bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic polymorphisms within the ETAA1 gene associated with growth traits in Chinese sheep breeds
Authors: Wijayanti Dwi , Erdenee Sarantsetseg , Akhatayeva Zhanerke , Li Haixia , Li Jie , Cai Yong , Jiang Fugui , Xu Hongwei , Lan Xianyong
Published: March 2022

Ewing tumor‐associated antigen 1 (ETAA1) is an important candidate gene for fat deposition in sheep. This study aimed to investigate the indel variations in the ETAA1 gene and their associations with growth traits in the 1619 sheep. The polymorphism information content of this indel ranged from 0.308 to 0.375, with medium genetic diversity (0.25 ≤ polymorphism information content ≤ 0.5). The correlation analysis showed that an 8‐bp insertion within the ETAA1 gene was significantly associated with growth traits in Luxi Blackhead sheep (LXBH), Lanzhou fat‐tailed sheep, Hu sheep, Tong sheep, and Tan sheep (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the ETAA1 gene was significantly associated with several growth traits (p < 0.01), such as chest width and paunch girth of LXBH, Tong, and Tan rams. It was significantly related to the body morphometric traits of LXBH, Lanzhou fat‐tailed sheep, Hu, Tong, and Tan ewes. In conclusion, the detected 8‐bp indel within the ETAA1 gene was confirmed in sheep, significantly affecting the growth traits, and might be a potential DNA marker for the selection of high‐quality individuals in marker‐assisted selection for sheep breeding.
What do general practitioners want from specialist alcohol and other drug services? A qualitative study of New South Wales metropolitan general practitioners
Authors: Wilson Hester , Schulz Michelle , Rodgers Craig , Lintzeris Nicholas , Hall John J. , Harris‐Roxas Ben
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is common in Australia with significant health and community impacts. General practitioners (GP) often see people with AOD use; however, there is little research to understand how specialist AOD services could assist GPs in the management of patients with AOD issues.

Methods

Thirty‐five GPs working in general practice in a metropolitan area in Sydney in New South Wales, Australia, participated in one of three focus groups. The groups were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.

Results

The five themes raised by participants were: GP personal agency and interest in AOD issues; GP education and training gaps; improving pathways between GP and specialist AOD services; easier access to AOD specialist advice; and improving access to collaborative care for patients with complex AOD presentations. Participants requested education on screening, assessing, managing AOD issues, focused on alcohol, stimulants and high‐risk prescription medicines. They suggested better referral processes, discharge summaries and care planning for complex presentations. Participants wanted easy access to specialist advice and suggested collaborative care assisted by experienced AOD liaison nurses.

Discussion and Conclusions

Australia has several existing programs; online referral pathways and specialist phone advice, that address some of the issues raised. Unfortunately, many participants were not aware of these. GP education must be supported by multiple processes, including durable referral pathways, ready access to local specialist advice, clear communication (including patient attendance and a treatment plan), care planning and written summaries.
Einhardian geography and the tenth‐century Abodrites
Authors: Halsted Chris
Published: March 2022

The Abodrites, a Slavic people who lived in present‐day north‐eastern Germany, are only attested four times between 895 and 966. In this essay, I argue that most of these attestations derive not from an accurate rendering of historical events but from use of the geography of Einhard’s Vita Karoli magni to understand a changing political landscape. As best can be reconstructed, the tenth‐century Abodrites had greatly decreased political power and controlled a much smaller territory than their ninth‐century forebears or eleventh‐century successors.
Limbic and paralimbic respiratory modulation: From inhibition to enhancement
Authors: Chaitanya Ganne , Hampson Johnson P. , Toth Emilia , Hupp Norma J. , Hampson Jaison S. , Mosher John C. , Pati Sandipan , Lhatoo Samden D. , Lacuey Nuria
Published: March 2022

Objective

Increased understanding of the role of cortical structures in respiratory control may help the understanding of seizure‐induced respiratory dysfunction that leads to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The aim of this study was to characterize respiratory responses to electrical stimulation (ES), including inhibition and enhancement of respiration.

Methods

We prospectively recruited 19 consecutive patients with intractable epilepsy undergoing stereotactic electroencephalography (EEG) evaluation from June 2015 to June 2018. Inclusion criteria were patients ≥18 years in whom ES was indicated for clinical mapping of ictal onset or eloquent cortex as part of the presurgical evaluation. ES was carried out at 50 Hz, 0.2 msec, and 1–10 mA current intensity. Common brain regions sampled across all patients were amygdala (AMY), hippocampus (HG), anterior cingulate gyrus (CING), orbitofrontal cortex (OrbF), temporal neocortex (TNC), temporal pole (TP), and entorhinal cortex (ERC). Seven hundred fifty‐five stimulations were conducted. Quantitative analysis of breathing signal, that is, changes in breathing rate (BR), depth (TV), and minute ventilation (MV), was carried out during ES using the BreathMetrics breathing waveform analysis toolbox. Electrocardiography, arterial oxygen saturation, end‐tidal and transcutaneous carbon dioxide, nasal airflow, and abdominal and thoracic plethysmography were monitored continuously during stimulations.

Results

Electrical stimulation of TP and CING (at lower current strengths <3 mA) increased TV and MV. At >7‐10 mA, CING decreased TV and MV. On the other hand, decreased TV and MV occurred with stimulation of mesial temporal structures such as AMY and HG. Breathing changes were dependent on stimulation intensity. Lateral temporal, entorhinal, and orbitofrontal cortices did not affect breathing either way.

Significance

These findings suggest that breathing responses other than apnea can be induced by ES. Identification of two regions—the temporal pole and anterior cingulate gyrus—for enhancement of breathing may be important in paving the way to future development of strategies for prevention of SUDEP.
Badass marines: Resistance practices against the introduction of women in the Dutch military
Authors: van Douwen Nina , van den Brink Marieke , Benschop Yvonne
Published: March 2022

Gender and diversity interventions often do not have the planned effect, at least partly because of resistance. As a result, resistance is predominantly perceived as a negative to overcome. Contributing to theories on resistance to gender change, this paper increases our understanding of resistance practices and explores how these contribute to organizational change. Drawing on a case study in the Dutch military, we present a fine‐grained analysis of the discursive resistance practices to the introduction of women in a previously men‐only military unit. The paper brings together three strands of literature: on gender interventions, on organizational resistance, and on hegemonic military masculinity to unpack the nuances in resistance. We highlight the ambiguities and contradictions in the discursive resistance practices, and explicate how these entail shifts in organizational gender beliefs and the discourse on hegemonic military masculinity. We conclude that instead of trying to avoid resistance, there is a need to better understand what kind of change resistance is already putting into motion.
Significantly enhanced dc electrical resistivity and piezoelectric properties of Tb‐modified CaBi2Nb2O9 ceramics for high‐temperature piezoelectric applications
Authors: Chen Juan‐Nan , Wang Qian , Zhao Xian , Wang Chun‐Ming
Published: March 2022

Bismuth layer–structured ferroelectric calcium bismuth niobate (CaBi2Nb2O9, CBN) is considered to be one of the most potential high‐temperature piezoelectric materials due to its high Curie temperature Tc of ∼940°C, but the drawbacks of low electrical resistivity at elevated temperature and low piezoelectric performance limit its applications as key electronic components at high temperature (HT). Herein, we report significantly enhanced dc electrical resistivity and piezoelectric properties of CBN ceramics through rare‐earth element Tb ions compositional adjustment. The nominal compositions of Ca1−xTbxBi2Nb2O9 (abbreviated as CBN‐100xTb) have been fabricated by conventional solid‐state reaction method. The composition of CBN‐3Tb exhibits a significantly enhanced dc electrical resistivity of 1.97 × 106 Ω cm at 600°C, which is larger by two orders of magnitude compared with unmodified CBN. The donor substitutions of Tb3+ ions for Ca2+ ions reduce the oxygen vacancy concentrations and increase the band‐gap energy, which is responsible for the enhancement of dc electric resistivity. The temperature‐dependent dc conduction properties reveal that the conduction is dominated by the thermally activated oxygen vacancies in the low‐temperature region (200–350°C) and by the intrinsic conduction in the HT region (350–650°C). The CBN‐3Tb also exhibits enhanced piezoelectric properties with a high piezoelectric coefficient d33 of ∼13.2 pC/N and a high Tc of ∼966°C. Moreover, the CBN‐3Tb exhibits good thermal stabilities of piezoelectric properties, remaining 97% of its room temperature value after annealing at 900°C. These properties demonstrate the great potentials of Tb‐modified CBN for high‐temperature piezoelectric applications.
Management of abiotic stresses by microbiome-based engineering of the rhizosphere
Authors: Tyagi Rashi , Pradhan Salila , Bhattacharjee Annapurna , Dubey Shubham , Sharma Shilpi
Published: March 2022

Abiotic stresses detrimentally affect both plant and soil health, threatening food security in an ever-increasing world population. Sustainable agriculture is necessary to augment crop yield with simultaneous management of stresses. Limitations of conventional bioinoculants have shifted the focus to more effective alternatives. With the realization of the potential of rhizospheric microbiome engineering in enhancing plant's fitness under stress, efforts have accelerated in this direction. Though still in its infancy, microbiome-based engineering has gained popularity because of its advantages over the microbe-based approach. This review briefly presents major abiotic stresses afflicting arable land, followed by an introduction to the conventional approach of microbe-based enhancement of plant attributes and stress mitigation with its inherent limitations. It then focuses on the significance of the rhizospheric microbiome and possibilities of harnessing its potential by its strategic engineering for stress management. Further, success stories related to two major approaches of microbiome engineering (generation of synthetic microbial community/consortium, and host-mediated artificial selection) pertaining to stress management have been critically presented. Together with bringing forth the challenges associated with the wide application of rhizospheric microbiome engineering in agriculture, the review proposes the adoption of a combinational scheme for the same, bringing together ecological and reductionist approaches for improvised sustainable agricultural practices.
Changes in community and hospital‐based health care use during the COVID‐19 pandemic for adults with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities
Authors: Durbin A. , Balogh R. , Lin E. , Palma L. , Plumptre L. , Lunsky Y.
Published: March 2022

Background

Due to the functional, cognitive and communication impairments associated with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), adaptations to service delivery during the COVID‐19 pandemic may impact people with IDD differently than others. For community and hospital‐based services, this study describes the proportion of adults with and without IDD who used health care in the year pre‐COVID‐19 and the first year of the pandemic.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used linked health administrative databases to identify adults aged 18–105 years with and without IDD using unique encoded identifiers. Counts and proportions of adults who used health care services were reported for the pre‐COVID‐19 year (16 March 2019 to 14 March 2020) and the first COVID‐19 year (15 March 2020 to 15 March 2021).

Results

Across services, the proportion of adults who used services was lower during the first COVID‐19 year compared with the year prior, except for virtual physician visits that increased markedly for people with and without IDD. While the proportion of adults who used services was higher for those with IDD compared with those without IDD for both years, differences were greatest for mental health emergency visits and hospitalisations; adults with IDD were 6.3 to 10.9 times more likely to use these services than others with no IDD during the pandemic.

Conclusions

During the first COVID‐19 year in Ontario, Canada, service use decreased for all service types, except for virtual physician visits. In both years, adults with IDD remained more likely to use services than other adults, with the largest differences in use of mental health hospitalisations and mental health emergency department visits.
Peripheral and central pathophysiological changes in a new rat model of acid reflux combined with mental stress
Authors: Xu Ting‐Ting , Li Li , Geng Lin , Zhou Bing‐Duo , Zhu Sheng‐Liang
Published: March 2022

Background

Mental stress is an important risk factor for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which interacts with acid reflux and affects the efficacy of single acid suppression treatment. However, the specific mechanism remains elusive, and there is a lack of available models for further support.

Methods

This study established a new compound model combining acid reflux and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) to observe potential peripheral and central pathophysiological changes.

Key Results

Rats in the compound model suffered from significant weight loss and manifested depression‐like behaviours. In addition, the acid reflux was not aggravated despite the presence of mental stress, along with dilated intercellular space (DIS), increased expression of desmoglein‐1 (DSG1) mRNA, and injury of the lower oesophageal mucosa. The balance between pro‐inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory factors was disrupted. In the hypothalamus of rats in the compound model, the expression of corticosterone‐releasing factor (CRF) and its receptors, protein kinase A (PKA), and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors were decreased. This might be related to the “escape” of stress, which weakened the suppressive effect on excitatory transmission to cope with the damage of pressure to the body.

Conclusions & Inferences

Mental stress and acid reflux affect GERD through peripheral and central aspects, which can result in the poor efficacy of acid inhibitors. This may provide a new direction for the treatment of GERD.
Unique left pulmonary vein isolation in straight common trunk based on longitudinal conduction of left lateral ridge
Authors: Fukuda Koji , Takada Tsuyoshi , Satake Hiroyuki , Aizawa Kentaro , Miki Keita , Shimojyo Takuya , Sato Koichi , Ikeda Shohei , Takeda Morihiko , Shiba Nobuyuki
Published: March 2022

Background

A left common pulmonary vein (LCPV) is the most common anatomical variation in the pulmonary vein (PV) and often influences strategies of PV isolation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Our objective was to elucidate the electrical properties of the specific shape of LCPV and to apply it to an ablation procedure.

Methods and results

We investigated consecutive 12 out of 204 paroxysmal AF patients who had the shape of a straight common trunk in LCPV defined by the formation of a single conduit with parallel cranial and caudal walls after the coalescence of superior and inferior PVs on the distal side. The distance between the top of the bifurcation of LPVs and the level coinciding with the middle of the anterior wall of LCPV (left lateral ridge: LLR) was more than 10 mm in all the patients. The activation pattern of the LLR showed longitudinal conduction without outside connections. All the LCPV except one were successfully isolated without ablating the LLR (C‐shape ablation). Only one patient had AF recurrence during the follow‐up period.

Conclusion

The LLR in LCPV with a straight common trunk has longitudinal conduction without outside connections, which permits the isolation of LCPV without ablating LLR.
Cauda equina syndrome after unilateral medial branch blocks of the lower lumbar zygapophyseal joints
Authors: Zaghdoudi Zied , Eldabe Sam , Copley Sue , Abbes Haythem , Temperli Philippe , Buchser Eric
Published: March 2022

Medial branch blockade of the lumbar facet joints is widely performed and generally accepted as a safe intervention. We present a case of neurological damage following a medial branch blockade with local anesthetic and steroid. A patient suffering from chronic low back pain radiating to the buttocks and thighs underwent nine medial branch blockades over a few years. Three months after successful back surgery to remove a herniated L2–3 disk, the pain recurred, and left L3–4, L4–5, and L5–S1 medial branch blocks were performed under fluoroscopy. Immediately following the procedure, the patient developed paraparesis in both legs, loss of pinprick but preserved fine touch sensation, proprioception, and sphincter sensory and motor function. MRI showed ischemic lesions of the cauda equina. Direct needle trauma was discounted as a cause, due to the bilateral neurological deficit, plus the lack of pain during the procedure. Particulate steroid preparations can form aggregates, which may embolize and block small terminal arteries, causing neurological damage. Although the patient received nine sets of injections uneventfully during the previous 36 months, this procedure took place 3 months following spinal surgery. This rare, but catastrophic case of cauda equina syndrome occurred following L3–4, L4–5, and L5–S1 medial branch blockades 3 months after spinal surgery, which is believed to be caused by accidental intra‐arterial injection of particulate methylprednisolone, with consequent aggregates causing blockage and ensuing ischemia. Therefore we suggest particulate steroid preparations should not be used in axial spinal injection.
Tax revenue effort and aid in fragile states: The case of Comoros
Authors: Diaz‐Sanchez Jose L. , Tagem Abrams M. E. , Mota Joana
Published: March 2022

This paper assesses the impact of aid on tax revenue effort in the context of a fragile state, focusing on Comoros. The paper estimates a fiscal response model within a cointegrated vector autoregressive framework with annual data for Comoros's post‐independence period (1984–2017). Results suggest that grants and tax revenue had a significant negative relationship in the long run that remained stable throughout the sample period. Grants are a politically less costly source of finance, reducing the urgency of fragile states' fiscal planners to expend their reduced political capital and administrative capacity on tax collection reforms. This effect may be amplified by the large one‐off budget support grants received from bilateral partners, which often have stopped tax reform initiatives. From the Comorian government's perspective, being aware of this negative relationship is an important step to ensure that long‐term priorities in tax capacity building are not undermined by short‐term objectives in guaranteeing political stability. Furthermore, multilateral official development partners could attempt to compensate for the negative effect of unconditional aid by engaging additional resources for tax capacity building projects and budget support programmes that include sound tax‐related reforms.
Stem cell–homing hydrogel-based miR-29b-5p delivery promotes cartilage regeneration by suppressing senescence in an osteoarthritis rat model
Authors: Zhu Jinjin , Yang Shuhui , Qi Yadong , Gong Zhe , Zhang Haitao , Liang Kaiyu , Shen Panyang , Huang Yin-Yuan , Zhang Zhe , Ye Weilong , Yue Lei , Fan Shunwu , Shen Shuying , Mikos Antonios G. , Wang Xiumei , Fang Xiangqian
Published: March 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease characterized by progressive loss of cartilage and reduction in lubricating synovial fluid, which lacks effective treatments currently. Here, we propose a hydrogel-based miRNA delivery strategy to rejuvenate impaired cartilage by creating a regenerative microenvironment to mitigate chondrocyte senescence that mainly contributes to cartilage breakdown during OA development. An aging-related miRNA, miR-29b-5p, was first found to be markedly down-regulated in OA cartilage, and their up-regulation suppressed the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and senescence-associated genes (

P16
INK4a
/P21

) via ten-eleven-translocation enzyme 1 (TET1). An injectable bioactive self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel was applied to deliver agomir-29b-5p, which was functionalized by conjugating a stem cell–homing peptide SKPPGTSS for endogenous synovial stem cell recruitment simultaneously. Sustained miR-29b-5p delivery and recruitment of synovial stem cells and their subsequent differentiation into chondrocytes led to successful cartilage repair and chondrocyte rejuvenation. This strategy enables miRNA-based therapeutic modality to become a viable alternative for surgery in OA treatment.
Biodegradable silicon nanoneedles for ocular drug delivery
Authors: Park Woohyun , Nguyen Van Phuc , Jeon Yale , Kim Bongjoong , Li Yanxiu , Yi Jonghun , Kim Hyungjun , Leem Jung Woo , Kim Young L. , Kim Dong Rip , Paulus Yannis M. , Lee Chi Hwan
Published: March 2022

Ocular drug delivery remains a grand challenge due to the complex structure of the eye. Here, we introduce a unique platform of ocular drug delivery through the integration of silicon nanoneedles with a tear-soluble contact lens. The silicon nanoneedles can penetrate into the cornea in a minimally invasive manner and then undergo gradual degradation over the course of months, enabling painless and long-term sustained delivery of ocular drugs. The tear-soluble contact lens can fit a variety of corneal sizes and then quickly dissolve in tear fluid within a minute, enabling an initial burst release of anti-inflammatory drugs. We demonstrated the utility of this platform in effectively treating a chronic ocular disease, such as corneal neovascularization, in a rabbit model without showing a notable side effect over current standard therapies. This platform could also be useful in treating other chronic ocular diseases.
Two-stage amplification of an ultrasensitive MXene-based intelligent artificial eardrum
Authors: Gou Guang-Yang , Li Xiao-Shi , Jian Jin-Ming , Tian He , Wu Fan , Ren Jie , Geng Xiang-Shun , Xu Jian-Dong , Qiao Yan-Cong , Yan Zhao-Yi , Dun Guanhua , Ahn Chi Won , Yang Yi , Ren Tian-Ling
Published: March 2022

We report an artificial eardrum using an acoustic sensor based on two-dimensional MXene (Ti
3
C
2
T
x
), which mimics the function of a human eardrum for realizing voice detection and recognition. Using MXene with a large interlayer distance and micropyramid polydimethylsiloxane arrays can enable a two-stage amplification of pressure and acoustic sensing. The MXene artificial eardrum shows an extremely high sensitivity of 62 kPa
−1
and a very low detection limit of 0.1 Pa. Notably, benefiting from the ultrasensitive MXene eardrum, the machine-learning algorithm for real-time voice classification can be realized with high accuracy. The 280 voice signals are successfully classified for seven categories, and a high accuracy of 96.4 and 95% can be achieved by the training dataset and the test dataset, respectively. The current results indicate that the MXene artificial intelligent eardrum shows great potential for applications in wearable acoustical health care devices.
Fidelity of Implementation as a Guiding Framework for Transitioning Research-Based Instructional Practices from On Site to Online
Authors: Arneson Jessie B. , Woodbury Jacob , Offerdahl Erika G.
Published: March 2022

In this Perspective, we contribute to the
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
special issue “Opportunities and Challenges of Online Instruction—Blurring the Lines Between Online and On-Site Teaching and Learning” by introducing a framework to guide instructors in transitioning from on-site to online instruction. The discipline-based education research community has produced a significant literature base demonstrating the effectiveness of various research-based instructional practices (RBIPs) that support student learning in face-to-face environments.
Australia and the Quad
Authors: WALTON David
Published: March 2022

From an Australian viewpoint, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) between Australia, the United States, Japan and India is an important development. The Quad secures a US long-term presence in the region to balance China’s influence, strengthens close security ties with Japan and enhances Australia’s strategic engagement with India. Notably, the non-traditional security emphasis in Quad 2.0 has the potential to generate support among Southeast Asian countries which are cautious about upsetting China.
Characterization and Prediction of Mobile Tasks
Authors: Tian Yuan , Zhou Ke , Pelleg Dan
Published: March 2022

Mobile devices have become an increasingly ubiquitous part of our everyday life. We use mobile services to perform a broad range of tasks (e.g., booking travel or conducting remote office work), leading to often lengthy interactions with several distinct apps and services. Existing mobile systems handle mostly simple user needs, where a single app is taken as the unit of interaction. To understand users’ expectations and to provide context-aware services, it is important to model users’ interactions with their performed task in mind. To provide a comprehensive picture of common mobile tasks, we first conduct a small-scale user study to understand annotated mobile tasks in-depth, while we demonstrate that by using a set of features (temporal, similarity, and log sequence), we can identify if a pair of app usage belong to the same task effectively. Secondly, the proposed best task detection model is applied to a large-scale data set of commercial mobile app usage logs to infer characteristics of complex (multi-app) mobile tasks in the wild. By applying an unsupervised learning framework, we discover common mobile task types that span multiple apps based on various extracted characteristics. We observe that users generally perform 17 common tasks with 47 sub-tasks, ranging from “social media browsing” to “dining out” and “family entertainments”. Finally, we demonstrate that we can predict the next complex mobile task that users are likely to perform by leveraging features from the historically inferred mobile tasks and user contexts. Our work facilitates an in-depth understanding of mobile tasks at scale, enabling applications for promoting task-aware services.
Fast Redox Kinetics in SrCo1−xSbxO3−δPerovskites for Thermochemical Energy Storage
Authors: Wilson George E. , Seymour Ieuan D. , Cavallaro Andrea , Skinner Stephen J. , Aguadero Ainara
Published: March 2022

The use of perovskite materials for thermochemical energy storage and oxygen separation has been gaining momentum in recent years due to their ability to topotactically exchange large volumes of oxygen, and their chemical and structural flexibility. B-site substituted SrCoO3-δderivatives have previously been investigated as promising materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell cathodes due to the stabilization of a 3 C perovskite structure with high electronic and ionic conductivity that allows large oxygen storage capabilities. Here, antimony-substituted strontium cobalt oxides are investigated and identified as new candidate materials for thermochemical oxygen separation applications. In this work we shed light on the exceptional redox kinetics and cyclability of antimony-substituted variants undergoing oxygen exchange at intermediate temperatures (500 to 800 °C). Through the use of density functional theory and isothermal gas atmosphere switching, we demonstrate how the inductive effect of the more electronegative antimony dopants in the Co position, facilitates the kinetics of metal oxide oxidation, whilst hindering reduction reactions. SrCo0.95Sb0.05O3−δwas identified to isothermally evolve 3.76 cm3g−1of oxygen at 500 °C and calculated to produce up to 10.44 cm3g−1under temperature-swing reaction configurations aligning with previously reported materials.
Investigation of Redox Shuttle Generation in LFP/Graphite and NMC811/Graphite Cells
Authors: Boulanger Thomas , Eldesoky Ahmed , Buechele Sebastian , Taskovic Tina , Azam Saad , Aiken Connor , Logan Eric , Metzger Michael
Published: March 2022

Unwanted redox shuttles can lead to self-discharge and inefficiency in lithium-ion cells. This study investigates the generation of a redox shuttle in LFP/graphite and NMC811/graphite pouch cells with common alkyl carbonate electrolyte. Visual inspection of the electrolyte extracted after formation at temperatures between 25 and 70 °C reveals strong discoloration. Such extracted electrolytes with intense red and brown color show relatively large shuttling currents in Al/Li coin cells. Two weight percent of vinylene carbonate is effective at preventing the redox shuttle generation as indicated by the absence of electrolyte discoloration and shuttling current. Ultra-high precision coulometry demonstrates that the presence of the shuttle molecule during cycling of LFP/graphite and NMC811/graphite pouch cells leads to significant charge endpoint capacity slippage and coulombic inefficiency. A brief constant voltage hold at 4.2 V can eliminate the shuttle molecule.
Ionic Liquid/Non-Ionic Surfactant Mixtures as Versatile, Non-Volatile Electrolytes: Double-Layer Capacitance and Conductivity
Authors: Lashkari Sima , Pal Rajinder , Pope Michael A.
Published: March 2022

Ionic liquids (ILs) are being increasingly used as processing aids to formulate electrode/electrolyte composites where the electrolyte acts as a template, defining the effective electrolyte-filled pore space between 2D materials such as graphene and MXenes. This is often facilitated with non-ionic surfactants. However, little is currently known about how these surfactants impact double-layer formation and ionic conductivity. Herein, we measure these properties for two commonly used non-ionic surfactants, P123 and Triton X-100 (TX-100) mixed with the IL, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMImTFSI). A significant increase in the minimum capacitance is observed at 40 wt% surfactant by up to 88% and 102% for P123 and TX-100, respectively. On the other hand, the higher viscosity of the mixtures, lowers the ionic conductivity from 8.5 mS cm−1 (neat IL) to 1 mS cm−1 (40 wt% surfactant). Despite the significantly higher viscosity of P123/IL mixtures compared to TX-100/IL, both electrolyte series show the same reduction in ionic conductivity with respect to concentration. Pulse field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance was also used to show that for both electrolyte series, the diffusion coefficients follow a similar trend.
Comprehensive Groundwater Quality Analysis in Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) Prevalence Areas of Sri Lanka to Investigate the Responsible Culprit
Authors: Fernando T. D. , Mathota Arachchige Yohan L. N. , Sanjeewani K. V. P. , Rajaguru R. A. M. T. S.
Published: March 2022

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) is a serious health problem in Sri Lanka especially among agricultural communities in dry zone since 19th century. In the present study, several water quality parameters were studied in well water samples and only four parameters, namely, hardness, cadmium level, fluoride level, and strontium level have shown a relationship with the CKDu prevalence. Higher percentage of well water samples collected from CKDu prevalent area in both pre and postmonsoon seasons have exceeded the WHO recommended levels of hardness. Further, water samples collected in postmonsoon seasons had significantly higher hardness than the well water samples collected in premonsoon season (

P
<
0.05

). This may be due to the dissolution of calcium carbonate by water recharge. Moreover, cadmium and fluoride contents have exceeded the recommended levels in high-risk area during the premonsoon period. Furthermore, according to principal component analysis (PCA), four clusters were identified depending on the different levels of fluoride, cadmium, hardness, and strontium contents. The control area (Am) fell in to separate cluster with low contents of fluoride, cadmium, hardness, and strontium than in CKDu prevalent area. Since it has been found that the above species are directly involved in renal damage, it can be concluded that a synergetic effect of cadmium, fluoride, hardness, and strontium in well water may be a main cause for CKDu in Sri Lanka.
Development and Validation of a Novel Clinical Prediction Model to Predict the Risk of Lung Metastasis from Ewing Sarcoma for Medical Human-Computer Interface
Authors: Li Wenle , Hong Tao , Xu Chan , Wang Bing , Hu Zhaohui , Liu Qiang , Wang Haosheng , Dong Shengtao , Kang Wei , Yin Chengliang
Published: March 2022

Background. This study aimed at establishing and validating a quantitative and visual prognosis model of Ewing Sarcoma (E.S.) via a nomogram. This model was developed to predict the risk of lung metastasis (L.M.) in patients with E.S. to provide a practical tool and help in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods. Data of all patients diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma between 2010 and 2016 were retrospectively retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. A training dataset from the enrolled cohorts was built (n = 929). Predictive factors for L.M. were identified based on the results of multivariable logistic regression analyses. A nomogram model and a web calculator were constructed based on those key predictors. A multicenter dataset from four medical institutions was established for model validation (n = 51). The predictive ability of the nomogram model was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration plot. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was applied to explain the accuracy of the nomogram model in clinical practice. Results. Five independent factors, including survival time, surgery, tumor (T) stage, node (N) stage, and bone metastasis, were identified to develop a nomogram model. Internal and external validation indicated significant predictive discrimination: the area under the ROC curve (AUC) value was 0.769 (95% CI: 0.740 to 0.795) in the training cohort and 0.841 (95% CI: 0.712 to 0.929) in the validation cohort, respectively. Calibration plots and DCA presented excellent performance of the nomogram model with great clinical utility. Conclusions. In this study, a nomogram model was constructed and validated to predict L.M. in patients with E.S. for medical human-computer interface—a web calculator (https://drliwenle.shinyapps.io/LMESapp/). This practical tool could help clinicians make better decisions to provide precision prognosis and treatment for patients with E.S.
Clinical Efficacy of Dexamethasone in the Treatment of Patients with Tuberculous Meningitis: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Wang Wei , Gao Juan , Liu Jiarui , Qi Jinxi , Zhang Qifan
Published: March 2022

Objective. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of dexamethasone in patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) through meta‐analysis. Method. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Wanfang Databases were searched, and all relevant Chinese and English literature from 2000 to 2021 were retrieved from each database. We collected randomized controlled trials of conventional antituberculosis drugs combined with dexamethasone treatment (treatment group) and conventional antituberculosis drug treatment or combined with placebo treatment (control group) in TBM patients. Meta‐analysis was performed with Stata16.0 software. Results. A total of 1645 articles were retrieved, and 11 articles were finally included in the study. Meta‐analysis results showed that the treatment group had a significantly higher response rate and lower incidence of adverse reactions compared with the control group. Additionally, compared with the control group, the postoperative cerebrospinal fluid cell count, protein content, and glucose in the treatment group were significantly lower, while the chloride level increased. Conclusion. Conventional antituberculosis drugs combined with dexamethasone therapy can improve cerebrospinal fluid cell count, protein content, glucose, and chloride levels in patients with TBM. This treatment can improve the treatment effective rate and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions, which is considered an effective treatment for TBM. Our results provide strong evidence for enhancing existing treatment regimens and developing novel combination therapy to improve TBM treatment efficacy.
High Frequency Ultrasound-Based Evaluation of Clinical Effect of Ephedra-Forsythia-Red Bean Decoction Addition and Subtraction Treatment of Psoriasis Vulgaris
Authors: Wang Yue , Lu Hongju , Hu Zhongzhu
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of ephedra-forsythia-red bean decoction (a formula of traditional Chinese medicine) addition and subtraction treatment of psoriasis vulgaris based on 22 MHz high-frequency ultrasound, so as to provide reference for the selection of traditional Chinese medicine formulas for psoriasis and the clinical application of ultrasound. 80 patients with psoriasis vulgaris with exterior closing and internal depression syndrome diagnosed and treated in the hospital were divided into an observation group (40 cases) and a control group. Patients in the observation group were received ephedra-forsythia-red bean decoction addition and subtraction; and those in the control group were received traditional Chinese medicine of observation group subtraction of raw ephedra, cinnamomum cassia, addition of fineleaf schizonepeta herb, divaricate saposhnikovia root. 22 MHz high-frequency ultrasonography was also performed. The psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score and efficacy indicators were compared between the two groups. The results showed that the detection rate of nail malnutrition and psoriasis infiltration in psoriasis by high-frequency ultrasound was significantly higher than that by arthroscopy, and the difference was significant (

P
<
0.05

). The total PASI score of the two groups after treatment was significantly lower than that before treatment, and the total PASI score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). The total effective rate of the observation group (87.5%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (67.5%), and the difference was statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). It was found that high-frequency ultrasound can effectively display the condition and prognosis of patients with psoriasis. Ephedra-forsythia-red bean decoction was an effective traditional Chinese medicine formula for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.
Temperature Characteristics of Acupoints in Sports Training Adapted to Wireless Communication Thermal Image
Authors: Dong Kongmei , Xu Xiang
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this paper is to study the temperature characteristics of acupoints in sports training adapted to wireless communication thermal imaging. As the development of sports tends to be mature, the amount of training for athletes has also increased, and it is for this reason that the physical load of athletes is getting heavier and heavier. Traditional Chinese medicine pays attention to the theory of acupoints, which is the inheritance of China’s historical experience. The method is to study the temperature characteristics of acupuncture points and the effect of sports on acupoints from the perspective of the symmetry of the temperature and the amount of exercise on the acupuncture points. Through the exploration of infrared thermal imaging technology, experimental simulations are performed on rabbits. The results showed that the average temperature at the acupoints of Neiguan and Xinshu was higher, and the average temperature at the acupuncture points was lower. The results of the experimental part show that the body temperature of the experimental subject after exercise is not significantly different from the body temperature before exercise. There are temperature changes in some acupuncture points, but the temperature difference does not change much.
Deciphering Sociopolitical Context of Samantha Lucille Tancontian’s Buhay Frontliner in the Covid-19 Era
Authors: Sabonsolin John Cavin M.
Published: March 2022

The covid- 19 pandemic changes our society's lifestyle, culture, and issues. The unprecedented event brought people to adjust in their lives as the government also changed its implementation of protocols and guidelines to be safe during the pandemic. This literary research study assumes that Samantha Lucille Tancontian's Buhay Frontliner, written during the intense lockdown and early pandemic, reveals the contemporary sociopolitical context. Using critical discourse analysis, the researcher explores the local colors, plot, and themes that reveal contemporary sociopolitical context. The researcher anchors the readers' response theory on analyzing the fictional short story. Results indicate that the short story shows contemporary sociopolitical issues. The study confirms that the short story "Buhay Frontliners" has contemporary sociopolitical problems embedded in its literary elements.
Valorization of Posidonia-Oceanica leaves for the building insulation sector
Authors: Mehrez Insaf , Hachem Houda , Gheith Ramla , Jemni Abdelmajid
Published: March 2022

A new bio-composite material appropriate for building thermal insulation is proposed. The hydrophilic, thermal, and mechanical properties of composites made with Posidonia-Oceanica leaves, are experimentally investigated. The effect of two different sizes of fibers (natural and crushed leaves) as well as the effect of the chemical treatment (1% sodium hydroxide) are studied. For this purpose, different parallelepipedic specimens of dimensions 270 × 270 × 30 mm3 (thermal properties tests) and 160 × 40 × 40 mm3 (mechanical properties tests) were prepared by varying densities of leaves (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30% by volume). In comparison to the fiber size effect, the results reveal that fiber loading has a significant impact on the mechanical and thermal characteristics of composites. Alkali treatment can improve the compressive and flexural strength of bio-composites. The novel bio-composites have low thermal conductivity (0.09 W.m−1K−1 when 30% of reduced size Posidonia-Oceanica leaves were loaded into the reference mortar) and acceptable mechanical performances. Results also show (1) The addition of treated fiber improves the ductility of the material. (2) The fracture toughness is 75% greater than reference mortar. (3) The use of crushed fibers decreases the composite’s mechanical strengths. (4) The flexural strength decreases with the fibers content and increase after 1% sodium hydroxide treatment. It can be concluded that the proposed bio-composite can be employed as thermal insulation material.
Performance improvement of an ultra-wideband antenna using textile material with a PIN diode
Authors: Kannadhasan S , Nagarajan R , Banupriya R
Published: March 2022

Wearable antennas are critical in on-body wireless communications and have piqued scientists’ curiosity. Because wearable antennas work so near to the human body, the loading effect caused by body tissue breakdown, along with their high dielectric constants and conductivity, makes developing a high-radiation output antenna challenging. The demand that these antennas be lightweight, low-cost, maintenance-free, and require no setup adds to the problem. In recent years, the demand for wearable devices has skyrocketed. Wearable antennas are utilized in a variety of applications, including wireless body area networks (WBANs), in many circumstances. The patch antenna is one of the primary research goals of wearable antennas for WBAN applications due to the extensive ground plane employed in its construction and its relatively high directionality. In addition to directivity, microstrip patch antennas provide other benefits for on-body wearable applications. The wearable textile ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna’s frequency of changes versus gain is set. The maximum gain is about 17.2 dB at 16 GHz. The gain of the frequency of 14 GHz is obtained at 16.8 dB, with a high performance rate. The design in the present paper has low power consumption as a result of achieving gain results of less than 5 dB in most frequency bands from 2 to 16 GHz. While the reflector is present, the size of the reflector is chosen to make the antenna resistant to frequency detuning. When the distance between the monopole and the reflector is lowered, the antenna’s frequency decreases. The greater power, the closer the reflector is to the inductive near zone. However, the reflector was chosen to boost the front-to-back ratio of the proposed monopole. The reflection coefficient is derived by varying different resonating frequencies between −19.45 and −16.45 dB. The highest directivity is 11.5 dB and the lowest is 9.8 dB while varying different resonant frequencies. Gain is achieved by varying different resonant frequencies, with a maximum of 17.2 dB and a minimum of 16.2 dB. The effectiveness of varying different resonant frequencies is 45% maximum and 40% minimum. The suggested UWB antenna was found to have an acceptable agreement between models and tests, demonstrating its potential for microwave applications. The directivity, gain, Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR), and radiation pattern are all performance metrics that are measured.
Local Autonomy and Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Patton Dana , Durand Ann , Whipple Kyle , Albright David L.
Published: March 2022

We examine local government response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States utilizing a unique dataset created by the National League of Cities. The most common action by local governments was changing administrative procedures and implementing policies aimed at prevention or “flattening the curve”. The general public was the most common population target. In addition to detailing the most common local action types, policy areas, and population targets, we analyze local response based on the autonomy granted to local governments by states. We expected local governments with greater levels of autonomy would have a greater level of response; however, some local governments did not ‘behave’ as expected based on their degree of policymaking autonomy granted by state governments. Some states with higher levels of autonomy enacted relatively few local actions in response to the pandemic, whereas some with little autonomy engaged in considerable activity to address COVID-19.