bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Optical Illusions on the Vestibular System
Authors: Öztürk Şeyma Tuğba , Şerbetçioğlu Mustafa Bülent , Ersin Kerem , Yılmaz Oğuz
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives: Balance control is maintained in stationary and dynamic conditions, with coordinated muscle responses generated by somatosensory, vestibular, and visual inputs. This study aimed to investigate how the vestibular system is affected in the presence of an optical illusion to better understand the interconnected pathways of the visual and vestibular systems.Subjects and Methods: The study involved 54 young adults (27 males and 27 females) aged 18-25 years. The recruited participants were subjected to the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) test and video head impulse test (vHIT). The cVEMP and vHIT tests were performed once each in the absence and presence of an optical illusion. In addition, after each test, whether the individuals felt balanced was determined using a questionnaire.Results: cVEMP results in the presence of the optical illusion showed shortened latencies and increased amplitudes for the left side in comparison to the results in the absence of the optical illusion (p≤0.05). When vHIT results were compared, it was seen that the right lateral and bilateral anterior canal gains were increased, almost to 1.0 (p<0.05).Conclusions: It is thought that when the visual-vestibular inputs are incompatible with each other, the sensory reweighting mechanism is activated, and this mechanism strengthens the more reliable (vestibular) inputs, while suppressing the less reliable (visual) inputs. As long as the incompatible condition persists, the sensory reweighting mechanism will continue to operate, thanks to the feedback loop from the efferent vestibular system.
Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm Secondary to Skull Base Osteomyelitis: A Case Report
Authors: Cho Hyung Joon , Son Wonsoo , Lee JiHoon , Jung Da Jung
Published: June 2021

We report a case of a pseudoaneurysm secondary to skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) in an 82-year-old female. The patient was hospitalized with an acute episode of bleeding from the right ear, which persisted despite packing placed in the ear. We suspected bleeding from the internal carotid artery (ICA) and performed angiography, which revealed a pseudoaneurysm that presumably developed secondary to invasion of the wall of the petrous segment of the right ICA, and the patient underwent emergency coil embolization. Bleeding from the ear recurred a week later, and we performed repeat angiography, followed by embolization and deployment of multiple stents at the site of the pseudoaneurysm, which controlled the bleeding. Clinicians should be mindful of a pseudoaneurysm as a rare complication of SBO, following the spread of infection to adjacent soft tissues or vessels. A pseudoaneurysm should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients with recurrent epistaxis or bleeding from the ears in addition to cranial nerve symptoms, and this condition warrants urgent evaluation.
An inquiry into the origin of the name of the Scottish nation
Authors: Foulis of Colinton John
Published: June 2021

To a Society, the purpose of whose institution is to investigate the antiquities of their nation, any reasonable attempt to account for the name of that nation, cannot be unacceptable; and this subject seems naturally to present itself, as a proper introduction to their future inquiries.
An historical account of the Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland
Authors: Smellie William
Published: June 2021

Like other nations of Europe, the political and historical monuments of Scotland have not only been injured by the natural operations of time, but by many other causes. Our desolating and depredatory wars with England continued for ages. The demolition of ancient buildings, the destruction of public archives, and of private documents, were results of these unhappy contests. When the two nations were partially united, by the succession of our James VI to the throne of England, a temporary peace was established, and promised great and mutual advantages. But, not long after this auspicious event, fanatical and feudal dissentions arose, and produced effects equally pernicious to the objects of the Historian and Antiquary. Though these and similar causes have long ceased, yet, by annihilating our principal materials, they depressed the spirit of inquiry, and made us negligent of those which had escaped the general devastation.
Cucumber production and the economic revenues under various nitrogen applications in an unheated solar greenhouse on the North China Plain
Authors: Liu Haijun , Yuan Baozhong , Hu Xiaodong , Yin Congyan , Tang Xiaopei
Published: June 2021

The over‐application of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) with nitrogen (N) fertilizers grown in greenhouses can produce adverse environmental consequences. In this study, a five‐season experiment was conducted from 2014 to 2018 to determine the influence of N rate on N use and economic returns. The experiment contained traditional N application under furrow irrigation (CK) and three N rates with drip irrigation, they are 100, 75, and 50% N applied in the check, referring to T100, T75, and T50, respectively. However, the irrigation rates in drip irrigation were approximately 40% lower than the check. The N losses from gas emission and leaching nitrate accounted for approximately 70% of the applied N when the traditional N rate was applied (CK and T100); however, the loss reduced to 12% in the T50 treatment. The highest cucumber production was found in the T100 treatment, which was 6.1 and 9.4% higher than the T75 and T50 treatments, respectively. The highest net revenue was found in the T100 treatment, followed by the CK (–5.8%), T75 (–7.6%), and T50 (–9.4%) treatments. The highest N productivity and economically applied N productivity were found in the T50 treatment, which were approximately 60% higher than those in the T100 and CK treatments. Fully considering the economic benefit, N productivity and environmental protection, the local N application for cucumber cultivation in greenhouses on the North China Plain (NCP) can be reduced by 50% with drip irrigation system.
Neonatal DNA methylation and childhood low prosocial behavior: An epigenome‐wide association meta‐analysis
Authors: Luo Mannan , Meehan Alan J. , Walton Esther , Röder Stefan , Herberth Gunda , Zenclussen Ana C. , Cosín‐Tomás Marta , Sunyer Jordi , Mulder Rosa H. , Cortes Hidalgo Andrea P. , Bakermans‐Kranenburg Marian J. , Felix Janine F. , Relton Caroline , Suderman Matthew , Pappa Irene , Kok Rianne , Tiemeier Henning , van IJzendoorn Marinus H. , Barker Edward D. , Cecil Charlotte A. M.
Published: June 2021

Low prosocial behavior in childhood has been consistently linked to later psychopathology, with evidence supporting the influence of both genetic and environmental factors on its development. Although neonatal DNA methylation (DNAm) has been found to prospectively associate with a range of psychological traits in childhood, its potential role in prosocial development has yet to be investigated. This study investigated prospective associations between cord blood DNAm at birth and low prosocial behavior within and across four longitudinal birth cohorts from the Pregnancy And Childhood Epigenetics (PACE) Consortium. We examined (a) developmental trajectories of “chronic‐low” versus “typical” prosocial behavior across childhood in a case–control design (N = 2,095), and (b) continuous “low prosocial” scores at comparable cross‐cohort time‐points (N = 2,121). Meta‐analyses were performed to examine differentially methylated positions and regions. At the cohort‐specific level, three CpGs were found to associate with chronic low prosocial behavior; however, none of these associations was replicated in another cohort. Meta‐analysis revealed no epigenome‐wide significant CpGs or regions. Overall, we found no evidence for associations between DNAm patterns at birth and low prosocial behavior across childhood. Findings highlight the importance of employing multi‐cohort approaches to replicate epigenetic associations and reduce the risk of false positive discoveries.
Ranging and territoriality in red‐shanked doucs (Pygathrix nemaeus) at Son Tra Nature Reserve, Vietnam
Authors: Ulibarri Lawrence R. , Gartland Kylen N.
Published: June 2021

The home ranges of odd‐nosed colobines as reported by a number of studies can vary greatly both within and between taxa. Evaluating Pygathrix, particularly within the context of the odd‐nosed colobines, has proven challenging due to the comparable dearth of published data on all three species—Pygathrix nigripes, Pygathrix cinerea, and Pygathrix nemaeus. This dearth has also proven challenging when assessing territoriality within Pygathrix and contextualizing this behavior to odd‐nosed colobines. For this study, we set out to assess home range, daily path length, and territoriality in a population of P. nemaeus at Son Tra Nature Reserve in Vietnam. We collected a total of 259 h of behavioral data using 10‐min focal follows with 1‐min instantaneous scans, including GPS recordings for each follow. We collected phenology and weather data, which were then used with Pearson's correlations to test whether ecological factors influenced variation in ranging or daily path length at both the monthly and seasonal levels. Finally, we used the Mitani‐Rodman defendability index to assess territoriality in P. nemaeus. We found that our population of P. nemaeus had a home range of 36.00 ha with a core area of 8.02 ha and an average daily path length of 509.11 ± 244.87 m. Daily path length was correlated to precipitation such that daily path lengths were shorter during increases in rainfall (r(17) = 0.52, p = .03). These measures resulted in a defendability index of 0.75, suggesting that the population of P. nemaus on Son Tra does not travel far enough each day to actively defend territorial borders.
Environmental and individual determinants of fecal avoidance in semi‐free ranging woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii)
Authors: Philippon Justine , Serrano‐Martínez Enrique , Poirotte Clémence
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Parasite selection pressures have driven the evolution of numerous behavioral defenses in host species, but recent studies revealed individual variation in their expression. As little is known about the factors causing heterogeneity among individuals in infection‐avoidance behaviors, we investigated in woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii) the influence of several environmental and individual characteristics on the tendency to avoid food contaminated by soil and by their own and conspecifics' feces.

Materials and methods

We conducted feeding tests on 40 semi‐free ranging individuals rescued from the pet trade. Using generalized linear mixed models, we investigated the effect of season, sex, age, dominance rank, and exposure to non‐natural living conditions on feeding decisions.

Results

Woolly monkeys did not avoid soil‐contaminated food and equally avoided food contaminated by their own and conspecifics' feces. Individuals varied greatly in their level of fecal avoidance. Only females exhibited strong avoidance of fecally contaminated food, but adapted their behavior to food availability, highlighting the trade‐off between nutritional intake and parasite avoidance. Additionally, low‐ranking females, less competitive over food resources, exhibited lower avoidance than dominant ones. Juveniles were more cautious than adults, possibly to compensate for a higher parasite susceptibility. Finally, we reported an unknown effect of exposure to non‐natural living conditions on behavioral defenses, as animals kept as household pets for an extended period apparently lost their ability to avoid fecally contaminated food.

Conclusion

We argue that striving to understand variation in infection‐avoidance behaviors in natural populations is crucial to predict disease spread and inform conservation policies.
Rapidly, highly yielded and green synthesis of dihydrotetrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine derivatives in aqueous media using recoverable Pd (II) thiazole catalyst accelerated by ultrasonic: Computational studies
Authors: El‐Remaily Mahmoud Abd El Aleem Ali Ali , Soliman Ahmed M. M. , Khalifa Mohamed E. , El‐Metwaly Nashwa M. , Alsoliemy Amerah , El‐Dabea Tarek , Abu‐Dief Ahmed M.
Published: June 2021

Here, we synthesized new thiazole complexes from Cu (II), Fe (III), and Pd (II) ions. Such complexes were characterized to present their chemical formulae, firstly. The octahedral geometry was suggested for the investigated complexes except Pd (II) complex (ARPTPd), which has a square‐planer arrangement. ARPTPd was planned to be used as a catalyst for synthesis of dihydrotetrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine derivatives at mild conditions. The catalytic activity of ARPTPd complex in four‐components reaction approach was deliberately monitored till it reaches the most favorable conditions. The advantages of suggested catalyst were basically summarized by using green solvent (H2O), lower reaction time, and high products yields. Also, the superiority of ARPTPd complex and ultrasonic irradiation towards synthesis of dihydrotetrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine derivatives was revealed compared with other Lewis acids, basic, and ionic liquid catalysts. Furthermore, the mildness of conversion and compatibility with different functional groups makes it attractive. In addition, in consecration, computational aspects were often taken according to their effect on the declaration or discrimination of variable functional characteristics. Crystal packing systems of complexes were configured to extract important surface properties. DFT study was also applied to explain the causes behind the superiorly of ARPTPd complex. Also, the optimization process for intermediates was executed to support the suggested mechanism. Finally, this simple, economical, and green catalytic procedure may be applied to the industry in future.
“There is a gorilla holding a key on the book cover”: Young children's known picture book search strategies
Authors: Wang Pianran , Ma Yue , Xie Huan , Wang Hanqing , Lu Jinyi , Xu Jianhua
Published: June 2021

There is no information search system can assist young children's known picture book search needs since the information is not organized according to their cognitive abilities and needs. Therefore, this study explored young children's known picture book search strategies and extracted picture book search elements by simulating a search scenario and playing a picture book search game. The study found 29 elements children used to search for known picture books. Then, these elements are classified into three dimensions: The first dimension is the concept category of an element. The second dimension is an element's status in the story. The third dimension indicates where an element appears in a picture book. Additionally, it revealed a young children's general search strategy: Children first use auditory elements that they hear from the adults during reading. After receiving error returns, they add visual elements that they see by themselves in picture books. The findings can not only help to understand young children's known‐item search and reformulation strategies during searching but also provide theoretical support for the development of a picture book information organization schema in the search system.
Robust prescribed‐time consensus of multi‐agent systems with actuator saturation and actuator faults
Authors: Zhou Yingjiang , Li Cheng , Jiang Guo‐Ping , Liu Jingyu
Published: June 2021

Prescribed‐time leader‐following consensus problem of multi‐agent systems with actuator saturation is considered in this paper. With the proposed protocol, the convergence time can be assigned off‐line, and actuator saturation problem is solved. A prescribed‐time disturbance and actuator faults observer is designed to estimate the disturbance and actuator faults. At last, numerical simulations show the efficiency of the observer and controller.
Process development for cross‐flow diafiltration‐based VLP disassembly: A novel high‐throughput screening approach
Authors: Hillebrandt Nils , Vormittag Philipp , Dietrich Annabelle , Wegner Christina H. , Hubbuch Jürgen
Published: June 2021

Virus‐like particles (VLPs) are particulate structures, which are applied as vaccines or delivery vehicles. VLPs assemble from subunits, named capsomeres, composed of recombinantly expressed viral structural proteins. During downstream processing, in vivo‐assembled VLPs are typically dis‐ and reassembled to remove encapsulated impurities and to improve particle morphology. Disassembly is achieved in a high‐pH solution and by the addition of a denaturant or reducing agent. The optimal disassembly conditions depend on the VLP amino acid sequence and structure, thus requiring material‐consuming disassembly experiments. To this end, we developed a low‐volume and high‐resolution disassembly screening that provides time‐resolved insight into the VLP disassembly progress. In this study, two variants of C‐terminally truncated hepatitis B core antigen were investigated showing different disassembly behaviors. For both VLPs, the best capsomere yield was achieved at moderately high urea concentration and pH. Nonetheless, their disassembly behaviors differed particularly with respect to disassembly rate and aggregation. Based on the high‐throughput screening results, a diafiltration‐based disassembly process step was developed. Compared with mixing‐based disassembly, it resulted in higher yields of up to 0.84 and allowed for integrated purification. This process step was embedded in a filtration‐based process sequence of disassembly, capsomere separation, and reassembly, considerably reducing high‐molecular‐weight species.
Characterization of an Acidic Polysaccharides from Carrot and Its Hepatoprotective Effect on Alcoholic Liver Injury in Mice
Authors: Kong Xiangying , Liang Wei , Li Xinyue , Qiu Meng , Xu Wenjun , Chen Hongman
Published: June 2021

The characteristics of acidic polysaccharides extracted from Daucus carota L. var. sativa Hoffm were investigated and its hepatoprotective effects on alcoholic liver injury were determined in the mice model. A carrot polysaccharide (CPS‐I: Carrot polysaccharide‐I) with the molecular weight of 3.40×104 kDa was isolated from Daucus carota L. and purified by diethylaminoethyl‐52 and Sephadex G‐150 column chromatography. The components were analyzed by HPLC, which revealed that CPS‐I consisted of galacturonic acid, rhamnose, xylose, arabinose, fructose, and galactose at a relative ratio of 1 : 3.16 : 1.13 : 5.53 : 3.45 : 7.76. Structural characterization analysis suggested that CPS‐I was mainly composed of →6)‐β‐D‐Galp‐(1→ and →5)‐α‐L‐Araf‐(1→. The hepatoprotective effect of CPS‐I was evaluated by alcoholic liver injury mice model.

The results showed that the administration of CPS‐I (300 mg/kg/day) alleviated the alcoholic liver injury in mice by increasing the levels of ADH and ALDH and reducing oxidative stress. CPS‐I ameliorated the pathological changes of liver characterized by lipid accumulation, and reduced the number of lipid droplets.
Procedural planning of CS‐based indirect mitral annuloplasty using CT‐angiography
Authors: Rottländer Dennis , Gödde Miriel , Degen Hubertus , Ögütcü Alev , Saal Martin , Haude Michael
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Coronary sinus (CS) based mitral annuloplasty using the Carillon device could be limited by compromise of the left circumflex artery (Cx).

Background

Computed tomography (CT) might be a feasible tool for preprocedural planning of indirect mitral valve annuloplasty.

Methods

In a retrospective analysis, 25 patients underwent Carillon device implantation and received CT‐angiography (CTA) analysis prior to CS based percutaneous mitral valve repair. We used a retrospective approach with preprocedural CTA and intraprocedural coronary sinus angiography (CSA) measurements to determine the CS to Cx distance at the occlusion or compression point or in the distal landing zone in absence of Cx compromise.

Results

According to left coronary artery angiography, we identified 7 patients with Cx occlusion, 7 with Cx compression and 11 without Cx compromise. No difference in minimal CS to Cx distance between the three groups could be obtained. Also, neither distal CS diameter nor distal Carillon anchor size were related to Cx impingement. However, ROC analysis identified a CS to Cx distance of <8.6 mm specifically in the distal device landing zone to predict Cx compromise. Furthermore, CTA was accurate in assessing device length in comparison to CSA, but failed predicting Carillon device anchor size.

Conclusions

CTA derived CS to Cx distance in the device landing zone might be helpful to predict Cx occlusion during Carillon device implantation. Furthermore, CTA predicted CS length but not anchor size correctly. Therefore, CT‐angiographic procedural planning might help improving the results of percutaneous CS‐based mitral valve repair.
TEMPO‐Modified Polymethacrylates as Mediators in Electrosynthesis – Redox Behavior and Electrocatalytic Activity toward Alcohol Substrates
Authors: Mohebbati Nayereh , Prudlik Adrian , Scherkus Anton , Gudkova Aija , Francke Robert
Published: June 2021

Homogeneous catalysts (“mediators”) are useful for tuning selectivity in organic electrosynthesis. However, they can have a negative impact on the overall mass and energy balance if used only once or recycled inefficiently. In a previous work, we introduced the polymediator concept, in which soluble redox‐active polymers catalyze the electrochemical reaction, allowing for recovery by dialysis or pressure‐driven membrane filtration. Using anodic alcohol oxidation as a test case, it was shown that TEMPO‐modified polymethacrylates (TPMA) can serve as efficient and reusable mediators. In the present study, the properties of a TPMA sample with well‐defined molecular weight distribution were studied using cyclic voltammetry and compared to low‐molecular TEMPO species. The non‐catalytic profiles of TPMA are shaped by diffusive and adsorptive processes, whereby the latter only become pronounced at low mediator concentrations and high scan rates. Electrocatalytic studies suggest that under the applied conditions, TPMA‐catalyzed alcohol oxidation is a predominantly homogeneous process. The homogeneous kinetics are determined rather by the mediator potential than by steric influences of the polymer backbone.
Modulating the Enantiodiscrimination Features of Inherently Chiral Selectors by Molecular Design: A HPLC and Voltammetry Study Case with Atropisomeric 2,2’‐Biindole‐Based Monomers and Oligomer Films
Authors: Scapinello Luca , Grecchi Sara , Rossi Sergio , Arduini Fabiana , Arnaboldi Serena , Penoni Andrea , Cirilli Roberto , Romana Mussini Patrizia , Benincori Tiziana
Published: June 2021

A family of inherently chiral electroactive selectors based on the 2,2’‐biindole atropisomeric scaffold, of easy synthesis and modulable functional properties, is studied in cascade in two enantioselection contexts. They are at first investigated as probes in enantioselective HPLC, studying molecular structure and temperature effects, and achieving very efficient semipreparative enantioseparation. The enantiomers thus obtained, of remarkable chiroptical features (optical rotation as well as circular dichroism), are successfully applied as selectors in chiral voltammetry in different media for discrimination of the enantiomers of chiral electroactive probes, either by conversion into enantiopure electroactive electrode surfaces by electrooligomerization on glassy carbon substrate (the two monomers with shorter alkyl chains), or as chiral additive in achiral ionic liquid (the monomer with longest alkyl chains). Discrimination is conveniently and reproducibly achieved in terms of significant potential differences for the two enantiomers, specularly inverting either probe or selector configuration. In one case successful discrimination is also observed with the two probe enantiomers concurrently present, either as racemate or with enantiomeric excesses, neatly accounted for by the peak current ratios.
Instant Photochromism Caused by Radical Formation in Photocatalytic Decarboxylation of Dihydrothiazole Derivative†
Authors: Xu Zhen , Malik Abaid Ullah , Shu Mouhai , Cui Yong
Published: June 2021

Main observation and conclusion

A pair of new enantiomeric compounds, (R)/(S)‐1,3,5‐benzene‐triyl‐2,2',2”‐tris(4,5‐dihydrothiazole‐4‐carboxylic acid) (H3LRRR and H3LSSS) are synthesized in one step synthetic route with high yield. Instant photochromism has been investigated to elaborate the photocatalytic decarboxylation of the dihydrothiazole derivative by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR), photoluminescence (PL), FT‐IR, high resolution mass spectra, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV‐Vis spectroscopic techniques. The results indicate that the photochromic transformation is originated from the formation of the radical during the photocatalytic decarboxylation of the 4,5‐dihydrothiazole‐4‐carboxylic acid units.
A phase 1b/2 study of azacitidine with PD‐L1 antibody avelumab in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Saxena Kapil , Herbrich Shelley M. , Pemmaraju Naveen , Kadia Tapan M. , DiNardo Courtney D. , Borthakur Gautam , Pierce Sherry A. , Jabbour Elias , Wang Sa A. , Bueso‐Ramos Carlos , Loghavi Sanam , Tang Guillin , Cheung Cora M. , Alexander Lynette , Kornblau Steven , Andreeff Michael , Garcia‐Manero Guillermo , Ravandi Farhad , Konopleva Marina Y. , Daver Naval
Published: June 2021

Background

Patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have limited treatment options. In preclinical models of AML, inhibition of the PD‐1/PD‐L1 axis demonstrated antileukemic activity. Avelumab is an anti–PD‐L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) approved in multiple solid tumors. The authors conducted a phase 1b/2 clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of azacitidine with avelumab in patients with R/R AML.

Methods

Patients aged ≥18 years who had R/R AML received azacitidine 75 mg/m2 on days 1 through 7 and avelumab on days 1 and 14 of 28‐day cycles.

Results

Nineteen patients were treated. The median age was 66 years (range, 22‐83 years), 100% had European LeukemiaNet 2017 adverse‐risk disease, and 63% had prior exposure to a hypomethylating agent. Avelumab was dosed at 3 mg/kg for the first 7 patients and at 10 mg/kg for the subsequent 12 patients. The most common grade ≥3 treatment‐related adverse events were neutropenia and anemia in 2 patients each. Two patients experienced immune‐related adverse events of grade 2 and grade 3 pneumonitis, respectively. The overall complete remission rate was 10.5%, and both were complete remission with residual thrombocytopenia. The median overall survival was 4.8 months. Bone marrow blasts were analyzed for immune‐related markers by mass cytometry and demonstrated significantly higher expression of PD‐L2 compared with PD‐L1 both pretherapy and at all time points during therapy, with increasing PD‐L2 expression on therapy.

Conclusions

Although the combination of azacitidine and avelumab was well tolerated, clinical activity was limited. High expression of PD‐L2 on bone marrow blasts may be an important mechanism of resistance to anti–PD‐L1 therapy in AML.

Lay Summary

This report describes the results of a phase 1b/2 study of azacitidine with the anti–PD‐L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor avelumab for patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The clinical activity of the combination therapy was modest, with an overall response rate of 10.5%.

However, mass cytometry analysis revealed significantly higher expression of PD‐L2 compared with PD‐L1 on AML blasts from all patients who were analyzed at all time points.

These data suggest a novel potential role for PD‐L2 as a means of AML immune escape.
Investigation for the color samples with equi‐depth in Natural Color System
Authors: Xie Wanzi , Wang Hongbo , Yang Hongying , Yang Zhihui , Zhang Jingjing , Kamruzzaman Md
Published: June 2021

The color depth, an important attribute of color, can reflect the amount of dye partly, which has important functions on the evaluation of color‐fastness and strength of dyes, dyeing effect of fabric, computer color matching, and so on. Natural Color System, an internationally accepted color system, orders colors by three parameters (blackness, chromaticness, and hue). The color depth has not been specified within the Natural Color System. This article tries to find the regularity of the sample with equal‐depth in Natural Color System. Firstly, 1950 color samples in Natural Color System were measured using an X‐Rite Color i7 Spectrophotometer, and their color depths were calculated by five color depth formulas. Then, trend analysis and mathematical modeling methods were used to achieve the connection between the color depth and the notations of Natural Color System basing on color depth theories. Results show that, in Natural Color System, the color samples with the same distance to pure white do not have equal depth; but the color samples with the same nuance (equal blackness, whiteness and chromaticness) have broadly equal color depth, and their average coefficient values are lower than that of Society of Dyers and Colourists Standard Depths. Besides, regressive formulas were built, with which the color depths of any chips in Natural Color System can be calculated broadly by their notation.
Utilization of Discarded Surgical Tissue from Ultrasonic Aspirators to Establish Patient‐Derived Metastatic Brain Tumor Cells: A Guide from the Operating Room to the Research Laboratory
Authors: Martirosian Vahan , Deshpande Krutika , Lin Michelle , Jarvis Casey , Yuan Edith , Chen Thomas C. , Zada Gabriel , Giannotta Steven L , Attenello Frank J , Chow Frances , Neman Josh
Published: June 2021

Patient‐derived cells from surgical resections are of paramount importance to brain tumor research. It is well known that there is cellular and microenvironmental heterogeneity within a single tumor mass. Thus, current established protocols for propagating tumor cells in vitro are limiting because resections obtained from conventional singular samples limit the diversity in cell populations and do not accurately model the heterogeneous tumor. Utilization of discarded tissue obtained from cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) of the whole tumor mass allows for establishing novel cell lines in vitro from the entirety of the tumor, thereby creating an accurate representation of the heterogeneous population of cells originally present in the tumor. Furthermore, while others have described protocols for establishing patient tumor lines once tissue has arrived in the research lab, a primer from the operating room (OR) to the research lab has not been described before. This is integral, as basic research scientists need to understand the surgical environment of the OR, including the methods utilized to obtain a patient's tumor resection, in order to more accurately model cancer biology in laboratory. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Establishment of brain tumor cell lines from patient‐derived CUSA samples: processing brain tumor sample from the OR to the lab

Support Protocol 1: Sterilization of microsurgical tools in preparation for dissection

Support Protocol 2: Collagen coating of tissue culture flasks

Basic Protocol 2: Selection of tumor cells in vitro

Support Protocol 3: FACS sorting tumor sample to isolate cancer cells from heterogeneous cell population
Water in Protic Ionic Liquid Electrolytes: From Solvent Separated Ion Pairs to Water Clusters
Authors: Gehrke Sascha , Ray Promit , Stettner Timo , Balducci Andrea , Kirchner Barbara
Published: June 2021

The large electrochemical and cycling stability of “water‐in‐salt” systems have rendered promising prospective electrolytes for batteries. The impact of addition of water on the properties of ionic liquids has already been addressed in several publications. In this contribution, we focus on the changes in the state of water. Therefore, we investigated the protic ionic liquid N‐butyl‐pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide with varying water content at different temperatures with the aid of molecular dynamics simulations. It is revealed that at very low concentrations, the water is well dispersed and best characterized as shared solvent molecules. At higher concentrations, the water forms larger aggregates and is increasingly approaching a bulk‐like state. While the librational and rotational dynamics of the water molecules become faster with increasing concentration, the translational dynamics are found to become slower. Further, all dynamics are found to be faster if the temperature increases. The trends of these findings are well in line with the experimental measured conductivities.
Performance and Stability of Polymer : Nonfullerene Solar Cells with 100 °C‐Annealed Electron‐Collecting Combination Layers
Authors: Lee Woongki , Kim Hwajeong , Lee Chulyeon , Lee Sooyong , Kim Taehoon , Kim Youngkyoo
Published: June 2021

Inverted‐type organic solar cells, fabricated with low‐temperature‐processed combination layers of hybrid electron‐collecting buffer layers (ECBLs) consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) and poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEOz) and additional PEOz interlayers, showed improved performance and stability. The ZnO : PEOz precursor films with various PEOz compositions (0–12 wt %) were prepared and thermally treated at 100 °C, leading to the ECBLs on which the PEOz interlayers were subsequently deposited before coating of polymer : nonfullerene bulk heterojunction layers. Results showed that the power conversion efficiency of solar cells reached approximately 9.38 and 10.11 % (average) in case of the ZnO/PEOz and ZnO : PEOz(6 wt % PEOz)/PEOz combination layers, respectively, despite the low‐temperature thermal annealing process. A continuous irradiation test for 12 h under one sun condition (air mass 1.5G, 100 mW cm−2) disclosed that the devices with the ZnO : PEOz(6 wt % PEOz)/PEOz combination layers were more stable than those with the ZnO/PEOz layers.
Exposure to a fungal pathogen increases the critical thermal minimum of two frog species
Authors: Siddons Spencer R. , Searle Catherine L.
Published: June 2021

The ability of an organism to tolerate seasonal temperature changes, such as extremely cold temperatures during the winter, can be influenced by their pathogens. We tested how exposure to a virulent fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), affected the critical thermal minimum (CTmin) of two frog species, Hyla versicolor (gray treefrog) and Lithobates palustris (pickerel frog). The CTmin is the minimum thermal performance point of an organism, which we estimated via righting response trials. For both frog species, we compared the righting response of Bd‐exposed and Bd‐unexposed individuals in either a constant (15ºC) environment or with decreasing temperatures (−1°C/2.5 min) starting from 15°C. The CTmin for both species was higher for Bd‐exposed frogs than unexposed frogs, and the CTmin of H. versicolor was higher than L. palustris. We also found that Bd‐exposed frogs of both species righted themselves significantly fewer times in both decreasing and constant temperature trials. Our findings show that pathogen exposure can reduce cold tolerance and limit the thermal performance range of hosts, which may lead to increased overwintering mortality.
Episodic recruitment in the saguaro cactus is driven by multidecadal periodicities
Authors: Félix‐Burruel Ricardo E. , Larios Eugenio , González Edgar J. , Búrquez Alberto
Published: June 2021

Each year, an individual mature large saguaro cactus produces about one million seeds in attractive juicy fruits that lure seed predators and seed dispersers to a 3‐month feast. From the million seeds produced, however, only a few will persist into mature saguaros. A century of research on saguaro population dynamics has led to the conclusion that saguaro recruitment is an episodic event that depends on the convergence of suitable conditions for survival during the critical early stages. Because most data have been collected in Arizona, particularly in the surroundings of Tucson, most research has relied on a limited amount of environmental variation. In this study, we upscaled this knowledge on saguaro recruitment to a regional scale with a new method that used the inverse‐growth modeling of 1,487 saguaros belonging to 13 populations in a latitudinal gradient ranging from arid desert to tropical thornscrub forest in Sonora, Mexico. Using generalized linear and additive mixed models, we created two 110‐yr‐long saguaro recruitment curves: one driven only by previous size, and the second driven by size, drought, and soil structure. We found evidence that saguaro recruitment is indeed episodic, with periodicities of 20–30 yr, possibly related to strong El Niño Southern Oscillation events. Our results suggest that saguaros rely on multidecadal periodic pulses of good beneficial years to incorporate new individuals into their populations. Inverse‐growth modeling can be used in a wide variety of plant species to study their recruitment dynamics.
How and why plant ionomes vary across North American grasslands and its implications for herbivore abundance
Authors: Kaspari Michael , de Beurs Kirsten M. , Welti Ellen A. R.
Published: June 2021

Plant elemental content can vary up to 1,000‐fold across grasslands, with implications for the herbivores the plants feed. We contrast the regulation, in grasses and forbs, of 12 elements essential to plants and animals (henceforth plant‐essential), 7 essential to animals but not plants (animal‐essential) and 6 with no known metabolic function (nonessential). Four hypotheses accounted for up to two thirds of the variation in grass and forb ionomes across 54 North American grasslands. Consistent with the supply‐side hypothesis, the plant‐essential ionome of both forbs and grasses tracked soil availability. Grass ionomes were more likely to harvest even nonessential elements like Cd and Sr. Consistent with the grazing hypothesis, cattle‐grazed grasslands also accumulated a handful of metals like Cu and Cr. Consistent with the NP‐catalysis hypothesis, increases in the macronutrients N and P in grasses were associated with higher densities of cofactors like Zn and Cu. The plant‐essential elements of forbs, in contrast, consistently varied as per the nutrient‐dilution hypothesis—there was a decrease in elemental parts per million with increasing local carbohydrate production. Combined, these data fit a working hypothesis that grasses maintain lower elemental densities and survive on nutrient‐poor patches by opportunistically harvesting soil nutrients. In contrast, nutrient‐rich forbs use episodes of high precipitation and temperature to build new carbohydrate biomass, raising leaves higher to compete for light, but diluting the nutrient content in every bite of tissue. Herbivores of forbs may thus be particularly prone to increases inpCO2via nutrient dilution.
Baseline characteristics of patients in the PARALLAX trial: insights into quality of life and exercise capacity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Shah Sanjiv J. , Cowie Martin R. , Wachter Rolf , Szecsödy Peter , Shi Victor , Ibram Ghionul , Hu Mo , Zhao Ziqiang , Gong Jianjian , Pieske Burkert
Published: June 2021

Aims

We sought to describe the baseline characteristics of PARALLAX [a randomized controlled trial of sacubitril/valsartan vs. individualized medical therapy in heart failure (HF) with mildly reduced and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)]; compare PARALLAX to recent HFpEF trials; and examine the clinical characteristics associated with quality of life (QOL) and 6‐min walk test distance (6MWD).

Methods and results

A total of 2566 patients with HF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >40% were randomized, of whom 96% had an LVEF ≥45%. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine characteristics associated with Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire clinical summary score (KCCQ‐CSS) and 6MWD. Mean age was 73 ± 8 years, 51% were female, and comorbidities were common. Of the QOL measures tested in PARALLAX, the Short Form Health Survey‐36 physical functioning score was most closely correlated with 6MWD (R = 0.41, P < 0.001), and outperformed the KCCQ physical limitation score (R = 0.33) and KCCQ‐CSS (R = 0.31) on multivariable analyses. Female sex, higher body mass index, history of coronary artery disease, lower LVEF, and higher N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) were associated with worse (lower) KCCQ‐CSS; older age, female sex, higher body mass index, diabetes, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, prior HF hospitalization, lower LVEF, and higher NT‐proBNP were associated with shorter 6MWD (P < 0.05 for all associations).

Conclusions

PARALLAX is the largest HFpEF study to date to examine 6MWD together with QOL. The KCCQ‐CSS and 6MWD were modestly correlated, and several factors were associated with worse values of both. These results provide insight into the association between QOL and exercise capacity in HFpEF.
Catalyst Activation and Chain Transfer Agents in Metallocene Catalysts for Ethylene Polymerization: A Computational Investigation
Authors: Kumawat Jugal , Gupta Virendra Kumar
Published: June 2021

A density functional theory (DFT) study has been carried out to investigate the effect of various cocatalysts/chain transfer agents (such as Al(R)3, Mg(R)2, (R)Mg(Cl), Zn(R)2, (R)Zn(Cl), B(C6F5)3, and Al(C6F5)3, here, R=alkyl group) on catalyst activation and ethylene polymerization including chain transfer steps using (CpR, R’)2M(Cl)2 (M=Zr, Hf and R, R’=alkyl group) metallocenes. Initially, the catalyst alkylation step (where one of the chlorine atoms of the catalyst is replaced by an alkyl group of the cocatalyst) has been studied using the Al(Me)3, Mg(Me)2, (Me)Mg(Cl), Zn(Me)2, and (Me)Zn(Cl) moieties, and it was observed that the AlMe3 species is more effective for the alkylation step. Furthermore, a modification in the metallocene, such as (CpR, R’)2Zr(Cl)2, where R and R’=H, Me, Et, n‐propyl, iso‐propyl, iso‐butyl, tert‐butyl, and different combinations of those, has been performed to evaluate the effect of different alkyl substituents on the alkylation process, whereby it was found that the mono‐substituted metallocene favors the alkylation in comparison to bi‐substituted metallocene. Moreover, a detailed fundamental understanding of the ion pair formation step was gained by incorporating various steric and electronic factors of different alkyl groups, including fluorinated alkyl group bound on the Cp ligand. These results suggest that only B(C6F5)3 and Al(C6F5)3 activators could form the ion pairs by abstracting a methyl group from the metallocene. Additionally, the ethylene polymerization has also been investigated using B(C6F5)3 or Al(C6F5)3 cocatalyst, where B(C6F5)3 was found to be more effective towards polymerization. Furthermore, the Al(Me)3, Mg(R)2, (Me)Mg(Cl), Zn(R)2, and (Me)Zn(Cl) species have been employed as chain transfer agent (CTA). It has been observed that the magnesium‐ and zinc‐based species are more likely to behave as CTAs, and this process can be improved by changing the alkyl substituents on them. These chemical calculations shed light on catalyst alkylation and ethylene polymerization, including the chain transfer process, in metallocenes.
Enzymatic Synthesis of a Series of Thioglycosides: Analogs of Arbutin with Efficient Antipigmentation Properties
Authors: Peyrot Cédric , Didak Blanka , Guillotin Laure , Landemarre Ludovic , Lafite Pierre , Lemiègre Loïc , Daniellou Richard
Published: June 2021

Arbutin, a natural glycoside, is well known as a commercial tyrosinase inhibitor, and thus, to prevent pigmentary disorders of skin. In fact, tyrosinase is involved in the biosynthesis of melanin, the skin main pigment. However, arbutin is subject to hydrolysis, which limits its bioactivity. In general, thioglycosides are known to be very resistant to both chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis, which increases the interaction time with their biological targets. A biocatalytic approach allowed us to access to thioglycosidic analogs of arbutin in a green approach with good to excellent yields. Such compounds have then been tested as tyrosinase inhibitors as well as inhibitors of melanin transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes. This latter mechanism takes place via lectin (or lectin‐like) receptors present on the cells surface. p‐Aminophenyl β‐D‐thiogalactopyranoside appears to be an excellent candidate thanks to its tyrosinase inhibitory activity comparable to arbutin, while having the ability to interact with glycan receptors allowing to reduce melanin transfer.
Effects of mealworm larva composition and selected process parameters on the physicochemical properties of extruded meat analog
Authors: Cho Sun Young , Ryu Gi Hyung
Published: June 2021

Mealworm larva (Tenebrio molitor), the most promising edible insect species with low cost and less environmental pollution, can fulfill the flavor and nutrition which are deficient in soy‐based meat analog. Consumers who might have the sensitivity and reluctance to the intact form of edible insect could be offered the high‐quality extruded meat analog. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of different mealworm larva contents and extrusion process parameters using twin‐screw extruder on the physicochemical properties of the extruded meat analog. Mealworm larva was added to the base formulation at the rate of 0, 15, and 30%. Extrusion process parameters were varied as die temperature (140°C and 150°C) and moisture content (40% and 50%). The integrity index, texture profile analysis, and oxidation activity (TBARS) of extruded meat analog decreased with increase in mealworm larva content. However, water holding capacity, nitrogen solubility index, protein digestibility, and DPPH radical scavenging activity significantly increased (p < .05) as the mealworm content increased. Lower die temperature and higher moisture content enhanced the textural properties, but reduced nitrogen solubility index and protein digestibility. At higher die temperature, DPPH activity increased but TBARS showed the opposite result. After extrusion cooking, the total amino acid levels of extruded meat analog were 585.21 g/kg in 30% mealworm larva content that level was lower than 591.43 g/kg in raw mixture while the sulfur‐containing amino acids and glutamic acid were higher than that of raw mixture. In conclusion, addition of mealworm larva could improve the nutritional value, antioxidant functionality, and taste of extruded meat analog under controlled extrusion process conditions.
Determinants of choice of health insurance: Empirical evidence from responses of Indian households
Authors: Yadav Milind Kumar , Mohanty Pratap C.
Published: June 2021

Health insurance has been accepted as one of the channels that can serve the purpose of universalisation of health care and especially useful in the period of health crisis. This is the emerging and challenging sector in India. The present study explores the health insurance penetration in India using the latest two rounds of nationally representative datasets of the National Family Health Survey (2005–06 and 2015–16). This study identifies the covariates of households' participation and their choice for different health insurance schemes, using the average marginal effects of binary and multinomial logit regression models with conditional categories after checking their Kernel density function. The results suggest that health insurance in India is more skewed towards the households belonging to higher wealth quintile and in the front runner states. Age, occupation and education level are also positively associated with health insurance enrolment. The variable ‘weighted information index’, which is estimated through Principal Component Analysis, is a significant determinant of private health insurance and community‐based health insurance, and this also caters to the richer households. The study also identifies several shortcomings of not accessing health insurance, their choices and suggests reforms with the goal of universalization of healthcare. The robustness check has been performed using 20 percent, 50 percent and 80 percent sub‐sampling of the models.