bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The morphology of fluvial‐tidal dunes: Lower Columbia River, Oregon/Washington, USA
Authors: Prokocki Eric W. , Best James L. , Perillo Maurico M. , Ashworth Philip J. , Parsons Daniel R. , Sambrook Smith Gregory H. , Nicholas Andrew P. , Simpson Christopher J.
Published: March 2022

This article quantifies changes in primary dune morphology of the mesotidal Lower Columbia River (LCR), USA, through ~90 river kilometres of its fluvial‐tidal transition at low‐river stage. Measurements were derived from a multibeam echo sounder dataset that captured bedform dimensions within the thalweg (≥ 9 m depth; ≥ 0.7) of the LCR main channel. Measurements revealed two categories of dunes: (i) fine to medium sand ‘fluvial‐tidal to tidal’ (upstream‐oriented, simple, and two‐dimensional) low‐angle dunes (heights ≈ 0.3–0.8 m; wavelengths ≈ 10–25 m; mean lee‐angles ≈ 7°–11°), and (ii) medium to coarse sand ‘fluvial’ (downstream‐oriented, compound, and 2.5‐dimensional to three‐dimensional) low‐angle dunes (heights ≈ 1.5–3 m; wavelengths ≈ 60–110 m; mean lee‐angles ≈ 11°–18°). At low‐river stage, where ≥ 0.7, approximately 86% of the fluvial‐tidal transition is populated by ‘fluvial’ dunes, whilst ~ 14% possesses ‘fluvial‐tidal to tidal’ dunes that form in the downstream‐most reaches. Thus, throughout the majority of the deepest channel segments of the fluvial‐tidal transition, seaward‐oriented river and ebb‐tidal currents govern dune morphology, whilst strong bidirectional tidal‐current influence is restricted to the downstream most reaches of the transition zone. Two mechanisms are reasoned to explain dune low‐angle character: (1) high‐suspended sediment transport near peak tidal‐currents that lowers the leeside‐angles of ‘fluvial‐tidal to tidal’ dunes, and (2) superimposed bedforms that erode the crests, leesides, and stoss‐sides, of ‘fluvial’ dunes, which results in the reduction of leeside‐angles. Fluctuations in river discharge create a ‘dynamic morphology reach’ at depths where ≥ 0.7, which spans river kilometres 12–40 and displays the greatest variation in dune morphology. Similar channel reaches likely exist in fluvial‐tidal transitions with analogous physical characteristics as the LCR and may provide a distinct signature for the fluvial‐tidal transition zone.
High mobility transmission system under intelligent reflecting surface
Authors: Faragallah Osama S. , El‐Sayed Hala S. , El‐Mashed Mohamed G.
Published: March 2022

In wireless communication system with a high mobility scenario, there is a challenge to obtain fast data transmission service with proper stability. Also, it is difficult to obtain perfect channel state information in the high mobility case without large online computation. Intelligent surface has great potential to cost‐effectively enhance the system performance in next generation technology and beyond. In this paper, a railway communication system with the help of intelligent surface technology is proposed for high mobility scenario. We propose an applicable beamforming scheme with the help of mobile station location information for intelligent surface‐aided communication system under high mobility. In our proposed system, the beams from the intelligent surface are chosen based on the mobile stations locations, where the weights of the beams are optimized for maximum total service of base station. Also, we formulate the optimization problem and propose an alternating iterative technique as a solution. The weights and phase matrix of the beams are optimized to maximize the mobile service. An intelligent surface with beam selection scheme is also proposed. Results demonstrate the significant mobile service enhancement introduced by the intelligent surface in railway communication system and show the effectiveness of our proposed scheme. It can reduce the handover region and can save time for data transmission.
Effects of climate variability and anthropogenic factors on sediment load reduction in the Weihe River basin, China
Authors: Hu Jinfei , Li Pengfei , Zhao Guangju , Mu Xingmin , Hörmann Georg , Gao Peng , Sun Wenyi , Zhang Limei
Published: March 2022

Sediment load of China's Yellow River has dramatically decreased due to the interplay of climate variability and human activities in the past decades. However, the contribution of individual driving factors and the detailed spatial distribution of sediment load at a catchment scale were not well understood. In the study, we quantitatively assessed the relative contributions of individual climatic (i.e. precipitation) and anthropogenic (i.e. vegetation restoration, terrace construction) driving factors to sediment load variations in the largest tributary of the Yellow River, Weihe River. The employed annual sediment load measurements and rainfall data for 1961–2015 were collected at 15 hydrological and 60 meteorological stations that were widely distributed in the basin. Changing trends, periodicity, and abrupt changes of hydro‐climatic variables were detected using the non‐parametric Mann–Kendall test, the empirical mode decomposition method, and Pettitt's test. Results showed that annual sediment load presented significantly decreasing trends at 12 hydrological stations. Annual rainfall erosivity showed a mixed tendency, with the changing trends varying among different regions. A 3‐year periodicity was identified in the annual sediment load at three main stream gauging stations. Abrupt changing points in sediment load primarily occurred in the 1990s and early 2000s at all of the 15 hydrological stations, which were largely attributed to human activities. The increase in vegetation cover was responsible for approximately 40.6%, 37.4%, and 54.7% of the sediment load reduction in the main stream of the Weihe River, the Jinghe River, and the Beiluohe River, respectively. Meanwhile, terrace construction accounted for 19.7%, 43.8%, and 9.9% of the sediment variation, respectively. Conversely, precipitation change accounted for 5.7%, 12.4%, and 8.3% of sediment load reduction, respectively. Overall, vegetation restoration and terrace construction were found to be the two dominating factors for sediment load reduction in the study area.
Understanding event runoff coefficient variability across Australia using the hydroEvents R package
Authors: Wasko Conrad , Guo Danlu
Published: March 2022

Identification and pairing of hydrologic events form the basis of various analyses, from identifying events for the calibration of hydrologic models, to calculation of event runoff coefficients for catchment characterization. Despite this, there is no unified approach for identifying hydrologic events. Here, using the R package, hydroEvents (https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=hydroEvents), we compare multiple methods of extracting and pairing hydrologic events focussing on the relationship between rainfall and runoff. We find the four common analytical approaches used to identify runoff events—based on either event threshold, local maxima/minima, or proportion of baseflow contribution, give similar results. However, when rainfall events are paired to runoff, the type of algorithm and the direction of pairing (either from rainfall to runoff, or runoff to rainfall) make a considerable difference to the final event pairs identified and resulting analyses. Here, we demonstrate the value of automated event extraction and pairing algorithms for large‐sample hydrology analysis by calculating event runoff coefficients across Australia. Our results show that climatology is a key driver of catchment rainfall‐runoff response with much of Australia dominated by excess rainfall runoff generation. However, our results also show that the variability due to pairing method can introduce a variability equal to that of the climatology due to biasing the runoff mechanism within the sample. With this analysis we demonstrate the importance of systematic and consistent approaches to hydrologic characterization when identifying and pairing hydrological events.
Unbundling institutional determinants of innovation
Authors: Chen Qing (Larry) , Lovelace Kelley Bergsma
Published: March 2022

Why are some nations wealthy, while others remain mired in poverty? Prior literature suggests technological innovation and strong institutions are uniquely conducive to long‐term economic growth. Property rights institutions (PRIs) afford protection from expropriation by the government and political elites, while contracting institutions (CIs) allow private parties to conduct commercial transactions. In this study, we systematically examine the relative effects of PRIs and CIs on innovation. Using an instrumental variable (IV) approach and two‐stage least squares regression framework, our results suggest that PRIs have a strong positive effect on innovation, while CIs do not. Constraint on executive, protection from expropriation of the government, and protection of private property are proxies for PRIs, while legal formalism, procedural complexity, and number of procedures are proxies for CIs. We find strong empirical evidence that PRIs have statistically significant effects both on innovation intensity and time lag in innovation adoption, while the impacts of CIs on these measures of innovation are generally insignificant. Our findings are relevant to policymakers today as developing countries look to innovation to reignite their economies and avoid the middle‐income trap.
Complete remission of renal cell carcinoma with lung carcinomatous lymphangiosis after primary therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors followed by partial nephrectomy for surgical consolidation
Authors: Kambe Takanari , Yamasaki Toshinari , Mine Yuta , Hagimoto Hiroki , Kokubun Hidetoshi , Kubota Masashi , Tsutsumi Naofumi , Inoue Koji , Hara Shigeo , Kawakita Mutsushi
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Cytoreductive nephrectomy has been used in combination with systemic therapy for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, although its efficacy in the era of immune checkpoint inhibitors remains controversial.

Case presentation

A 57‐year‐old woman was diagnosed with left renal cell carcinoma and lung carcinomatous lymphangiosis (cT3aN0M1). After receiving combined immunotherapy, she achieved complete response for the lung metastases and partial response for the primary tumor. After five months of systemic therapy, she underwent partial nephrectomy to remove the primary tumor, followed by eight courses of nivolumab monotherapy. One year postoperatively, she remained recurrence‐free.

Conclusion

Cytoreductive partial nephrectomy for surgical consolidation may be a treatment option for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Complete response to pembrolizumab for metastatic urothelial carcinoma in the renal pelvis of allograft kidney
Authors: Kamei Jun , Yokoyama Hirotaka , Niki Toshiro , Suda Ryosuke , Sugihara Toru , Fujisaki Akira , Ando Satoshi , Iwami Daiki , Fujimura Tetsuya
Published: March 2022

Introduction

We present a case of urothelial carcinoma in a renal allograft successfully treated with pembrolizumab.

Case presentation

A 39‐year‐old woman presented with nausea and anorexia 9 years after a renal transplantation. Positron emission tomography revealed a neoplasm of the renal pelvis of the allograft and multiple lymph nodes with peritoneal metastasis. A diagnosis of a non‐muscle‐invasive bladder tumor with peritoneal dissemination and jejunal metastasis of urothelial carcinoma was made. After five cycles of gemcitabine and carboplatin, the tumor progressed and pembrolizumab was administered. One week after the first dose, the allograft was rejected, necessitating arterial embolization. After the second cycle, the patient developed Stevens‐Johnson syndrome. After discontinuing pembrolizumab, positron emission tomography revealed no increased tumor activity. A complete response was achieved for 21 months without additional treatment.

Conclusion

Pembrolizumab was effective in treating urothelial carcinoma of the renal allograft; however, allograft rejection and loss should be considered.
Assessing effective pasture root depth for irrigation scheduling by water balance and soil moisture monitoring
Authors: KC Birendra , Schultz Bart , Mohssen Magdy , Chau Henry Wai , Pandey Vishnu Prasad , Prasad Krishna , Anthony Patricia
Published: March 2022

The ‘effective’ root depth of perennial ryegrass used for irrigation scheduling has substantial implications when estimating irrigation requirements. This study included field measurements of 20 percolation lysimeters with diameters and heights of 500 and 900 mm, respectively, installed on the Lincoln University Dairy Farm, Christchurch, New Zealand, to estimate actual evapotranspiration (ETa) based on water balance analysis for three soil depths: 500, 600 and 700 mm. Reference evapotranspiration (ETr) was estimated based on the CropWat 8 model. Perennial ryegrass height (h cm) was measured for each lysimeter. Among the three soil depths, 500 mm produced the highest regression coefficient for the crop coefficient (Kc = ETa/ETr) and h relationship. The results indicate the need to consider a 500 mm root depth to estimate irrigation requirements on this farm to achieve optimal water productivity. A noticeable fluctuation in daily soil water content for the top 500 mm soil profile, measured in time domain reflectometry probes and with an Aquaflex soil moisture sensor, also reinforces the earlier statement.
The relationship between acoustic and musical pitch processing in adolescents
Authors: Zendel Benjamin Rich , Demirkaplan Özgen , Mignault‐Goulet Geneviève , Peretz Isabelle
Published: March 2022

Amusia is defined as a difficulty processing the tonal pitch structure of music such that an individual cannot tell the difference between notes that are in‐key and out‐of‐key. A fine‐grained pitch discrimination deficit is often observed in people with amusia. It is possible that an intervention, early in development, could mitigate amusia; however, one challenge identifying amusia early in development is that identifying in‐ and out‐of‐key notes is a metacognitive task. Given the common co‐occurrence of difficulties with pitch discrimination, it would be easier to identify amusia in developing children by using a pitch change detection task. The goal of this study was to explore the behavioural and neurophysiological profiles of adolescents with poor pitch processing (Poor PP) abilities compared with those with normal pitch processing (Normal PP) abilities. Neurophysiologically, the Poor PPs exhibited a similar event‐related potential (ERP) profile to adult amusics during both acoustic and musical pitch discrimination tasks. That is, early ERPs (ERAN, MMN) were similar in Poor PPs compared with Normal PPs, whereas late positivities (P300, P600) were absent in Poor PPs, but present in Normal PPs. At the same time, behavioural data revealed a double dissociation between the abilities to detect a pitch deviant in acoustic and musical context, suggesting that about a third of the children would be missed by selecting a fine‐grained acoustic pitch discrimination task to identify the presence of amusia in early childhood.
Prenatal diagnosis of Walker–Warburg syndrome due to compound mutations in the B3GALNT2 gene
Authors: Wang Peng , Jin Pengzhen , Zhu Linyan , Chen Min , Qian Yeqing , Zeng Wenshan , Wang Miaomiao , Xu Yuqing , Xu Yanfei , Dong Minyue
Published: March 2022

Background

Congenital hydrocephalus is one of the symptoms of Walker–Warburg syndrome that is attributed to the disruptions of the genes, among which the B3GALNT2 gene is rarely reported. A diagnosis of the Walker–Warburg syndrome depends on the clinical manifestations and the whole‐exome sequencing after birth, which is unfavorable for an early diagnosis.

Methods

Walker–Warburg Syndrome was suspected in two families with severe fetal congenital hydrocephalus. Whole‐exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing were performed on the affected fetuses.

Results

The compound heterozygous variants c.1A>G p.(Met1Val) and c.1151+1G>A, and c.1068dupT p.(D357*) and c.1052 T>A p.(L351*) in the B3GALNT2 gene were identified, which were predicted to be pathogenic and likely pathogenic, respectively. Walker–Warburg syndrome was prenatally diagnosed on the basis of fetal imaging and whole‐exome sequencing.

Conclusions

Our findings expand the spectrum of pathogenic mutations in Walker–Warburg syndrome and provide new insights into the prenatal diagnosis of the disease.
The different predictive effects of the intensity and proportion of CD20 expression on the prognosis of B‐lineage acute lymphocyte leukemia
Authors: Tian Yun , Wang Xiaojiao , Ai Hao , Lyu Xiaodong , Wang Qian , Wei Xudong , Song Yongping , Yin Qingsong
Published: March 2022

The prognostic effects of the CD20 positivity have been studied extensively in B‐lineage acute lymphocyte leukemia (B‐ALL) patients, but the results remain controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the different predictive effects of the intensity and proportion of CD20 expression on the prognosis for B‐ALL patients by retrospective analysis. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) and percentage of CD20 on B‐ALL cells from 206 patients with B‐ALL were dynamically measured by flow cytometry, and their optimal cut‐off values were determined using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Changes in MFI and percentage of CD20 at various time points and their relationship with prognosis were analyzed. We found that a low baseline CD20 MFI or high CD20 proportion was significantly associated with shorter 5‐year overall survival and progression‐free survival, and the combination of these two factors could more accurately predict worse survival for B‐ALL patients. Furthermore, low CD20 MFI or a high CD20 proportion had different predictive effects for ALL patients with different clinical characteristics and could serve as an independent risk factor for adverse prognosis. There were significant decreases in both the intensity and proportion of CD20 after recurrence in the absence of rituximab treatment, particularly with CD20 intensity. Notably, the decrease of CD20 intensity after recurrence indicated a more shortened survival time. Finally, we conclude that a low intensity or high proportion of CD20 expression may be used as an indicator for inferior prognosis for B‐ALL patients. CD20 intensity is more likely to be a more universal biomarker for worse prognosis.
Impact of Temporal Resolution and Methods for Correction on Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Perfusion Quantification
Authors: Milidonis Xenios , Nazir Muhummad Sohaib , Chiribiri Amedeo
Published: March 2022

Background

Acquisition of magnetic resonance first‐pass perfusion images is synchronized to the patient's heart rate (HR) and governs the temporal resolution. This is inherently linked to the process of myocardial blood flow (MBF) quantification and impacts MBF accuracy but to an unclear extent.

Purpose

To assess the impact of temporal resolution on quantitative perfusion and compare approaches for accounting for its variability.

Study Type

Prospective phantom and retrospective clinical study.

Population and Phantom

Simulations, a cardiac perfusion phantom, and 30 patients with (16, 53%) or without (14, 47%) coronary artery disease.

Field Strength/Sequence

3.0 T/2D saturation recovery spoiled gradient echo sequence.

Assessment

Dynamic perfusion data were simulated for a range of reference MBF (1 mL/g/min–5 mL/g/min) and HR (30 bpm–150 bpm). Perfusion imaging was performed in patients and a phantom for different temporal resolutions. MBF and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) were quantified without correction for temporal resolution or following correction by either MBF scaling based on the sampling interval or data interpolation prior to quantification. Simulated data were quantified using Fermi deconvolution, truncated singular value decomposition, and one‐compartment modeling, whereas phantom and clinical data were quantified using Fermi deconvolution alone.

Statistical Tests

Shapiro–Wilk tests for normality, percentage error (PE) for measuring MBF accuracy in simulations, and one‐way repeated measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction to compare clinical MBF and MPR. Statistical significance set at P < 0.05.

Results

For Fermi deconvolution and an example simulated 1 mL/g/min, the MBF PE without correction for temporal resolution was between 55.4% and −62.7% across 30–150 bpm. PE was between −22.2% and −6.8% following MBF scaling and between −14.2% and −14.2% following data interpolation across the same HR. An interpolated HR of 240 bpm reduced PE to ≤10%. Clinical rest and stress MBF and MPR were significantly different between analyses.

Data Conclusion

Accurate perfusion quantification needs to account for the variability of temporal resolution, with data interpolation prior to quantification reducing MBF variability across different resolutions.

Level of Evidence

3

Technical Efficacy Stage

1
Customer courtesy and service performance: The roles of self‐efficacy and social context
Authors: Yoon David J. , Muir (Zapata) Cindy P. , Yoon Mahn Hee , Kim Eugene
Published: March 2022

While the impact of negative customer treatment on service employees and their organizations is often emphasized in both scholarship and the popular press, relatively little work has examined the effects of customer courtesy. We draw on the social cognitive theory to theorize that customer courtesy can enhance service performance via its positive effect on employee self‐efficacy. Although getting customers to display courtesy may be outside an organization's direct control, we reason that management can amplify these benefits by establishing a strong organizational support climate. To examine our predictions, we developed a customer courtesy scale, then deployed it among service employees in the United States (Study 1) and hotel employees and their supervisors in East Asia (Study 2). We also collected experimental data (Study 3) to test our causal model. Across our studies, our data support the benefits of customer courtesy on employee self‐efficacy and, by extension, employee service performance. Moreover, our data reveal that when organizational support climate increases, the effect of customer courtesy on self‐efficacy and thus, service performance increases. Although it may be the case that bad is sometimes stronger than good, our work highlights the importance of positive workplace interactions (e.g., customer courtesy) on valued employee outcomes.
Characteristics and structure of a soy protein isolate–lutein nanocomplex produced via high‐pressure homogenization
Authors: Yang Haodong , Li Lijia , Xie Changyuan , He Mingyu , Guo Zengwang , Zhao Shijie , Teng Fei , Li Yang
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

In recent years, nanocarriers for transporting active substances have attracted attention. This study was to explore the soy protein isolate (SPI) after high‐pressure homogenization (HPH) (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 MPa) as potential lutein carriers.

RESULTS

The load amount (LA) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the SPI–lutein nanocomplexes at a homogenization pressure of 60 MPa were the highest (2.32 mg mL−1 and 92.85%, respectively), and the average particle size and ζ‐potential of the SPI–lutein nanocomplexes were 192.1 nm and −30.06 mV, respectively. The DPPH (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) and hydroxyl‐antioxidant activities of the complex increased from 12.4% and 23.3% to 52.7% and 61.07%, respectively, after the protein was treated with HPH. The surface hydrophobicity of the SPI and the SPI–lutein nanocomplexes increased with increasing homogenization pressure treatment. Fourier transform‐infrared spectrophotometry analyses suggested that the homogenization treatments resulted in partial unfolding of the protein molecules, and the addition of lutein can also lead to the change of protein secondary structure. The fluorescence emission of SPI was quenched by lutein through the static quenching mechanism. Fluorescence experiments revealed that SPI and lutein had the strongest binding ability through hydrophobic interaction at a homogenization pressure of 60 MPa.

CONCLUSION

After HPH, the combination of SPI and lutein was beneficial, and the stability of lutein also improved after the combination. This study is conducive to expanding the application of soybean protein in the food industry. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Shifts in the intestinal microflora of meat rabbits in response to glucocorticoids
Authors: Liu Hongli , Zhang Bin , Li Fan , Liu Lei , Li Fuchang
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

As major stress hormones, glucocorticoids can directly or indirectly affect the intestinal microflora, although few studies have focused on changes in the composition of the intestinal microflora. In this study, rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: gavage administration with saline, and the same doses of dexamethasone (1 mg kg−1). After 7 days, the microbial diversity of the jejunum contents was analysed.

RESULTS

The gut microflora richness and diversity had no significant difference between the two groups. The proportions of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant in the jejunum of meat rabbits. Dexamethasone injection led to a change in the structure of the gut microflora composition, and we found that there were six biomarkers with linear discriminant analysis score >4 (Firmicutes, Caproiciproducens, Clostridiales, Clostridia, Psychrobacter, and Psychrobacter faecalis), moreover, the results of this study provide new insight into alleviating the effects of stress on meat rabbits.

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that glucocorticoids caused changes in the composition of intestinal microflora. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Maize ear growth is stimulated at the fourth day after pollination by cell wall remodeling and changes in lipid and hormone signaling
Authors: Du Kang , Zhao Wenqing , Mao Yu , Lv Zhiwei , Khattak Wajid Ali , Ali Saif , Zhou Zhiguo , Wang Youhua
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Stimulating maize ear development is an effective way of improving yield. However, limited information is available regarding the regulation of sink strength change from weak to strong at the same position of maize plants. Here, a novel method for stimulating development combined with physiological assays and proteomics was applied to explore the regulation of ear strengthened development.

RESULTS

By blocking pollination of the upper ear of maize hybrid Suyu 41, the adjacent lower ear was dramatically stimulated at 4 days after pollination (DAP). Tandem mass tag (TMT)‐based proteomics identified 173 differentially expressed proteins (fold change >1.2 or <0.83, P < 0.05) from 7793 total proteins. Gene ontology annotations indicated that several pathways showed noticeable changes, with a preferential distribution to cell wall remodeling, hormone signals and lipid metabolism in the stimulated kernels. Cell wall remodeling was highly mediated by chitinase, exhydrolase II and xyloglucan enotransglucosylase/hydrolase, and accompanied by increased sucrose and glucose content. A series of lipoxygenase proteins were significantly upregulated, causing a significant alteration in lipid metabolism. Hormone signals were influenced by the expression of the proteins involved in indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) transport, zeatin (ZT) biosynthesis and abscisic acid (ABA) signal response, and increased IAA, ZT and ABA content.

CONCLUSION

The critical time for understanding the mechanism by which ear growth is stimulated is 4 DAP. Comparative proteomics and physiological analysis revealed that lipid metabolism enhancement, cell wall remodeling and changes in hormone signaling (IAA, ZT and ABA) were all important in stimulating early ear development. Proper regulation of these pathways may improve ear development, resulting in increased maize yield. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
An efficient high‐speed counter‐current chromatography method for the preparative separation of potential antioxidants from Paeonia lactiflora Pall. combination of in vitro evaluation and molecular docking
Authors: Sun Xuan , Chen Long , Yan Huijiao , Cui Li , Hussain Hidayat , Xie Lei , Liu Jie , Jiang Yujuan , Meng Zhaoqing , Cao Guiyun , Park Jeonghill , Wang Daijie
Published: March 2022

Paeonia lactiflora Pall., one of the most famous classical herbal medicine, has been used to treat diseases for over 1200 years. In this research, the functional ingredients were purified by online‐switch two‐dimensional high‐speed counter‐current chromatography combined with inner‐recycling and continuous injection mode. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by investigating the 2,2′‐azobis (2‐amidinopropane) dihydrochloride‐induced oxidant damage in vitro and confirmed through molecular docking. n‐Butanol/ethyl acetate/water (2:3:5, v/v) solvent system was used for the first‐dimensional separation and optimized the sample loading. Two pure compounds and a polyphenol‐enriched fraction were separated. The polyphenol‐enriched fraction was separated with a solvent system n‐hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (2:8:4:6, v/v) with continuous injection mode. Five compounds were successfully separated, including gallic acid (1), methyl gallate (2), albiflorin (3), paeoniflorin (4), and ethyl gallate (5). Their structures were identified by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The results from the antioxidant effect showed that albiflorin had stronger antioxidant activity. Molecular docking results indicated that the affinity energy of the identified compounds ranged from ‐3.79 to ‐8.22 kcal/mol and albiflorin showed the lowest affinity energy. Overall, all those findings suggested that the strong antioxidant capacity of albiflorin can be potentially used for the treatment of diseases caused by oxidation.
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity is associated with reduced Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores in a sample of Vietnam War Veterans
Authors: Prieto Sarah , Moody Jena N. , Valerio Kate E. , Hayes Jasmeet P.
Published: March 2022

The goal of the present study was to examine associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, the number of stressors experienced, and cognitive outcomes in a sample of U.S. Vietnam War Veterans (N = 274). Adults between 60 and 85 years of age completed a Vietnam Veterans Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Project visit. A modified version of the Life Stressor Checklist‐Revised (LSC‐R) was used to assess the number of stressful experiences participants experienced, current PTSD severity scores were measured via the Clinician‐Administered PTSD Scale for DSM‐IV (CAPS‐IV), and cognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Linear regressions were conducted to examine the effect of CAPS‐IV and LSC‐R scores on cognitive performance. Higher CAPS‐IV scores were associated with worse cognitive outcomes on the MoCA, ΔF(1, 264) = 12.686, p < .001, R2 = .142. In contrast, the number of reported stressful experiences was not associated with cognitive outcomes. After accounting for multiple comparisons, findings indicated that CAPS‐IV severity scores were significantly associated with the MoCA memory index. In a sample of older Veterans, PTSD symptom severity, but not the number of reported stressors, was associated with poorer performance on a well‐established cognitive function screening tool. Analyses of specific MoCA domains indicated that memory may be driving this association. These findings suggest that highly arousing stressors characteristic of PTSD, rather than stressful experiences more broadly, contribute to this association. Future work can use these findings to explore whether treating PTSD symptoms may help maintain cognitive function during the aging process.
Treating posttraumatic stress disorder at home in a single week using 1‐week virtual massed cognitive processing therapy
Authors: Held Philip , Kovacevic Merdijana , Petrey Kelsey , Meade Enya A. , Pridgen Sarah , Montes Mauricio , Werner Brianna , Miller Michelle L. , Smith Dale L. , Kaysen Debra , Karnik Niranjan S.
Published: March 2022

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments are increasingly delivered in massed formats and have shown comparable results to standard, weekly treatment. To date, massed cognitive processing therapy (CPT), delivered daily, has been delivered primarily in combination with adjunctive services and among veteran populations, but it has not been rigorously evaluated as a standalone intervention. The present study evaluated 1‐week massed CPT delivered virtually (i.e., via telehealth) to a community sample of trauma‐exposed individuals (N = 24). Using a single‐arm open‐label design, participants received CPT twice per day for 5 days. The results indicated that most participants completed treatment (n = 23, 95.8%), and no adverse events were reported. Participants exhibited large reductions in clinician‐rated, d = 2.01, and self‐reported PTSD symptoms, d = 2.55, as well as self‐reported depressive symptoms, d = 1.46. On average, participants reported a 5‐point PTSD symptom reduction and 1‐point reduction in depressive symptoms for each treatment day. Reductions in PTSD and depressive symptoms were maintained at 3‐month follow‐up. Overall, 1‐week massed CPT delivered virtually was shown to be feasible and to result in rapid symptom reductions that were sustained over time. Virtual massed CPT has the potential to increase access to effective treatments and help trauma survivors restore aspects of their lives in short amounts of time.
Quantitative Evaluation of the Normal Cervix, Cervical Cancer, and Cervical Precancerous Changes Via Real‐Time Shear Wave Elastography
Authors: Guo Yan‐Jing , Yan Xiao‐Jing , Zhao Hai‐Xia , Wen Xiao‐Duo , Wang Jing , Du Yuan‐Yuan , Wang Nan , Yang Yi
Published: March 2022

Objectives

The present study aims to evaluate the clinical application values of ultrasound real‐time shear wave elastography (SWE) in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of cervical cancer (CC).

Methods

A total of 285 married female patients were screened and divided into three groups according to the results of the pathological examination and the cervical ThinPrep cytologic test: 1) the CC group (n = 94); 2) the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) group (n = 91); and 3) the normal control group (n = 100). The maximum Young's modulus (Emax), mean Young's modulus (Emean), minimum Young's modulus (Emin), and Young's modulus stability (Esd) in each group were measured and statistically analyzed.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in Emax, Emean, Emin, and Esd values between the anterior and posterior cervical walls, premenopausal and postmenopausal women, and nonparturient and parturient women in the normal control group. The Emax, Emean, Emin, and Esd values in the CIN group showed no statistically significant differences in different periods when compared with the control group. The differences between the normal control group and the CC group were statistically significant; the CC group showed no statistically significant differences in Emax, Emean, Emin, and Esd values at different clinical stages and in different pathological types. The cutoff value of Emax for CC diagnosis, which was of the highest accuracy (89.7%), was 43.48 kpa.

Conclusion

Ultrasound real‐time SWE can be applied to CC diagnosis.
Measurements of The Pediatric Cartilaginous Eustachian Tube: Implications for Balloon Dilation
Authors: Yu Yuan , Geffen Brent , McCrary Hilary , Dunya Gabriel , Rampton John , Zhang Chong , Presson Angela P. , Poe Dennis , Park Albert H.
Published: March 2022

Objectives

(1) Measure the cartilaginous Eustachian tube (ET) length using a computed tomography (CT) scan and (2) develop a prediction model to measure this length without the need of a CT scan.

Study Design

CT measurements in children.

Setting

Children's Hospital.

Methods

CT scans were reformatted to project the cranial and caudal limits of the cartilaginous ET. The length was measured in 193 children who underwent a neck CT scan for nonotologic indications. Five physicians independently reviewed all or some of these measures. Four different models based on age, age ranges, weight, and height were created and compared to predict ET length.

Results

The cartilaginous ET length was 25.3 ± 3.1 mm for the right and for the left ear. The mean ET length for the females was statistically significantly less than the length in males. The lower ET lengths in children as old as 5 years of age were less than the 2 cm adult criteria used for catheter insertion. All 4 models performed equally well in predicting ET length. Model number 4, which is based on height, was the easiest to calculate ET length.

Conclusion

The cartilaginous portion of the pediatric ET can be measured with good precision using reformatted CT images. We caution against using the “adult” criteria of 2 cm for catheter insertion in children, especially those younger than 5 years of age. We recommend using a model utilizing height measures to estimate ET length or direct measurements from a reformatted CT scan.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 133:396–402, 2023
Beyond habitat boundaries: Organic matter cycling requires a system‐wide approach for accurate blue carbon accounting
Authors: Krause Johannes Renke , Hinojosa‐Corona Alejandro , Gray Andrew B. , Herguera Juan Carlos , McDonnell Julianna , Schaefer Michael V. , Ying Samantha C. , Watson Elizabeth Burke
Published: March 2022

As coastal ecosystems become widely recognized for their capacity to sequester carbon (blue carbon), standard accounting methodologies for the generation of carbon credits are being developed. To ensure the applicability of these standards across blue carbon ecosystems, we investigated organic carbon provenance and burial in salt marshes and seagrass meadows of an arid, upwelling‐dominated Eastern Pacific lagoon. We found low carbon density in benthic sediments of Bahía de San Quintín (5.9 ± 0.5 mg C cm−3), only marginally higher in Zostera marina beds (6.9 ± 0.5 mg C cm−3), likely due to remineralization and hydrodynamically driven export of seagrass material, resulting in low carbon burial rates (4.5 ± 2.5 g C m−2 yr−1). Sediment organic carbon is mainly controlled by the fraction of fine sediment and its source is largely allochthonous, although sources differ spatially. Salt marshes at San Quintín derive 40% of their organic matter from autochthonous material and exhibit higher carbon burial rates (up to 414.7 ± 28.6 g C m−2 yr−1) and sediment carbon densities (32.0 ± 0.7 mg C cm−3) compared to benthic sediments. This study emphasizes the connectivity of blue carbon habitats with marsh plant detritus supplementing benthic carbon burial and incorporation of detrital eelgrass in marsh sediments. Our findings highlight the importance of allochthonous organic matter for carbon sequestration in blue carbon habitats, suggesting standard accounting practices that deduct allochthonous organic matter would miss the full potential for carbon burial.
HDPE@UHMWPE Powders for Power Bed Fusion Based Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Wencke Yannick L. , Proes Friedrich , Imgrund Phillip , Luinstra Gerrit A.
Published: March 2022

Commercial UHMWPE powder of 60 µm size (d50) embossed with 2–5 wt% of nanosilica is used as a support for the preparation of core–shell HDPE@silica@UHMWPE particles. The HDPE shell is generated by polymerization of ethylene in toluene slurry after treatment of the silica@UHMWPE with a methyl aluminoxane activated bisimine pyridine iron complex. Heat pressing the powder gives a solid material with identifiable original UHMWPE particles and a layer from fusion of UHMWPE and the surrounding HDPE shell; the properties match those of the UHMWPE base material. The powder flow properties of the HDPE@silica@UHMWPE are insufficient for a powder bed fusion process, a value for the flow function between 2 and 3 is measured in a ring shear tester. Additivation with nanosilica helps to overcome the insufficient flowability and allows the material to be recoated in a power bed fusion system. Laser sintering gives evidence for a substantial mixing and welding of the HDPE shells and UHMWPE. Caking at the surface of the built parts hinders the manufacturing of isolated parts. Further additivation with carbon black reduces the caking; however, the welding within the HDPE@silica@UHMWPE material is much less strong.
K‐theory of regular compactification bundles
Authors: Uma V.
Published: March 2022

Let G be a split connected reductive algebraic group. Let be a ‐torsor over a smooth base scheme and X be a regular compactification of G. We describe the Grothendieck ring of the associated fibre bundle , as an algebra over the Grothendieck ring of a canonical toric bundle over a flag bundle over . These are relative versions of the corresponding results on the Grothendieck ring of X in the case when is a point, and generalize the classical results on the Grothendieck rings of projective bundles, toric bundles and flag bundles.
The section conjecture over large algebraic extensions of finitely generated fields
Authors: Jarden Moshe , Petersen Sebastian
Published: March 2022

Let K be a finitely generated extension of its prime field and let be an integer. We prove the injectivity part of the section conjecture of Grothendieck for almost all and for all smooth geometrically integral projective curves of genus ≥1 over the field .
Mechanochromophore‐Linked Polymeric Materials with Visible Color Changes
Authors: Qiu Wenlian , Scofield Joel M.P. , Gurr Paul A. , Qiao Greg G.
Published: March 2022

Mechanical force as a type of stimuli for smart materials has obtained much attention in the past decade. Color‐changing materials in response to mechanical stimuli have shown great potential in the applications such as sensors and displays. Mechanochromophore‐linked polymeric materials, which are a growing sub‐class of these materials, are discussed in detail in this review. Two main types of mechanochromophores which exhibit visible color change, summarized herein, involve either isomerization or radical generation mechanisms. This review focuses on their synthesis and incorporation into polymer matrices, the type of mechanical force used, factors affecting the mechanochromic properties, and their applications.
The Role of Entropy Gains in the Exciton Separation in Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Yan Yangjun , Zhang Yajie , Memon Waqar Ali , Wang Mengni , Zhang Xinghua , Wei Zhixiang
Published: March 2022

In organic solar cells (OSCs), the lower dielectric constant of organic semiconductor material induces a strong Coulomb attraction between electron–hole pairs, which leads to a low exciton separation efficiency, especially the charge transfer (CT) state. The CT state formed at the electron‐donor (D) and electron‐acceptor (A) interface is regarded as an unfavorable property of organic photovoltaic devices. Since the OSC works in a nonzero temperature condition, the entropy effect would be one of the main reasons to overcome the Coulomb energy barrier and must be taken into account. In this review, the present understanding of the entropy‐driven charge separation is reviewed and how factors such as the dimensionality of the organic semiconductor, energy disorder effect, the morphology of the active layer, are described, as well as how the nonequilibrium effect affects the entropy contribution in compensating the Coulomb dissociation barrier for CT exciton separation and charge generation process. The investigation of the entropy effect on exciton dissociation mechanism from both theoretical and experimental aspects is focused on, which provides pathways for understanding the underlying mechanisms of exciton separation and further enhancing the efficiency of OSCs.
Alignment of Organic Conjugated Molecules for High‐Performance Device Applications
Authors: Memon Waqar Ali , Zhang Yajie , Zhang Jianqi , Yan Yangjun , Wang Yuheng , Wei Zhixiang
Published: March 2022

High‐performance organic semiconductor materials as the electroactive components of optoelectronic devices have attracted much attention and made them ideal candidates for solution‐processable, large‐area, and low‐cost flexible electronics. Especially, organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) based on conjugated semiconductor materials have experienced stunning progress in device performance. To make these materials economically viable, comprehensive knowledge of charge transport mechanisms is required. The alignment of organic conjugated molecules in the active layer is vital to charge transport properties of devices. The present review highlights the recent progress of processing‐structure‐transport correlations that allow the precise and uniform alignment of organic conjugated molecules over large areas for multiple electronic applications, including OFETs, organic thermoelectric devices (OTEs), and organic phototransistors (OPTs). Different strategies for regulating crystallinity and macroscopic orientation of conjugated molecules are introduced to correlate the molecular packing, the device performance, and charge transport anisotropy in multiple organic electronic devices.
Wavelength‐Selective Photo‐Cycloadditions of Styryl‐Anthracene
Authors: Bai Jing , Shi Zixing , Ma Xiaodong , Yin Jie , Jiang Xuesong
Published: March 2022

Light‐tunable covalent chemistry is highly urgent in the fields of chemistry, biology, and materials science, especially for the smart materials and surface, due to the spatiotemporal control and feasible operation. Here, a new type of wavelength‐selective photo‐cycloaddition of styryl‐anthracene carboxylic acid (SACA) is reported. Upon the irradiation of 450 nm visible light or 365 nm UV light, SACA can undergo [2+2] or [2+4] photocycloaddition, respectively. Furthermore, the [2+2] photocycloaddition induced by vis‐light of 450 nm is reversible and can be disrupted by 365 nm UV light to form dimer‐24 which cannot be photo‐cleavable. Owing to the feasibility and spatiotemporal characteristics of UV–vis light‐controlled photocycloaddition, the SACA possesses potential applications in various areas such as self‐assembly, dynamic wrinkles, and fluorescence patterns, which are also explored and exhibited in this work.
Air‐Tolerant Reversible Complexation Mediated Polymerization (RCMP) Using Aldehyde
Authors: Mao Weijia , Tay Xiu Ting , Sarkar Jit , Wang Chen‐Gang , Goto Atsushi
Published: March 2022

An air‐tolerant reversible complexation mediated polymerization (RCMP) technique, which can be carried out without prior deoxygenation, is developed. The system contains a monomer, an alkyl iodide initiating dormant species, air (oxygen), an aldehyde, N‐hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI), and a base. Oxygen is consumed via the NHPI‐catalyzed conversion of the aldehyde (RCHO) to a carboxylic acid (RCOOH). The generated RCOOH is further converted to a carboxylate anion (RCOO−) by the base. The RCOO− generated in situ works as an RCMP catalyst; the polymerization proceeds with the monomer, alkyl iodide dormant species, and RCOO− catalyst. Thus, the system is not only air‐tolerant but also does not require additional RCMP catalysts, which is a notable feature of this system. (NHPI is used as an oxidation catalyst for converting RCHO to RCOOH.) This technique is amenable to methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, benzyl methacrylate, 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and styrene, yielding polymers with relatively low‐dispersity (Mw/Mn = 1.20−1.49), where Mw and Mn are the weight‐ and number‐average molecular weights, respectively.