bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct neurotization of free nipple grafts with cadaveric nerve grafts following mastectomy for gender affirming surgery
Authors: Loughran Atlee M. , Hopkins Jennifer M. , Kidney‐Hilt Elizabeth , Doshi Kathryn , Keith Jonathan
Published: March 2024

Background

Free nipple grafting makes sensory recovery challenging. Permanent decreased sensation to touch and temperature in skin‐grafted skin is common. Direct neurotization of the nipple‐areolar complex (NAC) graft has been described. However, quantitative data regarding degree of nipple reinnervation possible is unknown. This study aims to quantify and qualify sensation recovery following nerve coaptation to reinnervate the NAC.

Methods

Patients undergoing mastectomy for gender dysphoria from 2020 to 2022 were offered nerve allograft to restore nipple sensation. A lateral intercostal nerve was selected and coapted to allograft which was embedded beneath the nipple graft. Semmes Weinstein testing was used to assess nipple sensation. Assessments were made at visits <1 year and >1 year from surgery. Filaments used represented normal sensation, minor diminished sensation, diminished sensation, loss of protective sensation, and deep pressure sensation only.

Results

A total of 115 patients elected for direct neurotization. Semmes Weinstein testing was limited to 46 patients representing 46 encounters and 92 nipples in the <1 year group and 24 encounters and 48 nipples in the >1 year group. Of the 92 nipples in the <1 year group, 17 (18.5%) noted return of normal sensation and 37 (40.2%) noted minor diminished or diminished sensation, indicating nerve reinnervation. There were 38 (41%) nipples with loss of protective sensation or deep sensation only. There were 48 nipples included in the >1 year group. Of the 48 nipples, 4 (8.3%) noted normal sensation and 30 (62.5%) noted minor diminished or diminished sensation, indicating nerve reinnervation. For the remaining 14 nipples, 14 (29%) noted loss of protective sensation or deep sensation only.

Conclusion

Sensory outcomes in NAC grafts used for reconstruction in patients undergoing double incision mastectomy remain poor. Sensation restoration beyond that expected from full thickness skin grafts can be achieved in the majority of patients with nerve allograft via direct neurotization.
Early‐onset indicators of a hypercoagulable state and clinical complications in a cohort of children with sickle cell trait
Authors: Reggiani Giulia , Boaro Maria Paola , Menzato Federica , De Bon Emiliano , Bertomoro Antonella , Casonato Alessandra , Lucente Fabrizio , Fortino Cecilia , Sartori MariaTeresa , Steffan Agostino , Martella Maddalena , D'Agnolo Mirco , Sainati Laura , Colombatti Raffaella
Published: March 2024

Adults with sickle cell trait (SCT) have a procoagulant state with increased risk of thromboembolism, but limited data are available for children. We compared the coagulation profile of children with SCT, different sickle cell disease (SCD) genotypes, and healthy controls. Compared to controls and similarly to HbSC patients, 41 SCT children (mean age 6.85 years; 20 males; 88% Africans) had a characteristic procoagulant profile: higher levels of factor VIII, von Willebrand factor (VWF) Ag and CBA, D‐dimer; lower levels of ADAMTS 13 activity, ADAMTS13 activity: VWFAg, plasminogen activator inhibitor, tissue plasminogen activator. Moreover, 13/41 had clinical complications of SCD, five requiring hospitalization.
Enhanced mechanical and tribological properties of 3D printed short carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone composites
Authors: Lv Xiancheng , Yang Shuyan , Pei Xianqiang , Zhang Yaoming , Wang Qihua , Wang Tingmei
Published: March 2024

Material extrusion additive manufacturing provides an effective solution for fabrication of highly customized polyether ether ketone (PEEK) composite parts with any complex shape. Nevertheless, compared with conventional methods, the mechanical strength of 3D printed carbon fiber reinforced PEEK (CF/PEEK) composites is unsatisfactory due to the weak interface bonding strength and high voids content induced by the temperature difference. To overcome this challenge, a temperature‐control 3D printer was used to investigate the effects of ambient temperature and annealing temperature on the microstructure, crystallization behavior and mechanical properties of 3D printed parts. Moreover, the tribological properties of parts printed at different ambient temperature were also studied under various contact pressure. Experimental results showed that the ambient temperature and annealing treatment directly affected the interfacial bonding (fiber/matrix, filament/filament, layer/layer), crystallinity of printed samples, thus affecting their mechanical and tribological properties. The CF/PEEK parts printed at high ambient temperature of 200°C exhibited outstanding mechanical and tribological properties. This study has positive significance for promoting the application of 3D printed PEEK composites in the field of structural load‐bearing and friction materials.

Highlights

Structure–property relationships for 3D printed CF/PEEK composites.

The ambient temperature strongly affects the thermal and microstructural properties

Interaction between crystallization and molecular interface diffusion.

Interfacial bonding and crystallinity determine the mechanical properties.

Tribological properties are highly dependent on applied pressures.
Investigation of microstructural and mechanical properties of weld lines in injection‐molded short glass fiber‐reinforced polyamide 6
Authors: Mokarizadehhaghighishirazi Majid , Buffel Bart , Lomov Stepan V. , Desplentere Frederik
Published: March 2024

This research investigates the impact of weld lines on the mechanical properties and fracture behavior of injection‐molded unfilled and glass fiber‐reinforced polyamide 6 (PA6). The study aims to predict the weld line strength by analyzing the composite's microstructure at the weld line and investigating the influence of injection molding parameters. While weld lines had minimal effects in unfilled PA6 thanks to the matrix's high healing capability, composite samples showed reduced mechanical properties due to unfavorable fiber orientation at the weld line. Fracture surfaces revealed a bell‐shaped structure linked to the ‘underflow’ process caused by flow imbalances during injection molding. This phenomenon impacts fiber orientation at the weld line, affecting mechanical properties. The ‘underflow’ is simulated using Autodesk Moldflow®, predicting enhanced fiber alignment along the flow direction. Regarding processing parameters, both melt and mold temperatures showed negligible impacts, while enhanced mechanical properties were observed at elevated packing pressures. The analysis of fracture surfaces showed intensified “underflow” with increased packing pressure. A relationship is established between weld line strength and fiber orientation at the weld line, potentially serving as a predictive tool for estimating weld line strength.

Highlights

Weld lines in unfilled PA6:Negligible impact on the mechanical properties.

In the PA6 composite: significant drop due to unfavorable fiber orientation.

Fracture behavior of the composite: Bell‐shaped weld line linked to “underflow.”

Melt and mold temperature: minor effect; packing pressure enhances properties.

Correlation established between the weld line strength and fiber orientation.
Integrative leaf anatomy structure, physiology, and metabolome analyses revealed the response to drought stress in sainfoin at the seedling stage
Authors: Yao Yuheng , Nan Lili , Wang Kun , Xia Jing , Ma Biao , Cheng Jiao
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciaefolia) is a vital legume forage, and drought is the primary element impeding sainfoin growth.

Objective

The anatomical structure, physiological indexes, and metabolites of the leaves of sainfoin seedlings with a drought‐resistant line of P1 (DRL) and a drought‐sensitive material of 2049 (DSM) were analyzed under drought (−1.0 MPa) with polyethylene glycol‐6000 (PEG‐6000).

Methods

The leaf anatomy was studied by the paraffin section method. The related physiological indexes were measured by the hydroxylamine oxidation method, titanium sulfate colorimetric method, thiobarbituric acid method, acidic ninhydrin colorimetric method, and Coomassie brilliant blue method. The metabolomics analysis was composed of liquid chromatography tandem high‐resolution mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS).

Results

The results revealed that the thickness of the epidermis, palisade tissue, and sponge tissue of DRL were significantly greater than those of DSM. The leaves of DRL exhibited lower levels of superoxide anion (O2•−) production rate, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content compared with DSM, while proline (Pro) content and soluble protein (SP) content were significantly higher than those of DSM. A total of 391 differential metabolites were identified in two samples. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment showed that the primary differential metabolites were concentrated into the tyrosine metabolism; isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis; ubiquinone and other terpenoid quinone biosynthesis; neomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin biosynthesis; and anthocyanin biosynthesis metabolic pathways.

Conclusion

Compared with DSM, DRL had more complete anatomical structure, lower active oxygen content, and higher antioxidant level. The results improved our insights into the drought‐resistant mechanisms in sainfoin.
Case report of fetus with Lowe syndrome: Expanding the prenatal phenotype
Authors: Burrill Natalie , Khalek Nahla , Oliver Edward R. , Linn Rebecca , Victoria Teresa , Yates Carin , Moldenhauer Julie S.
Published: March 2024

Oculocerebrorenal syndrome (Lowe syndrome) is a rare X‐linked disorder affecting 1/500,000 males that most frequently affects the eyes, central nervous system, and kidneys. Phenotypic presentation includes congenital cataracts, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and Fanconi‐type renal dysfunction. Lowe Syndrome is caused by hemizygous loss of function variants in the OCRL gene. While individuals may live into the third and fourth decade of life, some will die in the first few years of either renal failure or infection. While early diagnosis is important, few cases have documented the prenatal phenotype of this condition, which has included bilateral cataracts and variable neurological abnormalities. We report a case of a family with an extensive history of congenital cataracts, immune compromise, and neonatal death in male members. The fetus was found to have a unilateral cataract, mild ventriculomegaly, vertebral anomalies, and an underlying diagnosis of Lowe Syndrome with a mutation in OCRL at c.2582‐1G>C (IVS23‐1G>C).
Molecular dynamics simulation study of oil slippage on polymer grafted surface: The role of grafting density
Authors: Wang Yong‐Peng , Liu Shule
Published: March 2024

The polymer grafted materials are frequently used in antifouling and oil–water separation, while the microscopic mechanism of liquid slippage on this surface remains unclear. This study uses molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the structure and transport of oil (n‐hexadecane) on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) grafted surface as a function of grafting density. Simulation results indicate that PDMS chain structure undergoes a transition from liquid‐like to solid‐like structure when the grafting density increases. As a result, the entanglement between the PDMS and n‐hexadecane is also weakened. The direct consequence of this structural change is that the slip length of n‐hexadecane shows a non‐monotonic dependence on the grafting density, and a maximum slip length appears at intermediate grafting density. Further analysis indicate that the slip length also increases as the applied shear rate increases, which facilitates the transport of fluid at the grafted surface. These simulation results illustrate the subtle interplay between polymer–alkane interface structure and the transport property of the fluids, which are consistent with recent experimental studies, and will be helpful for rational design of polymer grafted materials in separation technologies.
Zwitterionic ring expansion polymerization of tert‐butyl glycidyl ether with B(C6F5)3 towards the generation of cyclic chains
Authors: Pagnacco Carlo Andrea , Gastearena Xuban , González de San Román Estibaliz , Matxain Jon M. , Barroso‐Bujans Fabienne
Published: March 2024

The synthesis of cyclic polymers via zwitterionic ring expansion polymerization is limited to a few number of monomer and catalyst pairs. Herein we report the synthesis of cyclic poly(tert‐butyl glycidyl ether) through the polymerization of tert‐butyl glycidyl ether (tBGE) with B(C6F5)3 in different reaction conditions that include different solvents, monomer to initiator ratio, monomer concentration and temperature. We found that bimodal molecular weight distribution is formed in almost all reaction conditions caused by cyclization of short chains. Subsequent chain elongation leads to the formation of cycles of higher molecular weight, particularly in cyclohexane and under bulk conditions. The formation of non‐cyclic byproducts is common in all the systems investigated. Low molecular weight cyclic chains (Mn = 0.7 kDa, Ð = 1.1) of high topological purity were successfully isolated by preparative gel permeation chromatography. By using a click scavenging protocol, the non‐cyclic byproducts were eliminated from the high molecular weight fraction (Mn = 3 kDa, Ð = 1.3) generating pure cyclic chains. Mechanistic investigation using density functional theory calculations was performed on the formation of zwitterionic intermediates and the transfer reaction to the monomer, which notably affects chain growth by the attack of the glycidyl oxygen of the monomer on the growing chain.
Effector enrichment by Candidatus Liberibacter promotes Diaphorina citri feeding via Jasmonic acid pathway suppression
Authors: Liu Hao , Deng Bin , Chen Feng‐Hao , Suo Jia‐Qi , Ouyang Ge‐Cheng , Lu Hui‐Lin , Chen Da‐Song , Meng Xiang
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Citrus huanglongbing (HLB) is a devastating disease caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) that affects the citrus industry. In nature, CLas relies primarily on Diaphorina citri Kuwayama as its vector for dissemination. After D. citri ingests CLas‐infected citrus, the pathogen infiltrates the insect's body, where it thrives, reproduces, and exerts regulatory control over the growth and metabolism of D. citri. Previous studies have shown that CLas alters the composition of proteins in the saliva of D. citri, but the functions of these proteins remain largely unknown.

RESULTS

In this study, we detected two proteins (DcitSGP1 and DcitSGP3) with high expression levels in CLas‐infected D. citri. Quantitative PCR and Western blotting analysis showed that the two proteins were highly expressed in the salivary glands and delivered into the host plant during feeding. Silencing the two genes significantly decreased the survival rate for D. citri, reduced phloem nutrition sucking and promoted jasmonic acid (JA) defenses in citrus. By contrast, after overexpressing the two genes in citrus, the expression levels of JA pathway‐associated genes decreased.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that CLas can indirectly suppress the defenses of citrus and support feeding by D. citri via increasing the levels of effectors in the insect's saliva. This discovery facilitates further research into the interaction between insect vectors and pathogens. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Insecticidal action of mammalian galectin‐1‐transfected Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Liao Zhen‐Hao , Shih Hsien‐Tzung , Dong Yaw‐Jen , Tseng Mei‐Jung , Wang Siou‐Hua , Chen Shiang‐Jiuun , Wu Shaw‐Jye , Huang Rong‐Nan
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Galectins (GALs) are a family of mammalian sugar‐binding proteins specific for β‐galactosides. Our previous studies have shown that the larval development of the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is significantly disturbed when fed with recombinant mammalian galectin 1 (GAL1) derived from Escherichia coli. To further explore its applicability, two GAL1‐overexpressed Arabidopsis [GAL1‐Arabidopsis (whole plant) and GAL1‐Arabidopsis‐vas (vascular bundle‐specific)] lines were established for insecticidal activity and mechanism studies.

RESULTS

The expression level of GAL1 in transgenic Arabidopsis is 1–0.5% (GAL1‐Arabidopsis) and 0.08–0.01% (GAL1‐Arabidopsis‐vas) of total leaf soluble protein. Survival, body weight, and food consumption significantly decreased in a time‐dependent manner in P. xylostella larvae (with chewing mouthparts) fed on GAL1‐Arabidopsis. The mortality of Kolla paulula (with piercing‐sucking mouthparts and xylem feeder) fed on GAL1‐Arabidopsis‐vas was also significantly higher than that fed on wild‐type Arabidopsis (WT‐Arabidopsis), but was lower than that fed on GAL1‐Arabidopsis. The histochemical structure and results of immunostaining suggested that the binding of GAL1 to the midgut epithelium of P. xylostella fed on GAL1‐Arabidopsis was dose‐ and time‐dependent. Ultrastructural studies further showed the disruption of microvilli, abnormalities in epithelial cells, and fragments of the peritrophic membrane (PM) in P. xylostella larvae fed on GAL1‐Arabidopsis.

CONCLUSION

The insecticidal mechanism of GAL1 involves interference with PM integrity and suggests that GAL1 is a potential candidate for bioinsecticide development. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Position‐Selective Introduction of Ferromagnetism on the Micro‐ and Nanoscale in a Paramagnetic Thin Palladium Film
Authors: Ström Petter , Vantaraki Christina , Kaur Rajdeep , Tran Tuan T. , Nagy Gyula , Kapaklis Vassilios , Primetzhofer Daniel
Published: March 2024

Postsynthetic, position‐selective addition of properties to materials constitutes a paradigm shifting step in materials engineering. The approach enables creation of material systems inaccessible by equilibrium and near‐equilibrium synthesis and can be applied in novel practical applications as well as fundamental physics studies over a range of length and energy scales. Ion implantation is a versatile, scalable, industry‐compatible tool, enabling the next step in this development. Herein, ion implantation is used to design and functionalize a mesoscopic magnetic architecture. A self‐supporting mask is combined with implantation of 60 keV Fe ions to create an embedded array of ≈8 μm‐wide circular ferromagnetic regions in a Pd film. The approach is contactless, free from surface residues, and requires no focusing or scanning of the beam. Magnetic properties of the array are probed with longitudinal magneto‐optic Kerr effect measurement while varying sample temperature and applied magnetic field. Microstructures are visualized with Kerr microscopy and compared to the Fe distribution measured with microbeam proton‐induced X‐Ray emission. Sample topography after implantation is obtained by atomic force microscopy, while ion beam analysis is used to probe concentration depth profiles of implanted Fe, impurities, and to investigate material mixing.
Time‐to‐event estimands and loss to follow‐up in oncology in light of the estimands guidance
Authors: Siegel Jonathan M. , Weber Hans‐Jochen , Englert Stefan , Liu Feng , Casey Michelle ,   the Pharmaceutical Industry Working Group on Estimands in Oncology
Published: March 2024

Time‐to‐event estimands are central to many oncology clinical trials. The estimands framework (addendum to the ICH E9 guideline) calls for precisely defining the treatment effect of interest to align with the clinical question of interest and requires predefining the handling of intercurrent events (ICEs) that occur after treatment initiation and “affect either the interpretation or the existence of the measurements associated with the clinical question of interest.” We discuss a practical problem in clinical trial design and execution, that is, in some clinical contexts it is not feasible to systematically follow patients to an event of interest. Loss to follow‐up in the presence of intercurrent events can affect the meaning and interpretation of the study results. We provide recommendations for trial design, stressing the need for close alignment of the clinical question of interest and study design, impact on data collection, and other practical implications. When patients cannot be systematically followed, compromise may be necessary to select the best available estimand that can be feasibly estimated under the circumstances. We discuss the use of sensitivity and supplementary analyses to examine assumptions of interest.
Effects of sceptical priors on the performance of adaptive clinical trials with binary outcomes.
Authors: Granholm Anders , Lange Theis , Harhay Michael O. , Perner Anders , Møller Morten Hylander , Kaas‐Hansen Benjamin Skov
Published: March 2024

It is unclear how sceptical priors impact adaptive trials. We assessed the influence of priors expressing a spectrum of scepticism on the performance of several Bayesian, multi‐stage, adaptive clinical trial designs using binary outcomes under different clinical scenarios. Simulations were conducted using fixed stopping rules and stopping rules calibrated to keep type 1 error rates at approximately 5%. We assessed total sample sizes, event rates, event counts, probabilities of conclusiveness and selecting the best arm, root mean squared errors (RMSEs) of the estimated treatment effect in the selected arms, and ideal design percentages (IDPs; which combines arm selection probabilities, power, and consequences of selecting inferior arms), with RMSEs and IDPs estimated in conclusive trials only and after selecting the control arm in inconclusive trials. Using fixed stopping rules, increasingly sceptical priors led to larger sample sizes, more events, higher IDPs in simulations ending in superiority, and lower RMSEs, lower probabilities of conclusiveness/selecting the best arm, and lower IDPs when selecting controls in inconclusive simulations. With calibrated stopping rules, the effects of increased scepticism on sample sizes and event counts were attenuated, and increased scepticism increased the probabilities of conclusiveness/selecting the best arm and IDPs when selecting controls in inconclusive simulations without substantially increasing sample sizes. Results from trial designs with gentle adaptation and non‐informative priors resembled those from designs with more aggressive adaptation using weakly‐to‐moderately sceptical priors. In conclusion, the use of somewhat sceptical priors in adaptive trial designs with binary outcomes seems reasonable when considering multiple performance metrics simultaneously.
Observed patterns of surface solar irradiance under cloudy and clear‐sky conditions
Authors: Mol Wouter , Heusinkveld Bert , Mangan Mary Rose , Hartogensis Oscar , Veerman Menno , van Heerwaarden Chiel
Published: March 2024

Surface solar irradiance varies on scales as small as seconds or metres. This variability is driven mostly by wavelength‐dependent scattering by clouds, and to a lesser extent by aerosols and water vapour. The highly variable nature of solar irradiance is not resolved by most atmospheric models, yet it affects, most notably, the land–atmosphere coupling and the quality of solar energy forecasting. Characterising variability, understanding the mechanisms, and developing models capable of resolving it accurately requires spatially and spectrally resolved observational datasets of solar irradiance at high resolution, which are rare. In 2021, we deployed a network of low‐cost radiometers in the Field Experiment on submesoscale spatio‐temporal variability in Lindenberg (FESSTVaL, Germany) and Land surface Interactions with the Atmosphere over the Iberian Semi‐arid Environment (LIAISE, Spain) field campaigns to gather data on cloud‐driven surface patterns of irradiance, including spectral effects, with the aim of addressing this gap in observations and understanding. We find in case studies of cumulus, altocumulus, and cirrus clouds that these clouds generate large spatiotemporal variability in irradiance, but through different mechanisms and at different spatial scales, ranging from 50 m to 30 km. Spectral irradiance in the visible range varies at similar scales, with significant blue enrichment in cloud shadows, most strongly for cumulus, and red enrichment in irradiance peaks, particularly in the case of semitransparent clouds or near cumulus cloud edges. Under clear‐sky conditions, solar irradiance varies significantly in water‐vapour absorption bands at the minute scale, due to variability in atmospheric moisture in the boundary layer. With this study, we show that observing detailed spatiotemporal irradiance patterns is possible using a relatively small, low‐cost sensor network, and that such network observations can provide insight and validation for the development of models capable of resolving irradiance variability.
Validity and reliability of Sarcopenia Quality of Life® Indonesia questionnaire in sarcopenic patients
Authors: Ariane Anna , Laksmi Purwita W. , Setiati Siti , Hidayat Rudy , Kusumo‐Wibowo Suryo Anggoro , Sumariyono  , Mahri Fadhli , Tanadi Caroline , Beaudart Charlotte
Published: March 2024

Background

Sarcopenia significantly impairs quality of life (QoL). The Sarcopenia Quality of Life® (SarQol®) questionnaire provides a sarcopenia‐specific instrument for the assessment of QoL. The aim of this study was to cross‐culturally adapt the SarQol® to an Indonesian language questionnaire and to confirm its validity and reliability as a tool to measure QoL in Indonesian‐speaking elderly patients with sarcopenia.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study translated and cross‐culturally adapted the SarQol® questionnaire, followed by evaluating the psychometric properties of the final cross‐culturally adapted SarQol® Indonesia questionnaire.

Results

Fifty‐nine elderly Indonesian subjects (29 sarcopenic and 30 nonsarcopenic) with a mean age of 72.2 ± 6.3 years were included in this study. SarQol® Indonesia questionnaire overall provides a good discriminative value [60.61 ± 14.34 vs. 73.60 ± 13.17, p = 0.001], good internal consistency (Cronbach's ⍺ coefficient = 0.896 and McDonald's ⍵ coefficient = 0.906, both with good correlation to the questionnaire individual domains), acceptable construct validity, and good test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.962 [95% confidence interval: 0.883–0.987]).

Conclusions

The SarQol® Indonesia questionnaire provides a conceptual and literally equivalent questionnaire content to its original source with good discriminative value, good internal consistency, acceptable construct validity, and good test–retest reliability. The SarQol® Indonesia questionnaire is ready to be used to measure QoL in Indonesian elderly sarcopenic individuals.
Bank erosion and erosion processes from dendrogeomorphology in southern U.S. prairie streams
Authors: White Joseph D. , Allen Peter M. , Norair Stephen G. , Barber Samuel T. , Dunbar John , Gao Jungang
Published: March 2024

Streambank erosion processes influence the amount of soil material contributed to rivers and sedimentation rates in receiving reservoirs. However, the amount of data on bank erosion rates is limited both in range and extent affecting planning for mitigation and watershed management. Dendrogeomorphology is used to determine the date of wood anatomy changes in annual growth increments of roots exposed by erosion of stream banks that when coupled with measurement of the distance of roots to the channel side can be used to calculate the bank retreat rate. Erosion rates derived from dendrogeomorphology are important because these provide erosion data over longer time scales (decades). Here, we use this method to quantify erosion for three different sized watersheds (4 to 3781 km2) located in the water‐scarce southern U.S. prairies that are heavily reliant on surface water and reservoir storage. From 49 roots from the two smaller drainages, erosion ranged from 1.5 to 25.4. For 19 roots collected from the larger subbasin erosion rates were larger ranging from 7.4 to 325.0 cm/years with the larger values and variance associated with two high‐flow events that occurred a year before sampling. We also found differences in straight and meandering portions of the streams where the distance to bank was strongly and positively correlated with the years since root exposure in straight sections. In contrast, meandering bends also showed a positive but low correlation for root exposure date and distance collected. We attribute this difference to erosional processes (i.e., scour and mass wasting) occurring at these channel locations. When compared with other erosion studies across the southern U.S. prairie, our values were similar in magnitude but with low correlation to drainage area indicating site specificity of erosion mechanisms, and watershed landcover influence for different drainages, despite being in the same ecological region.
Spring forth diversity: Specialist species contribute to the conservation value of headwater springs and streams at the landscape scale
Authors: Kabir Jamal , Biondi Giulio , Gething Kieran J. , Aspin Thomas , Sykes Tim , Stubbington Rachel
Published: March 2024

Headwater springs and streams often occur in relatively remote areas, reducing their exposure to human influences and thus increasing their collective capacity to support high biodiversity. Their aquatic macroinvertebrate communities can include species of conservation interest, some of which are specialists associated with groundwater inputs, low water temperature or temporary flow. However, the inaccessibility of some spring and stream networks has left their communities poorly characterized, limiting our capacity to implement effective conservation strategies. We characterized the biodiversity and conservation value of macroinvertebrate communities in a network of 51 relatively inaccessible and unimpacted headwater spring and stream sites spanning multiple catchments in a single landscape type: the chalk downland of south England. At each site, we kick sampled macroinvertebrate communities and recorded environmental variables, including flow permanence. To represent each community, we calculated taxa richness, coverage‐adjusted Hill‐Shannon diversity, the local contribution to beta diversity, and an index of richness and species rarity. We used the latter three metrics to rank sites based on their biodiversity and conservation value and analyzed relationships between metrics and environmental variables. We found specialists of springs, cold waters, groundwaters and temporary flow regimes, including rare species of conservation value. Some metrics responded to environmental variables, but top‐ranking sites had highly variable environmental characteristics. We highlight the value of individual headwater streams with contrasting characteristics as contributors to ecologically heterogeneous site networks. Our results can inform landscape‐scale management strategies that protect headwaters as refuges that support biodiverse communities, including rare species, as they adapt to global change.
Navigating sustainability: Unveiling the interconnected dynamics of ESG factors and SDGs in BRICS‐11
Authors: Işık Cem , Ongan Serdar , Islam Hasibul , Pinzon Stefania , Jabeen Gul
Published: March 2024

In this study, we investigate the impacts of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) factors on sustainable development goals (SDGs) for BRICS‐11 countries. The AMG, FMOLS, DOLS, and ARDL models are applied. While we found negative impacts of environmental factors (ENVf) on SDGs for Argentina, Ethiopia, and China, we found positive impacts of social factors (SOCf) on SDGs for South Africa and Argentina. Additionally, while we found positive impacts of governance factors (GOVNf) on SDGs for Ethiopia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, we found negative impacts for the United Arab Emirates. No significant relationships were found between ENVf, SOCf, and GOVNf on SDGs for Brazil, Russia, India, and Egypt. These findings highlight the nuanced impacts of ESG factors on SDGs, providing valuable insights for policymakers and emphasizing the need for country‐specific sustainable development strategies. The negative environmental impact on SDGs in Argentina, Ethiopia, and China suggests that environmental degradation may hinder sustainable development, underscoring the importance of balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability. This result can also be interpreted through the Pollution Haven Hypothesis, which posits that developing countries may attract more foreign investments in pollution‐intensive industries due to their less stringent environmental regulations.
Impacts of emission trading scheme in Vietnam: A perspective of revenue redistributions
Authors: Nguyen Phuong Thao
Published: March 2024

With ambitious emission reduction targets presented in the international commitments, Vietnam has a pathway to implement an emission trading scheme (ETS) to curb its carbon emissions. However, research on the impacts of ETS in Vietnam is still unclear, especially since there is no study on ETS revenue redistribution policies. By developing a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, this paper simulates the potential impacts of the ETS with different revenue redistribution options. The results indicate that to achieve Vietnam's target of 15.8% carbon emission reduction, the carbon price would significantly affect the economy with a GDP drop of 3.7% and a welfare loss of 2.89% of GDP. The revenue redistribution policies would lighten these negative impacts. While transferring to government activities reduces GDP loss, reducing income tax policy results in welfare improvement. At the sectoral level, the electricity sector is most negatively affected and also plays a key role in reducing carbon emissions in Vietnam. The revenue redistribution for government activities could improve outputs for the construction and some heavy industries while the revenue redistribution policy for households creates improvements for light industries and the electricity industry.
Information‐incorporated sparse hierarchical cancer heterogeneity analysis
Authors: Han Wei , Zhang Sanguo , Ma Shuangge , Ren Mingyang
Published: March 2024

Cancer heterogeneity analysis is essential for precision medicine. Most of the existing heterogeneity analyses only consider a single type of data and ignore the possible sparsity of important features. In cancer clinical practice, it has been suggested that two types of data, pathological imaging and omics data, are commonly collected and can produce hierarchical heterogeneous structures, in which the refined sub‐subgroup structure determined by omics features can be nested in the rough subgroup structure determined by the imaging features. Moreover, sparsity pursuit has extraordinary significance and is more challenging for heterogeneity analysis, because the important features may not be the same in different subgroups, which is ignored by the existing heterogeneity analyses. Fortunately, rich information from previous literature (for example, those deposited in PubMed) can be used to assist feature selection in the present study. Advancing from the existing analyses, in this study, we propose a novel sparse hierarchical heterogeneity analysis framework, which can integrate two types of features and incorporate prior knowledge to improve feature selection. The proposed approach has satisfactory statistical properties and competitive numerical performance. A TCGA real data analysis demonstrates the practical value of our approach in analyzing data heterogeneity and sparsity.
High Performance Proprioceptive Fiber Actuators Based on Ag Nanoparticles‐Incorporated Hybrid Twisted and Coiled System
Authors: Noh Seungbeom , Kim Jinho , Kim Hwajoong , Lee Muguen , Kim Namjung , Ryu Hyeji , Lee Jaehong
Published: March 2024

Thermally driven fiber actuators are emerging as promising tools for a range of robotic applications, encompassing soft and wearable robots, muscle function restoration, assistive systems, and physical augmentation. Yet, to realize their full potential in practical applications, several challenges, such as a high operational temperature, incorporation of intrinsic self‐sensing capabilities for closed‐loop feedback control, and reliance on bulky, intricate actuation systems, must be addressed. Here, an Ag nanoparticles‐based twisted and coiled fiber actuator that achieves a high contractile actuation of ≈36% is reported at a considerably low operational temperature of ≈83 °C based on a synergistic effect of constituent fiber elements with low glass transition temperatures. The fiber actuator can monitor its contractile actuation in real‐time based on the piezoresistive properties inherent to its Ag‐based conductive region, demonstrating its proprioceptive sensing capability. By exploiting this capability, the proprioceptive fiber actuator adeptly maintains its intended contractile behavior, even when faced with unplanned external disturbances. To demonstrate the capabilities of the fiber actuator, this study integrates it into a closed‐loop feedback‐controlled bionic arm as an artificial muscle, offering fresh perspectives on the future development of intelligent wearable devices and soft robotic systems.
Electron Redistribution of Ru Site on MoO2@NiMoO4 Support for Efficient Ampere‐Level Current Density Electrolysis of Alkaline Seawater
Authors: Wang Lin , Chen Yue , Liu Yingnan , Dai Qizhou , Chen Zhengfei , Yang Xiaoxuan , Luo Yansong , Li Zhongjian , Yang Bin , Zheng Menglian , Lei Lecheng , Hou Yang
Published: March 2024

Seawater electrolysis is a promising but challenging strategy to generate carbon‐neutral hydrogen. A grand challenge for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from alkaline seawater electrolysis is the development of efficient and stable electrocatalysts to overcome the limitation of sluggish kinetics. Here, a 3D nanorod hybrid catalyst is reported, which comprises heterostructure MoO2@NiMoO4 supported Ru nanoparticles (Ru/ MoO2@NiMoO4) with a size of ≈5 nm. Benefitting from the effect of strongly coupled interaction, Ru/MoO2@NiMoO4 catalyst exhibits a remarkable alkaline seawater hydrogen evolution performance, featured by a low overpotential of 184 mV at a current density of 1.0 A cm−2, superior to commercial Pt/C (338 mV). Experimental observations demonstrate that the heterostructure MoO2@NiMoO4 as an electron‐accepting support makes the electron transfer from the Ru nanoparticles to MoO2, and thereby implements the electron redistribution of Ru site. Mechanistic analysis elucidates that the electron redistribution of active Ru site enhances the ability of hydrogen desorption, thereby promoting alkaline seawater HER kinetics and finally leading to a satisfactory catalysis performance at ampere‐level current density of alkaline seawater electrolysis.
Needlestick‐Stimulation‐Induced Conversion of Short‐Wave Infrared‐Light Transparency Using a Liquescent Radical Anion
Authors: Shu Ruifeng , Naota Takeshi , Suzuki Shuichi
Published: March 2024

A liquescent salt consisting of a 7,7,8,8‐tetracyanquinodimethane (TCNQ) radical anion and a tetra‐n‐decylammonium ion, 1+•TCNQ•−, exhibits rapid changes in the short‐wave infrared (SWIR) light transparency at 1000–1400 nm upon the application of a one‐shot needlestick‐stimulus. Radical anion salt 1+•TCNQ•− transforms from a blue solid to a green liquid at 90 °C without decomposition under aerated conditions, and remains in the liquid state upon cooling to 70 °C. After applying pressure with a needlestick on a cover glass at 70 °C, the liquid transforms rapidly into the solid state over a timescale of seconds across a centimeter scale of area. Along with the liquid–solid transition, the SWIR‐light transparency at 1200 nm completely switches from the “on” to the “off” states. Experimental results, such as electronic spectra and crystal structure analysis, indicates that the SWIR‐light absorption in the solid state is due to the existence of a slipped‐stacking π‐dimer structure for TCNQ•−. The rapid rearrangement is induced by the formation of the π‐dimer structures from the monomers of TCNQ•− and the subsequent generations of the solid‐state seed.
Effective Interfacing of Surface Homojunctions on Chemically Identical g‐C3N4 for Efficient Visible‐Light Photocatalysis without Sacrificial Agents
Authors: Das Sankar , Ng Li Shiuan , Chong Carice , Pereira Veronica , Li Haitao , Lee Chi‐Lik Ken , Lee Hiang Kwee
Published: March 2024

Developing efficient homojunctions on g‐C3N4 promises metal‐free photocatalysis to realize truly sustainable artificial photosynthesis. However, current designs are limited by hindered charge separation due to inevitable grain boundaries and random formation of ineffective homojunctions embedded within the photocatalyst. Here, efficient photocatalysis is driven by introducing effective surface homojunctions on chemically and structurally identical g‐C3N4 through leveraging its size‐dependent electronic properties. Using a top‐down approach, the surface layer of bulk g‐C3N4 is partially exfoliated to create sheet‐like g‐C3N4 nanostructures on the bulk material. This hierarchical design establishes a subtle band energy offset between the macroscopic and nanoscopic g‐C3N4, generating homojunctions while maintaining the chemical and structural integrities of the original g‐C3N4. The optimized g‐C3N4 homojunction demonstrates superior photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic pollutants at >96% efficiency in 2 h, even in different real water samples. It achieves reaction kinetics (≈0.041 min−1) up to fourfold better than standalone materials and their physical mixture. Mechanistic studies highlight the importance of the unique design in boosting photocatalysis by effectively promoting interfacial photocarrier manipulation and utilization directly at the point‐of‐catalysis, without needing co‐catalysts or sacrificial agents. This work presents enormous opportunities for developing advanced and green photocatalytic platforms for sustainable light‐driven environmental, energy, and chemical applications.
Automatic ROI Selection with a Reliability Evaluation Method for Cirrhosis Detection Using Ultrasound Images
Authors: Nakata Kazuma , Fujita Yusuke , Mitani Yoshihiro , Hamamoto Yoshihiko , Segawa Makoto , Terai Shuji , Sakaida Isao
Published: March 2024

Cirrhosis is a liver disease resulting from abnormal continuation of fibrosis, and ultrasound imaging is widely used for cirrhosis diagnosis because of its non‐invasiveness. However, due to unclear appearances of cirrhosis on ultrasound images, diagnoses are difficult and individual results possibly differ depending on the physician's experience. Recently, computer‐aided diagnostic systems using image processing and machine learning have been developed to help physicians detect cirrhosis as a ‘Second opinion’. Some related studies have focused on a scenario where physicians set ROIs (Region of Interests) manually because selecting reliable ROIs for training a classifier and classification of patients is indispensable. But, the accuracy of such systems depends inherently on the quality of ROIs, and thus the workloads of physicians increase. In this paper, we propose a reliability evaluation method (REM) for each ROI based on its posterior probability and relationship to peripheral ROIs. The assumption of our proposal is that reliable regions of cirrhosis and normal can be observed in certain regions predominantly. We evaluated the effectiveness of the REM and its optimization for practical use. Experimental results showed that our proposed method curated reliable ROIs and improved classification performance in terms of AUC (Area Under the Curve). © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Selecting a Literacy Intervention and Planning for Implementation: A Guide
Authors: Whittingham Colleen E. , Pilonieta Paola , Washburn Erin K.
Published: March 2024

Evidence‐based core instruction partnered with evidence‐based supplemental interventions are vital for students' literacy learning, particularly for students who need additional support (Petscher et al., 2020). Identifying instructional materials that reflect the translation of effective practices is challenging, (Solari et al., 2020) and made trickier by an abundance of commercialized and packaged literacy curricula, all claiming to be research‐ or evidence‐based. The tasks of finding, selecting, and implementing literacy interventions that are high‐quality, evidence‐based, and designed to meet the needs of students is not for the faint of heart, especially because school leaders often have difficulty distinguishing programs based on research evidence from those benefiting from good marketing (Schwartz, 2019). Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide school personnel responsible for implementing literacy interventions (i.e., classroom teachers, literacy specialists, special educators) and/or selecting literacy intervention programs (i.e., administrators, instructional coaches) with a step‐by‐step process informed by our study which surveyed North Carolina first grade teachers' literacy assessment and instruction practices in schools receiving Title I funding before and during the COVID pandemic.
Strengthening Students' Reading Motivation and Engagement with C.A.R.E.
Authors: Zygouris‐Coe Vassiliki
Published: March 2024

Over the past two years, as a professor of reading education, I have listened to, collaborated, and met with various PreK–12 educators virtually and in person. I collected questions, comments, successes, and challenges related to the ongoing transitions and demands of this post‐pandemic era on teachers, students, and parents. The topics of student motivation to read and engagement in reading remain among the top two areas of need and support for educators. In this article, I present a short summary of research on reading motivation and engagement followed by sample research‐based recommendations for strengthening students' reading motivation and engagement in today's learning environments and resources to support your instructional decisions.
Matching or Clashing? Teachers Analyzing Picturebooks Using an Equity‐Focused Text Analysis Tool
Authors: Lucero Audrey
Published: March 2024

As of May 2022, 42 state legislatures had introduced bills that would limit how (and whether) teachers can address inequities based on race, gender, and other marginalized identities. At the same time, book bans are becoming increasingly common across the country. Given the importance of providing children opportunities to critically engage with texts from a variety of perspectives and representing a diversity of experiences, teachers should use picturebooks to facilitate critical discussions with children as young as kindergarten. This study reports findings from an activity in which K‐8 in‐service teachers used an equity‐focused text analysis tool to critically analyze the picturebook Marisol McDonald doesn't match/Marisol McDonald no combina. I conducted thematic analysis on a key component of critical literacy teachers addressed—identifying stereotypes the author and illustrator both disrupt and perpetuate in this book. This work helps us understand how teachers themselves learn to engage in critical analysis of picturebooks.