bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Night lighting and anthropogenic noise alter the activity and body condition of pinyon mice (Peromyscus truei)
Authors: Willems Joshua S. , Phillips Jennifer N. , Vosbigian Ryan A. , Villablanca Francis X. , Francis Clinton D.
Published: March 2021

Anthropogenic noise and artificial night lighting have been shown to have substantial effects on animal behavior, physiology, and species interactions. Despite the large body of previous work, very few studies have studied the combined effects of light and noise pollution, especially experimentally in the field. Rodents are a highly diverse group that are predominantly nocturnal and occupy a wide range of habitats worldwide, frequently in close association with human development, placing them at a heightened risk from sensory disturbances. To test the singular and combined effects of various levels of anthropogenic light and noise exposure on pinyon mouse (Peromyscus truei) activity and body condition, we used standard trapping methods across a gradient of light and noise and the two combined and accounted for variation of moonlight, vegetation structure, and weather. We hypothesized that increased levels of artificial light would decrease trap success and lead to lower body condition due to an increase in perceived predation risk and that increased noise levels would increase trap success and body condition due to a reduction in predation risk and/or release from competition. Pinyon mouse trap success declined as light intensity increased, and the effect was comparable to that of moonlight, which is well known to influence rodent activity and perception of predation risk. Although noise pollution did not alter trap success of pinyon mice, individuals captured in noisier areas at the beginning of the season had lower body condition than those from quieter areas. Body condition was uninfluenced by noise and light later in the season. We also found no evidence of any additive or synergistic effects of the two stimuli. Our results provide evidence that alterations to the sensory environment from anthropogenic activity can affect wild rodents in several ways. As anthropogenic development increases to meet the demands of growing human populations, more ecosystems will be exposed to increased levels of sensory disturbance, making the understanding of how these changes affect wildlife critical to ongoing conservation efforts.
Palliative care in pulmonary hypertension associated with congenital heart disease: systematic review and expert opinion
Authors: Constantine Andrew , Condliffe Robin , Clift Paul , Tulloh Robert , Dimopoulos Konstantinos ,   the CHAMPION Steering Committee
Published: March 2021

Aims

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is common amongst patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). It is a severe and complex condition that adversely affects quality of life and prognosis. While quality of life questionnaires are routinely used in clinical pulmonary hypertension practice, little is known on how to interpret their results and manage PAH‐CHD patients with evidence of impaired health‐related quality of life, especially those with advanced disease and palliative care needs.

Methods and results

We performed a systematic review of studies concerning palliative care for people with PAH‐CHD, also reviewing the health‐related quality of life literature pertaining to these patients. Of 330 papers identified through initial screening, 17 were selected for inclusion. Underutilization of advance care planning and palliative care resources was common. Where palliative care input was sought, this was frequently late in the course of the disease. No studies provided evidence‐based clinical criteria for triggering referral to palliative care, a framework for providing tailored care in this patient group, or how to manage the risk of sudden cardiac death and implantable cardioverter defibrillators in advanced PAH‐CHD. We synthesize this information into eight important areas, including the impact of PAH‐CHD on quality of life, barriers to and benefits of palliative care involvement, advance care planning discussions, and end‐of‐life care issues in this complex patient group, and provide expert consensus on best practice in this field.

Conclusions

This paper presents the results of a systematic review and expert statements on the preferred palliative care strategy for patients with PAH‐CHD.
A Kinetic Approach for Assessing the Uptake of Ag from Pristine and Sulfidized Ag Nanomaterials to Plants
Authors: Lahive E. , Schultz C.L. , Van Gestel C.A.M. , Robinson A. , Horton A.A. , Spurgeon D.J. , Svendsen C. , Busquets-Fité M. , Matzke M. , Green Etxabe A.
Published: March 2021

Nanomaterials (NMs) are thermodynamically unstable by nature, and exposure of soil organisms to NMs in the terrestrial environment cannot be assumed constant. Thus, steady-state conditions may not apply to NMs, and bioaccumulation modeling for uptake should follow a dynamic approach. The one-compartment model allows the uptake and elimination of a chemical to be determined, while also permitting changes in exposure and growth to be taken into account. The aim of the present study was to investigate the accumulation of Ag from different Ag NM types (20 nm Ag0 NMs, 50 nm Ag0 NMs, and 25 nm Ag2S NMs) in the crop plant wheat (Triticum aestivum). Seeds were emerged in contaminated soils (3 or 10 mg Ag/kg dry soil, nominal) and plants grown for up to 42 d postemergence. Plant roots and shoots were collected after 1, 7, 14, 21, and 42 d postemergence; and total Ag was measured. Soil porewater Ag concentrations were also measured at each sampling time. Using the plant growth rates in the different treatments and the changing porewater concentrations as parameters, the one-compartment model was used to estimate the uptake and elimination of Ag from the plant tissues. The best fit of the model to the data included growth rate and porewater concentration decline, while showing elimination of Ag to be close to zero. Uptake was highest for Ag0 NMs, and size did not influence their uptake rates. Accumulation of Ag from Ag2S NMs was lower, as reflected by the lower porewater concentrations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1859–1870. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
The QUICK scheme is a third‐order finite‐volume scheme with point‐valued numerical solutions
Authors: Nishikawa Hiroaki
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we resolve the ever‐present confusion over the Quadratic Upwind Interpolation for Convective Kinematics (QUICK) scheme: it is a second‐order scheme or a third‐order scheme. The QUICK scheme, as proposed in the original reference (B. P. Leonard, Comput. Methods. Appl. Mech. Eng., 19, (1979), 59‐98), is a third‐order (not second‐order) finite‐volume scheme for the integral form of a general nonlinear conservation law with point‐valued solutions stored at cell centers as numerical solutions. Third‐order accuracy is proved by a careful and detailed truncation error analysis and demonstrated by a series of thorough numerical tests. The QUICK scheme requires a careful spatial discretization of a time derivative to preserve third‐order accuracy for unsteady problems. Two techniques are discussed, including the QUICKEST scheme of Leonard. Discussions are given on how the QUICK scheme is mistakenly found to be second‐order accurate. This paper is intended to serve as a reference to clarify any confusion about third‐order accuracy of the QUICK scheme and also as the basis for clarifying economical high‐order unstructured‐grid schemes as we will discuss in a subsequent paper.
Quetiapine promotes oligodendroglial process outgrowth and membrane expansion by orchestrating the effects of Olig1
Authors: Wang Xiaorui , Su Yixun , Li Tao , Yu Guangdan , Wang Yuxin , Chen Xiaoying , Yin Chenrui , Tang Ziqin , Yi Chenju , Xiao Lan , Niu Jianqin
Published: March 2021

Oligodendroglial lineage cells go through a series of morphological changes before myelination. Prior to myelination, cell processes and membrane structures enlarge by approximately 7,000 times, which is required to support axonal wrapping and myelin segment formation. Failure of these processes leads to maldevelopment and impaired myelination. Quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic drug, was proved to promote oligodendroglial differentiation and (re)myelination, pending detailed effects and regulatory mechanism. In this study, we showed that quetiapine promotes morphological maturation of oligodendroglial lineage cells and myelin segment formation, and a short‐term quetiapine treatment is sufficient to induce these changes. To uncover the underlying mechanism, we examined the effect of quetiapine on the Oligodendrocyte transcription factor 1 (Olig1). We found that quetiapine upregulates Olig1 expression level and promotes nuclear Olig1 translocation to the cytosol, where it functions not as a transcription modulator, but in a way that highly correlates with oligodendrocyte morphological transformation. In addition, quetiapine treatment reverses the negative regulatory effect of the Olig1‐regulated G protein‐coupled receptor 17 (GPR17) on oligodendroglial morphological maturation. Our results demonstrate that quetiapine enhances oligodendroglial differentiation and myelination by promoting cell morphological transformation. This would shed light on the orchestration of oligodendroglia developmental mechanisms, and provides new targets for further therapeutic research.
Improving the replicability of neuroimaging findings by thresholding effect sizes instead of p‐values
Authors: Vandekar Simon N. , Stephens Jeremy
Published: March 2021

The classical approach for testing statistical images using spatial extent inference (SEI) thresholds the statistical image based on the p‐value. This approach has an unfortunate consequence on the replicability of neuroimaging findings because the targeted brain regions are affected by the sample size—larger studies have more power to detect smaller effects. Here, we use simulations based on the preprocessed Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) to show that thresholding statistical images by effect sizes has more consistent estimates of activated regions across studies than thresholding by p‐values. Using a constant effect size threshold means that the p‐value threshold naturally scales with the sample size to ensure that the target set is similar across repetitions of the study that use different sample sizes. As a consequence of thresholding by the effect size, the type 1 and type 2 error rates go to zero as the sample size gets larger. We use a newly proposed robust effect size index that is defined for an arbitrary statistical image so that effect size thresholding can be used regardless of the test statistic or model.
Prognostic Value of the 13C‐Methacetin Breath Test in Adults with Acute Liver Failure and Non‐acetaminophen Acute Liver Injury
Authors: Fontana Robert J. , Stravitz R. Todd , Durkalski Valerie , Hanje James , Hameed Bilal , Koch David , Reuben Adrian , Ganger Daniel , Olson Jody , Liou Iris , McGuire Brendan M. , Clasen Kristen , Lee William M.
Published: March 2021

Background and Aims

The 13C‐methacetin breath test (MBT) is a noninvasive, quantitative hepatic metabolic function test. The aim of this prospective, multicenter study was to determine the utility of initial and serial 13C‐MBT in predicting 21‐day outcomes in adults with acute liver failure (ALF) and non‐acetaminophen acute liver injury (ALI).

Approach and Results

The 13C‐MBT BreathID device (Exalenz Biosciences, Ltd.) provided the percent dose recovery (PDR) for a duration of 60 minutes after administration of 13C‐methacetin solution as the change in exhaled 13CO2/12CO2 compared with pre‐ingestion ratio on study days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. Results were correlated with 21‐day transplant‐free survival and other prognostic indices. A total of 280 subjects were screened for enrollment between May 2016 and August 2019. Median age of the 62 enrolled patients with adequate data was 43 years, 79% were Caucasian, 76% had ALF with the remaining 24% having ALI. The mean PDR peak on day 1 or day 2 was significantly lower in nonsurvivors compared with transplant‐free survivors (2.3%/hour vs. 9.1%/hour; P < 0.0001). In addition, serial PDR peaks were consistently lower in nonsurvivors versus survivors (P < 0.0001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the 13C‐MBT in the combined cohort was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.79‐0.97) and higher than that provided by King’s College (AUROC = 0.70) and Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease scores (AUROC = 0.83). The 13C‐MBT was well tolerated with only two gastrointestinal adverse events reported.

Conclusions

The 13C‐MBT is a promising tool to estimate the likelihood of hepatic recovery in patients with ALF and ALI. Use of the PDR peak data from the 13C‐MBT point‐of‐care test may assist with medical decision making and help avoid unnecessary transplantation in critically ill patients with ALF and ALI.
Pigmented median raphe cyst of the penis that developed after middle age without infection or trauma history
Authors: Kii Toshihiko , Taguchi Satoru , Nagahama Kiyotaka , Shimoyamada Hiroaki , Honda Kazuki , Tomida Yoshihiro , Matsumoto Ryuki , Kitamura Junji , Ninomiya Naoki , Masuda Kazuki , Nakamura Yu , Yamaguchi Tsuyoshi , Kinjo Manami , Tambo Mitsuhiro , Okegawa Takatsugu , Higashihara Eiji , Shibahara Junji , Fukuhara Hiroshi
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Median raphe cysts are rare benign lesions of the male genitalia that can develop anywhere along the midline from meatus to anus. They are believed to be caused by a defect in closure of median raphe during embryonic development. These cysts commonly appear in childhood or adolescence, although some are diagnosed after middle age, typically triggered by infection or trauma. Pigmented median raphe cysts, or those containing melanin pigment and/or melanocytes, are extremely rare.

Case presentation

A 78‐year‐old man visited our hospital with a complaint of a penile mass that he first noticed in his 50s which slowly grew, eventually causing voiding difficulty. He had no history of infection or trauma. The lesion was excised, and the pathological diagnosis was pigmented median raphe cyst.

Conclusion

We successfully treated a rare case of pigmented median raphe cyst of the penis that developed after middle age without infection or trauma history.
Raman spectroscopy for glutathione measurements in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains with different antibiotic resistance
Authors: Zyubin Andrey , Lavrova Anastasia , Manicheva Olga , Dogonadze Marine , Belik Vitaly , Samusev Ilya
Published: March 2021

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MbT) drug resistance remains a serious problem to global public health and usually leads to a lethal outcome in patients with such strain MbT. Precise and rapid identification of a specific MbT strain is vital for the appointment of anti‐tuberculosis therapy. We continue investigation  of deactivated MbT strains of the Beijing family by Raman spectroscopy method and focus on glutathione (GSH) as a potential biomarker for strains identification. Strains under the study have different drug sensitivity: sensitive, multi, and extensively drug resistant. Samples were investigated by Raman spectrometry with He‐Ne (633 nm) laser excitation source in the “fingerprint” region. As a result, GSH vibrational bands for potential strain discrimination were determined. These differences can be described for drug‐sensitive and drug‐resistant strains taken of pulmonary and extra‐pulmonary forms of tuberculosis. We suppose that the obtained results can be useful for new diagnostic tools development for identification of different MbT strains in clinical medicine and research practice.
Assessment of earthworms as an indicator of soil degradation: A case‐study on loess soils
Authors: Li Yanpei , Wang Jiao , Shao Ming'an
Published: March 2021

Soil degradation restricts the development of agriculture, and the degree of soil degradation is related to land use type, and efficient evaluation methods are helpful for the timely implementation of remedial measures to ensure soil sustainability. Earthworms are directly affected by the deterioration of soil properties during the degradation process. The feasibility of using earthworms to assess soil degradation, however, still needs to be verified. In our Loess Plateau study, earthworm biomass, density, and diversity (Shannon‐Wiener, species richness, and Pielou's evenness) were investigated under nine different land use types (natural woodland, shrubland and grassland; planted woodland, shrubland and grassland; and cropland, orchard, abandoned land) and we analyzed their relationships with soil degradation. Our results showed earthworm biomass, density, and diversity associated with a low degree of degradation were significantly higher than those associated with a high degree of degradation. Earthworms can comprehensively characterize the physicochemical properties and biological characteristics of soils under different land use types. Linear correlations showed a significant relationship between the soil degradation index and the earthworm indices, indicating that the latter could be used to effectively evaluate and represent the degree of degradation of soils on the Loess Plateau over a certain degradation range. Nevertheless, this evaluation method requires further validation before wider use.
MicroRNA‐328‐5p Alleviates Macrophage Lipid Accumulation through the Histone Deacetylase 3/ATP‐binding cassette transporter A1 pathway
Authors: Huang Jiang‐Wei , Jiang Xin , Li Zi‐Li , Jiang Chang‐Rong
Published: March 2021

MicroRNA‐328 (miR‐328) was reported to protect against atherosclerosis, but its role in foam cell formation remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of miR‐328‐5p on macrophage lipid accumulation and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that miR‐328‐5p expression was robustly decreased in oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL)‐treated macrophages. Treatment of human acute monocytic leukemia cel (THP‐1) macrophage‐derived foam cells with a miR‐328‐5p mimic markedly increased [3H]‐cholesterol efflux, inhibited lipid droplet accumulation, and decreased intracellular total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC) and cholesteryl ester (CE) contents. Upregulation of miR‐328‐5p also reduced the expression of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) but increased the levels of ATP‐binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in THP‐1 macrophage‐derived foam cells. Mechanistically, miR‐328‐5p inhibited HDAC3 expression by directly targeting its 3′UTR, thereby promoting ABCA1 expression and the subsequent cholesterol efflux. Furthermore, miR‐328‐5p mimic treatment did not affect the uptake of Dil‐ox‐LDL or the expression of scavenger receptor‐A (SR‐A), thrombospondin receptor (CD36) and ABCG1. Taken together, these findings suggest that miR‐328‐5p alleviates macrophage lipid accumulation through the HDAC3/ABCA1 pathway.
π‐Extended Thiazole‐Containing Polymer Semiconductor for Balanced Charge–Carrier Mobilities
Authors: Kang Boseok , Kim Hyoung Nam , Sun Cheng , Kwon Soon‐Ki , Cho Kilwon , Kim Yun‐Hi
Published: March 2021

A low‐band gap semiconducting polymer with an acceptor–donor–acceptor architecture is newly designed and synthesized by incorporating a π‐extended thiazole–vinylene–thiazole unit. The resulting thiazole‐containing diketopyrrolopyrrole copolymer exhibits well‐balanced ambipolar characteristics with hole mobility of up to 0.11 cm2 V−1 s−1 and electron mobility of up to 0.30 cm2 V−1 s−1, which are suitable for applications in polymer electronics.
A structural analysis of 2,5‐diaryl‐4H‐2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐ones: NMR in the solid state, X‐ray crystallography, and GIPAW calculations
Authors: Marín‐Luna Marta , Sánchez‐Andrada Pilar , Alkorta Ibon , Elguero José , Torralba M. Carmen , Delgado‐Martínez Patricia , Santa María Dolores , Claramunt Rosa M.
Published: March 2021

The 1H, 13C, 15N, and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of 11 2,5‐diaryl‐2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐ones have been acquired in DMSO‐d6 solution and the 13C, 15N, and 19F NMR spectra have also been acquired in the solid state (solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance [SSNMR] and magic angle spinning [MAS]). The X‐ray structures of Compounds 3, 5, and 6 have been determined by X‐ray diffraction. Theoretical calculations at the gauge‐independent atomic orbital (GIAO)/B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level have provided a set of 321 chemical shifts that were compared with 310 experimental values in DMSO‐d6. To obtain good agreements, some effects need to be included. The SSNMR chemical shifts have been compared with gauge‐including projector‐augmented wave (GIPAW) calculations and with the heavy atom–light atom (HALA) effects.
Studies on the local structure and spin Hamiltonian parameters for V4+ in Na2O–PbO–Bi2O3–SiO2 glass ceramics
Authors: Fan Yi‐Mei , Wu Shao‐Yi , Luo Ying‐Jie , Liu Xu‐Sheng , Zhu Qin‐Sheng , Li Xiao‐Yu
Published: March 2021

The local structure, d–d transition band, and spin Hamiltonian parameters (SHPs) are theoretically studied for the V4+ probe in Na2O–PbO–Bi2O3–SiO2 (NPBS) glass ceramics containing V2O5 dopant with various concentration x (0 ≤ x ≤ 5 mol%) by using the perturbation formulas of the SHPs for tetragonally compressed octahedral 3d1 clusters. The first decreasing (or increasing) and then increasing (or decreasing) d–d transition band (= 10 Dq) and hyperfine structure constants A// and A⊥ (or g factors g// and g⊥) with x can be suitably simulated with the similarly varying Fourier type concentration functions of cubic field parameter Dq, covalence factor N, core polarization constant κ, and reduction factor H (or relative tetragonal compression ratio ρ), with the minima (or maxima) at the middle concentration x = 3 mol%, respectively. The above concentration variations of SHPs and the related quantities may originate from the modifications of local crystal field strength, tetragonal compression, and electron cloud distribution near the impurity V4+ with x, corresponding to the highest [V4+]/[V5+] ratio at 3 mol%. Present studies would be helpful to explore novel sodium lead bismuth silicate glass ceramics by modifying the concentration of V2O5 dopant.
Establishment and validation of the quantitative analysis of multi‐components by single marker for the quality control of Qishen Yiqi dripping pills by high‐performance liquid chromatography with charged aerosol detection
Authors: Wu Linlin , Zhang Shunnan , Zhou Lihong , Xiong Haoshu , Gong Xingchu , Zhang Sijie , Pan Jianyang , Qu Haibin
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Charged aerosol detection (CAD) has the merits of high sensitivity, high universality and response uniformity. The strategy that combines the quantitative analysis of multi‐components by single marker (QAMS) with CAD has certain advantages for the quantification of multi‐components. However, relevant research was limited.

Objectives

To comprehensively investigate the crucial factors that affect the performance of the HPLC‐CAD‐QAMS approach and validate the credibility and feasibility of the method.

Methodology

Multiple components of Qishen Yiqi dripping pills (QSYQ) were assayed using the high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)‐CAD‐QAMS approach. Some factors that affect the sensitivity and accuracy of the approach were sufficiently studied. After the method verification, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to evaluate the quality consistency of three types of samples: normal samples, expired samples and negative samples.

Results

A HPLC‐CAD‐QAMS method was successfully developed for the multi‐component determination of QSYQ. First, chromatographic conditions were optimised by a definitive screening design, and the optimised ranges of operating parameters were obtained with a Monte Carlo simulation method. Next, a new method to select the internal reference standards was successfully introduced based on the heatmap of Pearson correlation coefficients of the response factors. Then, the multi‐point method was selected to calculate the relative correction factors, and a robustness test was conducted with Plackett–Burman design. Finally, the PCA was proved to be effective for the quality consistency evaluation of different samples.

Conclusion

The developed HPLC‐CAD‐QAMS method can be a reliable and superior means for the multi‐component quantitative analysis of QSYQ.
Thermal and morphological investigation of the effect of POSS‐(PEG2000)8 addition to UV curable PEGMEA/PEGDA formulation and simultaneously in situ formed silver nanoparticles
Authors: Ozcelik Kazancioglu Elif , Batibay Gonul S. , Uner Ahmet , Arsu Nergis
Published: March 2021

In this study, hybrid nanocomposites were synthesized by photo‐crosslinking of poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate/poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate monomer system using 2‐ (carboxymethoxy) thioxanthone and POSS‐(PEG2000)8. Additionally, AgNO3 was added to this formulation and in situ formation of silver nanoparticles onto hybrid nanocomposites were achieved in one‐step. UV–Vis spectroscopy technique was used as a very useful tool for surface plasmon resonance band detection of silver nanoparticles. In addition to thermogravimetric analyses which were performed in nitrogen atmosphere to determine the thermal stability of the nanocomposites, dynamic light scattering, and scanning electron microscopy techniques were also used for size and morphology of silver nanoparticles in a hybrid network. TGA analyses proved that even the addition of a very low amount of POSS‐(PEG2000)8 made noteworthy contribution to thermal stability especially in the presence of silver nanoparticles in the hybrid network. The swelling capacities of the prepared films were examined at 1, 3 and 24 h in phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7.4). It was found that film containing only POSS‐(PEG2000)8 had the highest swelling ratio in the shortest time.
Supramolecular polymer gels formed from polyamidine and random copolymer of n‐butyl acrylate and acrylic acid
Authors: Furusho Yoshio , Endo Takeshi
Published: March 2021

We have prepared the amidinium‐carboxylate salt bridge‐based supramolecular polymer gels from random copolymer of n‐butyl acrylate and acrylic acid and a linear polyamidine having N,N′‐di‐substituted acetamidine group in the main chain. The supramolecular polymer gel with equimolar amounts of carboxy and amidine groups shows a high G′ value of 1.6 MPa at 25°C. In contrast, the gel prepared from the carboxy polymer and linear polyethyleneimine instead of the polyamidine shows liquid‐like fluidity with a G′ value of 0.01 MPa at 25°C. The robustness of the amidine‐based supramolecular polymer gels is attributed to the high stability of the amidinium‐carboxylate salt bridge. Replacing the random copolymer with carboxy‐terminated telechelic poly(n‐butyl acrylate) results in a significant decrease in G′ as well as |η*|, which may arise from the difference in the network structure due to the arrangement of carboxy groups.
Output‐feedback Lyapunov redesign of uncertain systems with delayed measurements
Authors: Xu Jing , Fridman Leonid M. , Fridman Emilia , Niu Yugang
Published: March 2021

This paper presents an output‐feedback Lyapunov redesign for uncertain systems with the delayed measurements, which recasts the state estimation and robust control into a unified framework. Instead of the traditional observer/differentiator‐based output‐feedback design, a static state estimator is constructed by the Taylor expansion of delayed measurements with the integral remainders. Then, a sliding variable is constructed according to the nominal Lyapunov function. A Lyapunov redesign approach is used to keep the system trajectory in predefined vicinity of origin, even subject to approximation errors and exogenous disturbances. The maximum value of the allowable delays for the closed‐loop stability is found via linear matrix inequalities. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified in the magnetic suspension system.
Cell augmentation strategies for cardiac stem cell therapies
Authors: Cruz-Samperio Raquel , Jordan Millie , Perriman Adam
Published: March 2021

Myocardial infarction (MI) has been the primary cause of death in developed countries, resulting in a major psychological and financial burden for society. Current treatments for acute MI are directed toward rapid restoration of perfusion to limit damage to the myocardium, rather than promoting tissue regeneration and subsequent contractile function recovery. Regenerative cell therapies (CTs), in particular those using multipotent stem cells (SCs), are in the spotlight for treatment post-MI. Unfortunately, the efficacy of CTs is somewhat limited by their poor long-term viability, homing, and engraftment to the myocardium. In response, a range of novel SC-based technologies are in development to provide additional cellular modalities, bringing CTs a step closer to the clinic. In this review, the current landscape of emerging CTs and their augmentation strategies for the treatment post-MI are discussed. In doing so, we highlight recent advances in cell membrane reengineering via genetic modifications, recombinant protein immobilization, and the utilization of soft biomimetic scaffold interfaces.
Recent Advances in Multi‐Layer Light‐Emitting Heterostructure Transistors
Authors: Chen Hongming , Huang Wei , Marks Tobin J. , Facchetti Antonio , Meng Hong
Published: March 2021

Light‐emitting transistors (LETs) have attracted tremendous academic and industrial interest due to their dual functions of electrical switching and light emission in a single device, which can considerably reduce system complexity and manufacturing costs, especially in the area of flat panel and flexible displays as well as lighting and lasers. In recent years, enhanced LET performance has been achieved by introducing multiple‐layer heterostructures in the charge‐carrying/light‐emitting LET channel versus the best‐reported performance in single active layer LETs, rendering multi‐layer LETs promising candidates for next‐generation display technologies. In this review, the fundamental structures and working principles of multi‐layer heterostructure LETs are introduced. Next, developments in multi‐layer LETs are discussed based on co‐planar LETs, non‐planar LETs, and vertical LETs including organic, quantum dot, and perovskite light emitters. Finally, this review concludes with a summary and a perspective on the future of this research field.
One-loop string corrections to AdS amplitudes from CFT
Authors: Drummond J.M. , Paul H.
Published: March 2021

Abstract

We consider α′ corrections to the one-loop four-point correlator of the stress- tensor multiplets in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 super Yang-Mills at order 1/N4. Holographically, this is dual to string corrections of the one-loop supergravity amplitude on AdS5 × S5. While this correlator has been considered in Mellin space before, we derive the corresponding position space results, gaining new insights into the analytic structure of AdS loop amplitudes. Most notably, the presence of a transcendental weight three function involving new singularities is required, which has not appeared in the context of AdS amplitudes before. We thereby confirm the structure of string corrected one-loop Mellin amplitudes, and also provide new explicit results at orders in α′ not considered before.
Signatures of global symmetry violation in relative entropies and replica wormholes
Authors: Chen Yiming , Lin Henry W.
Published: March 2021

Abstract

It is widely believed that exact global symmetries do not exist in theories that admit quantum black holes. Here we propose a way to quantify the degree of global symmetry violation in the Hawking radiation of a black hole by using certain relative entropies. While the violations of global symmetry that we consider are non-perturbative effects, they nevertheless give $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(1) contributions to the relative entropy after the Page time. Furthermore, using “island” formulas, these relative entropies can be computed within semi-classical gravity, which we demonstrate with explicit examples. These formulas give a rather precise operational sense to the statement that a global charge thrown into an old black hole will be lost after a scrambling time.

The relative entropies considered here may also be computed using a replica trick. At integer replica index, the global symmetry violating effects manifest themselves as charge flowing through the replica wormhole.
Two-photon processes in conformal QCD: resummation of the descendants of leading-twist operators
Authors: Braun V.M. , Ji Yao , Manashov A.N.
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Using some techniques of conformal field theories, we find a closed expression for the contribution of leading twist operators and their descendants, obtained by adding total derivatives, to the operator product expansion (OPE) of two electromagnetic currents in QCD. Our expression resums contributions of all twists and to all orders in perturbation theory up to corrections proportional to the QCD β-function. At tree level and to twist-four accuracy, our result agrees with the expression derived earlier by a different method. The results are directly applicable to deeply-virtual Compton scattering and, e.g., γγ∗ annihilation in two mesons. As a byproduct, we derive a simple representation for the OPE of two scalar currents that is convenient for applications.
Nucleation is more than critical: A case study of the electroweak phase transition in the NMSSM
Authors: Baum Sebastian , Carena Marcela , Shah Nausheen R. , Wagner Carlos E. M. , Wang Yikun
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Electroweak baryogenesis is an attractive mechanism to generate the baryon asymmetry of the Universe via a strong first order electroweak phase transition. We compare the phase transition patterns suggested by the vacuum structure at thecritical temperatures, at which local minima are degenerate, with those obtained from computing the probability fornucleationvia tunneling through the barrier separating local minima. Heuristically, nucleation becomes difficult if the barrier between the local minima is too high, or if the distance (in field space) between the minima is too large. As an example of a model exhibiting such behavior, we study the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, whose scalar sector contains two SU(2) doublets and one gauge singlet. We find that the calculation of the nucleation probabilities prefers different regions of parameter space for a strong first order electroweak phase transition than the calculation based solely on the critical temperatures. Our results demonstrate that analyzing only the vacuum structure via the critical temperatures can provide a misleading picture of the phase transition patterns, and, in turn, of the parameter space suitable for electroweak baryogenesis.
Effects of ertugliflozin on kidney composite outcomes, renal function and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: an analysis from the randomised VERTIS CV trial
Authors:   on behalf of the VERTIS CV Investigators, Cherney David Z. I. , Charbonnel Bernard , Cosentino Francesco , Dagogo-Jack Samuel , McGuire Darren K. , Pratley Richard , Shih Weichung J. , Frederich Robert , Maldonado Mario , Pong Annpey , Cannon Christopher P.
Published: March 2021

Aims/hypothesis

In previous work, we reported the HR for the risk (95% CI) of the secondary kidney composite endpoint (time to first event of doubling of serum creatinine from baseline, renal dialysis/transplant or renal death) with ertugliflozin compared with placebo as 0.81 (0.63, 1.04). The effect of ertugliflozin on exploratory kidney-related outcomes was evaluated using data from the eValuation of ERTugliflozin effIcacy and Safety CardioVascular outcomes (VERTIS CV) trial (NCT01986881).

Methods

Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established atherosclerotic CVD were randomised to receive ertugliflozin 5 mg or 15 mg (observations from both doses were pooled), or matching placebo, added on to existing treatment. The kidney composite outcome in VERTIS CV (reported previously) was time to first event of doubling of serum creatinine from baseline, renal dialysis/transplant or renal death. The pre-specified exploratory composite outcome replaced doubling of serum creatinine with sustained 40% decrease from baseline in eGFR. In addition, the impact of ertugliflozin on urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) and eGFR over time was assessed.

Results

A total of 8246 individuals were randomised and followed for a mean of 3.5 years. The exploratory kidney composite outcome of sustained 40% reduction from baseline in eGFR, chronic kidney dialysis/transplant or renal death occurred at a lower event rate (events per 1000 person-years) in the ertugliflozin group than with the placebo group (6.0 vs 9.0); the HR (95% CI) was 0.66 (0.50, 0.88). At 60 months, in the ertugliflozin group, placebo-corrected changes from baseline (95% CIs) in UACR and eGFR were −16.2% (−23.9, −7.6) and 2.6 ml min−1 [1.73 m]−2 (1.5, 3.6), respectively. Ertugliflozin was associated with a consistent decrease in UACR and attenuation of eGFR decline across subgroups, with a suggested larger effect observed in the macroalbuminuria and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease (KDIGO CKD) high/very high-risk subgroups.

Conclusions/interpretation

Among individuals with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic CVD, ertugliflozin reduced the risk for the pre-specified exploratory composite renal endpoint and was associated with preservation of eGFR and reduced UACR.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01986881

Graphical abstract
Age, time from injury to surgery and quadriceps strength affect the risk of revision surgery after primary ACL reconstruction
Authors: Cristiani Riccardo , Forssblad Magnus , Edman Gunnar , Eriksson Karl , Stålman Anders
Published: March 2021

Purpose

To identify preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative factors associated with revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) within 2 years of primary ACLR.

Methods

Patients who underwent primary ACLR at our institution, from January 2005 to March 2017, were identified. The primary outcome was the occurrence of revision ACLR within 2 years of primary ACLR. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate preoperative [age, gender, body mass index (BMI), time from injury to surgery, pre-injury Tegner activity level], intraoperative [graft type, graft diameter, medial meniscus (MM) and lateral meniscus (LM) resection or repair, cartilage injury] and postoperative [side-to-side (STS) anterior laxity, limb symmetry index (LSI) for quadriceps and hamstring strength and single-leg-hop test performance at 6 months] risk factors for revision ACLR.

Results

A total of 6,510 primary ACLRs were included. The overall incidence of revision ACLR within 2 years was 2.5%. Univariate analysis showed that age < 25 years, BMI < 25 kg/m2, time from injury to surgery < 12 months, pre-injury Tegner activity level ≥ 6, LM repair, STS laxity > 5 mm, quadriceps strength and single-leg-hop test LSI of ≥ 90% increased the odds; whereas, MM resection and the presence of a cartilage injury reduced the odds of revision ACLR. Multivariate analysis revealed that revision ACLR was significantly related only to age < 25 years (OR 6.25; 95% CI 3.57–11.11; P < 0.001), time from injury to surgery < 12 months (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.25–4.17; P = 0.007) and quadriceps strength LSI of ≥ 90% (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.16–2.49; P = 0.006).

Conclusion

Age < 25 years, time from injury to surgery < 12 months and 6-month quadriceps strength LSI of ≥ 90% increased the odds of revision ACLR within 2 years of primary ACLR. Understanding the risk factors for revision ACLR has important implications when it comes to the appropriate counseling for primary ACLR. In this study, a large spectrum of potential risk factors for revision ACLR was analyzed in a large cohort. Advising patients regarding the results of an ACLR should also include potential risk factors for revision surgery.

Level of evidence

III.
On the Boundary Layer Equations with Phase Transition in the Kinetic Theory of Gases
Authors: Bernhoff Niclas , Golse François
Published: March 2021

Consider the steady Boltzmann equation with slab symmetry for a monatomic, hard sphere gas in a half space. At the boundary of the half space, it is assumed that the gas is in contact with its condensed phase. The present paper discusses the existence and uniqueness of a uniformly decaying boundary layer type solution of the Boltzmann equation in this situation, in the vicinity of the Maxwellian equilibrium with zero bulk velocity, with the same temperature as that of the condensed phase, and whose pressure is the saturating vapor pressure at the temperature of the interface. This problem has been extensively studied, first by Sone, Aoki and their collaborators, by means of careful numerical simulations. See section 2 of (Bardos et al. in J Stat Phys 124:275–300, 2006) for a very detailed presentation of these works. More recently, Liu and Yu (Arch Ration Mech Anal 209:869–997, 2013) proposed an extensive mathematical strategy to handle the problems studied numerically by Sone, Aoki and their group. The present paper offers an alternative, possibly simpler proof of one of the results discussed in Liu and Yu (2013).
Abundance, habitat use and food consumption of seabirds in the high-Arctic fjord ecosystem
Authors: Stempniewicz Lech , Goc Michał , Głuchowska Marta , Kidawa Dorota , Węsławski Jan Marcin
Published: March 2021

To monitor the rapid changes occurring in Arctic ecosystems and predict their direction, basic information about the current number and structure of the main components of these systems is necessary. Using boat-based surveys, we studied the numbers and distribution of seabirds foraging in Hornsund (SW Spitsbergen) during three summer seasons. The average number of seabirds foraging concurrently in the whole fjord was estimated at 28,000. Little Auks Alle alle were the most numerous, followed by Northern Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis, Brünnich’s Guillemots Uria lomvia and Black-legged Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla. The pelagic zone was exploited by some 75% of the birds. Their density was the highest (> 400 ind. km−2) in the tidewater glacier bays, where kittiwakes were predominant, and the lowest in the coastal glacier bays. The seabirds in Hornsund daily consumed c. 12.7 tons of food, i.e. c. 0.2% of the summer mesozooplankton and fish standing stocks available in the fjord. This food consisted primarily of copepods, amphipods and molluscs (c. 70%), whereas fish made up < 15%. More than 50% of this biomass was ingested by pursuit divers, while surface feeders took c. 29% and benthophages c. 13%. About three-quarters of the food biomass was taken from the pelagic zone. This paper describes, for the first time in quantitative terms, the structure and function of a seabird community foraging in an Arctic fjord. It also provides a baseline for future studies on climate-induced changes in the importance of seabirds in the Arctic food web.
Development of residual stresses by infeed rotary swaging of steel tubes
Authors: Ortmann-Ishkina Svetlana , Charni Dhia , Herrmann Marius , Liu Yang , Epp Jérémy , Schenck Christian , Kuhfuss Bernd
Published: March 2021

Additionally to the achievable tight geometrical tolerances, rotary swaging can influence intrinsic material properties by work hardening and residual stresses generation. Although residual stresses should be usually avoided, they can be used on purpose to improve the performance properties of a produced part. To find prospective process settings, 2D FEM simulation of the rotary swaging process was developed and revealed the development of residual stresses distributions in E355 steel tubes in the whole longitudinal section. Besides the closing time, also geometric features of the dies were varied. It was found that the closing time affects the residual stresses significantly at the surface, but not in the depth of the part. By shortening the calibration zone, the axial tensile residual stresses near the outer surface could be lowered, while compressive residual stresses near the inner surface remained almost unaffected. By applying a higher die angle, the tensile axial residual stresses were increased while reducing the compressive axial residual stresses. Experimental investigations of residual stresses were performed by X-ray diffraction which revealed a good agreement between simulation results and physical measurements. With these findings, the rotary swaging process can be optimized for shaping residual stresses profiles to improve the performance properties of the produced parts.
A dimensional measure of safety behavior: A non-dichotomous assessment of costly avoidance in human fear conditioning
Authors: Wong Alex H. K. , Pittig Andre
Published: March 2021

Safety behavior prevents the occurrence of threat, thus it is typically considered adaptive. However, safety behavior in anxiety-related disorders is often costly, and persists even the situation does not entail realistic threat. Individuals can engage in safety behavior to varying extents, however, these behaviors are typically measured dichotomously (i.e., to execute or not). To better understand the nuances of safety behavior, this study developed a dimensional measure of safety behavior that had a negative linear relationship with the admission of an aversive outcome. In two experiments, a Reward group receiving fixed or individually calibrated incentives competing with safety behavior showed reduced safety behavior than a Control group receiving no incentives. This allowed extinction learning to a previously learnt warning signal in the Reward group (i.e., updating the belief that this stimulus no longer signals threat). Despite the Reward group exhibited extinction learning, both groups showed a similar increase in fear to the warning signal once safety behavior was no longer available. This null group difference was due to some participants in the Reward group not incentivized enough to disengage from safety behavior. Dimensional assessment revealed a dissociation between low fear but substantial safety behavior to a safety signal in the Control group. This suggests that low-cost safety behavior does not accurately reflect the fear-driven processes, but also other non-fear-driven processes, such as cost (i.e., engage in safety behavior merely because it bears little to no cost). Pinpointing both processes is important for furthering the understanding of safety behavior.