bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthetic Approaches to Natural and Unnatural Tetraquinanes
Authors: Kotha Sambasivarao , Fatma Ambareen
Published: November 2021

In this article we have highlighted various synthetic methodologies related to tetraquinane frameworks present in crinipellin derivatives. Additionally, we have also included other synthetic strategies to unnatural tetraquinanes. These include photocycloaddition, tandem radical cyclization, Pd‐catalyzed Pauson−Khand reactions (PKR), CH‐insertion, metathesis and photo‐thermal olefin metathesis etc. Emphasis has been put on overall strategies developed in the creation of core structure of tetraquinane, crinipellin. Synthetic strategies to various unnatural tetraquinanes which are useful precursors to complex molecules like dodecahedrane and peristylanes have also been presented.
Moving From Understanding to Excellence
Authors:   AWWA Asset Management Committee
Published: November 2021

Key Takeaways

This second article from AWWA's Asset Management Committee related to “gamification of asset management” (AM) centers on advancing beyond competence to excellence in AM operations.

Operational AM strategy involves the goal of continuous improvement, the critical role of change management, and harnessing data and technology to advance business outcomes and customer service.

Gaining insights from a proactive focus on safety, data on daily operations, and lessons learned have strengthened teamwork, boosted efficiency, and helped avoid costly capital interventions.
Application features‐based virtual machine deployment strategy in cloud environment
Authors: Liu Danxu , Peng Junjie , Zhang Xin , You Yongkang , Ning Bo
Published: November 2021

Traditionally virtual machine (VM) deployment is based on one or two resources on the hosts and rarely considers other resources as well as the resource preferences of different applications. This leads to the imbalance and inefficient utilization of the resources on the physical hosts which further results in the waste of the cloud resources. To solve this problem, a novel VM deployment strategy is proposed. In consideration of the features of applications, the strategy deploys VMs based on the resource preferences of applications as well as the remained resources of the hosts. Utilizing the resource preferences the weights of various resources are determined, and the weight tables for VMs are obtained. Combining the resources weights of VMs and the resource configurations of physical hosts the values whether the resources are used in balance are calculated. To verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed strategy, extensive experiments were carried out on Cloudsim. Experimental results show that the proposed strategy is correct and effective. It outperforms other algorithms in VM deployment and ensures that the cloud resources are more efficiently utilized.
Boron Coordination Effect in Ni−Nx Doped Graphene Catalysts on the ORR Performance Based on DFT Calculations
Authors: Zhang Jingyu , Cao Da , Liu Hui , Wang Fangqing , Liang Limin , Liu Caichi , Hao Qiuyan , Li Ying
Published: November 2021

The coordination atoms of metal active site in transition metal N‐doped carbon single atom electrocatalysts play a vital role in dominating the catalytic performance of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode of fuel cells or metal‐air cells. In view of weak adsorption ability of Ni active site in NiN4−C catalysts to oxygen intermediate states, herein we introduce boron atoms with smaller electronegativity than N and C atoms to modulate the local coordination environment and electronic structures of Ni site. First‐principles density functional calculations reveal that both B substitution for N atoms (NiN2B2−C) and B coordinating with N and C (NiN4B8−C) can effectively optimize the Gibbs free energy of oxygen intermediate states and hence improve the catalytic activity of the materials. In addition, we propose that the trend change in catalytic activity is mainly governed by the filling of antibonding orbitals between Ni‐3d and O‐2p states near the Fermi level.
Beyond the Molecule: Intermolecular Forces from Gas Liquefaction to X−H⋅⋅⋅π Hydrogen Bonds
Authors: Fabbrizzi Luigi
Published: November 2021

Interest toward molecule‐molecule interactions developed during the first half of the 19th century with studies on gas liquefaction. In 1869, Andrews carried out the first accurate study on the effects of temperature and pressure on the behaviour of real gases, and in 1873, van der Waals formulated an equation capable of accounting for critical phenomena of each individual gas The nature of the intermolecular forces responsible for aggregation of gases was investigated in the early 20th century by Keesom and Debye (electrostatic interactions between dipoles) and by London (interaction between instantaneous dipoles, studied by quantum mechanics). The hydrogen bond theory, a particular case of dipolar interaction, originated in the 1920s in Berkeley in the institute directed by G. N. Lewis. Later it was made clear that hydrogen bonding is responsible for the aggregation of most biological systems, from proteins to nucleic acids. This Perspective describes the most significant steps through which the science of intermolecular interactions has progressed over the last two centuries, revisiting classical experiments and theoretical formulations, which led to the complex state of art of today.
Plant breeding increases spring wheat yield potential in Afghanistan
Authors: Sharma Rajiv , Crossa Jose , Ataei Najibeh , Lodin Raqib , Joshi Arun K. , Vargas Mateo , Braun Hans J. , Singh Ravi P. , Bentley A. R.
Published: November 2021

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an essential food security crop in Afghanistan. To determine the contribution of wheat breeding to increasing productivity, we analyzed data obtained from 192 trials conducted over 11 locations from 2002–2003 to 2015–2016. Using this data, we estimated annual genetic gains for grain yield, days to heading and plant height over the 14‐yr period. We used best linear unbiased estimates to measure genetic gains across CIMMYT Elite Spring Wheat Yield Trials per se and for the top 5 and top 10% performing genotypes relative to checks. Mean realized genetic gain for grain yield was 115 kg ha–1 yr−1, whereas the top 10 genotypes achieved annual yield gains of 123 kg ha–1. The continually replaced local check

s also contributed an annual genetic gain for yield of 107 kg ha–1. The associated adaptive traits days to heading and plant height varied in their response over time with the top 10 yielding genotypes having a 1.82 d annual reduction in heading date while plant height increased by 0.77 cm yr−1 for the same set of genotypes. Results show that continual breeding improvements confer yield gains, contributing to increasing Afghan wheat productivity. This has wider relevance for demonstrating the value of continued investment in public sector plant breeding supporting wheat production and food security in Central Asia.
Tuning Solid Interfaces via Varying Electrolyte Distributions Enables High‐Performance Solid‐State Batteries
Authors: Peng Linfeng , Yu Chuang , Zhang Ziqi , Xu Ruonan , Sun Mengjun , Zhang Long , Cheng Shijie , Xie Jia
Published: November 2021

Solid/solid interface is the major challenge for high‐performance solid‐state batteries. Solid electrolytes (SEs) play a crucial role in the fabrication of effective interfaces in solid‐state batteries. Herein, the electrolyte distribution with varied particle sizes is tuned to construct solid‐state batteries with excellent performance at different operating temperatures. Solid‐state batteries with the configuration S/L (small‐sized SE in composite cathode and large‐sized SE in electrolyte layer) show the best performance at room temperature (168 mA h g−1 at 0.2 C, retention of 99%, 100 cycles) and −20 °C (89 mA h g−1 at 0.05 C), while the configuration S/S displays better performance at elevated temperature. The superior performance of S/L battery is associated with faster lithium‐ion dynamics due to the better solid/solid interface between active materials and electrolytes. Moreover, the inferior performance at 60 °C is caused by the formation of voids and cracks in the electrolyte layer during cycling. In contrast, the S/S battery delivers superior performance at elevated operating temperature because of the integrated structure. This work confirms that tailoring electrolyte size has significant effect on fabricating all‐climate solid‐state batteries.
Incorporation of natriuretic peptides with clinical risk scores to predict heart failure among individuals with dysglycaemia
Authors: Segar Matthew W. , Khan Muhammad Shahzeb , Patel Kershaw V. , Vaduganathan Muthiah , Kannan Vaishnavi , Willett Duwayne , Peterson Eric , Tang W.H. Wilson , Butler Javed , Everett Brendan M. , Fonarow Gregg C. , Wang Thomas J. , McGuire Darren K. , Pandey Ambarish
Published: November 2021

Aims

To evaluate the performance of the WATCH‐DM risk score, a clinical risk score for heart failure (HF), in patients with dysglycaemia and in combination with natriuretic peptides (NPs).

Methods and results

Adults with diabetes/pre‐diabetes free of HF at baseline from four cohort studies (ARIC, CHS, FHS, and MESA) were included. The machine learning‐ [WATCH‐DM(ml)] and integer‐based [WATCH‐DM(i)] scores were used to estimate the 5‐year risk of incident HF. Discrimination was assessed by Harrell's concordance index (C‐index) and calibration by the Greenwood–Nam–D'Agostino (GND) statistic. Improvement in model performance with the addition of NP levels was assessed by C‐index and continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI). Of the 8938 participants included, 3554 (39.8%) had diabetes and 432 (4.8%) developed HF within 5 years. The WATCH‐DM(ml) and WATCH‐DM(i) scores demonstrated high discrimination for predicting HF risk among individuals with dysglycaemia (C‐indices = 0.80 and 0.71, respectively), with no evidence of miscalibration (GND P ≥0.10). The C‐index of elevated NP levels alone for predicting incident HF among individuals with dysglycaemia was significantly higher among participants with low/intermediate (<13) vs. high (≥13) WATCH‐DM(i) scores [0.71 (95% confidence interval 0.68–0.74) vs. 0.64 (95% confidence interval 0.61–0.66)]. When NP levels were combined with the WATCH‐DM(i) score, HF risk discrimination improvement and NRI varied across the spectrum of risk with greater improvement observed at low/intermediate risk [WATCH‐DM(i) <13] vs. high risk [WATCH‐DM(i) ≥13] (C‐index = 0.73 vs. 0.71; NRI = 0.45 vs. 0.17).

Conclusion

The WATCH‐DM risk score can accurately predict incident HF risk in community‐based individuals with dysglycaemia. The addition of NP levels is associated with greater improvement in the HF risk prediction performance among individuals with low/intermediate risk than those with high risk.
A supplementary report of the Pleistocene bovids from the Pabbi Hills of Pakistan
Authors: Dar Fatima Yousuf , Aftab Kiran , Abbas Sayyed Ghyour , Babar Muhammad Adeeb , Asim Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Akbar , Akhtar Muhammad
Published: November 2021

The Pleistocene mammalian remains of the Siwalik Group in Pakistan are less described than that of the Siwalik Miocene age. The recent expedition in the Pabbi Hills of Kharian has produced large mammalian remains, predominantly bovids forms.Proamphibos kashmiricus,Kobussp.,Hemibos triquetricornis, andBoselaphus namadicushave been described in this article, based on the new collection. The fourth upper deciduous premolar ofB. namadicusis reported for the first time from the Pleistocene of the Siwalik Group. These taxa are large sized and found in the Pleistocene deposits of Pakistan. A Pleistocene savannah‐like landscape is suggested for these two localities.
Petrogenesis of mantle peridotite and cumulate peridotite rocks from the Nagaland Ophiolite Complex, NE India
Authors: Ao Aliba , Satyanarayanan Manavalan
Published: November 2021

Here, we report new geochemical data from mantle peridotite (spinel lherzolite, dunite, and harzburgite) and cumulate peridotite (websterite) rocks from the northernmost portion of the Nagaland Ophiolite Complex. Based on detailed textural, mineral (major element) chemistry, and whole‐rock (major and trace element) chemistry, we reveal the origin of these rocks in different tectonic settings and their modification via the melt–mantle interaction process. The spinel lherzolite rocks with low Cr# (0.16–0.25) chrome spinel are mantle residues formed after low degrees (~10–15%) of partial melting in a mid‐oceanic ridge setting, which has been subsequently modified in a subduction zone setting. However, the dunites and harzburgite samples are interpreted to be depleted mantle residue formed in a supra‐subduction zone (SSZ) setting. Additionally, the dunites are inferred to be of replacive origin representing former harzburgites. Based on Cr# of chrome spinel, the dunites are classified into low Cr# (0.53–0.57), medium Cr# (0.73–0.79), and high Cr# (0.89–0.90) dunites. High Cr# dunite with low‐TiO2 (0.01–0.06 wt%) possibly formed by interaction with a boninitic melt, whereas low‐medium Cr# dunite with high TiO2 (0.14–0.34 wt%) formed by interaction with a high‐Ti melt in an SSZ setting. Harzburgite samples with their highly resorbed orthopyroxene grain boundaries contain chrome spinels (Cr# = 0.84–0.88; TiO2 = 0.00–0.06 wt%) similar to the high Cr# dunite samples and are also interpreted to be formed by interaction with a boninitic melt. The websterite samples with their low Mg# (0.79) olivine and low Ni (345–413 ppm) content are interpreted to be of cumulate origin formed in an SSZ setting. However, the interstitial chrome spinel blebs with low Mg# (0.18–0.19), high Cr# (0.60–0.61), Fe3+ (0.20–0.21), and very high TiO2 (2.03–2.04 wt%) are interpreted to be a result of post‐cumulus interaction of interstitial chrome spinel with high‐Ti intercumulus melt. These mantle peridotites and cumulates of different tectonic origins were obducted and juxtaposed during the final stages of the India‐Asia collision.
Association between marital status and cognitive impairment based on a cross‐sectional study in China
Authors: Chen Zhi‐Chao , Wu Hao , Wang Xiao‐Dan , Zeng Yan , Huang Guowei , Lv Yang , Niu Jianping , Meng Xinling , Cai Pan , Shen Lu , Gang Baozhi , You Yong , Lv Yan , Ren Zhihong , Shi Zhihong , Ji Yong
Published: November 2021

Background

Marital status may have an impact on the elderly population's health, but few studies in China discussed about the association between marital status and cognitive impairment.

Objective

To investigate the relationship between marital status and cognitive impairment. To compare the influences of marital status on dementia between men and women.

Methods

This study was based on a representative national cross‐sectional epidemiological survey in China. We randomly selected 13 provinces and municipalities and included 19,276 participants aged 65 years or older in our study. Data was collected by interviewing the participants about their sociodemographic characteristics, and neuropsychological testing was administered to the participants by neurologists. To analyze the association between marital status and cognitive impairment, multiple logistic regression was based on a series of models.

Results

Among the 19,276 subjects, about 77.2% were married, 1.6% were single, 21.2% were divorced/separated or widowed. The odds ratios (OR) of dementia were higher in single (OR: 2.13, CI: 1.53–2.97; p < 0.001), divorced/separated/widowed when they were ≤55 years old (OR: 1.75, CI: 1.30–2.35; p < 0.001), and divorced/separated/widowed when they were >55 years old (OR: 1.16, CI: 1.03–1.31; p < 0.001) participants than in married ones. Divorced/separated/widowed ≤55 men had about 2.75 times increase in dementia risk than married men.

Conclusion

People with long‐term divorced/separated/widowed status would be associated to cognitive impairment more than those with short‐term divorced/separated/widowed status. Men may be affected by marriage disruption more than women in terms of increasing the risk of dementia.
FOXC2/ADAM12‐dependent radiosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells
Authors: Jing Zhibin , Guo Sitong , Li Yao , Liang Zheng
Published: November 2021

Background

Radiotherapy greatly benefits patients with tumors, but not all patients show favorable treatment response. This study investigated the impact of forkhead box protein C2 (FOXC2)‐mediated a disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 (ADAM12) on the radiosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods

After transfection and ionizing radiation, the biological activities of HNSCC cells were assessed. The relationship between ADAM12 and FOXC2 was verified. A xenograft model was used to evaluate the effect of FOXC2 knockdown on HNSCC growth in the context of radiation therapy.

Results

FOXC2 and ADAM12 were upregulated in irradiated CAL‐27 and HN4 cells. Knockdown of FOXC2 suppressed the malignant behaviors of CAL‐27 and HN4 cells and inhibited the growth of transplanted tumors in nude mice. FOXC2 could bind ADAM12 promoter. Overexpression of ADAM12 reversed the promotion of FOXC2 silencing on the radiosensitivity of HNSCC cells.

Conclusions

FOXC2 regulates the radiosensitivity of HNSCC by targeting ADAM12.
Role of Hepatocyte‐Derived Osteopontin in Liver Carcinogenesis
Authors: Desert Romain , Ge Xiaodong , Song Zhuolun , Han Hui , Lantvit Daniel , Chen Wei , Das Sukanta , Athavale Dipti , Abraham‐Enachescu Ioana , Blajszczak Chuck , Chen Yu , Musso Orlando , Guzman Grace , Hoshida Yujin , Nieto Natalia
Published: November 2021

Osteopontin (OPN) expression correlates with tumor progression in many cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, its role in the onset of HCC remains unclear. We hypothesized that increased hepatocyte‐derived OPN is a driver of hepatocarcinogenesis. Analysis of a tissue microarray of 366 human samples revealed a continuous increase in OPN expression during hepatocarcinogenesis. In patients with cirrhosis, a transcriptome‐based OPN correlation network was associated with HCC incidence along 10 years of follow‐up, together with messenger RNA (mRNA) signatures of carcinogenesis. After diethylnitrosamine (DEN) injection, mice with conditional overexpression of Opn in hepatocytes (Opn
Hep transgenic [Tg]) showed increased tumor burden. Surprisingly, mice with conditional ablation of Opn in hepatocytes (Opn
ΔHep) expressed a similar phenotype. The acute response to DEN was reduced in Opn
ΔHep, which also showed more cancer stem/progenitor cells (CSCs, CD44+AFP+) at 5 months. CSCs from Opn
Hep Tg mice expressed several mRNA signatures known to promote carcinogenesis, and mRNA signatures from Opn
Hep Tg mice were associated with poor outcome in human HCC patients. Treatment with rOPN had little effect on CSCs, and their progression to HCC was similar in Opn
−/− compared with wild‐type mice. Finally, ablation of Cd44, an OPN receptor, did not reduce tumor burden in Cd44
−/−
Opn
Hep Tg mice. Conclusions: Hepatocyte‐derived OPN acts as a tumor suppressor at physiological levels by controlling the acute response to DEN and the presence of CSCs, while induction of OPN is pro‐tumorigenic. This is primarily due to intracellular events rather that by the secretion of the protein and receptor activation.
The landscape of prognostic and immunological role of myosin light chain 9 (MYL9) in human tumors
Authors: Lv Minghe , Luo Lumeng , Chen Xue
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Recent studies have shown that myosin light chain 9 (MYL9) plays a vital role in immune infiltration, tumor invasion, and metastasis; however, the prognostic and immunological role of MYL9 has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential prognostic and immunological roles of MYL9 in human cancers by public datasets mainly including the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and Gene expression omnibus.

Methods

The expression pattern and prognostic value of MYL9 were analyzed across multiple public datasets in different cancer. The correlations between MYL9 expression and immune infiltration among multiple cancers were analyzed by using the TIMER2.0. The MYL9‐related gene enrichment analysis was implemented by mainly using KEGG and GO datasets.

Results

MYL9 was lowly expressed in most cancers, such as breast cancer, lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and stomach adenocarcinoma; but it was highly expressed in several cancers, such as cholangiocarcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and liver hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, MYL9 expression was distinctively associated with prognosis in adrenocortical carcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, brain glioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, breast cancer, blood cancer, and prostate cancer patients. The expressions of MYL9 were significantly associated with the infiltration of cancer‐associated fibroblasts, B cell, CD8+T cell, CD4+T cell, macrophage, neutrophil, dendritic cell in different tumors as well as immune markers. In addition, we found that the functional mechanisms of MYL9 involved muscle contraction and focal adhesion.

Conclusion

MYL9 can serve as a prognostic signature in pan‐cancer and is associated with immune infiltration. This pan‐cancer study is the first to show a relatively comprehensive understanding of the prognostic and immunological roles of MYL9 across different cancers.
Impact of managerial incentive structure on operating asymmetries and accruals
Authors: Jin Byunghoon
Published: November 2021

Prior literature acknowledges that, despite its importance in accounting research and practice, there is little understanding of how accruals (i.e., non‐cash component of earnings) behave. To extend the literature on the complex behavior of accruals, this study examines how the asymmetric behavior of accruals is affected by managerial incentive structure. Built upon the agency theory, this study predicts that the “reverse” asymmetric behavior of accruals (i.e., being more sensitive to sales decreases than to sales increases) is mitigated (amplified) when the incentive structure for CEOs relies relatively more on short‐term cash bonus (long‐term incentives). The empirical results based on a sample of 26,183 firm‐year observations for S&P 1500 companies are highly consistent with the prediction.
Screening for potential quality markers of Callerya nitida var. hirsutissima. Z.Wei based on components profile, pharmacokinetics, and anti‐inflammatory study
Authors: Chen Jingbin , Song Yonggui , Zhou Mingyue , Yang Ming , Zhang Ling , Naeem Abid , Li Zexie , Deng Yaqiong , Liu Yali , Ai Zhifu , Su Dan
Published: November 2021

Callerya nitida var. hirsutissima. Z.Wei is a classical, traditional Chinese herbal medicine mostly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Recent reports suggest that inconsistent and poor‐quality control levels have primarily affected the therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the active chemical ingredients, stability of components in blood, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics to specify the potential markers for quality control and quality evaluation of Callerya nitida. The active components in vitro and in vivo were obtained by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Moreover, the changes of the bioactive components in the blood were monitored over time (0–24 h) in order to identify stable active components. On this basis, the pharmacokinetic characteristics of these ingredients combined with the anti‐inflammatory activity were determined to screen out the potential markers for ensuring the quality control of Callerya nitida. The identified four components, such as calycosin, daidzein, formononetin, and 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural, have the characteristics of intrinsic components, clearly defined structures, high exposure values, and in vivo stability, which are important for the therapeutic activity of pharmacologically active materials. Therefore, they can be used as potential markers to control the quality levels of Callerya nitida.
New results for higher‐order Hadamard‐type fractional differential equations on the half‐line
Authors: Senlik Cerdik Tugba , Yoruk Deren Fulya
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this paper is to analyze a new kind of Hadamard‐type fractional boundary value problem combining integral boundary condition and multipoint fractional integral boundary condition on an infinite interval. By the help of the Bai‐Ge's fixed point theorem, multiplicity results of positive solutions are derived for the Hadamard‐type fractional boundary value problem. In the end, an example is also presented to illustrative the main result.
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Annual versus Biennial Reproductive Cycles in Eastern Bering Sea Snow Crab Chionoecetes opilio
Authors: Gardner Jennifer L. , Long W. Christopher , Swiney Katherine M. , Foy Robert J.
Published: November 2021

The stock assessment model currently used for the management of the fishery for snow crab Chionoecetes opilio in the eastern Bering Sea assumes an annual reproductive cycle. However, temperatures below 1°C can extend the snow crab reproductive cycle to 2 years, which could depress the total reproductive potential of the stock. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of snow crab in the eastern Bering Sea on a biennial reproductive cycle, relative to latitudinal and thermal gradients, and evaluate whether available bottom temperature data could be used to predict the proportions of biennial spawners. Mature female snow crab were collected on the annual National Marine Fisheries Service eastern Bering Sea bottom trawl survey during 2014–2018. Bimodality in the frequency distribution of oocyte area suggests that oocyte area can likely be used to distinguish annual and year-1 biennial spawners from year-2 spawners. In 2014, the highest rates of biennial reproduction were found in northern, colder areas in the eastern Bering Sea. In 2015–2018, very low rates of biennial reproduction coincided with warm temperatures across the eastern Bering Sea. This work could help in the estimation of female reproductive potential and allow the development of female-based reference points for the eastern Bering Sea snow crab fishery.
A new development of the scaled boundary finite element method for wave motion in layered half‐space
Authors: Li Zhi‐yuan , Lin Gao , Hu Zhi‐qiang , Ye Wen‐Bin
Published: November 2021

The scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) developed by Wolf and Song has shown certain parallels to the finite element method (FEM) and boundary element method (BEM). Because of its semi‐analytical nature, SBFEM is particularly suitable for the analysis of wave propagation in unbounded domains. This paper makes a certain modification of the standard SBFEM. A new idea of scaling surface instead of a scaling center is introduced to formulate the governing SBFE equations for the analysis of wave propagation in multilayered half‐space, which leads to simplifying the modeling and saving considerably the computational effort. In addition, by employing the proposed approach, some problems encountered in engineering practice, which are difficult to deal with by the conventional SBFEM, for example, 3D foundation impedance on half‐space with irregular geographical features, can be effectively solved. The proposed approach also helps to simplify the solution of shell structures. Numerical examples are provided to validate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed approach.
Quantification of myocardial fibrosis using noninvasive T2‐mapping magnetic resonance imaging: Preclinical models of aging and pressure overload
Authors: Lee Li E. , Chandrasekar Bysani , Yu Ping , Ma Lixin
Published: November 2021

Noninvasive imaging of cardiac fibrosis is important for early diagnosis and intervention in chronic heart diseases. Here, we investigated whether noninvasive, contrast agent‐free MRI T2‐mapping can quantify myocardial fibrosis in preclinical models of aging and pressure overload. Myocardial fibrosis and remodeling were analyzed in two animal models: (i) aging (15‐month‐old male CF‐1 mice vs. young 6‐ to 8‐week‐old mice), and (ii) pressure overload (PO; by transverse aortic constriction in 4‐ to 5‐month‐old male C57BL/6 mice vs. sham‐operated for 14 days). In vivo T2‐mapping was performed by acquiring data during the isovolumic and early diastolic phases, with a modified respiratory and ECG‐triggered multiecho TurboRARE sequence on a 7‐T MRI. Cine MRI provided cardiac morphology and function. A quantitative segmentation method was developed to analyze the in vivo T2‐maps of hearts at midventricle, apex, and basal regions. The cardiac fibrosis area was analyzed ex vivo by picro sirius red (PSR) staining. Both aged and pressure‐overloaded hearts developed significant myocardial contractile dysfunction, cardiac hypertrophy, and interstitial fibrosis. The aged mice had two phenotypes, fibrotic and mild‐fibrotic. Notably, the aged fibrotic subgroup and the PO mice showed a marked decrease in T2 relaxation times (25.3 ± 0.6 in aged vs. 29.9 ± 0.7 ms in young mice, p = 0.002; and 24.3 ± 1.7 in PO vs. 28.7 ± 0.7 ms in shams, p = 0.05). However, no significant difference in T2 was detected between the aged mild‐fibrotic subgroup and the young mice. Accordingly, an inverse correlation between myocardial fibrosis percentage (FP) and T2 relaxation time was derived (R2 = 0.98): T2 (ms) = 30.45 – 1.05 × FP. Thus, these results demonstrate a statistical agreement between T2‐map–quantified fibrosis and PSR staining in two different clinically relevant animal models. In conclusion, T2‐mapping MRI is a promising noninvasive contrast agent‐free quantitative technique to characterize myocardial fibrosis.
Hierarchical maximum likelihood generalized extended stochastic gradient algorithms for bilinear‐in‐parameter systems
Authors: Liu Haibo , Wang Junwei , Meng Xiangxiang
Published: November 2021

In this article, we use the maximum likelihood principle and the multi‐innovation identification theory to study the identification issue of a bilinear‐in‐parameter system with autoregressive moving average noise. A maximum likelihood multi‐innovation stochastic gradient algorithm is derived to estimate the model parameters, which uses not only the current innovation but also the past innovations to improve the parameter estimation accuracy. The maximum likelihood multi‐innovation stochastic gradient algorithm has higher parameter estimation accuracy than the stochastic gradient algorithm. The simulation examples indicate that the proposed methods work well.
Aggregation Mode, Host‐Guest Chemistry in Water, and Extraction Capability of an Uncharged, Water‐Soluble, Liquid Pillar[5]arene Derivative
Authors: Horin Inbar , Shalev Ori , Cohen Yoram
Published: November 2021

An uncharged, water‐soluble per‐ethylene‐glycol pillar[5]arene derivative (1) was synthesized and its aggregation mode, host‐guest chemistry in water and extraction ability was explored. Compound 1 is a liquid at room temperature; in water, limited self‐aggregation occurred at high concentrations as deduced from diffusion NMR and dynamic light scattering. Compound 1 forms pseudo‐rotaxane‐like 1 : 1 host‐guest complexes with 1,ω‐di‐substituted alkanes with association constants on the order of 103–104 m−1. Interestingly, NMR experiments showed that the guest location relative to the host ring system differs among the different complexes. In proof‐of‐concept experiments, compound 1 was shown to extract structurally related organic compounds from benzene into water with significant selectivity. Compound 1, which is a liquid at room temperature and has only limited interactions with its side arms, can, in principle, be regarded as a complement to or as a kind of type I porous liquid.
Healthcare decentralization promoted by PICs
Authors: Beletkaia Elena
Published: November 2021

The traditional healthcare system has a significant need for change due to increasing costs, growing populations, and rapid demographic changes. A more holistic approach that enables preventative and personalized healthcare is envisioned as a future solution.
Two‐terminal III–V//Si triple‐junction solar cell with power conversion efficiency of 35.9 % at AM1.5g
Authors: Schygulla Patrick , Müller Ralph , Lackner David , Höhn Oliver , Hauser Hubert , Bläsi Benedikt , Predan Felix , Benick Jan , Hermle Martin , Glunz Stefan W. , Dimroth Frank
Published: November 2021

III–V//Si multijunction solar cells offer a pathway to increase the power conversion efficiency beyond the fundamental Auger limit of silicon single‐junctions. In this work, we demonstrate how the efficiency of a two‐terminal wafer‐bonded III–V//Si triple‐junction solar cell is increased from 34.1 % to 35.9 % under an AM1.5g spectrum, by optimising the III–V top structure. This is the highest reported efficiency to date for silicon‐based multijunction solar cell technologies. This improvement was accomplished by two main factors. First, the integration of a GaInAsP absorber in the middle cell increased the open‐circuit voltage by 51 mV. Second, a better current matching of all subcells enhanced the short‐circuit current by 0.7 mA/cm2. Two different growth directions, upright and inverted, were investigated. The highest cell efficiency of 35.9 % (Voc = 3.248 V, jsc = 13.1 mA/cm2, FF = 84.3 %) was achieved with an upright grown structure. Processing of upright structures requires additional bonding steps, which results in a reduced homogeneity of cell performance across the wafer. A detailed comparison with the currently best triple‐junction solar cell reveals future improvement opportunities and limits, considering voltage and current, respectively.
Ag nanoparticles immobilized on C:H:N:O plasma polymer film by elevated temperature for LSPR sensing
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Kratochvíl Jiří , Al‐Muhkhrabi Yasmina , Kylián Ondřej , Nikitin Daniil , Straňák Vítězslav
Published: November 2021

The dependence of nanoparticles' plasmonic properties on the medium's material surrounding them finds utilization in sensing applications. However, as the detection sensitivity exponentially decreases with distance from the nanoparticles, direct contact between the medium and the nanoparticles is required to obtain the highest signal. This study shows how to prepare such a localized surface plasmon resonance sensor composed of gas‐phase synthesized Ag nanoparticles and magnetron sputtered C:H:N:O plasma polymer film. It is proved that excellent stability of Ag/C:H:N:O, enduring even ultrasound bath, may be reached by heating the C:H:N:O film during the deposition of Ag nanoparticles. Such a prepared sensor exhibits a sensitivity of 78 nm/RIU and detects medium changes at distances over 32 nm from its surface.
Effect of Heat Treatment on Wettability and Condensation Heat Transfer of Laser‐Textured Stainless Steel Surfaces
Authors: Lou Deyuan , Wang Bo , Liang Enkang , Lu Gengxin , Cheng Jian , Liao Jiajin , Yang Qibiao , Liu Dun
Published: November 2021

Organic coatings on metal plates are commonly used in the post‐treatment of superhydrophobic surfaces to improve their steam condensation heat transfer. However, this causes environmental pollution, low thermal conductivity, and delamination. To avoid these drawbacks, laser texturing technology assisted by green post‐treatment (heat treatment) is introduced for stainless steel surfaces in the present study. In particular, a stable periodic dual‐scale micro‐/nanostructure on SUS 304 stainless steel surface is obtained by nanosecond laser micro‐/nanotexturing. The microstructures and chemical compositions of the laser‐textured surfaces with and without heat treatment are investigated by scanning electron microscopy, an energy‐dispersive spectrometer, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The formation of low‐energy nanoburr oxides on the heat‐treated surface is found to lead to intensive nucleation and growth of condensation droplets. Furthermore, the measured steam condensation heat transfer coefficient of the textured steel surface after heat treatment is about 1.83 times that of the original sample. Thus, the method proposed herein provides a promising green solution based on laser texturing to improve surface heat transfer without any chemical processing.
AdaptivePIDcontrol of robotic manipulators without equality/inequality constraints on control gains
Authors: Qiao Lei , Zhao Min , Wu Chao , Ge Tong , Fan Rui , Zhang Weidong
Published: November 2021

This article proposes two novel adaptive PID controllers for the trajectory tracking of robotic manipulators with known or unknown upper bound of the uncertainties, respectively. The designed controllers are shown to be not only robust with respect to the uncertainties but also adaptive with reference to the unknown manipulator and load parameters. Lyapunov stability analysis is included to prove eventual local asymptotic tracking. The salient features of the two proposed adaptive PID controllers are as follows: (1) they guarantee the eventual asymptotic convergence of the manipulator joint position and velocity tracking errors to zero with no need of any equality/inequality constraints on the controller gains when compared with the classical PID controller and the existing adaptive PID controllers; and (2) they offer better robustness against uncertainties than the existing classical PID controller, the adaptive PD controller, the linear active disturbance rejection controller, and the nonlinear disturbance observer based adaptive PID controller. Simulation studies and comprehensive comparisons demonstrate the superiorities of the two proposed adaptive PID controllers.
Globally exponentially convergent velocity observer design for mechanical systems with nonholonomic constraints
Authors: Liu Li , Yue Xiaokui , Wen Haowei , Tian Shaobo , Zhao Danmeng
Published: November 2021

In this article, a novel globally exponentially convergent velocity observer for a class of mechanical systems with l nonholonomic constraints is presented. Through using a special coordinate transformation, the constrained system is converted into the integral cascade Euler–Lagrange form, which could avoid solving partial differential equations and eliminate the influence of the constraint force when reconstructing the speed information. The proposed observer has a simple structure and lower dimensions compared with other globally exponentially stable observers by using dynamic scaling and gain filtering. The simulation results demonstrate the stability and effectiveness of proposed reduced‐dimensional observer.
Dynamic output feedback under quantization based on spherical polar coordinate quantizer
Authors: Wang Jian , Yu Jiafeng
Published: November 2021

Different from uniform quantizer and logarithmic quantizer, this article utilizes a novel quantizer based on spherical polar coordinates for the design problems of quantized feedback systems with dynamic output feedback. This quantizer has a desired relation between the quantized vector and the corresponding quantization error, by which in this article the quantization error is converted to the uncertainty of the systems and stabilization problems of linear systems via dynamic output feedback under quantization can be converted to the corresponding robust control problems. From a practical point of view, we are concerned with quantized feedback control with finite data rate and use the quantizer with finite data rate to design quantized feedback systems. Under the quantizer with finite data rate, a time‐varying bounded quantization region needs to be determined to contain the quantized vector as the system evolves. Under this circumstance, some entries of the quantized vector are not available to the quantizer with finite data rate such that the vector cannot be quantized directly, so we propose a quantization and controller design method to solve this problem.
Weighted generalized estimating equations and unified estimation for longitudinal data with nonmonotone missing data patterns
Authors: Liu Meng , Zhao Yang
Published: November 2021

Missing data are a major complication in longitudinal data analysis. Weighted generalized estimating equations (WGEEs, Robins et al,J Am Stat Assoc1995;90:106‐121) were developed to deal with missing response data. They have been extended for data with both missing responses and missing covariates (Chen et al,J Am Stat Assoc2010;105:336‐353). However, it may introduce more variability in dealing with the correlation structure of the responses. We propose new WGEEs for missing at random data where both response and (time‐dependent) covariates may have values missing in nonmonotone missing data patterns. We also explain how to improve the estimation efficiency of WGEEs using a unified approach (Zhao and Liu,AStA Adv Stat Anal2021;105(1):87‐101). The proposed unified estimator is consistent and more efficient than the regular WGEE estimator. It is computationally simple and can be directly implemented in standard software. Simulation studies for both continuous response and binary response data are provided to examine the performance of the proposed estimators. A clinical trial example investigating the quality of life of women with early‐stage breast cancer and the associated factors is analyzed.
Poly(phenylene sulfide) Containing Boron in the Main Chain for Shield Thermal Neutron
Authors: Li Pengcheng , Ren Haohao , Liu Dong , Yan Dawei , Tang Wanli , Yan Yonggang
Published: November 2021

The thermal neutron shielding poly(phenylene sulfide)s containing boron (PPSmBs) are synthesized with sodium sulfide, dichlorobenzene and lithium bis[4‐chlorosalicylato(2‐)]borate (CLBSB) which is prepared with 4‐chlorosalicylic acid and boric acid. The structure of CLBSB is characterized and confirmed with 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), 13C NMR, 11B NMR and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR). CLBSB exhibits excellent thermal stability with 5 % weight loss temperature (T5%) at 434 °C. The structure and the element composition of PPSmBs are analyzed by FT‐IR, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The melting temperature (Tm) of PPSmBs ranges from 280.7 to 284.1 °C, and the crystallization peak temperature (Tc) is in the range of 244.9–255.0 °C. The T5% is 472–492 °C, and tensile strength is 45.8–69.0 MPa, flexural strength is 56.0–106.2 MPa. The thermal neutron shielding properties are evaluated by the small angle neutron scattering spectrometer. The mass attenuation coefficient of PPSmB‐5 is 2.06 cm2 g−1, which is 30 % higher than that of PPS (2.64 cm2 g−1).
Thrombin Based Photothermal‐Responsive Nanoplatform for Tumor‐Specific Embolization Therapy
Authors: Yin Jiajia , Wang Xiaorui , Sun Xu , Dai Hanming , Song Xuejiao , Li Buhong , Zhang Yewei , Chen Peng , Dong Xiaochen
Published: November 2021

The specific coagulation in the tumor vasculature has the potential for the ablation of solid tumors by cutting off the blood supply. However, the safe delivery of effective vessel occluding agents in the tumor‐specific embolization therapy remains challenging. Herein, it is reported that the photothermal responsive tumor‐specific embolization therapy based on thrombin (Thr) is delivered by intravenous injection via the phase‐change materials (PCM)‐based nanoparticles. The wax sealing profile of PCM enables safe delivery and prevents the preleakage of Thr in the blood circulation. While in the tumor site, the thermal effect induced by IR780 triggers the melting of PCM and rapidly releases Thr to generate coagulation in the tumor blood vessels. Based on the safe delivery and controllable release of Thr, thermal responsive tumor‐specific embolization therapy could be achieved with high efficiency and no significant damage to normal organs and tissues. The safe administration of Thr to induce vascular infarction in tumors based on PCM nanoparticles in this work shows a promising strategy for improving the therapeutic specificity and efficacy of coagulation‐based tumor therapy.
Implementing game requirements using design patterns
Authors: Paschali Maria‐Eleni , Volioti Christina , Ampatzoglou Apostolos , Gkagkas Anastasios , Stamelos Ioannis , Chatzigeorgiou Alexander
Published: November 2021

Game mechanics are high‐level descriptions of common game requirements; however, they do not provide any guidance on their code implementation. Nevertheless, their implementation involves high volumes of essential complexity, which in turn leads to the introduction of accidental complexity (long methods, code repetition, etc.). A possible solution to this problem is to map game mechanics to design patterns, in order to provide template instantiations that handle structural complexity. The aim of this study is twofold: (a) introduce template instantiations of game mechanics with Gang of Four (GoF) patterns and (b) evaluate such mappings in terms of extendibility and reusability. To achieve these objectives, we developed an online repository of mappings between GoF patterns and game mechanics and conducted an experiment to explore the benefits of the mapping. The results of the study suggest that the implementation of game mechanics with GoF patterns is beneficial, because the time to extent the current implementation or reuse code chunks is not prolonged, whereas the implementations are less faulty. Finally, the suggested mapping will equip game mechanics with sample implementations (that adhere to good design principles—ensuring extendibility) that can be reused, acting as a starting point for source code development.
Integrating Solar Energy, Desalination, and Electrolysis
Authors: Ginsberg Michael , Zhang Zhuoran , Atia Adam A. , Venkatraman Maya , Esposito Daniel V. , Fthenakis Vasilis M.
Published: November 2021

Solar electricity enables the advancement and deployment of technologies that are strongly influenced by clean energy availability and cost. The economics of both desalination and hydrogen production from water electrolysis are dominated by the cost of energy, and the availability of inexpensive solar energy creates markets and offers incentives to the desalination and electrolyzer industries. Herein, production of high‐purity water and hydrogen from seawater is focused on. Current electrolyzers require deionized water so they need to be coupled with desalination units. It is shown that such coupling is cost effective in hydrogen generation, and it also offers benefits to thermal desalination, which can utilize waste heat from electrolysis. Furthermore, such coupling can be optimized when electrolyzers operate at high current density, using low‐cost solar and/or wind electricity, as such operation increases both hydrogen production and heat generation. Results of technoeconomic modeling of polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzers define thresholds of electricity pricing, current density, and operating temperature that make clean electrolytic hydrogen cost competitive with hydrogen from steam methane reforming (SMR). By using 2020 hourly electricity pricing in California and Texas, it is estimated that hydrogen can be produced from seawater in coupled desalination−electrolyzer systems at prices near $2 kg−1 H2, reaching cost parity with hydrogen produced from SMR.