bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variation in the Holton–Tan effect by longitude
Authors: Elsbury Dillon , Peings Yannick , Magnusdottir Gudrun
Published: February 2021

The teleconnection between the Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation (QBO) and the boreal winter polar vortex, the Holton–Tan effect, is analyzed in the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) with a focus on how stationary wave propagation varies by QBO phase. These signals are difficult to isolate in reanalyses because of large internal variability in short observational records, especially when decomposing the data by QBO phase. A 1,500‐year ensemble is leveraged by defining the QBO index at five different isobars between 10 and 70 hPa. The Holton–Tan effect is a robust part of the atmospheric response to the QBO in WACCM with warming of the polar stratosphere during easterly QBO (QBOE). A nudging technique is used to reduce polar stratospheric variability in one simulation. This enables isolation of the impact of the QBO on the atmosphere in the absence of a polar stratospheric response to the QBO: referred to as the “direct effect” and the polar stratospheric response, “indirect effect.” This simulation reveals that the polar stratospheric warming during QBOE pushes the tropospheric jet equatorward, opposing the poleward shift of the jet by the QBOE, especially over the North Pacific. The Holton–Tan effect varies over longitude. The QBO induces stronger planetary wave forcing to the mean flow in the extratropical lower stratosphere between Indonesia and Alaska. The North Pacific polar stratosphere responds to this before other longitudes. What follows is a shift in the position of the polar vortex toward Eurasia (North America) during easterly (westerly) QBO. This initiates downstream planetary wave responses over North America, the North Atlantic, and Siberia. This spatiotemporal evolution is found in transient simulations in which QBO nudging is “switched on.” The North Pacific lower stratosphere seems more intrinsically linked to the QBO while other longitudes appear more dependent on the mutual interaction between the QBO and polar stratosphere.
Isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy analysis of water samples without memory effects
Authors: de Graaf Stefan , Vonhof Hubert B. , Levy Elan J. , Markowska Monika , Haug Gerald H.
Published: February 2021

Rationale

Since their introduction more than a decade ago, isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy (IRIS) systems have rapidly become the standard for oxygen (δ18O) and hydrogen (δ2H) isotope analysis of water samples. An important disadvantage of IRIS systems is the well‐documented sample‐to‐sample memory effect, which requires each sample to be analyzed multiple times before the desired accuracy is reached, lengthening analysis times and driving up the costs of analyses.

Methods

We present an adapted set‐up and calculation protocol for fully automated analysis of water samples using a Picarro L2140‐i cavity ring‐down spectroscopy instrument. The adaptation removes memory effects by use of a continuously moisturized nitrogen carrier gas. Water samples of 0.5 μL are measured on top of the water vapor background, after which isotope ratios are calculated by subtraction of the background from the sample peaks.

Results

With this new technique, single injections of water samples have internal precisions (1σ) below 0.05‰ for δ18O values and 0.1‰ for δ2H values, regardless of the isotope ratio of the previous sample. Precision is worse, however, when the isotope difference between the sample and background water is too large (i.e., exceeding approximately 9‰ for δ18O values and 70‰ for δ2H values). Isotope ratios show negligible drift across the four weeks within which the experiments were performed. The single‐injection 1σ precision for 17O excess (Δ′17O) determined with this method is 60 per meg.

Conclusions

Our experiments demonstrate that by removing sample‐to‐sample memory effects with a moisturized carrier gas, the time for measurement of δ18O and δ2H values using an IRIS system can be reduced markedly without compromising the analytical precision and accuracy. Thorough replication is needed to achieve sufficiently low uncertainties for Δ′17O.
The influence of the amino group in 3‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazole corrosion inhibitor on the interface properties for brass studied by ToF‐SIMS
Authors: Finšgar Matjaž
Published: February 2021

Rationale

The detailed surface analysis of corrosion inhibitor surface layers by the application of 1,2,4‐triazole (TRI) and 3‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazole (3‐AT) compounds adsorbed from a 3 wt. % NaCl solution on the brass surface was performed by time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS). The results obtained were additionally supported by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements.

Methods

The description of the corrosion inhibitor surface layers was elaborated by using ToF‐SIMS and molecular‐specific signals. Characteristic molecular‐specific signals were used to perform 2D ToF‐SIMS imaging and cooling/heating experiment associated with ToF‐SIMS measurements. A detailed surface analysis using high‐resolution angle‐resolved XPS and gas cluster ion beam sputtering in combination with XPS measurements was also carried out.

Results

Organometallic complexes were formed after the corrosion process of brass with the release of Cu and Zn ions that subsequently connect with TRI or 3‐AT. Using ToF‐SIMS, possible spectral interferences of the organometallic species were considered due to the presence of different organometallic compounds composed of the two main Cu and Zn isotopes, that is, 63Cu and 65Cu and 64Zn and 66Zn. Using the molecular‐specific signals, 2D imaging was performed, which showed a different distribution of different species on the brass surface. In addition, a ToF‐SIMS experiment on thermal stability showed that most of the TRI‐ and 3‐AT‐related species desorb from the brass surface at 460 °C and 405 °C, respectively.

Conclusions

ToF‐SIMS analysis confirmed the formation of Cu/Zn‐ or Cu2‐inhibitor organometallic complexes, whereas the formation of Zn2‐inhibitor organometallic complexes on the brass surface was not confirmed. ToF‐SIMS imaging showed complete coverage of the brass surface with different Cu/Zn‐ or Cu2‐inhibitor organometallic complexes. The high thermal stability of the corrosion inhibitor surface layers was confirmed by ToF‐SIMS.
Collaboration for organizational sustainability limits to growth: Developing a factors, benefits, and challenges framework
Authors: Lozano Rodrigo , Barreiro‐Gen Maria , Zafar Afnan
Published: February 2021

Collaboration plays a key role in the contribution of organizations (civil society, corporate, and public sector ones) to sustainability; nonetheless, there has been limited research on collaboration elements, benefits, and challenges. A survey was developed for investigating collaboration for organizational sustainability (through elements, benefits, and challenges), to which 253 full responses were obtained. The survey responses were analyzed using Friedman tests, correlations, and multivariate statistical analyses. The results provide insights into the rankings of the elements, benefits, and challenges. The multivariate statistical analyses show that when organizations increase their collaboration on two element factors (business‐oriented and society‐oriented), there will be both benefits and challenges. The optimal solution to collaboration for organizational sustainability is where the factors are balanced in such a way that there are sufficient benefits but fewer challenges. If collaboration is unbridled, then the challenges will outweigh the benefits, thus there are limits to the implementation and growth of collaboration. From the analyses, the research proposes the “Organizational sustainability collaboration” framework dependent on the factors, the benefits, and the challenges obtained from collaborating, which can help organizations understand and better collaborate, so that benefits are maximized, and the challenges curtailed.
Capturing heterogeneity in repeated measures data by fusion penalty
Authors: Liu Lili , Gordon Mae , Miller J. Philip , Kass Michael , Lin Lu , Ma Shujie , Liu Lei
Published: February 2021

In this article, we are interested in capturing heterogeneity in clustered or longitudinal data. Traditionally such heterogeneity is modeled by either fixed effects (FE) or random effects (RE). In FE models, the degree of freedom for the heterogeneity equals the number of clusters/subjects minus 1, which could result in less efficiency. In RE models, the heterogeneity across different clusters/subjects is described by, for example, a random intercept with 1 parameter (for the variance of the random intercept), which could lead to oversimplification and biases (for the estimates of subject‐specific effects). Our “fused effects” model stands in between these two approaches: we assume that there are unknown number of distinct levels of heterogeneity, and use the fusion penalty approach for estimation and inference. We evaluate and compare the performance of our method to the FE and RE models by simulation studies. We apply our method to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study to capture the heterogeneity in the progression rate of primary open‐angle glaucoma of left and right eyes of different subjects.
Influence of Fluorinated Components on Perovskite Solar Cells Performance and Stability
Authors: Ouedraogo Nabonswende Aida Nadege , Yan Hui , Han Chang Bao , Zhang Yongzhe
Published: February 2021

Several valuable scientific investigations have been conducted these last few years in materials design and device engineering for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to make them competitive compared to traditional silicon‐based photovoltaic technologies. Consequently, high power conversion efficiency beyond 25% is nowadays reported. However, their long‐term stability remains a significant challenge to overcome. Herein, the influence of fluorinated compounds on each layer of PSCs devices and their impact on the resulted device performances and stability is spotlighted. The fluorinated compounds exhibit attractive properties due to their very high electronegativity attributed to the fluorine atom, and their strong hydrophobicity. Thus, the introduction of these compounds is found to be a successful strategy to positively suppress the surface trap states, enhancing charge collection and reducing interfacial charge recombination. Besides, a better film quality and better energy level alignment is obtained, resulting in the improvement of device photovoltaic parameters such as the open‐circuit voltage (Voc), short‐circuit current (Jsc), and fill factor (FF), and then, the device's overall power conversion efficiency (PCE). Their long‐term stability is also found to further be improved.
Templating Synthesis of Metal–Organic Framework Nanofiber Aerogels and Their Derived Hollow Porous Carbon Nanofibers for Energy Storage and Conversion
Authors: Zhang Wang , Cai Guorui , Wu Rui , He Zhen , Yao Hong‐Bin , Jiang Hai‐Long , Yu Shu‐Hong
Published: February 2021

A kind of metal–organic framework (MOF) aerogels are synthesized by the self‐assembly of uniform and monodisperse MOF nanofibers. Such MOF nanofiber aerogels as carbon precursors can effectively avoid the aggregation of nanofibers during calcination, resulting in the formation of well‐dispersed hollow porous carbon nanofibers (HPCNs). Moreover, HPCNs with well‐dispersion are investigated as sulfur host materials for Li–S batteries and electrocatalysts for cathode oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). On the one hand, HPCNs act as hosts for the encapsulation of sulfur into their hierarchical micro‐ and mesopores as well as hollow nanostructures. The obtained sulfur cathode exhibits excellent electrochemical features, good cycling stability and high coulombic efficiency. On the other hand, HPCNs exhibit better electrocatalytic activity than aggregated counterparts for ORR. Furthermore, a highly active single atom electrocatalyst can be prepared by the carbonization of bimetallic MOF nanofiber aerogels. The results indicate that well‐dispersed HPCNs show enhanced electrochemical properties in contrast to their aggregated counterparts, suggesting that the dispersion situation of nanomaterials significantly influence their final performance. The present concept of employing MOF nanofiber aerogels as precursors will provide a new strategy to the design of MOF‐derived nanomaterials with well‐dispersion for their applications in energy storage and conversion.
Structure Engineering of Yolk–Shell Magnetic Mesoporous Silica Microspheres with Broccoli‐Like Morphology for Efficient Catalysis and Enhanced Cellular Uptake
Authors: Pan Panpan , Yue Qin , Yang Xuanyu , Ren Yuan , Alharthi Fahad A. , Alghamdi Abdulaziz , Su Jiacan , Deng Yonghui
Published: February 2021

Yolk–shell magnetic mesoporous microspheres exhibit potential applications in biomedicine, bioseparation, and catalysis. Most previous reports focus on establishing various interface assembly strategies to construct yolk–shell mesoporous structures, while little work has been done to control their surface topology and study their relevant applications. Herein, a unique kind of broccoli‐like yolk–shell magnetic mesoporous silica (YS‐BMM) microsphere is fabricated through a surfactant‐free kinetic controlled interface assembly strategy. The obtained YS‐BMM microspheres possess a well‐defined structure consisting of a magnetic core, middle void, mesoporous silica shell with tunable surface roughness, large superparamagnetism (36.4 emu g−1), high specific surface area (174 m2 g−1), and large mesopores of 10.9 nm. Thanks to these merits and properties, the YS‐BMM microspheres are demonstrated to be an ideal support for immobilization of ultrafine Pt nanoparticles (≈3.7 nm) and serve as superior nanocatalysts for hydrogenation of 4‐nitrophenol with yield of over 90% and good magnetic recyclability. Furthermore, YS‐BMM microspheres show excellent biocompatibility and can be easily phagocytosed by osteoclasts, revealing a potential candidate in sustained drug release in orthopedic disease therapy.
In Situ Resistive Switching Effect Scrutinization on Co‐Designed Graphene Sensor
Authors: Xiong Feng , Wang Zegao , Bøjesen Espen Drath , Xiong Xuya , Zhu Zhihong , Dong Mingdong
Published: February 2021

Resistive switching (RS), an electric property based on the forming and rupture of conductive filaments in metal‐insulator‐metal structures, has attracted intensive attention due to its potential application in next generation energy‐efficient and area‐efficient memory devices. In situ studies of the RS effect are urgently needed for its mechanism understanding and memristive performance improvement. Here investigations of both the RS effect as well as the gate tunable conductance quantization effect are realized by co‐designing an Ag/SiO2 based memory structure on a graphene local sensor. This design enables self‐monitoring of the working states of the memristor in real‐time by virtue of the graphene sensor. These findings pave the way for further investigations of on‐chip electronics and quantum physics.
Silicon Suboxides as Driving Force for Efficient Light‐Enhanced Hydrogen Generation on Silicon Nanowires
Authors: Ming Tingsen , Turishchev Sergey , Schleusener Alexander , Parinova Elena , Koyuda Dmitry , Chuvenkova Olga , Schulz Martin , Dietzek Benjamin , Sivakov Vladimir
Published: February 2021

Efficient light‐stimulated hydrogen generation from top–down produced highly doped n‐type silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in water‐containing medium under white light irradiation is reported. It is observed that SiNWs with AgNPs generate at least 2.5 times more hydrogen than SiNWs without AgNPs. The authors’ results, based on vibrational, UV–vis, and X‐ray spectroscopy studies, strongly suggest that the sidewalls of the SiNWs are covered by silicon suboxides, by up to a thickness of 120 nm, with wide bandgap semiconductor properties that are similar to those of titanium dioxide and remain stable during hydrogen evolution in a water‐containing medium for at least 3 h of irradiation. Based on synchrotron studies, it is found that the increase in the silicon bandgap is related to the energetically beneficial position of the valence band in nanostructured silicon, which renders these promising structures for efficient hydrogen generation.
A Protective Layer for Lithium Metal Anode: Why and How
Authors: Han Zhiyuan , Zhang Chen , Lin Qiaowei , Zhang Yunbo , Deng Yaqian , Han Junwei , Wu Dingcai , Kang Feiyu , Yang Quan‐Hong , Lv Wei
Published: February 2021

Lithium metal is the most promising candidate anode material for high energy density batteries, but its high activity and severe dendrite growth lead to safety concerns and limit its practical use. Constructing a protective layer (PL) on the lithium surface to avoid the side reactions and stabilize the electrode‐electrolyte interface is an effective approach to solve these problems. In this review, the recent progress on PLs is summarized, and their desired properties and design principles are discussed from the aspects of materials selection and the corresponding fabrication methods. Advanced PLs with different properties are then highlighted, including a self‐adjusting feature to increase structural integrity, the synergistic effect of organic and inorganic hybrids to improve mechanical properties and ionic conductivity, the use of embedded groups and ion diffusion channels to regulate ion distribution and flux, and a protective barrier to suppress corrosion from humid air or water. Finally, the remaining challenges and the possible solutions for PL design in future studies are proposed.
Generating and selecting resilient and maintainable locators for Web automated testing
Authors: Nguyen Vu , To Thanh , Diep Gia‐Han
Published: February 2021

Web user interface (UI) test automation strategies have been dominated by programmable and record–playback approaches. Of these, record–playback allows creating automation tests easily and reduces the cost of test generation. However, this approach increases the cost of test maintenance due to its unstable generated locators for identifying UI objects during playback. In this paper, we propose a new approach to generating and selecting resilient and maintainable locators. Our approach consists of two parts, a new XPath construction method and selecting the best XPath to locate the target element. Our XPath construction method relies on semantic structures of Web pages to locate the target element using its neighbors. We conducted an experiment on 15 popular websites. The results show that our approach outperforms the state‐of‐the‐practice/art Selenium IDE and Robula+ in locating target elements by effectively avoiding wrong locators. It also produces more readable XPaths (hence more maintainable tests) than do these approaches.
Lumpy skin disease, an emerging transboundary viral disease: A review
Authors: Namazi Fatemeh , Khodakaram Tafti Azizollah
Published: February 2021

Lumpy skin disease is an emerging bovine viral disease, which is endemic in most African countries and some Middle East ones, and the elevated risk of the spread of disease into the rest of Asia and Europe should be considered. The recent rapid spread of disease in currently disease‐free countries indicates the importance of understanding the limitations and routes of distribution. The causative agent, Capripoxvirus, can also induce sheeppox and goatpox. The economic significance of these diseases is of great concern, given that they threaten international trade and could be used as economic bioterrorism agents. The distribution of capripoxviruses seems to be expanding due to limited access to effective vaccines and poverty within farming communities. This is largely due to the economic effects of the Covid‐19 pandemic and the imposition of crippling sanctions in endemic regions, as well as an increase in the legal and illegal trade of live animals and animal products, and also global climate change. The present review is designed to provide existing information on the various aspects of the disease such as its clinicopathology, transmission, epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention and control measures, and the potential role of wildlife in the further spread of disease.
Improvement of wastewater sludge dewatering using ferric chloride, aluminum sulfate, and calcium oxide (experimental investigation and descriptive statistical analysis)
Authors: Ranjbar Flora , Karrabi Mohsen , Danesh Shahnaz , Gheibi Mohammad
Published: February 2021

In this research, application of chemical conditioners for the conditioning of sludge and their effects on the improvement of sludge thickening of the wastewater treatment plant in the city of Bojnourd (Iran) is investigated. The concentration of chemical conditioners, pH and coagulation and flocculation time is from among the parameters studied in this research work. The results obtained indicate that sludge volume reduction for the chemical conditioners used, including Ferric Chloride (FeCl3), Aluminum Sulfate (Al2 (SO4)3), and Calcium Oxide (CaO) are 41, 17, and 33 percent, respectively. The optimal concentration for FeCl3, Al2(SO4)3, and CaO are 550, 1100, and 292 mg/L, respectively, and the optimal values of pH are 9, 7.5, and 10, respectively. The time to filtration (TTF) and reduction in sludge moisture content (SMC) for Ferric Chloride, Aluminum Sulfate, and Calcium Oxide are 45 s and 6.2%, 135 s and 3.3%, 190 s and 2.4% respectively.

Practitioner points

Investigating the sludge conditioning by Ferric Chloride, Aluminum Sulfate, and Calcium Oxide.

Determining the optimal concentration, pH, and coagulation/flocculation time.

Calculating the time to filtration (TTF) and reduction in sludge moisture content (SMC).

Predicting the settled sludge volume using descriptive statistical analysis.
Introduction
Authors: Hayes Deborah C. , Kerns Becky K. , Patel-Weynand Toral , Finch Deborah M.
Published: February 2021

Invasive species are a historical, long-term, and continually growing threat to the ecology, economy, and infrastructure of the United States. Widely recognized as one of the most serious threats to the health, sustainability, and productivity of native ecosystems, invasive species issues have commonly been viewed as problems specific to Federal, State, and private landowners. However, it is increasingly apparent that the impacts from these species are all encompassing, affecting ecosystem processes in addition to the economics of land management, public and private infrastructure, the energy sector, international trade, cultural practices, and many other sectors in the United States.
Tools and Technologies for Quantifying Spread and Impacts of Invasive Species
Authors: Reeves Matt , Ibáñez Inés , Blumenthal Dana , Chen Gang , Guo Qinfeng , Jarnevich Catherine , Koch Jennifer , Sapio Frank , Schwartz Michael K. , Meentemeyer Ross K. , Wylie Bruce K. , Boyte Stephen
Published: February 2021

The need for tools and technologies for understanding and quantifying invasive species has never been greater. Rates of infestation vary on the species or organism being examined across the United States, and notable examples can be found. For example, from 2001 to 2003 alone, ash (Fraxinusspp.) mortality progressed at a rate of 12.97 km year−1(Siegert et al. 2014), and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is expected to increase dominance on 14% of Great Basin rangelands (Boyte et al. 2016). The magnitude and scope of problems that invasive species present suggest novel approaches for detection and management are needed, especially those that enable more cost-effective solutions. The advantages of using technologically advanced approaches and tools are numerous, and the quality and quantity of available information can be significantly enhanced by their use. They can also play a key role in development of decision-support systems; they are meant to be integrated with other systems, such as inventory and monitoring, because often the tools are applied after a species of interest has been detected and a threat has been identified. In addition, the inventory systems mentioned in Chap.10are regularly used in calibrating and validating models and decision-support systems. For forested areas, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data are most commonly used (e.g., Václavík et al. 2015) given the long history of the program. In non-forested systems, national inventory datasets have not been around as long (see Chap.10), but use of these data to calibrate and validate spatial models is growing. These inventory datasets include the National Resources Inventory (NRI) (e.g., Duniway et al. 2012) and the Assessment Inventory and Monitoring program (AIM) (e.g., McCord et al. 2017). Similarly, use of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database is growing as well (e.g., Evangelista et al. 2017). The consistent protocols employed by these programs prove valuable for developing better tools, but the data they afford are generally limited for some tools because the sampling intensity is too low.
Impacts of Invasive Species in Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems in the United States
Authors: Mayfield Albert E. , Seybold Steven J. , Haag Wendell R. , Johnson M. Tracy , Kerns Becky K. , Kilgo John C. , Larkin Daniel J. , Lucardi Rima D. , Moltzan Bruce D. , Pearson Dean E. , Rothlisberger John D. , Schardt Jeffrey D. , Schwartz Michael K. , Young Michael K.
Published: February 2021

The introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive species in terrestrial and aquatic environments is widely recognized as one of the most serious threats to the health, sustainability, and productivity of native ecosystems (Holmes et al. 2009; Mack et al. 2000; Pyšek et al. 2012; USDA Forest Service 2013). In the United States, invasive species are the second leading cause of native species endangerment and extinction, and their costs to society have been estimated at $120 billion annually (Crowl et al. 2008; Pimentel et al. 2000, 2005). These costs include lost production and revenue from agricultural and forest products, compromised use of waterways and terrestrial habitats, harm to human and animal health, reduced property values and recreational opportunities, and diverse costs associated with managing (e.g., monitoring, preventing, controlling, and regulating) invasive species (Aukema et al. 2011; Pimentel et al. 2005). The national significance of these economic, ecological, and social impacts in the United States has prompted various actions by both legislative and executive branches of the Federal Government (e.g., the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990; the Noxious Weed Control and Eradication Act of 2002; Executive Order 13112 of 1999, amended in 2016).
Effects of Climate Change on Invasive Species
Authors: Finch Deborah M. , Butler Jack L. , Runyon Justin B. , Fettig Christopher J. , Kilkenny Francis F. , Jose Shibu , Frankel Susan J. , Cushman Samuel A. , Cobb Richard C. , Dukes Jeffrey S. , Hicke Jeffrey A. , Amelon Sybill K.
Published: February 2021

Mean surface temperatures have increased globally by ~0.7 °C per century since 1900 and 0.16 °C per decade since 1970 (Levinson and Fettig 2014). Most of this warming is believed to result from increases in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activity. Temperature increases have been greater in winter than in summer, and there is a tendency for these increases to be manifested mainly by changes in minimum (nighttime low) temperatures (Kukla and Karl 1993). Changes in precipitation patterns have also been observed, but are more variable than those of temperature. Even under conservative emission scenarios, future climatic changes are likely to include further increases in temperature with significant drying (drought) in some regions and increases in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events (IPCC 2007). For example, multimodel means of annual temperature from climate projections predict an increase of 3–9 °C in the United States over the next century combined with reductions in summer precipitation in certain areas (Walsh et al. 2014). These changes will affect invasive species in several ways. Furthermore, climate change may challenge the way we perceive and consider nonnative invasive species, as impacts to some will change and others will remain unaffected; other nonnative species are likely to become invasive; and native species are likely to shift their geographic ranges into novel habitats.
Management of Landscapes for Established Invasive Species
Authors: Poland Therese M. , Juzwik Jennifer , Rowley Allen , Huebner Cynthia D. , Kilgo John C. , Lopez Vanessa M. , Olson Deanna H. , Pearson Dean E. , Progar Robert , Rabaglia Robert , Rothlisberger John D. , Runyon Justin B. , Sing Sharlene E.
Published: February 2021

Long-term management strategies are invoked once an invasive species has become established and spread beyond feasible limits for eradication or containment. Although an invasive species may be well-established in small to large geographical areas, prevention of its spread to non-affected areas (e.g., sites, regions, and cross-continent) through early detection and monitoring is an important management activity. The level for management of established invasive species in the United States has increasingly shifted to larger geographical scales in the past several decades. Management of an invasive fish may occur at the watershed level in the western States, with watershed levels defined by their hydrologic unit codes (HUC) ranging from 2 digits at the coarsest level to 8 digits at the finest level (USGS 2018). Invasive plant management within national forests, grasslands, and rangelands can be implemented at the landscape level (e.g., Chambers et al. 2014), although management can still occur at the stand or base level. Landscapes in this chapter refer to areas of land bounded by large-scale physiographic features integrated with natural or man-made features that govern weather and disturbance patterns and limit frequencies of species movement (Urban et al. 1987). These are often at a large physical scale, such as the Great Basin.
Erratum to: The Lorentzian inversion formula and the spectrum of the 3d O(2) CFT
Authors: Liu Junyu , Meltzer David , Poland David , Simmons-Duffin David
Published: February 2021

In the original paper some text was wrongly added to the title of section 5.1 during the typesetting.
On the time evolution of cosmological correlators
Authors: Céspedes Sebastián , Davis Anne-Christine , Melville Scott
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Developing our understanding of how correlations evolve during inflation is crucial if we are to extract information about the early Universe from our late-time observables. To that end, we revisit the time evolution of scalar field correlators on de Sitter spacetime in the Schrödinger picture. By direct manipulation of the Schrödinger equation, we write down simple “equations of motion” for the coefficients which determine the wavefunction. Rather than specify a particular interaction Hamiltonian, we assume only very basic properties (unitarity, de Sitter invariance and locality) to derive general consequences for the wavefunction’s evolution. In particular, we identify a number of “constants of motion” — properties of the initial state which are conserved by any unitary dynamics — and show how this can be used to partially fix the cubic and quartic wavefunction coefficients at weak coupling. We further constrain the time evolution by deriving constraints from the de Sitter isometries and show that these reduce to the familiar conformal Ward identities at late times. Finally, we show how the evolution of a state from the conformal boundary into the bulk can be described via a number of “transfer functions” which are analytic outside the horizon for any local interaction. These objects exhibit divergences for particular values of the scalar mass, and we show how such divergences can be removed by a renormalisation of the boundary wavefunction — this is equivalent to performing a “Boundary Operator Expansion” which expresses the bulk operators in terms of regulated boundary operators. Altogether, this improved understanding of the wavefunction in the bulk of de Sitter complements recent advances from a purely boundary perspective, and reveals new structure in cosmological correlators.
The BH3 mimetic (±) gossypol induces ROS-independent apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in human A375 melanoma cells in vitro
Authors: Haasler Lisa , Kondadi Arun Kumar , Tsigaras Thanos , von Montfort Claudia , Graf Peter , Stahl Wilhelm , Brenneisen Peter
Published: February 2021

A major challenge in current cancer therapy is still the treatment of metastatic melanomas of the skin. BH3 mimetics represent a novel group of substances inducing apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of (±) gossypol (GP), a natural compound from cotton seed, on A375 melanoma cells and the underlying biochemical mechanisms. To prevent undesired side effects due to toxicity on normal (healthy) cells, concentrations only toxic for tumor cells have been elaborated. Viability assays were performed to determine the cytotoxicity of GP in A375 melanoma and normal (healthy) cells. For the majority of experiments, a concentration of 2.5 µM GP was used resulting in a ROS-independent but caspase-dependent cell death of A375 melanoma cells. At this level, GP was non-toxic for normal human epidermal melanocytes. GP has a very short half-life, however, it was demonstrated that only the “parent” compound and not decomposition products are responsible for the cytotoxic effect in A375 melanoma cells. GP significantly decreased mitochondrial membrane potential accompanied by a Drp1-dependent loss of mitochondrial integrity (fragmentation) in tumor cells. Taken together, GP induced a ROS-independent intrinsic apoptosis leading to the conclusion that within a specific concentration range, GP may work as effective anticancer drug without harmful side effects.
Effective processing and evaluation of chemical imaging data with respect to morphological features of the zebrafish embryo
Authors: Halbach Katharina , Holbrook Timothy , Reemtsma Thorsten , Wagner Stephan
Published: February 2021

A workflow was developed and implemented in a software tool for the automated combination of spatially resolved laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) data and data on the morphology of the biological tissue. Making use of a recently published biological annotation software, FishImager automatically assigns the biological feature as regions of interest (ROIs) and overlays them with the quantitative LA-ICP-MS data. Furthermore, statistical tools including cluster algorithms can be applied to the elemental intensity data and directly compared with the ROIs. This is effectively visualized in heatmaps. This allows gaining statistical significance on distribution and co-localization patterns. Finally, the biological functions of the assigned ROIs can then be easily linked with elemental distributions. We demonstrate the versatility of FishImager with quantitative LA-ICP-MS data of the zebrafish embryo tissue. The distribution of natural elements and xenobiotics is analyzed and discussed. With the help of FishImager, it was possible to identify compartments affected by toxicity effects or biological mechanisms to eliminate the xenobiotic. The presented workflow can be used for clinical and ecotoxicological testing, for example. Ultimately, it is a tool to simplify and reproduce interpretations of imaging LA-ICP-MS data in many applications.

Graphical abstract
Development of a modified standard apparatus for heat transfer measurements in highly viscous binary fluids
Authors: Fleer Ann-Christin , Richter Markus , Span Roland
Published: February 2021

A modified so-called standard apparatus for heat transfer measurements in highly viscous binary fluids has been developed. It covers a viscosity range from 0.2 mPa∙s up to 1000 Pa∙s and is designed for measurements over a temperature range from 273 to 423 K. Concept and setup of the apparatus are described in detail, and uncertainties of the different elements of the measurement chain are discussed. An estimation for the total uncertainty of the heat transfer coefficient is ∆α/α = 16% (k = 2). Model mixtures consisting of polydimethylsiloxane of three different viscosities and n-pentane were chosen. The composition of the fluid is calculated with the refractive index and the temperature; a corresponding correlation was developed. N-pentane evaporates on a heated test tube, which is exchangeable and thus enables the investigation of the influence of the surface structure and of the material on the heat transfer coefficient. The design of the test tubes has been adapted to very high temperatures on the tube surface. The effects of the mandatory remixing of the two components on the heat transfer coefficient have been investigated. The modified standard apparatus was validated with pure n-pentane and the data was compared to published data in literature.
Children and Adolescents Treated for Valvular Aortic Stenosis Have Different Physical Activity Patterns Compared to Healthy Controls: A Methodological Study in a National Cohort
Authors: Skovdahl Pia , Kjellberg Olofsson Cecilia , Sunnegårdh Jan , Fridolfsson Jonatan , Börjesson Mats , Buratti Sandra , Arvidsson Daniel
Published: February 2021

Previous research in children and adolescents with congenital heart defects presents contradictory findings concerning their physical activity (PA) level, due to methodological limitations in the PA assessment. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to compare PA in children and adolescents treated for valvular aortic stenosis with healthy controls using an improved accelerometer method. Seven-day accelerometer data were collected from the hip in a national Swedish sample of 46 patients 6–18 years old treated for valvular aortic stenosis and 44 healthy controls matched for age, gender, geography, and measurement period. Sports participation was self-reported. Accelerometer data were processed with the new improved Frequency Extended Method and with the traditional ActiGraph method for comparison. A high-resolution PA intensity spectrum was investigated as well as traditional crude PA intensity categories. Children treated for aortic stenosis had a pattern of less PA in the highest intensity spectra and had more sedentary time, while the adolescent patients tended to be less physically active in higher intensities overall and with less sedentary time, compared to the controls. These patterns were evident using the Frequency Extended Method with the detailed PA intensity spectrum, but not to the same degree using the ActiGraph method and traditional crude PA intensity categories. Patients reported less sports participation than their controls in both age-groups. Specific differences in PA patterns were revealed using the Frequency Extended Method with the high-resolution PA intensity spectrum in Swedish children and adolescents treated for valvular aortic stenosis.
Generation of a novel affibody molecule targeting Chlamydia trachomatis MOMP
Authors: Li Mingyang , Shi Wei , Yang Jia , Wang Qi , Dong Haiyan , Chen Jun , Zhang Lifang , Zhu Shanli
Published: February 2021

Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide and the most prevalent cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases. At present, there is no available vaccine, and recurrences after antibiotics treatment are substantial problems. Major outer membrane protein (MOMP) accounts for 60% of the outer mass of C. trachomatis, functioning as trimeric porin, and it is highly antigenic. Therefore, MOMP is the most promising candidate for vaccine developing and target therapy of Chlamydia. Affibody, a new class of affinity ligands derived from the Z-domain in the binding region of Staphylococcus aureus protein A, has been the focus of researchers as a viable alternative to antibodies. In this study, the MOMP-targeted affibody molecule (ZMOMP:461) was screened by phage-displayed peptide library. Further, the affinity and specificity were characterized by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and Western blot. Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) indicated that the MOMP-binding affibody could recognize native MOMP in HeLa229 cells infected C. trachomatis. Immunoprecipitation assay confirmed further that ZMOMP:461 molecule specifically recognizes the epitope on relaxed trimer MOMP. Our findings provide strong evidence that affibody molecule (ZMOMP:461) serves as substitute for MOMP antibody for biological applications and has a great potential for delivering drugs for target therapy.

Key points

• We screened a novel affibody molecule ZMOMP:461 targeting Chlamydia trachomatis MOMP.

• ZMOMP:461 recognizes the recombinant and native MOMP with high affinity and specificity.

• ZMOMP:461 could be internalized into live target cells.
Differential associations of APOE-ε2 and APOE-ε4 alleles with PET-measured amyloid-β and tau deposition in older individuals without dementia
Authors: Salvadó Gemma , Grothe Michel J. , Groot Colin , Moscoso Alexis , Schöll Michael , Gispert Juan Domingo , Ossenkoppele Rik ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: February 2021

Purpose

To examine associations between the APOE-ε2 and APOE-ε4 alleles and core Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathological hallmarks as measured by amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau PET in older individuals without dementia.

Methods

We analyzed data from 462 ADNI participants without dementia who underwent Aβ ([18F]florbetapir or [18F]florbetaben) and tau ([18F]flortaucipir) PET, structural MRI, and cognitive testing. Employing APOE-ε3 homozygotes as the reference group, associations between APOE-ε2 and APOE-ε4 carriership with global Aβ PET and regional tau PET measures (entorhinal cortex (ERC), inferior temporal cortex, and Braak-V/VI neocortical composite regions) were investigated using linear regression models. In a subset of 156 participants, we also investigated associations between APOE genotype and regional tau accumulation over time using linear mixed models. Finally, we assessed whether Aβ mediated the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between APOE genotype and tau.

Results

Compared to APOE-ε3 homozygotes, APOE-ε2 carriers had lower global Aβ burden (βstd [95% confidence interval (CI)]: − 0.31 [− 0.45, − 0.16], p = 0.034) but did not differ on regional tau burden or tau accumulation over time. APOE-ε4 participants showed higher Aβ (βstd [95%CI]: 0.64 [0.42, 0.82], p < 0.001) and tau burden (βstd range: 0.27-0.51, all p < 0.006). In mediation analyses, APOE-ε4 only retained an Aβ-independent effect on tau in the ERC. APOE-ε4 showed a trend towards increased tau accumulation over time in Braak-V/VI compared to APOE-ε3 homozygotes (βstd [95%CI]: 0.10 [− 0.02, 0.18], p = 0.11), and this association was fully mediated by baseline Aβ.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that the established protective effect of the APOE-ε2 allele against developing clinical AD is primarily linked to resistance against Aβ deposition rather than tau pathology.
Effective dissection for rectal cancer with lateral lymph node metastasis based on prognostic factors and recurrence type
Authors: Morohashi Hajime , Sakamoto Yoshiyuki , Miura Takuya , Ichinohe Daichi , Umemura Kotaro , Akaishi Takanobu , Sato Kentaro , Kuwata Daisuke , Yamazaki Keisuke , Wakiya Taiichi , Hakamada Kenichi
Published: February 2021

Purpose

There are no reports showing the significance and effective range of dissection for patients with lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM). This study aimed to investigate the indications for lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) in patients with LLNM based on prognostic factors and recurrence types.

Methods

We reviewed 379 patients with advanced rectal cancer who were treated with total mesorectal excision plus LLND. We analyzed background factors and survival times of patients who had LLNM to determine prognostic factors and recurrence types.

Results

Pathological LLNM occurred in 44 (11.6%). Among patients with LLNM, the predictors of poor prognoses, according to univariate analysis, were > 3 node metastases, the presence of node metastasis on both sides, and spreading beyond the internal iliac lymph nodes. Moreover, LLNM beyond the internal iliac region was found to be an independent prognostic risk factor. Twenty-eight of the 44 patients with lateral lymph node metastasis (64%) relapsed, 22 of whom had distant metastases and 11 of whom experienced local recurrences. Among the latter group, nine (20%) and two (5%) had recurrences in the central and lateral pelvis, respectively.

Conclusion

The therapeutic benefit of resection was high, especially in patients with ≤ 3 positive lateral lymph nodes, one-sided bilateral lymph node areas, and positive nodes localized near the internal iliac artery.
From forest to fragment: compositional differences inside coastal forest moth assemblages and their environmental correlates
Authors: Uhl Britta , Wölfling Mirko , Fiedler Konrad
Published: February 2021

Patterns of β-diversity can provide insight into forces shaping community assembly. We analyzed species-rich insect assemblages in two reserve fragments that had once been part of one contiguous Mediterranean coastal pine forest. Local environments are still similar across both fragments, but their landscape context differs strongly, with one surrounded by intense agricultural land, while the other neighbors the urbanized area of Ravenna. Using 23,870 light-trap records of 392 moth species, and multiple local and landscape metrics, we compared the relative importance of habitat- versus landscape-scale environmental factors for shaping small-scale variation in differentiation and proportional insect β-diversity across 30 sites per reserve. Moth assemblage composition differed substantially between fragments, most likely due to ecological drift and landscape-scale variation. For proportional β-diversity, especially local forest structure was important. At well-developed forest sites, additive homogenization could be observed, whereas the lack of typical forest species at dry, dense, and younger forest sites increased species turnover (subtractive heterogenization). For differentiation β-diversity, local and landscape-scale factors were equally important in both reserves. At the landscape-scale (500 m radius around light-trapping sites) the proximity to urban areas and the fraction of human-altered land were most important. At the habitat scale, gradients in soil humidity, nutrient levels and forest structure mattered most, whereas plant diversity had very little explanatory power. Overall, landscape-scale anthropogenic alterations had major effects on moth communities inside the two conservation areas. Yet, even for these parts of one formerly contiguous forest trajectories in community change were remarkably idiosyncratic.