bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimizing opportunities for oak woodland expansion into upland pastures
Authors: Murphy Thomas R. , Hanley Mick E. , Ellis Jonathan S. , Lunt Paul H.
Published: January 2022

Woodland expansion is widely advocated for the mitigation of climate change and its impacts. This is supported by ambitious targets for increasing tree cover in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to aid carbon storage, flood mitigation and biodiversity provision. However, it remains unclear whether natural tree establishment can supply demand for expanded treescapes in remote, anthropogenically modified upland landscapes.

We assessed natural establishment of NW‐European native oak (Quercus robur, Q. petraea) saplings (< 12 years) in UK upland pasture systems adjacent to established ‘Atlantic’ oak woodlands on Dartmoor, SW England. We compared the extent of natural sapling colonization (abundance) into pasture sites on the moorland fringe and assessed their survival and growth throughout early life history using long‐ and short‐term grazing exclusion experiments.

Natural oak establishment typically occurred on naturally freely draining pasture slopes and at high densities (up to 1900 saplings per ha–1) within 20 m of the nearest adult congeneric. Beyond 20 m from a likely seed source, establishment was limited with no recorded establishment between 75–100 m.

The natural establishment of oak saplings in grazed pastures was specific to ontogeny with livestock exclusion only favouring the density of older recruits (8–12 years). Results suggest an age‐dependent relationship between ground cover and sapling performance; that is positive association between bare‐ground and height for 4–7 year old trees, but little effect for seedlings and younger (0–3 years) saplings.

Our scoping study highlights that with informed livestock management, there is significant opportunity for natural expansion of oak woodland into upland pastures where existing propagule sources are present (woodland edge, isolated trees). We signpost, however, that rapid expansion of oak woodland into UK uplands for climate mitigation is likely to require targeted planting and temporary grazing cessation, and there is need for improved evaluation of the effects of grazer exclosure and ontogeny specific ecology to better facilitate native woodland expansion efforts.
A Review on the Tribological Performances of High‐Entropy Alloys
Authors: Wu Jian , Chen Yujie , Zhu Heguo
Published: January 2022

Wear is an important form of material loss and failure, and it is usually inevitable in almost all mechanical systems with moving parts. The durability and reliability of engineering components are closely related to their wear resistance. Developing advanced materials to alleviate energy and materials losses in moving mechanical systems still remains a great challenge nowadays. The emergence of novel high‐entropy alloys (HEAs) that compose of multiple principal elements holds great promise for the development of materials with extraordinary wear resistance, due to their high hardness, high wear resistance, and excellent corrosion resistance. Herein, the current research progress of the tribology of HEAs under different conditions is reviewed, including high temperature, dry condition, corrosion solution, and oil lubrication. Specifically, the effects of compositions, microstructures, lubricants, and protective oxide layers on the tribological performance of HEAs are summarized. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms that are responsible for the excellent wear resistance of HEAs under different conditions are discussed. Finally, the current challenges and the future outlooks are emphasized and addressed systematically. In view of the excellent tribological performances and the diversity of compositional design, HEAs have great potential to be applied in a wide range of mechanical systems to minimize wear.
A MOF‐Derivative Decorated Hierarchical Porous Host Enabling Ultrahigh Rates and Superior Long‐Term Cycling of Dendrite‐Free Zn Metal Anodes
Authors: Xue Pan , Guo Can , Li Li , Li Hongpeng , Luo Dan , Tan Lichao , Chen Zhongwei
Published: January 2022

Aqueous Zn metal batteries have attracted much attention due to their high intrinsic capacity, high safety, and low cost. Nevertheless, uncontrollable dendrite growth and adverse side reactions of Zn anodes seriously hinder their further application. Herein, a three‐dimensional (3D) porous graphene‐carbon nanotubes scaffold decorated with metal–organic framework derived ZnO/C nanoparticles (3D‐ZGC) is fabricated as the host for dendrite‐free Zn‐metal composite anodes. The zincophilic ZnO/C nanoparticles act as preferred deposition sites with low nucleation barriers to induce homogeneous Zn deposition. The mechanically robust 3D scaffold with high conductivity not only suppresses the formation of dendritic Zn by reducing the local current density and homogenizing Zn2+ ion flux, but also inhibits volume changes during the long‐term plating/stripping process. As a result, the 3D‐ZGC composite anodes afford unprecedented Zn plating‐stripping stability at an ultrahigh current density of 20 mA cm‐2 for 1500 cycles with low overpotential (<65 mV) when used in a symmetric cell. When coupled with MnO2 cathodes, the assembled Zn@3D‐ZGC//MnO2 full batteries deliver an enhanced cycling stability for up to 6000 cycles at 2000 mA g‐1, demonstrating the potential of the 3D‐ZGC composite anode for advanced Zn metal batteries.
Thermoresponsive, Pyrrolidone‐Based Antifouling Polymer Brushes
Authors: Teunissen Lucas W. , Kuzmyn Andriy R. , Ruggeri Francesco S. , Smulders Maarten M. J. , Zuilhof Han
Published: January 2022

Commonly, modification of surfaces with thermoresponsive polymers is performed using poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (poly(NIPAM)). However, integration of poly(NIPAM) with a second polymer to obtain more complex copolymer structures has proven challenging due to inherently poorly controllable polymerization characteristics of acrylamides. In this study, (N‐(2‐methacryloyloxyethyl)pyrrolidone (NMEP) is synthesized and polymerized under controlled conditions from silicon oxide substrates via surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP) to produce thermoresponsive poly(NMEP) brushes. The livingness of the brushes is demonstrated by reinitiation of poly(NMEP) brushes using oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate to obtain diblock copolymer brushes. Following extensive characterization, the reversible thermoresponsive behavior of these poly(NMEP) brushes is demonstrated using phase‐controlled AFM topography measurements in an aqueous liquid environment. These measurements indicate that at 27 °C the poly(NMEP) brushes are solvated and extend away from the surface, whereas at 60 °C the polymers are insoluble and reside in a collapsed conformation. Finally, to investigate the potential applicability of poly(NMEP) brushes in biomedical devices, the antifouling properties of the coating are tested in aqueous media containing BSA, fibrinogen, or 10% diluted human serum using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM‐D). These measurements reveal very good antifouling properties, even when exposed to 10% diluted human serum.
Pulsed‐Laser‐Deposition Fabricated ZnIn2S4 Photodetectors with Excellent ON/OFF Switching Characteristics toward High‐Temperature‐Resistant Photodetection Applications
Authors: Ye Qiaojue , Lu Jianting , Zheng Zhaoqiang , Huang Wenjing , Yao Jiandong , Yang Guowei
Published: January 2022

The extensively explored unary and binary 2D layered materials (2DLMs) based photodetectors suffer from deficiencies of either poor stability, or indistinctive photoswitching, or poor scalability, or low durability to high‐temperature environment. Herein, a two‐step scenario, pulsed laser deposition (PLD) followed by post‐deposition annealing, is developed to produce centimeter‐scale 2D ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) nanofilms. Transport characterizations indicate that the as‐fabricated ZIS photodetectors manifest outstanding photosensitivity with an on/off switching ratio beyond 1000 upon 405 nm illumination. Beyond this, it is revealed that the photoresponse of the ZIS photodetectors increases with increasing channel thickness, where a responsivity of 1.4 A W−1, an external quantum efficiency of 430% and a detectivity of 9.8 × 109 Jones (1 Jones = 1 cm Hz1/2 W–1) are demonstrated with a pulse number of 10 000. In addition, these devices without encapsulation maintain stable within 1900 photoswitching cycles and over a one‐month storage in air. Furthermore, robust photoswitching is demonstrated under an operating temperature up to 150 °C. In summary, all these findings establish that PLD provides a powerful route to produce large‐scale multielement 2DLMs and the PLD‐derived ZIS photodetectors hold grand prospect for photoelectric technologies in specific high‐temperature environments (e.g., the lunar exploration program).
Coupled Molecular Emitters in Superstructures Interact with Plasmonic Nanoparticles
Authors: Beitner Daniel , Carmeli Itai , Zalevsky Zeev , Richter Shachar , Suchowski Haim
Published: January 2022

Using hyperspectral measurements, J‐aggregate nanorods of porphyrin molecules embedded in plasmonic Au nanoparticles arrays are studied. Measurements of J‐aggregate nanorods that cross onto a plasmonic array exhibit a shift in their absorption peak, and display weak coupling properties only for the embedded part. Furthermore, a significant thickness‐dependent redshift in the plasmonic resonance for the J‐aggregate clusters is observed. Such redshift is also dependent on the ratio of J‐aggregate in the plasmonic dipole interaction area, reaching values of up to 120 meV for ≈40% coverage. In addition, for large clusters of J‐aggregates, the plasmonic spectrum shows coupling behavior between the systems indicated by a small Rabi splitting. The findings are validated by a quasi‐static model based on the change of the dielectric environment around the embedded nanoparticles. Using the model, the fraction of embedding J‐aggregates in the plasmonic interaction area is correlated with the change in plasmonic resonance peak. These results offer insight into the coupled nature of molecular emitters in supramolecular structures and their interaction with plasmonic nanoparticles and can lead to new types of sensitive optical detectors based on these interactions.
Evaluating optimum seeding distances from subsurface banding poultry litter in crop rotations
Authors: Ashworth A. J. , Nieman C. C.
Published: January 2022

Poultry litter is a nutrient‐dense fertilizer, but surface applications lead to nutrient losses to air, soil, and water. Objectives were to evaluate optimum subsurface‐applied poultry litter bands from crop seeding distance in a corn (Zea Mays L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation. Soil amendment treatments included planting 13, 25, and 38 cm from subsurface‐banded poultry litter, surface‐applied poultry litter, inorganic nitrogen (N), and 0 kg N ha−1 (control) in Year 1, followed by soybean in Year 2 (no new soil amendment applications). Across subsurface treatments, corn grain and silage yields were 45 and 30% greater compared with surface applications, respectively, with inorganic N not differing from 25‐ and 38‐cm bands during grain harvest. In Year 2, subsurface‐banded soybean grain yields were 26% greater than with inorganic N. Consequently, subsurface banding poultry litter may be an ecologically and agronomicallyviable replacement for surface litter applications in corn silage and grain systems and inorganic N in corn–soybean rotations.
Response of black cumin to vermicompost and nitrogen fertilizer
Authors: Wako Fikadu‐Lebeta , Aga Mosisa‐Chewaka , Negeri Geremew‐Taye
Published: January 2022

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) to vermicompost and nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates. Four rates of vermicompost and four rates of N were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that the interaction effects of nitrogen fertilizer and vermicompost rates significantly influenced black cumin growth, yield, and yield component parameters. The maximum seed yield (1,090 kg ha–1) was obtained from the combined application of 5 Mg ha–1 vermicompost and 60 kg ha–1 urea‐N. Therefore, it can be concluded that the combination of these treatments gives a better yield and yield components of black cumin in the study area.
The intervention on aging system: A classification model, the requirement for five novel categories
Authors: Palmer Raymond D.
Published: January 2022

Aging is widely considered an immovable fact of life. Cultural conditioning has ensured that therapeutics for extreme human lifespans are considered out of reach technologies. However, longevity therapies such as stem cell replacement, fasting, gene therapies, fasting mimetics such as metformin and rapamycin, regulation and tissue reprogramming with OSK transcription factors, blood dilution, metabolic pathway engineering, reversal of epigenetic drift, heterochronic parabiosis, coenzyme replacement technologies (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) and a plethora of other established sciences are showing great potential at slowing down the rate at which tissues enter dysfunction. Recent discoveries have shed light on major mysteries of the aging process. Longevity‐based discoveries are not only landing quickly, but therapies to prevent or reverse those drivers of aging are also being devised regularly and this is opening up an entirely new industry, the longevity industry. This presents the requirement for a new classification system where subjects can be divided into specific groups based on their potential for mortality. This system also enables the public to target which class of this classification system they wish to be on. Moving the population on the classification system to become more disease resistant holds great benefit for society and governments as a whole.
Homotopy continuation enhanced branch and bound algorithms for strongly nonconvex mixed‐integer nonlinear optimization
Authors: Ma Yingjie , Li Jie
Published: January 2022

Large‐scale strongly nonlinear and nonconvex mixed‐integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) models frequently appear in optimization‐based process synthesis, integration, intensification, and process control. However, they are usually difficult to solve by existing algorithms within acceptable time. In this study, we propose two robust homotopy continuation enhanced branch and bound (HCBB) algorithms (denoted as HCBB‐FP and HCBB‐RB) where the homotopy continuation method is employed to gradually approach the optimum of the NLP subproblem at a node from the solution at its parent node. A variable step length is adapted to effectively balance feasibility and computational efficiency. The computational results from solving four existing process synthesis problems demonstrate that the proposed HCBB algorithms can find the same optimal solution from different initial points, while the existing MINLP algorithms fail or find much worse solutions. In addition, HCBB‐RB is superior to HCBB‐FP due to much lower computational effort required for the same locally optimal solution.
Synthesis of 2,2‐Disubstituted Perhydrofuro[2,3‐b]‐pyran Derivatives containing Indole catalyzed by BF3 ⋅ Et2O
Authors: Zhang Guoqing , Tang Senling , Yang Chunmei , Cheng Yongjie , Xiang Ling , Shao Huawu , Ma Xiaofeng , Zhang Fan , Jiao Wei
Published: January 2022

A method for the effective and rapid synthesis of perhydrofuro[2,3‐b]‐pyran from 1,2‐cyclopropane sugar and indole is described. New scaffolds were rapidly constructed within 10 minutes in the presence of BF3 ⋅ Et2O. Novel 2,2‐di‐substituted perhydrofuro[2,3‐b]‐pyran products containing various indoles were obtained in medium to excellent yields.
Proton‐Promoted Nickel‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Aliphatic Ketoacids
Authors: Deng Chen‐Qiang , Liu Jiao , Luo Jia‐Hao , Gan Li‐Jin , Deng Jin , Fu Yao
Published: January 2022

A robust and highly active homogeneous chiral nickel–phosphine complex for the asymmetric hydrogenation of aliphatic γ‐ and δ‐ketoacids has been discovered. The hydrogenation could proceed smoothly in the presence of 0.0133 mol% catalyst loading (S/C=7500). The coordination chemistry and catalytic behavior of Ni(OTf)2with (S,S)‐Ph‐BPE were explored by1H NMR and HRMS. The mechanistic studies revealed that a proton promoted the activation of the substrate C=O bond and controlled the stereoselectivity through hydrogen bonds. A series of chiral γ‐ and δ‐alkyl substituted lactones were obtained in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98 % yield and 99 % ee). In addition, this catalytic system also demonstrated that levulinic acid produced from a biomass feedstock was converted into chiral γ‐valerolactone without loss of ee value.
Hydrocarbon Macrocycle Conformer Ensembles and 13C‐NMR Spectra
Authors: Bohle Fabian , Grimme Stefan
Published: January 2022

NMR as a routine analytical method provides important three‐dimensional structure information of compounds in solution. Here we apply the recently released CRENSO computational workflow for the automated generation of conformer ensembles to the quantum mechanical calculation of 13C‐NMR spectra of a series of flexible cycloalkanes up to C20H40. We evaluate the computed chemical shifts in comparison with corresponding experimental data in chloroform. It is shown that accurate and properly averaged theoretical NMR data can be obtained in about a day of computation time on a standard workstation computer. The excellent agreement between theory and experiment enables one to deduce preferred conformations of large, non‐rigid macrocycles under ambient conditions from our automated procedure.
Unraveling Charge‐Separation Mechanisms in Photocatalyst Particles by Spatially Resolved Surface Photovoltage Techniques
Authors: Chen Ruotian , Fan Fengtao , Li Can
Published: January 2022

The photocatalytic conversion of solar energy offers a potential route to renewable energy, and its efficiency relies on effective charge separation in nanostructured photocatalysts. Understanding the charge‐separation mechanism is key to improving the photocatalytic performance and this has now been enabled by advances in the spatially resolved surface photovoltage (SRSPV) method. In this Review we highlight progress made by SRSPV in mapping charge distributions at the nanoscale and determining the driving forces of charge separation in heterogeneous photocatalyst particles. We discuss how charge separation arising from a built‐in electric field, diffusion, and trapping can be exploited and optimized through photocatalyst design. We also highlight the importance of asymmetric engineering of photocatalysts for effective charge separation. Finally, we provide an outlook on further opportunities that arise from leveraging these insights to guide the rational design of photocatalysts and advance the imaging technique to expand the knowledge of charge separation.
Vibrational spectroscopy, electrical, and thermal properties of [N (CH3)4][N(C2H5)4]CoCl4 compound
Authors: Drissi Nidhal , Dakhlaoui Imen , Karoui Karim , Zaghrioui Mustapha , Jomni Fathi
Published: January 2022

[N (CH3)4][N(C2H5)4]CoCl4 new hybrid compound was synthesized by slow evaporation at room temperature. The X‐ray powder diffraction indicates that this material has an orthorhombic structure with P212121 space group. Two endothermic peaks at T1 = 293 K and T2 = 387 K are observed by differential scanning calorimetric. The real and imaginary parts of the permittivity as function of temperature shows the ferroelectric phase below T = 288 K. The Nyquist diagrams are simulated based on the equivalent circuit chosen by the Z‐View‐software and show the contribution of the grain and electrodes effect. Raman spectroscopy study at room temperature confirms the composition of the synthesized compound. Furthermore, the ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition T1 is demonstrated by temperature‐dependent Raman spectroscopic studies.
Surface modification of graphite by low‐temperature oxygen plasma and SnO2FeO(OH) coatings for lithium storage
Authors: Lei Jianfi , Yang Wenwen , Zhang Liya , Peng Shuge , Wu Zhengzheng , Wang Yuru , Zhao Lingzhi
Published: January 2022

Graphite powders are exfoliated by Li+/Na+ co‐intercalation to obtain exfoliated graphite, and then the surfaces are modified with oxygen‐containing functional groups by oxygen plasma etching to alter the chemical properties of surface. For advanced graphite anodes of lithium ions batteries, here fine‐structured SnO2FeO(OH) coatings are constructed on the oxidated surfaces of graphite by an electrostatic adsorption method. Electrochemical tests show that surface modified graphite has higher capacity and better rate performance than pristine graphite, and the specific discharge capacity is reached to 400 mAh g−1 at a current of 37.2 mA g−1 (0.1C), which is increased by 27.8% compared with the pristine graphite anode.
Aptamer‐Based Screen of Neuropsychiatric Lupus Cerebrospinal Fluid Reveals Potential Biomarkers That Overlap With the Choroid Plexus Transcriptome
Authors: Vanarsa Kamala , Sasidharan Prashanth , Duran Valeria , Gokaraju Sirisha , Nidhi Malavika , Titus Anto Sam Crosslee Louis Sam , Soomro Sanam , Stock Ariel D. , Der Evan , Putterman Chaim , Greenberg Benjamin , Mok Chi Chiu , Hanly John G. , Mohan Chandra
Published: January 2022

Objective

As no gold‐standard diagnostic test exists for neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE), we undertook this study to execute a broad screen of NPSLE cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using an aptamer‐based platform.

Methods

CSF was obtained from NPSLE patients and subjected to proteomic assay using the aptamer‐based screen. Potential biomarkers were identified and validated in independent NPSLE cohorts in comparison to other neurologic diseases.

Results

Forty proteins out of the 1,129 screened were found to be elevated in NPSLE CSF. Based on enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay validation, CSF levels of angiostatin, α2‐macroglobulin, DAN, fibronectin, hepatocellular carcinoma clone 1, IgM, lipocalin 2, macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF), and serine protease inhibitor G1 were significantly elevated in a predominantly White NPSLE cohort (n = 24), compared to patients with other neurologic diseases (n = 54), with CSF IgM (area under the curve [AUC] 0.95) and M‐CSF (AUC 0.91) being the most discriminatory proteins. In a second Hong Kong–based NPSLE cohort, CSF IgM (AUC 0.78) and lipocalin 2 (AUC 0.85) were the most discriminatory proteins. Several CSF proteins exhibited high diagnostic specificity for NPSLE in both cohorts. Elevated CSF complement C3 was associated with an acute confusional state. Eleven molecules elevated in NPSLE CSF exhibited concordant elevation in the choroid plexus, suggesting shared origins.

Conclusion

Lipocalin 2, M‐CSF, IgM, and complement C3 emerge as promising CSF biomarkers of NPSLE with diagnostic potential.
When politicians and the experts collide: Organization and the creation of information spheres
Authors: Riley Franklin , Allen David K. , Wilson Thomas Daniel
Published: January 2022

This paper explores collaborative information behavior in the context of highly politicized decision making. It draws upon a qualitative case study of project management of a contentious public sector infrastructure project. We noted the creation of spaces for the development and exchange of information by experts and conceptualize these as information spheres. We postulate that these were formed to bypass power‐induced information behavior that excludes expert power, such as information avoidance. This approach contrasts with the expected project management and information norms, rules and behavior, however, provides a language that can be used to explain the phenomena of bounded information spaces which complement and may be used as a development of adjunct to small world's theory.
Maintalbrücke Gemünden: Bauwerksmonitoring und ‐identifikation aus einem Guss
Authors: Simon Patrick , Helmrich Marcel , Herrmann Ralf , Schneider Ronald , Baeßler Matthias , Lorelli Salvatore , Morgenthal Guido
Published: January 2022

Die Infrastruktursysteme der Industriestaaten erfordern heute und in Zukunft ein effizientes Management bei alternder Bausubstanz, steigenden Lasten und gleichbleibend hohem Sicherheitsniveau. Digitale Technologien bieten ein großes Potenzial zur Bewältigung der aktuellen und künftigen Herausforderungen im Infrastrukturmanagement. Im BMBF‐geförderten Projekt Bewertung alternder Infrastrukturbauwerke mit digitalen Technologien (AISTEC) wird untersucht, wie unterschiedliche Technologien und deren Verknüpfung gewinnbringend eingesetzt werden können. Am Beispiel der Maintalbrücke Gemünden werden ein sensorbasiertes Bauwerksmonitoring, bildbasierte Inspektion mit durch Kameras ausgestatteten Drohnen (UAS) und die Verknüpfung digitaler Bauwerksmodelle umgesetzt. Die aufgenommenen Bilder dienen u. a. als Grundlage für spätere visuelle Anomaliedetektionen und eine 3D‐Rekonstruktion, welche wiederum für die Kalibrierung und Aktualisierung digitaler Tragwerksmodelle genutzt werden. Kontinuierlich erfasste Sensordaten werden ebenfalls zur Kalibrierung und Aktualisierung der Tragwerksmodelle herangezogen. Diese Modelle werden als Grundlage für Anomaliedetektionen und perspektivisch zur Umsetzung von Konzepten der prädiktiven Instandhaltung verwendet. Belastungsfahrten und historische Daten dienen in diesem Beitrag der Validierung von kalibrierten Tragwerksmodellen.
Survival for endometrial cancer as a second primary malignancy
Authors: Medina Heidy N. , Schlumbrecht Matthew P. , Penedo Frank J. , Pinheiro Paulo S.
Published: January 2022

Background

Endometrial cancer (EC) often occurs subsequently to a primary cancer arising from a different site. However, little is known regarding the survival experience of EC as a second primary (ECSP) malignancy, specifically in relation to the original primary site and prior treatment.

Methods

Using Florida's cancer registry, all EC cases (first, second, or higher‐order) diagnosed from 2005–2016 were analyzed. Kaplan–Meier methods and Cox Regression were used in a cause‐specific survival analysis.

Results

A total of 2879 clinically independent ECSPs and 42,714 first primary ECs were analyzed. The most common first primary sites for ECSPs were breast cancer (BC) (n = 1422) and colorectal cancer (CRC) (n = 359). Five‐year cause‐specific survival was 84.0% (95% CI: 83.6–84.3) for first primary ECs and 81.8% (95% CI: 80.0–83.4) for ECSPs. After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, histology, and stage at diagnosis, ECSPs had a lower risk of EC mortality than first primary ECs (hazard ratios [HR] 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79–0.97). ECSPs with a first primary CRC had a higher risk of EC‐specific death (HR 1.47, 95% CI: 1.04–2.06) compared to ECSPs that followed BC in multivariable analysis. Finally, women who had chemotherapy for ECSP and preceding BC did not have a higher risk of death (HR 0.80, 95% CI: 0.49–1.31) compared to those who only received chemotherapy for first primary EC.

Conclusions

ECSPs present a complex clinical profile. ECSP survival is superior to that of first primary EC. However, ECSPs following CRC may constitute a population of interest for their worse prognosis. Chemotherapy for a previous BC does not seem to impact the effectiveness of chemotherapy for ECs.
A Mechanism for Nitrogenase Including Loss of a Sulfide
Authors: Wei Wen‐Jie , Siegbahn Per E. M.
Published: January 2022

Nitrogenase is the only enzyme in nature that can fix N2 from the air. The active cofactor of the leading form of this enzyme contains seven irons and one molybdenum connected by sulfide bridges. In several recent experimental studies, it has been suggested that the cofactor is very flexible, and might lose one of its sulfides during catalysis. In this study, the possible loss of a sulfide has been investigated by model calculations. In previous studies, we have shown that there should be four activation steps before catalysis starts, and this study is based on that finding. It was found here that, after the four reductions in the activation steps, a sulfide will become very loosely bound and can be released in a quite exergonic step with a low barrier. The binding of N2 has no part in that release. In our previous studies, we suggested that the central carbide should be protonated three times after the four activation steps. With the new finding, there will instead be a loss of a sulfide, as the barrier for the loss is much lower than the ones for protonating the carbide. Still, it is suggested here that the carbide will be protonated anyway, but only with one proton, in the E3 to E4 step. A very complicated transition state for H2 formation involving a large structural change was obtained. The combined step, with a loss of H2 and binding of N2, is calculated to be endergonic by +2.3 kcal mol−1; this is in excellent agreement with experiments in which an easily reversible step has been found.
Upcycling of Municipal Glass and Aluminum Wastes for Synthesis of Hierarchical ZSM‐5
Authors: Huerta‐Muñoz Jorge G. , Guzmán‐Castillo María De Lourdes , Armendáriz‐Herrera Héctor , Valente Jaime S. , Aragón‐Piña Antonio , Cárdenas‐Galindo María‐Guadalupe , Handy Brent E.
Published: January 2022

The synthesis of MFI zeolite is explored through use of recycled aluminum (soda can tabs and aluminum foil) and silicon (crushed bottle glass) wastes, giving rise to highly crystalline ZSM‐5. The effects of impurities from the wastes on crystallinity, particle morphology, surface area, and porosity are studied (electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, N2 isotherms at 77 K), and highly crystalline microporousmesoporous MFI structure resulted. t‐plot and mesopore hysteresis trends showed that magnesium or chromium impurities in soda can tabs induce the formation of intracrystalline 2 nm sized supermicropores. Recycled aluminum transformed into pure aluminum hydroxide polymorphs (bayerite and gibbsite) for use with the synthesis gel. Glycerol is used as a green alternative to mineral base solutions to depolymerize powdered glass bottles to form the gel precursor to crystallization. The hydrothermal treatment of this gel with the aluminum foil dissolution, using tetra‐propylammonium bromide (TPABr) as directing agent, formed a hierarchical ZSM‐5 zeolite, in which ZSM‐5 zeolite nanocrystals are supported on an amorphous silico‐aluminate mesoporous material with a pore diameter centered at 4 nm. The upcycling of scrap Al and municipal glass to catalytic‐grade ZSM‐5 can potentially compete with existing processes and imparts positive social and environmental impacts.
Pd Reaction Intermediates in Suzuki‐Miyaura Cross‐Coupling Characterized by Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Chen Xingshuo , Wei Zhenwei , Huang Kai‐Hung , Uehling Mycah , Wleklinski Michael , Krska Shane , Makarov Alexey A. , Nowak Timothy , Cooks R. Graham
Published: January 2022

Palladium‐catalyzed Suzuki‐Miyaura (SM) coupling is widely utilized in the construction of carbon‐carbon bonds. In this study, nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI‐MS) is applied to simultaneously monitor precatalysts, catalytic intermediates, reagents, and products of the SM cross‐coupling reaction of 3‐Br‐5‐Ph‐pyridine and phenylboronic acid. A set of Pd cluster ions related to the monoligated Pd (0) active catalyst is detected, and its deconvoluted isotopic distribution reveals contributions from two neutral molecules. One is assigned to the generally accepted Pd(0) active catalyst, seen in MS as the protonated molecule, while the other is tentatively assigned to an oxidized catalyst which was found to increase as the reaction proceeds. Oxidative stress testing of a synthetic model catalyst 1,5‐cyclooctadiene Pd XPhos (COD−Pd‐XPhos) performed using FeCl3 supported this assignment. The formation and conversion of the oxidative addition intermediate during the catalytic cycle was monitored to provide information on the progress of the transmetalation step.
Phenotypic analysis of erythrocytes in sickle cell disease using imaging flow cytometry
Authors: Özpolat Tahsin , Chang Tim C. , Wu Xiaoping , St. John Alexander E. , Konkle Barbara A. , Chen Junmei , López José A.
Published: January 2022

The morphology and other phenotypic characteristics of erythrocytes in sickle cell disease (SCD) have been analyzed for decades in patient evaluation. This involves a variety of techniques, including microscopic analysis of stained blood films, flow cytometry, and cell counting. Here, we analyzed SCD blood using imaging flow cytometry (IFC), a technology that combines flow cytometry and microscopy to enable simultaneous rapid‐throughput analysis of cellular morphology and cell‐surface markers. With IFC, we were able to automate quantification of poikilocytes from SCD blood. An important subpopulation of poikilocytes represented dense cells, although these could not be distinguished from other poikilocytes without first centrifuging the blood through density gradients. In addition, CD71‐positive RBCs from SCD patients had two subpopulations: one with high CD71 expression and a puckered morphology and another with lower CD71 expression and biconcave morphology and presumably representing a later stage of differentiation. Some RBCs with puckered morphologies that were strongly positive for DAPI and CD49d were in fact nucleated RBCs. IFC identified more phosphatidylserine‐expressing red cells in SCD than did conventional flow cytometry and these could also be divided into two subpopulations. One population had diffuse PS expression and appeared to be composed primarily of RBC ghosts; the other had lower overall PS expression present in intense, punctate dots overlying Howell‐Jolly bodies. This study demonstrates that IFC can rapidly reveal and quantify RBC features in SCD that require numerous tedious methods to identify conventionally. Thus, IFC is likely to be a useful technique for evaluating and monitoring SCD.
People's lived experience with an eating disorder during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A joint virtual issue of research published in leading eating disorder journals
Authors: Weissman Ruth Striegel , Hay Phillipa
Published: January 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted people's daily life and contributed to adverse health and mental health outcomes. People with pre‐existing mental health conditions are particularly likely to experience symptom exacerbation. Complementing the adverse impacts of the pandemic are eating disorder specific risk factors for worsening of eating disorder symptoms and/or impeding treatment progress and recovery. For this joint Virtual Issue, we selected 15 articles that have been published in two leading journals in the field of eating disorders (International Journal of Eating Disorders and Journal of Eating Disorders) to highlight studies that offer information about individuals' lived experience with an eating disorder during the COVID‐19 pandemic. In these studies, most participants reported worsening of eating disorder symptoms which they attributed to challenges arising from changes in daily routines including eating and exercise related habits, increased stress, and diminished social contacts. These research findings reported a mixed picture about patients' perceptions of the ease of the transition to virtual delivery of treatment and the quality of care they received during the pandemic. Qualitative studies suggested strategies for supporting people with eating disorders during pandemic conditions, with some of these holding promise for improving care for individuals who experience an eating disorder.
Dendritic cell functions in vivo: A user's guide to current and next‐ generation mutant mouse models
Authors: Dalod Marc , Scheu Stefanie
Published: January 2022

DCs do not just excel in antigen presentation. They orchestrate information transfer from innate to adaptive immunity by sensing and integrating a variety of danger signals, and translating them to naïve T cells, to mount specifically tailored immune responses. This is accomplished by distinct DC types specialized in different functions and because each DC is functionally plastic, assuming different activation states depending on the input signals received. Mouse models hold the key to untangle this complexity and determine which DC types and activation states contribute to which functions. Here, we aim to provide comprehensive information for selecting the most appropriate mutant mouse strains to address specific research questions on DCs, considering three in vivo experimental approaches: (i) interrogating the roles of DC types through their depletion; (ii) determining the underlying mechanisms by specific genetic manipulations; (iii) deciphering the spatiotemporal dynamics of DC responses. We summarize the advantages, caveats, suggested use, and perspectives for a variety of mutant mouse strains, discussing in more detail the most widely used or accurate models. Finally, we discuss innovative strategies to improve targeting specificity and next‐generation mutant mouse models, and briefly address how humanized mouse models can accelerate translation into the clinic.
Effects of management practices on legume productivity in smallholder farming systems in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Muoni Tarirai , Jonsson Mattias , Duncan Alan J. , Watson Christine A. , Bergkvist Göran , Barnes Andrew P. , Öborn Ingrid
Published: January 2022

Legumes play a key role in food and nutrition security, providing livestock feed and contributing to soil fertility, in mixed smallholder farms in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). The environmental conditions under which smallholder farming is practiced are highly heterogeneous with large differences in management practices among farms resulting in variable legume productivity. A meta‐analysis based on 128 publications was conducted to quantify the effects of intercropping, inoculation with rhizobia, minimum tillage and phosphorus application on legume grain and biomass yield and the amount of biological nitrogen fixation in a range of SSA contexts. To further explain the heterogeneity in the results, legume species, type of inoculant, P‐application rate, altitude, rainfall, soil characteristics and non‐legume companion crops were used as moderators. Intercropping as compared to sole cropping reduced legume biomass and grain yields to varying extents, although the total land equivalent ratio for the sum of the intercrops was higher than 1 (1.2–1.9) in all cases. Expressed as the relative land equivalent ratio (rLER) intercropping affected pigeonpea grain yield the least (rLER 0.9) and faba bean the most (rLER 0.3). The non‐legume companion crops explained some of the heterogeneity where maize and sorghum significantly reduced the legume yields. Inoculation and P application increased legume grain and biomass yield and moderators such as legume species, type of inoculant, soil organic carbon and soil pH further explained the different effects of the management practices on legume productivity. Minimum tillage had no effect on legume productivity, although less data were available than for the other practices. We conclude that intercropping with legumes improves overall productivity and that application of P fertilizer and inoculants increase legume grain and biomass yield. The effect varies with crop species, soil type and other environmental conditions, and this needs to be factored into tailored recommendations supporting decision making in smallholder farming.
Theoretical and experimental investigation of a heat pipe heat exchanger for energy recovery of exhaust air
Authors: Ali Sahar M. , Sarsam Wail S.
Published: January 2022

Heat pipes and two‐phase thermosyphon systems are passive heat transfer systems that employ a two‐phase cycle of a working fluid within a completely sealed system. Consequently, heat exchangers based on heat pipes have low thermal resistance and high effective thermal conductivity, which can reach up to the order of (105 W/(m K)). In energy recovery systems where the two streams should be unmixed, such as air‐conditioning systems of biological laboratories and operating rooms in hospitals, heat pipe heat exchangers (HPHEs) are recommended. In this study, an experimental and theoretical study was carried out on the thermal performance of an air‐to‐air HPHE filled with two refrigerants as working fluids, R22 and R407c. The heat pipe heat exchanger used was composed of two rows of copper heat pipes in a staggered manner, with 11 pipes per row. Tests were conducted at different airflow rates of 0.14, 0.18, and 0.22 m3/h, evaporator inlet‐air temperatures of 40, 44, and 50°C, filling ratios of 45%, 70%, and 100%, and ratios of heat capacity rate of the evaporator to condenser sections (Ce/Cc) of 1 and 1.5. For HPHE's steady‐state operation, a mathematical model for heat‐transfer performance was set and solved using MATLAB. Results illustrated that the heat transfer rate was in direct proportion with the evaporator inlet‐air temperature and flow rate. The highest HPHE's effectiveness was obtained at a 100% filling ratio and (Ce/Cc) of 1.5. The predicted and experimental values of condenser outlet‐air temperature were in good agreement, with a maximum difference of 3%. HPHE's effectiveness was found to increase with the increase in evaporator inlet‐air temperature and number of transfer units (NTU) and with the decrease in airflow rate, up to 33% and 20% for refrigerants R22 and R407c, respectively. Refrigerant R22 was the superior of the two refrigerants investigated.
Multimodal covid network: Multimodal bespoke convolutional neural network architectures for COVID‐19 detection from chest X‐ray's and computerized tomography scans
Authors: Padmapriya Thiyagarajan , Kalaiselvi Thiruvenkatam , Priyadharshini Venugopal
Published: January 2022

AI‐based tools were developed in the existing works, which focused on one type of image data; either CXR's or computerized tomography (CT) scans for COVID‐19 prediction. There is a need for an AI‐based tool that predicts COVID‐19 detection from chest images such as Chest X‐ray (CXR) and CT scans given as inputs. This research gap is considered the core objective of the proposed work. In the proposed work, multimodal CNN architectures were developed based on the parameters and hyperparameters of neural networks. Nine experiments evaluate optimizers, learning rates, and the number of epochs. Based on the experimental results, suitable parameters are fixed for multimodal architecture development for COVID‐19 detection. We have constructed a bespoke convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture named multimodal covid network (MMCOVID‐NET) by varying the number of layers from two to seven, which can predict covid or normal images from both CXR's and CT scans. In the proposed work, we have experimented by constructing 24 models for COVID‐19 prediction. Among them, four models named MMCOVID‐NET‐I, MMCOVID‐NET‐II, MMCOVID‐NET‐III, and MMCOVID‐NET‐IV performed well by producing an accuracy of 100%. We obtained these results from a small dataset. So we repeated these experiments in a larger dataset. We inferred that MMCOVID‐NET‐III outperformed all the state‐of‐the‐art methods by producing an accuracy of 99.75%. The experiments carried out in this work conclude that the parameters and hyperparameters play a vital role in increasing or decreasing the model's performance.
Consultation and professional development within the prolonged exposure initiative
Authors: Pincus Liza E. , Brumfield Roz , Brown Lily A.
Published: January 2022

Previous studies have identified that ongoing consultation and organizational support are key factors in sustaining evidence‐based implementation initiatives in community mental health. Clinician‐level factors likely influence implementation but are not well delineated. This study assessed clinician‐reported professional development incentives for participating in consultation in prolonged exposure (PE) therapy to guide future evidence‐based practice (EBP) initiatives. Providers in the PE initiative (N = 22) completed a survey asking about their motivations to participate, the impact of consultation on the implementation of PE and their professional development goals, and the impact of organizational‐level support on their goals and on organizational‐level clinician turnover. Of the respondents,   10 had decided to pursue additional training to become PE consultants at their agencies. Providers (response rate = 22/35) reported joining the PE Initiative to learn an evidence‐based practice in general (not PE specifically) and increase their skill in treating posttraumatic stress disorder. Providers largely found ongoing consultation helpful and reported that consultation provided the feedback and support necessary to achieve their professional goals. Providers who decided to pursue PE consultant training reported that expanding upon supervision and clinical skills were strong motivators. Providers largely attributed clinician turnover within the PE Initiative to organizational‐level factors. Ongoing consultation facilitated providers’ professional development goals. The survey identified several areas for further exploration, including how consultation can reduce clinician turnover, and how taking on additional responsibility within implementation initiatives can facilitate provider engagement in the EBP.
Adenosine diphosphate ribose cyclase: An important regulator of human pathological and physiological processes
Authors: Zeng Feng , Zhu Ling , Liao Qianjin , Li Xin , Zhou Yanhong
Published: January 2022

Adenosine diphosphate ribose cyclase (ADPRC) exists widely in eukaryotes and lower metazoans cells. It can degrade nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) into cyclic ADP ribose (cADPR) and nicotinamide, and subsequently hydrolyses cADPR to ADP ribose (ADPR). In this paper, we have summarized the relative subcellular localization of ADPRC and enzymes with ADPRC activity in organisms, related enzyme family members of ADPRC are also described. In addition, we discussed the main biological functions of ADPRC, the regulation of Ca2+ signal, the regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion, oxytocin secretion, and the effects of renal and pulmonary vasomotor tension. Finally, we expounded the relationship between ADPRC and human health and disease occurrence. It provides a theoretical basis for the targeted treatment of ADPRC as a pharmacological tool for related diseases, and has important significance in clinical diagnosis and disease intervention.
Morphomolecular and cultural characteristics and host range of Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing stem canker disease in dragon fruit
Authors: Briste Preangka S. , Akanda Abdul M. , Bhuiyan Md. Abdullahil B. , Mahmud Nur Uddin , Islam Tofazzal
Published: January 2022

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is an economically promising fruit in Bangladesh. The cultivation of dragon fruit has increased fourfold within a decade due to its popularity. Recently, a new disease known as stem canker was reported in some plantations of dragon fruit in Bangladesh, which forced some farmers to abandon their cultivation. This study aimed to explore the morphological, molecular, and cultural characteristics as well as host range of the causal agent associated with this destructive disease. Morphologically similar eight fungal isolates were recovered from eight canker symptomatic dragon fruit stems. Among them, two isolates (namely BU‐DLa 01 and BU‐DLa 02) were used for a detailed study. Morphological parameters and phylogeny of sequence data of internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, and ITS2), β‐tubulin, and translation elongation factor 1‐α identified the isolates as Lasiodiplodia theobromae. The cultural features were studied hinged on the growth of the two isolates on various media, temperature, and pH. Though the mycelial growth of the fungi was supported by all the media tested, potato dextrose agar was the most suitable one for both isolates. The fungi thrived well at a temperature of 25–35°C and 5.5–6.5 pH. Inoculation trials of dragon fruit stem ascertained Koch's postulate. In host range test, the isolates were found pathogenic toward mango, guava, banana, and the fruits of dragon fruit. These data will contribute not only to understanding the biology of L. theobromae as a newly recognized pathogen of H. polyrhizus but also will help in designing a proper management package against this pathogen.