bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of methods to monitor dogs with hypercortisolism treated with trilostane
Authors: Golinelli Stefania , de Marco Viviani , Leal Rodolfo Oliveira , Barbarossa Andrea , Aniballi Camilla , Maietti Elisa , Tardo Antonio Maria , Galac Sara , Fracassi Federico
Published: October 2021

Background

The use of adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test as method to monitor efficacy of trilostane treatment of hypercortisolism (HC) in dogs has been questioned.

Objectives

To evaluate and compare 12 methods with which to monitor efficacy of trilostane treatment in dogs with HC.

Animals

Forty‐five client‐owned dogs with HC treated with trilostane q12h.

Methods

Prospective cross‐sectional observational study. The dogs were categorized as well‐controlled, undercontrolled, and unwell through a clinical score obtained from an owner questionnaire. The ability to correctly identify trilostane‐treatment control of dogs with HC with the following variables was evaluated: before trilostane serum cortisol (prepill), before‐ACTH serum cortisol, post‐ACTH serum cortisol, plasma endogenous ACTH concentrations, prepill/eACTH ratio, serum haptoglobin (Hp) concentration, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma‐glutamyl transferase (γGT) and alkaline phosphatase activity, urine specific gravity, and urinary cortisol : creatinine ratio.

Results

Ninety‐four re‐evaluations of 44 dogs were included; 5 re‐evaluations of 5 unwell dogs were excluded. Haptoglobin was significantly associated with the clinical score (P < .001) and in the receiver operating characteristic analysis, Hp cutoff of 151 mg/dL correctly identified 90.0% of well‐controlled dogs (specificity) and 65.6% of undercontrolled dogs (sensitivity). Alanine aminotransferase (P = .01) and γGT (P = .009) were significantly higher in undercontrolled dogs. Cutoff of ALT and γGT greater than or equal to 86 U/L and 5.8 U/L, respectively, were significantly associated with poor control of HC by trilostane.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Of all the 12 variables, Hp, and to a lesser degree ALT and γGT, could be considered additional tools to the clinical picture to identify well‐controlled and undercontrolled trilostane‐treated dogs.
The telomere regulatory gene POT1 responds to stress and predicts performance in nature: Implications for telomeres and life history evolution
Authors: Wolf Sarah E. , Sanders Tiana L. , Beltran Sol E. , Rosvall Kimberly A.
Published: October 2021

Telomeres are emerging as correlates of fitness‐related traits and may be important mediators of ecologically relevant variation in life history strategies. Growing evidence suggests that telomere dynamics can be more predictive of performance than length itself, but very little work considers how telomere regulatory mechanisms respond to environmental challenges or influence performance in nature. Here, we combine observational and experimental data sets from free‐living tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) to assess how performance is predicted by the telomere regulatory gene POT1, which encodes a shelterin protein that sterically blocks telomerase from repairing the telomere. First, we show that lower POT1 gene expression in the blood was associated with higher female quality, that is, earlier breeding and heavier body mass. We next challenged mothers with an immune stressor (lipopolysaccharide injection) that led to “sickness” in mothers and 24 h of food restriction in their offspring. While POT1 did not respond to maternal injection, females with lower constitutive POT1 gene expression were better able to maintain feeding rates following treatment. Maternal injection also generated a 1‐day stressor for chicks, which responded with lower POT1 gene expression and elongated telomeres. Other putatively stress‐responsive mechanisms (i.e., glucocorticoids, antioxidants) showed marginal responses in stress‐exposed chicks. Model comparisons indicated that POT1 mRNA abundance was a largely better predictor of performance than telomere dynamics, indicating that telomere regulators may be powerful modulators of variation in life history strategies.
A role of flowering genes in the tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana to cucumber mosaic virus
Authors: Shukla Aayushi , Pagán Israel , Crevillén Pedro , Alonso‐Blanco Carlos , García‐Arenal Fernando
Published: October 2021

The genetic basis of plant tolerance to parasites is poorly understood. We have previously shown that tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana to its pathogen cucumber mosaic virus is achieved through changes in host life‐history traits on infection that result in delaying flowering and reallocating resources from vegetative growth to reproduction. In this system we analyse here genetic determinants of tolerance using a recombinant inbred line family derived from a cross of two accessions with extreme phenotypes. Three major quantitative trait loci for tolerance were identified, which co‐located with three flowering repressor genes, FLC, FRI, and HUA2. The role of these genes in tolerance was further examined in genotypes carrying functional or nonfunctional alleles. Functional alleles of FLC together with FRI and/or HUA2 were required for both tolerance and resource reallocation from growth to reproduction. Analyses of FLC alleles from wild accessions that differentially modulate flowering time showed that they ranked differently for their effects on tolerance and flowering. These results pinpoint a role of FLC in A. thaliana tolerance to cucmber mosaic virus, which is a novel major finding, as FLC has not been recognized previously to be involved in plant defence. Although tolerance is associated with a delay in flowering that allows resource reallocation, our results indicate that FLC regulates tolerance and flowering initiation by different mechanisms. Thus, we open a new avenue of research on the interplay between defence and development in plants.
Reducing failure to rescue rates in a paediatric in‐patient setting: A 9‐year quality improvement study
Authors: McHale Stephanie , Marufu Takawira C. , Manning Joseph C. , Taylor Nicola
Published: October 2021

Background

Annually in England, over 1.5 million children and young people (CYP) are admitted to hospital. However, a proportion of these CYP will experience failure to rescue (FtR), a failure to recognize, respond and escalate clinical deterioration, which can result in significant harm or death.

Aim

To identify and quantify FtR episodes from emergency events at a 110‐bedded tertiary children's hospital located within a University Teaching Hospital and evaluate the impact of targeted interventions on reducing FtR.

Methods

A quality improvement approach was adopted. From 170 446 patients admitted between 2011 and 2019, all emergency event calls were systematically reviewed to identify FtR episodes. Root–cause analysis was performed to identify practice deficiencies. The Plan‐Do‐Study‐Act fundamentals were used.

Results

A total of 520 emergency events were reviewed over the 9‐year period. One hundred and thirty‐two (n = 132; 25%) were cardiac arrest events, with the majority occurring within the PCCU setting. Three hundred and twelve (60%) of the events were in children who had been inpatient for more than 48 hours. FtR trend declined over the study period from 23.6% in 2011 when the project commenced to 2.5% or less over the following 8 years.

Conclusions

Identifying rates of FtR events from routinely collected emergency events data can be used as a patient safety measure to identify emergency concerns. This enables dynamic problem solving through delivery of strategic and targeted interventions. The proposed interventions outlined in this quality improvement study have application to critical care nursing as mechanisms for reducing unplanned admissions to paediatric critical care unit (PCCU), patient mortality, and PCCU and non‐PCCU cardiac arrests.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

This study emphasises the importance in understanding the antecedence of emergency events for paediatric inpatient populations. This intelligence can be used to direct targeted interventions to significantly reduce failure to rescue rates.
Reflections on whiteness: Racialised identities in nursing
Authors: Allan Helen T.
Published: October 2021

In this article, I discuss the structural domination of whiteness as it intersects with the potential of individual critique and reflexivity. I reflect on my positioning as a white nurse researcher while researching international nurse migration. I draw on two large qualitative studies and one small focus group study to discuss my reactions as a white researcher to evidence of institutional racism in the British health services and my growing awareness of how racism is reproduced in the British nursing profession.
Real Exchange Rates and Fundamentals in a new Markov‐STAR Model*
Authors: Bertram Philip , Flock Teresa , Ma Jun , Sibbertsen Philipp
Published: October 2021

We propose a new nonlinear Markov‐STAR model to capture both the Markov switching and smooth transition dynamics for real exchange rates. We derive stationarity conditions for the model and apply it to the real exchange rates of 17 countries. We relate switching equilibrium rates and volatilities to a set of relevant macroeconomic variables and find, consistent with economic intuitions, that an economy deteriorating relative to the US economy tends to see a significantly increased likelihood of real exchange rate depreciation. Moreover, we document significant connections between rising economic uncertainties and real exchange rate changes as well as exchange rate volatility.
The tradeoff between information and pathogen transmission in animal societies
Authors: Romano Valéria , Sueur Cédric , MacIntosh Andrew J. J.
Published: October 2021

Social structure can regulate information and pathogen transmission via social contact or proximity, which ultimately affects individual fitness. In theory, the social relationships that mediate information transmission also favor the spread of socially‐transmitted pathogens, creating a tradeoff between them. However, the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of individual relationships under such pressures remain underexplored. Here, we outline the evolutionary mechanisms of social transmission while presenting evidence that network plasticity results from individuals navigating between the costs and benefits of social relationships. We provide perspectives for the development of the field, considering this underexplored social tradeoff and the evolutionary processes underlying it. We believe that the study of the social transmission tradeoff has the potential to become a major new research direction in behavioural and evolutionary ecology.
Parental care amplifies changes in offspring production in a disturbed environment
Authors: Candolin Ulrika , Goncalves Sara , Pant Pankaj
Published: October 2021

Recruitment is usually negatively density‐dependent with fewer offspring surviving when more are produced. Parental care could alter the pattern as behaviours that maximize individual fitness are not necessarily adaptive at the population level. We manipulated the number of eggs spawned into the nests of male threespine stickleback, and found egg survival to be positively density‐dependent. This reversed negative density‐dependent survival observed in the absence of parental care. The reversal was caused my males investing more in parental care when receiving more eggs, while favouring future reproductive opportunities when receiving few eggs. Density‐dependent parental care thus amplified changes in offspring production in relation to number of eggs spawned. Such amplification may occur in disturbed environments where human activities have altered female fecundity and males may receive more or less eggs than expected. The optimal balancing between present and future parental investment can then be distorted, resulting in maladaptive parental behaviour that reduces offspring survival. These results suggest that behaviours that have evolved to maximize individual fitness under pristine conditions can become mal‐adaptive under disturbed conditions and influence the recruitment of offspring into a population. Considering that human activities are rapidly transforming environments, such mal‐adaptive behavioural responses could be common and magnify negative effects of human activities on population dynamics.
Core Decompression with Local Administration of Zoledronate and Enriched Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells for Treatment of Non‐Traumatic Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head
Authors: Ma Hai‐yang , Ma Ning , Liu Yu‐feng , Wan Yi‐qun , Liu Gui‐qi , Liu Guang‐bo , Meng Hao‐ye , Li Huo , Wang Xin , Li Chun‐bao , Peng Jiang
Published: October 2021

Objective

To investigate the efficacy and safety of core decompression (CD) with local administration of zoledronate and enriched bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCS) for the treatment of non‐traumatic osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH).

Methods

A total of 17 patients (30 hips) diagnosed with stage II and III ONFH according to the 2019 revised Association for Research on Osseous Circulation (ARCO) staging criteria from 2012 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients received the following therapy: the BMMCs and zoledronate were injected into the necrotic zone, respectively, along with CD. The mean age of the patients was 36.8 years; 14 were men and three were women. All patients included had non‐traumatic ONFH and a minimum follow‐up of 5 years, which ended when total hip arthroplasty (THA) was performed. Imaging modalities, including plain radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were taken pre‐ and postoperatively. Harris hip score (HHS) was used to evaluate the functional outcomes of femoral head necrosis. Kaplan–Meier analysis was adopted to determine the probability of survivorship with THA as the end point in this series of patients. The correlation between radiological progression or THA and related risk factors were further analyzed. All complications were recorded.

Results

With THA as the follow‐up endpoint, All patients were followed up for an average of 69.1 ± 20.5 months (range, 18–95 months). Preoperative imaging found six hips (20%) at ARCO stage II, 14 hips (46.7%) at stage IIIA, 10 hips (33.3%) at stage IIIB. Fourteen hips (46.7%) shown progression radiologically, while six hips (20%) underwent TKA among these patients with hip preservation. The cumulative survival was 80% (95% CI, 0.608–905) at 5 years with THA as the end point. HHS improved from 63.3 ± 8.7 preoperatively to 74.6 ± 20.6 postoperatively (P = 0.000). Radiological progression was found to be associated with ARCO stage, Japanese Investigation Committee (JIC) type, and corticosteroid exposure (P = 0.047; P = 0.012; P = 0.031). However, no correlation was found between conversion to THA and the known risk factors. No major complication was reported, with only four patients complaining about general weakness and muscle soreness, and all disappeared within 2–3 days.

Conclusions

The novel treatment modality could relieve pain, delay the progression of collapse, which might be an effective and safe method for hip preservation of early and mid‐term ONFH. However, the effect of this method may be related to ARCO stage, JIC type, and corticosteroid exposure.
Hip Arthroscopy for Femoracetabular Impingement in China: A Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Yang Hsueh , You Mingke , Li Ya , Li Tao , Qin Taolin , Chen Gang
Published: October 2021

Objective

To explore the development of hip arthroscopy in China through reviewing the change of the application of hip arthroscopy operation on treating femoracetabular impingement (FAI).

Method

Papers were retrieved from January 1, 2005 to November 1, 2019, from databases CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, PubMed, and Embase. The keywords are Hip Impingement, Femoroacetabular impingement, Hip arthroscopy, Arthroscopic operation, Hip Arthroscopy operation, and Arthroscope, etc. The quality of papers was assessed through MINORS , and statistics and meta‐analysis were performed by Word, Excel, and Revman 5.3 Zurich, Switzerland.

Results

From a total of 8,953 papers, 46 review articles without data and 48 articles with data were involved, and 25 papers were included in the Meta‐analysis. The twenty‐five papers were selected from 48 papers with data, of which 41 were reported in Chinese, 11 were missing complete Harris scores, five did not mention the number of patients who had lost follow‐up, three had minors quality scores below 7, one did not have enough FAI cases, and three did not have standard deviations in Harris scores. Overall, in China, the application of hip arthroscopy regarding FAI has flourished while maintaining a high level of treatment and has reached its peak in the past 2 years.

Conclusion

With the rapid development of hip arthroscopy in China, hip operation is widely recognized, many reports on its application on FAI have emerged successively, and the scope of application and technical level have been improved.
Study on the co‐infection of children with severe community‐acquired pneumonia
Authors: Tran Quang Khai , Tran Do Hung , Pham Hung Van , Nguyen Vu Trung , Tran Xuan Bach , Larsson Mattias , Duong‐Quy Sy , Nguyen‐Thi‐Dieu Thuy
Published: October 2021

Backgroud

Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of death in children under 5 years old. Viruses have historically been the most common cause of community‐acquired pneumonia in children. Co‐infections in severe pneumonia are more concern by clinicians.

Method

It was a perspective and descriptive study. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) is a modern test that was used to detect many new pathogens, including microbiological co‐infections. RT‐PCR technique was used in this study to investigate the causes of severe pneumonia.

Results

Through the analysis of nasopharyngeal aspiration samples from 95 children with severe community‐acquired pneumonia, the positive RT‐PCR rate was 90.5%. Viral‐bacterial co‐infection accounted for the highest proportion (43.1%), followed by bacterial co‐infection (33.7%), viral infection (7.4%), bacterial infection (6.3%) and the remaining 9.5% was unknown. In the co‐infections groups, the five main bacteria species detected by PCR were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, MRSA, Moraxella catarrhalis and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Conclusion

Antibiotic treatment should focus on detected microbes in cases of severe pneumonia for having a good result.
Effect of the Steric Hindrance and Branched Substituents on Visible Phenylamine Oxime Ester Photoinitiators: Photopolymerization Kinetics Investigation through Photo‐DSC Experiments
Authors: Lee Zhong‐Han , Huang Tung‐Liang , Hammoud Fatima , Chen Ching‐Chin , Hijazi Akram , Graff Bernadette , Lalevée Jacques , Chen Yung‐Chung
Published: October 2021

In this work, free radical photopolymerization (FRP) kinetics for series of different phenylamine oxime ester structures (DMA–P, DEA–P, DMA–M, TP–2P, TP–2M and TP–3M) was investigated. Steric hindrance and branched substituents were prepared to realize the corresponding electronic and photopolymerization effects. The photophysical, electrochemical, thermal properties and radical concentration were investigated by UV‐visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Furthermore, the structure–reactivity relationships were also studied in detail through photo‐DSC experiment. We demonstrate that the introduction of alkyl chains and/or numbers of oxime esters affects significantly the photoreactivity. Under the same weight ratio of formulation and irradiated condition, TP–3M containing three oxime esters in its structure and methyl group in the periphery exhibits the highest double‐bond conversion efficiency. TP–3M‐based formulation also shows a wide operation window under different contents and light intensities. Importantly, the photoreactivity of the TP–3M‐based system was found to be better than the commercial photoinitiator (OXE–01) under LED@405 nm at a low concentration. This work could provide some significance to the design of oxime esters with enhanced photoreactivity.
Solitary waves in a Whitham equation with small surface tension
Authors: Johnson Mathew A. , Truong Tien , Wheeler Miles H.
Published: October 2021

Using a nonlocal version of the center‐manifold theorem and a normal form reduction, we prove the existence of small‐amplitude generalized solitary‐wave solutions and modulated solitary‐wave solutions to the steady gravity‐capillary Whitham equation with weak surface tension. Through the application of the center‐manifold theorem, the nonlocal equation for the solitary wave profiles is reduced to a four‐dimensional system of ODEs inheriting reversibility. Along particular parameter curves, relating directly to the classical gravity‐capillary water wave problem, the associated linear operator is seen to undergo either a reversible bifurcation or a reversible bifurcation. Through a normal form transformation, the reduced system of ODEs along each relevant parameter curve is seen to be well approximated by a truncated system retaining only second‐order or third‐order terms. These truncated systems relate directly to systems obtained in the study of the full gravity‐capillary water wave equation and, as such, the existence of generalized and modulated solitary waves for the truncated systems is guaranteed by classical works, and they are readily seen to persist as solutions of the gravity‐capillary Whitham equation due to reversibility. Consequently, this work illuminates further connections between the gravity‐capillary Whitham equation and the full two‐dimensional gravity‐capillary water wave problem.
Parents’ reasoning about HPV vaccination in Sweden
Authors: Runngren Eva , Eriksson Mats , Blomberg Karin
Published: October 2021

Introduction

The aim of this study was to describe parents’ reasoning in making decisions about vaccinating their daughters against human papilloma virus (HPV), a part of the Swedish vaccination programme.

Method

Twenty parents whose daughter had been offered HPV vaccination participated. Semi‐structured individual interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

The findings reveal that the decision‐making process is complex. The parents trusted the vaccination programme and saw it as beneficial to society. They also described using different resources to decide about HPV vaccination, but they did not include their daughters in making the decision.

Discussion

Parents need better vaccine and health literacy to be able to decide, based on evidence and in consultation with their daughters, on HPV vaccination. School nurses can play an important role in evidence‐based decision‐making about HPV vaccination and introducing children to this health‐promoting intervention.
Examining psychometric properties of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire among college students in India
Authors: Aggarwal Pankhuri , Ortiz Shelby , Jain Anjali , Velkoff Elizabeth , George Tony S. , Smith April , Raval Vaishali V.
Published: October 2021

Background

With the second‐highest population in the world, suicide‐related deaths in India are high, and adults under 30 are particularly at an increased risk. However, empirical examinations of factors contributing to suicide in India and assessments of reliability and validity of self‐report measures assessing these constructs are rare.

Aims

The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ).

Materials & Methods

Undergraduate students in India (N = 432) completed the INQ and questionnaires assessing suicidal ideation, depression, fearlessness about death, and pain tolerance.

Results

Confirmatory factor analyses of the 15‐item INQ indicated that after removing three items assessing perceived burdensomeness, the two‐factor structure of INQ demonstrated acceptable fit with good internal consistency for each of the subscales (α = .84–.90). In line with the interpersonal‐psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS), thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness interacted to predict suicidal ideation. Additionally, these constructs were positively associated with suicidal ideation and depression, and weakly correlated with fearlessness about death and pain tolerance.

Discussion

Results support the relevance of the IPTS for understanding suicidal ideation among college students in India.

Conclusion

The results suggest that modified INQ demonstrates strong internal consistency, as well as good construct, criterion, and discriminant validity among Indian college students.
Immigration and public opinion: Will backlash impede immigrants’ policy progress?
Authors: Bishin Benjamin G. , Hayes Thomas J. , Incantalupo Matthew B. , Smith Charles Anthony
Published: October 2021

Objective

We investigate the question: How should immigrants pursue policy in a system that privileges majority rule? Scholars suggest that opinion backlash impedes policy gains by marginalized groups. That is, pushing too hard for policy leads to backlash, a sharp and sustained negative reaction among citizens that delays these groups’ ability to obtain their desired policy.

Methods

Examining immigration, we develop and test two plausible alternatives to backlash: opinion elite cues and opinion stability. We use experimental and observational data.

Results

We find no evidence of backlash. Instead, we find modest evidence attitudes move in the direction of the cues provided by party elites.

Conclusion

Immigrants and other marginalized groups should pursue rights without fear of opinion backlash.
Rigid rules and slippery standards: How the nature of U.S. Supreme Court precedents influences subsequent state court treatments
Authors: Montgomery Matthew D. , Fix Michael P. , Kingsland Justin T.
Published: October 2021

Objective

This research develops a new theoretical framework that explains how the U.S. Supreme Court's decision between a rigid rule and a flexible standard influences compliance with the decisions of state high courts over time.

Methods

To assess the effects of doctrinal rules and standards on state court compliance, we apply our theoretical framework to an examination of state court responses to Miller v. California (1973) and Atkins v. Virginia (2002).

Results

Our findings show that doctrinal characteristics of Supreme Court precedents influence state court treatments. Our central theoretical argument posits that applications and positive treatments of deterministic rules should decrease the likelihood of future positive treatments, whereas applications and positive treatments of indeterministic standards should increase the likelihood of future positive treatment. Our findings provide support for this expectation.

Conclusion

This research demonstrates the importance of doctrinal characteristics in shaping state court compliance with U.S. Supreme Court precedent. Our findings suggest that rigid, deterministic rules, and slippery indeterministic standards influence lower court compliance in unique ways.
Detection of the HLA‐A*11:32:01 allele in a Taiwanese bone marrow donor
Authors: Yang Kuo‐Liang , Li Chi‐Cheng , Lin Py‐Yu
Published: October 2021

One nucleotide substitution in codon 182 of HLA‐A*11:01:01:01 results in a novel allele, HLA‐A*11:32:01.
Measurement of Lean Blowoff Limits in Swirl-Stabilized Distributed Combustion With Varying Heat Release Intensities
Authors: Roy Rishi , Gupta Ashwani K.
Published: October 2021

Lean blowoff in distributed combustion was investigated at moderate heat release intensities of 5.72, 7.63, and 9.53 MW/m3-atm to characterize the blowoff phenomenon. Distributed combustion conditions were established from a conventional swirl flame at an equivalence ratio of 0.9 using carbon dioxide as the diluent to the inlet airstream. A gradual increase in the air flowrate provided a reduction of equivalence ratio that eventually resulted in the lean blowoff limit. Blowoff occurred at relatively higher equivalence ratios for higher heat release intensities, which was attributed to higher inlet turbulence leading to the early introduction of flame instabilities and blowoff. High-speed chemiluminescence imaging (at 500 frames/second) performed near blowoff moments demonstrated the transition of distributed reaction zone to a near V-shape zone due to quenching of flame surface along the sides. A closer examination of the reduction in equivalence ratio in small steps near the global blowoff showed the presence of a very thin thread-like rotating reaction zone. The observations of blowoff were further supported by the analysis of chemiluminescence signals in each case. The effect of inlet air preheats on blowoff was also investigated. Air preheats broadened the lean blowoff to a lower equivalence ratio which was attributed to enhanced flame speed, providing additional flame stability and reduction of flowfield instabilities. The laminar flame speeds obtained at each preheats case using Chemkin-Pro© simulation with GRI-Mech 3.0 reaction mechanisms supported such a hypothesis of gradually enhanced flame speed, providing additional flame stability.
Surface to Through-Wall Crack Transition Model for Circumferential Cracks in Pipes
Authors: Shim Do Jun , Park Jeong Soon , Kurth Robert , Rudland David
Published: October 2021

In this paper, finite element (FE) analyses were performed to update and also extend the applicable ranges of the existing KI and crack-opening displacement (COD) solutions for nonidealized through-wall cracks (TWCs). Then, a surface to TWC transition model was proposed based on these solutions. The proposed model provides a criterion which determines when the final surface crack (SC) should transition to a TWC. It also provides a criterion to determine the two crack lengths (at the inner diameter (ID) and outer diameter (OD) surfaces) of the initial nonidealized TWC. Furthermore, crack growth of nonidealized TWCs can be simulated by using the proposed method. Finally, the proposed model was verified by demonstrating that it can well predict the surface to through-wall transition behavior when compared to the natural crack growth simulations.
Mechxels: A Preliminary Exploration of Leveraging Bistability for Text and Image Display
Authors: Chan Wan Kyn , Riley Katherine S. , Arrieta Andres F.
Published: October 2021

This paper explores Mechxels — mechanical pixels capable of rendering text and images — with preliminary evaluations of their effectiveness using pre-configured optical character recognition. Leveraging switchable multistablility through a combination of pre-strain and shape memory during fused deposition modeling (FDM), Mechxels are passive and, at 1/16th the size of the previous iteration of bistable mechanical pixels, easy to manufacture, tessellate, reprogram and reuse. A Python program is developed to assist with the tessellation by using image processing to tessellate the image and providing an interface in which images are mapped to their tessellated equivalent in Mechxels. This minimizes trial and error and determines the physical size of the tessellation and number of Mechxels required. Without the need for constant external stimulus to maintain perceived value change, Mechxels have the potential to enable passive deformation-based color changing displays that actuate based on environmental stimuli, with applications in product design and interior and exterior architecture.
Finite Element Modeling and Simulation of a Soft Array of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
Authors: Croce Sipontina , Moretti Giacomo , Neu Julian , Hubertus Jonas , Seelecke Stefan , Schultes Günter , Rizzello Gianluca
Published: October 2021

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) consist of thin membranes of dielectric material (e.g., silicone) coated with compliant electrodes. When subject to a high voltage, a DE undergoes an in-plane expansion which can be used for actuation purposes. Nowadays, most of the applications of DE actuators (DEAs) are based on single-degree-of-freedom systems. If many DEA elements are combined together in an array-like structure, a new generation of distributed and cooperative micro-actuators can be developed, with potential applications in fields such as soft robotics, distributed acoustics, and wearables. In this work, we present the first steps towards the development of such types of cooperative DEA systems. In particular, we report a finite element (FE) simulation study conducted on a one-dimensional array of silicone-based DEAs. Individual activation of each actuator in the array can be performed in an independent way, thus allowing to implement cooperative control paradigms. First, a FE model of the system is implemented in COMSOL environment and validated by means of experimental data. Then, a simulation analysis is conducted with the aim of understanding how the system parameters (e.g., geometry, pre-stress, actuators spacing) affect the overall electro-mechanical performance. The presented analysis will serve as a reference for the development of distributed cooperative DEA systems.
Tailoring Structure-Borne Traveling Waves in Targeted Areas of a Two-Dimensional Plate for Particle Motion Applications
Authors: Rogers William C. , Albakri Mohammad I.
Published: October 2021

Structure-borne traveling wave (SBTWs) have been investigated as means of propulsion and solid-state motion. Experimental studies have shown that SBTWs can be excited at various frequencies simultaneously by the superposition of the excitation signals. This paper examines superposition as a tool to improve the quality of SBTWs in targeted areas of a two-dimensional aluminum plate. Such waves are better suited for particle motion applications, where high quality SBTWs are required to exist on specific areas.

The superposition of SBTWs is investigated through the use of a Finite Element model which represents a thin plate with coupled-piezoelectric wafers and fixed boundary conditions. Superposition of excitation signals is then applied to combine two SBTWs: one with overall high quality but poor quality in a region of interest and one with high quality in this region of interest but with poor overall quality. The quality of the SBTW is evaluated using complex orthogonal decomposition (COD). The superimposed SBTWs are then tailored further by adjusting the relative amplitude of the two excitation signals. Tailoring SBTWs to be more prevalent in specific areas of the plate allows for high-quality waves in prescribed locations to be generated while maintaining the overall quality across the plate, without the need for a large number of actuators.
Contact-Poling Enhanced, Fully 3D Printed PVdF Pressure Sensors: Towards 3D Printed Functional Materials
Authors: Fan Jinsheng , Newell Brittany , Garcia Jose , Voyles Richard M. , Nawrocki Robert A.
Published: October 2021

This work presents a new process to print piezoelectric polymer-based sensors through additive manufacturing via three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. 3D printing has become an efficient method to fabricate devices with complex geometric structures and embedded functionalities. The motivation of this research was to explore a path towards fully 3D printed multifunctional thin and flexible sensing devices. The 3D printed methods used were Fused Deposition Modelling and Direct Ink Writing. A fully 3D printed sensor consisting of a (2.54 cm × 2.54 cm) poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) film with thickness in the range of ∼250 μm to 350 μm was sandwiched between two fast-drying silver paint printed electrodes with thickness ranging from ∼10 μm to 50 μm. The arithmetic average roughness, Ra, of typical printed PVdF profiles with and without printed silver electrodes was ∼12.9 μm and ∼7.3 μm, respectively. Silver electrodes were printed to facilitate contact poling and to collect charges generated due to piezoelectricity. The average piezoelectric activity of printed unpoled films was 7.13 pC/N. The polarization in the printed PVdF films was realized by conventional contact poling at elevated temperatures (100, 110, 120 and 130 °C, respectively) with step increased electric fields, which were varied from 0.4 MV/m to 14 MV/m at 1 MV/m increments. To perform contact poling, PVdF films were immersed in mineral oil and a controlled voltage was applied to electrodes on one side while electrodes on the opposite side were grounded. The extrusion process during 3D printing and the subsequent contact poling process enabled the phase transition from the thermally stable α-phase to the piezoelectric active β-phase and the rearranging of the dipole alignments. The efficiency of poling was evaluated through measurement of the average value of the charge generated by six poled PVdF films in response to mechanical input increasing from 0.29 N to 1.91 N with ∼0.27 N increments. The highest average piezoelectric activity obtained was 59.2 pC/N, and a single device of 96.44 pC/N, at step increased poling voltages up to 3.5 kV under a fixed temperature 120 °C. The results demonstrate that by increasing the poling voltages and time, a higher piezoelectric activity (about 8 times compared to unpoled films) was achieved, indicating improvement of the β-phase content. This study provides a new method for continuous and direct printing of piezoelectric devices from PVdF polymeric filament. This technology opens a new path towards fully 3D printed free-form structured functional materials for sensing applications.
Influences of Various Parameters on the Microstructure and Their Effects on the Structural Fatigue of Shape Memory Systems
Authors: Dültgen Peter , Theiß Ralf , Krieg Romina , Hoffmann Fabian , Zwinscher Yannic
Published: October 2021

Due to numerous advantages, including high energy density, in addition to the small, required volume, low weight, and high biocompatibility, NiTi shape memory actuators offer the possibility of replacing conventional actuators. Besides the few mass production examples of pseudoplastic shape memory elements in medical technology and even fewer mass produced shape memory actuators, they are currently rarely used in large series, since the cost of a durability test in the development process is very high due to the low switch-off dynamics and the associated cooling times. To perform a complete durability test cycle, several months are necessary. On the other hand, a test of electromagnets of the same service life and performance class would only take three to five days. Therefore, shape memory technology is often not considered to be applicable in actuator development despite its tremendous advantages.

A particular obstacle in the development process is structural fatigue, which cannot be reliably estimated today. The shape memory effect and its change over the lifetime of the component depend significantly on the material composition, the heat treatment as well as the operating parameters, such as the applied load, the ambient temperature or the type of activation and there is still little information available on the extent to which these parameters influence the lifetime of the shape memory elements.

Further knowledge in the field of damage mechanisms would simplify and thus accelerate the development of shape memory actuators. For this purpose, two different series of experiments are carried out for this publication, comparing whether and how damage caused by changing mechanical stresses differs compared to changing current levels for activation on a metallographic level.

The main objective of this study is to reduce development time. As a first step an improved understanding of the relationships between the critical material-dependent parameters and the resulting damage to the NiTi shape memory elements will be established.

For this purpose, a test rig was constructed which is capable of reproducible and thus comparable tests in order to subsequently examine the stressed samples metallographically and assess the microstructure. The aim of the test environment was to create standardized, uniform test conditions by developing a standardized test method including measuring equipment adapted to the technical test conditions for smart memory actuator systems.

Based on various test series, analyses were carried out using conventional light microscopy and REM methods in order to investigate the differences between various stress levels within a test series as well as differences between the various test series, i.e., the influences of the changes in various parameters on the microstructure of the shape memory elements.
Performance Comparison of Capacitive Silicone-Based Curvature Sensors With Planar and Interdigitated Electrodes
Authors: Agostini Lorenzo , Caselli Marco , Avallone Giulia , Fontana Marco , Fassi Irene , Molinari Tosatti Lorenzo , Vertechy Rocco
Published: October 2021

This paper presents a class of fully elastomeric capacitive sensors that can be employed to measure the bending angle of flexible structures.

Two possible sensing architectures are proposed here, which are obtained by similar manufacturing processes. The first solution is based on a parallel plate deformable capacitor featuring two compliant electrodes separated by a dielectric silicone membrane. The second design is based on interdigitated electrodes placed on the same side of a silicone membrane. Both types of sensors are intended to be coupled with a bending structure that, during its deformation, induces a capacitance change correlated with the value of the bending angle.

The operating principle is presented and a possible simplified modeling approach is identified for both the architectures. Additionally, a simple and repeatable manufacturing process is implemented. This made it possible to realize multiple specimens of the two sensor topologies that have been tested through an experimental campaign conducted on a dedicated testbench for bending angle measurement. The results of these tests are reported and elaborated, and the two sensing strategies are compared and discussed.
ABA homeostasis and long-distance translocation are redundantly regulated by ABCG ABA importers
Authors: Zhang Yuqin , Kilambi Himabindu Vasuki , Liu Jie , Bar Hamutal , Lazary Shani , Egbaria Aiman , Ripper Dagmar , Charrier Laurence , Belew Zeinu Mussa , Wulff Nikolai , Damodaran Suresh , Nour-Eldin Hussam Hassan , Aharoni Asaph , Ragni Laura , Strader Lucia , Sade Nir , Weinstain Roy , Geisler Markus , Shani Eilon
Published: October 2021

ABCG17 and ABCG18 ABA importers redundantly regulate ABA homeostasis and long-distance translocation.
Prickle promotes the formation and maintenance of glutamatergic synapses by stabilizing the intercellular planar cell polarity complex
Authors: Ban Yue , Yu Ting , Feng Bo , Lorenz Charlotte , Wang Xiaojia , Baker Clayton , Zou Yimin
Published: October 2021

The glutamatergic synapses are assembled and maintained by conserved planar cell polarity proteins.
A macroecological description of alternative stable states reproduces intra- and inter-host variability of gut microbiome
Authors: Zaoli Silvia , Grilli Jacopo
Published: October 2021

A model with environmental stochasticity and alternative stable states reproduces variability in the human gut microbiome.
Targeting neurons in the tumor microenvironment with bupivacaine nanoparticles reduces breast cancer progression and metastases
Authors: Kaduri Maya , Sela Mor , Kagan Shaked , Poley Maria , Abumanhal-Masarweh Hanan , Mora-Raimundo Patricia , Ouro Alberto , Dahan Nitsan , Hershkovitz Dov , Shklover Jeny , Shainsky-Roitman Janna , Buganim Yosef , Schroeder Avi
Published: October 2021

Targeting neurons in breast cancer with anesthetic nanoparticles inhibits nerve-cancer stimulation and tumor progression.
Atmospheric scientists join pheromone quest
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: October 2021

Can measuring volatile compounds in real time save a field that is "in a bit of a crisis."
Deubiquitinase USP10 regulates Notch signaling in the endothelium
Authors: Lim R. , Sugino T. , Nolte H. , Andrade J. , Zimmermann B. , Shi C. , Doddaballapur A. , Ong Y. T. , Wilhelm K. , Fasse J. W. D. , Ernst A. , Kaulich M. , Husnjak K. , Boettger T. , Guenther S. , Braun T. , Krüger M. , Benedito R. , Dikic I. , Potente M.
Published: October 2021

Deubiquitinase fine-tunes Notch signaling

The branching of blood vessels is controlled in part by signaling through Notch receptor proteins. When NOTCH1 binds its ligand DLL4, the intracellular domain (NICD1) is cleaved from the receptor and works with other proteins to regulate gene transcription. In a screen for proteins that interacted with NICD1 in human cells in culture, Lim
et al.
identified the deubiquitinase USP10. NICD1 is rapidly ubiquitinated and degraded in cells, but interaction of NICD1 with USP10 counteracts ubiquitination of NICD1 and stimulates Notch signaling. Genetic experiments in mice support a role for USP10 in fine-tuning Notch signaling during vascular morphogenesis.

Science
, this issue p.
188
Electron-phonon instability in graphene revealed by global and local noise probes
Authors: Andersen Trond I. , Dwyer Bo L. , Sanchez-Yamagishi Javier D. , Rodriguez-Nieva Joaquin F. , Agarwal Kartiek , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Demler Eugene A. , Kim Philip , Park Hongkun , Lukin Mikhail D.
Published: October 2021

Graphene: Driven to emission

Studying the electronic properties of graphene under extreme nonequilibrium conditions has provided a productive testbed to probe and monitor exotic transport phenomena. Andersen
et al.
report measurements of electron transport in ultraclean graphene devices where the electron drift velocity is extremely high. They found that direct current at high drift velocities generates a large increase in the noise at gigahertz frequencies and that the noise grows exponentially in the direction of the current. The authors attribute the emission mechanism to amplification of acoustic phonons through the Cerenkov effect.

Science
, this issue p.
154
Deconstructing water’s diffuse OH stretching vibrational spectrum with cold clusters
Authors: Yang Nan , Duong Chinh H. , Kelleher Patrick J. , McCoy Anne B. , Johnson Mark A.
Published: October 2021

Wet surface sightings in clusters

In principle, the surface structure of water (H
2
O) should be discernable from the O–H vibrations. In practice, however, so many configurations rapidly interconvert that the bands are bewilderingly broad. Yang
et al.
studied a cluster of 20 H
2
O surrounding a cesium ion, using isotopomers that vary in the position of one H
2
O amid 19 heavy water (D
2
O) molecules. Precisely assigned spectral features from contributing configurations mapped well onto a bulk surface spectrum.

Science
, this issue p.
275
Helping Einstein
Einstein's Wife: The Real Story of Mileva Einstein-Marić
Allen Esterson and David C. Cassidy
MIT Press, 2019. 336 pp.
Authors: Frappier Mélanie
Published: October 2021

Efforts to identify Mileva Marić's contributions highlight the trouble with telling the tales of early women in science
The history and future of neurological care
Everything in Its Place
Oliver Sacks
Knopf, 2019. 282 pp.
Mind Fixers
Anne Harrington
Norton, 2019. 384 pp.
Authors: Casper Stephen T.
Published: October 2021

To better treat brain disorders, we must look beyond biology
Anti–parity-time symmetry in diffusive systems
Authors: Li Ying , Peng Yu-Gui , Han Lei , Miri Mohammad-Ali , Li Wei , Xiao Meng , Zhu Xue-Feng , Zhao Jianlin , Alù Andrea , Fan Shanhui , Qiu Cheng-Wei
Published: October 2021

Making heat stand still

Dissipative oscillating systems (waves) can be described mathematically in terms of non-Hermitian physics. When parity-time symmetric systems have dissipative components, the interplay between gain and loss can lead to unusual and exotic behavior. Li
et al.
show theoretically and demonstrate experimentally that such behavior need not be limited to wave systems. Looking at the diffusion of heat, they devised an experimental setup comprising two thermally coupled disks rotating in opposite directions. The thermal energy transported by each disk is strongly coupled to the disk rotating in the opposite direction, providing a return path for the heat wave. For a particular rotation rate, there is an exceptional point where thermal coupling and counterrotating motion balance, resulting in the thermal energy profile being stationary over time.

Science
, this issue p.
170