quantum computer, as well as numerical investigations, demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed protocols.
Influence of slaking on the size distributions of water‐stable aggregates
Authors: Fu Yu , Zhang Yangjian , Gu Huiyan , Chen Xiangwei , Zhao Yikai , Wang Han
Published: June 2022

Wet sieving is a common practice used to treat soil samples before analyses. However, slaking might occur during wet sieving, and this significantly affects analytical accuracy. To minimize side effects caused by slaking, we treated soils with ethanol and investigated the resulting efficiencies. Soil aggregates from the black soil zone of northeast China were selected as the study objects. In combination with Yoder's traditional wet‐sieving method, ethanol‐soaked aggregates were exposed to air under three different conditions (no exposure, brief exposure, and long‐term exposure) to assess whether slaking could be eliminated during wet sieving and to clarify whether slaking would reoccur when ethanol‐soaked aggregates were exposed to air. The results showed that soaking aggregates in ethanol fully eliminated the entrapped air and that the slaking effect was completely prevented during wet sieving. Compared with Yoder's wet‐sieving method, ethanol soaking increased the mass percentages of aggregates sized >2 and 2–1 mm by 51.06 and 3.67%, respectively. Regardless of whether the sample was exposed to air, patterns of the size distributions of ethanol‐soaked aggregates remained unchanged after wet sieving. When ethanol‐soaked aggregates were briefly exposed to air, there was no apparent slaking effect. Nevertheless, because the aggregates were soaked in ethanol, the internal structure of the aggregates was reinforced and the aggregates were not evidently dispersed and broken despite slight slaking during wet sieving. These findings provide a reference for studying water‐stable aggregates and improving measurement accuracies.
Use of Palm Oil Waste for Activated Carbons Production and Its Application in Methylene Blue Removal
Authors: Jaramillo‐Martínez Daniela , Buitrago‐Sierra Robison , López Diana
Published: June 2022

Aiming to add value to the ever‐increasing amount of residues from the palm oil industry around the world, lignocellulosic waste from palm oil (Lp) was used in this study to prepare activated carbons (ACLp) by chemical activation using KOH at 700 °C developing an area up to 1683 m2 g−1, this value was higher than that obtained for a sample of activated carbon prepared from commercial lignin (ACLc) of 588 m2 g−1. The activated carbons were deeply characterized by different techniques as SEM, FTIR, TGA, and nitrogen adsorption isotherms. The adsorption capacity of the obtained activated carbons for methylene blue (MB) was assessed. According to the results of the mathematical fits performed to the adsorption process, the adsorption isotherm showed a better fit to the Langmuir‐Freundlich model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 188 and 51 mg g−1 for ACLp and ACLc respectively. In addition, its adsorption kinetics was found to fit better to the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model. Additionally, the ΔG0 value was lower for ACLp (−31 KJ mol−1) than for ACLc (−26 KJ mol−1) showing that the interaction between the MB and ACLp is more favorable.
Ionic Liquid Promoted Regio‐Selective Synthesis of 2‐Methyl amino‐3‐Nitro‐pyrano[3,2‐c]chromen‐5‐ones
Authors: Katariya Ashishkumar P. , Gaikwad Pravinkumar B. , Kadam Gajanan G. , Katariya Maya V. , Deshmukh Satish U.
Published: June 2022

An efficient, and simple protocol for the synthesis of extremely functionalized pyrano[3,2‐c]chromen‐5‐ones (4 a–v) has been developed. One‐pot multicomponent cyclo‐condensation of 4‐hydroxycoumarin, aromatic‐aldehydes, and (E)‐N‐methyl‐1‐(methylthio)‐2‐nitroethenamine (NMSM) catalyzed by ionic liquid [(EMIM)Ac] in two different methods as methanolic mediated and at solvent free condition is described which presumably involve the Knoevenagel reaction succeeding Michael‐addition and O‐cyclization with elimination of methanethiol. The noteworthy features of this protocol are use of ionic liquid as catalyst, good to excellent yield, optimum reaction time with easy experimental procedure. The prepared derivatives were characterized by IR, 1HNMR,13CNMR and HRMS spectroscopic techniques.
Anomaly of Pyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazole Synthesis towards Pyrazolyl‐aryl‐methyl‐malononitrile Derivatives and Their Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Mokariya Jaydeep A. , Rajani Dhanji P. , Patel Manish P.
Published: June 2022

Our attempt to prepare pyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazole derivatives from 2‐methyl‐5‐propyl‐1,2‐dihydro‐pyrazolone, malononitrile and benzaldehyde rather lead to the formation of pyrazolyl‐aryl‐methyl‐malononitrile derivatives. Fascinating by this opportunity to branch out the synthesis of substituted pyrazolone derivatives using an efficient multicomponent synthetic approach for pyrazolyl‐aryl‐methyl‐malononitrile derivatives. The synthesis was accelerated using guanidine carbonate as a catalyst in the water reaction medium. The rection has blossomed with the green aspects of synthesis such as organocatalyst, water as reaction medium and ambient temperature providing clean product in higher yield. The synthesized derivatives have been screened for anti‐microbial activity. Compounds 4 c and 4 n showed excellent activity. Six compounds were found to be much effective against the Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strain. The molecular docking study of 4 n showed a high binding affinity with the receptor. Collectively, our study provides eco‐friendly synthesis towards pyrazolyl‐aryl‐methyl‐malononitrile derivatives and we evaluated them as a new class of anti‐microbial compounds.
Mapping the Progress in Natural Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells: Materials, Parameters and Durability
Authors: Alim Md. Abdul , Repon Md. Reazuddin , Islam Tarikul , Mishfa Kaniz Fatima , Jalil Mohammad Abdul , Aljabri Mahmood D. , Rahman Mohammed M.
Published: June 2022

The rapid growth of the population severely influences the supply of energy, accordingly ensuring clean energy has become a big challenge now and will be in the future. Fossil fuels have been satisfying the energy demand until now, but fossil fuels, being non‐renewable sources, will not be able to satisfy the energy demand in the future and will have a negative impact on the environment. Renewable energy sources have become the most demanding topic for researchers in this crisis. The solar cell, which is an abundant renewable energy resource, converts solar power into electrical energy without any environmental damage. Silicon solar cells have higher efficiency, but their high manufacturing cost, complicated procedures and environmental issues restrict their usage. Then dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been introduced as an alternative to silicon solar cells. In DSSC, both natural and synthetic dyes are used. Though synthetic dyes provide higher efficiency, they are environmentally harmful. Afterward, the concept of natural dye‐sensitized solar cells (NDSSC) have been materialized where only natural dyes are used. Researchers and environmentalists are looking for natural dyes as a replacement for synthetic dyes in recent times, as natural dyes are plentiful, can be collected naturally and have no environmental effects. Natural dyes in the form of anthocyanins, carotenoids, flavonoids, chlorophylls, tannins and betalains are extracted from various portions of plants that include leaves, roots, flowers, fruits, seeds, barks, etc. In this review, we investigate natural sources of dyes, natural sensitizers (dyes), shortcomings and remedies, improvements in efficiency and stability, developments, and commercialization. In addition, recent advances and the comparison of natural and synthetic dyes have been discussed in this review.
Towards a new approach to job‐related distress: A three‐sample study of the Occupational Depression Inventory
Authors: Bianchi Renzo , Verkuilen Jay , Sowden James F. , Schonfeld Irvin Sam
Published: June 2022

The Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI) was recently developed to assess depressive symptoms that individuals specifically attribute to their work. One purpose of the ODI is to respond to limitations of current assessments of job‐related distress, most notably, assessments relying on the burnout construct. In this study, we conducted a thorough examination of the psychometric and structural properties of the ODI using exploratory structural equation modelling bifactor analysis and Mokken scale analysis. The study involved three samples of employed individuals, recruited in France (N = 3454), Switzerland (N = 1971), and Australia (N = 1485). Results were consistent across the three samples. The ODI exhibited essential unidimensionality and excellent total‐score reliability―as indexed by McDonald's omega, Cronbach's alpha, Guttman's lambda‐2, and the Molenaar‐Sijtsma statistic. We found evidence for measurement invariance across sexes, age groups, and samples. Mokken scale analysis revealed that the ODI's scalability was strong. No monotonicity violation was detected. Invariant item ordering showed sufficient accuracy. In all three samples, suicidal ideation was the least commonly endorsed item―thus acting as a sentinel item―and fatigue/loss of energy was the most commonly endorsed item. The ODI exhibits excellent psychometric and structural properties, suggesting that occupational health specialists can effectively employ the instrument.
The oldest Euphasmatodea (Insecta, Phasmatodea): modern morphology in an Early Cretaceous stick insect fossil from the Crato Formation of Brazil
Authors: Ghirotto Victor M. , Crispino Edgar B. , Chiquetto‐Machado Pedro I. , Neves Pedro A. B. A. , Engelking Phillip W. , Ribeiro Guilherme C.
Published: June 2022

Stick insects (Phasmatodea) are herbivorous, mostly nocturnal insects known for their camouflage specialization, constituting a moderately diverse group with around 3400 extant described species. The overall poor and often confusing fossil record of Phasmatodea, especially regarding older taxa, has muddled the knowledge of the early evolution of the lineage and hindered reliable calibration points for ordinal‐level phylogenies. The phylogenetic relationships within the order remain unresolved, but recent research sheds more light on the subject. Here we report on the oldest known fossil of Euphasmatodea, by revising the taxonomic identity of one fossil species (Eoproscopia reliquum Mendes, Vasconcelos & Oliveira) previously described as a stick grasshopper (family Proscopiidae). Based on the finding of a more complete specimen the taxon is redescribed and a new genus, Araripephasma, is erected to accommodate this species in Euphasmatodea. Araripephasma reliquum comb. nov. is a remarkably modern‐looking stick insect species that provides a new minimum age for Euphasmatodea and sets a good and reliable calibration point for phylogenetic and evolutionary studies. The implications of this rare finding for the evolutionary history of Phasmatodea are discussed.