bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of rocking isolation bearing system (RIBS) to control excessive seismic responses of bridge structures
Authors: He Xinhao , Unjoh Shigeki
Published: November 2021

Rocking structures are recognized as an effective seismic response modification technique due to their peculiar dynamic characteristics. Meanwhile, in bridge structures, strong ground motions have frequently caused a rocking motion of pin bearings around their two toes, resulting in the pulling‐out of anchor bolts. This study, motivated by the promising features of rocking behaviors, seeks to develop a rocking isolation bearing system (RIBS) to control excessive response in bridges. An example bridge featuring such a RIBS, consisting of the pin bearings removing anchor bolts to release the rocking motion, the girder type superstructure, and an array of bridge piers, is characterized by a simplified model. Two coefficients of restitution (COR) models are used to investigate the effects of energy dissipation during impact: the Housner model, and a model which simultaneously modifies the velocities of the superstructure and substructures. The dynamic characteristics of RIBS and its control effectiveness on the bridge structure are discussed through a series of dynamic analyses, under both observed ground motions and the design ground motions specified in the Japan Road Association (JRA) design specifications for highway bridges. The simulation results demonstrate that the seismic performance of the bridge structure can be substantially improved, with decreased pier displacement at an allowable bearing rotation level.
Fuzzy map comparisons enable objective hydro‐morphodynamic model validation
Authors: Negreiros Beatriz , Schwindt Sebastian , Haun Stefan , Wieprecht Silke
Published: November 2021

Numerical modeling represents a state‐of‐the‐art technique to simulate hydro‐morphodynamic processes in river ecosystems. Numerical models are often validated based on observed topographic change in the form of pixel information on net erosion or deposition over a simulation period. When model validation is performed by a pixel‐by‐pixel comparison of exactly superimposed simulated and observed pixels, zero or negative correlation coefficients are often calculated, suggesting poor model performance. Thus, a pixel‐by‐pixel approach penalizes quantitative simulation errors, even if a model conceptually works well. To distinguish between reasonably well‐performing and non‐representative models, this study introduces and tests fuzzy map comparison methods. First, we use a fuzzy numerical map comparison to compensate for spatial offset errors in correlation analyses. Second, we add a level of fuzziness with a fuzzy kappa map comparison to additionally address quantitative inaccuracy in modeled topographic change by categorizing data. Sample datasets from a physical lab model and datasets from a 6.9 km long gravel–cobble bed river reach enable the verification of the relevance of fuzzy map comparison methods. The results indicate that a fuzzy numerical map comparison is a viable technique to compensate for model errors stemming from spatial offset. In addition, fuzzy kappa map comparisons are suitable for objectively expressing subjectively perceived correlation between two maps, provided that a small number of categories is used. The methods tested and the resulting spatially explicit comparison maps represent a significant opportunity to improve the evaluation and potential calibration of numerical models of river ecosystems in the future.
Emerging role of microalgae in heavy metal bioremediation
Authors: Manikandan Arumugam , Suresh Babu Palanisamy , Shyamalagowri Shanmugasundaram , Kamaraj Murugesan , Muthukumaran Peraman , Aravind Jeyaseelan
Published: November 2021

Microalgae have been publicized for their diversified dominance responsiveness and bioaccumulation potential toward pollutants in an ecosystem. Also, algal's incredible capability as biocatalysts in environmental appliances has been well elucidated owing to their robustness and simple nutritional demand. Additionally, microalgae can deliver various collections of bio‐based chemical compounds helpful for diversified applications, especially as green alternatives. The environment has been contaminated with various polluting agents; one principal polluting agent is heavy metals which are carcinogenic and show toxicity even in minimal quantity, cause unsatisfactory threats to the environmental ecosystem, including human and animal health. There is a prominent tendency to apply microalgae in the phytoremediation of heavy metals compounds because of its vast benefits, including great accessibility, cost‐effective, excellent toxic metal eliminating efficiency, and nontoxic to the ecosystem. This review uncovers the most recent advancements and mechanisms associated with the bioremediation process and biosorption interaction of substantial harmful synthetic compounds processing microalgae species. Furthermore, future challenges and prospects in the utilization of microalgae in heavy metals bioremediation are also explored. The current review aims to give valuable information to aid the advancement of robust and proficient future microalgae‐based heavy metal bioremediation innovations and summarizing a wide range of benefits socioeconomic scope to be employed in heavy metal compound removal in environment system.
Viscoelastic Monitoring in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Malleeswaran Selvakumar , Sivajothi Sivanesan , Reddy Mettu Srinivas
Published: November 2021

Cirrhosis and liver transplantation (LT) surgery are associated with substantial alterations to the patient’s coagulation status. Accurate monitoring of these changes during LT can help manage bleeding proactively and potentially reduce transfusion requirements. Unlike conventional coagulation tests (CCTs), viscoelastic monitoring (VEM) can provide an accurate, real‐time, point‐of‐care assessment of coagulation status during LT and hence has become an invaluable tool for anesthetists and intensive care physicians. However, it remains an enigmatic subject for transplantation surgeons who are more conversant with CCTs. This review discusses the principles of VEM, provides a primer to understanding and interpreting its output, and explains how it can be used to make real‐world clinical decisions during LT.
Mass spectrometry‐based targeted proteomics for analysis of protein mutations
Authors: Lin Tai‐Tu , Zhang Tong , Kitata Reta B. , Liu Tao , Smith Richard D. , Qian Wei‐Jun , Shi Tujin
Published: November 2021

Cancers are caused by accumulated DNA mutations. This recognition of the central role of mutations in cancer and recent advances in next‐generation sequencing, has initiated the massive screening of clinical samples and the identification of 1000s of cancer‐associated gene mutations. However, proteomic analysis of the expressed mutation products lags far behind genomic (transcriptomic) analysis. With comprehensive global proteomics analysis, only a small percentage of single nucleotide variants detected by DNA and RNA sequencing have been observed as single amino acid variants due to current technical limitations. Proteomic analysis of mutations is important with the potential to advance cancer biomarker development and the discovery of new therapeutic targets for more effective disease treatment. Targeted proteomics using selected reaction monitoring (also known as multiple reaction monitoring) and parallel reaction monitoring, has emerged as a powerful tool with significant advantages over global proteomics for analysis of protein mutations in terms of detection sensitivity, quantitation accuracy and overall practicality (e.g., reliable identification and the scale of quantification). Herein we review recent advances in the targeted proteomics technology for enhancing detection sensitivity and multiplexing capability and highlight its broad biomedical applications for analysis of protein mutations in human bodily fluids, tissues, and cell lines. Furthermore, we review recent applications of top‐down proteomics for analysis of protein mutations. Unlike the commonly used bottom‐up proteomics which requires digestion of proteins into peptides, top‐down proteomics directly analyzes intact proteins for more precise characterization of mutation isoforms. Finally, general perspectives on the potential of achieving both high sensitivity and high sample throughput for large‐scale targeted detection and quantification of important protein mutations are discussed.
Season and Discharge Predict Downstream Emigration Rates for Reservoir Sport Fish Populations
Authors: Shane Keith D. , Page Kevin S. , Pritt Jeremy J. , Conroy Joseph D. , Marschall Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2021

Given the importance of reservoir fisheries and the investments made by fisheries management agencies to create and maintain these fisheries, the loss of reservoir-stocked fish through downstream emigration warrants action to be taken to understand and prevent it. The factors driving emigration of reservoir fish and the measurable effects of emigration on fish population dynamics are not well understood. In this study, we sought to understand the seasonal emigration patterns of two popular sport fish, saugeye (female Walleye Sander vitreus × male Sauger Sander canadensis) and Muskellunge Esox masquinongy, and determine if their annual declines in abundance were correlated with predicted annual emigration rates. We modeled daily emigration probabilities of saugeye and Muskellunge from PIT tag data collected in the dam spillway of an Ohio reservoir. Using data on discharge from previous years, these models were used to estimate annual emigration rates, which were regressed against historical catch data to test whether emigration explained annual cohort declines. Our models showed that downstream emigration from the reservoir occurred primarily during spring for both species, especially during periods of high reservoir discharge. All saugeye and nearly all Muskellunge emigrants were adults, with 13% of tagged adult saugeye and 17% of tagged adult Muskellunge emigrating. Our models predicted historical annual emigration losses (across all age-classes) as high as 24% for saugeye and 8.6% for Muskellunge. Furthermore, historical annual emigration rates were negatively related to catch rates for both species. These results illustrate that, depending on flow regime and seasonal effects on fish movements, emigration can have measurable effects on reservoir sport fish populations. As such, it is important to understand the factors driving downstream migration and use this understanding to inform decisions on potential mitigation of emigration as well as fish stocking decisions.
A Koiter reduction technique for the nonlinear thermoelastic analysis of shell structures prone to buckling
Authors: Liguori Francesco S. , Magisano Domenico , Madeo Antonio , Leonetti Leonardo , Garcea Giovanni
Published: November 2021

The multi‐modal Koiter method is a reduction technique for estimating quickly the nonlinear buckling response of structures under mechanical loads requiring a fine discretization. The reduced model is based on a quadratic approximation of the full model using a few linear buckling modes and their second order corrections, followed by the projection of the equilibrium equations onto the modal subspace. In this article, the method is reformulated for geometrically nonlinear thermoelastic analyses of shell structures. The starting point is an isogeometric solid‐shell discretization with an accurate modeling of thermal strains, temperature‐dependent materials and general temperature distributions. The equilibrium path is defined as a displacement versus temperature amplifier curve, while mechanical loads are kept constant. The strain energy nonlinearity with respect to the temperature amplifier is the main obstacle in the definition of an accurate reduced model. This task is achieved by coherent asymptotic expansions in mixed form using independent stress variables at the integration points and accurate linear buckling modes obtained by a two‐point mixed eigenvalue problem. Structures made of isotropic and multi‐layered composite materials, including variable angle tow laminates, are considered to show the accuracy of the proposed method.
Cardiorenal outcomes in eligible patients referred for bariatric surgery
Authors: Dash Satya , Everett Karl , Jackson Timothy , Okrainec Allan , Urbach David R. , Sockalingam Sanjeev , Shah Baiju R. , Farkouh Michael E.
Published: November 2021

Objective

Bariatric surgery is associated with reduced atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) and heart failure hospitalization in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and those with prior CVD. Most patients undergoing bariatric surgery do not have T2D or CVD. Many otherwise eligible patients do not have surgery because of self‐exclusion. Clinical outcomes in these groups are less established.

Methods

This study retrospectively assessed cardiorenal outcomes in 8,568 patients after acceptance of referral for surgery.

Results

A total of 63.8% patients did not undergo surgery. After multivariate adjustment for sex, age, BMI, income quintile, distance from hospital, hypertension, T2D, and CVD, hazard ratios (HR) for the primary (incident myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure hospitalization, and death; HR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.4‐0.66) and secondary CVD outcomes (primary outcomes and coronary/carotid revascularization; HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.42‐0.67) were lower in the surgery cohort. This reduction was seen in those with (primary: HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.32‐0.63, secondary: HR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.34‐0.65) and without T2D (primary: HR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42‐0.88, secondary: HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.42‐0.67). Reduced kidney disease (HR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22‐0.92) but increased liver disease hospitalization (HR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.45‐4.27) was observed with surgery.

Conclusions

Non‐progression to surgery associates with increased CVD despite low baseline prevalence of CVD. The cardiorenal benefits of bariatric surgery warrant confirmation in a well‐powered randomized clinical trial.
Comparative study of CF4 + O2 and C6F12O + O2 plasmas for reactive‐ion etching applications
Authors: Lim Nomin , Efremov Alexander , Woo Byungjun , Kwon Kwang‐Ho
Published: November 2021

This work represents a comparative study of gas‐phase parameters and reactive‐ion etching kinetics for Si and Si and SiO2 in CF4 + O2 and C6F12O + O2 plasmas. An interest to the C6F12O gas is because it combines the low global warming potential (low environmental impact) and weakly studied dry etching performance. It was shown that the investigated gas systems showed similar effects of processing conditions on electron‐ and ion‐related plasma parameters as well as on the densities of F and O atoms. Etching experiments showed identical behaviors of Si and SiO2 etching rates as well as very similar SiO2/Si etching selectivities. The notable feature of the C6F12O + O2 plasma is only the systematically lower absolute etching rates that correlate with lower in F atom densities.
Evaluation of point forecasts for extreme events using consistent scoring functions
Authors: Taggart Robert
Published: November 2021

We present a method for comparing point forecasts in a region of interest, such as the tails or centre of a variable's range. This method cannot be hedged, in contrast to selecting events conditionally to evaluate and then using a scoring function that would have been consistent (or proper) prior to event selection. Our method also gives decompositions of scoring functions that are consistent for the mean or a particular quantile or expectile. Each member of each decomposition is itself a consistent scoring function that emphasises performance over a selected region of the variable's range. The score of each member of the decomposition has a natural interpretation rooted in optimal decision theory. It is the weighted average of economic regret over user decision thresholds, where the weight emphasises those decision thresholds in the corresponding region of interest.
Optimizing Allogeneic Grafts in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Xu Zheng-Li , Huang Xiao-Jun
Published: November 2021

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is widely used in the treatment of hematological diseases. It is well known that allogeneic grafts play a key role in predicting transplantation prognosis. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a functional part of grafts and are capable of reconstructing hematopoiesis and immunity, but purified HSCs have not been identified or isolated to date. In clinical practice, allogeneic grafts have been optimized to improve transplantation outcomes. The optimized grafts are considered to engraft successfully, reconstruct immunity rapidly, and exert a graft-vs-leukemia (GVL) effect without causing severe graft-vs-host disease (GvHD). In the last several decades, considerable efforts have been made in searching for optimized grafts based on different graft manipulation approaches and different graft sources. Currently, there is no uniform standard for optimized grafts in allogeneic transplantation. In the future, sorting out the cellular elements responsible for the effects of allo-HSCT might be a research direction for further optimization of grafts. In this review, we propose the concept of optimized grafts and summarize the recent advances made in the process of optimizing grafts.
Neuronal Cell-based Medicines from Pluripotent Stem Cells: Development, Production, and Preclinical Assessment
Authors: Sun Yun , Feng Lin , Liang Lingmin , Stacey Glyn N. , Wang Chaoqun , Wang Yukai , Hu Baoyang
Published: November 2021

Brain degeneration and damage is difficult to cure due to the limited endogenous repair capability of the central nervous system. Furthermore, drug development for treatment of diseases of the central nervous system remains a major challenge. However, it now appears that using human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural cells to replace degenerating cells provides a promising cell-based medicine for rejuvenation of brain function. Accordingly, a large number of studies have carried out preclinical assessments, which have involved different neural cell types in several neurological diseases. Recent advances in animal models identify the transplantation of neural derivatives from pluripotent stem cells as a promising path toward the clinical application of cell therapies [Stem Cells Transl Med 2019;8:681-693; Drug Discov Today 2019;24:992-999; Nat Med 2019;25:1045-1053]. Some groups are moving toward clinical testing in humans. However, the difficulty in selection of valuable critical quality criteria for cell products and the lack of functional assays that could indicate suitability for clinical effect continue to hinder neural cell-based medicine development [Biologicals 2019;59:68-71]. In this review, we summarize the current status of preclinical studies progress in this area and outline the biological characteristics of neural cells that have been used in new developing clinical studies. We also discuss the requirements for translation of stem cell-derived neural cells in examples of stem cell-based clinical therapy.
Optimizing Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Acute Leukemia
Authors: Pang Aiming , Huo Yingying , Shen Biao , Zheng Yawei , Jiang Erlie , Feng Sizhou , Han Mingzhe
Published: November 2021

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remains an important postremission treatment for acute leukemia (AL). It is known that some prognostic factors, such as age, cytogenetic and molecular risk stratification, and minimal residual disease (MRD) status, are closely related to clinical outcomes following ASCT. Moreover, there are multiple measurements, including pretransplant treatment, stem cell mobilization and collection, conditioning regimens, and maintenance treatment after transplantation, that can affect prognosis after ASCT. Our clinical practice of ASCT should be better standardized to further improve patient outcomes. This review outlines optimization and quality control measures for ASCT developed at the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the first established and largest autologous stem cell transplant center in China. These measures will enhance the development of best practices and strategies for AL ASCT therapies, thereby improving patient outcomes.
Investigation into the Phase–Activity Relationship of MnO2 Nanomaterials toward Ozone‐Assisted Catalytic Oxidation of Toluene
Authors: Yang Ruijie , Guo Zhongjie , Cai Lixin , Zhu Rongshu , Fan Yingying , Zhang Yuefeng , Han Pingping , Zhang Wanjian , Zhu Xiangang , Zhao Qitong , Zhu Zhenye , Chan Chak Keung , Zeng Zhiyuan
Published: November 2021

Manganese dioxide (MnO2), with naturally abundant crystal phases, is one of the most active candidates for toluene degradation. However, it remains ambiguous and controversial of the phase–activity relationship and the origin of the catalytic activity of these multiphase MnO2. In this study, six types of MnO2 with crystal phases corresponding to α‐, β‐, γ‐, ε‐, λ‐, and δ‐MnO2 are prepared, and their catalytic activity toward ozone‐assisted catalytic oxidation of toluene at room temperature are studied, which follow the order of δ‐MnO2 > α‐MnO2 > ε‐MnO2 > γ‐MnO2 > λ‐MnO2 > β‐MnO2. Further investigation of the specific oxygen species with the toluene oxidation activity indicates that high catalytic activity of MnO2 is originated from the rich oxygen vacancy and the strong mobility of oxygen species. This work illustrates the important role of crystal phase in determining the oxygen vacancies’ density and the mobility of oxygen species, thus influencing the catalytic activity of MnO2 catalysts, which sheds light on strategies of rational design and synthesis of multiphase MnO2 catalysts for volatile organic pollutants’ (VOCs) degradation.
Preparation of Nanoscale Particles of Five Major Polymers as Potential Standards for the Study of Nanoplastics
Authors: Tanaka Kosuke , Takahashi Yusuke , Kuramochi Hidetoshi , Osako Masahiro , Tanaka Shunsuke , Suzuki Go
Published: November 2021

Nanoplastics are likely ubiquitous in the environment, and their potential toxic effects are a concern. However, quantitative information about the distribution of nanoplastics is still lacking, and toxicity tests are limited to a few select polymers because of the lack of appropriate standard materials, which should be nanoscale particles with standardizable morphologies, properties comparable to those of commercial polymers, and no impurities. Here, a precipitation‐based method for preparing spherical nanoscale particles without the introduction of impurities is developed. The similarity of the molecular weight distributions, crystallinities, and thermal properties of five major polymers prepared using this method—low‐density polyethylene, high‐density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene—to those of commercial polymers indicate their potential for use as standard nanoplastic particles. This study provides a fundamental approach for the synthesis of standard nanoplastic particles that will facilitate quantification of the concentrations of nanoplastics in the environment and tests of their toxicity, which are required to assess the risks associated with exposure to them.
Sparse multivariate functional principal component analysis
Authors: Song Jun , Kim Kyongwon
Published: November 2021

We introduce a sparse multivariate functional principal component analysis method by incorporating ideas from the group sparse maximum variance method to multivariate functional data. Our method can avoid the “curse of dimensionality” from a high‐dimensional dataset and enjoy interpretability at the same time. In particular, our unsupervised method can capture important latent factors to explain variability of the dataset, which can induce a clear distinction between important variables in the principal components and unnecessary features based on the sparseness structure. Furthermore, our method can be applied to functional data from a multidimensional domain that hinges on different intervals. In the numerical experiment, we show that our method works well in both low‐ and high‐dimensional multivariate functional data regardless of the number and the type of basis. We further apply our method to stock market data and electroencephalography data in an alcoholism study to demonstrate the theoretical result.
Retracing the erasure of canon formation: Rethinking the reading list for English language learners
Authors: Bergstrom Tait
Published: November 2021

There is an increasing trend in course design for reading and writing classes to include multimodal texts such as comics, television programs, music videos, and social media posts on course syllabi. Often the practice is justified by arguing that students need to develop critical literacy skills and multiliteracies and that these popular texts are more accessible and enjoyable for learners because they are already consuming them in their personal lives. However, this practice may be hampered in achieving its goals if the process by which such texts are chosen and placed in conversation with one another remains obscured. This article presents a proposal to create reading lists for syllabi that are collaboratively constructed with students in ways that attend to how texts are invested with authority by the communities in which they circulate. This critical pedagogy involves making the syllabus an object of inquiry and then inviting students to co‐construct with the teacher the narrative it tells.
“I must have taken a fake TOEFL!”: Rethinking Linguistically Responsive Instruction Through the Eyes of Chinese International Freshmen
Authors: Zhang‐Wu Qianqian , Brisk Maria Estela
Published: November 2021

Although being able to meet the TOEFL requirement for college admission, Chinese international students often encounter linguistic challenges during their initial college experiences. Understanding such challenges set the foundation for implementing Linguistically Responsive Instruction (LRI) in higher education. Although well studied in K‐12 settings, LRI remains under‐researched in higher education. Furthermore, often designed based upon teachers’ experiences, little research examines LRI through the lenses of students. In this exploratory qualitative study, we adopt a student‐centered approach to (re)imagine LRI in higher education based on the first‐semester experiences of 12 Chinese international freshmen. Drawing upon semi‐structured interviews, bilingual language logs, and WeChat observation, our study explores (1) What were Chinese international freshmen’s language and academic experiences during the first half of the semester? (2) What were their experiences throughout the rest of the semester and how do these experiences inform an LRI model to support multilingual students in higher education? The findings address participants’ challenges, coping strategies, and interactions within the university community and highlight the within‐group variabilities among Chinese international students. This study emphasizes the need to understand multilingual international students’ experiences beyond their TOEFL scores, which paves way for rethinking LRI in higher education through the lenses of students.
Estrogen receptor‐α36 is involved in diallyl sulfide‐induced inhibition of malignant growth of HepG2 and Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors: Wu Weiqi , Chen Hongfei , Wang Ruobing , Chen Jiaming , Yu Haiyan , Wei Zhixuan , Liu Xiaotian , Xue Mingru , Chen Qiongxia , Zhou Hongyan , Fu Zhengqi
Published: November 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant disease that currently lacks effective treatment. Epidemiological studies have suggested the preventive role of raw garlic intake in different tumors, such as HCC. Although diallyl sulfide (DAS), the main component of garlic extracts, has been reported to inhibit the growth of HCC cells, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of DAS on the growth of HepG2 and Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells and its underlying mechanism. HepG2 and Huh7 cells were treated with DAS and nude mice were intrahepatically injected with human HCC HepG2 cells and maintained with or without DAS administration for 28 days. MTS and clonogenic assays revealed that DAS inhibited the growth and clonogenicity of HepG2 and Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Furthermore, DAS inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors accompanied by a decreased rate of pathological karyomitosis as observed by H&E staining. The expression levels of estrogen receptor‐α36 (ER‐α36) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in HepG2 and Huh7 cells and in xenograft tumors derived from HepG2 cells after DAS treatment were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. We found that DAS disrupted the positive regulatory loop between ER‐α36 and EGFR, and decreased the phosphorylation of AKT at Ser 473 both in vivo and in vitro. DAS also induced cell apoptosis, as evidenced by Hoechst and TUNEL staining. Western blotting revealed activation of caspase3, increased BAX and decreased Bcl‐2 expression. However, the ER‐α36 expression knockdown attenuated DAS‐induced ERK and AKT phosphorylation in HCC cells. DAS was also able to inhibit ER‐α36‐mediated activation of the MAPK/ERK signaling induced by estrogen. Thus, our results indicate that ER‐α36 signaling is involved in DAS‐induced inhibition of HCC cell growth both in vitro and in vivo.
Effects of interactions between quorum sensing and quorum quenching on microbial aggregation characteristics in wastewater treatment: A review
Authors: Wang Xueping , Yu Deshuang , Chen Guanghui , Liu Chengju , Xu Ao , Tang Zhihao
Published: November 2021

Due to the increasingly urgent demand for effective wastewater denitrification and dephosphorization systems, there is a need to improve the performance of existing biological treatment technologies. As a bacteria‐level communication mechanism, quorum sensing (QS) synchronizes gene expression in a density‐dependent manner and regulates bacterial physiological behavior. On this basis, the QS‐based bacterial communication mechanism and environmental factors affecting QS are discussed. This paper reviews the influence of QS on sludge granulation, biofilm formation, emerging contaminants (ECs) removal, and horizontal gene transfer in sewage treatment system. Furthermore, the QS inhibition strategies are compared. Based on the coexistence and balance of QQ and QS in the long‐term operation system, QQ, as an effective tool to regulate the growth density of microorganisms, provides a promising exogenous regulation strategy for residual sludge reduction and biofilm pollution control. This paper reviews the potential of improving wastewater treatment efficiency based on QS theory and points out the feasibility and prospect of exogenous regulation strategy.

Practitioner Points

The mechanism of bacterial communication based on QS and the environmental factors affecting QS were discussed.

The application of QS and QQ in improving the sludge performance of biological treatment systems was described.

The significance of QS and QQ coexistence in sewage treatment process was described.
Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic performance of K8[Fe(H2O)W11MnO39]/PANI/TiO2 ternary composite
Authors: Li Ying , Shan Qiu‐jie , Chen Lin , Chen Wei , Luan Cheng‐yu
Published: November 2021

A new ternary composite catalyst, K8[Fe(H2O)W11MnO39]/PANI/TiO2, was synthesized by electrostatic self‐assembly method, of which K8[Fe(H2O)W11MnO39] was prepared by direct synthesis method, and PANI/TiO2 was prepared by coating polyaniline on the surface of TiO2 particles using chemical oxidation method with (NH4)2S2O8 as oxidant. Then, this ternary composite material was characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and N2 adsorption‐desorption, and its photocatalytic performance was explored through degradation experiments with gentian violet as an organic pollutant. The results showed that K8[Fe(H2O)W11MnO39]/PANI/TiO2 was successfully synthesized and its Keggin structure still remained with good stability. Under the optimal photocatalytic conditions, the decolorization rate of gentian violet by the ternary composite catalyst could reach to 92.93 %. After being recycled three times, the new composite catalyst still maintains good catalytic activity, indicating that it has a strong ability and reusability to degrade gentian violet with an excellent research potential.
Einleitung
Authors: Kazula Stefan
Published: November 2021

Als Beitrag zur Erhöhung der Flugreichweite kommerzieller Flugzeuge durch Reduzierung des Luftwiderstands der Triebwerke wurden variable Pitot-Einlässe innerhalb einer fünfjährigen akademischen Konzeptstudie untersucht. Frühere Studien zu variablen Einlässen fanden keine industrielle Anwendung, da sie die hohen Anforderungen an Effizienz, Sicherheit und Zuverlässigkeit nicht erfüllen konnten. Mögliche Gründe hierfür sind ein zu geringes Einsparpotenzial durch eine zu niedrige Reisefluggeschwindigkeit der Anwendung oder unzureichende Zuverlässigkeit und Sicherheit aufgrund eines ungeeigneten Konstruktionsansatzes. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, ein Konzept für variable Pitot-Einlässe konstruktiv bis zu einem Technologie-Reifegrad TRL 3 zu gestalten, sodass dieses zur Erhöhung von Reisefluggeschwindigkeit und Flugreichweite beitragen kann, ohne dabei die Sicherheit und Zuverlässigkeit des Flugzeugs einzuschränken.
Durchführung der Konzeptstudie
Authors: Kazula Stefan
Published: November 2021

Die Anwendung des Konstruktionsansatz für die Erarbeitung eines variablen Einlasskonzepts wird vorgestellt. Aus der Umsetzung dieses Ansatzes gehen Anforderungen, Funktionen und über 30 Konzepte für variable Pitot-Einlässe hervor. Nach einer Vorauswahl dieser Konzepte anhand erarbeiteter Bewertungskriterien ergeben sich drei Konzeptgruppen. Diese variieren die Geometrie des Einlasses durch Verschieben starrer Komponenten, Verformen des Oberflächenmaterials oder Grenzschichtbeeinflussung. Basierend auf Sicherheitsanalysen, Integrationsstudien sowie aerodynamischen Untersuchungen zur Ermittlung idealer und umsetzbarer Einlassgeometrien stellte sich die Konzeptgruppe verschiebbarer starrer Komponenten als am besten geeignet heraus. Aus dieser Konzeptgruppe wurde ein Konzept hergeleitet, das die Geometrie des Einlasses durch Verschieben eines Vorderkantenrings sowie von Segmenten der unterteilten Einlasshülle variiert. Das Konzept wurde strukturell dimensioniert, modelliert und in einem Prototyp realisiert. Durch den Prototyp wurde die Funktionsfähigkeit des variablen Pitot-Einlasskonzepts nachgewiesen, wodurch Technologie-Reifegrad TRL 3 erreicht ist. Zudem ergibt sich in Abhängigkeit der finalen Konzeptmasse ein Reichweitengewinn für Überschallflugzeuge bis Mach 1,6 von bis zu 30 %.
Zusammenfassung und Ausblick
Authors: Kazula Stefan
Published: November 2021

Durch einen Prototyp wurde die Funktionsfähigkeit des variablen Pitot-Einlasskonzepts nachgewiesen, wodurch Technologie-Reifegrad TRL 3 erreicht ist. Zudem ergibt sich in Abhängigkeit der finalen Konzeptmasse ein Reichweitengewinn für Überschallflugzeuge bis Mach 1,6 von 20 % bis 30 %. Dieser Reichweitengewinn würde in einer signifikanten Verbesserung der ökonomischen und ökologischen Eigenschaften dieses derzeit schnellsten Transportmittels resultieren. Somit könnten variable Pitot-Einlässe durch das erarbeitete Konzept eine Schlüsselrolle bei der Wiedereinführung eines umweltfreundlicheren kommerziellen Überschallflugs einnehmen.
The Drury–Arveson Space on the Siegel Upper Half-space and a von Neumann Type Inequality
Authors: Arcozzi Nicola , Chalmoukis Nikolaos , Monguzzi Alessandro , Peloso Marco M. , Salvatori Maura
Published: November 2021

In this work we study what we call Siegel–dissipative vector of commuting operators $$(A_1,\ldots , A_{d+1})$$

(

A
1

,
…
,

A

d
+
1

)

on a Hilbert space $${{\mathcal {H}}}$$
H
and we obtain a von Neumann type inequality which involves the Drury–Arveson space DA on the Siegel upper half-space $${{\mathcal {U}}}$$
U
. The operator $$A_{d+1}$$

A

d
+
1

is allowed to be unbounded and it is the infinitesimal generator of a contraction semigroup $$\{e^{-i\tau A_{d+1}}\}_{\tau <0}$$

{

e

-
i
τ

A

d
+
1

}

τ
<
0

. We then study the operator $$e^{-i\tau A_{d+1}}A^{\alpha }$$

e

-
i
τ

A

d
+
1

A
α

where $$A^{\alpha }=A_1^{\alpha _1}\cdots A^{\alpha _d}_d$$

A
α

=

A
1

α
1

⋯

A
d

α
d

for $$\alpha \in {\mathbb N}_0^d$$

α
∈

N
0
d

and prove that can be studied by means of model operators on a weighted $$L^2$$

L
2

space. To prove our results we obtain a Paley–Wiener type theorem for DA and we investigate some multiplier operators on DA as well.
Equivariant harmonic maps depend real analytically on the representation
Authors: Slegers Ivo
Published: November 2021

We consider harmonic maps into symmetric spaces of non-compact type that are equivariant for representations that induce a free and proper action on the symmetric space. We show that under suitable non-degeneracy conditions such equivariant harmonic maps depend in a real analytic fashion on the representation they are associated to. The main tool in the proof is the construction of a family of deformation maps which are used to transform equivariant harmonic maps into maps mapping into a fixed target space so that a real analytic version of the results in [4] can be applied.
Intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomosis for robotic-assisted and laparoscopic right colectomy: short-term outcomes of a multi-center prospective trial
Authors: Cleary Robert K. , Silviera Matthew , Reidy Tobi J. , McCormick James , Johnson Craig S. , Sylla Patricia , Cannon Jamie , Lujan Henry , Kassir Andrew , Landmann Ron , Gaertner Wolfgang , Lee Edward , Bastawrous Amir , Bardakcioglu Ovunc , Pandey Sushil , Attaluri Vikram , Bernstein Mitchell , Obias Vincent , Franklin Morris E. , Pigazzi Alessio
Published: November 2021

Background

Studies to date show contrasting conclusions when comparing intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomoses for minimally invasive right colectomy. Large multi-center prospective studies comparing perioperative outcomes between these two techniques are needed. The purpose of this study was to compare intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomoses outcomes for robotic assisted and laparoscopic right colectomy.

Methods

Multi-center, prospective, observational study of patients with malignant or benign disease scheduled for laparoscopic or robotic-assisted right colectomy. Outcomes included conversion rate, gastrointestinal recovery, and complication rates.

Results

There were 280 patients: 156 in the robotic assisted and laparoscopic intracorporeal anastomosis (IA) group and 124 in the robotic assisted and laparoscopic extracorporeal anastomosis (EA) group. The EA group was older (mean age 67 vs. 65 years, p = 0.05) and had fewer white (81% vs. 90%, p = 0.05) and Hispanic (2% vs. 12%, p = 0.003) patients. The EA group had more patients with comorbidities (82% vs. 72%, p = 0.04) while there was no significant difference in individual comorbidities between groups. IA was associated with fewer conversions to open and hand-assisted laparoscopic approaches (p = 0.007), shorter extraction site incision length (4.9 vs. 6.2 cm; p ≤ 0.0001), and longer operative time (156.9 vs. 118.2 min). Postoperatively, patients with IA had shorter time to first flatus, (1.5 vs. 1.8 days; p ≤ 0.0001), time to first bowel movement (1.6 vs. 2.0 days; p = 0.0005), time to resume soft/regular diet (29.0 vs. 37.5 h; p = 0.0014), and shorter length of hospital stay (median, 3 vs. 4 days; p ≤ 0.0001). Postoperative complication rates were comparable between groups.

Conclusion

In this prospective, multi-center study of minimally invasive right colectomy across 20 institutions, IA was associated with significant improvements in conversion rates, return of bowel function, and shorter hospital stay, as well as significantly longer operative times compared to EA. These data validate current efforts to increase training and adoption of the IA technique for minimally invasive right colectomy.
Rock weathering controls the potential for soil carbon storage at a continental scale
Authors: Slessarev Eric W. , Chadwick Oliver A. , Sokol Noah W. , Nuccio Erin E. , Pett-Ridge Jennifer
Published: November 2021

As rock-derived primary minerals weather to form soil, they create reactive, poorly crystalline minerals that bind and store organic carbon. By implication, the abundance of primary minerals in soil might influence the abundance of poorly crystalline minerals, and hence soil organic carbon storage. However, the link between primary mineral weathering, poorly crystalline minerals, and soil carbon has not been fully tested, particularly at large spatial scales. To close this knowledge gap, we designed a model that links primary mineral weathering rates to the geographic distribution of poorly crystalline minerals across the USA, and then used this model to evaluate the effect of rock weathering on soil organic carbon. We found that poorly crystalline minerals are most abundant and most strongly correlated with organic carbon in geographically limited zones that sustain enhanced weathering rates, where humid climate and abundant primary minerals co-occur. This finding confirms that rock weathering alters soil mineralogy to enhance soil organic carbon storage at continental scales, but also indicates that the influence of active weathering on soil carbon storage is limited by low weathering rates across vast areas.
A model of an inflatable elastic aerofoil
Authors: Yorkston A. A. , Blyth M. G. , Părău E. I.
Published: November 2021

A novel method is presented to calculate the deformation of a simple elastic aerofoil with a view to determining its aerodynamic viability. The aerofoil is modelled as a thin two-dimensional elastic sheet whose ends are joined together to form a corner of prescribed angle, with a simple support included to constrain the shape to resemble that of a classical aerofoil. The weight of the aerofoil is counterbalanced exactly by the lift force due to a circulation set according to the Kutta condition. An iterative process based on a boundary integral method is used to compute the deformation of the aerofoil in response to an inviscid fluid flow, and a range of flow speeds is determined for which the aerofoil maintains an aerodynamic shape. As the flow speed is increased the aerofoil deforms significantly around its trailing edge, resulting in a negative camber and a loss of lift. The loss of lift is ameliorated by increasing the inflation pressure but at the expense of an increase in drag as the aerofoil bulges into a less aerodynamic shape. Boundary layer calculations and nonlinear unsteady viscous simulations are used to analyse the aerodynamic characteristics of the deformed aerofoil in a viscous flow. By tailoring the internal support the viscous boundary layer separation can be delayed and the lift-to-drag ratio of the aerofoil can be substantially increased.
A Preliminary Examination of the Impact of Working Memory Training on Syntax and Processing Speed in Children with ASD
Authors: Delage Hélène , Eigsti Inge-Marie , Stanford Emily , Durrleman Stephanie
Published: November 2021

In addition to deficits in pragmatics, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have weaknesses in complex syntax and working memory (WM). These two deficits may be closely related. Previous work investigated the effects of WM training in developmental language disorders and showed significant improvement in both WM and syntax. The current study tests the impact of 12 h of WM training across 8 weeks in 30 children with ASD, aged 5 to 11. Results showed direct improvements on untrained WM tasks, as well as transfer effects to syntax and processing speed. Stronger WM led to better syntactic abilities. While they must be replicated, these exciting results provide impetus for further studies of WM interventions.
Caring for Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Factors Associating with Health- and Care-Related Quality of Life of the Caregivers
Authors: ten Hoopen Leontine W. , de Nijs Pieter F. A. , Duvekot Jorieke , Greaves-Lord Kirstin , Hillegers Manon H. J. , Brouwer Werner B. F. , Hakkaart-van Roijen Leona
Published: November 2021

This study investigated the association of child, caregiver, and caregiving measurements with the quality of life (QoL) in 81 caregivers (mostly parents) of clinically referred children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We used the EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D) questionnaire and the care-related QoL questionnaire (CarerQol) to respectively assess health-related QoL and care-related QoL. Health-related QoL was associated with the caregiver’s internalizing problems and adaptive coping, explaining 38% of the variance. Parenting stress and adaptive coping were associated with the care-related QoL and explained 60% of the variance. Child variables were not associated with the caregiver’s health- and care-related QoL if caregiver and caregiving variables were taken into account. Findings indicate the importance of the caregiver’s mental health, coping, and parenting stress in caring for children with ASD.
Cretaceous–Quaternary seismic stratigraphy of the Tanga offshore Basin in Tanzania and its petroleum potential
Authors: Mvile Benatus Norbert , Kiswaka Emily Barnabas , Osinowo Olawale Olakunle , Marobhe Isaac Muneji , Olayinka Abel Idowu , Mshiu Elisante Elisaimon
Published: November 2021

In this study, the available 2D seismic lines have been interpreted to understand the basin development and petroleum potential of the Late Cretaceous–Quaternary stratigraphy of the Tanga offshore Basin in Tanzania. Conventional seismic interpretation has delineated eight sedimentary fill geometries, fault properties, stratal termination patterns and unconformities characterizing the studied stratigraphy. The Late Cretaceous was found to be characterized by tectonic quiescence and uniform subsidence where slope induced gravity flows that resulted during the Miocene block movements was the major mechanism of sediment supply into the basin. The Quaternary was dominated by extensional regime that created deep N-S to NNE-SSW trending graben. The graben accommodated thick Pleistocene and Holocene successions deposited when the rate of tectonic uplift surpasses the rate of sea level rise. Thus, the deposition of lowstand system tracts characterized by debris flow deposits, slope fan turbidites, channel fill turbidites and overbank wedge deposits, known for their excellent petroleum reservoir qualities, especially where charged by Karoo Black Shales. Subsequent tectonic quiescence and transgression lead to the emplacement of deep marine deposits with characteristic seismic reflection patterns that indicate the occurrence of Quaternary shale sealing rocks in the study area. The occurrence of all the necessary petroleum play systems confirms the hydrocarbon generation, accumulations and preservation potential in the Tanga Basin.