bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Liquid chromatography‐Orbitrap Tribrid high‐resolution mass spectrometry using data dependent‐tandem mass spectrometry with triple stage fragmentation as a screening tool to perform identification and risk assessment of unknown substances in food contact epoxy resin
Authors: Miralles Pablo , López Antonio , Dualde Pablo , Coscollà Clara , Yusà Vicent
Published: June 2021

A new, fast, and automatic approach has been applied for the tentative identification of unknown substances released by food contact epoxy resin after performing a migration test with food simulant. This approach combines intelligent data acquisition with AcquireX linked to liquid chromatography‐Orbitrap Tribrid high‐resolution mass spectrometry using data dependent‐tandem mass spectrometry with triple stage fragmentation coupled to Compound Discoverer™ software for automated data processing and compound identification. The identification of the observed features was performed using a set of identification criteria, including exact mass, isotope pattern, tandem mass spectrometry spectra match, and retention time. With these criteria, 263 substances were tentatively identified. Most of the identified compounds were additives, such as plasticisers, stabilizers, and antioxidants, used in different plastic applications. However, metabolites, biological constituents with pharmacological activity, and other substances with industrial applications were also detected. In order to perform a risk assessment of the food contact epoxy resin, threshold of toxicological concern approach was applied for the identified compounds. There was not risk associated with the migration of the identified substances.
Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasound in Small Intestinal Ischemia: Proof of Concept
Authors: Gummadi Sriharsha , Koenig George , Wessner Corinne E. , Machado Priscilla , Stem Jonathan , Forsberg Flemming , Liu Ji‐Bin , Lyshchik Andrej , O'Kane Patrick , Eisenbrey John R.
Published: June 2021

Background

Small intestinal ischemia is a challenging diagnosis to make, even with the combination of imaging, laboratory analysis, and physical exam. This pilot study investigated the role of CEUS in evaluating small bowel wall vascularity in participants with suspected ischemia.

Methods

In this IRB‐approved pilot study, CEUS using perflutren lipid microspheres (DEFINITY®; Lantheus Medical Imaging Inc., N. Billerica, MA) was performed on participants determined by the clinical surgical team to have concerns for small intestinal ischemia. CEUS interpretations were performed at both the bedside and later by a blinded radiologist and compared to clinical imaging, surgical findings, or long‐term clinical outcomes.

Results

Fifteen CEUS examinations were performed on 14 participants. Five of the participants underwent exploratory laparotomy. Of these, one had small intestinal ischemia (without necrosis). Point of care CEUS demonstrated no evidence of bowel necrosis in any case, and delayed enhancement (indicative of intestinal ischemia) in three cases, resulting in a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 2.5–100%) and specificity of 85.7% (95% CI 57.2–98.2%). CEUS correctly ruled out ischemia in 91.7% of cases with CT suspicion of small bowel obstruction and 60% of cases that underwent surgical intervention. Additionally, the rate of agreement between bedside interpretation and later radiologist read was high (93%).

Conclusions

CEUS is uniquely positioned for evaluating the small intestine, because of its high temporal resolution and immediacy of results. Combined with multi‐sectional imaging for focal areas of ischemia and/or clinical suspicion for pan ischemia, CEUS may be a useful rule out test for small intestinal ischemia.
Perceptual Evaluation of Vocal Fold Vibratory Asymmetry
Authors: Azar Shaghauyegh S. , Pillutla Pranati , Evans Lauran K. , Zhang Zhaoyan , Kreiman Jody , Chhetri Dinesh K.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Laryngeal vibratory asymmetry occurring with paresis may result in a perceptually normal or abnormal voice. The present study aims to determine the relationships between the degree of vibratory asymmetry, acoustic measures, and perception of sound stimuli.

Study Design

Animal Model of Voice Production, Perceptual Analysis of Voice.

Methods

In an in vivo canine model of phonation, symmetric and asymmetric laryngeal vibration were obtained via graded unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) stimulation simulating near paralysis to full activation. Phonation was performed at various contralateral RLN and bilateral superior laryngeal nerve stimulation levels. Naïve listeners rated the perceptual quality of 182 unique phonatory samples using a visual sort‐and‐rate task. Cepstral peak prominence (CPP) was calculated for each phonatory condition. The relationships among vibratory symmetry, CPP, and perceptual ratings were evaluated.

Results

A significant relationship emerged between RLN stimulation and perceptual rating, such that sound samples from low RLN levels were preferred to those from high RLN levels. When symmetric vibration was achieved at mid‐RLN stimulation, listeners preferred samples from symmetric vibration over those from asymmetric vibration. However, when symmetry was achieved at high RLN levels, a strained voice quality resulted that listeners dispreferred over asymmetric conditions at lower RLN levels. CPP did not have a linear relationship with perceptual ratings.

Conclusions

Laryngeal vibratory asymmetry produces variable perceptual differences in phonatory sound quality. Though CPP has been correlated with dysphonia in previous research, its complex relationship with quality limits its usefulness as clinical marker of voice quality perception.

Level of Evidence

NA, basic science Laryngoscope, 131:2740–2746, 2021
Flipping Lakes: Explaining concepts of catchment‐scale water management through a serious game
Authors: Armstrong Margaret , Kramer Lilith , de Senerpont Domis Lisette Nicole , van Wijk Dianneke , Gsell Alena Sonja , Mooij Wolf M. , Teurlincx Sven
Published: June 2021

Ongoing anthropogenic and climatic pressures on inland waters have made water quality management a challenge of the 21st century. A holistic catchment‐scale approach to water management which includes stakeholder participation will be a key in maintaining lake health. A first step toward community engagement is to bolster environmental literacy on lake management, ecology, and eutrophication concepts of stakeholders now and in future generations. However, communicating with nonwater professionals about effects of pollution on water quality and catchment‐scale interactions across space and time can be difficult. Here, we present “Flipping Lakes,” a games‐based method for lake professionals to communicate and educate about catchment‐level water quality management to diverse audiences. In Flipping Lakes, the players take on the role of water managers in a catchment and are tasked to prevent a lake from “flipping” from a clear to a turbid state. During the game, the catchment slowly becomes polluted by a range of sources of which the effects are exacerbated by societal or climatic scenarios. Players need to implement measures while taking into consideration the intrinsic properties of the catchment in order to keep lakes clean. The game was tested with a diverse range of user groups and was well‐received. With its entertaining and accessible content, Flipping Lakes can lower communication barriers and increase understanding of difficult water quality concepts. The game is highly customizable, making it applicable to a variety of settings to support education and engagement of stakeholders and the broader community in order to address local water challenges around the globe.
Well posedness and control in renewal equations with nonlocal boundary conditions
Authors: Colombo Rinaldo M. , Garavello Mauro
Published: June 2021

A large class of biological models leads to initial boundary value problems for nonhomogeneous balance laws, possibly with nonlocal boundary conditions. Here, for these equations, a general well posedness result is proved, a full set of stability estimates is provided, and sample control problems are tackled.
A 6 to 12 GHz wideband analog voltage‐controlled phase shifter with IL compensation architecture
Authors: Li Zhenrong , Qiao Jia , Wang Yuxin , Wang Zeyuan , Yu Liyan , Zhuang Yiqi
Published: June 2021

This article describes a 6–12 GHz voltage‐controlled analog phase shifter (APS) with small gain variation range and low phase error. An insertion loss compensation architecture for reducing the gain error of the whole circuit is proposed to compress the gain variation range. The combination of a quadrature signal generator and an analog adder is used to save area and power. Implemented in 0.18 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology, the proposed APS achieves the coverage of 180° continuous phase variation with the gate voltages VI and VQ monotonously changing from 1.6 to 2.4 V. And the core size of the chip excluding the pads is 0.215 mm2. The measured RMS phase and gain errors are below 3.94° and 2.67 dB in the design frequency range for all effective phase state, respectively. The power consumption of the phase shifter is 89.1 mW upon 3.3 V supply voltage.
Compact quasi‐elliptic SIR‐SIW filter with multiple transmission zeros
Authors: Song Shulin , Guo Yu , Wang Yang
Published: June 2021

In this paper, a compact quasi‐elliptic stepped impedance resonator‐substrate integrated waveguide (SIR‐SIW) bandpass filter with multiple transmission zeros (TZs) has been proposed. The SIR‐SIW filter consists of SIW cavity and SIR. The employment of SIR makes it possible to realize multiple energy coupling paths within a compact area for introduction of multiple TZs. The SIW is used for its high Q, low loss characteristics. Besides, two TZs are introduced by the SIW. Including energy coupling path between source and load, totally four TZs besides the passband are realized. A miniature (0.3 λg2) four‐pole, four‐transmission zero filter with high selectivity is realized. Experimental verification is provided and a good agreement has been found between simulation and measurement.
Improved unsupervised physics‐informed deep learning for intravoxel incoherent motion modeling and evaluation in pancreatic cancer patients
Authors: Kaandorp Misha P. T. , Barbieri Sebastiano , Klaassen Remy , van Laarhoven Hanneke W. M. , Crezee Hans , While Peter T. , Nederveen Aart J. , Gurney‐Champion Oliver J.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Earlier work showed that IVIM‐NETorig, an unsupervised physics‐informed deep neural network, was faster and more accurate than other state‐of‐the‐art intravoxel‐incoherent motion (IVIM) fitting approaches to diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI). This study presents a substantially improved version, IVIM‐NEToptim, and characterizes its superior performance in pancreatic cancer patients.

Method

In simulations (signal‐to‐noise ratio [SNR] = 20), the accuracy, independence, and consistency of IVIM‐NET were evaluated for combinations of hyperparameters (fit S0, constraints, network architecture, number of hidden layers, dropout, batch normalization, learning rate), by calculating the normalized root‐mean‐square error (NRMSE), Spearman’s ρ, and the coefficient of variation (CVNET), respectively. The best performing network, IVIM‐NEToptim was compared to least squares (LS) and a Bayesian approach at different SNRs. IVIM‐NEToptim’s performance was evaluated in an independent dataset of 23 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Fourteen of the patients received no treatment between two repeated scan sessions and nine received chemoradiotherapy between the repeated sessions. Intersession within‐subject standard deviations (wSD) and treatment‐induced changes were assessed.

Results

In simulations (SNR = 20), IVIM‐NEToptim outperformed IVIM‐NETorig in accuracy (NRMSE(D) = 0.177 vs 0.196; NMRSE(f) = 0.220 vs 0.267; NMRSE(D*) = 0.386 vs 0.393), independence (ρ(D*, f) = 0.22 vs 0.74), and consistency (CVNET(D) = 0.013 vs 0.104; CVNET(f) = 0.020 vs 0.054; CVNET(D*) = 0.036 vs 0.110). IVIM‐NEToptim showed superior performance to the LS and Bayesian approaches at SNRs < 50. In vivo, IVIM‐NEToptim showed significantly less noisy parameter maps with lower wSD for D and f than the alternatives. In the treated cohort, IVIM‐NEToptim detected the most individual patients with significant parameter changes compared to day‐to‐day variations.

Conclusion

IVIM‐NEToptim is recommended for accurate, informative, and consistent IVIM fitting to DWI data.
A split‐label design for simultaneous measurements of perfusion in distant slices by pulsed arterial spin labeling
Authors: Baligand Celine , Hirschler Lydiane , Veeger Thom T. J. , Václavů Lena , Franklin Suzanne L. , van Osch Matthias J. P. , Kan Hermien E.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Multislice arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI acquisitions are currently challenging in skeletal muscle because of long transit times, translating into low‐perfusion SNR in distal slices when large spatial coverage is required. However, fiber type and oxidative capacity vary along the length of healthy muscles, calling for multislice acquisitions in clinical studies. We propose a new variant of flow alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) that generates sufficient ASL signal to monitor exercise‐induced perfusion changes in muscle in two distant slices.

Methods

Label around and between two 7‐cm distant slices was created by applying the presaturation/postsaturation and selective inversion modules selectively to each slice (split‐label multislice FAIR). Images were acquired using simultaneous multislice EPI. We validated our approach in the brain to take advantage of the high resting‐state perfusion, and applied it in the lower leg muscle during and after exercise, interleaved with a single‐slice FAIR as a reference.

Results

We show that standard multislice FAIR leads to an underestimation of perfusion, while the proposed split‐label multislice approach shows good agreement with separate single‐slice FAIR acquisitions in brain, as well as in muscle following exercise.

Conclusion

Split‐label FAIR allows measuring muscle perfusion in two distant slices simultaneously without losing sensitivity in the distal slice.
Measurement of serial serum total and acylated ghrelin levels in critically ill patients: A prospective and observational pilot study
Authors: Karaca Zahide , Yüksel Recep Civan , Gunes Sahin Gulsah , Sungur Neslihan , Temel Sahin , Baskol Gulden , Arikan Bahadir T. , Sungur Murat , Gundogan Kursat
Published: June 2021

Background

Ghrelin is a hormone that regulates appetite and energy metabolism. The change of serial serum total and acylated ghrelin levels during hospital stays of critical patients are unknown. In addition, the relationship of this change with the clinical results of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is also unknown. The aim of this study was to determine serum total and acylated ghrelin levels serially in critically ill patients.

Methods

This prospective study was performed in the ICU. Patients who were >18 years old and stayed in ICU for >48 h were included in the study. Serum total and acylated ghrelin concentrations were measured at baseline in all participants and serially on the 2nd, 5th, and 10th day after entry into the study in those who remained in the ICU.

Results

A total of 60 participants were included. The mean age was 56 ± 21 years. (Baseline, 2nd, 5th, and 10th day median serum total ghrelin levels were 3551 (1651–3995), 3485.20 (1379–4071), 3359 (1167–3919), and 3355 pg/ml (2207–3843), respectively. Baseline, 2nd, 5th, and 10th day acylated ghrelin levels were 47 (0–673), 50 (0–730), 73 (0–808), and 125 pg/ml (0–689), respectively. There was no significant difference between total ghrelin/acylated ghrelin levels and mortality (P > .05). ICU mortality was 30%.

Conclusion

Ghrelin levels were decreased slightly and acylated ghrelin levels increased substantially over time in critically ill patients. There were no differences between serum total ghrelin/acylated ghrelin levels and ICU mortality .
Anlotinib Monotherapy for Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Phase III Trial (ALTER0703)
Authors: Chi Yihebali , Shu Yongqian , Ba Yi , Bai Yuxian , Qin Baoli , Wang Xiuwen , Xiong Jianping , Xu Nong , Zhang Helong , Zhou Jianfeng , Xu Jianming , Cheng Ying , Feng Jifeng , Hu Chunhong , Chen Yigui , Chen Zhendong , Wang Jufeng , Dang Chengxue , Wang Jianhong , Wan Yiye , Tang Yong , Wang Donglin , liu Jiang , Wu Minhui , Deng Yanhong , Li Xingwen , Li Yongqiang , Dong Jian , Jiang Da , Li Guisheng , Wu Qiong , Li Jin , Qi Yujuan , Sun Yongkun , Cai Jianqiang
Published: June 2021

Background

Treatment options for refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) were limited. Anlotinib is a novel multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor. ALTER0703 study was conducted to assess efficacy and safety of anlotinib for patients with refractory mCRC.

Materials and Methods

This was a multicenter, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized phase III trial involving 33 hospitals in China. Patients had taken at least two lines of therapies were 2:1 randomized to receive oral anlotinib (12 mg/day; days 1–14; 21 days per cycle) or placebo, plus best supportive care. Randomization was stratified by previous VEGF-targeting treatments and time from diagnosis to metastases. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), quality of life (QoL), and safety.

Results

A total of 419 patients (anlotinib: 282; placebo: 137) were treated from December 2014 to August 2016. The median PFS was improved in anlotinib group (4.1 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.4–4.5) over placebo group (1.5 months; 95% CI, 1.4–1.5), with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.34 (95% CI, 0.27–0.43; p < .0001). However, median OS was similar between two groups (8.6 months; 95% CI, 7.8–9.7 vs. 7.2 months; 95% CI, 6.2–8.8; HR, 1.02; p = .870). Improvements of ORR and DCR were observed in anlotinib over placebo. The most common grade ≥ 3 anlotinib related adverse events were hypertension (20.92%), increased γ-GT (7.09%), and hand-foot skin reaction (6.38%).

Conclusion

Anlotinib was tolerated in Chinese patients with refractory mCRC. Although OS did not reach significant difference, anlotinib still provided clinical benefits by substantially prolonged PFS in these patients.

Implications for Practice

In this randomized clinical trial that included 419 patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer, substantial prolonged in progression-free survival was noted in patients who received anlotinib compared with those given placebo. Improvements on objective response rate and disease control rate was also observed in anlotinib group. However, overall survival was similar between the two groups. In a word, in third-line or above treatment of Chinese patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer, anlotinib provided clinical benefit by significantly prolonged progression-free survival.
Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada
Authors: Frappier Roxanne , Lacelle Denis
Published: June 2021

Investigations of the regional distribution of ice‐wedge polygons and wedge‐ice volume allow for the assessment of the vulnerability of permafrost landscapes to thaw‐induced disturbances and related ecological feedbacks. Ice‐wedge polygons have been described in multiple studies in flat terrain and low‐gradient hillslopes, but few studies have examined ice‐wedge polygons in mountainous terrain. This study investigates the distribution, morphometry, and wedge‐ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, a mountainous permafrost region in central Yukon. Results show that ice‐wedge polygons occupy 2.6% of the park and preferentially develop in woody sedge peat, glaciofluvial, and alluvial deposits along the lower reaches of the Blackstone and East Blackstone rivers on hillslopes ≤1°. The morphometry of five of six polygonal sites studied showed statistically similar polygon sizes and trough angles, while showing different development stages based on vegetation type, surface wetness, and spatial pattern. The estimation of wedge‐ice volumes in the ice‐wedge polygons is 8–22% and is comparable to that of other Arctic regions. However, the estimated wedge‐ice volume represents a minimum value because older generations of ice wedges are truncated 3–4 m below the surface with no evidence of surface polygons, and the polygonal network can be obscured by slope processes, vegetation, and ice‐wedge inactivity. This study provides insights into the application of morphometric and soil parameters for the assessment of ice‐wedge polygon distribution and development stages.
Risk‐based explosion hazard analysis and building upgrades in industrial facilities to prevent blast failures
Authors: Sari Ali , Sayin Baris
Published: June 2021

Accidental loadings such as blast loadings constitute the great majority of potential and actual fatalities in industrial facilities. To prevent human loss and injuries, and for a safe design or blast assessment of an industrial building, the risks of these accidental loadings should be quantified in terms of both probability/frequency and consequence aspects. In this paper, we propose a combined risk‐based approach for the assessment of all accidental loadings. The study includes a newly developed risk‐based method that can be used for blast analyses of buildings in industrial facilities. The methodology is introduced for blast design/analysis of structures in industrial facilities with explosion hazards. Within this scope, the paper presents an evaluation of explosion hazards in industrial facilities. The study also focuses on a series of vital phases in the analysis and design stages, including explosion modeling, building screening analysis, detailed structural analysis, conceptual structural upgrade design, and final upgrade design. Finally, upgrade techniques for buildings in industrial facilities against explosions are also provided to minimize the individual risk.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cell-Based Interventions in Experimental Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Hickson LaTonya J. , Abedalqader Tala , Ben-Bernard Gift , Mondy Jayla M. , Bian Xiaohui , Conley Sabena M. , Zhu Xiangyang , Herrmann Sandra M. , Kukla Aleksandra , Lorenz Elizabeth C. , Kim Seo Rin , Thorsteinsdottir Bjorg , Lerman Lilach O. , Murad M. Hassan
Published: June 2021

Regenerative, cell-based therapy is a promising treatment option for diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which has no cure. To prepare for clinical translation, this systematic review and meta-analysis summarized the effect of cell-based interventions in DKD animal models and treatment-related factors modifying outcomes. Electronic databases were searched for original investigations applying cell-based therapy in diabetic animals with kidney endpoints (January 1998-May 2019). Weighted or standardized mean differences were estimated for kidney outcomes and pooled using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses tested treatment-related factor effects for outcomes (creatinine, urea, urine protein, fibrosis, and inflammation). In 40 studies (992 diabetic rodents), therapy included mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC; 61%), umbilical cord/amniotic fluid cells (UC/AF; 15%), non-MSC (15%), and cell-derived products (13%). Tissue sources included bone marrow (BM; 65%), UC/AF (15%), adipose (9%), and others (11%). Cell-based therapy significantly improved kidney function while reducing injury markers (proteinuria, histology, fibrosis, inflammation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal-transition, oxidative stress). Preconditioning, xenotransplantation, and disease-source approaches were effective. MSC and UC/AF cells had greater effect on kidney function while cell products improved fibrosis. BM and UC/AF tissue sources more effectively improved kidney function and proteinuria vs adipose or other tissues. Cell dose, frequency, and administration route also imparted different benefits. In conclusion, cell-based interventions in diabetic animals improved kidney function and reduced injury with treatment-related factors modifying these effects. These findings may aid in development of optimal repair strategies through selective use of cells/products, tissue sources, and dose administrations to allow for successful adaptation of this novel therapeutic in human DKD.
Dünnglas‐Verbundelemente mit additiv gefertigtem Polymerkern: Formfindung, Fügeverfahren und Untersuchung der Biegesteifigkeit
Authors: Pfarr Daniel , Tasche Silke , Nicklisch Felix , Louter Christian
Published: June 2021

Der hier vorliegende Aufsatz beschreibt den Entwurf eines Verbundelements bestehend aus äußeren Dünngläsern und einer inneren, additiv gefertigten Polymerkernstruktur. Der Fokus der Forschungsarbeit liegt auf der Konstruktion eines Sandwichelements, welches aufgrund der verwendeten Materialien und Herstellungsverfahren völlig neue Flexibilität im Entwurfsprozess einer Glasfassade ermöglicht. Für den aussteifenden Kern werden drei mögliche Strukturen entwickelt und auf ihre Eignung für den Einsatz in dem Verbundelement untersucht. Die Herstellung erster Prototypen zeigt sowohl das architektonische Potenzial als auch fertigungsbedingte Besonderheiten. Weiterhin wird auf Grundlage der Sandwichtheorie das mechanische Verhalten der Konstruktion mithilfe eines 4‐Punkt‐Biegeversuchs untersucht. Anhand der gewonnenen Ergebnisse kann das mechanische Potenzial des Verbundelements unterstrichen werden. Aber auch zu bewältigende Herausforderungen für einen sicheren Einsatz in Fassaden werden konkretisiert.
Beyond ‘food apartheid’: Civil society and the politicization of hunger in New Haven, Connecticut
Authors: Corcoran Mary P.
Published: June 2021

This article illuminates the extent of community‐based activism around food justice in New Haven, CT. Data was gathered through 28 in‐depth interviews with civil society actors and participant observation across the food policy and urban agriculture (UA) sectors in the Fall of 2018. The paper traces the challenges that the sector faces in advancing a more democratic food agenda even when the municipality is relatively open to activist claims. Three key findings are identified. (a) Following in the American communitarian tradition, civil society groups working at grassroots level largely set the agenda for tackling food hunger in New Haven. That agenda, however, is broad‐based and contradictory, incorporating initiatives aimed at addressing food insecurity and radical advocacy for food justice. (b) The efforts of civil society actors are structurally constrained by their dependence on philanthropic or grant‐based funding, on the one hand, and the symbolic rather than substantive support afforded by a fiscally weak, resource‐poor municipality, on the other. (c) There is an inherent tension within the civil society sector arising from the disjuncture between strategies that have the effect of depoliticizing hunger and those that increasingly demand a repoliticization of hunger. These issues have been brought into sharper relief in light of the COVID‐19 pandemic crisis and the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) mobilization, which, in concert, expose deep fissures in American society.
Developing a strategy for the national coordinated soil moisture monitoring network
Authors: Cosh Michael H. , Caldwell Todd G. , Baker C. Bruce , Bolten John D. , Edwards Nathan , Goble Peter , Hofman Heather , Ochsner Tyson E. , Quiring Steven , Schalk Charles , Skumanich Marina , Svoboda Mark , Woloszyn Mary E.
Published: June 2021

Soil moisture is a critical land surface variable, affecting a wide variety of climatological, agricultural, and hydrological processes. Determining the current soil moisture status is possible via a variety of methods, including in situ monitoring, remote sensing, and numerical modeling. Although all of these approaches are rapidly evolving, there is no cohesive strategy or framework to integrate these diverse information sources to develop and disseminate coordinated national soil moisture products that will improve our ability to understand climate variability. The National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network initiative has developed a national strategy for network coordination with NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System. The strategy is currently in review within NOAA, and work is underway to implement the initial milestones of the strategy. This update reviews the goals and steps being taken to establish this national‐scale coordination for soil moisture monitoring in the United States.
Gender inequality in urban water governance: Continuity and change in two towns of Nepal
Authors: Bhattarai Basundhara , Upadhyaya Rachana , Neupane Kaustuv R. , Devkota Kamal , Maskey Gyanu , Shrestha Suchita , Mainali Bandita , Ojha Hemant
Published: June 2021

Gender‐based inequality has long been recognized as a challenge in water governance and urban development. Women do most of the water collection‐related tasks in the majority of low‐income country's urban areas, as they do in rural areas for drinking, household consumption, kitchen gardening, and farming. However, their voice is rarely heard in water governance. When climate change exacerbates water scarcity, it becomes harder for people to secure water with more pronounced effects on women. Drawing on the narratives of men and women involved in water management practices and also the views of the stakeholders who are part of water resource management in two towns in Nepal, this paper demonstrates emerging forms of gender inequality concerning access to and control over water resources, as well as associated services such as sanitation. We found that women's voice in water governance is systematically excluded, and such gender‐based disadvantage intersects with economic disadvantage as women in low‐income poor urban settlements are experiencing additional difficulty in accessing water and sanitation services. Gender inequity persists in the urban water sector, and of course the wider social structures, despite some progressive policy changes in recent years, such as the 30% quota reserved for women in local‐level water management bodies in Nepal. The paper concludes that tackling gender inequity in water management requires a transformative approach that seriously takes into account women's voice, critical awareness, and open deliberation over the causes and consequences of the current approaches and practices. Moreover, gender‐inclusive outcomes on water management are linked to changes in areas outside of the water sector, such as property ownership structures that constrain or enable women's access to water and related services.
Crises: A Major Systems Problem
Authors: Mitroff Ian I. , Kilmann Ralph H.
Published: June 2021

In the last chapter, we showed that Defense Mechanisms operate on at least two levels, the personal and the organizational. They also apply equally to institutions and thus to societies as a whole. Indeed, they relate to every aspect of our Being.
Assumptional Analysis: The Key Role of Assumptions
Authors: Mitroff Ian I. , Kilmann Ralph H.
Published: June 2021

We cannot emphasize enough the importance of assumptions. For this reason, we want to describe a general method known as Assumptional Analysis for uncovering and analyzing key assumptions. It’s best described in terms of an important case with which Mitroff was involved.
An EFT toolbox for baryon and lepton number violating dinucleon to dilepton decays
Authors: He Xiao-Gang , Ma Xiao-Dong
Published: June 2021

Abstract

In this paper we systematically consider the baryon (B) and lepton (L) number violating dinucleon to dilepton decays (pp → ℓ+ℓ′+, pn → $$ {\mathrm{\ell}}^{+}\overline{\nu}^{\prime } $$

ℓ
+

ν
¯

′
, nn → $$ \overline{\nu}\overline{\nu}^{\prime } $$

ν
¯

ν
¯

′
) with ∆B = ∆L = −2 in the framework of effective field theory. We start by constructing a basis of dimension-12 (dim-12) operators mediating such processes in the low energy effective field theory (LEFT) below the electroweak scale. Then we consider their standard model effective field theory (SMEFT) completions upwards and their chiral realizations in baryon chiral perturbation theory (BχPT) downwards. We work to the first nontrivial orders in each effective field theory, collect along the way the matching conditions, and express the decay rates in terms of the Wilson coefficients associated with the dim-12 operators in the SMEFT and the low energy constants pertinent to BχPT. We find the current experimental limits push the associated new physics scale larger than 1 − 3 TeV, which is still accessible to the future collider searches. Through weak isospin symmetry, we find the current experimental limits on the partial lifetime of transitions pp → ℓ+ℓ′+, pn → $$ {\mathrm{\ell}}^{+}\overline{\nu}^{\prime } $$

ℓ
+

ν
¯

′
imply stronger limits on nn → $$ \overline{\nu}\overline{\nu}^{\prime } $$

ν
¯

ν
¯

′
than their existing lower bounds, which are improved by 2−3 orders of magnitude. Furthermore, assuming charged mode transitions are also dominantly generated by the similar dim-12 SMEFT interactions, the experimental limits on pp → e+e+, e+μ+, μ+μ+ lead to stronger limits on pn → $$ {\mathrm{\ell}}_{\alpha}^{+}{\overline{\nu}}_{\beta } $$

ℓ
α
+

ν
¯

β

with α, β = e, μ than their existing bounds. Conversely, the same assumptions help us to set a lower bound on the lifetime of the experimentally unsearched mode pp → e+τ+ from that of pn → $$ {e}^{+}{\overline{\nu}}_{\tau } $$

e
+

ν
¯

τ

, i.e., $$ {\Gamma}_{pp\to {e}^{+}{\tau}^{+}}^{-1}\gtrsim 2\times {10}^{34} $$

Γ

pp
→

e
+

τ
+

−
1

≳
2
×

10
34

yr.
Educational Concept for Citizens’ Awareness Towards Technological Advancements for a Sustainable Society—Introducing a Concept for Interactive Societal Learning on Hydrogen and Carbon
Authors: Obenaus-Emler Robert , Lehner Markus , Murphy Mariaelena , Pacher Corina
Published: June 2021

Hydrogen is a key element of our everyday life. It is an irreplaceable feedstock for the production of fertilisers, fuels, and chemicals. From a scientific point of view, hydrogen can additionally play a major role in future energy systems and help to decarbonise the sectors industry, heat and power generation as well as transport and mobility. Thus, it can contribute to the energy transition and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at a large scale and consequently help to mitigate climate change. It is, therefore, a key building block to reach the remarkably challenging goals recently stated in the European Green Deal. Therefore, the overarching question is whether hydrogen can measure up to the great expectations raised and how creating public awareness and education can contribute in achieving a social license to operate for emerging new technological developments in this context. Education is not solely an instrument for academic excellence but also a powerful tool to raise public awareness with regard to the development of new technologies. While the main goal of the pyrolysis project is to research sustainable means of hydrogen production, the project also considers its role within the community as a positive side effect. To safeguard and promote the scientific social licence to operate, an educational programme will be additionally developed to raise civic awareness and grant access to the developments made in the project in a learning lab, which will have open access for schools and the general public.
Betriebliche Mobilitätsmanagementmaßnahmen – ein Anstoß für Veränderungen in Mobilitätsverhalten und -einstellungen Mitarbeitender?
Authors: Saake Stefan , Lahner Jörg , Matthies Eike
Published: June 2021

Betriebliches Mobilitätsmanagement (BMM) fokussiert auf die Verkehrsgestaltung hinsichtlich Pendel- und Berufsverkehr, Dienstreisen und Kundenverkehr. Ziel ist es, beispielsweise Parkplatzauslastungen zu verringern oder Verhaltensänderungen bei den Mitarbeitenden hinsichtlich der Verkehrsmittelwahl hervorzurufen. Bisher ist BMM in Deutschland wenig implementiert und in geringem Umfang erforscht.

Vor diesem Hintergrund stellt dieser Artikel das Instrument BMM theoretisch dar und präsentiert ein zugehöriges Praxisprojekt, in dem verschiedene Maßnahmen mit dem Ziel der Veränderung von Mobilitätsverhalten und -einstellungen durchgeführt wurden. Die Evaluation dieses Projektes erlaubt den Rückschluss, dass BMM und Veränderungen in den Einstellungen der Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter korrelieren. Eine direkte Veränderung des tatsächlichen Verkehrsverhaltens konnte jedoch nicht nachgewiesen werden. Die Untersuchung basiert auf der statistischen Analyse von 2 Befragungen aus den Jahren 2019 und 2020. Die Darstellung der Ergebnisse wird von Policy Implications abgerundet. In theoretischer Hinsicht basieren die Auswertungen dieses Artikels auf der Annahme, dass psychologische Einflussfaktoren das Mobilitätsverhalten beeinflussen.
Funktionelle Sehschärfe beim Trockenen Auge
Authors: Messmer Elisabeth M.
Published: June 2021

Das Trockene Auge führt häufig zu Sehstörungen trotz guter Sehleistung in der Standardvisusprüfung. Die Beschwerden treten meist beim Lesen, Arbeiten am Computer und/oder beim Autofahren auf. Grund ist die schlechte optische Qualität der Augenoberfläche beim Trockenen Auge mit Zunahme von topometrischer Irregularität und Asymmetrie, Anstieg des irregulären Astigmatismus, Zunahme der kornealen und okulären Aberrationen höherer Ordnung, Abnahme der Kontrastsensitivität und Zunahme der Lichtstreuung. Die funktionelle Sehschärfe repräsentiert die Visusfunktion im Zeitverlauf und reflektiert die Visusleistung eines Individuums bei täglichen Aktivitäten. Sie ist beim Trockenen Auge signifikant reduziert im Vergleich zu Normalprobanden. Eine Vielzahl von Testmethoden zur Evaluierung der funktionellen Sehschärfe wurde beschrieben. Kein Verfahren hat sich bisher in der täglichen Praxis durchgesetzt.
Comparative study of a simulative bearing design with an experimentally determined data of a prototype bearing
Authors: Mármol Fernández Margarita , Rüth Lukas , Sauer Bernd
Published: June 2021

In some specific applications, the need of an optimized rolling bearing, having a similar load carrying capacity as a tapered roller bearing but with much lower friction losses is still to be addressed. In this paper, a new model is developed using a multibody simulation software and its experimental validation is presented.

After studying many different (in use and only patented) roller geometries and based on an existing and already validated model for tapered roller bearings, a new model has been created changing the basis of its geometry. When the rolling bearing is highly loaded, the new geometry will show lower friction losses than a conventional tapered roller bearing. In order to confirm this premise, as well as to validate the model, a prototype of the new optimized geometry has been manufactured and experimentally tested, together with a tapered roller bearing of same main dimensions. The tests have taken place in a frictional torque test rig, where it is possible to realistically reproduce the loads and misalignments occurring on a bearing.

The results of these tests together with its comparisons with the results of the multibody simulation models are discussed here. It has been observed, that the new model not only can be validated, but also presents less friction losses than the ones obtained when using a tapered roller bearing under some operating points with highly loaded bearings.
The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Physician and Trainee Wellness
Authors: Collier Kristin M. , James Cornelius A. , Saint Sanjay , Howell Joel
Published: June 2021

Burnout in medicine is a substantial problem with adverse consequences for both physicians and the patients who they treat. In our efforts to combat burnout, we must consider every tool at our disposal, since a complex problem requires a multifaceted approach. Recognizing that many physicians derive meaning from spirituality and religion, attempts to improve physician and trainee wellness should acknowledge the importance of religion and spirituality for self-care more than has heretofore been the case.
Conceptualizing problems with symptoms, function, health behavior, health-seeking skills, and financial strain in breast cancer survivors using hierarchical clustering
Authors: Liu Xiangyu , Chen Yongyi , Cheng Andy SK , Zeng Yingchun , Ullah Shahid , Feuerstein Michael
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Determine whether a diverse set of problems experienced by breast cancer survivors (BCS) following curative treatment can be formulated into a reduced number of clusters, potentially simplifying the conceptualization of these problems.

Method

Female BCS were recruited from four cancer hospitals in China. The Chinese translation of the Cancer Survivor Profile (CSPro) was used to measure 18 common problem areas, as supported by epidemiological and phenomenological research. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast (FACT-B) was used to measure quality of life, as a validation of any observed groupings. Hierarchical clustering using multiple distance criteria and aggregation methods to detect patterns of problems was used.

Results

A total of 1008 BCS (mean 46.51 years old) living in both urban and rural areas were investigated. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified two major clusters of problems. One set was classified as “functional limitations,” while the other cluster was labeled “multi-problems.” Those who fell into the multi-problem cluster experienced poorer quality of life.

Conclusion

Eighteen non-medical problems were broken down into two major clusters: (1) limitations in higher level functions required of daily life and (2) limitations in health care–seeking skills, problems with certain symptoms, unhealthy behaviors, and financial problems related to cancer. The breakdown of problem areas into these two clusters may help identify common mechanisms.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

In the future, the search for common clusters and the mechanisms for the many problems that breast cancer survivors and other cancer survivors can experience following primary treatment may improve how we help manage these problems in the future.
Amyloidosis with Cardiac Involvement: Identification, Characterization, and Management
Authors: Jamal Faizi , Rosenzweig Michael
Published: June 2021

Purpose of Review

Amyloidosis is a protein deposition disease whereby a variety of precursor proteins form insoluble fibrils that deposit in tissues, causing organ dysfunction and, many times, death. Accurate characterization of the disease based on the nature of the precursor protein, organ involvement, and extent of disease is paramount to guide management. Cardiac amyloidosis is critical to understand because of its impact on prognosis and new treatment options available.

Recent Findings

New imaging methods have proven to be considerably valuable in the identification of cardiac amyloid infiltration. For treating clinicians, a diagnostic algorithm for patients with suspected amyloidosis with or without cardiomyopathy is shown to help classify disease and to direct appropriate genetic testing and management. For patients with light chain disease, recently introduced treatments adopted from multiple myeloma therapies have significantly extended progression-free and overall survival as well as organ response. In addition, new medical interventions are now available for those with transthyretin amyloidosis.

Although cardiac amyloidosis contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality associated with systemic disease, new tools are available to assist with diagnosis, prognosis, and management.
Cinematic rendering of a burst sagittal suture caused by an occipito-frontal gunshot wound
Authors: Gascho Dominic , Thali Michael J. , Martinez Rosa M. , Bolliger Stephan A.
Published: June 2021

The computed tomography (CT) scan of a 19-year-old man who died from an occipito-frontal gunshot wound presented an impressive radiating fracture line where the entire sagittal suture burst due to the high intracranial pressure that arose from a near-contact shot from a 9 mm bullet fired from a Glock 17 pistol. Photorealistic depictions of the radiating fracture lines along the cranial bones were created using three-dimensional reconstruction methods, such as the novel cinematic rendering technique that simulates the propagation and interaction of light when it passes through volumetric data. Since the brain had collapsed, depiction of soft tissue was insufficient on CT images. An additional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination was performed, which enabled the diagnostic assessment of cerebral injuries.
An E3 Ubiquitin Ligase RNF139 Serves as a Tumor-Suppressor in Glioma
Authors: Chen Xiaofeng , Kuang Weiping , Zhu Yong , Zhou Bin , Li Xiaosong , Zhang Xi , Li Bo , Li Liang , Zou Shucheng
Published: June 2021

Glioma is highly lethal because of its high malignancy. Ubiquitination, a type of ubiquitin-dependent protein modification, has been reported to play an oncogenic or tumor-suppressive role in glioma development, depending on the targets. Ring finger protein 139 (RNF139) is a membrane-bound E3 ubiquitin ligase serving as a tumor suppressor by ubiquitylation-dependently suppressing cell growth. Herein, we firstly confirmed the abnormal downregulation of RNF139 in glioma tissues and cell lines. In glioma cells, ectopic RNF139 overexpression could inhibit, whereas RNF139 knockdown could aggravate the aggressive behaviors of glioma cells, including hyperproliferation, migration, and invasion. Moreover, in two glioma cell lines, RNF139 overexpression inhibited, whereas RNF139 knockdown enhanced the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT). In a word, we demonstrate the aberration in RNF139 expression in glioma tissue samples and cell lines. RNF139 serves as a tumor-suppressor in glioma by inhibiting glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoting glioma cell apoptosis through regulating PI3K/AKT signaling.
Development of gated fiber detectors for laser-induced strong electromagnetic pulse environments
Authors: Hu Po , Ma Zhi-Guo , Zhao Kai , Zhang Guo-Qiang , Fang De-Qing , Wei Bao-Ren , Fu Chang-Bo , Ma Yu-Gang
Published: June 2021

With the development of laser technologies, nuclear reactions can happen in high-temperature plasma environments induced by lasers and have attracted a lot of attention from different physical disciplines. However, studies on nuclear reactions in plasma are still limited by detecting technologies. This is mainly due to the fact that extremely high electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) can also be induced when high-intensity lasers hit targets to induce plasma, and then cause dysfunction of many types of traditional detectors. Therefore, new particle detecting technologies are highly needed. In this paper, we report a recently developed gated fiber detector which can be used in harsh EMP environments. In this prototype detector, scintillating photons are coupled by fiber and then transferred to a gated photomultiplier tube which is located far away from the EMP source and shielded well. With those measures, the EMPs can be avoided which may result that the device has the capability to identify a single event of nuclear reaction products generated in laser-induced plasma from noise EMP backgrounds. This new type of detector can be widely used as a time-of-flight (TOF) detector in high-intensity laser nuclear physics experiments for detecting neutrons, photons, and other charged particles.