bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
La CUT y los clivajes sindicales en Chile. Entre la pretensión transformadora y la estrategia defensiva
Authors: Medel Sierralta Rodrigo
Published: May 2022

Este artículo plantea que, desde el retorno a la democracia en Chile, la Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT) ha desempeñado un doble papel para el sindicalismo. Por una parte, ha buscado promover, con muy pocos recursos y poco éxito, una nueva legislación para el sector privado del sindicalismo y; por otro, ha defendido, con muchos recursos y éxito, la autonomía y los intereses del sector público. ¿Cómo ha impactado en las identidades y prácticas organizacionales de los sindicatos chilenos este doble papel jugado por la CUT desde el retorno a la democracia? Para responder esta pregunta, se propone el concepto de clivajes sindicales, el que describe una división que es, simultáneamente, estructural, ideológica y organizativa dentro del sindicalismo chileno. A partir de un análisis histórico, se describe cómo el mismo accionar de la CUT fue politizando la división estructural entre el sector público y el privado del sindicalismo, consolidando identidades colectivas en torno a dicha división. Luego, con un análisis cuantitativo de las redes de alianzas en huelgas laborales desde el 2010 hasta el 2019, se describe el comportamiento diferenciado de las principales federaciones según su pertenencia al sector público o privado. Los resultados muestran que las federaciones del sector público son las que encuentran mayor densidad de alianzas entre ellas, generando un clivaje claramente diferenciado del sindicalismo del sector privado, el que se encuentra aislado social y políticamente. Se resalta la importancia de considerar esta fractura dentro del sindicalismo chileno como un elemento altamente explicativo de las limitaciones y fortalezas en la capacidad política de la Central.
Redefining Inclusive Religion Education in Lesotho Schools: A Colonial Discourse Analysis
Authors: Mokotso Rasebate Isaac
Published: May 2022

In this article, I revisited the study conducted in 2017 on inclusive religious education in Lesotho. The point of the 2017 study was to figure out how participants perceive inclusive religious education. The Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training's inclusive education initiative piqued my curiosity. The findings were split into two categories. Firstly, it was discovered that religious education is commonly equated with Christian education. Secondly, inclusivity in religious education was defined as offering Christian instruction to all students, regardless of their religious affiliation. The previous study, however, could not provide a persuasive explanation for why religious education is equated to Christian education or why inclusive religious education is comparable to Christian education for all students, regardless of their religious views. I wanted to fill that vacuum in this essay by arguing for a new approach to inclusive religious education in Lesotho schools. I asserted that coloniality is a legitimate premise for believing that inclusive religion education means that all children should participate in Christian education learning. I also utilised (post)-colonial discourse analysis to support my claim. As a proposal, I suggested that inclusive religion education be defined in the context of decoloniality, which is a process of decentering and delinking from colonial thinking and action in order to embrace border thinking. Border thinking demands a new approach to inclusive religion education that is based on interculturality and pluriversality. Keywords: Colonial discourse, Coloniality, Decoloniality, Inclusive education, Orientalism, Religious education
Role of Intraoperative Frozen Section in the Diagnosis of Ovarian Neoplasms- A Retrospective Study in an Oncology Centre
Authors: Rukmangadha Nandyala , Gali Sai Chandana , Chowhan Amit Kumar , Prayaga Aruna Kumari
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Ovarian malignancy is the sixth most common cancer in women and the seventh most common cause of cancer death. Intraoperative frozen section evaluation plays a critical role in guiding the type and extent of surgery. The overall accuracy of the intraoperative frozen section diagnosis for ovarian tumours was reported to be ranging from 85 to 95%. Aim: To determine frozen section accuracy in the diagnosis of ovarian neoplasms. Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective study taken up in the Department of Pathology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati, from January 2011 to December 2018 during which all the ovarian masses which were sent for frozen section and later for regular Histopathological Examination (HPE) were included in the study. All the slides of these cases were reviewed by two senior pathologists in a double blind study. The frozen section and the permanent section reports of each patient were compared. The overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the frozen section diagnoses were studied for benign, borderline and malignant cases by using 2 × 2 tables. The final histopathological diagnosis was considered as gold standard. Results: The study included 289 cases and the overall accuracy of frozen section was 87.89%. Thirty five cases were incorrectly diagnosed, of which 24 cases were under diagnosed and 11 were over diagnosed. With respect to malignant potential, the sensitivity for malignant tumours was 81.4% with specificity of 96.8%. For benign tumours, the sensitivity and specificity were 93% and 91.4%, respectively. Borderline tumours had the lowest sensitivity of 68.7% with specificity of 91.8%. Conclusion: Gross examination is to be done carefully for tumour tissue selection for frozen section diagnosis intraoperatively. The results help to decide the type and extent of surgical management.
Detection and Distribution of Low Level and High Level Mupirocin Resistance among Clinical Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates
Authors: Perumal P Ganesh , Kannan Subisha , Appalaraju B
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Prolonged and improper use of antibiotics increases the resistance among pathogens and leads to life threatening implications and increases mortality. The incidence of mupirocin resistance in Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clinical isolates were reportedly increasing. Aim: To determine the rate of high level and low level mupirocin resistance in clinical MRSA isolates in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out for a period of three months from December 2019- February 2020 in Department of Microbiology, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (PSG IMSR), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 100 non duplicate Staphylococcus aureus isolates from different specimens were subjected to mupirocin susceptibility by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2019 standards. The low (MuL) and high (MuH) level mupirocin resistance were detected by using 5 and 200 μg mupirocin discs (Himedia) respectively. The isolate exhibiting diameter of ≥14 mm indicates its susceptibility. The isolate exhibiting diameter ≤13 mm for both 5 and 200 μg indicates MuL and MuH strains respectively. Pearson’s Chi-square test calculated, p-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: About 51 out of 100 (51%) Staphylococcus aureus isolates were found to be MRSA. In present study, 6 out of 51 (11.7 %) MRSA isolates were found to exhibit MuL and 5 out of 51 (9.8%) MRSA isolates were found to be having MuH. Low level and high level mupirocin resistance were not observed in Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Conclusion: The incidence of MuH and MuL resistance among MRSA were found to be 9.8% and 11.7% respectively. Screening for mupirocin resistant MRSA to be carried out periodically and stringent infection control practices to be in place to prevent further spread of mupirocin resistant MRSA.
Effect of Calcium and Coating Materials on Quality and Shelf Life of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Cv. Allahabad Safeda under Cold Storage Condition
Authors: Bhadaraka V. L. , Parekh D. D. , Pardava D. R.
Published: May 2022

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of calcium and coating materials on quality and shelf life of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Allahabad Safeda under cold storage condition during Rabi-2020 at Horticultural Research Farm and P.G. Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat. Freshly harvested uniform sized fruits at proper physiological maturity were subjected to treatments comprising of different calcium chemical concentration viz., CaCl2 1%, CaNO3 2% and No chemical and with different coating materials (Coconut oil, Arabic gum, Olive oil and No coating). Total numbers of treatments are twelve with CRD factorial design. Periodic observations on 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th day of storage periods were taken. The study results revealed that fruits treated with CaCl2 1.0% when coated with coconut oil coating resulted in prolonging shelf life up to 20 days with minimizing physiological loss in weight (1.88%), spoilage (6.63%), TSS (11.85) and firmness (7.35%) with maintaining higher level of acidity (0.733), ascorbic acid (237.5), total sugar (4.48), reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar as compared to the control (No chemical and No coating). In this investigation, application of CaCl2 1% with coconut oil coating is increase shelf life up to 20 days of guava under cold storage with maintained physiological and bio-chemical characters.
Studies on Variability, Correlation and Path Analysis for Seedling Vigour Traits in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Sadhana P. , Raju Ch. Damodar , Bhargava K. , Rao L. V. Subba , Kuna Aparna
Published: May 2022

The research work was undertaken in Kharif, 2019 at Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, PJTS Agriculture University, to identify lines with good vigour and high yield. Analysis of variance revealed existence of significant differences among the genotypes. Dry weight of seedling followed by seedling vigour index-II had showed high PCV and GCV. Germination (%) -first count, length of shoot, length of root, dry weight of seedling, seedling vigour index-I, seedling vigour index-II and field emergence exhibited high heritability along with high genetic advance as per cent of mean. Length of seedling, seedling vigour index-II and germination (%) -first count exhibited the high positive direct effect on per plant grain yield. Among all the traits Seedling vigour index-II and dry weight of seedling has shown high variability, correlation and cause effect analysis. Therefore, these traits have to be given importance during selection process for identification of high vigour rice lines.
Effect of Cotton Stalks Residues to Check Fertility Level of Soil, Yield and Energetics of Sweet Corn
Authors: Reddy K. Bhargavi , Reddy M. Malla , Padmaja B. , Srijaya T.
Published: May 2022

A field experiment on Impact of incorporation of shredded cotton stalks to influence soil fertility status along with production of succeeding sweet corn was organized at college farm, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad in the midst of rabi 2020-21. The demonstration was proportioned in Randomized Block Design (factorial) and replicated thrice. Treatments contain two residue management viz., Shredded cotton stalks incorporation and no incorporation and five levels of fertility levels viz., control, 75% RDF, 100% RDF, 125% RDF and 150% RDF (Recommended Dose of Fertilizer). Incorporation of cotton stalks did not significantly influenced the grain and fodder yield. Grain and Fodder yield was significantly higher in 125% RDF which was on par with 150% RDF. Incorporation of cotton stalks @ 5 t ha-1 (Residue management) before sowing of the succeeding sweet corn did not influence the energy ratio, energy productivity, productivity day-1. 125% RDF recorded higher energy ratio, energy productivity, while higher productivity day-1 was observed in 150% RDF.
Trend Analysis on Area, Production and Productivity of Chickpea in Different Agro Climatic Regions of Madhya Pradesh
Authors: Srivastava S. C. , Sahu Megha , Singh Akhilesh , Bhadauria Sudhir S.
Published: May 2022

In this research paper an attempt has been made to take measure the area, production and productivity of chickpea in eleven agro climaticzones of Madhya Pradesh during 1996-97 to 2015-16. The research was carried with the objective, to study trend analysis in area, production, and productivity of chickpea in eleven agro climatic zones of M.P. The secondary time series data on area, production and productivity of chickpea were collected from website of Department of Economics and Statistics. The data pertained to the period of 20 years i.e. from 1996-97 to 2015-16. The findings of the study revealed that area of chickpea shows increasing trend in NH region of Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh plains, Satpura plateau, Nimar plains, Vindhya plateau, Kymore and Malwa region while Gird, Bundelkhand, Jhabua and Narmada regions show declining trend for next twenty years. Same as area, production of chickpea in all the regions of M.P. except Bundelkhand show increasing trend while Bundelkhand shows declining trend. NH region of Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh plains, Satpura plateau, Jhabua, Nimar plains, Vindhya plateau, Kymore and Malwa regions show increasing trend of productivity and rest of them show declining trend. The co-efficient of variation indicated that, instability in chickpea production exhibited less variation than area and productivity, at overall period.
Genetic Divergence in Micronutrient Rich wheat– A Tool to Identify Diverse Parents
Authors: Sheera Ashish , Dey Tuhina , Pandey Mukesh Kumar , Singh Tushadri , Bhagat Taruna , K Shruthi
Published: May 2022

Aim: To Study genetic divergence in the micronutrient rich lines to identify diverse parents for hybridization.

Study Design: Randomized Complete Block Design

Place and Duration of Study: Division of Plant Breeding and Genetics, She-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu during rabi 2019-20.

Methodology: Nature and magnitude of variability in forty-nine zinc/iron rich genotypes along with three commercial varieties with stripe rust resistance could be grouped into five clusters using D2–Statistics.

Results: Fifty-two lines were placed in five cluster with most of the micronutrient rich lines lying in cluster I except for HP-44 , HP 49 , HP 14 and HP 13 placed in cluster II, III, IV and V respectively indicating them to be divergent than the rest. Further HD 3086, RSP 561 and JAUW-683 were in the cluster I indicating them to be less diverse with respect to traits under study. The traits that contributed mast towards divergence were grain yield per plant(25) percent followed by number of tillers per plant (20.7) percent and 1000 grain weight (14) percent zinc and iron add little contribution of 8 and 7 percent respectively to the total divergence hence could not classified the genotypes into different cluster based on inter cluster distance Cluster III and Cluster V had the greatest inter-cluster distance, followed by Cluster III and Cluster IV, Cluster II and Cluster V, and Cluster II and Cluster IV.

Conclusion: Developing wheat varieties with enhanced content of iron and zinc is one of the most sought objectives in a present world to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition. Modern wheat varieties exhibit little diversity in zinc and iron levels in the grain, but large-scale screening has found significant amounts of zinc and iron in wild relatives and progenitors of cultivated wheat.
Design of a Heating Chamber for Air Turbines: A Method of Optimizing Its Efficiency
Authors: Adeniji Excel E. , Asonja Taiwo O. , Alare Taiwo
Published: May 2022

Increasing comfort, conveniences and reducing carbon-emission into the atmosphere have been the research focus of many researchers in various field of science. SDGs have one of her goals to be zero carbon emission. In order to achieve this goal, carbon combustion must be eliminated in heat engines. This can be done by developing thermodynamics processes that would not use organic fuel as their working fluid. Following this knowledge, researchers found the use of abundant natural resources such as solar, water, wind, and air known as renewable energies also hydrogen and synergy gases as replacement to carbon combustion. However, due to high first cost of these renewable energies and their low mechanical and overall efficiencies, they failed in some applications.

In order to increase the mechanical efficiency of air turbines, the internal energy of air must be increase. Therefore, this research paper developed a heating chamber for air turbines working on an isobaric expansion process in order to raise the temperature of air to the required temperature for it to roll turbine rotor blades efficiently. The heating compartment is intended to follow the adiabatic compression process of an air compressor section of the air turbine layout. The heating compartment has it heat source to be an electric heater and the compressed air as it heat sink. The thermal and economic efficiency of the heating chamber as a section of air turbine was determine using Levelized Cost Method of Moran.

The heating compartment raised the compressed air temperature to the required hot temperature at a constant pressure.
Coarse‐Grained Refractory Composite Castables Based on Alumina and Niobium
Authors: Zienert Tilo , Endler Dirk , Hubálková Jana , Gehre Patrick , Eusterholz Michael , Boll Torben , Heilmaier Martin , Günay Gökhan , Weidner Anja , Biermann Horst , Kraft Bastian , Wagner Susanne , Aneziris Christos G.
Published: May 2022

Niobium‐alumina composite aggregates with 60 vol% metal content and with particle sizes up to 3150 μm are produced using castable technology followed by sintering, and a crushing and sieving process. X‐Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals phase separation during crushing as the niobium:corundum volume ratios is between 37:57 and 64:31 among the 4 produced aggregate classes 0–45, 45–500, 500–1000, and 1000–3150 μm. The synthesized aggregates are used to produce coarse‐grained refractory composites in a second casting and sintering step. The fine‐ and coarse‐grained material shows porosities between 32% and 36% with a determined cold modulus of rupture of 20 and 12 MPa, and E‐moduli of 37 and 46 GPa, respectively. The synthesized fine‐grained composites reached true strain values between 0.08 at 1100 °C and 0.18 at 1500 °C and the coarse‐grained ones values between 0.02 and 0.09. The electrical conductivity for the fine‐grained and the coarse‐grained material is and  S cm−1, respectively.
Water‐Triggered Stiffening of Shape‐Memory Polyurethanes Composed of Hard Backbone Dangling PEG Soft Segments
Authors: Liu Wenkai , Wang Ao , Yang Ruibo , Wu Hecheng , Shao Shuren , Chen Jinlin , Ma Yan , Li Zhen , Wang Yanchao , He Xueling , Li Jiehua , Tan Hong , Fu Qiang
Published: May 2022

Shape‐memory polymers (SMPs) induced by heat or water are commonly used candidates for biomedical applications. Shape recovery inevitably leads to a dramatic decrease of Young's modulus due to the enhanced flexibility of polymer chains at the transition temperature. Herein, the principle of phase‐transition‐induced stiffening of shape‐memory metallic alloys (SMAs) is introduced to the design of molecular structures for shape‐memory polyurethane (SMPUs), featuring all‐hard segments composed of main chains that are attached with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) dangling side chains. Different from conventional SMPs, they achieve a soft‐to‐stiff transition when shape recovers. The stiffening process is driven by water‐triggered segmental rearrangement due to the incompatibility between the hard segments and the soft PEG segments. Upon hydration, the extent of microphase separation is enhanced and the hard domains are transformed to a more continuous morphology to realize more effective stress transfer. Meanwhile, such segmental rearrangement facilitates the shape‐recovery process in the hydrated state despite the final increased glass transition temperature (Tg). This work represents a novel paradigm of simultaneously integrating balanced mechanics, shape‐memory property, and biocompatibility for SMPUs as materials for minimally invasive surgery such as endoluminal stents.
A Study of Second‐Order Susceptibility in Digital Alloy‐Grown InAs/AlSb Multiple Quantum Wells
Authors: Foster Natalie D. , Rockwell Ann Kathryn , McArthur Joshua Andrew , Mendoza Bernardo S. , Bank Seth R. , Downer Michael C.
Published: May 2022

A preliminary measurement of the second‐order nonlinear optical susceptibility of symmetric, coupled, InAs/AlSb multiple quantum well (MQW) structures is acquired through optical second‐harmonic generation (SHG) at fundamental wavelength 1.55 µm. High quality crystalline MQW structures of variable thickness and corresponding bulk AlSb control samples are achieved using a digital alloy epitaxial growth technique that avoids cluster formation and phase segregation. All samples are grown in between a GaSb cap and substrate layer. To isolate SHG from the MQW (or control) layers of interest from cap and substrate contributions, a multilayer optical response matrix model is built and independently tested by accurately reproducing linear reflectivity spectra. While a simplified response matrix analysis of SHG based solely on bulk χ(2)s does not reproduce the distinct SHG responses of the two sets of samples, the inclusion of an additional interface SHG contribution leads to a successful fit of the data and implies . The results demonstrate a proof‐of‐concept quantification of χ(2) in symmetric MQWs and suggest the possibility of engineering χ(2) in these structures, particularly with the introduction of well asymmetries.
An Optimized KBe2BO3F2‐Like Structure: The Unity of Deep‐Ultraviolet Transparency, Nonlinear Optical Property, and Ferroelectricity
Authors: Sha Hongyuan , Xu Junxin , Xiong Zheyao , Wang Zujian , Su Rongbing , He Chao , Yang Xiaoming , Long Xifa , Liu Ying
Published: May 2022

At present, only KBe2BO3F2 (KBBF) can effectively realize a deep‐ultraviolet (DUV) coherent output, while the layered growth habit seriously hinders its application. Here, a new design strategy with an optimized KBBF‐like structure based on the quasi‐phase matching principle is proposed. Thus, the first KBBF‐like ferroelectric, Li2KRb(SO4)2, is designed. It exhibits a short DUV absorption cutoff edge of 163 nm, a large nonlinear optical (NLO) effect of 1.7 × KH2PO4 under a 1064 nm laser, and typical ferroelectricity. More importantly, it completely eliminates the layered structure by replacing K‐F bonds with strong ‐Li‐O‐S‐ ones as the interlayer force. Therefore, this work finds a new promising DUV NLO candidate, a unity of the DUV transparency, NLO response, and ferroelectricity, which is advantageous to explore new DUV NLO materials.
Deep Subwavelength Wide‐Angle Structural Colors at the Single Pixel Level
Authors: Shi Lina , Niu Jiebin , Li Longjie , Wang Chong , Shang Xiao , Zhang Peiwen , Liu Yu , Zhang Yongliang
Published: May 2022

Structural colorations with artificially engineered nanostructures provide a dye‐free mechanism for subdiffraction color generation with enhanced stability and environment friendliness. However, it remains elusive to create universally deep subwavelength pixels for arbitrary coloration at the single pixel level. The main obstacles are the unavoidable near‐field coupling between neighboring pixels and the angular dependent hues associated with the scattering process. Here, a generic principle is proposed and developed to create deep subwavelength bright‐field structural colors at the single pixel level by using alumina disk‐on‐film nanocavities. As a result of the gap‐plasmon‐induced perfect absorption, wide‐angle complementary colors are achieved across the full visible spectrum where both the near‐field coupling and angular dispersion are strongly suppressed. Deep subwavelength pixels down to 160 nm × 160 nm and green colors produced by composite pixels are experimentally demonstrated. The strategy represents a significant step toward practical application of structural colors at the single pixel level for nanoscale optical and optoelectronic devices.
C5’‐Nitrated Cinchona Catalysts for Asymmetric Michael Addition Reaction
Authors: Farhadur Rahman Mohammad , Yangyuayang Chouthor , Fujisawa Ikuhide , Haraguchi Naoki , Itsuno Shinichi
Published: May 2022

C5’‐Nitro‐dihydroquinine (Q1), prepared from dihydroquinine (HQ), exhibited high catalytic activity in an asymmetric Michael reaction. The nitro group at the C5’ position of Q1 was vertically fixed to the quinoline ring, as confirmed by X‐ray crystallography. Q1 exerted a high level of asymmetric induction, superior to that of the non‐nitrated HQ catalyst.
Sunlight‐Driven Highly Selective Catalytic Oxidation of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural Towards Tunable Products
Authors: Xia Tong , Gong Wanbing , Chen Yihong , Duan Meilin , Ma Jun , Cui Xiaofeng , Dai Yitao , Gao Chao , Xiong Yujie
Published: May 2022

Owing to the easy over‐oxidation, it is a promising yet challenging task to explore renewable carbon resources to control the sunlight‐driven selective catalytic oxidation of biomass‐derived 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), producing important chemical feedstocks, namely, less‐oxidized 2,5‐diformylfuran (DFF) and 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA). Herein, we have developed a photocatalyst by anchoring a Ru complex on CdS quantum dots, which achieves selective oxidation of HMF toward DFF or HMFCA with high conversion (>81 %) and selectivity (>90 %), based on the controllable generation of two oxygen radicals under different atmospheres. Such selective conversion can also work well outside the laboratory by using natural sunlight. In particular, the selective production of HMFCA through photocatalytic HMF oxidation is achieved for the first time. More importantly, our photocatalyst is applicable for the selective oxidation of other compounds with hydroxyl and aldehyde groups.
Synthesis, Characterization and Photophysical Properties of Mesoionic N‐Heterocyclic Imines
Authors: Huang Shiqing , Wu Yixin , Huang Linwei , Hu Chubin , Yan Xiaoyu
Published: May 2022

N‐heterocyclic imines are widely used in transition‐metal chemistry, main‐group chemistry as well as catalysis, due to their enhanced basicity and nucleophilicity which benefit from their ylidic form. As their analogs, mesoionic N‐heterocyclic imines, which feature more highly ylidic form, is still in its infancy though excellent works also achieved. Here we reported the synthesis, characterization and photophysical properties of mesoionic N‐heterocyclic imines. TD‐DFT are employed to get deeper insight into the mechanism of the photophysical behaviors. The unsubstituted mesoionic N‐heterocyclic imines (4–6) displayed considerable quantum yields (QY: up to 43.8%) and could be potentially applied as luminescent materials.
Head impulse testing in bilateral vestibulopathy in patients with genetically defined CANVAS
Authors: Borsche Max , Tadic Vera , König Inke R. , Lohmann Katja , Helmchen Christoph , Brüggemann Norbert
Published: May 2022

Background

To investigate the association between disease duration and the severity of bilateral vestibulopathy in individuals with complete or incomplete CANVAS (Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome) and biallelic RFC1 repeat expansions.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of clinical data and the vestibulo‐ocular reflex quantified by the video head impulse test in 20 patients with confirmed biallelic RFC1 repeat expansions.

Results

Vestibulo‐ocular reflex gain at first admittance 6.9 ± 5.0 years after disease onset was 0.16 [0.15–0.31] (median [interquartile range]). Cross‐sectional analysis revealed that gain reduction was associated with disease duration. Follow‐up measurements were available for ten individuals: eight of them exhibited a progressive decrease of the vestibulo‐ocular reflex gain over time. At the first visit, six of all patients (30%) did not show clinical signs of cerebellar ataxia.

Conclusions

Our data suggest a pathological horizontal head impulse test, which can easily be obtained in many outpatient clinics, as a sign of bilateral vestibulopathy in genetically confirmed CANVAS that can precede clinically accessible cerebellar ataxia at least in a subset of patients. The presumably continuous decline over time possibly reflects the neurodegenerative character of the disease. Thus, genetic testing for RFC1 mutations in (isolated) bilateral vestibulopathy might allow disease detection before the onset of cerebellar signs. Further studies including a wider spectrum of vestibular function tests are warranted in a prospective design.
Transcriptional signature in microglia isolated from an Alzheimer's disease mouse model treated with scanning ultrasound
Authors: Leinenga Gerhard , Bodea Liviu‐Gabriel , Schröder Jan , Sun Giuzhi , Zhou Yichen , Song Jae , Grubman Alexandra , Polo Jose M. , Götz Jürgen
Published: May 2022

Transcranial scanning ultrasound combined with intravenously injected microbubbles (SUS+MB) has been shown to transiently open the blood–brain barrier and reduce the amyloid‐β (Aβ) pathology in the APP23 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This has been accomplished through the activation of microglial cells; however, their response to the SUS treatment is incompletely understood. Here, wild‐type (WT) and APP23 mice were subjected to SUS+MB, using nonsonicated mice as sham controls. After 48 h, the APP23 mice were injected with methoxy‐XO4 to label Aβ aggregates, followed by microglial isolation into XO4+ and XO4− populations using flow cytometry. Both XO4+ and XO4− cells were subjected to RNA sequencing and transcriptome profiling. The analysis of the microglial cells revealed a clear segregation depending on genotype (AD model vs. WT mice) and Aβ internalization (XO4+ vs. XO4− microglia), but interestingly, no differences were found between SUS+MB and sham in WT mice. Differential gene expression analysis in APP23 mice detected 278 genes that were significantly changed by SUS+MB in the XO4+ cells (248 up/30 down) and 242 in XO− cells (225 up/17 down). Pathway analysis highlighted differential expression of genes related to the phagosome pathway and marked upregulation of cell cycle‐related transcripts in XO4+ and XO4‐ microglia isolated from SUS+MB‐treated APP23 mice. Together, this highlights the complexity of the microglial response to transcranial ultrasound, with potential applications for the treatment of AD.
Hyperelastic, shape‐memorable, and ultra‐cell‐adhesive degradable polycaprolactone‐polyurethane copolymer for tissue regeneration
Authors: Hong Suk‐Min , Yoon Ji‐Young , Cha Jae‐Ryung , Ahn Junyong , Mandakhbayar Nandin , Park Jeong Hui , Im Junseop , Jin Gangshi , Kim Moon‐Young , Knowles Jonathan C. , Lee Hae‐Hyoung , Lee Jung‐Hwan , Kim Hae‐Won
Published: May 2022

Novel polycaprolactone‐based polyurethane (PCL‐PU) copolymers with hyperelasticity, shape‐memory, and ultra‐cell‐adhesion properties are reported as clinically applicable tissue‐regenerative biomaterials. New isosorbide derivatives (propoxylated or ethoxylated ones) were developed to improve mechanical properties by enhanced reactivity in copolymer synthesis compared to the original isosorbide. Optimized PCL‐PU with propoxylated isosorbide exhibited notable mechanical performance (50 MPa tensile strength and 1150% elongation with hyperelasticity under cyclic load). The shape‐memory effect was also revealed in different forms (film, thread, and 3D scaffold) with 40%–80% recovery in tension or compression mode after plastic deformation. The ultra‐cell‐adhesive property was proven in various cell types which were reasoned to involve the heat shock protein‐mediated integrin (α5 and αV) activation, as analyzed by RNA sequencing and inhibition tests. After the tissue regenerative potential (muscle and bone) was confirmed by the myogenic and osteogenic responses in vitro, biodegradability, compatible in vivo tissue response, and healing capacity were investigated with in vivo shape‐memorable behavior. The currently exploited PCL‐PU, with its multifunctional (hyperelastic, shape‐memorable, ultra‐cell‐adhesive, and degradable) nature and biocompatibility, is considered a potential tissue‐regenerative biomaterial, especially for minimally invasive surgery that requires small incisions to approach large defects with excellent regeneration capacity.
Surface Engineering of Lipid Vesicles Based on DNA Nanotechnology
Authors: Hao Pengyan , Niu Liqiong , Luo Yuanyuan , Wu Na , Zhao Yongxi
Published: May 2022

Lipid vesicle research is of great significance in the field of biomedicine and great progress has been made in recent years, in which the surface engineering on lipid membranes plays an important role. By introducing new active sites on membrane surface, the physicochemical properties of vesicles are regulated and the biological functions are extended. DNA nanotechnology is an excellent tool for surface engineering of vesicles and has attracted more and more attention. In this Review, the interaction between DNA and lipid membrane is presented. Subsequently, recent advances in the applications of vesicle‐surface‐engineering based on DNA nanotechnology are highlighted. DNA nanostructures are used to mimic membrane proteins in the system of artificial liposome vesicles. Surface‐engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) based on DNA nanotechnology are applied to achieve non‐invasive early screening of diseases with high sensitivity and precision. Finally, challenges and prospects for future development in this field are discussed.
Electronic Circular Dichroism Unravels Atropisomers of a Broadly Absorbing Fulgide Derivative
Authors: Hermanns Volker , Scheurer Maximilian , Dreuw Andreas , Wachtveitl Josef , Braun Markus , Heckel Alexander
Published: May 2022

We prepared and studied six atropisomers with different chiroptical properties emerging from a single, robust, broadly‐absorbing fulgide photoswitch. After separation of the different atropisomers via HPLC on a chiral column, their isomerization processes at room temperature and the energy barriers of the different species were investigated in detail using spectroscopic and theoretical methods.
Highly Selective Photocatalytic Aerobic Oxidation of Methane to Oxygenates with Water over W‐doped TiO2
Authors: Huang Min , Zhang Shuyi , Wu Bo , Yu Xing , Gan Yongping , Lin Tiejun , Yu Fei , Sun Yuhan , Zhong Liangshu
Published: May 2022

Highly selective conversion of methane to oxygenates with O2 as a green oxidant remains a great challenge. It is still difficult to suppress the generation of COx (x=1, 2) as undesired by‐products due to unavoidable overoxidation reaction. Hence, tungsten‐doped (W‐doped) TiO2 photocatalysts were designed with a tunable band structure for photocatalytic oxidation of methane to C1 oxygenates using O2 at low temperature (30 °C). The W‐doping effectively modified the electronic and band structure of pristine TiO2 to enhance photocatalytic performance. Liquid oxygenates productivity could reach as high as 12.2 mmol g−1 with high selectivity of 99.4 %. Moreover, COx selectivity was effectively decreased from 21.2 % over TiO2 to 0.6 % for W‐doped catalyst. Detailed characterizations further disclosed that W‐doping not only enhanced light absorption, but also promoted the separation of photo‐generated carriers to improve methane conversion. This work provides new insights into the design of highly efficient photocatalysts for methane oxidation.
Retention, engagement, and binge‐eating outcomes: Evaluating feasibility of the Binge‐Eating Genetics Initiative study
Authors: Flatt Rachael E. , Thornton Laura M. , Smith Tosha , Mitchell Hannah , Argue Stuart , Baucom Brian R. W. , Deboeck Pascal R. , Adamo Colin , Kilshaw Robyn E. , Shi Qinxin , Tregarthen Jenna , Butner Jonathan E. , Bulik Cynthia M.
Published: May 2022

Objective

Using preliminary data from the Binge‐Eating Genetics Initiative (BEGIN), we evaluated the feasibility of delivering an eating disorder digital app, Recovery Record, through smartphone and wearable technology for individuals with binge‐type eating disorders.

Methods

Participants (n = 170; 96% female) between 18 and 45 years old with lived experience of binge‐eating disorder or bulimia nervosa and current binge‐eating episodes were recruited through the Recovery Record app. They were randomized into a Watch (first‐generation Apple Watch + iPhone) or iPhone group; they engaged with the app over 30 days and completed baseline and endpoint surveys. Retention, engagement, and associations between severity of illness and engagement were evaluated.

Results

Significantly more participants in the Watch group completed the study (p = .045); this group had greater engagement than the iPhone group (p's < .05; pseudo‐R2McFadden effect size = .01–.34). Overall, binge‐eating episodes, reported for the previous 28 days, were significantly reduced from baseline (mean = 12.3) to endpoint (mean = 6.4): most participants in the Watch (60%) and iPhone (66%) groups reported reduced binge‐eating episodes from baseline to endpoint. There were no significant group differences across measures of binge eating. In the Watch group, participants with fewer episodes of binge eating at baseline were more engaged (p's < .05; pseudo‐R2McFadden = .01–.02). Engagement did not significantly predict binge eating at endpoint nor change in binge‐eating episodes from baseline to endpoint for both the Watch and iPhone groups.

Discussion

Using wearable technology alongside iPhones to deliver an eating disorder app may improve study completion and app engagement compared with using iPhones alone.
Application of eDNA for monitoring freshwater bivalve Nodularia nipponensis and its glochidium larvae
Authors: Sugawara Kotaro , Sasaki Yudai , Okano Kunihiro , Watanabe Miho , Miyata Naoyuki
Published: May 2022

Habitat loss, the introduction of invasive species, and climate change due to human activity have threatened many freshwater unionid bivalves worldwide. Unionid bivalves represent important members of freshwater ecosystems, providing bitterling fish with spawning grounds and contributing to water clarification via the filtration of suspended solids. This study examined an environmental DNA (eDNA) approach for monitoring the unionid bivalve Nodularia nipponensis in a lake environment. We developed oligonucleotide primers for the specific detection of mitochondrial DNA from N. nipponensis and evaluated the decay and release rates of eDNA in a laboratory tank experiment under two bivalve densities (49 and 164 individuals m−2) selected to ensure sufficient eDNA yields. The eDNA release rate was weakly and positively correlated with bivalve density but strongly and positively correlated with inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus excretion from the bivalve. In a eutrophic lake, Lake Hachiro, 67% of the samples (16 out of 24) collected from June to July yielded detectable amounts of eDNA and were not detected at all in May and August (0 out of 20). This difference was probably due to the release of N. nipponensis glochidium larvae. During these months, unionid glochidia adhered to bundles of polyvinylidene chloride fibers placed on the lake bottom for 8 h, confirmed by microscopic inspection. We successfully obtained N. nipponensis eDNA from all bundles examined over the months, demonstrating the efficacy of bundle capture in quantifying unionid bivalve eDNA. Our eDNA‐based technique with specific oligonucleotide primers and fiber bundles may be a promising tool for monitoring N. nipponensis in freshwater environments. Fiber bundles are useful for tracing eDNA derived from glochidium larvae, even at low unionid bivalve densities, which may be conducive to conservation efforts.
Disentangling the components of coastal fish biodiversity in southern Brittany by applying an environmental DNA approach
Authors: Rozanski Romane , Trenkel Verena M. , Lorance Pascal , Valentini Alice , Dejean Tony , Pellissier Loïc , Eme David , Albouy Camille
Published: May 2022

The global biodiversity crisis from anthropogenic activities significantly weakens the functioning of marine ecosystems and jeopardizes their ecosystem services. Increasing monitoring of marine ecosystems is crucial to understand the breadth of the changes in biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and propose more effective conservation strategies. Such strategies should not only focus on maximizing the number of species (i.e., taxonomic diversity) but also the diversity of phylogenetic histories and ecological functions within communities. To support future conservation decisions, multicomponent biodiversity monitoring can be combined with high‐throughput species assemblage detection methods such as environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. Here, we used eDNA to assess fish biodiversity along the coast of southern Brittany (France, Iroise Sea). We filtered surface marine water from 17 sampling stations and applied an eDNA metabarcoding approach targeting Actinopterygii and Elasmobranchii taxa. We documented three complementary biodiversity components—taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity—and three diversity facets—richness, divergence and regularity. We identified a north/south contrast with higher diversity for the three facets of the biodiversity components in the northern part of the study area. The northern communities showed higher species richness, stronger phylogenetic overdispersion and lower functional clustering compared to the ones in the southern part, due to the higher diversity of habitats (reefs, rocky shores) and restricted access for fishing. Moreover, we also detected a higher level of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional uniqueness in many offshore stations compared to more coastal ones, with the presence of species typically living at greater depths (> 300 m), which suggests an influence of hydrodynamic structures and currents on eDNA dispersion and hence sample composition. eDNA metabarcoding can, therefore, be used as an efficient sampling method to reveal fine‐scale community compositions and in combination with functional and phylogenetic information to document multicomponent biodiversity gradients in coastal marine systems.
Contributions of Pulsed Operation Along with Proper Choice of the Substrate for Stabilizing the Catalyst Performance in Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 Toward Ethylene in Gas Diffusion Electrode Based Flow Cell Reactors
Authors: Jännsch Yannick , Hämmerle Martin , Simon Elfriede , Fleischer Maximilian , Moos Ralf
Published: May 2022

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 is a promising method to close the carbon cycle and thereby contribute to counteracting climate change. A large share of the research is going into the development of new high‐performance catalysts. Often, these catalysts are expensive and difficult to synthesize, especially if considering scaling up to the industrial application. The catalyst is, however, only one factor within the complex system of a CO2‐electrolyzer with numerous parameters to explore and optimize. Herein, an optimization process relying on a commercial copper nanopowder as a catalyst is reported. By replacing conductive carbon with polytetrafluoroethylene as the base material of the gas diffusion electrode (GDE) and applying a pulsed potential during electrolysis, the average faradaic efficiency for ethylene could be increased from 38% over 20 h to 50% over 100 h. In addition to the five times increased stability of the process, the ethylene‐producing current density rises from 106 to 152 mA cm−2, respectively, while hydrogen evolution was simultaneously reduced. Additionally, further investigations on the interplay of GDE base material, binder, current collector, and catalyst on the electrode performance are presented.
Static and Dynamic Reconfiguration Strategies for Reducing Partial Shading Effects in Photovoltaic Array: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Anjum Shahroz , Mukherjee Vivekananda
Published: May 2022

The output power generated by a photovoltaic (PV) cell decreases remarkably because of the irregular irradiance pattern. Thus, the overall system performance is degraded. The decrease in the power output is not dependent on the shaded area but is rather dependent on the array configuration and the shading pattern. To eliminate partial shadings, many strategies have been documented in the state‐of‐the‐art literature. These strategies may not improve the maximum output power to the required level but definitely do so to a certain extent. Thus, to minimize these losses, a promising reconfiguration approach is needed, i.e., reconfiguring the PV modules inside the PV array to improve the maximum power output. These techniques are broadly divided into two categories, viz., static and dynamic reconfiguration methods. The advanced PV array reconfiguration solutions to improve global power output under mismatch and partial shading scenarios are presented in this article. According to the results of the review article studied in this research, dynamic approaches are costlier as compared to static reconfiguration strategies, but are more effective to reduce the partial shading impact in comparison to the static techniques.
In Situ Ion–Exchange Synthesis of Fe3O4 Nanosheets with 3D Hierarchically Porous Carbon Frameworks for High‐Performance Energy Storage
Authors: Yan Xudong , Ge Huan , Fang Yan , Liu Qinglei , Gu Jiajun
Published: May 2022

Batteries dominate the market of electrochemical energy‐storage (EES) devices but suffer from low solid‐state ion‐diffusion kinetics. Herein, a facile strategy is presented to fabricate 2D Fe3O4 nanosheets with 3D hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) frameworks for high‐rate lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium‐ion batteries (NIBs). These materials are achieved via a simple in situ ion–exchange process followed by a traditional carbonization–activation treatment, which is inspired by the ion intake and anchoring mechanisms of natural seaweeds. The resulting Fe3O4/HPC nanohybrids running at a high rate of 5 A g−1 can deliver high capacities of 418 and 144 mA h g−1 as the anodes of LIBs and NIBs, over 7.3 and 4.3 times those of their counterparts without porous structures. The Fe3O4/HPC also exhibits stable cycle life (≈114% and 93% retention after 1000 cycles at a high current density of 5 A g−1 for LIBs and NIBs, respectively), surpassing the most Fe3O4‐based batteries ever reported. This is attributed to the well‐controlled size of Fe3O4 nanosheets with the robust and interconnected 3D HPC frameworks that facilitate charge transport. Herein, a new strategy is provided to assemble 2D metal oxides onto a unique 3D architecture, generating electrodes for high‐performance EES devices.