bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly Efficient Layer‐by‐Layer Processed Quaternary Organic Solar Cells with Improved Charge Transport and Reduced Energy Loss
Authors: Li Shaman , Jia Zhenrong , Ma Qing , Wu Yilei , Meng Qingyu , Zhang Jinyuan , Qiu Beibei , Qiao Juan , Li Yongfang
Published: June 2022

How to improve charge transport properties and reduce energy losses are the two main challenges of organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, a new device fabrication strategy that combines the layer‐by‐layer (LBL) method and a quaternary active layer is demonstrated to realize highly efficient photovoltaic performance of the OSCs based on PM6:PM7/Y6:O1‐2F. The introduction of the second donor, PM7, forms a cascade energy‐level alignment with PM6 that facilitates effective charge transfer. The second acceptor, O1‐2F, which is poorly miscible with the donors, helps to reduce the miscibility between the donors and acceptors, and thus delivers a more desirable vertical phase separation of the active layer. Furthermore, the alloy acceptor of O1‐2F and Y6 can optimize the horizontal and vertical morphology of the active layer, forming an effective charge separation and continuous charge transport channel. As a result, the PM6:PM7/Y6:O1‐2F system shows a distinct increase in charge mobility and a reduced nonradiative loss ΔV
nr of 0.231 V compared to the PM6/Y6 system, achieving a high‐power conversion efficiency of 18.23%. The results indicate that the quaternary LBL OSCs are promising for future large‐scale and industrial manufacture of the OSCs.
Investigation on optimal lightweight expanded clay aggregate concrete at high temperature based on deep neural network
Authors: Dabbaghi Farshad , Tanhadoust Amin , Nehdi Moncef L. , Dehestani Mehdi , Yousefpour Hossein
Published: June 2022

This study explores the effects of mixture design parameters on the residual mechanical properties of lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) concrete exposed to elevated temperatures. A total of 30 lightweight concrete mixtures were cast and exposed to three elevated temperatures, namely 250°C, 500°C, and 700°C. The test variables comprised the LECA percentage used as partial volume substitution for natural sand (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%), silica fume partial replacement for cement by weight (5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%, and 15%), cement content (300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 kg/m3), and different water‐to‐cement (W/C) ratios (0.25, 0.313, 0.375, 0.438, and 0.5). The compressive and indirect tensile strengths were measured before and after exposure to elevated temperatures. The results indicate that the lightweight concretes incorporating higher contents of cement and silica fume and made with lower W/C ratio exhibited higher initial mechanical properties yet incurred more significant drop in mechanical properties after exposure to 500°C and 750°C.
Role of fetal head‐circumference‐to‐maternal‐height ratio in predicting Cesarean section for labor dystocia: prospective multicenter study
Authors: Dall'Asta A. , Ramirez Zegarra R. , Corno E. , Mappa I. , Lu J. L. A. , Di Pasquo E. , Morganelli G. , Abou‐Dakn M. , Germano C. , Attini R. , Masturzo B. , Rizzo G. , Ghi T.
Published: June 2022

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between the fetal head‐circumference‐to‐maternal‐height (HC/MH) ratio measured shortly before delivery and the occurrence of Cesarean section (CS) for labor dystocia.

Methods

This was a multicenter prospective cohort study involving four tertiary maternity hospitals. An unselected cohort of women with a singleton fetus in cephalic presentation, at a gestational age beyond 36 + 0 weeks and without any contraindication for vaginal delivery, was enrolled between September 2020 and November 2021. The MH and fetal HC were measured on admission of the patient to the labor ward. The primary outcome of the study was the performance of the HC/MH ratio in the prediction of CS for labor dystocia. Women who underwent CS for any indication other than failed labor progression, including fetal distress, were excluded from the final analysis.

Results

A total of 783 women were included in the study. Vaginal delivery occurred in 744 (95.0%) women and CS for labor dystocia in 39 (5.0%). CS for labor dystocia was associated with shorter MH (mean ± SD, 160.4 ± 6.6 vs 164.5 ± 6.3 cm; P < 0.001), larger fetal HC (339.6 ± 9.5 vs 330.7 ± 13.0 mm; P < 0.001) and a higher HC/MH ratio (2.12 ± 0.11 vs 2.01 ± 0.10; P < 0.001) compared with vaginal delivery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the HC/MH ratio was associated independently with CS for labor dystocia (adjusted odds ratio, 2.65 (95% CI, 1.85–3.79); P < 0.001). The HC/MH ratio had an area under the receiver‐operating‐characteristics curve of 0.77 and an optimal cut‐off value for discriminating between vaginal delivery and CS for labor dystocia of 2.09, which was associated with a sensitivity of 0.62 (95% CI, 0.45–0.77), specificity of 0.79 (95% CI, 0.76–0.82), positive predictive value of 0.13 (95% CI, 0.09–0.19) and negative predictive value of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.96–0.99).

Conclusions

In a large cohort of unselected pregnancies, the HC/MH ratio performed better than did fetal HC and MH alone in identifying those cases that will undergo CS for labor dystocia, albeit with moderate predictive value. The HC/MH ratio could assist in the evaluation of women at risk for CS for labor dystocia. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Unsteady bending of the orthotropic cantilever Bernoulli–Euler beam with the relaxation of diffusion fluxes
Authors: Zemskov Andrei V. , Tarlakovskii Dmitry V. , Faykin George M.
Published: June 2022

The unsteady bending problem of a cantilever elastic‐diffusion homogeneous orthotropic Bernoulli–Euler beam is considered, taking into account the relaxation of diffusion fluxes. The solution to the problem is sought using the method of equivalent boundary conditions. For this, an auxiliary problem is additionally considered. The solution to the auxiliary problem is obtained using the integral Laplace transform in time and the trigonometric Fourier series expansions in spatial coordinates. Next, relations are constructed connecting the right‐hand sides of the boundary conditions of the original and the auxiliary problems. These relations represent a system of Voltaire integral equations of the 1st kind. This system is solved numerically using quadrature formulas. The limit transitions to the static problem of elastic diffusion, as well as to the unsteady elastic problem for a cantilever beam, are investigated. Using a three‐component material as an example, a numerical study of unsteady mechanical and diffusion fields interaction in an orthotropic beam is done. The calculation results are presented in the form of graphs. They show the time and coordinate dependencies of the sought displacement fields and components concentration increments of the continuum. At the end of the publication, the main conclusions about the coupling effect of the stress–strain state and mass transfer in the beam are represented.
Mitigating the Massive Access Problem in the Internet of Things
Authors: Gelenbe Erol , Nakıp Mert , Marek Dariusz , Czachorski Tadeusz
Published: June 2022

The traffic from the large number of IoT devices connected to the IoT is a source of congestion known as the Massive Access Problem (MAP), that results in packet losses, delays and missed deadlines for real-time data. This paper reviews the literature on MAP and summarizes recent results on two approaches that have been designed to mitigate MAP. One approach is based on randomizing the packet arrival instants to IoT gateways within a given time interval that is chosen so that packet arrivals do not exceed their deadlines, but also so that they do not constitute bulk arrivals. The second approach is a novel traffic shaping policy named the Quasi-Deterministic-Transmission-Policy (QDTP) which has been proved to drastically reduce queue formation at the receiving gateway by delaying packet departures from the IoT devices in a judicious manner. Both analytical and experimental results are summarized, that describe the benefits of these techniques.
Botnet Attack Detection with Incremental Online Learning
Authors: Nakip Mert , Gelenbe Erol
Published: June 2022

In recent years, IoT devices have often been the target of Mirai Botnet attacks. This paper develops an intrusion detection method based on Auto-Associated Dense Random Neural Network with incremental online learning, targeting the detection of Mirai Botnet attacks. The proposed method is trained only on benign IoT traffic while the IoT network is online; therefore, it does not require any data collection on benign or attack traffic. Experimental results on a publicly available dataset have shown that the performance of this method is considerably high and very close to that of the same neural network model with offline training. In addition, both the training and execution times of the proposed method are highly acceptable for real-time attack detection.
Semilinear formulation of a hyperbolic system of partial differential equations
Authors: Barril Carles , Calsina Àngel
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we solve the Cauchy problem for a hyperbolic system of first-order PDEs defined on a certain Banach space X. The system has a special semilinear structure because, on the one hand, the evolution law can be expressed as the sum of a linear unbounded operator and a nonlinear Lipschitz function but, on the other hand, the nonlinear perturbation takes values not in X but on a larger space Y which is related to X. In order to deal with this situation we use the theory of dual semigroups. Stability results around steady states are also given when the nonlinear perturbation is Fréchet differentiable. These results are based on two propositions: one relating the local dynamics of the nonlinear semiflow with the linearised semigroup around the equilibrium, and a second relating the dynamical properties of the linearised semigroup with the spectral values of its generator. The later is proven by showing that the Spectral Mapping Theorem always applies to the semigroups one obtains when the semiflow is linearised. Some epidemiological applications involving gut bacteria are commented
On the Critical–Subcritical Moments of Moments of Random Characteristic Polynomials: A GMC Perspective
Authors: Keating Jonathan P. , Wong Mo Dick
Published: June 2022

We study the ‘critical moments’ of subcritical Gaussian multiplicative chaos (GMCs) in dimensions $$d \le 2$$

d
≤
2

. In particular, we establish a fully explicit formula for the leading order asymptotics, which is closely related to large deviation results for GMCs and demonstrates a similar universality feature. We conjecture that our result correctly describes the behaviour of analogous moments of moments of random matrices, or more generally structures which are asymptotically Gaussian and log-correlated in the entire mesoscopic scale. This is verified for an integer case in the setting of circular unitary ensemble, extending and strengthening the results of Claeys et al. and Fahs to higher-order moments.
Prevalence of acute olfactory dysfunction differs between variants of SARS-CoV-2—results from chemosensitive testing in wild type, VOC alpha (B.1.1.7) and VOC delta (B.1617.2)
Authors: Hintschich Constantin A. , Vielsmeier Veronika , Bohr Christopher , Hagemann Jan , Klimek Ludger
Published: June 2022

Background

Olfactory dysfunction is one of the leading symptoms of COVID-19. Previous data suggest a different prevalence between the wild type virus and its subsequent variants. Here, we report on a prospective study to psychophysically compare olfactory function in acute SARS-CoV-2 infection between wild type, VOC alpha and VOC delta.

Methods

SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed by reverse-transcription quantitative real-time PCR and virus variants were differentiated by high-sensitive next-generation sequencing. Home-quarantined were sent a validated and blinded smell identification test. A detailed instruction ensured correct self-administration.

Results

A total of 125 patients were included in study. Patients with the wild type of SARS-CoV-2 self-evaluated their olfactory function significant lower on the visual analog score compared patients with the VOCs alpha or delta (4.1 ± 1.5 vs. 6.8 ± 2.9 and 7.3 ± 0.9; p < 0.001). Likewise, a significant difference of the prevalence of psychophysically confirmed hyposmia (wild type: 73%; alpha: 41%; delta 48%; p < 0.01) and smell test score (48 ± 25% vs. 70 ± 23% and 67 ± 18%; p < 0.01) could be seen between wild type on one side and VOCs alpha and delta on the other side.

Conclusion

In this study, both self-reports and psychophysical testing revealed a significant higher prevalence of olfactory impairment in the wild type of SARS-CoV-2 compared to the VOCs alpha and delta.
A standardized marking procedure for ENT operations to prevent wrong-site surgery: development, establishment and subsequent evaluation among patients and medical personnel
Authors: Rohrmeier Christian , Abudan Al-Masry Narmeen , Keerl Rainer , Bohr Christopher , Mueller Steffen
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Wrong-site surgeries are rare but potentially serious clinical errors. Marking the surgical site is crucial to preventing errors, but is hindered in the ENT field by the presence of many internal organs. In addition, there is no standardized marking procedure.

Methods

Here, an ENT surgical-marking procedure was developed and introduced at a clinic. The procedure was evaluated through anonymized questionnaires. This study was conducted over a 6-month period by interviewing patients and, at the beginning and end of this period, doctors and other surgical staff.

Results

The internal organ-marking problem was solved by applying a fixed abbreviation for each procedure onto the shoulder in addition to marking the skin surface as close to the organ as possible. The procedure was described as practicable by 100% of the interviewees; 75% of the ENT physicians and 96.3% of the other surgical staff considered the procedure highly important for preventing site confusion, and 75% of the physicians had a consequently greater feeling of safety. Of the 248 patients surveyed, 96.0% considered the marking procedure useful, and 75.8% had a consequently greater feeling of safety. For 52.0%, the marking reduced their fear of the operation.

Conclusions

For the first time, a standardized procedure was developed to mark the site of ENT surgery directly, uniformly and safely on patients. The procedure was judged to be useful and practicable and was also deemed crucial for preventing site confusion. Patients felt safer and less fearful of the operation due to the marking.
Usefulness of Telemedicine for Disabled Children Receiving Feeding Therapy
Authors: Tamura Fumiyo , Kikutani Takeshi , Machida Reiko , Isoda Tomoko , Hobo Kimiko , Yamada Hiroyuki , Kodama Miho , Genkai Sae , Mizukami Miki , Tanaka Yuko , Sakuda Taeko , Furuya Hiroyasu , Takahashi Noriaki
Published: June 2022

We performed a retrospective cohort study using medical records of 374 pediatric patients who visited a university dental clinic specializing in dysphagia rehabilitation in Japan between 2019 and 2020 to clarify the usefulness of telemedicine among disabled children receiving feeding therapy. The primary outcome was the feeding developmental stage confirmed at the final evaluation. Propensity score matching was performed between individuals in two treatment groups (in-person and telemedicine) before the final analysis using patients’ age, sex, primary disease, gross motor function, and feeding developmental stage as covariates. A total of 36 patients were enrolled in each of the in-person and telemedicine groups. The initial evaluation for the propensity score matched population using the χ2 test showed no significant difference between the two groups in any parameter. The feeding developmental stage evaluated at the final evaluation using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test significantly improved compared with the stage at the initial evaluation in both groups (in-parson group, p = 0.007; telemedicine group, p = 0.013). The difference in level achieved at the final evaluation revealed that the most common level was “unchanged,” followed by “improvement by one level” in both groups, indicating that there was no significant difference in the efficacy of feeding therapy between the two groups (p = 0.314). Our results show that telemedicine can achieve the same therapeutic outcomes as in-person therapy to improve feeding function in children with disabilities when receiving feeding therapy.
A retrospective clinical study of fixed tooth- and implant-supported prostheses in titanium and cobalt-chromium-ceramic: 5–9-year follow-up
Authors: Nilsson Sheida , Stenport Victoria Franke , Nilsson Marco , Göthberg Catharina
Published: June 2022

Objectives

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of fixed tooth- and implant-supported protheses manufactured in porcelain veneered cobalt-chromium (CoCr) or titanium with a follow-up period of 5–9 years.

Materials and methods

This study included 63 patients with a total of 86 fixed dental protheses (FDPs) (53 implant-supported and 33 tooth-supported). In total, 67 were short-span FDPs (3–5 units) and 19 were long-span FDPs (6–12 units). The FDPs were evaluated using a modified version of the California Dental Association (CDA).

Results

The binary regression analysis indicated that neither CoCr nor titanium had a statistically significant effect on the odds of success or survival of either tooth- or implant-supported FDPs. However, the success of FDPs was negatively affected by greater FDP length and general tooth wear. The survival of FDPs was negatively affected by increased FDP longevity.

Conclusions

This study found no statistically significant effect on the odds of success and survival outcomes for any combination of tooth-supported, implant-supported, porcelain-veneered CoCr, or porcelain-veneered titanium FDPs. As the number of FDPs was limited, the results should be interpreted with caution.

Clinical relevance

This study shows that the choice between CoCr porcelain and titanium porcelain in fixed protheses did not have a statistically significant effect on the outcome.
From Intra-plant to Regional Scale: June Temperatures and Regional Climates Directly and Indirectly Control Betula nana Growth in Arctic Alaska
Authors: Buchwal Agata , Bret-Harte M. Syndonia , Bailey Hannah , Welker Jeffrey M.
Published: June 2022

Tundra shrubs reflect climate sensitivities in their growth-ring widths, yet tissue-specific shrub chronologies are poorly studied. Further, the relative importance of regional climate patterns that exert mesoscale precipitation and temperature influences on tundra shrub growth has been explored in only a few Arctic locations. Here, we investigate Betula nana growth-ring chronologies from adjacent dry heath and moist tussock tundra habitats in arctic Alaska in relation to local and regional climate. Mean shrub and five tissue-specific ring width chronologies were analyzed using serial sectioning of above- and below-ground shrub organs, resulting in 30 shrubs per site with 161 and 104 cross sections from dry and moist tundra, respectively. Betula nana growth-ring widths in both habitats were primarily related to June air temperature (1989–2014). The strongest relationships with air temperature were found for ‘Branch2’ chronologies (dry site: r = 0.78, June 16, DOY = 167; moist site: r = 0.75, June 9, DOY = 160). Additionally, below-ground chronologies (‘Root’ and ‘Root2’) from the moist site were positively correlated with daily mean air temperatures in the previous late-June (‘Root2’ chronology: r = 0.57, pDOY = 173). Most tissue-specific chronologies exhibited the strongest correlations with daily mean air temperature during the period between 8 and 20 June. Structural equation modeling indicated that shrub growth is indirectly linked to regional Arctic and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (AO and PDO) climate indices through their relation to summer sea ice extent and air temperature. Strong dependence of Betula nana growth on early growing season temperature indicates a highly coordinated allocation of resources to tissue growth, which might increase its competitive advantage over other shrub species under a rapidly changing Arctic climate.
Extended reality technologies in small and medium-sized European industrial companies: level of awareness, diffusion and enablers of adoption
Authors: Jalo Henri , Pirkkalainen Henri , Torro Osku , Pessot Elena , Zangiacomi Andrea , Tepljakov Aleksei
Published: June 2022

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), collectively referred to as “extended reality” (XR), have begun to diffuse in industry. However, the current levels of awareness, perceived limitations, and use of AR and VR, as well as the potential differences on these aspects between these technologies are still not well known. Moreover, it is unknown whether small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) differ from large companies on these issues. This research employed a mixed methods research design to address this gap by carrying out a cross-sectional survey (n = 208) to gauge European industrial companies’ level of AR and VR awareness and adoption, and by interviewing 45 companies in nine European countries in order to identify critical enabling factors in the adoption of XR for SMEs. Results show no statistical difference between the respondents’ perceptions toward AR and VR or in their use levels. Thus, examining AR and VR under the umbrella term XR seems justified, especially in the context of their organizational use. However, larger companies were found to be using XR more than SMEs. Analysis of interviews based on the technology–organization–environment framework also yielded several enabling factors affecting XR adoption and specified whether they are particularly highlighted in the SME context. Overall, this paper contributes to XR research by providing a holistic multi-country overview that highlights key issues for managers aiming to invest in these technologies, as well as critical organizational perspectives to be considered by scholars.
Usefulness of an S-1 dosage formula: an exploratory analysis of randomized clinical trial (JCOG1001)
Authors: Kawakami Takeshi , Mizusawa Junki , Hasegawa Hiroko , Imazeki Hiroshi , Kano Kazuki , Sato Yuya , Iwasa Satoru , Takiguchi Shuji , Kurokawa Yukinori , Doki Yuichiro , Boku Narikazu , Yoshikawa Takaki , Terashima Masanori
Published: June 2022

Background

The blood concentration of S-1 and adverse events are affected by renal function. Herein, an S-1 dosage formula was developed based on renal function, indicating the dose for a target blood concentration. This study aimed to explore the usefulness of the formula in adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer.

Methods

In this ad hoc analysis of the JCOG1001 trial, which evaluated the role of bursectomy for resectable gastric cancer, the recommended dose of S-1 was calculated using the following formula: 1447.8 × (14.5 + 0.301 × CLcr + 8.23 × SEX [male = 1, female = 0]) × body surface area (BSA) (mg/day). Patients were divided into three groups by comparing the initial S-1 dose determined using BSA with the dose recommended by the formula: underdose (UD), equal dose (ED), and overdose (OD).

Results

Among 686 eligible patients, 58, 304, and 324 patients were classified into the UD, ED, and OD groups. The patients’ characteristics in the UD/ED/OD groups were median age (53.5/64.0/67.5 years), male sex (98.3%/75.3%/58.0%), and median BMI (24.8/22.8/22.3), respectively. The planned 1-year adjuvant S-1 therapy was completed in 74.1%/73.7%/68.5%, dose reduction was required in 8.6%/21.1%/30.6%, and treatment schedule was altered in 8.6%/17.1/19.8% in the UD/ED/OD groups, resulting in the 5-year overall survival rates of 77.3%/74.3%/77.0%, respectively. The incidences of grade > 3 anemia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, stomatitis, and anorexia were significantly higher in the OD group than in the ED and UD groups.

Conclusions

Dose optimization using an S-1 dosage formula can potentially reduce grade ≥ 3 adverse events for overdosed patients.
Neural Network Detection of Pacemakers for MRI Safety
Authors: Thurston Mark Daniel Vernon , Kim Daniel H , Wit Huub K
Published: June 2022

Flagging the presence of cardiac devices such as pacemakers before an MRI scan is essential to allow appropriate safety checks. We assess the accuracy with which a machine learning model can classify the presence or absence of a pacemaker on pre-existing chest radiographs. A total of 7973 chest radiographs were collected, 3996 with pacemakers visible and 3977 without. Images were identified from information available on the radiology information system (RIS) and correlated with report text. Manual review of images by two board certified radiologists was performed to ensure correct labeling. The data set was divided into training, validation, and a hold-back test set. The data were used to retrain a pre-trained image classification neural network. Final model performance was assessed on the test set. Accuracy of 99.67% on the test set was achieved. Re-testing the final model on the full training and validation data revealed a few additional misclassified examples which are further analyzed. Neural network image classification could be used to screen for the presence of cardiac devices, in addition to current safety processes, providing notification of device presence in advance of safety questionnaires. Computational power to run the model is low. Further work on misclassified examples could improve accuracy on edge cases. The focus of many healthcare applications of computer vision techniques has been for diagnosis and guiding management. This work illustrates an application of computer vision image classification to enhance current processes and improve patient safety.
Ang Ating Mata: Disparities in Eye Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices among Older Adult Filipino-Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area Counties
Authors: Jiro Marycon Chin , Sigua Michael , Ivey Susan L. , Maus Marlon , Hennein Lauren , Dio Migel , Cocohoba Jennifer
Published: June 2022

Filipino-Americans are the third largest Asian-American population, with a median age of 44. However, there is limited literature focusing on the group’s ophthalmic care engagement. Timely eye examinations and outreach are necessary to reduce visual impairment in this older community. To assess eye care knowledge, attitudes, and practices, we conducted a cross-sectional study surveying Filipino-Americans within the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Associations between primary outcomes and sociodemographic factors were analyzed using chi-squared analysis and student’s T-test. In our convenience sample of 256 surveys, a majority of participants are receiving appropriate eye care; those that lacked health and eye insurance, immigrated and are lower income did not receive optimal eye care. Study participants also demonstrated a lack of awareness of eye diseases and risk factors. Our results suggest that culturally sensitive eye health education materials are lacking and should be made accessible for this large and rapidly growing population.
Antibodies against complement component C5 prevent antibody-mediated rejection after lung transplantation in murine orthotopic models with skin-graft-induced pre-sensitization
Authors: Shiina Yuki , Suzuki Hidemi , Hata Atsushi , Kaiho Taisuke , Matsumoto Hiroki , Toyoda Takahide , Sakairi Yuichi , Wada Hironobu , Motohashi Shinichiro , Yoshino Ichiro
Published: June 2022

Objective

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) could induce acute or chronic graft failure during organ transplantation. Several reports have shown that anti-C5 antibodies are effective against AMR after kidney transplantation. However, few reports have assessed the efficacy of anti-C5 antibodies against AMR after lung transplantation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of this novel therapy against AMR after lung transplantation.

Methods

BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were used as donors and recipients. One group was pre-sensitized (PS) by skin transplantation 14 days before lung transplantation. The other group was non-sensitized (NS). Orthotopic left-lung transplantation was performed in both groups. Animals were killed at 2 or 7 days after lung transplantation and evaluated for histopathology, C4d immunostaining, and serum donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) (n = 5 per group). Isograft (IS) models with C57BL/6 mice were used as controls. To evaluate the efficacy of C5 inhibition, other animals, which received similar treatments to those in the PS group, were treated with anti-C5 antibodies, cyclosporine/methylprednisolone, anti-C5 antibodies/cyclosporine/methylprednisolone, or isotype-matched irrelevant control monoclonal antibodies (n = 5 per group).

Results

Two days after lung transplantation, the NS group exhibited mild, localized graft-rejection features (rejection score: 0.45 ± 0.08, p = 0.107). The PS group exhibited AMR features with a significantly higher rejection score (2.29 ± 0.42, p = 0.001), C4d vascular-endothelium deposition, and substantial presence of serum DSA. On day 7 after lung transplantation, both groups showed extensive graft alveolar wall destruction, and high acute-rejection scores. Mice receiving anti-C5 antibodies or anti-C5/antibodies/cyclosporine/methylprednisolone demonstrated significantly lower acute-rejection scores (0.63 ± 0.23, p = 0.002; 0.59 ± 0.22, p = 0.001, respectively) than those receiving isotype control antibodies.

Conclusions

Murine orthotopic allograft lung transplant models met the clinical diagnosis and pathogenesis classification criteria of AMR. In these models, anti-C5 antibodies suppressed AMR. Therefore, anti-C5 therapy may be effective against AMR after lung transplantation.
Radon concentration and exhalation rate for granitic rocks, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt
Authors: Salaheldin Ghada , Elhaddad Mervat , Sidique Essam
Published: June 2022

The present work deals with radon pollution arising from granitic rocks using an Alpha Guard radon monitor. Forty-four granitic samples were collected from five sites located in the Central part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. The minimum to maximum concentration of radon for the rocks of Gebel (mountain) El-Missikat MS, El-Gidamy GD, RieEl-Garra RG, El-Aradiya AR, and Kab-Amira KA were 49,597 ± 8773 to 236,029 ± 22,397 Bq m−3, 39,658 ± 8341 to 188,666 ± 20,545 Bq m−3, 39,854 ± 7645 to 91,393 ± 13,429 Bq m−3, 45,951 ± 9488 to 121,935 ± 14,869 Bq m−3, and 33,209 ± 6989 to 251,398 ± 25,759 Bq m−3, respectively. The surface and mass exhalation rates, the emanation coefficient, and annual effective dose (indoors) were calculated for all the studied samples. The average value of radon concentration in the collected samples was higher than the national reference level of 300 Bq m−3 recommended by ICRP corresponding to an annual effective dose of 4 mSv at work and 14 mSv at home. The measured values for the rock samples studied in the five sites surpassed the world average of soil in areas with normal levels of radioactivity. The MS granitic samples showed a potential radiological risk for human beings, therefore, it is important to carry out a detailed monitoring program for dose assessment.
Geoelectric and mineralogical studies for foundation soil characterization in new Luxor city, Upper Egypt
Authors: Elkhateeb Sayed Omer , Dosoky Wael , Mohamed Abdelnasser , Abbas Mahmoud A.
Published: June 2022

The new Luxor city was proposed by the Egyptian government as a new constructional and building site in order to face the increasing population density around the two banks of the river Nile. It is important prior construction of buildings to characterize the foundation soil. So, vertical electrical resistivity survey and mineralogical investigation were conducted for this purpose. The results obtained from the interpretation of the sounding data indicate that the lithological succession of the study area consists of four geoelectric layers. The top layer corresponds to the surface loose sediments of conglomerate, gravel, and sand. The second geoelectric layer is composed of sand and gravel. The third layer is composed of silty clay, sandy clay, and clayey sand. The fourth geoelectric layer is composed of dry sandstone. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results of samples collected from the clay-rich layer revealed the presence of smectite mineral as predominate clay minerals which is characterized by its swell potentiality on wetting. Accordingly, the clay zone recorded within the third layer must be taken into consideration during designing the foundations at new Luxor city especially this layer was located at shallow depth range between 1.6 and 7.5 m and attains a relatively big thickness that reach up to 33.5 m in some parts. This study emphasizes the importance of the integration of geophysical investigation and mineralogical analysis of the foundation soil for optimal characterization of a site.
System nutrient dynamics in orchards: a research roadmap for nutrient management in apple and kiwifruit. A review
Authors: Gentile Roberta M. , Boldingh Helen L. , Campbell Rebecca E. , Gee Megan , Gould Nick , Lo Peter , McNally Sam , Park Kye Chung , Richardson Annette C. , Stringer Lloyd D. , Vereijssen Jessica , Walter Monika
Published: June 2022

As agricultural intensification affects global environmental change, a redesign of our food production systems towards practices that replace external inputs with inbuilt ecosystem services is needed. Specifically, human-induced changes to biogeochemical flows of nitrogen (N) cycling exceed the proposed planetary boundaries, highlighting a priority area for reducing nutrient inputs in agricultural production systems. A new understanding of nutrient interactions in the complete agroecosystem will allow us to better predict and mitigate the consequences of anthropogenic environmental changes compared with a reductionist approach. Here, we review for the first time system-level nutrient interactions, particularly N, in perennial horticulture using high-producing kiwifruit and apple crops grown in New Zealand as a basis to identify critical knowledge gaps and prioritize new research. The major points identified are (1) current nutrient guidelines are from the 1980s to the early 2000s and do not take into account substantial production changes since that time; (2) few studies construct complete nutrient budgets of all sources and losses; (3) nutrient loss estimates are generally low relative to those from other agricultural land uses; (4) there is a lack of studies which address nutrient interactions between above- and below-ground food webs in perennial horticultural crops; (5) there is contradictory literature where fertilizer has been found both to increase and to decrease plant chemical signaling and defense mechanisms. New tools are emerging to improve orchard nutrient management, including advances in fertilizer application techniques, new methods to monitor plant and soil nutrients, and utilizing genetic variability to breed cultivars with improved nutrient use efficiency. To reduce adverse nutrient effects on the environment, new research is needed, addressing the relationships between carbon and nutrients and nutrient demands in modern fruit cultivars and growing systems; the nutrient balance for perennial horticultural crops considering all inputs and outputs; and interactions of the above- and below-ground nutrient flows in orchard food webs.
The Utility of Multistate Models: A Flexible Framework for Time-to-Event Data
Authors: Le-Rademacher Jennifer G. , Therneau Terry M. , Ou Fang-Shu
Published: June 2022

Purpose of Review

Survival analyses are common and essential in medical research. Most readers are familiar with Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox models; however, very few are familiar with multistate models. Although multistate models were introduced in 1965, they only recently receive more attention in the medical research community. The current review introduces common terminologies and quantities that can be estimated from multistate models. Examples from published literature are used to illustrate the utility of multistate models.

Recent Findings

A figure of states and transitions is a useful depiction of a multistate model. Clinically meaningful quantities that can be estimated from a multistate model include the probability in a state at a given time, the average time in a state, and the expected number of visits to a state; all of which describe the absolute risks of an event. Relative risk can also be estimated using multistate hazard models.

Multistate models provide a more general and flexible framework that extends beyond the Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox models. Multistate models allow simultaneous analyses of multiple disease pathways to provide insights into the natural history of complex diseases. We strongly encourage the use of multistate models when analyzing time-to-event data.
Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Leachate Characteristics and Their Treatment Options in Tropical Countries
Authors: Lindamulla Lahiru , Nanayakkara Nadeeshani , Othman Maazuza , Jinadasa Shameen , Herath Gemunu , Jegatheesan Veeriah
Published: June 2022

This review assesses the leachate quality from waste disposal sites in tropical climate zone. Through this review, data from 228 leachate samples from 145 waste disposal sites from 18 countries in the tropical region were analyzed. The 12 types of sites were considered for the analysis based on the climatic conditions, age, and the operating condition of the site. Tropical rainforest, tropical monsoon, and tropical savanna climates were identified for the climatic zone classification. Age of site was classified as young and old. The operating conditions were classified as engineered landfill and open dump site. Eighteen leachate quality parameters were included in the analysis. Leachate pollution index indicated that young sites from tropical rainforest zone and tropical monsoon zone have higher pollution potential, while the pollution potential in tropical savanna zone did not demonstrate considerable difference in pollution potential in terms of age of the landfill. Considering the operating method of the sites, open dumpsites pose higher pollution potential. Positive correlation could be seen among biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen. pH negatively correlated with organic pollutants as well as heavy metals. Analysis of emerging contaminants present in landfill leachate is limited in tropical region; thus, it is recommended to conduct studies on emerging contaminants. Further, the leachate treatment options considered in tropical region are discussed in this review.
Gonadotropin Stimulation Reduces the Implantation and Live Birth Rate but Not the Miscarriage Rate of Embryos Transferred When Compared to Unstimulated In Vitro Fertilization
Authors: Mitter Vera Ruth , Grädel Flavia , Kohl Schwartz Alexandra Sabrina , von Wolff Michael
Published: June 2022

Research suggests that gonadotropin stimulation in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment affects embryo quality and the endometrium that might influence embryo implantation, placentation and establishment of a viable pregnancy. We assessed the impact of gonadotropin stimulation on implantation, live birth and miscarriage rates per transferred embryo by comparing stimulated and unstimulated IVF treatment. In a cohort of 728 couples, 1310 IVF cycles with successful embryo transfer were analysed; 857 cycles were stimulated with gonadotropins > 75 IU/day (333 poor responder < 4 oocytes; 524 normal responders), and 453 were unstimulated. In total, 1913 fresh cleavage-stage embryos were transferred. Zygote but no embryo selection was performed, and supernumerous zygotes were vitrified. The implantation rate was defined as number of sonographically detected amniotic sacs; live birth rate as number of children born per transferred embryo. Modified mixed effect Poisson regression was used to account for the dependency of cycles and embryos within the same women and the same transfer cycle. Adjustments were made for maternal age, parity, primary or secondary infertility and indication for IVF. Per transferred embryo, implantation rates (rate ratio (RR) 1.37; 95% CI 1.04–1.81; p = 0.028; aRR 1.42; 95% CI 1.10–1.84; p = 0.008) and live birth rates (RR 1.33; 95% CI 0.95–1.86; p = 0.093; aRR 1.38; 95% CI 1.01–1.88; p = 0.044) were higher in NC-IVF compared to cIVF normal responders. Miscarriage did not differ (RR 0.99; 95% CI 0.59–1.65; p = 0.965; aRR 0.90; 95% CI 0.52–1.53 p = 0.698). Similar results were obtained in poor responders. The study suggests an impact of gonadotropin stimulation on the implantation potential of embryos.
The Impacts of Food Waste Information on Consumer Preferences for Blemished Produce and Implications for Food Retailers
Authors: Collart Alba J. , Interis Matthew G. , Henson Chloe’ , Maples Josh
Published: June 2022

Produce that does not meet sellers’ esthetic standards may be redirected to alternative uses or wasted, but consumer trends indicate potential marketability of blemished produce. We conduct a nonhypothetical experimental auction to elicit consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) for produce of varying degrees of blemish and test whether valuations are affected by (1) information on food waste resulting from grocery stores’ esthetic standards and (2) additional information on the environmental impacts of food waste. WTP for blemished produce increases as consumers become informed, but the information effects vary by blemishing degree. Market simulations indicate that introducing blemished produce can increase retailer revenue.
Cripping environmental education: rethinking disability, nature, and interdependent futures
Authors: Schmidt Jenne
Published: June 2022

In this article, I call for a cripping of environmental education as a necessary move in shifting away from the field’s current conceptions of disability as defect and deficiency, and towards disrupting the structures and processes that operate as normalizing technologies within ableism/sanism. Through an examination of the ways that the field of environmental education has/has not engaged critical disability politics, I illuminate how disability is not often included within environmental education literature. When it is, it is often through the use of disability as metaphor or through recommendations for best practices in accommodating disabilities. More often though within environmental education, disability has operated as a hidden curriculum, underpinning much of the field’s curricular, pedagogical, and even philosophical foundations. Through a cripping of the field these compulsory able-bodied/able-minded assumptions are made apparent. I suggest that by centering crip bodies and minds through cripistemologies, we might enable new ways of knowing, being in, connecting to, and understanding the natural world.
Some structural disanalogies between pronouns and tenses
Authors: Bjorkman Bronwyn M.
Published: June 2022

A pronominal analysis of tense goes back to Partee (1973), motivated by a series of proposed parallels between the interpretation of tenses and that of pronouns. This article revisits Partee's interpretive parallels, as well as two more identified in Kratzer (1998), in light of subsequent developments in work on both temporal relations and on pronouns. The goal of this article is not to argue for or against a pronominal analysis of tense, but instead to make clearer the syntactic and semantic space within which such an analysis is situated, especially given that pronouns have been given increasingly complex syntactic representations even as tense has remained syntactically simplex.
Challenges and Barriers to the Participation of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Flood Management: A Qualitative Study from Iran
Authors: Sohrabizadeh Sanaz , Shafiei Moghaddam Parvin , Nejati-Zarnaqi Bayram , Yousefian Shiva , Pirani Davoud , Sahebi Ali , Farrahi-Ashtiani Iman , Jahangiri Katayoun
Published: June 2022

Objective:

Floods are one of Iran’s most important natural hazards, which cause a lot of damage every year. Various organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), participate in flood management. The present study aimed to explore the challenges and barriers of NGOs’ participation in the management of the flooding in Iran based on stakeholders’ experiences.

Methods:

This qualitative study is a case study that was conducted using the content analysis approach. Fifteen participants, including 3 national managers, 2 volunteers active in responding to recent floods, and 10 NGO managers/secretaries who had the knowledge or operational experience of participating in disaster management, were approached for interviews. Data were collected using a purposeful sampling method and continued until reaching data saturation.

Results:

Challenges and barriers to NGOs’ participation in flood management were categorized into 4 main categories and 14 subcategories, including policy-making challenges, managerial challenges, executive challenges, and socio-cultural challenges.

Conclusions:

As multiple NGOs take part in responding to disasters and performing relief operations, establishing a unified command and supervision system for effective coordination and collaborations among NGOs and other stakeholders is highly suggested. Further research is needed to develop a measurement tool for assessing the effectiveness of NGOs’ activities during disasters.
Statistical signatures of component wall-attached eddies in proper orthogonal decomposition modes of a turbulent boundary layer
Authors: Wang Longwei , Pan Chong , Wang Jinjun , Gao Qi
Published: June 2022

Physical representation of coherent motions in wall-bounded turbulence satisfying Townsend's attached-eddy hypothesis (AEH) is still an open question to be debated. Here, we apply proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) to instantaneous snapshots of

$u$

component velocity fields in the streamwise–wall-normal plane of three turbulent boundary layers, which cover a frictional Reynolds number (

$Re$

) of

$Re_\tau \approx 1000{\sim} 4000$

and were either measured by large-field-of-view planar particle image velocimetry or calculated by direct numerical simulation. The

$u$

component POD modes characterized by streamwise recurring large-scale motions are decomposed into wall-attached and wall-detached parts depending on the wall-attachment condition. The former, i.e. wall-attached POD eddies, are believed to be the prime statistical representations of attached eddies. The reason lies in three aspects. Firstly, wall-attached POD eddies are geometrically self-similar and statistically independent. Secondly, the wall-normal variation of the variance of reduced-order streamwise velocity components

$\tilde {u}_{AE}$

, which is only contributed by wall-attached POD eddies, presents logarithmic decay in the inertial flow region. Thirdly, analysis on the scaling behaviour of the high-even-order moment, moment generating function, as well as longitudinal two-point structure function, all indicate a quasi-Gaussian behaviour of

$\tilde {u}_{AE}$

. None of these AEH-predicted behaviours are evident when the contribution of superstructure-like POD eddies are considered. Furthermore, wall-detached POD eddies are found to also present quasi-Gaussian behaviour. They might be treated as passive fragments of wall-attached ones.