bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diseases and pests of clematis from the collection of the Botanical Garden-Institute of VSUT (Yoshkar-Ola)
Authors: Golomidova Tatyana Mikhailovna , Mukhametova Svetlana Valeryevna , Kurnenkova Irina Pavlovna , Sukhareva Lyudmila Vitalievna
Published: July 2023

Clematis is one of the highly ornamental plants used in landscaping, but they are often susceptible to diseases as a result of abiotic and biotic factors action. The article presents an overview of diseases and pests of clematis. Among them, wilt is especially dangerous, which leads to a sharp withering of plants. Also, clematis can be affected by rust, powdery mildew, gray rot, various types of spotting, etc., as well as pests nematode, worm, aphids, spider mite, slugs, etc. Information on pest control and diseases of clematis is presented. Possible signs of weakening of non-infectious plants are indicated. The diseases identified during the visual examination of clematis in the Botanical Garden-Institute of VSUT (Yoshkar-Ola) are given. The plants grow on the lianas site of the Fruticetum exposition. Wilting was observed in plants older than 20 years: symptoms were detected in 1/3 of plants. Most of the collection plants showed signs of spotting. In some varietal clematis, small-leaved was observed. Damage by leaf-eating insects and mice, as well as mechanical damage from hail and rain were revealed. Agrotechnical measures carried out for the prevention of diseases are presented. The obtained data can be used in the practice of growing clematis at the landscaping facilities of settlements in the region.
On a sequence derived from the Laplace transform of the characteristic polynomial of the Fibonacci sequence
Authors:   Kuwait College of Science and Technology,, Fonseca Carlos M. da ,   University of Deusto, Shannon Anthony G. ,   Warrane College, University of New South Wales
Published: July 2023

Recently, based on the Laplace transform of the characteristic polynomial of the Fibonacci sequence, Deveci and Shannon established a new sequence and analysed some of its properties. They disclosed in particular the odd terms. In this short note, we provide a matricial representation for this sequence as well as one in terms of the Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind. The subsequence of the even terms is also disclosed.
Optimization of Discharge Plasma Reactor for Dry Reforming of Methane using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Alawi Nabil Majd , Al-Mohammedawi Hassan H. , AL-Zuhairi Firas Khaleel , Nguyen Hoang Minh , Ali Jamal M.
Published: July 2023

This research provides a study of the dry reforming of methane (DRM), which converts two main greenhouses gases (CO2 and CH4) to synthesis gas (H2 and CO) by a Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma reactor at atmospheric pressure. The Box-Behnken Design (BBD) method based on the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to determine the optimum experimental conditions on the plasma stability and the synthesis gas production. The synergistic effects of input power (P), CO2/CH4 ratio (R), and flow rate (FR) on the CO2, CH4 conversions, H2, CO yields, and the syngas ratio of H2 to CO were studied. With the desirability value of 0.97, the optimum values of 10.05 W (P), 1.03 (R), and 1.58 L.min−1 FR were identified with CO2 conversion of 48.56% and CH4 conversion of 86.67%; H2 and CO yields of 45.87% and 39.43% respectively; and syngas ratio of H2 to CO of 0.88. The study shows that both P and FR have a major significant effect on the reactant conversions and syngas ratio, followed by R. Meanwhile, the value of R has a significant impact on the H2, CO yields followed P and FR. In contrast, the synergistic effects between P-R, P-FR, and R-FR had a weak significant on the CO2 and CH4 conversions, H2 and CO yields, and H2 to CO ratio respectively. The quadratic term coefficients of P, R, and FR had a remarkable effect on all responses. Thus, the synergistic effect of the most important parameters improves the process efficiency. Copyright © 2023 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Medo da COVID-19 e Aumento do Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas por Alunos do Ensino Médio Durante a Pandemia
Authors: Alexandrino Eduardo G. , Silva Priscila A. , Demenech Lauro M. , Silva Laura S. , Paludo Simone S. , Dumith Samuel  C.
Published: July 2023

More than 25% of Brazilian teenagers are currently experimenting with alcohol and this early consumption is associated with violence, unprotected sex, use of other drugs, depression, anxiety, car accidents, family confl icts and chronic diseases. This scenario may have been aggravated by the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was undertaken with the aim of analyzing the association between fear of COVID-19 and alcohol consumption among students in a municipality in southern Brazil. For that, 170 students answered a controlled one composed of expressive instruments through the Redcap platform. Stata 15.1 was used for statistical analysis. The results indicate that fear of the pandemic may have been responsible for the 5-fold increase in alcohol consumption and that 20% of students had suicidal thoughts during the period of social distancing. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is related to more than 200 harms to cognitive, behavioral and physical health. A signifi cant increase among schoolchildren suggests the urgency of public policies aimed at identifying, monitoring and strengthening social support for the harm resulting from alcohol consumption in this age group.Keyword:Fear, coronaphobia, alcohol drinking, students, suicide
Frequência de Exercícios e Níveis de Ansiedade e Estresse durante a Pandemia de COVID-19 são mediados pelo Anseio por Repouso e Gasto de Energia
Authors: Gonçalves Alberto F. , Kolehmainen Matthew S.
Published: July 2023

The concept of craves to move and to rest is a psychological construct that has recently been proposed as a key predictor for exercise adherence and a more active lifestyle in the fi eld of motivation research. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, we observed that individuals who engaged in regular exercise reported better levels of psychological health and wellbeing. Based on this observation, our hypothesis was that craves to move and to rest could also mediate the relationship between the frequency of physical exercise and anxiety and perceived stress. To test our hypothesis, we recruited 574 volunteers who completed four online questionnaires assessing state anxiety, perceived stress, craves to move and to rest, and sociodemographic information (including weekly frequency of exercise) during the COVID-19 lockdown. We used a structural equation model, specifi cally a mediation analysis, which revealed a signifi cant mediating eff ect of craves to move and to rest between the frequency of physical exercise and anxiety and perceived stress levels. In other words, the weekly frequency of exercise was not directly associated with state anxiety, but rather through its eff ect on craves to move and to rest. Our results suggest that understanding the role of craves to move and to rest is crucial in comprehending the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety.Keywords: Motivation, anxiety, stress, exercise, COVID-19
Infodemia da Covid-19 em Dois Municípios do Sul do Brasil: Um Estudo Transversal de Base Populaciona
Authors: Silva Laura S. , Alexandrino Eduardo G. , Demenech Lauro M. , Schäfer Antônio Augusto , Meller Fernanda  O. , Dumith Samuel  C.
Published: July 2023

The objectives of this study were: to verify the prevalence of infodemics during the COVID-19 pandemic; and analyze associated behavioral and socioeconomic and demographic factors. Cross-sectional, population-based study carried out with a representative sample of two municipalities in southern Brazil. 2,170 individuals aged 18 years or over were interviewed from October 2020 to January 2021. Data collection was carried out in person at home using a questionnaire. The prevalence of infodemic was 22% (CI95%:18.8;25.3), having been signifi cantly higher among women, the elderly, individuals with less education and with the highest number of comorbidities.Staying at home longer, having had contact with someone infected and having lack of money to buy food were also associated with the infodemic. The excessive search for information happened through television, radio and social networks. Two out of every ten individuals were aff ected by the infodemic. Individuals who were more at home, poorer, with less years of education and with more comorbidities are more exposed to infodemics and it is noteworthy that offi cial health agencies were not the main source of information.Keywords: Infodemic, COVID-19, quarantine, mental health, epidemiology.
A Presença da Escola ao longo da Pandemia: Uma Revisão
Authors: Santos Rosemary Conceição , Campos Luis Antonio M. , Cardoso Francisco  S. , Silva Juliana A.
Published: July 2023

This work seeks to present how schools were contextualized and tolerated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America. To this end, it points out how the issue of the pandemic aff ected the school environment, as well as the exclusion regarding the admission of its reopening, going through the unveiling of the framework of social inequality in schools, aggravated by the need for confi nement, and the discussion of the spread of the virus of COVID-19 among children, exemplifying a similar concern presented by Norway, China, and Sweden. It also scores the consensus and guidance to students on school functions and virtual activities, the mental health of university students, the worsening of problems in children in home confi nement and adverse psychological outcomes on the impact of COVID-19 on the decision of “when” and “how” to reopen schools in the midst of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. It concludes by stating the occurrence of a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of students associated with the closure of schools and distance learning. However, it also shows that returning to school is an essential step in overcoming the eff ects of the pandemic on children’s development.Keywords: COVID-19, school, opening, closure, adaptation.
Minichromosome maintenance proteins in lung adenocarcinoma: Clinical significance and therapeutic targets
Authors: Tanigawa Kengo , Tomioka Yuya , Misono Shunsuke , Asai Shunichi , Kikkawa Naoko , Hagihara Yoko , Suetsugu Takayuki , Inoue Hiromasa , Mizuno Keiko , Seki Naohiko
Published: July 2023

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer‐related death worldwide, accounting for 1.8 million deaths annually. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data showed that all members of the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) family (hexamers involved in DNA replication: MCM2‐MCM7) were upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues. High expression of MCM4 (P = 0.0032), MCM5 (P = 0.0032), and MCM7 (P = 0.0110) significantly predicted 5‐year survival rates in patients with LUAD. Simurosertib (TAK‐931) significantly suppressed the proliferation of LUAD cells by inhibiting cell division cycle 7‐mediated MCM2 phosphorylation. This finding suggested that MCM2 might be a therapeutic target for LUAD. Moreover, analysis of the epigenetic regulation of MCM2 showed that miR‐139‐3p, miR‐378a‐5p, and miR‐2110 modulated MCM2 expression in LUAD cells. In patients with LUAD, understanding the role of these miRNAs may improve prognoses.
Adaptive cooperation control of wind power generation systems based on Hamilton system under limited input
Authors: Wu Zhongqiang , Hou Lincheng
Published: July 2023

Numerous wind turbines form large‐scale wind farms, which are complex nonlinear systems with uncertain parameters. The issue of maximum wind energy capture and coordinated control has always been a research hotspot. In this article, under the condition of limited input and uncertain parameters, the preset controller and the adaptive cooperation control are designed to realize the maximum wind energy capture for every wind turbine and the adaptive cooperation control of multiple wind turbines. The research gap lies in that the Hamilton model of wind power generation system is established with uncertain parameters, and the preset controller (method) is designed to capture the maximum wind energy. Under the hypothesis that the uncertain part can be expressed as a linear form about unknown parameter, and using the saturation function processing method in the diagonal matrix, an adaptive feedback controller with limited input is designed to realize the adaptive cooperation control of multiple wind turbines. The simulation results show that under the conditions such as variable wind speed, limited input and uncertain parameters, the wind turbine remain normal operation at the desired angular velocity. It can be concluded that not only the maximum wind energy capture is realized under the condition of variable wind speed, in which the wind turbine can operate on the optimal power curve to improve the utilization of wind energy, but also the adaptive cooperation control of multiple wind turbines can be achieved with limited input and parameter perturbation.
Impact of Interface Energetic Alignment and Mobile Ions on Charge Carrier Accumulation and Extraction in p‐i‐n Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Xu Weidong , Hart Lucy J. F. , Moss Benjamin , Caprioglio Pietro , Macdonald Thomas J. , Furlan Francesco , Panidi Julianna , Oliver Robert D. J. , Pacalaj Richard A. , Heeney Martin , Gasparini Nicola , Snaith Henry J. , Barnes Piers R. F. , Durrant James R.
Published: August 2023

Understanding the kinetic competition between charge extraction and recombination, and how this is impacted by mobile ions, remains a key challenge in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, this issue is addressed by combining operando photoluminescence (PL) measurements, which allow the measurement of real‐time PL spectra during current–voltage (J–V) scans under 1‐sun equivalent illumination, with the results of drift‐diffusion simulations. This operando PL analysis allows direct comparison between the internal performance (recombination currents and quasi‐Fermi‐level‐splitting (QFLS)) and the external performance (J–V) of a PSC during operation. Analyses of four PSCs with different electron transport materials (ETMs) quantify how a deeper ETM LUMO induces greater interfacial recombination, while a shallower LUMO impedes charge extraction. Furthermore, it is found that a low ETM mobility leads to charge accumulation in the perovskite under short‐circuit conditions. However, thisalone cannot explain the remarkably high short‐circuit QFLS of over 1 eV which is observed in all devices. Instead, drift‐diffusion simulations allow this effect to be assigned to the presence of mobile ions which screen the internal electric field at short‐circuit and lead to a reduction in the short‐circuit current density by over 2 mA cm−2 in the best device.
D‐type neuropeptide decorated AIEgen/RENP hybrid nanoprobes with light‐driven ROS generation ability for NIR‐II fluorescence imaging‐guided through‐skull photodynamic therapy of gliomas
Authors: He Xuelu , Luo Yuan , Li Yanying , Pan Yuanbo , Kwok Ryan T. K. , He Lulu , Duan Xiaolin , Zhang Pengfei , Wu Aiguo , Tang Ben Zhong , Li Juan
Published: August 2023

Glioma is one of the most common malignant tumors of the central nervous system, leading high mortality rates in human. Aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) photosensitizers‐based photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for least‐invasive treatment of glioma, which involves local irradiation of the tumor using an external near‐infrared (NIR) laser. Unfortunately, most AIE photosensitizers suffered from poorly penetration of the visible light excitation, bad spatiotemporal resolution in deep tissues and low efficient blood‐brain barrier (BBB) crossing ability, which greatly limited the clinical practice of AIE photosensitizers for especially deep‐seated brain tumor treatment. In this work, we developed a multifunctional NIR‐driven theranostic agent through hybrid of AIE photosensitizers TIND with rare‐earth doping nanoparticles (RENPs) NaGdF4:Nd/Yb/Tm with up/down dual‐mode conversion luminescence. The theranostic agent was further decorated with D‐type neuropeptide DNPY for crossing BBB and targeting glioma. Under the 808‐nm light irradiation, the down‐conversion NIR‐II luminescence could indicate the position glioma and the upconversion NIR‐I luminescence could trigger the AIE photosensitizers producing reactive oxygen species to inhibit orthotopic glioma tumor growth in situ. These results demonstrate that the integration of D‐type neuropeptide, AIE photosensitizers and RENPs could be promising candidates for in vivo NIR‐II fluorescence image‐guided through‐skull PDT treatments of brain tumors.
The global development of community psychology as reflected in the American Journal of Community Psychology
Authors: Perkins Douglas D. , Sonn Christopher C. , Lenzi Michela , Xu Qingwen , Carolissen Ronelle , Portillo Nelson , Serrano‐García Irma
Published: August 2023

This commentary presents a virtual special issue on the global growth of community psychology (CP), particularly, but not exclusively, as reflected in the American Journal of Community Psychology (AJCP). CP exists in at least 50 countries all over the world, in many of those for over 25 years. Yet, aside from several early Israeli articles, AJCP rarely published work from or about countries outside the US and Canada until the early 2000s, when the number of international articles began to rise sharply. The focus of CP developed differently in different continents. CP in Australia and New Zealand initially followed North America's emphasis on improving social service systems, but has since focused more on environmental and indigenous cultural and decolonial issues that are as salient in those countries as in North America, but have drawn much more attention. CP came later to most of Asia, where it also tended to follow the North American path, but starting in Japan, India, and Hong Kong and now in China and elsewhere, it is establishing its own way. The other two global hotspots for CP for over 40 years have been Europe and Latin America. The level and focus of CP in Europe varies in each country, with some focused on applied developmental psychology and/or community services and others advancing critical and liberation psychology. CP in Latin America evolved from social psychology, but like CP in Sub‐Saharan Africa, is also more explicitly political due to a history of political oppression, social activism, and the limitations of individualistic psychology to focus on social change, overcoming poverty, and interventions by (not just for) community members. Despite those differences, CP literature over the past 23 years suggests an increasingly common interest in social justice, multinational collaborations, and decoloniality. There is still a need for more truly (bidirectional) cross‐cultural, comparative work for mutual learning, sharing of ideas, methods, and intervention practices, and for CP to develop in countries and communities throughout the globe where it could have the greatest impact.
Blood and saliva‐derived ctDNA is a marker of residual disease after treatment and correlates with recurrence in human papillomavirus‐associated head and neck cancer
Authors: Ferrier Sarah Tadhg , Tsering Thupten , Sadeghi Nader , Zeitouni Anthony , Burnier Julia V.
Published: August 2023

Background

There is an alarming increase in human papillomavirus‐associated head and neck cancer (HNC), reaching epidemic levels. While patient prognosis is generally good, off‐target treatment effects are associated with decreased quality of life. Thus, non‐invasive strategies to predict treatment response and risk of recurrence could help de‐escalate treatment. In this study, we tested circulating tumor (ct)DNA in liquid biopsies (blood/saliva) of HPV‐positive HNC patients to assess treatment response and disease progression.

Methods

A total of 235 blood and saliva samples were collected from 60 HPV‐positive and 17 HPV‐negative HNC patients (control group) before and/or after treatment. Samples were analyzed using ddPCR for HPV16/18/31/33/35/45 and correlated with imaging and pathological examination.

Results

HPV‐ctDNA detection was significantly higher prior to treatment (91%) than after treatment (8.0%) (χ2 p < 0.00001), with high concordance between saliva and blood (93%). In matched samples, all patients positive for ctDNA before treatment showed significant reductions in ctDNA levels post treatment (p < 0.0001). All but one patient with persistent ctDNA after treatment showed residual tumor and subsequent recurrence. Finally, fragmentomic analysis revealed shifts in cell‐free DNA fragment size after treatment, suggesting a complementary biomarker for treatment response.

Conclusions

Blood and saliva were found to be good sources of HPV‐ctDNA. The presence of ctDNA strongly correlated with treatment response, demonstrating clinical utility as a non‐invasive biomarker to monitor tumor progression in HPV‐positive HNC. Liquid biopsy based ctDNA testing could be an effective approach to predict recurrence and stratify patients for de‐escalation of treatment, thereby improving quality of life.
Single‐cell third‐generation sequencing‐based multi‐omics uncovers gene expression changes governed by ecDNA and structural variants in cancer cells
Authors: Chang Lei , Deng Enze , Wang Jun , Zhou Wei , Ao Jian , Liu Rong , Su Dan , Fan Xiaoying
Published: July 2023

Background

Cancer cells often exhibit large‐scale genomic variations, such as circular extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) and structural variants (SVs), which have been highly correlated with the initiation and progression of cancer. Currently, no adequate method exists to unveil how these variations regulate gene expression in heterogeneous cancer cell populations at a single‐cell resolution.

Methods

Here, we developed a single‐cell multi‐omics sequencing method, scGTP‐seq, to analyse ecDNA and SVs using long‐read sequencing technologies.

Results and Conclusions

We demonstrated that our method can efficiently detect ecDNA and SVs and illustrated how these variations affect transcriptomic changes in various cell lines. Finally, we applied and validated this method in a clinical sample of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), demonstrating a feasible way to monitor the evolution of ecDNA and SVs during cancer progression.
Insights on Effect of Different Electrolytes on Electrochemical Performance of CoNi Nanoflower‐Based Supercapacitors
Authors: Choudhary Neha , Hussain Nissar , Mobin Shaikh M.
Published: July 2023

Bimetallic materials show superior properties over monometallic systems due to their synergistic effect. Herein, bimetallic CoNi nanoflowers are synthesized by a simple method and characterized via various characterization techniques such as powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, etc. PXRD results confirm the formation of face‐centered cubic CoNi nanoflowers and morphological studies confirm the flower‐like structure of CoNi. Bimetallic CoNi nanoflowers utilized for supercapacitor applications and the effect of electrolyte cations (K+, Na+, Li+) are studied. The results reveal that LiOH shows excellent capacitance of 729.52 F g−1 (66.83 mAh g−1) at 1 A g−1. The cyclic stability of CoNi nanoflower is estimated as ≈100% after 10 000 cycles which signifies the exceptional long‐term utility of the electrode for practical application. Further, the asymmetric device is fabricated which shows the capacitance of 66.61 F g−1 and the commercial light‐emitting diode (1.8 V) delivers high energy density and power density, that is, 18.13 Wh kg−1 at 699.84 W kg−1. The nanoflower exhibits battery–supercapacitor‐type behavior with rapid charge/discharge capability with a binder‐free and additive‐free approach.
An automated pipeline for obtaining labeled ICA‐templates corresponding to functional brain systems
Authors: Tahedl Marlene , Schwarzbach Jens V.
Published: July 2023

The complexity of our actions and thinking is likely reflected in functional brain networks. Independent component analysis (ICA) is a popular data‐driven method to compute group differences between such networks. A common way to investigate network differences is based on ICA maps which are generated from study‐specific samples. However, this approach limits the generalizability and reproducibility of the results. Alternatively, network ICA templates can be used, but up to date, few such templates exist and are limited in terms of the functional systems they cover. Here, we propose a simple two‐step procedure to obtain ICA‐templates corresponding to functional brain systems of the researcher's choice: In step 1, the functional system of interest needs to be defined by means of a statistical parameter map (input), which one can generate with open‐source software such as NeuroSynth or BrainMap. In step 2, that map is correlated to group‐ICA maps provided by the Human Connectome Project (HCP), which is based on a large sample size and uses high quality and standardized acquisition procedures. The HCP‐provided ICA‐map with the highest correlation to the input map is then used as an ICA template representing the functional system of interest, for example, for subsequent analyses such as dual regression. We provide a toolbox to complete step 2 of the suggested procedure and demonstrate the usage of our pipeline by producing an ICA templates that corresponds to “motor function” and nine additional brain functional systems resulting in an ICA maps with excellent alignment with the gray matter/white matter boundaries of the brain. Our toolbox generates data in two different file formats: volumetric‐based (NIFTI) and combined surface/volumetric files (CIFTI). Compared to 10 existing templates, our procedure output component maps with systematically stronger contribution of gray matter to the ICA z‐values compared to white matter voxels in 9/10 cases by at least a factor of 2. The toolbox allows users to investigate functional networks of interest, which will enhance interpretability, reproducibility, and standardization of research investigating functional brain networks.
Soil‐water response in a volcanic ash hillslope affected by fissures and microtopographic changes caused by the Kumamoto earthquake, in Japan
Authors: Arata Yohei , Gomi Takashi , Sidle Roy C. , Saito Hirotaka , Wang Gonghui
Published: August 2023

We examined soil‐water response in a hillslope with multi‐layered volcanic soils affected by fissures formed by intense shaking during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake in Japan. Pressure head and volumetric water content responses in a 6 × 20 m hillslope ridgeline plot were monitored by tensiometers and capacitance‐based soil moisture sensors, respectively. The plot contained seven seismic fissures (0.3–0.8 m deep and 0.4–2.2 m wide) formed parallel to the ridgeline that exposed underlying soil layers, while areas with topsoil occurred between the fissures. Among the alternating layers, the andisol (ca. 1.0 m deep) consistently experienced high pressure heads (>−150 cm H2O) and volumetric water contents (>0.58 cm3 cm−3), indicating high water‐holding capacity. This andisol was a key layer for storing soil water and causing slow drainage into the deeper matrix, resulting in abrupt increases in volumetric water content during storms. Rainwater directly reaching the bottom of fissures without percolating through the topsoil caused rapid soil‐water response compared to the soil layer where water percolated via topsoil. Analysis of in‐situ soil water retention curves, recession rates and water storage changes revealed that the second andisol had unique characteristics for retaining water in the hillslope. The findings of this study show that spatial and temporal variability of soil water responses varied associated with earthquake‐induced fissure formation and soil water characteristics of multi‐layered volcanic soils.
Stable isotopes and remote sensing techniques reveal changes in water surplus and loss in alpine inland river basins
Authors: Wang Zhigang , Cao Shengkui , Cao Guangchao , Hou Yaofang , Wang Youcai , Kang Ligang
Published: August 2023

Although the hydrological process of the alpine inland river basin has been extensively studied, the changes of water budget in the alpine inland river basin are still less revealed. Here, a new method combining stable isotopes and remote sensing technology is used to reveal the changes of water surplus and loss in the alpine inland river basin, and accurately identify the water storage areas (water production zone) and water evaporation areas (water consuming zone) during the hydrological changes of basin, providing new insights for the optimal management of water resources of basin. The results showed the monthly water volume showed a surplus state from May to September 2018 to 2019 in the Shaliu River basin. However, there was a serious water loss in the basin from July to September 2020. This is due to the low precipitation, strong evaporation, and high runoff during this period. In response to such significant changes of hydrological processes, the results indicated that there was significant spatial heterogeneity in the variation of water surplus and loss. Based on the hydrological change, we found that the eastern part of basin was water‐producing zone and the southern part of basin was water‐consuming zone. In addition, the upper reaches of the basin were mainly dominated by water storage. This indicated that the upper part of basin was an important water‐conserving area. The results can provide data support for the effective management and planning of water resources in alpine inland river basins.
Inclusive critical appraisal of qualitative and quantitative findings in evidence synthesis
Authors: Olaghere Ajima , Wilson David B. , Kimbrell Catherine
Published: August 2023

A diversity of approaches for critically appraising qualitative and quantitative evidence exist and emphasize different aspects. These approaches lack clear processes to facilitate rating the overall quality of the evidence for aggregated findings that combine qualitative and quantitative evidence. We draw on a meta‐aggregation of implementation and process evaluations to illustrate a method for critically appraising empirical findings generated from qualitative and quantitative studies. This method includes a rubric for standardizing assessments of the overall quality of evidence in an evidence synthesis or mixed‐method systematic review. The method first assesses the credibility of each finding extracted from a study. These individual assessments then feed into an overall score for any synthesized finding generated from the meta‐aggregation. We argue that this approach provides a balanced and inclusive method of critical appraisal by first assessing individual findings, rather than studies, using flexible criteria applicable to a range of primary study methods to derive an overall assessment of synthesized findings.
Accelerated respiratory‐resolved 4D‐MRI with separable spatio‐temporal neural networks
Authors: Terpstra Maarten L. , Maspero Matteo , Verhoeff Joost J. C. , van den Berg Cornelis A. T.
Published: August 2023

Background

Respiratory‐resolved four‐dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (4D‐MRI) provides essential motion information for accurate radiation treatments of mobile tumors. However, obtaining high‐quality 4D‐MRI suffers from long acquisition and reconstruction times.

Purpose

To develop a deep learning architecture to quickly acquire and reconstruct high‐quality 4D‐MRI, enabling accurate motion quantification for MRI‐guided radiotherapy (MRIgRT).

Methods

A small convolutional neural network called MODEST is proposed to reconstruct 4D‐MRI by performing a spatial and temporal decomposition, omitting the need for 4D convolutions to use all the spatio‐temporal information present in 4D‐MRI. This network is trained on undersampled 4D‐MRI after respiratory binning to reconstruct high‐quality 4D‐MRI obtained by compressed sensing reconstruction. The network is trained, validated, and tested on 4D‐MRI of 28 lung cancer patients acquired with a T1‐weighted golden‐angle radial stack‐of‐stars (GA‐SOS) sequence. The 4D‐MRI of 18, 5, and 5 patients were used for training, validation, and testing. Network performances are evaluated on image quality measured by the structural similarity index (SSIM) and motion consistency by comparing the position of the lung‐liver interface on undersampled 4D‐MRI before and after respiratory binning. The network is compared to conventional architectures such as a U‐Net, which has 30 times more trainable parameters.

Results

MODEST can reconstruct high‐quality 4D‐MRI with higher image quality than a U‐Net, despite a thirty‐fold reduction in trainable parameters. High‐quality 4D‐MRI can be obtained using MODEST in approximately 2.5 min, including acquisition, processing, and reconstruction.

Conclusion

High‐quality accelerated 4D‐MRI can be obtained using MODEST, which is particularly interesting for MRIgRT.
3D CEST MRI with an unevenly segmented RF irradiation scheme: A feasibility study in brain tumor imaging
Authors: Kim Hahnsung , Park Suhyung , Hu Ranliang , Hoang Kimberly B. , Sun Phillip Zhe
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To integrate 3D CEST EPI with an unevenly segmented RF irradiation module and preliminarily demonstrate it in the clinical setting.

Methods

A CEST MRI with unevenly segmented RF saturation was implemented, including a long primary RF saturation to induce the steady‐state CEST effect, maintained with repetitive short secondary RF irradiation between readouts. This configuration reduces relaxation‐induced blur artifacts during acquisition, allowing fast 3D spatial coverage. Numerical simulations were performed to select parameters such as flip angle (FA), short RF saturation duration (Ts2), and the number of readout segments. The sequence was validated experimentally with data from a phantom, healthy volunteers, and a brain tumor patient.

Results

Based on the numerical simulation and l‐carnosine gel phantom experiment, FA, Ts2, and the number of segments were set to 20°, 0.3 s, and the range from 4 to 8, respectively. The proposed method minimized signal modulation in the human brain images in the kz direction during the acquisition and provided the blur artifacts‐free CEST contrast over the whole volume. Additionally, the CEST contrast in the tumor tissue region is higher than in the contralateral normal tissue region.

Conclusions

It is feasible to implement a highly accelerated 3D EPI CEST imaging with unevenly segmented RF irradiation.
Associations of sarcopenic obesity vs either sarcopenia or obesity alone with cognitive impairment risk in patients requiring maintenance hemodialysis
Authors: Zhou Chaomin , Zhan Lin , He PignHong , Yuan Jing , Zha Yan
Published: August 2023

Background

The association between sarcopenic obesity (SO) and cognitive impairment (CI) risk in patients requiring maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) is not known. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of SO in MHD patients. Furthermore, we would explore and compare the associations between SO, sarcopenia, and obesity with CI risk in this population.

Methods

A multicenter, cross‐sectional study was conducted. Data from 2743 adult MHD patients were recorded. SO was defined as the co‐occurrence of sarcopenia and obesity. Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE). Multiple logistic regression models, stratified analyses, and interactive analyses were conducted.

Results

21.58% of the participants met the criteria for SO. The overall prevalence of CI was 23.3% in our study. Participants in the SO group had the highest CI prevalence (34.6%). The association between SO and CI was weakened but remained statistically significant after adjusting for age, sex, and educational status (odds ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.11–1.96). However, associations between sarcopenia, obesity, and CI disappeared after adjusting for these variables. The additional adjustment did not attenuate the significant association between SO and CI. Subgroup analyses and interactive analyses showed that the associations were similar across subgroups (P > 0.05 for interaction for all).

Conclusions

SO and CI are highly prevalent in MHD patients. Participants with SO are at significantly higher risk of CI than those with sarcopenia or obesity alone. Furthermore, this association is consistent across different subgroups.
Defining core outcomes of reproductive genetic carrier screening: A Delphi survey of Australian and New Zealand stakeholders
Authors: Richardson Ebony , McEwen Alison , Newton‐John Toby , Jacobs Chris
Published: August 2023

Objective

Understanding the value, benefits and harms of health interventions is needed to inform best practice and ensure responsible implementation of new approaches to patient care. Such value is demonstrated through the assessment of outcomes; however, which outcomes are assessed is often highly varied across studies and can hinder the ability to draw robust conclusions. The Core Outcome Development for Carrier Screening study aims to understand the outcomes that can meaningfully capture the value of reproductive genetic carrier screening (RGCS).

Method

The authors report an iterative, two‐round online Delphi survey of Australian and New Zealand stakeholders to determine the degree of consensus regarding the core outcomes of RGCS. Panellists ranked 83 outcomes according to their perceived importance on a nine‐point Likert scale. Using the distribution of rankings, outcomes were grouped into tiers representative of their perceived level of importance and agreement between groups.

Results

The top tier outcomes represent those agreed to be critically important for all future studies of RGCS to assess and were used to define a preliminary core outcome set encompassing the domains (1) primary laboratory outcomes, (2) pregnancy outcomes, (3) resource use and, (4) perceived utility of RGCS.

Conclusion

These findings can guide the selection of meaningful outcomes in studies aiming to demonstrate the value of RGCS. A future international consensus process will expand on these findings and guide the inclusion of diverse perspectives across the range of settings in which RGCS is offered.
Microplasma Illumination Enhancement in N+P‐Co‐Ion‐Implanted Nanocrystalline Diamond Films
Authors: Sethy Salila Kumar , Sankaran Kamatchi Jothiramalingam , Gupta Prasanth , Thomas Joseph Palathinkal , Dash Ajit , Kennedy John V. , Leung Kam Tong , Haenen Ken
Published: July 2023

N‐ and P‐co‐ion implantation enhances the electrical conductivity of nanocrystalline diamond films to 6.9 s cm−1 and improves the microplasma illumination (MI) characteristics of the films to a low breakdown voltage of 340 V, large plasma current density of 6.3 mA cm−2 (@510 V) with plasma life‐time stability of 10 h. N ions induce nanographitic phases in the films and P ions lower the resistance at the diamond‐to‐Si interface together promoting the conducting channels for effective electron transport, consequently attaining the improved MI properties of the films.
Investigating the Effects of Sulfur Treatment on Material Characteristics and Resistance Switching Device Applications with Supercritical Fluid Technique
Authors: Huang Jen-Wei , Chen Po-Hsun , Yeh Tsung-Han , Yang Chih-Cheng
Published: July 2023

A sulfur treatment based on the supercritical fluid (SCF) treatment is proposed and its effect on the silver (Ag)‐doped material and device is investigated. The sulfur treatment is achieved by mixing sulfur powder with carbon dioxide (CO2) in a reaction chamber under high pressure (3000 psi) at low reacting temperature (120 °C). Based on the experimental results, the SCF sulfur treatment can dramatically change the Ag‐doped SiO2 (Ag:SiO2) thin‐film characteristics, including surface morphology, crystallization, chemical bonding, and mole elements in accordance with the analyses of various materials. In addition, the SCF sulfur treatment is also applied to the Ag:SiO2‐based device to verify the resistance switching (RS) properties. Based on electrical measurement results, the device with the SCF sulfur treatment exhibits better performance. The graduate RS behaviors also exhibit multilevel switching in both set and reset processes, which proves its possible applications of the proposed SCF sulfur treatment. In addition, the current fitting method is used to verify the RS properties to illustrate the carrier transportation characteristics of the Ag:SiO2‐based device with the SCF sulfur treatment.
Crystal Structure, Magnetic, and Dielectric Properties of (x)CoFe2O4–(1−x)Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 Multiferroics
Authors: Shukla Anant , Mallick Jyotirekha , Kumari Suman , Manglam Murli Kumar , Biswas Piyali , Kar Manoranjan
Published: July 2023

The composites (x)CoFe2O4–(1−x)Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 are prepared by solid‐state reaction method using microwave double‐step sintering. Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 crystallizes to tetragonal crystal symmetry with P4mm space group and CoFe2O4 crystallizes to cubic crystal symmetry with space group. Electron microscopy techniques are used to understand the microstructure, elemental composition, and morphology of the composites. The dielectric properties are measured in the 1 Hz–1 MHz frequency range and 40–400 °C temperature range. Composite with x = 0.1 (ε′ ≈ 170, tan δ = 0.08 at 1 kHz) and 0.2 (ε′ ≈ 390, tan δ = 0.07 at 1 kHz) has better dielectric properties than the parent Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 ferroelectric (ε′ ≈ 125, tan δ = 0.16 at 1 kHz) and CoFe2O4 ferrimagnetic phases (ε′ ≈ 375, tan δ = 0.72 at 1 kHz), respectively. Composite with 10% cobalt ferrite has the highest saturation polarization (2.1 μC cm−2), the highest remanent polarization (0.9 μC cm−2), and coercive field (23.9 kV cm−1) compared to ferroelectric phase followed by x = 0.2 composite (PS = 1.6 μC cm−2, Pr = 0.8 μC cm−2, and EC = 19.2 kV cm−1). Composite with x = 0.2 shows the highest magnetic coercive field of 1.96 kOe. Hence, this article advocates that 20% ferrite in the composites is the optimized composition for multiferroic applications. The present study will help to explore piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, and magnetoelectric properties of (x)CoFe2O4–(1−x)Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 for the technological application.
Al Incorporation up to 99% in Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition‐Grown Monoclinic (AlxGa1–x)2O3 Films Using Trimethylgallium
Authors: Bhuiyan A F M Anhar Uddin , Meng Lingyu , Huang Hsien-Lien , Chae Christopher , Hwang Jinwoo , Zhao Hongping
Published: July 2023

Growths of monoclinic (AlxGa1−x)2O3 thin films up to 99% Al contents are demonstrated via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using trimethylgallium (TMGa) as the Ga precursor. The utilization of TMGa, rather than triethylgallium, enables a significant improvement of the growth rates (>2.5 μm h−1) of β‐(AlxGa1−x)2O3 thin films on (010), (100), and (01) β‐Ga2O3 substrates. By systematically tuning the precursor molar flow rates, growth of coherently strained phase pure β‐(AlxGa1−x)2O3 films is demonstrated by comprehensive material characterizations via high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic‐resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging. Monoclinic (AlxGa1−x)2O3 films with Al contents up to 99, 29, and 16% are achieved on (100), (010), and (01) β‐Ga2O3 substrates, respectively. Beyond 29% of Al incorporation, the (010) (AlxGa1−x)2O3 films exhibit β‐ to γ‐phase segregation. β‐(AlxGa1−x)2O3 films grown on (01) β‐Ga2O3 show local segregation of Al along (100) plane. Record‐high Al incorporations up to 99% in monoclinic (AlxGa1−x)2O3 grown on (100) Ga2O3 are confirmed from XRD, STEM, electron nanodiffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. These results indicate great promises of MOCVD development of β‐(AlxGa1−x)2O3 films and heterostructures with high Al content and growth rates using TMGa for next‐generation high‐power and high‐frequency electronic devices.
The Effect of Alkyl Chain Length in Organic Semiconductor and Surface Polarity of Polymer Dielectrics in Organic Thin‐Film Transistors (OTFTs)
Authors: Choi Junhwan , Kim Min Ju , Kim Joo‐Young , Lee Eun Kyung , Lee Changhyeon , Park Youngkeun , Kang Juyeon , Park Jeong‐Il , Cho Byung Jin , Im Sung Gap
Published: August 2023

The interface between dielectric and organic semiconductor is critically important in determining organic thin‐film transistor (OTFT) performance. Surface polarity of the dielectric layer can hinder charge transport characteristics, which has restricted utilization of polymeric dielectric materials containing polar functional groups. Herein, the electrical characteristics of OTFTs are analyzed depending on the alkyl chain length of organic semiconductors and surface polarity of polymer dielectrics. High‐performance dibenzothiopheno[6,5‑b:6′,5′‑f]thieno[3,2‑b]thiophene (DBTTT) and newly synthesized its alkylated derivatives (C6‐DBTTT and C10‐DBTTT) are utilized as organic semiconductors. As dielectric layers, non‐polar poly(1,3,5‐trimethyl‐1,3,5‐trivinylcyclitrisiloxane) (pV3D3) and poly(2‐cyanoethyl acrylate‐co‐diethylene glycol divinyl ether) [p(CEA‐co‐DEGDVE)] with polar cyanide functionality are utilized. The fabricated OTFTs with pV3D3 commonly exhibit the excellent charge transport characteristics. In addition, the OTFT performance is improved with lengthening the alkyl chain in organic semiconductors, which can be attributed to the molecular orientation of semiconductors. On the other hand, non‐alkylated DBTTT OTFTs with polar p(CEA‐co‐DEGDVE) show relatively poor electrical characteristics, while their performance is drastically enhanced with the alkylated DBTTTs. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) reveals that surface polarity of the dielectric layer can be abated with alkyl chain in organic semiconductors. It is believed that this study can provide a useful insight to optimize dielectric/semiconductor interface to achieve high‐performance OTFTs.
Advances in Photocatalytic Disinfection: Performances and Mechanisms
Authors: Ge Lifa , Wang Wei , Tan Fatang , Wang Xinyun , Qiao Xueliang , Wong Po Keung
Published: July 2023

Photocatalytic technology is a sustainable, efficient, and eco‐friendly advanced oxidation process for addressing the hazards of microorganisms (bacteria and viruses). In this article, the latest results in the studies on the use of semiconductor photocatalysts to remove microorganisms and their related genes (DNA and RNA) from the environment, including operating conditions and removal efficiency, are summarized. The photocatalytic‐disinfection mechanism is described in detail, related to solar (especially ultraviolet light) disinfection, physical damage by sharp edges of photocatalysts, and various reactive oxygen species generated during photocatalytic processes. Also, the difficulties and challenges of photocatalytic disinfection in practical applications are discussed. With the further development of photocatalysis technology, sunlight‐driven and even indoor‐light‐driven photocatalysts will have a more promising application in environmental disinfection involving water, air, and object surfaces.
Introduction
Authors: Celeste Edoardo , Palladino Nicola , Redeker Dennis , Yilma Kinfe
Published: July 2023

One of the main issues of global social media governance relates to the definition of the rules governing online content moderation worldwide. One could think that it would be sufficient for online platforms to refer to existing international human rights standards. However, a more careful analysis shows that international law provides exclusively general principles and that a single human rights standard does not exist. Since their inception, major social media platforms have set their own rules; yet this normative autonomy too has raised serious concerns. The current situation exposes a dilemma for online content governance that seriously affects the operations of social media companies and impacts on the exercise of fundamental rights by users as well as digital policy strategies.