bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary history of the oriental fire‐bellied toad (Bombina orientalis) in Northeast China
Authors: Yu Liqun , Zhao Shuai , Shi Yanshuang , Meng Fanbing , Xu Chunzhu
Published: March 2021

The evolutionary history of a species is generally affected by the combination of geological events and climate fluctuations. By analyzing the population features, genetic structure and the effective population historical dynamics of existing species, the population evolutionary history can be reestablished. In recent years, geological evidence shows that the Yilan–Yitong fault zone located in Northeast Asia experienced strong and frequent geological changes in the late Quaternary period. Species population history has been shaped by the combination of the complex climatic conditions of the Quaternary and Pleistocene glacial interglacial cycles and palaeogeological events in Northeast Asia and it has become a research focus for evolutionary biology researchers. In this study, mitochondrial and microsatellite molecular markers were used to reveal the population features, genetic structure, and the effective population historical dynamics of the Oriental fire‐bellied toad (Bombina orientalis). The results showed that the strong seismic activity of the Yilan–Yitong fault zone in the late Quaternary period was the main reason for the population differentiation of Oriental fire‐bellied toad in northeast China. The Quaternary Pleistocene glacial interglacial cycles led to the significant bottleneck effect of the western population located in the Maoer mountain area. As a result, the western population has low genetic diversity. Recent gene flow between eastern and western populations and historical evidence of population expansion proved that the dispersal behavior of the western populations was the main cause of the low genetic diversity and mitochondrial and nuclear discordance. Human economic activity may be the mainly driving factor. These evidences showed that the comprehensive influence of geology, climate, human activities and other factors should be considered in the process of exploring the evolutionary history of species.
Evaluation of training in guideline‐oriented biopsychosocial management of low back pain in occupational health services: Protocol of a cluster randomized trial
Authors: Karppinen Jaro , Simula Anna Sofia , Holopainen Riikka , Lausmaa Mikko , Remes Jouko , Paukkunen Maija , Ussing Kasper , Booth Neill , Ryynänen Katja , Koski Tomi , Abbott Allan , Öberg Birgitta , Linton Steven J. , Smith Anne , O'Sullivan Peter , Malmivaara Antti
Published: March 2021

Background

To prevent low back pain (LBP) from developing into a prolonged disabling condition, clinical guidelines advocate early stage assessment, risk‐screening, and tailored interventions. Occupational health services recommend guideline‐oriented biopsychosocial screening and individualized assessment and management. However, it is not known whether training a limited number of health care professionals improves the management process. The primary objective of this study is to investigate whether training in the biopsychosocial practice model is effective in reducing disability. Furthermore, we aim to evaluate health‐economic impacts of the training intervention in comparison to usual medical care.

Methods

The occupational health service units will be allocated into a training or control arm in a two‐arm cluster randomized controlled design. The training of occupational physiotherapists and physicians will include the assessment of pain‐related psychosocial factors using the STarT Back Tool and the short version of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire, the use of an evidence‐based patient education booklet as part of the management of LBP, and tailored individualized management of LBP according to risk stratification. The control units will receive no training. The study population will include patients aged 18–65 with nonspecific LBP. The primary outcome is a patient‐reported Oswestry Disability Index from baseline to 12 months. By estimating group differences over time, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the training intervention in comparison to usual medical care, and to undertake an economic evaluation using individual patients' health care records (participant‐level data) and the participating units' registries (cluster‐level data). In addition, through interviews and questionnaires, we will explore the health care professionals' conceptions of the adoption of, the barriers to, and the facilitators of the implementation of the practice model.

Discussion

The evaluation of training in the guideline‐oriented biopsychosocial management of LBP in occupational health services is justified because LBP represents an enormous burden in terms of work disability.
An association between subcutaneous fat mass accumulation and hypertension
Authors: Goto Kento , Yokokawa Hirohide , Fukuda Hiroshi , Saita Mizue , Hamada Chieko , Hisaoka Teruhiko , Naito Toshio
Published: March 2021

Evidence to assess relationships between subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and lifestyle‐related diseases, including hypertension, remains limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between SFA and hypertension.

This study was a single‐institution, cross‐sectional study of 1,899 eligible Japanese participants who underwent health checkups between December 2016 and December 2018. All patients were measured for SFA and visceral fat area (VFA) by abdominal computed tomography (CT). SFA was divided into quartiles by gender, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate associations between SFA quartiles (Q) and hypertension.

Mean age and SFA were 60.9 9 (standard devastation [SD]:12.0) years and 123.0 (56.9) cm2 in men, and 60.6 (12.8) years and 146.6 (79.0) cm2 in women, respectively. Risk of hypertension from multivariate regression modeling compared with the lowest quartile (Q) in both sexes was as follows: for men Q2 [odds ratio (OR), 1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.55‐1.51 ], Q3 (OR, 1.73; 95%CI, 1.17‐2.56), and Q4 (OR, 1.96; 95%CI, 1.31‐2.94); for women Q2 (OR, 0.87; 95%CI, 0.48‐1.58), Q3 (OR, 1.73; 95%CI, 1.02‐2.95), and Q4 (OR, 2.54; 95%CI, 1.51‐4.28). The optimal SFA cutoff value at risk of hypertension was 114.7 cm2 in men and 169.3 cm2 in women.

The prevalence of hypertension was positively associated with SFA quartiles in both genders. The present results may indicate the necessity of considering not only VFA, but also SFA for the primary and secondary prevention of hypertension.
Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasound of Muscle Perfusion May Indicate Patient Response to Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy
Authors: Delaney Lauren J. , Fitzgerald Kathleen , Stanczak Maria , Machado Priscilla , Entwistle John W. C. , Forsberg Flemming , Reeves Gordon R.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support is associated with peripheral vascular abnormalities beyond those associated with heart failure (HF). These abnormalities are associated with persistent functional impairments that adversely impact quality of life (QoL). Methods for measuring peripheral vascular function in this population are needed.

Methods

This pilot study investigated the use of contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) using standardized protocols to estimate changes in peripheral (quadriceps) muscle perfusion among patients with HF (INTERMACS profile 3) undergoing LVAD implantation (n = 7). Patients were then stratified by those who did (“responders”, n = 4) and did not (“nonresponders”, n = 3) report QoL improvement with LVAD support.

Results

Serial measurements obtained preoperatively and 3 months following LVAD implantation showed no significant change (P > .23) in muscle perfusion by all CEUS‐based measures at rest or with an exercise stimulus for the overall population. Responders exhibited improved muscle perfusion at rest (P = .043) and decreased time to peak contrast enhancement (P = .010) at 3 months compared with baseline, suggesting improved delivery of blood to the extremities post‐LVAD. Nonresponders showed unchanged resting muscle perfusion (P > .99), time to peak contrast enhancement (P = .59), and response to exercise stimulus (P > .99) following LVAD therapy.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that CEUS evaluation is a promising noninvasive, quantitative modality for real‐time assessment of peripheral vasculature and muscle perfusion as an indication of treatment response in LVAD recipients and that this modality may capture perfusion measures important to QoL following LVAD implantation.
Fetal Pulmonary Vein Pulsatility Index in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy as a Predictor of Small for Gestational Age
Authors: Lee Jeongeun , Cho Hyunjin
Published: March 2021

Objective

This study aimed to establish whether the increased fetal pulmonary venous pulsatility index (PVPI) in late pregnancy can independently predict small for gestational age (SGA) and to verify its cut point value and efficacy.

Method

The PVPI was measured in women with singleton pregnancies between 25 and 39 gestational weeks. Maternal hypertension and diabetes, estimated fetal weight (EFW) and percentile of the corresponding weeks of pregnancy (USG_PER), gestational weeks at delivery, and birth weight and percentile of the corresponding weeks of pregnancy (BABY_PER) were reviewed. To assess whether PVPI was independently correlated with BABY_PER, Pearson's correlation analysis was performed. The cut point value of PVPI for the prediction of SGA was established using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

A total of 129 mothers were included in this study. Both USG_PER and PVPI were significantly related to SGA, independently (P <.001 and P = .004, respectively). The cut point value of PVPI was found to be 1.13. The AUCs of PVPI and USG_PER were not significantly different (P = .624). The sensitivity of PVPI was 70.27%, and the specificity was 92.39%.

Conclusion

PVPI could predict SGA independently, and the efficacy was comparable to EFW during pregnancy.
Nearly three dozen groups unite to address future of MH, substance use care
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: March 2021

A collaboration that commenced late last year when 14 leaders of partner organizations banded together toward a mutual goal to improve mental health and substance use outcomes and focus on early intervention and access to care has now expanded. Thirty‐five organizations on Feb. 25 announced they too will move the Unified Vision forward to transform mental health and substance use care.
Registration of ‘AB Wrangler’, a two‐rowed feed and forage barley with enhanced resistance to Fusarium head blight
Authors: Juskiw P. E. , Kabeta Y. , Nyachiro J. M. , Duggan T. , Oatway L. , Oro M. , Bowness J. , Westling D. , Hoge L. , Xi K. , Turkington T. K. , Capettini F.
Published: March 2021

The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) produced by Fusarium head blight (FHB) can reduce feed efficiencies. New barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars with improved resistance to FHB that still provide producers with high yield are desired. ‘AB Wrangler’ (Reg. no. CV‐372, PI 695086; CFIA Reg. no. 8911; Canadian PBR Appl. no. 19‐10051) is a two‐rowed, hulled, spring barley developed for feed and forage use. AB Wrangler has enhanced resistance to FHB in testing across Canada and the United States. In Canada, this line accumulated 50% less DON than the feed checks ‘CDC Austenson’ and ‘Champion’. Its DON levels were similar to the most resistant check ‘Chevron’ in the North American Barley Scab Evaluation Nursery. In the Western Cooperative Two‐row Barley Registration Tests, AB Wrangler outyielded the feed check CDC Austenson. In the Western Cooperative Forage Barley Registration Tests (FCoop), it had biomass yields similar to the highest yielding forage check ‘CDC Cowboy’ while its biomass quality was better than CDC Cowboy. It is a medium height cultivar with lodging resistance similar to the better checks in the FCoop. AB Wrangler has earlier maturity than CDC Austenson, similar to Champion. AB Wrangler was rated as resistant to stem rust and moderately resistant to spot blotch, the surface‐borne smuts, and FHB. AB Wrangler combines good agronomic, disease, and feed–forage attributes that will make it suitable for dry‐land production on the northern Great Plains.
Innovating on the big issues
Authors: Limb Matthew
Published: March 2021

Watched by an online audience, the three finalists in this year's Vet Record Innovation Award recently pitched their ideas to the judging panel. Here, Matthew Limb finds out more about their innovations in the fields of bovine TB, animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance.
Factorization of Dual Quaternion Polynomials Without Study’s Condition
Authors: Siegele Johannes , Pfurner Martin , Schröcker Hans-Peter
Published: March 2021

In this paper we investigate factorizations of polynomials over the ring of dual quaternions into linear factors. While earlier results assume that the norm polynomial is real (“motion polynomials”), we only require the absence of real polynomial factors in the primal part and factorizability of the norm polynomial over the dual numbers into monic quadratic factors. This obviously necessary condition is also sufficient for existence of factorizations. We present an algorithm to compute factorizations of these polynomials and use it for new constructions of mechanisms which cannot be obtained by existing factorization algorithms for motion polynomials. While they produce mechanisms with rotational or translational joints, our approach yields mechanisms consisting of “vertical Darboux joints”. They exhibit mechanical deficiencies so that we explore ways to replace them by cylindrical joints while keeping the overall mechanism sufficiently constrained.
Non-uniform Recovery Guarantees for Binary Measurements and Infinite-Dimensional Compressed Sensing
Authors: Thesing L. , Hansen A. C.
Published: March 2021

Due to the many applications in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), radio interferometry, helium atom scattering etc., the theory of compressed sensing with Fourier transform measurements has reached a mature level. However, for binary measurements via the Walsh transform, the theory has long been merely non-existent, despite the large number of applications such as fluorescence microscopy, single pixel cameras, lensless cameras, compressive holography, laser-based failure-analysis etc. Binary measurements are a mainstay in signal and image processing and can be modelled by the Walsh transform and Walsh series that are binary cousins of the respective Fourier counterparts. We help bridging the theoretical gap by providing non-uniform recovery guarantees for infinite-dimensional compressed sensing with Walsh samples and wavelet reconstruction. The theoretical results demonstrate that compressed sensing with Walsh samples, as long as the sampling strategy is highly structured and follows the structured sparsity of the signal, is as effective as in the Fourier case. However, there is a fundamental difference in the asymptotic results when the smoothness and vanishing moments of the wavelet increase. In the Fourier case, this changes the optimal sampling patterns, whereas this is not the case in the Walsh setting.
Wie gelingt die Prävention psychischer Beschwerden?
Authors: Weniger Max , Beesdo-Baum Katja , Roessner Veit , Hense Helene , Knappe Susanne
Published: March 2021

Hintergrund

Emotionale und Verhaltensprobleme in der Kindheit haben oft weitreichende Folgen für die soziale, emotionale und kognitive Entwicklung, sodass ihrer Prävention ein hoher Stellenwert zukommt. Dennoch ist die Inanspruchnahme von Präventionsmaßnahmen im Kindesalter gering.

Ziel

In einer versorgungsepidemiologischen Implementationsstudie wird untersucht, inwiefern durch ein systematisches Screening eingebettet in U‑Untersuchungen die Identifikation von Risikokindern und die Zuweisung zu Präventionsprogrammen gelingt.

Methoden

Dazu ist ein Screening mittels „Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire“ während der regulären Gesundheitsuntersuchungen (U9–U11) von ca. 3500 Kindern im Alter von 5 bis 10 Jahren in ca. 53 Arztpraxen in Dresden und 20 km Umkreis geplant. Die Eltern erhalten von der Fachkraft für Kinderheilkunde eine Rückmeldung zu den Ergebnissen und im Falle von grenzwertigen Werten auf den Subskalen „Emotionale Probleme“ und/oder „Verhaltensprobleme“ eine Empfehlung für ein indikatives Präventionsprogramm. Zu vier Messzeitpunkten werden Familien mittels standardisierter und projektspezifischer Fragebogen befragt. Zusätzlich erfolgen leitfadengestützte Interviews mit Leistungserbringern und Familien.

Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerung

Es werden die Machbarkeit, Nützlichkeit und Akzeptanz eines Screenings für emotionale und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten bei Kindern und Präventionsempfehlungen in Kinderarztpraxen im Prä‑/Post-Vergleich und nach 12 Monaten evaluiert. Förderliche und hemmende Faktoren für die Inanspruchnahme werden bestimmt, um Empfehlungen für die Implementation von Präventionsangeboten in die Regelversorgung abzuleiten, um emotionale und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten frühzeitig zu erkennen und der Entwicklung psychischer Störungen vorzubeugen.
On the Behavior of Mechanical Stress Fields at Indentation of Materials with Residual Stresses
Authors: Larsson Per-Lennart
Published: March 2021

It is an obvious fact that residual stresses can have a detrimental effect on the mechanical integrity of structures. Measuring such stresses can often be a tedious task and for that reason sharp indentation testing has been proposed as an alternative for this purpose. Correlation between global indentation properties and residual stresses has been studied quite frequently, and a solid foundation has been laid down concerning this issue. Empirical, or semi-empirical, relations have been proposed yielding results of quite good accuracy. Further progress and mechanical understanding regarding this matter will require a more in-depth understanding of the field variables at this particular indentation problem and this is the subject of the present study. In doing so, finite element simulations are performed of sharp indentation of materials with and without residual stresses. Classical Mises plasticity and conical indentation are considered. The main conclusion from this study is that the development of stresses in materials with high or medium-sized compressive residual stresses differs substantially from a situation with tensile residual stresses, both as regards the level of elastic deformation in the contact region and the sensitivity of such stresses. Any attempt to include such stress states in a general correlation effort of indentation quantities is therefore highly unlikely to be successful.
Hair Loss After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Wen , Fan Meiling , Wang Cunchuan , Mahawar Kamal , Parmar Chetan , Chen Weiju , Yang Wah ,   on behalf of Global Bariatric Research Collaborative
Published: March 2021

Background

Hair loss is a common complication after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS). There is a lack of published systematic review in the scientific literature on this topic. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on hair loss after MBS in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.

Methods

PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and four Chinese databases were searched. Data were pooled using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 12.0, and subgroups were performed if necessary and feasible.

Results

A total of 18 studies (n = 2538) were included. The pooled results showed that the incidence of hair loss after MBS was 57% (95% CI 42–71%). It decreased with longer follow-up times. Hair loss was significantly more common in younger (mean difference (MD), − 2.45; 95% CI, − 4.26 to − 0.64; p = 0.008) women (OR, 3.87; 95% CI, 0.59 to 17.59; p = 0.08). Serum zinc (standardized mean difference (SMD), − 1.13; 95% CI, − 2.27 to 0.01, p = 0.05), folic acid (SMD = − 0.88, 95% CI − 1.29 to − 0.46, p < 0.0001), and ferritin levels (SMD, − 0.22; 95% CI, − 0.38 to − 0.05; p = 0.01), but not serum iron and vitamin B12, were associated with hair loss following MBS.

Conclusions

Hair loss is common after MBS especially in younger women, and those with low serum levels of zinc, folic acid, and ferritin. Prospective studies on larger cohorts are needed.
When research met policy: a history of innovation and a complicated relationship in three Swedish development projects in mathematics education, 1960–2018
Authors: Prytz Johan
Published: March 2021

This paper concerns the relationship between research and governance policy in three Swedish major development projects in mathematics education: the New Math project (1960–1975), the PUMP project (1970–1980), and the Boost for Mathematics project in (2012–2016). All three projects were driven or financed by the Swedish central school authorities. Using a historical comparative method, this study deepens the understanding of how research co-exists with governance policy when preparing innovations in mathematics education. The main historical sources are official reports and governmental decisions concerning the three projects. The analysis is focused on the nature of the innovations of each project and the role of researchers in the process of creating the innovations. The analysis highlights the theories and the methods involved in those processes. The three projects are also positioned in a context of school governance policy. In Sweden, the prevailing school governing policy changed from a highly centralised governance in the 1960s to a highly decentralised governance in the 2010s. The paper concludes by discussing to what degree the researchers adhered to principles of research or school governance; in particular, the Boost for Mathematics project is considered in this regard. The relevance of the paper in relation to the emerging field of implementation research in mathematics education concerns how historical studies can give new insights about contemporary development projects in mathematics education.
Next-Generation Sequencing in the Field of Primary Immunodeficiencies: Current Yield, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Authors: Vorsteveld Emil E. , Hoischen Alexander , van der Made Caspar I.
Published: March 2021

Primary immunodeficiencies comprise a group of inborn errors of immunity that display significant clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Next-generation sequencing techniques and predominantly whole exome sequencing have revolutionized the understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of genetic diseases, thereby also leading to a sharp increase in the discovery of new genes associated with primary immunodeficiencies. In this review, we discuss the current diagnostic yield of this generic diagnostic approach by evaluating the studies that have employed next-generation sequencing techniques in cohorts of patients with primary immunodeficiencies. The average diagnostic yield for primary immunodeficiencies is determined to be 29% (range 10–79%) and 38% specifically for whole-exome sequencing (range 15–70%). The significant variation between studies is mainly the result of differences in clinical characteristics of the studied cohorts but is also influenced by varying sequencing approaches and (in silico) gene panel selection. We further discuss other factors contributing to the relatively low yield, including the inherent limitations of whole-exome sequencing, challenges in the interpretation of novel candidate genetic variants, and promises of exploring the non-coding part of the genome. We propose strategies to improve the diagnostic yield leading the way towards expanded personalized treatment in PIDs.
Under the Greenwood Tree
Authors: Hardy Thomas
Published: March 2021

Hardy's second published novel, Under the Greenwood Tree (1872), the first of his great series of Wessex novels, was originally published anonymously. As part of the Cambridge Edition of the Novels and Stories of Thomas Hardy, this edition of the novel provides readers with an authoritative and accurate text of the novel; moreover it gives access to every revision that Hardy made, and to notations of all the errors introduced by printers' compositors. The annotated text is surrounded by an introduction that gives a very full account of the genesis, the writing and the publishing history of the novel. A range of appendices and comprehensive explanatory notes explore significant aspects of the composition, production and marketing of the novel, touched on in the introduction, to provide a full understanding of the nature and life of this classic work.
Bullying and psychosocial adjustment among children with and without asthma
Authors: Runions Kevin C. , Cross Donna S. , Vithiatharan Rena , Everard Mark , Hall Graham
Published: March 2021

Children with asthma face serious mental health risk, but the pathways remain unclear. This study aimed to examine bullying victimisation and perpetration in children with asthma and a comparison sample without a chronic health condition, and the role of bullying in moderating psychosocial adjustment outcomes for those with asthma. A sample of children with (n = 24) and without asthma (n = 39), and their parents, were recruited from hospital clinics. Parents rated children’s psychosocial adjustment; children provided self-report of bullying victimisation and perpetration; from which co-occurring bully/victim status was derived. No differences in mean perpetration or victimisation were found, but children with asthma were more likely to be bully/victims (involved both as target and perpetrator), compared to those without asthma. Children with asthma who were victims of bullying had greater peer problems and overall adjustment problems; bully/victims did not show this pattern. Children with asthma may be more likely to be bully/victims, and those who are victims of bullying may be at elevated risk for psychosocial adjustment problems and require particular support in this area from school counsellors and psychologists.
Segregation as Efficiency? Group-Specific Institutions in North India
Authors: Jassal Nirvikar
Published: March 2021

A number of nations have instituted group-specific institutions or “enclaves” for women. The assumption underpinning such bodies—physically distinct, autonomous units in which constituent members belong entirely to a particular group—is that the segregation of female administrators will better serve the interests of women by isolating them from patriarchal norms and practices. I scrutinize this assumption by examining India's experience with all-women police stations, and carry out eight months of ethnographic research in and around police stations across the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. I find that while all-women police stations allow complainants to speak freely, they may also diminish capacity for female administrators working in law enforcement, create hurdles for victims of violence, and, in some ways, marginalize gender issues from the mainstream.
Relationship between parents’ dietary care and food diversity among preschool children in Japan
Authors: Ishikawa Midori , Eto Kumi , Haraikawa Mayu , Yoshiike Nobuo , Yokoyama Tetsuji
Published: March 2021

Objective:

To identify the relationship between preschool children’s dietary diversity and parents’ care behaviours related to their diet including contents of foods and snacks, mealtime practice and parent–child communication.

Design:

Cross-sectional study. Data were extracted from the National Nutrition Survey on Preschool Children in 2015 by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Setting:

The distribution of food diversity score (FDS) (maximum of eight points) was confirmed. The participants were divided into higher (≥4 points) and lower (≤3 points) food diversity groups. A comparison between the two groups examined parents’ socio-economic status, children’s health and living conditions, and parental care concerning children’s diets (thirteen items). A multiple regression analysis was performed relating FDS to the factors of parental socio-economic status and child health, and a logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors of parental care related to the higher food diversity group.

Participants:

2143 persons from households with children aged 2–6 years.

Results:

Parental care concerning children’s diets was the factor most strongly associated with children’s FDS. Those factors most strongly associated with higher food diversity were nutritional balance of foods (OR: 1·76; 95 % CI 1·44, 2·16; P < 0 0001), snack contents (OR: 1·41; 95 % CI 1·07, 1·86; P = 0·014) and regular mealtimes (OR: 1·30; 95 % CI 1·08, 1·55; P = 0·005).

Conclusions:

The findings indicate the importance of parents paying attention to the contents of children’s foods and snacks, ensuring that children eat regularly, and increasing the diversity of their diets.
Advances in Scaling and Modeling of Land-Atmosphere Interactions
Authors: Desai Ankur , Butterworth Brian , Metzger Stefan , Mauder Matthias
Published: March 2021

Papers are invited for a new cross-journal special collection on insights in scaling land-atmosphere interactions from field experiments, data analyses, and modeling.
Spin transport in polarization induced two-dimensional electron gas channel in c-GaN nano-wedges
Authors: Deb Swarup , Dhar Subhabrata
Published: March 2021

A two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), which has recently been shown to develop in the central vertical plane of a wedge-shaped c-oriented GaN nanowall due to spontaneous polarization effect, offers a unique scenario, where the symmetry between the conduction and valence band is preserved over the entire confining potential. This results in the suppression of Rashba coupling even when the shape of the wedge is not symmetric. Here, for such a 2DEG channel, relaxation time for different spin projections is calculated as a function of donor concentration and gate bias. Our study reveals a strong dependence of the relaxation rate on the spin-orientation and density of carriers in the channel. Most interestingly, relaxation of spin oriented along the direction of confinement has been found to be completely switched off. Upon applying a suitable bias at the gate, the process can be switched on again. Exploiting this fascinating effect, an electrically driven spin-transistor has been proposed.
Effect of NaCl road salt on the ionic composition of soils and Aesculus hippocastanum L. foliage and leaf damage intensity
Authors: Łuczak Katarzyna , Czerniawska-Kusza Izabela , Rosik-Dulewska Czesława , Kusza Grzegorz
Published: March 2021

We investigated the accumulation of sodium chloride in roadside soils and common horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum L. under urban conditions to evaluate changes in soil and leaf ionic content and their relationship with foliar damage, considering the visual assessment of trees of the same health status. A total of 15 field sites were assessed in late June 2016. The analysis included soil granulometric composition, pH, electrical conductivity, and the content of Cl−, Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ ions in soil and foliage samples. The results showed increased salinity and alkalization of roadside soils together with the decreased magnesium content. Foliage samples manifested significantly higher concentrations of Na+ and Cl−. A wide range of Cl− content was noted in leaves (2.0–11.8% d.w.) regardless of their damage index. On the contrary, leaf damage was strongly correlated with increasing Na+ concentrations and decreasing K+ and Mg2+. A severe imbalance of nutrients, and therefore poor urban tree vitality, can be attributed to the excessive accumulation of de-icing salt. However, further research would be needed to clarify the discrepancy between the extent of leaf damage and chloride content.
Understanding nanoparticle endocytosis to improve targeting strategies in nanomedicine
Authors: Sousa de Almeida Mauro , Susnik Eva , Drasler Barbara , Taladriz-Blanco Patricia , Petri-Fink Alke , Rothen-Rutishauser Barbara
Published: March 2021

This review contributes to the current understanding of NPs cellular uptake and gives an overview about molecules, which can enhance or decrease cellular internalization of NPs.
Magnetron sputtering enabled sustainable synthesis of nanomaterials for energy electrocatalysis
Authors: Liang Jie , Liu Qian , Li Tingshuai , Luo Yonglan , Lu Siyu , Shi Xifeng , Zhang Fang , Asiri Abdullah M. , Sun Xuping
Published: March 2021

This review summarizes recent advances in developing sputtered nanomaterials as catalysts for energy electrocatalysis. In-depth insights into architecture/compositional design, synthesis, mechanism, and performance are provided.
Iodine-catalyzed sulfuration of isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones applying ethyl sulfinates
Authors: Mu Yangxiu , Yang Minghua , Li Fengxia , Iqbal Zafar , Jiang Rui , Hou Jing , Guo Xin , Yang Zhixiang , Tang Dong
Published: March 2021

Sulfuration of isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones at the C-4 position by employing ethyl sulfonates.
Beyond the Annual and Aggregate Measurement of Household Inequality: The Case Study of Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya
Authors: Sassi Maria , Trital Gopal , Bhattacharjee Poushali
Published: March 2021

This paper investigates household seasonal food expenditure inequality in the rural Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya using the extended decomposition of Gini and primary data referred from February 2018 to January 2019. The new elements introduced by the paper are the disaggregation of the food expenditure by source of access (purchase, auto-consumption, and gifts); inclusion of traditional species in the food categories; the features of the area investigated; a novel focus on household economic disparities in flower enclave; and the comparison between the annual and monthly level of inequality to understand the seasonality in household inequality. The results highlight the positive contribution of the subsistence sector to the reduction of inequality during the harvesting period of respective food category; and the need for a well-coordinated set of poverty, food security and agricultural development policies to contribute to the achievement of the first goal of Agenda 2030.
Tuning capillary flow to enhance immiscible fluid displacement
Authors: Frank Jodi Ackerman
Published: March 2021

Researchers discover how to tailor interfacial flow in porous materials.
Double-layer metasurface boosts photon up-conversion
Authors: Kim Meeri
Published: March 2021

Up-conversion particles deposited on a double-layer metasurface leads to an impressive 2.7-fold enhancement in up-conversion photoluminescence.
Unified simulation of different modes in atmospheric pressure DC discharges in nitrogen
Authors: Saifutdinov A. I.
Published: March 2021

A self-consistent unified model of direct current (DC) gas discharges in molecular gases describing the processes both in the discharge gap and in the electrodes is developed. Numerical simulations of the formation of parameters of various modes of DC discharge in nitrogen at atmospheric pressure in a wide range of current densities have been carried out in the one-dimensional approximation. As a result of numerical experiments, the dependence of voltage drop across the discharge on current density is obtained, which describes various discharge modes: from Townsend through normal and abnormal glow to arc discharge. The distributions of the main mechanisms of heating the electrodes, the values of their temperatures at the boundary with the discharge, depending on the current density, and all plasma parameters for various modes of a dc discharge are presented. It was shown that in the plasma region the dominant role in gas heating belongs to vibrational-translational relaxation, as well as to the reactions of dissociation of N2 molecules by electron impact and quenching of electronically excited N2 molecules. In the cathode layer, the dominant role in gas heating belongs to Joule heating by ion current. The scenario of formation of an arc discharge with free cathode mode when electrons are the predominant charged particles in the cathode layer was shown.
Contact behavior of a fluttering flag with an adjacent plate
Authors: Lee Jeongsu , Kim Daegyoum , Kim Ho-Young
Published: March 2021

A flag fluttering near a plate exhibits diverse contact behaviors depending on physical conditions such as material and dimensions of the flag and incident air velocity. Here we experimentally investigate the dynamic interactions of the fluttering flag and the plate, combining high-speed imaging and triboelectric sensing. We find that the stability criteria of the flag are identical to those of the isolated flag for an insignificant boundary layer thickness compared with the flag-plate distance. The flag-plate contact modes are classified as tapping, regular clapping, weakly chaotic clapping, and fully chaotic contact modes. We build a regime map to predict the contact modes based on the mass ratio of the fluid to the flag and the velocity ratio of the fluid to the bending wave. Despite contact with the plate, key parameters identifying the characteristics of fluttering of the flutter, such as the reduced frequency (the ratio of the time scale of fluid flow passing through the flag to the period of oscillation) and the Strouhal number (the speed ratio of the flag edge to the wind), are found to be hardly altered compared to those of isolated flags. This indicates that the flag–fluid interaction still plays a dominant role in the fluttering dynamics of the flag adjacent to a plate. Results of this study can serve as a guide in the design of flutter-induced energy harvesting systems and help the biomechanical understanding of the vocal organs of mammals and birds.
An analytic probability density function for partially premixed flames with detailed chemistry
Authors: Pfitzner M. , Breda P.
Published: March 2021

Laminar premixed flame profiles of methane/air free flames and strained flames at different fuel/air ratios and strain rates are analyzed using detailed chemistry with Lewis numbers equal to one. It is shown that the detailed chemistry flame profiles of progress variables CO2 + CO and H2O + H2 in canonically stretched coordinates can be fitted accurately by a slight generalization of recently proposed analytical presumed flame profiles over a wide range of fuel/air ratios through adaptation of a single model parameter. Strained flame profiles can be reproduced using an additional linear coordinate transformation, emulating the compression of the preheat zone by strain as predicted by premixed flame theory. The model parameter can alternatively be determined using only the laminar flame speeds and the fully burnt temperatures from the laminar flame calculations. The stretch factor of the coordinate transformation is proportional to cp/lambda, which drops by a factor up to 4 across the laminar flame. It is shown how the non-constant cp/lambda modifies the laminar flame probability density function (pdf) and a polynomial fit to cp/lambda as a function of the progress variable allows analytical results for the laminar flame pdf and the mean value of the progress variable and of the reaction source term. An analytic pdf for partially premixed flames is proposed based on Bayes's theorem as a combination of a beta pdf for the mixture fraction and the laminar flame pdf's evaluated at the respective fuel/air ratio.
Investigation of scalar–scalar-gradient filtered joint density function for large eddy simulation of turbulent combustion
Authors: Yuan Mengyuan , Zhang Hengbin , Tong Chenning
Published: March 2021

The scalar–scalar-gradient filtered joint density function (FJDF) and its transport equation for large eddy simulation of turbulent combustion are studied experimentally. Measurements are performed in the fully developed region of an axisymmetric turbulent jet (with jet Reynolds number UjDj/ν=40 000) using an array consisting of three X-wires and three resistance-wire temperature probes. Filtering in the cross-stream and streamwise directions is realized by using the array and by invoking Taylor's hypothesis, respectively. The FJDF and the terms in the transport equation are analyzed using their means conditional on the filtered scalar and the subgrid-scale (SGS) scalar variance. The FJDF is unimodal when the SGS scalar variance is small compared to its mean value. The scalar gradient depends weakly on the SGS scalar. For large SGS variance, the FJDF is bimodal and the gradient depends strongly on the SGS scalar; therefore, the often-invoked independence assumption is not valid. The SGS scalar under such a condition contains a diffusion layer structure and the SGS mixing is similar to the early stages of binary mixing. The isoscalar surface in the diffusion layer has a lower surface-to-volume ratio than that in a well-mixed scalar. The conditionally filtered diffusion of the scalar gradient has an S-shaped dependence on the scalar gradient, which is expected to be qualitatively different from that of a reactive scalar under fast chemistry conditions. However, because modeling is performed at a higher level and because the scalar–scalar-gradient FJDF contains the information about the scalar dissipation and the surface-to-volume ratio, the FJDF approach is expected to be more accurate than scalar filtered density function approaches and has the potential to model turbulent combustion over a wide range of Damköhler numbers.
Plasma-activated water from DBD as a source of nitrogen for agriculture: Specific energy and stability studies
Authors: Subramanian P. S. Ganesh , J. Ananthanarasimhan , P. Leelesh , Rao Harsha , Shivapuji Anand M. , Girard-Lauriault Pierre-Luc , Rao Lakshminarayana
Published: March 2021

Successful application of plasma-activated water (PAW) as an alternate source of nitrogen for agricultural application requires low specific energy consumption. This work reports on a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor for the generation of PAW having low specific energy (SE) consumption. The SE to produce N in PAW was 3.26 GJ/kg of N, which is 68% lower than the lowest value reported to date for DBD-PAW systems. The PAW generated was characterized for its physico-chemical parameters, most of which showed a linear increase with activation time (ta). The concentration of hydrogen ion and that of the nitrate, which is the desired product for agricultural application, remained stable for four weeks in the PAW. The results indicate that minimal reactive oxygen species was formed in the plasma zone and only reactive nitrogen species (RNS) was formed confirming selectivity toward RNS.
Analysis of bath motion in MM-SQC dynamics via dimensionality reduction approach: Principal component analysis
Authors: Peng Jiawei , Xie Yu , Hu Deping , Lan Zhenggang
Published: March 2021

The system-plus-bath model is an important tool to understand the nonadiabatic dynamics of large molecular systems. Understanding the collective motion of a large number of bath modes is essential for revealing their key roles in the overall dynamics. Here, we applied principal component analysis (PCA) to investigate the bath motion in the basis of a large dataset generated from the symmetrical quasi-classical dynamics method based on the Meyer–Miller mapping Hamiltonian nonadiabatic dynamics for the excited-state energy transfer in the Frenkel-exciton model. The PCA method clearly elucidated that two types of bath modes, which either display strong vibronic coupling or have frequencies close to that of the electronic transition, are important to the nonadiabatic dynamics. These observations were fully consistent with the physical insights. The conclusions were based on the PCA of the trajectory data and did not involve significant pre-defined physical knowledge. The results show that the PCA approach, which is one of the simplest unsupervised machine learning dimensionality reduction methods, is a powerful one for analyzing complicated nonadiabatic dynamics in the condensed phase with many degrees of freedom.
Magnetic field transport in propagating thermonuclear burn
Authors: Appelbe B. , Velikovich A. L. , Sherlock M. , Walsh C. , Crilly A. , O' Neill S. , Chittenden J.
Published: March 2021

High energy gain in inertial fusion schemes requires the propagation of a thermonuclear burn wave from hot to cold fuel. We consider the problem of burn propagation when a magnetic field is orthogonal to the burn wave. Using an extended-MHD model with a magnetized α energy transport equation, we find that the magnetic field can reduce the rate of burn propagation by suppressing electron thermal conduction and α particle flux. Magnetic field transport during burn propagation is subject to competing effects: the field can be advected from cold to hot regions by ablation of cold fuel, while the Nernst and α particle flux effects transport the field from hot to cold fuel. These effects, combined with the temperature increase due to burn, can cause the electron Hall parameter to grow rapidly at the burn front. This results in the formation of a self-insulating layer between hot and cold fuel, which reduces electron thermal conductivity and α transport, increases the temperature gradient, and reduces the rate of burn propagation.
Ensemble generalized Kohn–Sham theory: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Authors: Gould Tim , Kronik Leeor
Published: March 2021

Two important extensions of Kohn–Sham (KS) theory are generalized KS theory and ensemble KS theory. The former allows for non-multiplicative potential operators and greatly facilitates practical calculations with advanced, orbital-dependent functionals. The latter allows for quantum ensembles and enables the treatment of open systems and excited states. Here, we combine the two extensions, both formally and practically, first via an exact yet complicated formalism and then via a computationally tractable variant that involves a controlled approximation of ensemble “ghost interactions” by means of an iterative algorithm. The resulting formalism is illustrated using selected examples. This opens the door to the application of generalized KS theory in more challenging quantum scenarios and to the improvement of ensemble theories for the purpose of practical and accurate calculations.
A digital holography ex situ measurement characterization of plasma-exposed surface erosion from an electrothermal arc source
Authors: Smith C. D. , Biewer T. M. , Gebhart T. , Echols J. , Thomas C. E.
Published: March 2021

Digital holography has been proposed to fulfill a need for an imaging diagnostic capable of in situ monitoring of surface erosion caused by plasma–material interaction in nuclear fusion devices. A digital holography diagnostic for 3D surface erosion measurement has been developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with the goal of deployment on a plasma device. A proof-of-concept in situ demonstration is planned which would involve measurement of plasma erosion on targets exposed to an electrothermal arc source. This work presents the results of an ex situ characterization of the capability and limitations of holographic imaging of targets exposed to the arc source. Targets were designed to provide a fiducial for comparison of deformed and unaffected areas. The results indicated that the average net erosion was ∼150 nm/plasma exposure, which is expected to be within the diagnostic’s measurement capacity. Surface roughness averages determined by holographic image analysis showed good agreement with measurements taken with a profilometer. The limit of the holography diagnostic’s x–y spatial resolution was characterized by comparison with scanning electron microscope imaging.