bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Superior Adhesion of a Multifunctional Protein‐Based Micropatch to Intestinal Tissue by Harnessing the Hydrophobic Effect
Authors: Yamazoe Hironori , Kominami Chizuko , Abe Hiroko
Published: April 2022

Drug delivery systems comprising drug carriers capable of adhering to intestinal tissue have considerable potential to realize more sophisticated systemic drug delivery and topical drug treatments in the intestinal tract. The development of innovative strategies for improving the adhesion efficiency of carriers is of high importance for the advancement of this field. Herein, a novel approach to achieving high adhesion efficiency of drug carriers is presented, where the accessibility of the carrier to the intestinal surface and its subsequent adhesion to the intestinal tissue are promoted by utilizing the thermodynamic tendency of the hydrophobic carrier and its dispersion solvent, triacetin, to be excluded from the aqueous environment. Drug carriers are fabricated using proteins, imparting multiple functions, including drug release and the removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Results of ex vivo studies indicate that this multifunctional protein‐based carrier, “protein micropatch,” adheres to various mouse intestinal tissues, including the small intestine, colon, and inflamed colon, with high efficiency. Furthermore, protein micropatches, administered to mice via oral or rectal routes, successfully adhere to the intestinal tract. This approach and the highly functionalized carrier described in the study have the potential to significantly contribute to the development of bioadhesive carrier‐based drug delivery systems.
Size‐Controllable Eu‐MOFs through Machine Learning Technology: Application for High Sensitive Ions and Small‐Molecular Identification
Authors: Zhang Qi , Liang Hanwei , Tao Yangtianze , Yang Jianxin , Tang Bin , Li Rui , Ma Yun , Ji linhong , Jiang Xuan , Li Shuangshou
Published: April 2022

Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) with the aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) activities exhibit potential applications in the fields of energy and biomedical technology. However, the controllable synthesis of MOFs in the varied particle sizes not only affects their AIE activities, but also restricts their application scenarios. In this work, the varied particle sizes of Eu‐MOFs are synthesized by adjusting the synthesis process parameters, and their variation rules combining the single factor analysis method with machine learning technology are studied. Based on the R2 score, the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) regression model (0.9535) is employed to calculate the weight and correlation between different synthesis process parameters and it is shown that all these parameters have synergic effects on the particle sizes of Eu‐MOFs, and the Eu‐precursors concentration dominates in their synthesis process. Furthermore, it is indicated that the large size of Eu‐MOFs and strong structural stability contribute to their high AIE activities. Finally, a screen‐printed pattern is fabricated using the sample of “120–0.3–6,” and this pattern exhibits a bright red fluorescence under the UV light. More importantly, this kind of Eu‐MOFs can also be used to identify varied ions (Fe3+, F–, I–, SO42–, CO32–, and PO43–) and citric acid.
Carbon Dots‐Regulated Pomegranate‐Like Metal Oxide Composites: From Growth Mechanism to Lithium Storage
Authors: Ye Yu , Wang Haoji , Liu Huaxin , Xiang Yinger , Liu Lu , Deng Wentao , Zou Guoqiang , Liu Youcai , Hou Hongshuai , Ji Xiaobo
Published: April 2022

Carbon dots (CDs) are considered as excellent structural regulator for metal oxides (MOs) due to their abundant functional groups, superior dispersibility, and ultrasmall size (<10 nm). Herein, a new approach is proposed to construct porous pomegranate‐like MOs/CDs composite based on the CDs‐induced in situ growth mechanism of ion adsorption–multipoint surface nucleation–crosslinking agglomeration. The proposed methodology is successfully applied to prepare SnO2/CDs, Cu2O/CDs, and Fe2O3/CDs composites, respectively, demonstrating its universality to metal oxides. Taking SnO2/CDs composite as a case study for anode material in lithium‐ion batteries, it exhibits high lithium storage capacity, excellent cycling stability, and a special feature of capacity increase upon cycling. This study provides a new idea for the design of metal oxides materials tuned by CDs and broadens the application of CDs in the field of material synthesis.
Breaking with the Principles of Coreduction to Form Stoichiometric Intermetallic PdCu Nanoparticles
Authors: Mathiesen Jette K. , Bøjesen Espen D. , Pedersen Jack K. , Kjær Emil T. S. , Juelsholt Mikkel , Cooper Susan , Quinson Jonathan , Anker Andy S. , Cutts Geoff , Keeble Dean S. , Thomsen Maria S. , Rossmeisl Jan , Jensen Kirsten M. Ø.
Published: April 2022

Intermetallic nanoparticles (NPs) have shown enhanced catalytic properties as compared to their disordered alloy counterparts. To advance their use in green energy, it is crucial to understand what controls the formation of intermetallic NPs over alloy structures. By carefully selecting the additives used in NP synthesis, it is here shown that monodisperse, intermetallic PdCu NPs can be synthesized in a controllable manner. Introducing the additives iron(III) chloride and ascorbic acid, both morphological and structural control can be achieved. Combined, these additives provide a synergetic effect resulting in precursor reduction and defect‐free growth; ultimately leading to monodisperse, single‐crystalline, intermetallic PdCu NPs. Using in situ X‐ray total scattering, a hitherto unknown transformation pathway is reported that diverges from the commonly reported coreduction disorder–order transformation. A Cu‐rich structure initially forms, which upon the incorporation of Pd(0) and atomic ordering forms intermetallic PdCu NPs. These findings underpin that formation of stoichiometric intermetallic NPs is not limited by standard reduction potential matching and coreduction mechanisms, but is instead driven by changes in the local chemistry. Ultimately, using the local chemistry as a handle to tune the NP structure might open new opportunities to expand the library of intermetallic NPs by exploiting synthesis by design.
Amino Acid‐Based Low‐Dimensional Management for Enhanced Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Hu Yingjie , Gao Lili , Su Hang , Du Xinyi , Yuan Ningyi , Ding Jianning , Zhang Jing , Liu Shengzhong (Frank)
Published: April 2022

It has been reported that an overlayer of lower dimensional perovskite can effectively improve the properties of 3D perovskite solar cells. Here, 4‐aminobutyric acid (C4I) and 6‐aminocaproic acid iodides (C6I) are introduced onto the surface of the perovskite layer, forming a low‐dimensional (LD) capping layer on the 3D perovskite films for high‐performance devices. It is found that C4I forms a 2D perovskite layer, while C6I forms a 1D perovskite layer on the 3D perovskite surface. By using the LD capping layers, the integrated perovskite films show passivated surface traps, reduced defect density, improved carrier lifetimes, and altered band alignment, leading to improved fill factor and open‐circuit voltage and, hence, significantly higher device efficiency. The devices with the C4I and C6I capping layers achieve solar cell efficiencies as high as 23.48% and 23.11%, respectively. In addition, bare devices with the C4I and C6I integration maintain 93.73% and 91.58%, respectively, of their initial efficiencies after exposure to the ambient atmosphere for 2000 h, demonstrating much better stability than the pristine 3D holding only 83.30% of its initial efficiency. It appears that this 2D capping is more suitable for enhancing 3D perovskite performance for general photoelectronic applications than the 1D capping.
Impact of Nickel Oxide/Perovskite Interfacial Contact on the Crystallization and Photovoltaic Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Liu Qing , Lv Pin , Wang Yulong , Zhu Yanqing , Hu Min , Huang Fuzhi , Cheng Yi-Bing , Lu Jianfeng
Published: April 2022

Spray‐coated nickel oxide (NiOX) is a desirable hole‐transporting material for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) because they are low cost, stable, and readily scalable. Recent research shows that the inferior interface contact of NiOX|perovskite is the main factor that limits the efficiency and stability of the device. Herein, a facile route is introduced to enhance this contact by inserting a tetradecylamine (TeDA) interfacial layer. It is found that TeDA not only can modulate the wettability of NiOX film, thus changing the transformation process of wet film to perovskite, but also can facilitate an efficient charge extraction at this interface. As a result, the efficiency of small‐area (0.16 cm2) solar cells is improved from 15.8% to 18.7%. Moreover, a champion efficiency of 12.9% is achieved for the larger area (53.64 cm2) perovskite solar modules based on spray‐coated NiOX. The optimized devices also show improved stability in comparison with the devices without modification. This work provides a comprehensive understanding of the NiOx|perovskite interface and a new strategy for improving the perovskite quality and photovoltaic performance of PSCs.
Complexation Engineering of Electron Transport Layers for High‐Performance Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Lin Zhichao , Zhang Wenqi , Cai Qingbin , Xu Xiangning , Dong Hongye , Mu Cheng , Zhang Jian-Ping
Published: April 2022

For high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs), transition metal complexes as modifiers are used to optimize the energy‐level alignment of the SnO2electron transport layer (ETL), reduce the defects at the ETL/perovskite interface, and improve the crystallinity of the perovskite layer. Herein, it is shown that application of [Ni(NH3)6]F2or [Co(NH3)6]F2complexes yields a substantially improved open‐circuit voltage and fill factor, and thereby photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE). The optimum PCEs of the [Ni(NH3)6]F2‐ or [Co(NH3)6]F2‐treated PSCs reach 22.58% and 22.47%, respectively, which are much higher than that of the unmodified PSC (20.21%). This study provides a direction for improving the performance of a planar PSC using a complex‐modified ETL.
Functions of potassium channels blocked by low micromolar 4‐aminopyridine in the crayfish nervous system
Authors: Goldfeder Nicole , McDonald Riley , Gaston Sarah , Harrison Amarri , Kim Dong‐Ho , MacIntosh Clara , Miranda Mauricio Moel , Odom Emma , Nishad Simmi , Siwik William , Zhang Liangzhu , Lin Jen‐Wei
Published: April 2022

4‐aminopyridine (4‐AP) is a potassium channel blocker that has been used to treat patients with multiple sclerosis and Lambert–Eaton disease. The concentration of this drug in the blood of patients was estimated to be in low or submicromolar range. Animal studies have shown that 4‐AP at such low concentration selectively blocks a subset of channels in Kv1 or Kv3 families. The crayfish opener neuromuscular junction and ventral superficial flexor (VSF) preparations were used to examine functions of K+ channels blocked by low concentrations of 4‐AP. At opener motor axons, intracellular recordings show that 4‐AP could increase action potential (AP) amplitude, duration, and after‐depolarization (ADP) at 10 μM. As 4‐AP concentration was increased, in twofold steps, AP amplitude did not increase further up to 5 mM. AP duration and ADP increased significantly mainly in two concentration ranges, 10–50 μM and 1–5 mM. The effects of 50 μM 4‐AP on the VSF were less consistent than that observed at the opener motor axons. 4‐AP did not change AP amplitude of motor axons recorded with an extracellular electrode and change in AP repolarizing potential was observed in ∼25% of the axons. EPSP recorded simultaneously with AP showed an increase in amplitude with 4‐AP treatment only in 30% of the axon‐EPSP pairs. 4‐AP also increased firing frequencies of ∼50% of axons. In four animals, 4‐AP “awakened” the firing of APs from an axon that was silent before the drug. The mixture of positive and negative 4‐AP effects summarized above was observed in the same VSF preparations in all cases (n = 8). We propose that there is a significant diversity in the density 4‐AP‐sensitive potassium channels among motor axons of the VSF. Functional significance in the differences of 4‐AP sensitivity of the two motor systems is discussed.
Use of Blumensaat's line for assessment of cranial tibial subluxation in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament deficiency
Authors: Prior Sebastian , Silveira Francisco , Pappa Lida , López Pablo Pérez , Quinn Robert , Barnes Darren
Published: April 2022

Background

This study aimed to determine whether Blumensaat's line, a consistently present radiographic feature delineating the peak of the femoral intercondylar fossa, could be used to assess for cranial tibial subluxation in canine stifles with cranial cruciate ligament disease.

Methods

Thirty sequential, neutrally positioned, standing‐angle stifle radiographs were taken from dogs presenting to a specialist referral centre for treatment of cruciate ligament disease. Thirty similarly positioned radiographs of healthy canine stifles were used as a control group. The radiographs were anonymised and submitted to blinded observers for measurement of the tibial plateau angle, patella tendon angle, Blumensaat's line length and the length of Blumensaat's line cranial to the tibial mechanical axis.

Results

Finding that the tibial mechanical axis intersects Blumensaat's line cranial to its midpoint, as a marker of cranial tibial subluxation, had a positive predictive value of 76% for subsequent surgical identification of cruciate ligament disease.

Conclusions

Tibial cranial subluxation is detectable and quantifiable radiographically using the intersection of the tibial mechanical axis and Blumensaat's line. Once quantified, this measurement could be used both as a radiographic marker of cruciate ligament disease and to adjust tibial osteotomy procedures to minimise the risk of under advancement of the tibial tuberosity resulting in a persistently unstable stifle.
Diagnostic imaging appearance of canine gastric leiomyomas: Four cases
Authors: Segarra Amaya , Herrtage Michael E. , Salgüero Raquel
Published: April 2022

Gastric leiomyoma (GL) is an uncommon benign neoplasm found in older dogs and generally identified as an incidental finding. The purpose of this paper is to describe the imaging appearance of GL in different diagnostic imaging modalities (radiography [XR], ultrasonography [US] and computed tomography [CT]). All three modalities revealed a mass arising within the gastric wall, radiopaque on XR, hypoechoic on US and isoattenuating on CT, with intralesional radiopaque/hyperechoic/hyperattenuating foci, respectively. US and CT are sensitive and proved very useful in the diagnosis of this type of neoplasia, identifying the location, extent and appearance of the mass before a surgical treatment. GL should be considered as a possible diagnosis in the presence of dystrophic mineralisation within a gastric mass.
Financial profitability and value chain analysis of pineapple in Tangail, Bangladesh
Authors: Uddin Md. Taj , Roy Suvojit Suvagata , Dhar Aurup Ratan
Published: April 2022

This study was undertaken to estimate the financial profitability and assess the value chain of pineapple in Madhupur upazila of Tangail, Bangladesh. A total of 100 stakeholders were interviewed randomly using a structured questionnaire to collect primary data. A combination of descriptive, mathematical, and statistical techniques was used to analyze the data. The study depicts that 76.7% farmers used Giant Kew variety for pineapple production. Profitability analysis shows that pineapple production was profitable in the study area. The study reveals that the total value added by the stakeholders to a piece of pineapple was Tk. 38. Among the market actors, wholesalers added the highest value of Tk. 13 per piece (34.2% of total value addition). The study also identified six significant factors, namely, income, farming experience, credit access, market price, labor availability, and lower production of paddy having positive influence on farmers' decision to adopt pineapple production. The study found higher price of inputs, lack of preservation and processing facilities, and lack of operating capital as the major problems for production, value addition, and marketing of pineapple, respectively. The study recommended to ensure reasonable price of the inputs along with better infrastructure, transportation, and processing facilities to overcome the problems. Furthermore, monitoring facilities of government and non‐government organizations should be increased to improve quality of pineapple.
Introduction
Authors: Wennberg Karl , Sandström Christian
Published: April 2022

Western economies are struggling to recover from a decade of Plagued by structural crises, an ongoing pandemic, high unemployment and sluggish growth. As progressively looser monetary and fiscal policies have not helped, both the EU and national governments have increasingly turned towards interventionist industrial policies. Mariana Mazzucato’s The Entrepreneurial State (2011) provided an intellectual justification for these efforts, and consequently gained popularity. The message was clear: in order to get more innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainable development and growth we need more government, not less. In this book, 30 international scholars address the core ideas underpinning the entrepreneurial state. We provide evidence of both historical and recent failures of “green deals” and similar efforts, while also developing novel directions for innovation policy. In many regards, this book is a warning: huge government schemes towards specific, noble outcomes have historically been plagued with failures. In sum, we argue that innovation policy needs to be inverted: instead of being specific and targeted, it needs to be broad and general, focusing on the general conditions for firms to operate. Instead of providing targeted support to certain firms, industries or even technologies, innovation policy needs to constructively deal with barriers to innovation, including the proactive handling of vested interest groups.
Less from More: China Built Wind Power, but Gained Little Electricity
Authors: Grafström Jonas
Published: April 2022

This chapter investigates Chinese wind power development and concludes that innovation cannot be pushed by the efforts of many, and that when the state clarifies directions and objectives, these can be achieved but with severe and unexpected side effects. Two topics are explored: wind curtailment and low technological development, both examples of unproductive entrepreneurship induced by government policies. The goal of wind power capacity expansion leads to construction (i.e., generation capacity) but little electricity. Examples of failures include low grid connectivity with, some years averaging 15% of generation capacity broken or unconnected to the grid. A key lesson for Europe is that forced innovation often amounts to little and that the old saying holds up: “no plan survives contact with reality.”
Directionality in Innovation Policy and the Ongoing Failure of Green Deals: Evidence from Biogas, Bio-ethanol, and Fossil-Free Steel
Authors: Sandström Christian , Alm Carl
Published: April 2022

Environmental policy is no longer only about imposing regulations on industry. It is increasingly regarded as industrial policy. Both the European Union and national governments are taking more active roles in initiating green deals and various technologies aiming at sustainable development. In this chapter, we describe and discuss some recent experiences of green innovation policies. Historical examples concerning efforts in both biogas and ethanol are combined with a more contemporary description of fossil-free steel, i.e., steel made using hydrogen instead of coal. We argue that the presence of large public funds from different funding bodies such as the European Union, various government agencies, and municipalities has distorted incentives, making it rational for firms to pursue technologies without long-term potential. The result has been an absence of sustainable development, mounting debt, and financial problems for the actors involved. We explain these results and draw policy conclusions concerning the risks related to green deals. Relatedly, we argue that the European Union’s current efforts in hydrogen gas face similar challenges.
Policy Instruments for High-Growth Enterprises
Authors: Coad Alex , Harasztosi Péter , Pál Rozália , Teruel Mercedes
Published: April 2022

High-Growth Enterprises (HGEs) have received growing interest from entrepreneurship scholars, the business press, and of course policymakers. HGEs can potentially make large contributions to economic growth, which has led to various policy initiatives. This chapter discusses the main topics surrounding policy interventions for HGEs, including a discussion of the various rationales for policy interventions. We next discuss the many areas that relate to possible HGE policy instruments. We then evaluate some previous HGE policy instruments, discuss some that have been successful, and possible areas for improvement. Our main policy suggestions are critical listening to stakeholders by policymakers, identifying the decision points (e.g., growth trigger points) to leverage the impact of growth stimuli, designing incentives in the spirit of up or out dynamics, and enhancing the coordination of HGE policies.
Public-Steering and Private-Performing Sectors: Success and Failures in the Swedish Finance, Telecoms, and City Planning Sectors
Authors: Eriksson Klas A. M. , Nykvist Rasmus
Published: April 2022

Mariana Mazzucato embraces state-directed public/private investment in innovation to achieve goals that society as a whole would benefit from. The idea is that the state shoulddirectand the private sphereperformthe innovation needed. We argue that this view is biased toward successful examples of innovation created by public sector steering and the private sector performing. Generally, vested interests are created by these kinds of public-steering–private-performing innovations, which hinder or malinvest resources through their interests or information problems when market forces are put out of play. We present examples that explore the process of twosuccessfulderegulation cases and onefailedcase to highlight differences in the processes leading to the different outcomes; the most important being the existence of institutional entrepreneurs acting as typical change agents in the successful cases and the lack thereof in the failed example. These cases highlight the importance of both passive incumbents and proactive entrants for enabling institutional change. We contrast these examples with the public-steering and private-performing framework.
Collaborative Innovation Blocs and Mission-Oriented Innovation Policy: An Ecosystem Perspective
Authors: Elert Niklas , Henrekson Magnus
Published: April 2022

Among contemporary economists, Mariana Mazzucato stands out for her emphasis on the importance of innovation to solving pressing challenges and achieve a greater quality of life. However, the type of mission-oriented innovation policies she promotes usually rely on an overly mechanical view of innovation and economic growth. We employ an ecosystem perspective to demonstrate that innovative entrepreneurship takes place in a collaborative innovation bloc consisting of a myriad of nodes. Entrepreneurs, inventors, early- and later-stage financiers, key personnel, and customers are all actors whose skills and abilities are necessary to realize an entrepreneurial project. When mission-oriented policies play a large role in an industry’s production or financing, connections between actors in the innovation bloc risk being severed, severely curtailing the scope for actors to play their requisite roles. Thus, there is a risk that such policies do more harm than good for innovation and economic growth.
The Entrepreneurial State and the Platform Economy
Authors: Davidson Sinclair , Potts Jason
Published: April 2022

We critique the view of the platform economy as implying a necessary regulation of big tech in the form outlined in “the entrepreneurial state.” The basis for this view is a combination of fallacy, error, and political choice. The combinations of these factors drive toward a conclusion that the platform economy adds little or no value to the economy and subsequently should be heavily regulated, and moreover, regulated in an internationally coordinated manner. We instead argue that the rise of large platform firms is exactly what we expect to observe in the transition from an industrial to a digital economy.
The Entrepreneurial State: An Ownership Competence Perspective
Authors: Murtinu Samuele , Foss Nicolai J. , Klein Peter G.
Published: April 2022

Academics, pundits, and policymakers have recently called for a stronger governmental role in the economy to tackle social issues such as inequality and grand challenges like global warming. Despite a general recognition among economists and management scholars that government efforts to guide and control innovation or subsidize private entrepreneurs have failed to yield results, these calls also describe an entrepreneurial state in which bureaucrats, not entrepreneurs, direct not only basic research but also applied technological development. Building on the notions of economic competence and ownership competence we argue that even well-intentioned and strongly motivated public actors lack the ability to manage the process of innovation, especially under Knightian uncertainty. As stewards of resources owned by the public, government bureaucrats do not exercise the ultimate responsibility that comes with ownership. Moreover, government ownership of firms and labs and government intervention in the management of privately owned assets hampers the competitive process of putting ownership of innovative firms and projects in the hands of individuals and groups with higher levels of ownership ability. We suggest that ownership competence differs systematically between public and private actors, particularly around innovation, with important implications for innovation policy.
Cultural Ideals in the Entrepreneurship Industry
Authors: Brattström Anna
Published: April 2022

As public and private organizations are spending resources fostering entrepreneurship, an industry around entrepreneurship has emerged. Using the entrepreneurship industry in Sweden as a case and example, this chapter provides an explorative analysis of the emergence, manifestations, and consequences of cultural ideals within this industry. The analysis reveals how the entrepreneurship industry is not only a producer of goods and services for opportunity discovery and development; but also a producer of entrepreneurship culture. Moreover, it reveals how the production and consumption of entrepreneurship culture can lead to problems of inefficiency and discrimination, problems which ultimately hamper the entrepreneurial output that the industry is supposed to produce.
Systematically testing singlet models for (g − 2)μ
Authors: Capdevilla Rodolfo , Curtin David , Kahn Yonatan , Krnjaic Gordan
Published: April 2022

Abstract

We comprehensively study all viable new-physics scenarios that resolve the muon (g − 2)μ anomaly with only Standard Model singlet particles coupled to muons via renormalizable interactions. Since such models are only viable in the MeV–TeV mass range and require sizable muon couplings, they predict abundant accelerator production through the same interaction that resolves the anomaly. We find that a combination of fixed-target (NA64μ, M3), B-factory (BABAR, Belle II), and collider (LHC, muon collider) searches can cover nearly all viable singlets scenarios, independently of their decay modes. In particular, future muon collider searches offer the only certain test of singlets above the GeV scale, covering all higher masses up to the TeV-scale unitarity limit for these models. Intriguingly, we find that $$ \mathcal{O}\left(100\ \mathrm{GeV}\right) $$
O

100

GeV

muon colliders may yield better coverage for GeV-scale singlets compared to TeV-scale concepts, which has important implications for the starting center-of-mass energy of a staged muon collider program.
Yangian Ward identities for fishnet four-point integrals
Authors: Corcoran Luke , Loebbert Florian , Miczajka Julian
Published: April 2022

Abstract

We derive and study Yangian Ward identities for the infinite class of four-point ladder integrals and their Basso-Dixon generalisations. These symmetry equations follow from interpreting the respective Feynman integrals as correlation functions in the biscalar fishnet theory. Alternatively, the presented identities can be understood as anomaly equations for a momentum space conformal symmetry. The Ward identities take the form of inhomogeneous extensions of the partial differential equations defining the Appell hypergeometric functions. We employ a manifestly conformal tensor reduction in order to express these inhomogeneities in compact form, which are given by linear combinations of Basso-Dixon integrals with shifted dimensions and propagator powers. The Ward identities naturally generalise to a one-parameter family of D-dimensional integrals representing correlators in the generalised fishnet theory of Kazakov and Olivucci. When specified to two spacetime dimensions, the Yangian Ward identities decouple. Using separation of variables, we explicitly bootstrap the solution for the conformal 2D box integral. The result is a linear combination of Yangian invariant products of Legendre functions, which reduce to elliptic K integrals for an isotropic choice of propagator powers. We comment on differences in the transcendentality patterns in two and four dimensions and their relations to discontinuities.
Planar three-loop master integrals for 2 → 2 processes with one external massive particle
Authors: Canko Dhimiter D. , Syrrakos Nikolaos
Published: April 2022

Abstract

We present analytic results for the two tennis-court integral families relevant to 2 → 2 scattering processes involving one massive external particle and massless propagators in terms of Goncharov polylogarithms of up to transcendental weight six. We also present analytic results for physical kinematics for the ladder-box family and the two tennis-court families in terms of real-valued polylogarithmic functions, making our solutions well-suited for phenomenological applications.
Topological orders, braiding statistics, and mixture of two types of twisted BF theories in five dimensions
Authors: Zhang Zhi-Feng , Ye Peng
Published: April 2022

Abstract

Topological orders are a prominent paradigm for describing quantum many-body systems without symmetry-breaking orders. We present a topological quantum field theoretical (TQFT) study on topological orders in five-dimensional spacetime (5D) in which topological excitations include not only point-like particles, but also two types of spatially extended objects: closed string-like loops and two-dimensional closed membranes. Especially, membranes have been rarely explored in the literature of topological orders. By introducing higher-form gauge fields, we construct exotic TQFT actions that include mixture of two distinct types of BF topological terms and many twisted topological terms. The gauge transformations are properly defined and utilized to compute level quantization and classification of TQFTs. Among all TQFTs, some are not in Dijkgraaf-Witten cohomological classification. To characterize topological orders, we concretely construct all braiding processes among topological excitations, which leads to very exotic links formed by closed spacetime trajectories of particles, loops, and membranes. For each braiding process, we construct gauge-invariant Wilson operators and calculate the associated braiding statistical phases. As a result, we obtain expressions of link invariants all of which have manifest geometric interpretation. Following Wen’s definition, the boundary theory of a topological order exhibits gravitational anomaly. We expect that the characterization and classification of 5D topological orders in this paper encode information of 4D gravitational anomaly. Further consideration, e.g., putting TQFTs on 5D manifolds with boundaries, is left to future work.
Two-loop amplitude for mixed QCD-EW corrections to gg → Hg
Authors: Becchetti Matteo , Moriello Francesco , Schweitzer Armin
Published: April 2022

Abstract

We report on the two-loop amplitude computation for the mixed QCD-electroweak corrections to the process gg → Hg, with exact dependence on the electroweak boson masses. This amplitude has been employed in the computation of next-to-leading order (NLO) mixed QCD-electroweak corrections to the Higgs-boson production rate in [47]. The master integrals that appear in the amplitude are evaluated by means of generalized power series expansions, which allows for fast and high-precision numerical evaluation of the amplitude in the physical phase-space, proving to be a powerful tool for phenomenological applications.
Skeletal muscle cell-specific differences in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Frankenberg Noni T. , Mason Shaun A. , Wadley Glenn D. , Murphy Robyn M.
Published: April 2022

Major stores of glucose are found as glycogen in skeletal muscle and liver. Skeletal muscle is a heterogenous tissue, with cellular metabolic and contractile distinctions dependent on whether the cell (fibre) is slow-twitch (Type I) or fast-twitch (Type II). We hypothesised that proteins important for glycogen metabolism would be differentially abundant between these diverse fibres. We further hypothesised that the cellular location of these proteins would be different in muscle samples between control (CON) and individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We dissected individual muscle fibre segments from vastus lateralis skeletal muscle biopsy samples from CON and T2D and used cell-type-specific approaches to address muscle heterogeneity. We measured glycogen and glycogen-related proteins by immunoblotting techniques. A lower proportion of Type I fibres was found in muscle in T2D compared with CON. AMPK-β2, glycogen branching enzyme (GBE), glycogen debranching enzyme (GDE), and glycogen phosphorylase (GP) were differentially localized between fibre types and in fibres from CON and T2D individuals. A key novel finding was that the majority of glycogen is loosely bound or cytosolic in location in human skeletal muscle. The proportion of this diffusible pool of glycogen was significantly lower in Type I fibres in T2D compared to CON. A hyperinsulinaemic, euglycaemic clamp in people with type 2 diabetes had no effect on the proportion of diffusible glycogen. We identify cell-type as an important consideration when assessing glycogen metabolism in muscle. Our findings demonstrate varying glucose handling abilities in specific muscle fibre types in type 2 diabetes. A model is presented to provide an overview of the cell-specific differences in glycogen metabolism in type 2 diabetes.
Altered responsiveness of the antioxidant system in chronically stressed animals: modulation by chronic lurasidone treatment
Authors: Spero Vittoria , Paladini Maria Serena , Brivio Paola , Riva Marco Andrea , Calabrese Francesca , Molteni Raffaella
Published: April 2022

Rationale

Although the occurrence of stressful events is very common during life, their impact may be different depending on the experience severity and duration. Specifically, acute challenges may trigger adaptive responses and even improve the individual’s performance. However, such a physiological positive coping can only take place if the underlying molecular mechanisms are properly functioning. Indeed, if these systems are compromised by genetic factors or previous adverse conditions, the response set in motion by an acute challenge may be maladaptive and even cause the insurgence or the relapse of stress-related psychiatric disorders.

Objectives

On these bases, we evaluated in the rat brain the role of the antioxidant component of the redox machinery on the acute stress responsiveness and its modulation by potential detrimental or beneficial events.

Methods

The expression of several antioxidant enzymes was assessed in different brain areas of adult male rats exposed to acute stress 3 weeks after a chronic immobilization paradigm with or without a concomitant treatment with the antipsychotic lurasidone.

Results

The acute challenge was able to trigger a marked antioxidant response that, despite the washout period, was impaired by the previous adverse experience and restored by lurasidone in an anatomical-specific manner.

Conclusions

We found that a working antioxidant machinery takes part in acute stress response and may be differentially affected by other experiences. Given the essential role of stress responsiveness in almost every life process, the identification of the underlying mechanisms and their potential pharmacological modulation add further translational value to our data.
Use of psychotropic medication and risk of road traffic crashes: a registry-based case–control study in Denmark, 1996–2018
Authors: Olesen Anne Vingaard , Madsen Tanja Kidholm Osmann , Lahrmann Harry , Nielsen Jimmi
Published: April 2022

Rationale

Use of psychotropics is relatively prevalent amongst motor vehicle drivers because mobility is also important for persons suffering from psychiatric illness. However, medication side effects may increase the likelihood of being involved in traffic crashes.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the association between the use of four types of medication (antipsychotics, benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics, antidepressants and stimulants of ADHD treatment) and the risk of traffic crashes, in general, and single crashes subsequently.

Method

We conducted a case–control study of data from 130,000 drivers involved in traffic crashes with personal injury and prescription data from all of Denmark during the period 1996–2018.

Results

For antipsychotics, we found odds ratios of 0.86 and 1.29 for traffic crashes and single crashes, respectively; for benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics, 1.29 and 2.49, respectively; for antidepressants, 1.30 and 2.25, respectively; and for stimulants of ADHD treatment, 1.62 and 1.95, respectively. All p values were below 0.001.

Conclusions

Based on our results on twofold increased risks of single crashes and moderately increased risks in persons with ADHD, it might seem tempting to ban psychotropic medication in traffic. Conversely, we accept increased risks of traffic crashes in young drivers and in the physically disabled with special aids and, to some extent, with exposure to alcohol. In the end, it is the authorities who must review the evidence and decide whether to prohibit (some types of) psychotropic medication in traffic. Finally, underlying disease and not the drug may increase the risk of being involved in a traffic crash.
Solid-phase extraction and fractionation of multiclass pollutants from wastewater followed by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry analysis
Authors: Fernández-Fernández V. , Ramil M. , Cela R. , Rodríguez I.
Published: April 2022

Herein, we describe a modular solid-phase extraction (SPE) setup, combining three sorbents, for the effective extraction of neutrals, acidic, and basic micropollutants from wastewater, followed by their further elution in three independent extracts. The performance of this approach was demonstrated for a suite of 64 compounds, corresponding to different chemical families, using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Target compounds were effectively extracted from wastewater samples; moreover, 62 out of 64 species were isolated in just one of the three fractions (neutrals, acids, and bases) obtained from the combination of sorbents. Globally, the efficiency and the selectivity of the SPE methodology improved the features obtained using generic SPE polymers, displaying just reversed-phase interactions. The overall recoveries of the analytical method, calculated against solvent-based calibration standards, stayed between 80 and 120% for 57 and 60 compounds, in raw and treated wastewater, respectively. Procedural limits of quantification (LOQs) varied from 1 to 20 ng L−1. Analysis of urban wastewater samples identified a group of 19 pollutants showing either negligible median removal efficiencies (± 20%) during wastewater treatment, or even a noticeable enhancement (case of the biodegradation product of the drug valsartan), which might be useful as markers of wastewater discharges in the aquatic environment.
Decay of Correlations in Finite Abelian Lattice Gauge Theories
Authors: Forsström Malin P.
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we study lattice gauge theory on$$ \mathbb {Z}^4 $$Z4with finite Abelian structure group. When the inverse coupling strength is sufficiently large, we use ideas from disagreement percolation to give an upper bound on the decay of correlations of local functions. We then use this upper bound to compute the leading-order term for both the expected value of the spin at a given plaquette as well as for the two-point correlation function. Moreover, we give an upper bound on the dependency of the size of the box on which the model is defined. The results in this paper extend and refine results by Chatterjee and Borgs.
The impact of radiomics for human papillomavirus status prediction in oropharyngeal cancer: systematic review and radiomics quality score assessment
Authors: Spadarella Gaia , Ugga Lorenzo , Calareso Giuseppina , Villa Rossella , D’Aniello Serena , Cuocolo Renato
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Human papillomavirus (HPV) status assessment is crucial for decision making in oropharyngeal cancer patients. In last years, several articles have been published investigating the possible role of radiomics in distinguishing HPV-positive from HPV-negative neoplasms. Aim of this review was to perform a systematic quality assessment of radiomic studies published on this topic.

Methods

Radiomics studies on HPV status prediction in oropharyngeal cancer patients were selected. The Radiomic Quality Score (RQS) was assessed by three readers to evaluate their methodological quality. In addition, possible correlations between RQS% and journal type, year of publication, impact factor, and journal rank were investigated.

Results

After the literature search, 19 articles were selected whose RQS median was 33% (range 0–42%). Overall, 16/19 studies included a well-documented imaging protocol, 13/19 demonstrated phenotypic differences, and all were compared with the current gold standard. No study included a public protocol, phantom study, or imaging at multiple time points. More than half (13/19) included feature selection and only 2 were comprehensive of non-radiomic features. Mean RQS was significantly higher in clinical journals.

Conclusion

Radiomics has been proposed for oropharyngeal cancer HPV status assessment, with promising results. However, these are supported by low methodological quality investigations. Further studies with higher methodological quality, appropriate standardization, and greater attention to validation are necessary prior to clinical adoption.
Can the Framing of Climate Mitigation Actions into Government Policies Lead to Delivering Them? – Insights from Nepal’s Experience
Authors: Baniya Bishal , Aryal Prem Prakash
Published: April 2022

Many low-income countries (LICs), including Nepal, endeavour to deliver climate mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieving more sustainable resource consumption. However, their prospects of delivering on such goals alongside the rapid structural changes in the economy prevalent in the LICs are not clear. This research aims to better understand the underlying complexity in the linkage between the framing of climate mitigation actions into government policies and the prospects for their delivery. We use critical discourse analysis, post-structural discourse analysis, and thematic analysis of textual data corpus generated from government policies (n = 12) and semi-structured interviews (n = 12) with policy actors, such as government policymakers and private sector and non-government organisations’ representatives. We also develop energy and material consumption and GHG emissions models to predict their values up to 2050 via the R tools and machine learning algorithms that validate the accuracy of models. Our findings suggest that the social context of policymaking creates a knowledge structure on climate mitigation which is reflected in government policies. The policy actors and their institutions exchange their ideas and interests in a deliberative and collaborative environment to prioritise policies for the energy, forest, and transport sectors to deliver climate mitigation actions in Nepal. However, the energy sector, together with the agriculture sector, has insufficient climate mitigation actions. Reflecting on the high proportion of biomass in the energy mix and the rapid rise in fossil fuel and energy consumption per capita—both of which are driven by the remittance inflows—this research suggests measures to reduce these in an absolute sense.
Transient demographic approaches can drastically expand the toolbox of coral reef science
Authors: Cant James , Salguero-Gómez Roberto , Beger Maria
Published: April 2022

Coral communities are threatened by an increasing plethora of abiotic and biotic disturbances. Preventing the ensuing loss of coral coverage and diversity calls for a mechanistic understanding of resilience across coral species and populations that is currently lacking in coral reef science. Assessments into the dynamics of coral populations typically focus on their long-term (i.e.asymptotic) characteristics, tacitly assuming stable environments in which populations can attain their long-term characteristics. Instead, we argue that greater focus is needed on investigating thetransient(i.e.short-term) dynamics of coral populations to describe and predict their characteristics and trajectories within unstable environments. Applying transient demographic approaches to evaluating and forecasting the responses of coral populations to disturbance holds promise for expediting our capacity to predict and manage the resilience of coral populations, species, and communities.
Accuracy and prognostic value of radiological lymph node features in variant histologies of bladder cancer
Authors: Rodler Severin , Solyanik Olga , Ingenerf Maria , Fabritius Matthias , Schulz Gerald B. , Jokisch Friedrich , Volz Yannic , Westhofen Thilo , Ebner Benedikt , Casuscelli Jozefina , Kretschmer Alexander , Waidelich Raphaela , Schlenker Boris , Stief Christian , Buchner Alexander , Eismann Lennert
Published: April 2022

Purpose

To provide first evidence of lymph node (LN) staging using CT scan and its prognostic value in variant histologies of bladder cancer. This knowledge may optimize patient management with variant histologies based on CT morphological findings.

Methods

Preoperative CT scans of patients with variant histologies who underwent RC between 2004 and 2019 were reanalyzed by two independent radiologists in a blinded review process. Specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy for LN staging as well as LN characteristics were evaluated. Correlation with survival was investigated by Kaplan–Meier method, log-rank test and multivariate analysis.

Results

1361 patients with primary tumor of the bladder underwent RC, of which 163 (12%) patients revealed variant histologies. 65 (47.8%) patients have shown an urothelial variant (UV) and 71 (52.2%) a non-urothelial variant (NUV). LN metastases were found in 18 (27.7%) patients with UV and 21 (29.6%) patients with NUV. The accuracy to detect LN metastasis for all variant histologies was 62% with a sensitivity of 46% and a specificity of 70%. Subgroups of UV and NUV revealed an accuracy of 67% and 57%. An increased number of regional LN (HR 2.8; 1.34–6.18) and the loss of fatty hilum (HR 0.36, 0.17–0.76) were prognostic parameters. In multivariate analysis, a fatty hilum (HR 0.313, 0.104–0.945) and the presence of lymph node metastases (HR 2.866, 1.140–7.207) were prognostic.

Conclusion

This first study on CT morphological behavior of variant histologies revealed an accuracy of UV and NUV comparable to UC with low specificity for all variant histologies. CT scan prior RC should be interpreted in regard to histological subtypes.