bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strain‐Multiplex Metalens Array for Tunable Focusing and Imaging
Authors: Ahmed Rajib , Butt Haider
Published: January 2021

Metalenses on a flexible template are engineered metal‐dielectric interfaces that improve conventional imaging system and offer dynamic focusing and zooming capabilities by controlling the focal length and bandwidth through a mechanical or external stretch. However, realizing large‐scale and cost‐effective flexible metalenses with high yields in a strain‐multiplex fashion remains as a great challenge. Here, single‐pulsed, maskless light interference and imprinting technique is utilized to fabricate reconfigurable, flexible metalenses on a large‐scale and demonstrate its strain‐multiplex tunable focusing. Experiments, in accordance with the theory, show that applied stretch on the flexible‐template reconfigurable diffractive metalenses (FDMLs) accurately mapped focused wavefront, bandwidth, and focal length. The surface relief metastructures consisted of metal‐coated hemispherical cavities in a hexagonal close‐packed arrangement to enhance tunable focal length, numerical aperture, and fill factor, FF ≈ 100% through normal and angular light illumination with external stretch. The strain‐multiplex of FDMLs approach lays the foundation of a new class of large‐scale, cost‐effective metalens offering tunable light focusing and imaging.
Chlorinated Benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐c′]dithiophene‐4,8‐dione Polymer Donor: A Small Atom Makes a Big Difference
Authors: Chao Pengjie , Chen Hui , Pu Mingrui , Zhu Yulin , Han Liang , Zheng Nan , Zhou Jiadong , Chang Xiaoyong , Mo Daize , Xie Zengqi , Meng Hong , He Feng
Published: January 2021

The position of a chlorine atom in a charge carrier of polymer solar cells (PSCs) is important to boost their photovoltaic performance. Herein, two chlorinated D‐A conjugated polymers PBBD‐Cl‐α and PBBD‐Cl‐β are synthesized based on two new building blocks (TTO‐Cl‐α and TTO‐Cl‐β) respectively by introducing the chlorine atom into α or β position of the upper thiophene of the highly electron‐deficient benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐c′]dithiophene‐4,8‐dione moiety. Single‐crystal analysis demonstrates that the chlorine‐free TTO shows a π‐π stacking distance (dπ‐π) of 3.55 Å. When H atom at the α position of thiophene of TTO is replaced by Cl, both π‐π stacking distance (dπ‐π = 3.48 Å) and Cl···S distance (dCl‐S = 4.4 Å) are simultaneously reduced for TTO‐Cl‐α compared with TTO. TTO‐Cl‐β then showed the Cl···S non‐covalent interaction can further shorten the intermolecular π‐π stacking separation to 3.23 Å, much smaller than that of TTO‐Cl‐α and TTO. After blending with BTP‐eC9, PBBD‐Cl‐β:BTP‐eC9‐based PSCs achieved an outstanding power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.20%, much higher than PBBD:BTP‐eC9 (10.06%) and PBBD‐Cl‐α:BTP‐eC9 (13.35%) based devices. These results provide an effective strategy for design and synthesis of highly efficient donor polymers by precise positioning of the chlorine substitution.
Preexisting dementia is associated with higher mortality rate in patients with femoral neck fracture
Authors: Rajeev Aysha , Ali Mohammed , Tuinebreijer Wim , Zourob Emadeldeen , Anto Joseph
Published: January 2021

Objective

This study aimed to assess the mortality and the influence of age, Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) scores, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grades on patients with dementia and femoral neck fracture (FNF) at 30 days, 4 months, 1 year, and 2 years after undergoing surgery.

Methods

Of 1296 patients admitted with FNF, 180 had had prefracture dementia. A retrospective study of these 180 patients was carried out. The patient demographics, including age, sex, presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), lipid profile, AMT score, preoperative comorbidities, ASA grade, and incidence of postoperative delirium, were documented.

Results

A total of 113 patients (62.8%) died postoperatively. The mortality rate was 17.7% (20 patients) at 30 days, 54.9% (62 patients) at 4 months, 77.9% (88 patients) at 1 year, and 87.6% (99 patients) at 2 years. The mortally rate in dementia with FNF was three times higher than that in FNF without dementia and was independent of age, ASA grades, DM, lipid profile, AMT scores, and development of postoperative delirium.

Conclusions

Dementia should be a principal predictive factor in mortality of FNF and should be a key determinant in all frailty scores.
Epilepsy and electroencephalogram evolution in YWHAG gene mutation: A new phenotype and review of the literature
Authors: Stern Tomer , Orenstein Naama , Fellner Avi , Lev‐El Halabi Noa , Shuldiner Alan R. , Gonzaga‐Jauregui Claudia , Lidzbarsky Gabriel , Basel‐Salmon Lina , Goldberg‐Stern Hadassa
Published: January 2021

A male patient with a de novo mutation in the YWHAG gene and mild phenotype is presented. He had normal delivery and normal development, with normal speech and social milestones. At the age of 9 months, myoclonic seizures started, with generalized epileptiform discharges. The child responded well to levetiracetam monotherapy with complete seizure resolution. Levetiracetam was stopped and he remained seizure‐free for 10 months. His development was appropriate for age according to psychological evaluation and he attended a regular kindergarten. At the age of approximately 4 years, the seizures reappeared with different semiology of staring with eye blinking. Electroencephalogram (EEG) showed multifocal spikes. Brain magnetic resonance imaging did not reveal any structural abnormality. Genetic analysis revealed a de novo likely pathogenic missense variant in the YWHAG gene (c.619G>A p.Glu207Lys). We compared our case to the other cases published in the literature. Our case is unique in its seizure semiology and evolution of EEG. Moreover, in contrast to our case, the majority of cases described in the literature have dysmorphism and intellectual disability or autistic spectrum disorder. This report emphasizes the phenotypic heterogeneity of YWHAG mutation as is the case in other developmental encephalopathies.
Comprehensive Integrative Analyses Identify TIGD5 rs75547282 as a Risk Variant for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Xie Xinyan , Li Li , Wu Hao , Hou Fang , Chen Yanlin , Xue Qi , Zhou Yu , Zhang Jiajia , Gong Jianhua , Song Ranran
Published: January 2021

Although recent genome‐wide association studies have identified risk loci that strongly associates with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), how to pinpoint the causal genes remains a challenge. We aimed to pinpoint the potential causal genes and explore the possible susceptibility and mechanism. A convergent functional genomics (CFG) method was used to prioritize the candidate genes by combining lines of evidence, including Sherlock analysis, spatio‐temporal expression patterns, expression analysis, protein–protein interactions, co‐expression and association with brain structure. A higher score in the CFG approach suggested that more evidence supported this gene as an ASD risk gene. We screened genes with higher CFG scores for candidate functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A genotyping experiment (602 ASD children and 604 healthy sex‐matched children) and the dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay were followed to validate the effects of SNPs. We identified three genes (MAPT, ZNF285, and TIGD5) as candidate causal genes using the CFG approach. The genotyping experiment showed that TIGD5 rs75547282 was associated with an increased risk of ASD under the dominant model (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.09–1.72, P = 0.006) though the statistical power was limited (5.2%). The T allele of rs75547282 activated the expression of TIGD5 compared with the C allele in the dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Our study indicates that such comprehensive integrative analyses may be an effective way to explore promising ASD susceptibility variants and needs to be further investigated in future research. Genotyping experiments should, however, be based on a larger population sample to increase statistical power.

Lay Summary

We set out to pinpoint the potential causal genes of ASD and explore the possible susceptibility and mechanism by combining lines of evidence from different analyses. Our results show that TIGD5 rs75547282 is associated with the risk of ASD in the Han Chinese population. In addition, a similar framework to seek promising ASD risk variants could be further investigated in future research Autism Res 2021, 14: 631–644. © 2021 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC
Application of natural products for inducing ferroptosis in tumor cells
Authors: Wu Zhengxin , Zhong Mengya , Liu Yu , Xiong Yubo , Gao Zhi , Ma Jingsong , Zhuang Guohong , Hong Xuehui
Published: January 2021

Ferroptosis is a regulated cell death pathway based on the deposition of lipid‐based reactive oxygen species (L‐ROS) in the presence of iron ions. The term was first coined in 2012 by Dixon. Decreased glutathione (GSH) synthesis and low glutathione‐dependent antioxidant peroxidase 4 (GPX4) activity are the major causes of ferroptosis. Sensitivity to ferroptosis for example in tumor cells may be further enhanced by high cellular iron concentrations and/or high p53 levels. Therefore, driving ferroptosis in tumor cells could be a new way to treat tumors. Thus far, natural products have played considerable roles in antitumor research and treatment, and some drugs, such as paclitaxel, have proven beneficial in many cancer patients. According to current research, natural products can induce ferroptosis when used alone or in conjunction with other cancer therapies. This review mainly elaborates the main mechanism of ferroptosis and the regulating effects of some natural products on ferroptosis, aiming to create a new space for the research and development of novel anticancer drugs.
Multiple Epithelial Origin Complications Following Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft for Root Coverage
Authors: Wang Ying S. , Bissonnette Caroline , Brett Christopher , McNamara Kristin K. , Tatakis Dimitris N.
Published: January 2021

Introduction

The subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) and flap combination is a highly predictable root coverage procedure, with low complication rates. To our knowledge, this article reports the first case of two late SCTG complications, epithelial cell discharge, and subsequent epidermal inclusion cyst (EIC) formation.

Case Presentation

A 35‐year‐old male presented with a 3‐mm deep Miller Class II recession defect on the mandibular right canine and mesial root of mandibular right first molar. A mild discomfort was reported at 8 weeks after envelope flap+SCTG in #27. At 4 months after the procedure, the patient presented with persistent discomfort and minimally compressible recipient site diffuse swelling with discharge, which was cytologically diagnosed as normal epithelial cells. One year postoperatively, enlargement of the lesion was seen, and excisional biopsy was performed simultaneously with SCTG in #30. The lesion was diagnosed as EIC. At 8 months follow‐up, the site healed uneventfully, the patient remained asymptomatic, and the site exhibited scar formation and no recurrence of the lesion.

Conclusion

This report highlights epithelial cell discharge and EIC formation as a rare yet possible SCTG complication and emphasizes the importance of an excisional biopsy as the means to obtain a definitive diagnosis and manage this complication.
Reinforced conservative management of post‐dural puncture headache in a patient with a rare case of tethered cord syndrome using an abdominal binder: A case report
Authors: Park Miyeong , Yu Hokyung , Park Jiyoung , Sohn Ju‐Tae , Park Kyeong‐Eon , Hwang Yeran , Kim Sunmin , Ok Seong‐Ho
Published: January 2021

An abdominal binder could be used effectively in a patient showing CSF leakage in the coccygeal area with post‐dural puncture headache, which is not controlled by conventional compressive dressing.
Bio‐inspired hybrid algorithm to optimize pilot tone positions in polar‐code‐based orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing–interleave division multiple access system
Authors: Marne Hemlata , Mukherji Prachi , Jadhav Makarand , Paranjape Sachin
Published: January 2021

In this paper, a hybrid bio‐inspired algorithm is proposed to enhance the performance of channel estimation of the orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing–interleave division multiple access (OFDM–IDMA) system. This algorithm is a fusion of the lion algorithm and group search optimization algorithm named as SU‐LA, scrounger updated lion algorithm. It works on the optimal selection of pilot tone positions that ensure the attainment of the least value of mean square error. Polar code is used for error detection and correction along with Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and 16 QAM techniques. Carrier frequency offset (CFO), user, and Eb/No factors are selected to analyze their impact on the BER performance in the presence of Rayleigh channel. It is observed that the proposed SU‐LA‐based system with the QAM technique achieves 91.23% enhancement in BER at zero CFO as compared to harmony search‐based system for Eb/No of 12 dB. Further, in the presence of 0.1 CFO, the proposed system retains BER performance. The experimentation is also carried with 16 QAM over various CFOs and the number of users. The BER performance of the proposed system is also superior to the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA)‐based system. The effect of peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR) and symbol time offsets is not considered.
Wireless sensor networks and machine learning meet climate change prediction
Authors: Anh Khoa Tran , Quang Minh Nguyen , Hai Son Hoang , Nguyen Dang Khoa Cao , Ngoc Tan Dinh , VanDung Nguyen , Hoang Nam Nguyen , Ngoc Minh Duc Dang , Trung Tin Nguyen
Published: January 2021

Climate change is one of the main challenges faced by the development of every country. For countries producing agricultural commodities, the climate affects the quantity and quality of products. Many methods have been proposed to keep track of climate. One traditional method is the weather station model, which indicates the temperature, wind speed, and direction and extent of cloud cover. However, this method of predicting climate change has low accuracy due to geographical variation, for example, mountainous or forested areas. Recently, a combination of wireless sensor networks (WSN) and machine learning (ML) has been considered for prediction with the Internet of Things (IoT), for instance, through a wireless body area network. For climate change prediction, we design and develop a control system that uses node sensors to collect data in sandhills and beaches, with data management conducted via a web application with three components. The first component is designed to collect data from the node sensors. The second component is mainly used to control the system through a web application. The third component uses linear regression in ML to analyze the data to predict weight and volume. The complete system has been tried and tested in real time on a 10‐m2 area of a beach at Binh Thuan province, Vietnam, where sensor node data were wirelessly collected over a cloud using a web application. This enabled assessment of the current state of the land at a coastal sandy beach, as well as prediction of the risk level of desertification and natural disasters.
Design network intrusion detection system using support vector machine
Authors: Ajdani Mahdi , Ghaffary Hamidreza
Published: January 2021

The growing use of the Internet and the existence of vulnerable points in networks have made the usage of intrusion detection systems as one of the most important security elements. This study aimed to present a method to design an analytical framework of detecting destructive data with respect to three factors including time, users' information, and scale. The design can be applied for big data. In the proposed method, to train data, the time has been divided into subperiods exploiting users' review information during each period of time, and the data have been trained. Also, storing methods have been applied for scalability to enhance the speed and reduce the volume of computations. The method used in this study is a combination of hardware‐software method to detect destructive data to cluster them (VIRUS TOTAL Dataset). Also, the proposed method applied a new algorithm of modified vector machine, and the efficiency of the algorithm has promoted support vector machine (SVM), designed to operate better than previous methods. The results showed that the proposed method is more acceptable than other previous methods. The results indicated that the method works with the accuracy of 0.97 which can be fairly accepted.
A Hybrid Crow Search and Gray Wolf Optimization Algorithm‐based Reliable Non‐Line‐of‐Sight Node Positioning Scheme for Vehicular Ad hoc Networks
Authors: A. Christy Jeba Malar , M. Deva Priya , Janakiraman Sengathir
Published: January 2021

Vehicular Ad hoc NETwork (VANET) facilitates ubiquitous connectivity for establishing Vehicle‐to‐Vehicle (V2V) communication and supporting Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs). This vehicle communication requires complete coverage within the target range for ensuring reliable message dissemination. High density of vehicles in the intersections introduces challenges due to obstacles such as buildings, foliage, and other moving vehicles, preventing exchange of information about location and message update between vehicles. Non‐Line‐of‐Sight (NLOS) nodes also introduce broadcasting storm problem leading to congestion that prevents emergency messages from reaching the target vehicular nodes. Integration of meta‐heuristic Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) and Gray Wolf Optimization Algorithm (GWOA) minimizes the objective function of NLOS localization problem without the solution being trapped into local optima. In this paper, a Hybrid Crow Search and GWOA‐based NLOS Positioning Scheme (HCSGWOA‐NLOS‐PS) is proposed to handle the issue of broadcast storm and facilitate reliability in emergency message delivery. The proposed HCSGWOA‐NLOS‐PS utilizes the benefits of Time of Arrival (ToA) and geographical information‐based cooperative localization agent for attaining efficient NLOS node positioning in the network. It uses the benefits of CSA and GWOA for positioning the NLOS nodes based on the intelligence derived from the crows' conduit and the social attacking behavior of gray wolves that are ideal for balancing the tradeoff between exploration and exploitation. The simulation results of the proposed HCSGWOA‐NLOS‐PS confirm a mean emergency message delivery of 11.82%, neighborhood awareness of 12.38% with reduced localization error rate of 2.36% and minimized delay of 8.64% when compared to the baseline approaches.
Effects of salinity, organic acids and alkalinity on the growth of calcite spherulites: Implications for evaporitic lacustrine sedimentation
Authors: Mercedes‐Martín Ramon , Rao Ashit , Rogerson Mike , Sánchez‐Román Mónica
Published: January 2021

Lacustrine non‐skeletal carbonates exhibit a diversity of petrographies due to interactions between physico‐chemical and biologically influenced mechanisms. Despite the suggestion that evaporative concentration was involved in the formation of spherulite and shrubby‐bearing carbonate successions in the Pre‐Salt Cretaceous alkaline lakes of the South Atlantic, no consensus exists about the water chemistries promoting these exotic mineral textures. In this work, an experimental approach was developed to evaluate how changes in salinity (NaCl) and biopolymer concentrations (alginic acid) impact calcite growth dynamics from saline and alkaline synthetic solutions. Hydrochemical and petrographical data from selected modern saline/alkaline environments were compared with experimental datasets to further estimate how the underlying (bio)chemical conditions and lake locations probably converge to allow the formation of calcite spherulite grains in evaporitic settings. Spherulitic calcite from Recent saline lakes and experiments arise from waters with moderate to high [Calcium]/[Alkalinity] ratios ([Ca]/[Alk]) rather than in calcium‐depleted and alkaline‐rich environments which tend to produce single‐crystal calcites during abiotic water mixing or lake evaporation. This observation is consistent with the assembly of polycrystalline textures being a kinetically controlled feature, forced by remarkably high rates of nucleation. Also, the data analysed do not support a causative relationship between evaporite‐driven salinity fluctuations and the preferential formation of spherulites, shrubs or their intermediate textures. Ubiquitous in saline lakes, organic substances can lower the kinetic thresholds for spherulitic calcite aggregation while microbial photosynthesis can also raise pH, altogether enhancing calcite supersaturation and promoting spherulite formation in waters with moderate‐high [Ca]/[Alk] ratios and high salinities. Localised observations of abiotic spherulites in Recent soda lakes can occur in restricted mixing zones where [Ca]/[Alk] ratios are enhanced. This work highlights the roles of concentration regimes associated with biopolymers and microbial metabolism against the background salinity fluctuations in determining the morphological and textural transitions in lacustrine carbonate minerals.
Deeper burning in a boreal fen peatland 1‐year post‐wildfire accelerates recovery trajectory of carbon dioxide uptake
Authors: Morison Matthew , van Beest Christine , Macrae Merrin , Nwaishi Felix , Petrone Richard
Published: January 2021

Peatlands contain a globally significant store (30%) of soil carbon (C). Within the Canadian Western Boreal Plains, where peatlands are a dominant feature, the climate is becoming warmer and drier, coupled with an increase in forest fire incidence. The response of peatlands to forest fire is likely to be a key determinant in the future of C storage of Boreal peatlands. This study examined the impacts of fire on key environmental controls on CO2 fluxes at the plot‐scale (using static chambers) between burned and unburned understory vegetation throughout the growing season of 2017 in a treed fen impacted by the Horse River wildfire (2016) in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Both gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) and total respiration (Rtot) were less at burned plots compared with unburned. Temporal patterns varied between the plots, where both component of CO2 fluxes at the unburned plots were largest in June, whereas at the burned plots, CO2 fluxes peaked in the late growing season. GEP and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) showed a positive relationship with depth of burn, with the deepest burned areas showing significantly greater CO2 uptake, coinciding with both increased bioavailable phosphorus and greater moss recolonization. At the unburned plots, soil temperature was a dominant control on CO2 fluxes. This work demonstrates the importance of the depth of burn to post‐fire carbon fluxes and how a knowledge of burn severity and depth can inform understanding of the recovery trajectory of northern peatlands following fire disturbance.
Impact of QRS morphology on response to conduction system pacing after atrioventricular junction ablation
Authors: Wu Shengjie , Cai Mengxing , Zheng Rujie , Wang Songjie , Jiang Limeng , Xu Lei , Shi Ruiyu , Xiao Fangyi , Ellenbogen Kenneth A. , Cha Yongmei , Su Lan , Huang Weijian
Published: January 2021

Aims

His–Purkinje conduction system pacing (HPCSP) utilizing His (HBP) or left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and wide QRS duration has not been well studied. We assessed the benefit of left bundle branch block (LBBB) correction during HPCSP in AF patients undergoing atrioventricular junction (AVJ) ablation with LBBB, compared with those with narrow QRS duration.

Methods and results

This is an observational study in consecutive patients with typical LBBB or narrow QRS duration in whom we attempted HPCSP after AVJ ablation for refractory AF with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 50%. Echocardiographic responses and clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline and during 1 year of follow‐up. A total of 178 patients were enrolled, of which 170 achieved AVJ ablation + permanent HPCSP (age 69.3 ± 10.1 years; LVEF 34.3 ± 7.7%), 133 (78.2%) patients had a narrow QRS duration, and 37 (21.2%) had an LBBB. The QRS duration changed from a baseline of 159.7 ± 16.6 ms to a paced QRS duration of 110.4 ± 12.7 ms in the LBBB cohort and from 95.6 ± 10.4 to 100.8 ± 14.5 ms (both P < 0.001) in the narrow QRS cohort after AVJ ablation and pacing. Compared with the narrow QRS cohort, the LBBB cohort showed a greater absolute increase in LVEF (+22.3% vs. +14.2%, P < 0.001), higher super responder rate (71.4% vs. 49.2%, P = 0.011), and greater New York Heart Association (NYHA) class improvement (−1.9 vs. −1.4, P < 0.001) at 1 year.

Conclusion

Patients with LBBB have greater improvement in LVEF and NYHA class function than patients with narrow QRS from HPCSP after AVJ ablation.
Public key encryption with equality test for Industrial Internet of Things system in cloud computing
Authors: Deverajan Ganesh Gopal , Muthukumaran V. , Hsu Ching‐Hsien , Karuppiah Marimuthu , Chung Yeh‐Ching , Chen Ying‐Huei
Published: January 2021

Present day world have evolved from traditional environment to smart industries using IoT scheme which in turn forms Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which significantly elaborated by providing enhance integration using smart communication through IoT based sensors. IIoT has been providing cost reduction and enhancement in technology by bringing availability, flexibility and data sharing through real time scenario. Despite being unsecure environment of cloud, the privacy of data transfer and information confidentiality is guaranteed. In this context, this work presents a Public Key Encryption with Equality Test based on DLP with double decomposition problems over near‐ring. Computation Diffie‐Hellman is utilized in algebraic structure which involves DLP with Double Decomposition problem for proposing a Public Key Encryption with Equality Test which provides more security to the scheme. The proposed method is highly secure and it solves the problem of quantum algorithm attacks in IIoT systems. Further, the suggested system is significantly secure and it prevents the chosen‐ciphertext attack in type‐I rival and it is indistinguishable against the random oracle model for the type‐II rival. The recommended scheme is highly secure and the security analysis measures are comparatively stronger than existing techniques. Search time of the proposed scheme is 150 milliseconds for which the number of attributes is 50 and when comparing to the decryption time of the proposed model which is lower when compared to other existing scheme for 50 attributes.
Distinguishing the Brazilian mangrove species Avicennia germinans and A. schaueriana (Acanthaceae) by elliptic Fourier analysis of leaf shape
Authors: Nascimento Maria Gracelia Paiva , Mayo Simon Joseph , de Andrade Ivanilza Moreira
Published: January 2021

The diagnostic value of leaf shape for mangrove species Avicennia germinans and A. schaueriana was examined in four areas within the Rio Parnaíba delta, Maranhão, Brazil. Elliptic Fourier analysis of 627 leaves, followed by principal component analysis, provided shape and size data; the first seven principal component shape variables expressed 99.2% total variation. Discrimination between twelve combinations of species, location and disturbance levels was studied using k‐nearest‐neighbour classification. The species differed significantly in leaf shape but determination was reliable only in the tallest undisturbed forest (germinans narrowly elliptic or ovate, base acute, apex acute to acuminate; schaueriana broadly obovate, base attenuate, apex rounded). Symmetric variables (PC1 and PC3, 84.5% total variation) showed strongest differences. Predominant variation between species was in relative width and base shape (PC1), and within species in ovateness (PC3) between conserved and regenerating areas. Leaves were significantly smaller in A. schaueriana. Vernacular taxa siriba branca and siriba preta were inconsistent with taxonomic species but often significantly different in leaf shape. Avicennia germinans varied more under different geographical and ecological conditions. Shape‐size correlation needs further allometric study. Species delimitation needs morphometric study of a broader character range. Vernacular taxa recognition should be studied with ethnobiological techniques.
Welcome back, Barbacenia rogieri!
Authors: Alves Ruy José Válka , Guimarães Alessandra Ribeiro , Kessous Igor Musauer , Bernardo João Pedro , Menezes Ana Clara da Silva de , da Silva Nílber Gonçalves
Published: January 2021

Barbacenia rogieri (Velloziaceae), a disjunct species rare in herbaria, is redescribed from its natural habitat in Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, Brazil. B. purpurea and B. rogieri are lectotypified; an epitype and a synonym are designated for the latter. Taxonomic and conservation status comments are provided along with the first color photos from its natural habitat.
Involvement of 5‐HT‐BDNF signaling axis in mediating synergistic antidepressant‐like effects after combined administration of two oligosaccharide esters
Authors: Yang Wen Shan , Shi Zhen‐Guo , Dong Xian‐Zhe , Liu Ping , Chen Meng‐li , Hu Yuan
Published: January 2021

Potential mechanisms of depression involving herbal medicines and their specific compounds include elevated 5‐HT level and downstream BDNF pathway. To identify potentially new combined therapeutic strategies, 3,6'‐disinapoylsucrose (DISS) and tenuifoliside A (TFSA) have been observed to show antidepressant‐like effects and its related 5‐HT‐BDNF pathway. We have tried to investigate whether combined administration of DISS and TFSA exerted more effective in the treatment of depression, as assessed through tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). In addition, we also analyzed the expression of three important proteins, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding (CREB), brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and cAMP‐regulated transcriptional coactivators (CRTC1), which have been shown to be involved in the regulation of the neurotrophic factors in the hippocampus. The DISS and TFSA separately, both at a dose of 5 mg/kg each, displayed small effect in the immobility time. However, combined treatment of these two in multiple doses exhibited better effect. Moreover, combined treatment of DISS and TFSA also demonstrated enhanced levels of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT), and stronger increase in the phosphorylation levels of CREB, BDNF, and CRTC1 proteins in the hippocampus. Overall, our results indicated that coadministration of these two oligosaccharide esters at low dose may induce more pronounced antidepressant activity, in comparison with individual treatment even at high dosage. Thus, the antidepressant properties of both these compounds can be attributed to their ability to influence 5‐HT and BDNF pathway, and thereby suggesting that this combination strategy can definitely act as alternative therapy for depression disorder with very limited side effects.
How do hospitals respond to cross price incentives inherent in diagnosis‐related groups systems? The importance of substitution in the market for sepsis conditions
Authors: Bäuml Matthias
Published: January 2021

This study addresses the question of how hospitals respond to the cross price incentives inherent in reimbursements based on diagnosis‐related groups (DRG). Unique market‐wide administrative data allow to exploit a natural experiment in Germany in which the relative attractiveness of greatly divergent reimbursements for clinically similar patients changes in the market for sepsis conditions on January 1, 2010. This natural experiment provides—unintentionally—extra reimbursements in cases in which hospitals reorganize transfers for deceasing patients to other facilities, alter the time of death, the choice of the condition being chiefly responsible for the hospital admission (primary diagnosis), or the intensity of mechanical ventilation. The differences‐in‐differences results demonstrate that hospitals primarily alter the primary diagnosis. As the choice of the primary diagnosis is the backbone of the design of modern DRG systems, the findings suggest that payment contracts between hospitals and payers based on modern DRG algorithms may not necessarily improve patient welfare.
Effects of Resmetirom on Noninvasive Endpoints in a 36‐Week Phase 2 Active Treatment Extension Study in Patients With NASH
Authors: Harrison Stephen A. , Bashir Mustafa , Moussa Sam E. , McCarty Kevin , Pablo Frias Juan , Taub Rebecca , Alkhouri Naim
Published: January 2021

Resmetirom (MGL‐3196), a selective thyroid hormone receptor‐β agonist, was evaluated in a 36‐week paired liver biopsy study (NCT02912260) in adults with biopsy‐confirmed nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The primary endpoint was relative liver fat reduction as assessed by MRI–proton density fat fraction (MRI‐PDFF), and secondary endpoints included histopathology. Subsequently, a 36‐week active treatment open‐label extension (OLE) study was conducted in 31 consenting patients (including 14 former placebo patients) with persistently mild to markedly elevated liver enzymes at the end of the main study. In patients treated with resmetirom (80 or 100 mg orally per day), MRI‐PDFF reduction at OLE week 36 was −11.1% (1.5%) mean reduction (standard error [SE]; P < 0.0001) and −52.3% (4.4%) mean relative reduction, P < 0.0001. Low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (−26.1% [4.5%], P < 0.0001), apolipoprotein B (−23.8% [3.0%], P < 0.0001), and triglycerides (−19.6% [5.4%], P = 0.0012; −46.1 [14.5] mg/dL, P = 0.0031) were reduced from baseline. Markers of fibrosis were reduced, including liver stiffness assessed by transient elastography (−2.1 [0.8] mean kilopascals [SE], P = 0.015) and N‐terminal type III collagen pro‐peptide (PRO‐C3) (−9.8 [2.3] ng/mL, P = 0.0004 (baseline ≥ 10 ng/mL). In the main and OLE studies, PRO‐C3/C3M (matrix metalloproteinase‐degraded C3), a marker of net fibrosis formation, was reduced in resmetirom‐treated patients (−0.76 [−1.27, −0.24], P = 0.0044 and −0.68, P < 0.0001, respectively). Resmetirom was well tolerated, with few, nonserious adverse events. Conclusion: The results of this 36‐week OLE study support the efficacy and safety of resmetirom at daily doses of 80 mg and 100 mg, used in the ongoing phase 3 NASH study, MAESTRO‐NASH (NCT03900429). The OLE study demonstrates a potential for noninvasive assessments to monitor the response to resmetirom from an individual patient with NASH.
Foreign direct investment, real sector growth and financial development
Authors: Asamoah Michael Effah , Alagidede Imhotep Paul
Published: January 2021

This paper examines the brinks of financial development at which foreign direct investment (FDI) enhances growth of the real sector. We deploy a newly developed financial development dataset and Lewbel instrumental variable two‐step GMM estimator (IV–GMM), with Kleibergen–Paap robust SEs and orthogonal statistics in establishing our empirical relationships over the period 1990–2017. Initial estimations at the overall level of the real sector, manufacturing, and industry show that FDI has no growth effects, and even worsens growth of the agriculture sector. On decomposing the real sector, we found the interaction between FDI and financial development to enhance the growth of the real sector and its components at face value. However, our marginal effect analysis shows that the growth impact of FDI on the overall real sector, industry, and service sector growth starts at the threshold level of the 25th percentile of financial development, while the growth impact on manufacturing is only evident at the 90th percentile of financial development. Although financial development aids FDI in projecting the growth of the agriculture sector, their interaction cannot wholly eradicate the initial adverse impact from FDI. The results are robust to determinants of growth.
Analysis of diagnostic error cases among Japanese residents using diagnosis error evaluation and research taxonomy
Authors: Harada Taku , Miyagami Taiju , Watari Takashi , Hiyoshi Tetsuya , Kunitomo Kotaro , Tsuji Takahiro , Shimizu Taro
Published: January 2021

The process of diagnostic errors among Japanese residents has not been previously studied. This descriptive study was conducted in June 2019 on junior residents at a single‐center educational hospital in Japan. Diagnosis Error Evaluation and Research taxonomy was used to measure the process of diagnostic error in the most memorable error cases. High frequency of diagnostic errors resulted from inaccurate/misinterpretation of history, failure/delay in eliciting physical examination findings, inaccurate/misinterpretation of physical examination, failure in weighting of physical examination, and failure/delay in considering the diagnosis. Residents made diagnostic errors mainly during history taking, physical examination, and assessment.
Countering Deficits: A Grounded Theory of Success From Graduate Students of Color
Authors: Hipolito‐Delgado Carlos P. , Estrada Diane , Garcia Marina
Published: January 2021

The existing research on students of color in counselor education focuses on the barriers they experience, providing a deficit perspective. Using grounded theory and a critical race theory framework, we studied the racialized experiences of 19 graduate students of color in counselor education. Grounded in participants' voices, we propose a liberatory theory of academic success. Implications for promoting the success of students of color in counselor education and for future critical race theory research are discussed.

Las investigaciones hasta la fecha sobre estudiantes de color en programas educativos de consejería se centran en las barreras que afrontan, lo cual ofrece un déficit de perspectiva. Usando un muestreo teórico y un marco de teoría crítica de la raza, estudiamos las experiencias racializadas de 19 estudiantes de posgrado de color en programas educativos de consejería. Basándonos en las voces de los participantes, proponemos una teoría liberatoria de éxito académico. Se discuten las implicaciones para fomentar el éxito de estudiantes de color en programas educativos de consejería y para investigaciones futuras de teoría crítica de la raza.
Postpartum Depression Among Women With Disabilities: A Multicultural Counseling Perspective
Authors: Öksüz Elif Emir
Published: January 2021

Postpartum depression is an important mental health problem for women, and women with disabilities are at greater risk than are women without disabilities. This article explores the disability‐specific contextual, environmental, social, and systemic causes of postpartum depression from an ecological perspective. I aim to help counselors develop a nonpathologizing, multicultural counseling–rooted approach and to prepare counselors to work effectively with this unique population. Implications of multicultural counseling tenets and advocacy are also examined for best practices.

La depresión posparto es un problema de salud mental importante para las mujeres, y el riesgo es mayor para las mujeres con discapacidades que para las mujeres sin discapacidades. Este artículo explora las causas contextuales, sociales, del entorno y sistémicas de la depresión posparto relacionadas con la discapacidad desde una perspectiva ecológica. Mi objetivo es ayudar a los consejeros a desarrollar un enfoque no patológico basado en la consejería multicultural y preparar a los consejeros para trabajar de forma efectiva con esta población singular. También se examinan las implicaciones de los principios de la consejería multicultural y la defensoría para las prácticas recomendadas.
Potential of genomics for the improvement of underutilized legumes in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Paliwal Rajneesh , Adegboyega Taofeek Tope , Abberton Michael , Faloye Ben , Oyatomi Olaniyi
Published: January 2021

Underutilized, or orphan legumes, are widely distributed across farming landscapes in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) but often have low yields and do not fulfill their potential due to very limited research, breeding, development, marketing, and awareness of their benefits. These advantages include nutritional quality and climate resilience. In this review, we focus on Bambara groundnut, African yam bean, and Kersting's groundnut. Knowledge of the challenges and rewards of exploiting them will provide opportunities for concerted approaches to their revival and contribution to future global food systems, especially in the context of climate change. This review identifies the institutional and noninstitutional challenges, the constraints, the prospects, and the rewards that can be derived from exploiting orphan legumes in SSA. The genetic resources center (GRC) of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) conserves a diverse collection of about 2500 accessions of these crops with the majority from Africa. In this review, we focus on the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources of these indigenous African legume crops, their characterization and evaluation, prospects for the development of improved cultivars, and the role they could play, particularly with respect to nutrition and adaptation to climate change. We emphasize progress made in recent years concerning the assembly of information required for application of genomics tools to these crops and how this will underpin the development of improved varieties.
Preparation, characterisation and lubrication performances of Eu doped WO3 nanoparticle reinforce Mn3B7O13Cl as water‐based lubricant additive for laminated Cu‐Fe composite sheet during hot rolling
Authors: Liang Dong , Ling Xinnan , Xiong Sang
Published: January 2021

Citric acid‐synthesised Eu‐doped WO3 (WO3:Eu3+) and Mn3B7O13Cl nanoparticles were characterised by X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The tribological properties of the Eu doped WO3 and Mn3B7O13Cl prepared as anti‐wear additives for enhanced lubrication were studied using a four‐ball tester. The experiment results indicated that Eu doped WO3 nanoparticle reinforce Mn3B7O13Cl has excellent load‐carrying capacity, wear‐resistance and friction‐reducing properties in water‐based lubricant, optimum concentration of WO3:Eu3+‐Mn3B7O13Cl was 0.5 wt%. The wear scar diameter decreased from 0.62 to 0.37 mm and the coefficient of friction was reduced from 0.083 to 0.065, which reductions are attributed to the nanotribofilms composed of B2O3, WO3, Fe2O3 and Eu2O, which prevented direct contact between metals. Hot rolling experiments of laminated Cu‐Fe composite sheet were carried out to study the effect of nano‐WO3:Eu3+‐Mn3B7O13Cl on surface qualities including topography of rolled strips. Results show that the surface topography becomes smooth with the addition of nanoparticles into water‐based lubricant, which is mainly attributed to the nanoparticles increase the viscosity of water‐based lubricant and the oil film to avoid the direct contact tribopair during hot rolling, thus reducing the friction coefficient and roll wear.
Solving fractional differential equation using block‐pulse functions and Bernstein polynomials
Authors: Zhang Jie , Tang Yinggan , Liu Fucai , Jin Zhaopeng , Lu Yao
Published: January 2021

The method based on block pulse functions (BPFs) has been proposed to solve different kinds of fractional differential equations (FDEs). However, high accuracy requires considerable BPFs because they are piecewise constant and not so smooth. As a result, it increases the dimension of operational matrix and computational burden. To overcome this deficiency, a novel numerical method is developed to solve fractional differential equations. The method is based upon hybrid of BPFs and Bernstein polynomials (HBBPs), which are piecewise smooth. The HBBPs operational matrix of fractional‐order integral is derived to reduce the FDEs to a system of algebraic equations. Then the numerical solution of the FDEs is obtained through solving the system of algebraic equations. The convergence analysis is conducted for the suggested scheme, and the upper bound of error of the solution is given. Finally, illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the validity, applicability, and efficiency of the proposed technique in contrast with other approaches.
Novel Tumor Growth Rate Analysis in the Randomized CLARINET Study Establishes the Efficacy of Lanreotide Depot/Autogel 120 mg with Prolonged Administration in Indolent Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Dromain Clarisse , Loaiza-Bonilla Arturo , Mirakhur Beloo , Beveridge Thomas J.R. , Fojo Antonio Tito
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Tumor quantity while receiving cancer therapy is the sum of simultaneous regression of treatment-sensitive and growth of treatment-resistant fractions at constant rates. Exponential rate constants for tumor regression/decay (d) and growth (g) can be estimated. Previous studies established g as a biomarker for overall survival; g increases after treatment cessation, can estimate doubling times, and can assess treatment effectiveness in small cohorts by benchmarking to large reference data sets. Using this approach, we analyzed data from the clinical trial CLARINET, evaluating lanreotide depot/autogel 120 mg/4 weeks (LAN) for treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

Methods and Materials

Computed tomography imaging data from 97 LAN- and 101 placebo-treated patients from CLARINET were analyzed to estimate g and d.

Results

Data from 92% of LAN- and 94% of placebo-treated patients could be fit to one of the equations to derive g and d (p < .001 in most data sets). LAN-treated patients demonstrated significantly slower g than placebo recipients (p = .00315), a difference of 389 days in doubling times. No significant difference was observed in d. Over periods of LAN administration up to 700 days, g did not change appreciably. Simulated analysis with g as the endpoint showed a sample size of 48 sufficient to detect a difference in median g with 80% power.

Conclusion

Although treatment of NETs with LAN can affect tumor shrinkage, LAN primarily slows tumor growth rather than accelerates tumor regression. Evidence of LAN efficacy across tumors was identified. The growth-retarding effect achieved with LAN was sustained for a prolonged period of time.

Implications for Practice

The only curative treatment for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is surgical resection; however, because of frequent late diagnosis, this is often impossible. Because of this, treatment of NETs is challenging and often aims to reduce tumor burden and delay progression. A novel method of analysis was used to examine data from the CLARINET trial, confirming lanreotide depot/autogel is effective at slowing tumor growth and extending progression-free survival. By providing the expected rate and doubling time of tumor growth early in the course of treatment, this method of analysis has the potential to guide physicians in their management of patients with NETs.
Protonation of γ‐Butyrolactone and γ‐Butyrolactam
Authors: Beck Stefanie , Feller Michael , Spies Laura , Dietrich Kai J. , Jessen Christoph , Stierstorfer Karin , Kornath Andreas J.
Published: January 2021

Invited for this month's cover is the group of Andreas Kornath at the Ludwig‐Maximilian University of Munich (Germany). The cover picture shows the crystal structures of protonated γ‐butyrolactone ([(CH2)3OCOH][AsF6]) and γ‐butyrolactam ([(CH2)3NHCOH][AsF6]). Both salts were synthesized by reacting the neutral compounds in the superacidic system HF/AsF5 at low temperature. Interestingly, the X‐ray structure analyses revealed not only structural parameters of the salts, but also the existent of C⋅⋅⋅F contacts in both species. Quantum chemical calculations were performed to investigate the nature of these contacts. Read the full text of their Full Paper at 10.1002/open.202000220.