bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Fear of Recurrence in Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Riggauer Julia , Blaser Daniela , Elicin Olgun , Gahl Brigitta , Giger Roland , Mueller Simon Andreas
Published: August 2022

Objective

Fear of recurrence (FoR) affects the quality of life of head and neck cancer survivors. Identification of factors predisposing to FoR may help to recognize and treat patients at risk.

Materials and Methods

For this exploratory study, 101 disease‐free head and neck cancer survivors completed a cross‐sectional survey in 2017 that included the FoR questionnaire at a random point in time during their follow‐up. Additionally, the patients were asked to choose their favorite among four follow‐up schedules with or without systematic imaging and varying frequency of visits.

Results

Elevated FoR was present in 36.6% of patients. Females and patients ≤65 years showed significantly higher FoR overall scores than males (score difference 3.40; CI 0.49–6.32; p = 0.022) and patients >65 years (score difference 4.25; CI 1.58–6.92; p = 0.002). A history of cancer recurrence or second primary malignancy increased the relative risk (RR) for elevated FoR (RR 1.7; CI 1.01–2.86; p = 0.046). Tumor stage and treatment modality were not significantly associated with elevated FoR or FoR overall score. Higher FoR overall scores were recorded in patients who favored intensive follow‐up plans (mean overall FoR score 18 vs. 15; SD 7.7; p = 0.076) and systematic imaging in follow‐up (17 vs. 13, SD 7.1; p = 0.034).

Conclusion

Fear of recurrence in head and neck cancer patients is associated with female sex, younger age, and history of a past recurrence or second primary malignancy. Due to its high prevalence, it should be addressed in clinical practice and future research.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 133:1630–1637, 2023
Retrograde Cricopharyngeus Dysfunction: The Jefferson Experience
Authors: Siddiqui Sana H. , Sagalow Emily S. , Fiorella Michele A. , Jain Nikhita , Spiegel Joseph R.
Published: August 2022

Objectives

To describe our center's experience with the identification and treatment of retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R‐CPD), a syndrome involving the inability to belch previously described by only one institution. Additionally, because all patients initially learned of their condition and sought treatment as a result of social media posts, we queried their source and comfort with this form of medical referral.

Methods

Retrospective chart review of patients who underwent botulism toxin injection into the cricopharyngeus muscle for treatment of R‐CPD from 2019 to 2022. Demographic data, most common symptoms at presentation, and response to treatment and complications were documented. Post‐treatment questionnaires were reviewed.

Results

A total of 85 patients were identified. Mean age at surgery was 27 years. There were 54 (63.5%) females and 31 (36.5%) males. The inability to burp (98.8%), bloating (92.9%), gurgling noises (31.8%), and excessive flatulence (21.2%) were the most common symptoms. The minimum units of botox utilized were 25, whereas the maximum was 100. The majority of patients (88.2%) had a successful response at initial follow‐up visit. The most common complication was mild dysphagia (30.6%), which was transient for all patients. Most patients learned of our practice through social media, with only one patient being referred by a medical provider.

Conclusions

The majority of patients in our cohort were young and female. The inability to burp and bloating were the most common presenting symptoms. Social media was the primary source of referral. Our institution favors 80–100 units for an effective response. Laryngoscope, 133:1081–1085, 2023
Geographic Distribution of Otolaryngology Training Programs and Potential Opportunities for Strategic Program Growth
Authors: Smith Drew H. , Case Hannah F. , Quereshy Humzah A. , Mecham Jeffrey C. , Bowe Sarah N. , Carlson Matthew L. , Cordero Joehassin
Published: August 2022

Objective

To characterize the geographic distribution of US otolaryngology residents based on geographical population density to determine current status and identify potential opportunities for otolaryngology residency program expansion.

Methods

The locoregional population of otolaryngology residency programs was analyzed (as defined by the US Census) and the number of resident trainees per 100,000 people in each region was calculated. Otolaryngology residency program location was determined by mailing address, and program size was determined by AAMC public data.

Results

The average metropolitan city in the United States contained 2.07 otolaryngology trainees per 100,000 people. Cities with low trainee numbers per population included Phoenix, AZ (0.20 trainees per 100,000 people); Las Vegas, NV (0.26 per 100,000); Dallas, TX (0.26 per 100,000), Atlanta, GA (0.33 per 100,000); and Miami, FL (0.34 per 100,000). Comparing otolaryngology to other surgical subspecialties demonstrated similar distributions. Metropolitan centers with a population over 1 million without full academic representation in otolaryngology were also identified and included Charlotte, NC; Orlando, FL; Austin, TX; Providence, RI; Jacksonville, FL; Raleigh, NC; and Grand Rapids, MI.

Conclusion

Strategic residency training program expansion should be considered in cities that exhibit a low trainee to population ratio. Although many factors ultimately determine program expansion or development of new training programs, this study provides substantiated population data describing where expansion could be prioritized.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 133:1600–1605, 2023
Early experiences with developing techniques for pure laparoscopic explant hepatectomy in living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Kim Jane Chungyoon , Hong Suk Kyun , Lee Kwang‐Woong , Lee Sola , Suh Sanggyun , Hong Su young , Han Eui Soo , Choi YoungRok , Yi Nam‐Joon , Suh Kyung‐Suk
Published: August 2022

In recent years, laparoscopic techniques for liver resection or living donor hepatectomy have become common surgical methods. However, reports on laparoscopic surgeries for recipients are lacking. Our center has launched the minimally invasive living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) program in March 2020, which is led by two surgeons who are experienced in laparoscopic surgeries. Recently, we reported our first successful pure laparoscopic recipient explant hepatectomy and the first laparoscopic explant hepatectomy and robotic‐assisted graft implantation. In this article, we introduce a series of minimally invasive surgical cases that were conducted by a single experienced surgeon to share our early experiences leading to our recent successes. We included 10 cases performed from June 2020 to May 2021 in our initial attempt at laparoscopic explant hepatectomy, graft implantation using midline incision, and robotic‐assisted graft implantation surgery. The first four cases required open conversion during the liver mobilization process because of bleeding. The next two cases required open conversion to facilitate portal vein and hepatic artery division. We successfully performed pure laparoscopic explant hepatectomy in the last four cases. For the last case, we attempted to perform graft implantation using a robotic system, but bleeding required open conversion. All patients recovered without any significant acute postoperative problems and were discharged within 2 weeks. All 10 patients were followed up at outpatient clinics, and only one of the 10 patients had a late complication of LDLT. This study has shown that the minimally invasive approach in LDLT may be conducted safely without significant complications if it is performed by highly experienced surgeons working in high‐volume centers.
Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites with Enhanced Interfacial Properties Based on Electrostatic Assembled FGO / Oxidized CF
Authors: Tian Jinfeng , Sun Tong , Qiu Baowei , Zhang Xueqin , Xia Shuang , Chen Yang , Zou Huawei , Liang Mei
Published: August 2022

Interfacial properties play a critical role in the performance of carbon fiber‐reinforced composites (CFRPs). However, poor interfacial interactions between carbon fiber (CF) and polymer matrix often limit the performance improvement of CFRPs. In the present work, ethylenediamine functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) and oxidized‐carbon fiber (oxidized‐CF) are applied to prepare CFRPs through electrostatic self‐assembly. Results of Raman, TGA, SEM, and dynamic contact angle analyses confirm that FGO nanosheets are tightly bonded onto the oxidized‐CF surface. DMA results show a small increase of Tg of the oxidized‐CF‐FGO composites, as well as a great increment of energy storage modulus (E') compared to that of the untreated CF composites, which indicates an enhancement of interfacial properties. More importantly, the interfacial shear strength shows a great improvement of 30.4%, reaching 58.7 MPa. The interfacial enhancement mechanisms are further discussed based on the microstructure and performance evaluation results.
TRAX Provides Neuroprotection for Huntington's Disease Via Modulating a Novel Subset of MicroRNAs
Authors: Weng Yu‐Ting , Chen Hui‐Mei , Chien Ting , Chiu Feng‐Lan , Kuo Hung‐Chih , Chern Yijuang
Published: August 2022

Background

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG‐repeat expansions (>36) in exon 1 of HTT, which dysregulates multiple cellular machineries. Translin‐associated protein X (TRAX) is a scaffold protein with diverse functions, including suppressing the microRNA (miRNA)‐mediated silencing by degrading pre‐miRNA. To date, the role of TRAX in neurodegenerative diseases remains unknown.

Objectives

We delineated the role of TRAX upregulation during HD progression.

Methods

Expression of TRAX in the brains of humans and three mouse models with HD were analyzed by immunohistochemistry staining, western blot, and quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Adeno‐associated viruses harboring TRAX short hairpin RNA were intrastriatally injected into HD mice to downregulate TRAX. HD‐like symptoms were analyzed by behavioral and biochemical assessments. The miRNA‐sequencing and RNA‐sequencing analyses were used to identify the TRAX‐ regulated miRNA‐messenger RNA (mRNA) axis during HD progression. The identified gene targets were validated biochemically in mouse and human striatal cells.

Results

We discovered that TRAX was upregulated in the brains of HD patients and three HD mouse models. Downregulation of TRAX enhanced 83 miRNAs (including miR‐330‐3p, miR‐496a‐3p) and subsequently changed the corresponding mRNA networks critical for HD pathogenesis (eg, DARPP‐32 and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor). Disruption of the TRAX‐mediated miRNA‐mRNA axis accelerated the progression of HD‐like symptoms, including the degeneration of motor function, accumulation of mHTT aggregates, and shortened neurite outgrowth.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that TRAX upregulation is authentic and protective in HD. Our study provides a novel layer of regulation for HD pathogenesis and may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies for HD. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Stereotyped Relationship Between Motor and Cognitive Metabolic Networks in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Rus Tomaž , Schindlbeck Katharina A. , Tang Chris C. , Vo An , Dhawan Vijay , Trošt Maja , Eidelberg David
Published: August 2022

Background

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD) is associated with two distinct brain networks, PD‐related pattern (PDRP) and PD‐related cognitive pattern (PDCP), which correlate respectively with motor and cognitive symptoms. The relationship between the two networks in individual patients is unclear.

Objective

To determine whether a consistent relationship exists between these networks, we measured the difference between PDRP and PDCP expression, termed delta, on an individual basis in independent populations of patients with iPD (n = 356), patients with idiopathic REM sleep behavioral disorder (iRBD) (n = 21), patients with genotypic PD (gPD) carrying GBA1 variants (n = 12) or the LRRK2‐G2019S mutation (n = 14), patients with atypical parkinsonian syndromes (n = 238), and healthy control subjects (n = 95) from the United States, Slovenia, India, and South Korea.

Methods

We used [18F]‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and resting‐state fMRI to quantify delta and to compare the measure across samples; changes in delta over time were likewise assessed in longitudinal patient samples. Lastly, we evaluated delta in prodromal individuals with iRBD and subjects with gPD.

Results

Delta was abnormally elevated in each of the four iPD samples (P < 0.05), as well as in the at‐risk iRBD group (P < 0.05), with increasing values over time (P < 0.001). PDRP predominance was also present in gPD, with higher values in patients with GBA1 variants compared with the less aggressive LRRK2‐G2019S mutation (P = 0.005). This trend was not observed in patients with atypical parkinsonian syndromes, who were accurately discriminated from iPD based on PDRP expression and delta (area under the curve = 0.85; P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

PDRP predominance, quantified by delta, assays the spread of dysfunction from motor to cognitive networks in patients with PD. Delta may therefore aid in differential diagnosis and in tracking disease progression in individual patients. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
An incremental registration method for endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery navigation: From phantom study to clinical trials
Authors: Li Wenjie , Fan Jingfan , Li Shaowen , Zheng Zhao , Tian Zhaorui , Ai Danni , Song Hong , Chen Xiaohong , Yang Jian
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Surface‐based image‐to‐patient registration in current surgical navigation is mainly achieved by a 3D scanner, which has several limitations in clinical practice such as uncontrollable scanning range, complicated operation, and even high failure rate. An accurate, robust, and easy‐to‐perform image‐to‐patient registration method is urgently required.

Methods

An incremental point cloud registration method was proposed for surface‐based image‐to‐patient registration. The point cloud in image space was extracted from the computed tomography (CT) image, and a template matching method was applied to remove the redundant points. The corresponding point cloud in patient space was incrementally collected by an optically tracked pointer, while the nearest point distance (NPD) constraint was applied to ensure the uniformity of the collected points. A coarse‐to‐fine registration method under the constraints of coverage ratio (CR) and outliers ratio (OR) was then proposed to obtain the optimal rigid transformation from image to patient space. The proposed method was integrated in the recently developed endoscopic navigation system, and phantom study and clinical trials were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed method.

Results

The results of the phantom study revealed that the proposed constraints greatly improved the accuracy and robustness of registration. The comparative experimental results revealed that the proposed registration method significantly outperform the scanner‐based method, and achieved comparable accuracy to the fiducial‐based method. In the clinical trials, the average registration duration was 1.24 ± 0.43 min, the target registration error (TRE) of 294 marker points (59 patients) was 1.25 ± 0.40 mm, and the lower 97.5% confidence limit of the success rate of positioning marker points exceeds the expected value (97.56% vs. 95.00%), revealed that the accuracy of the proposed method significantly met the clinical requirements (TRE ⩽ 2 mm, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The proposed method has both the advantages of high accuracy and convenience, which were absent in the scanner‐based method and the fiducial‐based method. Our findings will help improve the quality of endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery.
Cross‐cultural equivalence of parental ratings of child difficulties during the pandemic: Findings from a six‐site study
Authors: Foley Sarah , Ronchi Luca , Lecce Serena , Feng Xin , Chan Meingold H. M. , Hughes Claire
Published: August 2022

Objectives

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) has been shown to be invariant across informants, developmental stage and settings, but tests of cross‐cultural equivalence are limited to adolescents' self‐reports. The COVID‐19 pandemic makes this gap particularly pertinent, given the need to understand whether distinct government approaches (e.g., school closures) are uniquely associated with variability in children's psychosocial outcomes and the reliance on parents' ratings for young children.

Methods

Within a Confirmatory Factor Analysis framework, we tested the cross‐cultural measurement invariance of the SDQ across six countries: Australia, China, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and USA, using a sample of 1761 parents of 3‐ to 8‐year‐olds (M = 5.76, SD = 1.09).

Results

A five‐factors model showed good fit to the data and partial cross‐cultural scalar invariance. In this sample, Swedish parents reported the fewest peer problems (Cohen's d = 0.950) and the highest prosocial scores (Cohen's d = 0.547), whilst British parents reported the greatest child emotional (Cohen's d = 0.412) and hyperactivity problems (Cohen's d = 0.535).

Conclusions

The present results indicate that the parent‐version of the SDQ is appropriate for use and comparison across different contexts during the pandemic.
Evaluating Zn‐Porphyrin‐Based Near‐IR‐Sensitive Non‐Fullerene Acceptors for Efficient Panchromatic Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Khan Muhammad Usman , Imran. Muhammad , Rehman Muhammad Fayyaz ur , Assiri Mohammed A. , Mashhadi Syed Muddassir Ali , Akram Muhammad Safwan , Lu Changrui
Published: August 2022

Porphyrin‐based non‐fullerene acceptors (NFAs) have shown pronounced potential for assembling low‐bandgap materials with near‐infrared (NIR) characteristics. Herein, panchromatic‐type porphyrin‐based molecules (POR1–POR5) are proposed by modulating end‐capped acceptors of a highly efficient porphyrin‐based NFA PORTFIC(POR) for organic solar cells (OSCs). Quantum chemical structure‐property relationship has been studied to discover photovoltaic and optoelectronic characteristics of POR1–POR5. Results show that optoelectronic properties of the POR1–POR5 are better in all aspects when compared with the reference POR. All proposed NFAs particularly POR5 proved to be the preferable porphyrin‐based NIR sensitive NFA for OSCs applications owing to lower energy gap (1.56 eV), transition energy (1.11 eV), binding energy (Eb=0.986 eV), electron mobility (λe=0.007013Eh), hole mobility (λh=0.004686 Eh), high λmax=1116.27 nm and open‐circuit voltage (Voc=1.96 V) values in contrast to the reference POR and other proposed NFAs. This quantum chemical insight provides sufficient evidence about excellent potential of the proposed porphyrin‐based NIR sensitive NFA derivatives for their use in OSCs.
Separation methods for system‐wide profiling of protein terminome
Authors: Wang Rui , Wang Zhongjie , Lu Haojie
Published: August 2022

Protein N‐ and C‐termini have specific biochemical properties and functions. They play vital roles in various biological processes, such as protein stability and localization. In addition, post‐translational modifications and proteolytic processing generate different proteoforms at protein termini. In recent years, terminomics has attracted significant attention, and numerous strategies have been developed to achieve high‐throughput and global terminomics analysis. This review summarizes the recent protein N‐termini and C‐termini enrichment methods and their application in different samples. We also look ahead further application of terminomics in profiling protease substrates and discovery of disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Electrochemical activation for sensing of three‐dimensional‐printed poly(lactic acid) using low‐pressure plasma
Authors: Fontana‐Escartín Adrián , Lanzalaco Sonia , Pérez‐Madrigal Maria M. , Bertran Oscar , Alemán Carlos
Published: August 2022

Integrated electrochemical sensors in which plasma‐treated poly(lactic acid) (PLA) single material acts as both selective coating layer and electrochemical transductor (electrode) are prepared. Thus, three‐dimensional‐printed PLA specimens are transformed into electroresponsive material by applying a low‐pressure gas plasma treatment with three different gases: N2, O2, and air (79% N2 + 21% O2). Although all treated samples are able to electrochemically detect dopamine, the one derived from the treatment of low‐pressure O2 plasma exhibits the best performance as a sensor. Finally, cell adhesion assays demonstrate that the cell viability is higher for plasma‐treated PLA modified than for pristine PLA, making the former a promising, versatile, and powerful electroresponsive platform for diverse applications in biomedicine.
Performance and usability of a new mobile application for measuring respiratory rate in young children with acute lower respiratory infections
Authors: Spurr Rebecca , Ng Erin , Onchiri Frankline M. , Rapha Ben , Nakatumba‐Nabende Joyce , Rosenfeld Margaret , Najjingo Irene , Stout James W. , Nantanda Rebecca , Ellington Laura E.
Published: August 2022

Objectives

Respiratory rate (RR) measurement is critical to diagnosing pneumonia in resource‐constrained settings, but accurate RR measurement is challenging. The acute lower respiratory illness treatment and evaluation (ALRITE) mobile phone application (app), designed to help healthcare workers (HCWs) manage pediatric respiratory illnesses, includes a semiautomated RR counter. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and usability of the ALRITE RR counter and a commercially available RR counter app, RRate, with a reference standard.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional observational study of HCWs. Participants used both apps to measure the RR of pediatric patients from standardized videos. The reference standard was determined by consensus of a manual 1‐min count by two providers. We assessed agreement using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and constructed Bland–Altman plots to determine bias and limits of agreement. Participants completed a usability survey.

Results

Thirty‐nine HCWs participated. The agreement between the apps and reference standard (Spearman's coefficient) was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78–0.87) for ALRITE and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.52–0.70) for RRate. ALRITE had a bias of −2 breaths/min (lower limit of agreement [LoA] −16 to +12) and RRate had a bias of −0.4 breaths/min (LoA −24 to +23) compared to the reference standard. Both apps had a poorer agreement at higher RRs. Based on usability survey responses, 95% found ALRITE easy to use.

Conclusions

The ALRITE RR counter has acceptable accuracy for counting RR in infants with respiratory distress, appears to be more accurate than a commercially available option, and was user‐friendly. The ALRITE RR counter is a promising tool for meriting evaluation in real‐world settings.
Seleno‐aspirin compound AS‐10 promotes histone acetylation ahead of suppressing androgen receptor transcription, G1 arrest, and apoptosis of prostate cancer cells
Authors: Karelia Deepkamal N. , Kim Sangyub , Plano Daniel , Sharma Arun K. , Jiang Cheng , Lu Junxuan
Published: August 2022

Background

The novel selenium‐aspirin compound AS‐10 was recently reported by us with a cancer cell killing potency three orders of magnitude greater than aspirin in pancreatic cancer cell lines with caspase‐mediated apoptosis and a reasonable selectivity against malignant cells. Although we also observed its cytocidal activity against PC‐3 and DU145 androgen receptor (AR)‐negative and P53‐null/mutant aggressive human prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines in NCI‐60 screen, the potential involvement and targeting of AR and P53 pathways that are intact in early‐stage prostate carcinogenesis has not been examined, nor its primary molecular signaling after exposure.

Methods

Human LNCaP PCa cells with functional AR and intact P53 were used to examine their cell cycle and cell fate responses to AS‐10 exposure and upstream molecular signaling events including histone acetylation as a known aspirin effect. The AR‐positive 22Rv1 human PCa cells were used to validate key findings.

Results

In addition to confirming AS‐10's superior cytocidal potency than aspirin against all four PCa cell lines, we report a rapid (within 5 min) promotion of histone acetylation several hours ahead of the suppression of AR and prostate‐specific antigen (PSA, coded by KLK3 gene) in LNCaP and 22Rv1 cells. AS‐10 decreased AR and KLK3 mRNA levels without impacting pre‐existing AR protein degradation or nuclear translocation in LNCaP cells. Sustained exposure to AS‐10 arrested cells predominantly in G1, and induced caspase‐mediated apoptosis without necrosis. The death induced by AS‐10 in LNCaP cells was attenuated by nontranscriptional activation of P53 protein or Jun N‐terminal Kinase cellular stress signaling and was mitigated modestly by glutathione‐boosting antioxidant N‐acetylcysteine. AS‐10 synergized with histone deacetylase inhibitor SAHA to suppress AR/PSA abundance and kill LNCaP cells. RNA‐seq confirmed AR suppression at the transcriptional level and suggested multiple oncogene, cyclin, and CDK/CKI transcriptional actions to contribute to the cellular consequences.

Conclusions

AS‐10 promotes histone acetylation as its probable primary mechanism of action to induce PCa cell‐cycle arrest and apoptosis, regardless of AR and P53 status. Nevertheless, the inhibition of AR signaling through mechanisms distinct from canonical AR antagonists may hold promise for combinatorial use with androgen deprivation therapy regimens or AR‐axis targeting drugs.
Practical resistance to Cry toxins and efficacy of Vip3Aa in Bt cotton against Helicoverpa zea
Authors: Yang Fei , Kerns David L. , Little Nathan , Brown Sebe A. , Stewart Scott D. , Catchot Angus L. , Cook Donald R. , Gore Jeffrey , Crow Whitney D. , Lorenz Gustav M. , Towles Tyler , Tabashnik Bruce E.
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND

Crops genetically engineered to make insect‐killing proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have revolutionized management of some pests. However, the benefits of such transgenic crops are reduced when pests evolve resistance to Bt toxins. We evaluated resistance to Bt toxins and Bt cotton plants using laboratory bioassays and complementary field trials focusing on Helicoverpa zea, one of the most economically important pests of cotton and other crops in the United States.

RESULTS

The data from 235 laboratory bioassays demonstrate resistance to Cry1Ac, Cry1Fa, and Cry2Ab occurred in most of the 95 strains of H. zea derived from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas during 2016 to 2021. Complementary field data show efficacy decreased for Bt cotton producing Cry1Ac + Cry1Fa or Cry1Ac + Cry2Ab, but not Cry1Ac + Cry1Fa + Vip3Aa. Moreover, analysis of data paired by field site and year shows higher survival in bioassays was generally associated with lower efficacy of Bt cotton.

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirm and extend previous evidence showing widespread practical resistance of H. zea in the United States to the Cry toxins produced by Bt cotton and corn, but not to Vip3Aa. Despite deployment in combination with Cry toxins in Bt crops, Vip3Aa effectively acts as a single toxin against H. zea larvae that are highly resistant to Cry toxins. Furthermore, Vip3Aa adoption is increasing and previous work provided an early warning of field‐evolved resistance. Thus, rigorous resistance management measures are needed to preserve the efficacy of Vip3Aa against this highly adaptable pest. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Poverty, affluence and homeownership among working‐age immigrants in Israel
Authors: Lewin Alisa C.
Published: August 2022

Affluence, homeownership and poverty are good measures of immigrants’ long‐term integration. High income and homeownership indicate successful integration and intentions to stay in the host country, whereas poverty signals economic vulnerability, typical of immigrants who arrive with few resources. Drawing on the 2011 Immigrant Survey conducted by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, matched with 2008 census data, the study finds that immigrants arriving after age 50 achieve worse socioeconomic outcomes than do those migrating at younger ages; they are less likely to be affluent or own a home, and more likely to be poor than immigrants arriving at younger ages. The study also reveals substantial differences in poverty, affluence, and homeownership, by country of origin. Differences, by age of arrival and by country of origin, hold even when controlling for language proficiency. Examining affluence, homeownership and poverty is an innovative way to reveal group differences and policy effects on the long‐term costs of late migration. Policy implications of late migration are discussed.
A data‐driven ensemble ranking system of production quality across manufacturers—A case study for risk assessment in the solar industry
Authors: Lai Wing Fung , Zwetsloot Inez Maria
Published: August 2022

In many production industries, quality assurance and risk analysis are important aspects of the procurement of products. Such analysis often takes the form of during and after production inspections performed by quality assurance companies. These inspections give insight into the quality level of each individual production batch; however, it is also often important to understand a manufacturer's overall production quality and how its quality compares to other manufacturers. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a data‐driven method to rank the production quality across manufacturers. The method is based on data from quality assurance inspections and consists of three steps. In the first step, a failure mode and effects analysis is applied for each individual manufacturer. This results in a risk assessment for identified failure modes. In the second step, the risk assessments are combined to create an overall failure index for each manufacturer. Step 2 can be designed in various ways. To ensure our final ranking is robust to the selected method, in step 3 we combine all methods into a unified rank of each manufacturer. We validate our proposed ensemble ranking method using a case study from the solar industry, where we compare our final ranking with the experts’ knowledge of manufacturer quality. It is shown that our data‐driven method identifies the high‐risk manufacturers in accordance with experts’ knowledge.
Condition‐based preventive maintenance with a yield rate threshold for deteriorating repairable systems
Authors: Huang Yeu‐Shiang , Fang Chih‐Chiang , Wijaya Stevan
Published: August 2022

Repairable systems deteriorate with age and usage. In order to maintain acceptable reliability and prevent sudden failures, preventive maintenance (PM) is often applied to such systems. Scheduled PM actions can improve system availability and minimize losses due to breakdowns and failures. However, condition‐based PM is considered more relevant to system status than age‐based PM for deteriorating repairable systems. In this study, we consider the production yield rate as the condition variable when determining the optimal PM schedule. A non‐homogeneous Poisson process is used to describe the system deterioration, and the concept of system effective (virtual) age is also considered to make the proposed model more realistic. Three different condition‐based PM strategies are presented to provide more diverse choices for decision makers in terms of solving problems based on the situation at hand. The results show that the optimal yield rate threshold can reduce system failure while maintaining acceptable system availability and product quality with affordable costs due to a proper PM schedule. Furthermore, the results of the numerical application showed that the maintenance and penalty costs are the most sensitive to the total cost, where the adoption of the proposed PM strategies are more profitable when related costs are low.
Low‐Dimensional Metal‐Halide Perovskites as High‐Performance Materials for Memory Applications
Authors: Guan Xinwei , Lei Zhihao , Yu Xuechao , Lin Chun‐Ho , Huang Jing‐Kai , Huang Chien‐Yu , Hu Long , Li Feng , Vinu Ajayan , Yi Jiabao , Wu Tom
Published: August 2022

Metal‐halide perovskites have drawn profuse attention during the past decade, owing to their excellent electrical and optical properties, facile synthesis, efficient energy conversion, and so on. Meanwhile, the development of information storage technologies and digital communications has fueled the demand for novel semiconductor materials. Low‐dimensional perovskites have offered a new force to propel the developments of the memory field due to the excellent physical and electrical properties associated with the reduced dimensionality. In this review, the mechanisms, properties, as well as stability and performance of low‐dimensional perovskite memories, involving both molecular‐level perovskites and structure‐level nanostructures, are comprehensively reviewed. The property–performance correlation is discussed in‐depth, aiming to present effective strategies for designing memory devices based on this new class of high‐performance materials. Finally, the existing challenges and future opportunities are presented.
Injectable Adhesive Hydrogels for Soft tissue Reconstruction: A Materials Chemistry Perspective
Authors: Mondal Pritiranjan , Chakraborty Indranil , Chatterjee Kaushik
Published: August 2022

Injectable bioadhesives offer several advantages over conventional staples and sutures in surgery to seal and close incisions or wounds. Despite the growing research in recent years few injectable bioadhesives are available for clinical use. This review summarizes the key chemical features that enable the development and improvements in the use of polymeric injectable hydrogels as bioadhesives or sealants, their design requirements, the gelation mechanism, synthesis routes, and the role of adhesion mechanisms and strategies in different biomedical applications. It is envisaged that developing a deep understanding of the underlying materials chemistry principles will enable researchers to effectively translate bioadhesive technologies into clinically‐relevant products.
How solid–liquid adsorption affects the liquid–vapor interface in pores
Authors: Zhou Junwen , Wei Changfu , Dong Yi
Published: August 2022

The augmented Young–Laplace (AYL) equation has been widely used to describe the liquid–vapor interfaces affected by capillarity and adsorption, particularly in nanoporous or clay minerals where strong adsorptive interaction prevails. Still, how adsorption ultimately shapes the liquid–vapor interface in pores remains elusive. All current forms of the AYL equation only consider the attractive van der Waals interaction for complete wetting surface and are mostly an extension of the general equation based on thermodynamic principles without rigorous derivation. In this paper, closed forms of the AYL equations are derived by variational calculus method for two typical pore models considering effects of capillarity and adsorption, based on the minimization of free energy for the equilibrium system. The van der Waals, electrical, and structural forces are incorporated as disjoining pressure into the proposed AYL equations to quantify effects of both attractive and repulsive interactions (hence complete and partial wetting conditions) on interfacial geometry and equilibrium matric potential. Numerical calculation algorithms are established to solve the interfacial geometric profiles and characteristics. The proposed model illustrates a transition region on the interface where geometry and physical characteristics are drastically altered under adsorption compared with sole capillarity. Different surface wettabilities are examined for interface profiles and curvature distributions. An apparent contact angle on the partial wetting surface is identified that is approaching complete wetting as the adsorption dominates when pore size reduces. Water retention and interparticle force demonstrate clear distinctions in their evolution, with different particle sizes and varying half‐filling angles under adsorptive conditions as water volume changes.
A Conceptualized Land Use System and Data to Support Integrated Landscape Assessments in Austria
Authors: Karner Katrin , Mitter Hermine , Schönhart Martin
Published: August 2022

Integrated landscape assessments allow to analyze land use systems with high temporal and spatial resolution while considering socioeconomic and biophysical aspects. The proper definition of the land use system at the landscape scale and the availability of input data are prerequisites for such assessments. We develop a conceptualized land use system including farm scale factors, socioeconomic and sociocultural factors as well as environmental factors. We research available data sources related to the land use system and tailored to integrated landscape scale assessments and identify data gaps for Austria as a case study. Finally, we discuss options to improve data availability and quality, e.g., by seeking support from stakeholders. In interdisciplinary research, it is challenging to include all factors relevant to the land use system, and hence careful selection is required according to research scope, scale, and data availability.
Integration of International Female Immigrants in Rural Austria: A Case Study in the Alpine Pinzgau-Pongau Region
Authors: Tunst-Kamleitner Ulrike , Larcher Manuela
Published: August 2022

This article analyses the integration process of international immigrant women in the peripheral rural Pinzgau-Pongau region in Salzburg, Austria. Against the background that research on the development of rural regions that neglects the category of gender is of limited significance, a gender-specific perspective is adopted. We conducted nine biographically-oriented guided interviews with women from Syria, Turkey, Lithuania, and Romania to record their subjective experiences and views. The results show that the immigrant women are well educated and highly motivated to learn German and to improve their professional skills. Nevertheless, it remains difficult for them to develop their human capital in the region.
Fazit: Repolitisierung der ‚tiefen‘ Vermarktlichung – das Beispiel öffentliche Auftragsvergabe
Authors: Jaehrling Karen , Stiehm Christin
Published: August 2022

Die Entwicklungen in der öffentlichen Auftragsvergabe lassen sich einerseits als Lehrstück für den übergreifenden Trend einer 'tiefen'  Vermarktlichung begreifen, der seit den 1990er Jahren selbst in bereits marktförmig organisierten gesellschaftlichen Teilbereichen eine Intensivierung von Wettbewerbsprinzipien befördert hat. Dennoch ist dies nur ein Teil des Bildes. Denn der rote Faden, der sich durch unsere Befunde zieht, ist trotz allem eine Doppelbewegung von Vermarktlichung und ‚Einbettung‘ (Polanyi) zugunsten gesellschaftlicher Ziele jenseits bloßer ökonomischer Freiheitsrechte. Das liegt wesentlich daran, dass es über alle Schauplätze der Entscheidungsfindung hinweg zu einer (Re-)Politisierung – im Sinne einer Infragestellung, Pluralisierung und Konkurrenz der dort produzierten Normen durch politische und zivilgesellschaftliche Akteure – gekommen ist. Dieser Politisierung an den verschiedenen Schauplätzen der vergabespezifischen Entscheidungsfindung gilt das Hauptaugenmerk dieser Zusammenfassung. Mit dem Begriff der 'variegated de-marketization' wird für eine Forschungsagenda geworben, die sich für die Entwicklungsdynamiken und Erscheinungsformen real existierender Ansätze einernicht-neoliberalenPolitik und Praxis interessiert, ohne zugleich die anhaltenden Effekte der ‚tiefen Vermarktlichung‘ außer Acht zu lassen.
Einführung: Vergaberechtsreformen: Paradigmenwechsel, ‚langer Schatten‘ marktliberaler Rechtsprechung oder ‚institutional layering‘?
Authors: Jaehrling Karen , Stiehm Christin
Published: August 2022

Die umfassende Vergaberechtsmodernisierung, die durch die reformierten europäischen Vergaberechtsrichtlinien aus dem Jahr 2014 in vielen europäischen Ländern eingeleitet wurde, kann als Meilenstein in der Politisierung der öffentlichen Auftragsvergabe bezeichnet werden. Das Ergebnis der Vergaberechtsmodernisierung wird allerdings von den beteiligten Akteuren wie auch in der Literatur recht unterschiedlich gewürdigt. Dokumentiert die Reform einen ‚Paradigmenwechsel‘ zugunsten der sozial verantwortlichen Auftragsvergabe? Oder dominiert auch hier letzten Endes der „lange Schatten“ der marktliberalen Rechtsprechung des Europäischen Gerichtshofs (Schmidt 2018)? Die Analyse in diesem Teil verdeutlicht, dass die Gesetzesentwicklung  sich als Doppelbewegung aus ‚Sozialpolitisierung‘ und Vermarktlichung der Auftragsvergabe kennzeichnen lässt. Die beiden Entwicklungslinien lösen einander nicht ab, sondern überlagern sich eher und bestehen bis heute nebeneinander her.
Einführung: Vergabepraxis als ‘Street-level Market Making’
Authors: Jaehrling Karen , Stiehm Christin
Published: August 2022

Der zweite Teil des Buchs widmet sich der Vergabepraxis und stellt den Schwerpunkt unserer eigenen Untersuchung dar. Diese Schwerpunktsetzung beruht auf der grundlegenden Annahme, dass Märkte nicht lediglich durch einschlägige Gesetzegestaltet werden, sondern auch durch die alltäglichen Entscheidungen und Interaktionen der Verwaltung mit Akteuren, die von diesen Entscheidungen betroffen sind. ‚Market making‘ ist mit anderen Worten zu guten Teilen ‚street-level market making‘: Auf den unteren Politik- und Verwaltungsebenen, die das vergabespezifische Regelwerk anwenden, wird wesentlich mit darüber bestimmt, wie stark der Preiswettbewerb um staatliche Aufträge eingeschränkt oder intensiviert wird. Unsere Analyse der Vergabepraxis schließt damit an eine Reihe von Studien zum beruflichen Ethos öffentlich Bediensteter unter dem Einfluss von Vermarktlichung oder ‚Ökonomisierung‘ an, die in diesem Kapitel kurz rekapituliert werden. Sie erweitert diese Perspektive aber, indem sie nach den Werthaltungen, Dilemmata und Handlungspraktiken fragt, die sich aus der skizziertenDoppelbewegungvon Vermarktlichung und Sozialpolitisierung ergeben.
Accumulation-point amplitudes in string theory
Authors: Maldacena Juan , Remmen Grant N.
Published: August 2022

Abstract

We point out some common qualitative features of the Coon amplitude — a family of deformations of the Veneziano amplitude with logarithmic Regge trajectories — and the open string scattering amplitude for strings ending on a D-brane in AdS. Both reduce to the Veneziano amplitude at relatively low energies. Both systems have an accumulation point in their spectrum, with an infinite number of states below a certain energy. The approach to this point is very similar. Both have the same high-energy fixed-angle behavior. Nevertheless, we find some differences in the spectrum of states with highest angular momentum. These similarities suggest that there may exist a string background that realizes the Coon amplitude.
The evolution of Hooke’s law under finite plastic deformations for fiber-reinforced materials
Authors: Stahn Oliver , Bertram Albrecht , Müller Wolfgang H.
Published: August 2022

When an elastoplastic material undergoes large plastic deformations, the elastic law and particularly the stiffness tetrad will evolve. This evolution is strongly dependent on the particular material. In the present paper, we consider a fiber-reinforced composite with fibers in different distinct directions. These directions introduce the anisotropy into the material behavior, particularly into the elastic law. Under plastic deformations, these directions are deformed together with the material (in contrast to crystal plasticity). This effect is called material plasticity and gives the basis for our new method. It consists of superimposing transversely isotropic stiffnesses for each fiber direction at any stage of the deformation process. A comparison for different composites and deformation paths shows the range of applicability of this method.
An approach to weld dissimilar polycarbonate and high-density polyethylene by friction stir spot welding
Authors: Sidhom Andro , Naga Soheir , Kamal Ahmed
Published: August 2022

The friction stir spot welding of polymeric materials has been examined extensively; conversely, only a few researchers have addressed the friction stir spot welding of dissimilar polymers. In this study, the possibility of friction stir spot welding of dissimilar polycarbonate to high-density polyethylene is examined, which has not been previously investigated. The influence of welding parameters, namely, tool rotational speed and dwell time, was investigated experimentally, whereas the plunging depth, plunging rate, and tool geometry were kept constant during all tests. The induced temperature and the weld lap shear force were recorded and analyzed. Both materials are welded successfully by friction stir spot welding. At 2300 rpm and 40 s dwell time when the polycarbonate sheet was on the top, the maximum lap shear force of 0.37 kN was obtained. The findings demonstrated that an effective weld might be attained at a moderate frictional heating temperature slightly below the melting temperature Tm and glass transition temperature Tg of both welded materials. At very low temperatures, poor weld quality was obtained. When temperatures extensively increased, the results deteriorated to exhibit weak joint lap shear values because of the presence of cavities and pores in the weld junction.
Analytic Smoothing and Nekhoroshev Estimates for Hölder Steep Hamiltonians
Authors: Barbieri Santiago , Marco Jean-Pierre , Massetti Jessica Elisa
Published: August 2022

In this paper we prove the first result of Nekhoroshev stability for steep Hamiltonians in Hölder class. Our new approach combines the classical theory of normal forms in analytic category with an improved smoothing procedure to approximate an Hölder Hamiltonian with an analytic one. It is only for the sake of clarity that we consider the (difficult) case of Hölder perturbations of an analytic integrable Hamiltonian, but our method is flexible enough to work in many other functional classes, including the Gevrey one. The stability exponents can be taken to be $$(\ell -1)/(2n{\varvec{\alpha }}_1...{\varvec{\alpha }}_{n-2})+1/2$$

(
ℓ
-
1
)

/

(
2
n

α

1

.
.
.

α

n
-
2

)

+
1
/
2

for the time of stability and $$1/(2n{\varvec{\alpha }}_1...{\varvec{\alpha }}_{n-1})$$

1
/
(
2
n

α

1

.
.
.

α

n
-
1

)

for the radius of stability, n being the dimension, $$\ell >n+1$$

ℓ
>
n
+
1

being the regularity and the $${\varvec{{\alpha }}}_i$$

α

i

’s being the indices of steepness. Crucial to obtain the exponents above is a new non-standard estimate on the Fourier norm of the smoothed function. As a byproduct we improve the stability exponents in the $$C^k$$

C
k

class, with integer k.