bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subsecond accurate myelin water fraction reconstruction from FAST‐T2 data with 3D UNET
Authors: Kim Jeremy , Nguyen Thanh D. , Zhang Jinwei , Gauthier Susan A. , Marcille Melanie , Zhang Hang , Cho Junghun , Spincemaille Pascal , Wang Yi
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To develop a 3D UNET convolutional neural network for rapid extraction of myelin water fraction (MWF) maps from six‐echo fast acquisition with spiral trajectory and T2‐prep data and to evaluate its accuracy in comparison with multilayer perceptron (MLP) network.

Methods

The MWF maps were extracted from 138 patients with multiple sclerosis using an iterative three‐pool nonlinear least‐squares algorithm (NLLS) without and with spatial regularization (srNLLS), which were used as ground‐truth labels to train, validate, and test UNET and MLP networks as a means to accelerate data fitting. Network testing was performed in 63 patients with multiple sclerosis and a numerically simulated brain phantom at SNR of 200, 100 and 50.

Results

Simulations showed that UNET reduced the MWF mean absolute error by 30.1% to 56.4% and 16.8% to 53.6% over the whole brain and by 41.2% to 54.4% and 21.4% to 49.4% over the lesions for predicting srNLLS and NLLS MWF, respectively, compared to MLP, with better performance at lower SNRs. UNET also outperformed MLP for predicting srNLLS MWF in the in vivo multiple‐sclerosis brain data, reducing mean absolute error over the whole brain by 61.9% and over the lesions by 67.5%. However, MLP yielded 41.1% and 51.7% lower mean absolute error for predicting in vivo NLLS MWF over the whole brain and the lesions, respectively, compared with UNET. The whole‐brain MWF processing time using a GPU was 0.64 seconds for UNET and 0.74 seconds for MLP.

Conclusion

Subsecond whole‐brain MWF extraction from fast acquisition with spiral trajectory and T2‐prep data using UNET is feasible and provides better accuracy than MLP for predicting MWF output of srNLLS algorithm.
Evaluation of Anesthesia Protocols for Handling Hogfish Using Tricaine Methanesulfonate and AQUI-S 20E
Authors: Shopnitz Fred A. , Ohs Cortney L. , Silvy Elizabeth H. , Broach Jason S. , DiMaggio Matthew A. , Patterson Joshua T. , Collins Angela
Published: January 2022

The Hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus is a high-value food fish with significant recreational and commercial fishing pressure and is a candidate species for marine aquaculture. There is a need to define safe and effective methods of anesthesia for handling of this species for aquaculture. Anesthesia efficacy was assessed with wild-collected adult (>20 cm; 0.2–1.2 kg) and juvenile F1 (<11 cm; 5–50 g) Hogfish by using tricaine methanesulfonate (Tricaine-S) at 25, 50, 100, 125, and 150 mg/L and AQUI-S 20E (10% eugenol) at 50, 75, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mg/L to determine favorable doses for minor handling. Favorable doses resulted in induction of light anesthesia and recovery times each under 5 min, zero mortality, and limited excitation behavior. For adult Hogfish, Tricaine-S was effective at inducing light anesthesia at 100–150 mg/L and was preferred over the effective range of AQUI-S 20E doses (100–200 mg/L) based on fish behavioral observations while undergoing anesthesia. Additionally, induction of deep anesthesia was explored to inform potential doses for major and potentially lethal procedures. These same ranges were effective at inducing deep anesthesia in adults. Juvenile fish were effectively anesthetized at the same doses of Tricaine-S (100–150 mg/L) and were induced to light and deep anesthesia faster than adults at the same dose levels. AQUI-S 20E was effective at inducing light anesthesia in juveniles at all levels tested; however, no favorable dose for deep anesthesia was found. Overall, Hogfish were anesthetized with Tricaine-S at similar doses used with other species and responded to AQUI-S 20E similarly in terms of efficacy but unfavorably in terms of behavior.
Monitoring and Managing Fishes that Are Invisible and Keep Moving Around: Influences of an Invasive Species and Environmental Factors on Capture Probability
Authors: Healy Brian D. , Moore Jennifer F. , Pine William E.
Published: January 2022

Understanding fish population status and trends are fundamental to effective research and management. Challenges in understanding population status include recognizing and accounting for sources of variation in capture probability (p^) that can obscure patterns in count data and bias inferences about the population. In systems where management actions such as invasive species removals are implemented based on population triggers, errors in abundance estimation can propagate to missed management opportunities simply due to variation in p^, rather than actual population status. We assessed the relative importance of individual heterogeneity (species and fish size), environmental (stream discharge, temperature) and spatial variation, and interspecific interactions (density) on electrofishing p^ for native (Speckled Dace Rhinichthys osculus, Bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolus, Flannelmouth Sucker Catostomus latipinnis) and invasive (Brown Trout Salmo trutta, Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss) fishes. We fit closed-population depletion models with combinations of covariates using 6 years of data collected during invasive salmonid suppression efforts. We found that the relative importance of spatially and temporally varying environmental influences on p^ differed between native and introduced species. Temperature was important for explaining variability in p^ for two of three native species, and discharge had a significant influence on p^ for both Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. We also found that p^ declined with increasing Brown Trout density, which would limit precision and potentially bias abundance, for two of the three native species. These results illustrate the potential importance of interspecific interactions in influencing p^ and understanding implications of management actions, such as invasive species suppression. Our results demonstrate the need for cautious interpretation of uncalibrated catch-per-unit-effort data for abundance-triggered management actions, including those designed to promote conservation of endangered or economically valuable species.
Interdependent functions of communication with adolescents and young adults in oncology
Authors: Sisk Bryan A. , Keenan Megan , Schulz Ginny L. , Kaye Erica , Baker Justin N. , Mack Jennifer W. , DuBois James M.
Published: January 2022

Background

Communication is central to patient‐centered care in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer. Previously, we developed a functional communication model from perspectives of parents whose children had cancer. No prior studies have established a framework for the breadth of communication functions in AYA oncology. We aimed to identify these communication functions from AYAs’ perspectives.

Methods

Semistructured interviews with 37 AYAs with cancer aged 12–24 years at diagnosis from two pediatric centers during treatment or survivorship. We performed thematic analysis, using a functional communication model as an a priori framework, but remaining open to novel themes.

Results

We identified eight interdependent functions of communication in AYA oncology that were consistent with those previously identified among parents: building relationships, exchanging information, enabling family self‐management, making decisions, managing uncertainty, responding to emotions, providing validation, and supporting hope. AYAs held varying preferences for engagement in different communication functions. While some AYAs preferred very passive or active roles, most AYAs described an interdependent process of communication involving them, their parents, and their clinicians. Parents often served as a conduit and buffer of communication between the AYA and clinician.

Conclusions

Interviews with AYAs provided evidence for eight interdependent communication functions in AYA oncology. Many AYAs described the integral role of parents in communication regardless of their age. Clinicians can use this framework to better understand and fulfill the communication needs of AYA patients. Future work should aim to measure and intervene upon these functions to improve communication experiences for AYAs with cancer.
Palladium‐immobilized polymer‐coated magnetic nanocomposites as reusable catalysts for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol
Authors: Mahanitipong Usana , Rutnakornpituk Metha
Published: January 2022

Palladium‐immobilized polymer‐coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNP@polymer‐Pd) were successfully synthesized for use as reusable catalysts for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol (4NP) in water. The homopolymers and copolymers (e.g. poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate), PPEGMA; poly(2‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, PDMAEMA; and poly(2‐diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, PDEAEMA) were well designed to chemically graft on the surface of the magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) with the rationalization that PPEGMA improved their water dispersibility and the amino‐containing polymers, e.g. PDMAEMA and PDEAEMA, enhanced the coordinating interaction with Pd and essentially improved their recycling efficiency. The presence of Pd and Fe in the nanocomposites was confirmed via energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The nanocomposites possessed Pd loadings ranging between 0.7006 and 0.8442 mmol g–1. The nanocomposites containing PDMAEMA or PDEAEMA showed higher immobilization efficiency of Pd on their surface than those without these amino‐containing polymers. Interestingly, the nanocomposites having PDEAEMA exhibited an improved catalytic activity for the 4NP reduction compared to those having PDMAEMA. They displayed sustainable reusability for the 4NP reduction after eight cycles without a significant loss in their catalytic performance (99% conversion). © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Changes over 6 years in secondary health conditions and activity limitations in older adults aging with long‐term spinal cord injury
Authors: Waller Mikael , Jörgensen Sophie , Lexell Jan
Published: January 2022

Background

The number of individuals aging with long‐term spinal cord injury (SCI) is increasing. Still, there is limited knowledge about changes in secondary health conditions (SHCs) and activity limitations over time.

Objectives

To determine changes in SHCs and activity limitations in older adults aging with long‐term SCI over 6 years, and to investigate how changes in SHCs and activity limitations are associated with gender, age, and injury characteristics.

Design

Longitudinal cohort study from the Swedish Aging with Spinal Cord Injury Study (SASCIS).

Setting

Community settings, Sweden.

Participants

From the initial 123 participants in the SASCIS: 78 individuals (32% women); mean age 68 years; mean time since injury 31 years; injury levels C1‐L3, AIS A‐D.

Interventions

Not applicable

Main Outcome Measure

Bowel and bladder function and problems, pain, spasticity, and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III).

Results

Over 6 years, bowel‐related problems increased (31% to 47%, p = .015) and the occurrence of constipation doubled to 24% (p = .013). There were increases in frequent urinary tract infections (10% to 26%, p = .004), use of indwelling urinary catheters (15% to 23%, p = .031), and other bladder‐related problems (4% to 22%, p < .001). The occurrence of pain was high (85%), with no significant change. Spasticity increased from 41% to 62% (p < .001). Activity limitations increased (SCIM III total score mean 67 to 61, p < .001, with significant decreases in all subscales). The increase in bowel‐related problems was greater in males, and the deterioration in self‐care was greater in participants with longer time since injury and with traumatic injuries.

Conclusions

These findings support the notion that SHCs and activity limitations increase over time in older adults aging with long‐term SCI. The results can inform clinicians and call for a proactive, holistic approach in the long‐term follow‐up to support healthy and active aging.
Microfluidic fabrication of β‐phase enriched poly(vinylidene fluoride) microfibers toward flexible piezoelectric sensor
Authors: Meng Xiangyi , Li Qingqing , Hu Zhijun , Guo Mingyu
Published: January 2022

β‐phase enriched piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films/fibers are often prepared by high‐energy costing methods, including mechanical stretching, high‐electric field or electrospinning. In this study, PVDF piezoelectric microfibers, for the first time, were prepared by microfluidic spinning technology. The β‐phase enriched PVDF microfibers with various diameters could be easily obtained inside the microfluidic channel due to the mass transfer induced phase inversion of the inner PVDF solution. The influence of diameter of the fibers, PVDF concentration of the inner phase and water content of the outer phase on the β‐phase content and crystallinity degree of the obtained fibers was studied in detail. The obtained β‐phase enriched fiber was weaved into meshes. Flexible piezoelectric fabrics were then developed based on these meshes, and further used as in‐situ and real time human motion monitoring. This simple and effective strategy provides a promising microfluidic spinning technique toward the development of functional microfibers and wearable piezoelectric sensors, which may also give some implies for the industrial wet‐spinning of piezoelectric PVDF fibers in the future.
Deflagration to Detonation Transition in Cast Explosives: Revisiting the Classical Model
Authors: Gupta Rishi , Kumar Mayank , Singh Santosh Kumar , Singla Gulshan Kumar , Narang Rajiv
Published: January 2022

Understanding the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) in solid explosives is important from the viewpoint of safety, especially in situations where detonation is undesirable. Relevant examples include the storage or safe disposal of life‐expired or unserviceable explosives and ammunition. The present work proposes improvements on the existing mathematical models for predicting DDT in cast explosives. The earlier classic studies on this topic utilized the isothermal Modified Tait EOS for modelling the compression of the unreacted explosive and incorporated the experimentally measured pressure rise profile in their DDT calculations. This work implements various isentropic EOS, such as the Hugoniot EOS and the Walsh mirror image approximation EOS, to model the compression of the solid explosive. Moreover, since measured pressure rise profiles are available in the literature for a very limited set of explosives and operating conditions, a generalized mathematical model for the pressure rise of the burnt gas under various clearance volumes is proposed in this work. The pressure‐rise model matches the reported profiles reasonably well for Pentolite 50/50 and diethylnitramine dinitrate (DINA). The integrated model indicates that the combination of Hugoniot EOS and Adams & Pack DDT model provides the most conservative estimate for the run‐up distance to DDT among the alternatives considered. We also report that the run‐up distance to detonation depends linearly on the initial clearance volume provided to the cast explosive.
Quantitative analysis of wall thinning of bimetallic clad steel tube based on pulsed eddy current
Authors: Xiong Jingyi , Liang Wei , Ding Yu , Yao Junming
Published: January 2022

Bimetallic clad steel tube (BCST) has been widely adopted in onshore and offshore oil and gas transportation due to its excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Aged BCSTs are susceptible to the initiation of various types of defects, including corrosion, dents, cracking/leakage, and wall‐thinning defects. However, due to the complex structure of BCST and the different materials of inner and outer tubes, it is difficult to implement conventional nondestructive testing. In light of this, a finite element simulation model is established based on the pulsed eddy current testing technology in this paper. Through a series of simulation analyses, the influence of tubing material, defect location, and other factors on the detection results is intensively investigated. By establishing the mapping relationship between the detection signal characteristics and the wall thickness reduction ratio, it is confirmed that there is a quadratic relationship between the differential voltage peak value and the wall thickness reduction, and the defect identification and quantitative evaluation are carried out. The validity of the proposed defect identification and quantitative evaluation method is verified by experiments, which provides a theoretical basis for BCST nondestructive testing and state maintenance. This work facilitates BCSTs structural integrity management and state maintenance decisions, which are critical to the safe operation of the oil and gas system.
Functional investigation of lncRNAs and target cytochrome P450 genes related to spirotetramat resistance in Aphis gossypii Glover
Authors: Peng Tianfei , Liu Xuemei , Tian Fayi , Xu Hongfei , Yang Fengting , Chen Xuewei , Gao Xiwu , Lv Yuntong , Li Jianyi , Pan Yiou , Shang Qingli
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Spirotetramat is a tetramic acid derivative insecticide with novel modes of action for controlling Aphis gossypii Glover in the field. Previous studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) are involved in the detoxification process. However, the functions of lncRNAs in regulating P450 gene expression in spirotetramat resistance in A. gossypii are unknown.

RESULTS

In this study, we found CYP4CJ1, CYP6CY7 and CYP6CY21 expression levels to be significantly upregulated in a spirotetramat‐resistant (SR) strain compared with a susceptible (SS) strain. Furthermore, knockdown of CYP4CJ1, CYP6CY7 and CYP6CY21 increased nymph and adult mortality in the SR strain following exposure to spirotetramat. Drosophila ectopically expressing CYP380C6, CYP4CJ1, CYP6DA2, CYP6CY7 and CYP6CY21 showed significantly decreased mortality after spirotetramat exposure, and CYP380C6, CYP4CJ1 and CYP6CY21 are putative targets of six lncRNAs. Silencing of lncRNAs MSTRG.36649.2/5 and MSTRG.71880.1 changed CYP6CY21 and CYP380C6 expression, altering the sensitivity of the SR strain to spirotetramat. Moreover, MSTRG.36649.2/5 did not compete for microRNA (miRNA) binding to regulate CYP6CY21 expression.

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm that CYP380C6, CYP4CJ1, CYP6DA2, CYP6CY7 and CYP6CY21 are potentially involved in the development of spirotetramat resistance in A. gossypii, and MSTRG.36649.2/5 and MSTRG.71880.1 probably regulate CYP6CY21 and CYP380C6 expression other than through the “sponge effect” of competing for miRNA binding. Our results provide a favorable molecular basis for studying cotton aphid P450 genes and lncRNA functions in spirotetramat resistance development.
The effect of both Pt decoration and the defects on the adsorption of graphene for SO2
Authors: Qu Yongfeng , Ding Jijun , Chen Haixia , Hu Wenbo , Fan Huiqing
Published: January 2022

We systematically investigate the combined effect of both the defects, including single vacancy defects (SV) and Stone‐Wales defects (SW), and the decoration of Pt atom on the structural, electronic, and adsorption properties of graphene for SO2 molecule using the density functional theory (DFT). The calculations reveal that Pt atom can be stably combined on both SV defected graphene (SVG) and SW defected graphene (SWG) with the high‐binding energy of −7.03 and −2.61 eV, respectively. In addition, the SO2 molecule is chemically adsorbed on Pt‐decorated graphene with SV defects and SW defects, their adsorption energies are −1.402 and −1.891 eV, respectively. The adsorption of SO2 can significantly change the conductivity of the adsorbed system, which shows that Pt decorated SVG and SWG have good sensitivity to SO2. Moreover, compared with Pt decorated SVG, Pt decorated SWG has better adsorption ability for SO2 gas molecules, which corresponds to larger adsorption energy, strong orbital hybridization, and the obvious increase of conductivity. These results indicate that the combination of defects and Pt atom decoration can tune the electronic and adsorption properties of graphene, and provide insight into the application of graphene‐based gas sensors for SO2 gas molecules.
Microbiome analysis in women with endometriosis: Does a microbiome exist in peritoneal fluid and ovarian cystic fluid?
Authors: Oishi Sugiko , Mekaru Keiko , Tanaka Suguru E. , Arai Wataru , Ashikawa Kyota , Sakuraba Yoshiyuki , Nishioka Mikiko , Nakamura Rie , Miyagi Maho , Akamine Kozue , Aoki Yoichi
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between the microbiome of the female genital tract and endometriosis.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 36 women who underwent laparoscopic surgery for ovarian tumor from July 2019 to April 2020. Of them, 18 had endometriosis, and 18 did not have endometriosis. Vaginal secretions, endometrial fluid, peritoneal fluid, and ovarian cystic fluid were collected during surgery. Next‐generation sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA was performed to characterize the microbiome.

Results

Specific microbiomes were not detected in either peritoneal fluid or ovarian cystic fluid regardless of the presence or absence of endometriosis and the type of cyst. When the cutoff value of infectious bacterial abundance in the vagina was set as 64.3%, there were many cases more than a cutoff value in the endometriosis group significantly (p = 0.01). When the cutoff value of infectious bacterial abundance in the endometrium was set as 18.6%, there were many cases more than a cutoff level in the endometriosis cases significantly (p = 0.02).

Conclusion

Peritoneal fluid and ovarian cystic fluid are almost sterile, although dysbiosis may occur in the vaginal and endometrial microbiome in women with endometriosis.
New-Onset Vitiligo Following COVID-19 Disease
Authors: Herzum A. , Micalizzi C. , Molle M. F. , Parodi A.
Published: January 2022

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease and vaccines have been associated to various skin reactions, which are mostly similar amongst them. New onset of vitiligo and hypopigmentations have been described following COVID-19 vaccination, but never after COVID-19 infection.

Objectives

We present the case of a 45-year-old woman, who developed vitiligo 2 weeks after COVID-19 disease. Skin lesions stabilized after 1 month of initial spreading.

Results

Vitiligo is a relatively common acquired pigmentary disorder, possibly caused by a T CD8+ cell-mediated autoimmune process, which may be enhanced after the immune activation of COVID-19 disease. Molecular mimicry and bystander activation have been advocated as possible pathogenic mechanisms of vitiligo after COVID-19 vaccination. The same mechanisms may also be involved as possible vitiligo triggers during COVID-19 disease.

Conclusions

Clinicians should be aware of this possible autoimmune cutaneous reaction to COVID-19 disease.
High‐Throughput DNA Tensioner Platform for Interrogating Mechanical Heterogeneity of Single Living Cells
Authors: Hang Xinxin , He Shiqi , Dong Zaizai , Li Yun , Huang Zheng , Zhang Yanruo , Sun Hong , Lin Long , Li Hu , Wang Yang , Liu Bing , Wu Nan , Ren Tianling , Fan Yubo , Lou Jizhong , Yang Ruiguo , Jiang Lan , Chang Lingqian
Published: January 2022

Cell mechanical forces play fundamental roles in regulating cellular responses to environmental stimulations. The shortcomings of conventional methods, including force resolution and cellular throughput, make them less accessible to mechanical heterogeneity at the single‐cell level. Here, a DNA tensioner platform is introduced with high throughput (>10 000 cells per chip) and pN‐level resolution. A microfluidic‐based cell array is trapped on “hairpin‐structured” DNA tensioners that enable transformation of the mechanical information of living cells into fluorescence signals. By using the platform, one can identify enhanced mechanical forces of drug‐resistant cells as compared to their drug‐sensitive counterparts, and mechanical differences between metastatic tumor cells in pleural effusion and nonmetastatic histiocytes. Further genetic analysis traces two genes, VEGFA and MINK1, that may play deterministic roles in regulating mechanical heterogeneities. In view of the ubiquity of cells’ mechanical forces in the extracellular microenvironment (ECM), this platform shows wide potential to establish links of cellular mechanical heterogeneity to genetic heterogeneity.
All‐Nanofiber‐Based Janus Epidermal Electrode with Directional Sweat Permeability for Artifact‐Free Biopotential Monitoring
Authors: Yang Xianqing , Wang Shuqi , Liu Mengyuan , Li Lianhui , Zhao Yangyong , Wang Yongfeng , Bai Yuanyuan , Lu Qifeng , Xiong Zuoping , Feng Simin , Zhang Ting
Published: January 2022

Epidermal electronics have been developed with gas/sweat permeability for long‐term wearable electrophysiological monitoring. However, the state‐of‐the‐art breathable epidermal electronics ignore the sweat accumulation and immersion at the skin/device interface, resulting in serious degradation of the interfacial conformality and adhesion, leading to signal artifacts with unstable and inaccurate biopotential measurements. Here, the authors present an all‐nanofiber‐based Janus epidermal electrode endowed with directional sweat transport properties for artifact‐free biopotential monitoring. The designed Janus multilayered membrane (≈15 µm) of superhydrophilic‐hydrolyzed‐polyacrylonitrile (HPAN)/polyurethane (PU)/Ag nanowire (AgNW) can quickly (less than 5 s) drive sweat away from the skin/electrode interface while resisting its penetration in the reverse direction. Along with the medical adhesive (MA)‐reinforced junction‐nodes, the adhesion strength among the heterogeneous interfaces can be greatly enhanced for robust mechanical‐electrical stability. Therefore, their measured on‐body electromyography (EMG) and electrocardiography (ECG) signals are free of sweat artifacts with negligible degradation and baseline drift compared to commercial Ag/AgCl gel electrodes and hydrophilic textile electrodes. This work paves a way to design novel directional‐sweat‐permeable epidermal electronics that can be conformally attached under sweaty conditions for long‐term biopotential monitoring and shows the potential to apply epidermal electronics to many challenging conditions.
Biomimetic Activator of Sonodynamic Ferroptosis Amplifies Inherent Peroxidation for Improving the Treatment of Breast Cancer
Authors: Zhou Anwei , Fang Tianliang , Chen Kerong , Xu Yurui , Chen Zhuo , Ning Xinghai
Published: January 2022

Ferroptosis is a type of nonapoptotic cell death and is gradually emerging as an important anticancer treatment. However, its therapeutic efficacy is impaired by low intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, significantly limiting its therapeutic potential. Herein, a multimodal strategy to improve ferroptosis is presented, in which a state‐of‐art engineered erythrocyte, termed as sonodynamic amplified ferroptosis erythrocyte (SAFE), is developed for simultaneously activating ferroptosis and oxygen‐riched sonodynamic therapy (SDT). SAFE is composed of internalizing RGD peptide and red blood cell membrane hybrid camouflaged nanocomplex of hemoglobin, perfluorocarbon, ferroptosis activator (dihomo‐γ‐linolenic acid, DGLA), and sonosensitizer verteporfin. It is identified that SAFE, under ultrasound stimulation, can not only substantially supply oxygen to overcome tumor hypoxia associated therapeutic resistance, but effectively activate ferroptosis through the coeffect of SDT triggered ROS production and DGLA mediated lipid peroxidation. In vivo studies reveal that SAFE selectively accumulates in tumor tissues and induces desirable anticancer effects under mild ultrasound stimulation. Importantly, SAFE can effectively inhibit tumor growth with minimal invasiveness, resulting in a prolonged survival period of mice. Therefore, a multimodal ferroptosis therapy driven by oxygen‐riched sonodynamic peroxidation of lipids, significantly advancing synergistic cancer treatment, is presented.
Eight‐Component Nanoporous High‐Entropy Oxides with Low Ru Contents as High‐Performance Bifunctional Catalysts in Zn‐Air Batteries
Authors: Jin Zeyu , Lyu Juan , Hu Kailong , Chen Zuhuang , Xie Guoqiang , Liu Xingjun , Lin Xi , Qiu Hua‐Jun
Published: January 2022

One major challenge in heterogeneous catalysis is to reduce the usage of noble metals while maintaining the overall catalytic stability and efficiency in various chemical environments. In this work, a series of high‐entropy catalysts are synthesized by a chemical dealloying method and find the increased entropy effect and non‐noble metal contents would facilitate the formation of complete oxides with low crystallinity. Importantly, an optimal eight‐component high‐entropy oxide (HEO, Al‐Ni‐Co‐Ru‐Mo‐Cr‐Fe‐Ti) is identified, which exhibits further enhanced catalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) as compared to the previously reported quinary AlNiCoRuMo and the widely‐used commercial RuO2 catalysts, and at the same time similar catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as the commercial Pt/C with a half‐wave potential of 0.87 V. Such high‐performance bi‐functional catalysts, however, only require a half loading amount of Ru as compared to the quinary AlNiCoRuMo, due to the underlying Cr‐Fe synergistic effects on tuning the electronic structures at active surface sites, as revealed by the first‐principles density functional theory calculations of the authors. The eight‐component HEO also demonstrates excellent stability under continuous electrochemical working conditions, suitable for a wide range of applications such as metal‐air batteries.
Optical Optimization Potential of Transparent‐Passivated Contacts in Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Eberst Alexander , Zamchiy Alexandr , Qiu Kaifu , Winkel Peter , Gebrewold Habtamu T. , Lambertz Andreas , Duan Weiyuan , Li Shenghao , Bittkau Karsten , Kirchartz Thomas , Rau Uwe , Ding Kaining
Published: January 2022

Herein, an optical loss analysis of the recently introduced silicon carbide–based transparent passivating contact (TPC) for silicon heterojunction solar cells is presented, the most dominant losses are identified, and the potential for reducing these losses is discussed. Magnesium fluoride is applied as an antireflective coating to reduce the reflective losses by up to 0.8 mA cm−2. When applying the magnesium fluoride, the passivation quality of the layer stack degrades, but is restored after annealing on a hot plate in ambient air. Afterwards, a road map for TPC solar cells toward an efficiency of 25% is presented and discussed. The largest part in efficiency gain is achieved by reducing the finger width and by increasing the passivation quality. Furthermore, it is shown that TPC solar cells have the potential to achieve short‐circuit current densities above 42 mA cm−2if the finger width is reduced and the front‐side indium tin oxide (ITO) layer can be replaced by an ITO silicon nitride double layer.
Facebook management as a tool for client communication and research recruitment in a companion animal university veterinary teaching and research hospital setting
Authors: Müller Anna Vilhelmina , Müller Mark Mikael
Published: January 2022

Background

There is little peer‐reviewed information about the strategic use of Facebook in companion animal veterinary settings, including for research recruitment. This study evaluates the implementation and execution of a Facebook strategy in a University Teaching and Research Hospital setting and the use of Facebook as a veterinary communication and recruitment tool.

Methods

All posts published on the hospital's Facebook page, messages sent via Messenger, and Facebook insight data from April 2017 to November 2019 (31 months) were reviewed and categorized. Facebook as a recruitment tool was evaluated through a survey among the faculty.

Results

A total of 113 posts were published, the Facebook page had 3485 followers and altogether 590,877 users were reached. The use of a Facebook strategy supported consistent management of the Facebook page. The content was well aligned with the strategy. The survey showed that the faculty experienced a facilitation effect by their recruitment posts, although the actual recruitment varied and ranged from none to the vast majority of all recruited subjects.

Conclusions

This case‐based, descriptive study gives insight and generates awareness about the possibilities and limitations of communication and research recruitment via Facebook. Further research is needed to evaluate if the findings can be generalized.
Molecular detection of parapoxvirus in Ixodidae ticks collected from cattle in Corsica, France
Authors: Cicculli Vincent , Ayhan Nazli , Luciani Léa , Pezzi Laura , Maitre Apolline , Decarreaux Dorine , de Lamballerie Xavier , Paoli Jean‐Christophe , Vial Laurence , Charrel Remi , Falchi Alessandra
Published: January 2022

Background

Several viruses belonging to the family Poxviridae can cause infections in humans and animals. In Corsica, livestock farming (sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle) is mainly mixed, leading to important interactions between livestock, wildlife, and human populations. This could facilitate the circulation of zoonotic diseases, and makes Corsica a good example for studies of tick‐borne diseases.

Objectives

To gain understanding on the circulation of poxviruses in Corsica, we investigated their presence in tick species collected from cattle, sheep, horses, and wild boar, and characterized them through molecular techniques.

Methods

Ticks were tested using specific primers targeting conserved regions of sequences corresponding to two genera: parapoxvirus and orthopoxvirus.

Results

A total of 3555 ticks were collected from 1549 different animals (687 cattle, 538 horses, 106 sheep, and 218 wild boars). They were tested for the presence of parapoxvirus DNA on one hand and orthopoxvirus DNA on the other hand using Pangeneric real‐time TaqMan assays. Orthopoxvirus DNA was detected in none of the 3555 ticks. Parapoxvirus DNA was detected in 6.6% (36/544) of ticks collected from 23 cows from 20 farms. The remaining 3011 ticks collected from horses, wild boars, and sheep were negative. The infection rate in cow ticks was 8.0% (12/148) in 2018 and 6.0% (24/396) in 2019 (p = 0.57). Parapoxvirus DNA was detected in 8.5% (5/59) of Hyalomma scupense pools, 8.2% (15/183) of Hyalomma marginatum pools, and 6.7% (16/240) of Rhipicephalus bursa pools (p = 0.73). We successfully amplified and sequenced 19.4% (7/36) of the positive samples which all corresponded to pseudocowpox virus.

Conclusions

Obviously, further studies are needed to investigate the zoonotic potential of pseudocowpox virus and its importance for animals and public health.
Genotypic and allelic frequency of a mutation in the NHEJ1 gene associated with collie eye anomaly in dogs in Italy
Authors: Marelli Stefano P. , Rizzi Rita , Paganelli Alessandra , Bagardi Mara , Minozzi Giulietta , Brambilla Paola G. , Polli Michele
Published: January 2022

Background

A 7.8‐kb deletion in intron 4 of the NHEJ1 canine gene is associated with Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA). This deletion has been described in sheep‐herding breeds related to the collie lineage and in several other dog breeds. A genetic test based on this association can distinguish three genotypes: normal, carrier and affected. The present study is a retrospective investigation of the presence of the CEA allele frequencies in selected breeds from the Italian dog population over a 10‐year time span.

Methods

Genotype data, for the 7.8 kb deletion in intron 4 of the NHEJ1 gene, from 496 dogs belonging to Border collie (BC, n = 334), Shetland Sheepdog (SS, n = 74), Australian Shepherd (AS, n = 52), Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (NS, n = 20) and Rough Collie (RC, n = 16) were analysed. The genetic frequency of CEA allele was estimated in breeds with higher observations (BC, SS and AS).

Results

Healthy carriers were 50%, 45%, 29.6%, 17.3% and 12.5% in SS, NS, BC, AS and RC, respectively. The affected recessive homozygotes were 81.3%, 10.8% and 1.5% in RC, SS and BC, respectively. The CEA allelic frequencies were 0.36, 0.16 and 0.087 in SS, BC and AS, respectively.

Conclusion

The results support the usefulness of this type of genetic analysis to optimize the care of dogs where the CEA mutation is present, including assessing the health risk to susceptible dogs within a breed and to provide an objective basis for breeding programmes.
Copulas for hydroclimatic analysis: A practice‐oriented overview
Authors: Tootoonchi Faranak , Sadegh Mojtaba , Haerter Jan Olaf , Räty Olle , Grabs Thomas , Teutschbein Claudia
Published: January 2022

A warming climate is associated with increasing hydroclimatic extremes, which are often interconnected through complex processes, prompting their concurrence and/or succession, and causing compound extreme events. It is critical to analyze the risks of compound events, given their disproportionately high adverse impacts. To account for the variability in two or more hydroclimatic variables (e.g., temperature and precipitation) and their dependence, a rising number of publications focuses on multivariate analysis, among which the notion of copula‐based probability distribution has attracted tremendous interest. Copula is a mathematical function that expresses the joint cumulative probability distribution of multiple variables. Our focus is to re‐emphasize the fundamental requirements and limitations of applying copulas. Confusion about these requirements may lead to misconceptions and pitfalls, which can potentially compromise the robustness of risk analyses for environmental processes and natural hazards. We conducted a systematic literature review of copulas, as a prominent tool in the arsenal of multivariate methods used for compound event analysis, and underpinned them with a hydroclimatic case study in Sweden to illustrate a practical approach to copula‐based modeling. Here, we (1) provide end‐users with a didactic overview of necessary requirements, statistical assumptions and consequential limitations of copulas, (2) synthesize common perceptions and practices, and (3) offer a user‐friendly decision support framework to employ copulas, thereby support researchers and practitioners in addressing hydroclimatic hazards, hence demystify what can be an area of confusion.

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water > Hydrological Processes

Science of Water > Methods
Nanomedicine, a valuable tool for skeletal muscle disorders: Challenges, promises, and limitations
Authors: Colapicchioni Valentina , Millozzi Francesco , Parolini Ornella , Palacios Daniela
Published: January 2022

Muscular dystrophies are a group of rare genetic disorders characterized by progressive muscle weakness, which, in the most severe forms, leads to the patient's death due to cardiorespiratory problems. There is still no cure available for these diseases and significant effort is being placed into developing new strategies to either correct the genetic defect or to compensate muscle loss by stimulating skeletal muscle regeneration. However, the vast anatomical extension of the target tissue poses great challenges to these goals, highlighting the need for complementary strategies. Nanomedicine is an actively evolving field that merges nanotechnologies with biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. It holds great potential in regenerative medicine, both in supporting tissue engineering and regeneration, and in optimizing drug and oligonucleotide delivery and gene therapy strategies. In this review, we will summarize the state‐of‐the‐art in the field of nanomedicine applied to skeletal muscle regeneration. We will discuss the recent work toward the development of nanopatterned scaffolds for tissue engineering, the efforts in the synthesis of organic and inorganic nanoparticles for gene therapy and drug delivery applications, as well as their use as immune modulators. Although nanomedicine holds great promise for muscle and other degenerative diseases, many challenges still need to be systematically addressed to assure a smooth transition from the bench to the bedside.

This article is categorized under:

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement
Coming of Age in the Secular Republic of Fiction
Authors: Verkaaik Oskar
Published: January 2022

Criticizing the concept of culture as bounded, static and intrinsically connected to the nation, Peter van der Veer emphasized global connections and showed how global notions like the nation or religion are translated locally. This emphasis on global connections took him from India, his first ethnographic region, back to Europe—Britain and the Netherlands in particular—before he moved on to work on China. This ‘enigma of return’ perspective stirred up received ideas within the academic milieus in these countries. My aim in this chapter is to try and do something similar by returning to questions about religion, the secular and the nation after working on similar issues in Pakistan. I do this by rereading novels from the 1960s and 1970s that not only expressed changing ways of thinking and living, but also took these ideas further. I argue that the Dutch literary scene reflects the secular culture of the post-war generation, which still informs political debates about the place of religion, such as Islam, in the nation in the contemporary Netherlands. I also argue that contemporary secular culture is artistically and creatively barren in comparison to what it was in the 1960s and 1970s.
Afterword: Reflections on Nationalism
Authors: van der Veer Peter
Published: January 2022

This chapter reflects on the issues raised in the volume. It examines specifically the history of violence and ethno-religious purification in nationalism. The chapter deals with examples from Europe, Iran, India, and China, showing some general patterns and differences.
The Oeuvre of Peter van der Veer
Authors: Ahmad Irfan
Published: January 2022

This chapter critically evaluates the corpus of writings by Peter van der Veer, a Dutch anthropologist described by Dipesh Chakrabarty as ‘one of the foremost scholars in comparative studies of religion, nationalism, and urban life in Asia’. Divided into three parts, in part one I dwell on van der Veer’s work from 1985 to 1994, discussing his contributions to the study of Hinduism, orientalism and nationalism. In part two, I analyse his works during the second phase, that is, from 1995 to the present. Though diverse, I have arranged the analysis of these works under the overarching category of comparison. The final brief section identifies the style and mode of van der Veer’s interventions, thesine qua nonof which I call, after Nietzsche, ‘theorization with a hammer’. In the conclusion, I highlight themes and questions that van der Veer’s works do not squarely address but that gainfully work as analytical enablers of future research.
Muslim Bare Life in Contemporary India
Authors: Ahmad Irfan , van der Veer Peter
Published: January 2022

Today Hindutva has become hegemonic to the extent that Muslims not only have to fear for their way of life but also for their own bare lives. The election of Narendra Modi as prime minister is a sign of the changes that have occurred from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-led Hindutva campaigns of the 1980s to the firm grip on government by the BJP-RSS today. Analyses of ‘the success of India’s democracy’ (Kohli,The Success of India’s Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001; Banerjee,Why India Votes. New Delhi: Routledge, 2014) never seem to take fully into account the importance of religion and religious divisions. This chapter attempts to address the consequences of the rise to power of Hindu civilizational nationalism.
Moral Labour, the Nation and the State in Contemporary China
Authors: He Xiao
Published: January 2022

While the socialist state in China has attempted to elevate the labour of working people as a symbol of national identity, it restricts rural migrant workers’ access to public goods and equal citizenship rights. While rural migrants perform the public identity of the hard worker in order to claim both respect and benefits that go beyond legal recognition, the value of their hard work is also constrained by dubious state institutions and particularistic relationships. In rural-urban migration and market expansion, money mediates the imagination of the nation, but it also devalues rural migrants’ labour, highlighting the social inequality and disjunction between rural and urban, the rich and ordinary people, within the nation. Rural migrants imagine their inclusion in the nation through investment opportunities which always involve an opaque state.
Swampland conditions for higher derivative couplings from CFT
Authors: Kundu Sandipan
Published: January 2022

Abstract

There are effective field theories that cannot be embedded in any UV complete theory. We consider scalar effective field theories, with and without dynamical gravity, in D-dimensional anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime with large radius and derive precise bounds (analytically) on the coupling constants of higher derivative interactions ϕ2□kϕ2 by only requiring that the dual CFT obeys the standard conformal bootstrap axioms. In particular, we show that all such coupling constants, for even k ≥ 2, must satisfy positivity, monotonicity, and log-convexity conditions in the absence of dynamical gravity. Inclusion of gravity only affects constraints involving the ϕ2□2ϕ2 interaction which now can have a negative coupling constant. Our CFT setup is a Lorentzian four-point correlator in the Regge limit. We also utilize this setup to derive constraints on effective field theories of multiple scalars. We argue that similar analysis should impose nontrivial constraints on the graviton four-point scattering amplitude in AdS.
Dynamics, symmetries, anomaly and vortices in a rotating cosmic string background
Authors: Inzunza Luis , Plyushchay Mikhail S.
Published: January 2022

Abstract

Non-relativistic conformally invariant systems in a rotating cosmic string (conical) spacetime are analyzed at the classical and quantum levels by means of the gravitoelectromagnetic interpretation of the background. Solutions of the equations of motion are found by employing a local canonical transformation, that leads to their natural interpretation in terms of Riemann surfaces. The cone parameter α and the angular velocity Ω of the background determine the existence of hidden symmetries. Globally defined higher order integrals associated with perihelion of geodesic orbits appear at rational values of α. For the harmonic oscillator system with frequency ω, the integrals responsible for the trajectory closure arise only for rational values of α and |γ| = |Ω/ω|, with |γ| = 1 corresponding to the Landau problem. We face a quantum anomaly problem since the hidden symmetry operators can only be constructed when α is integer. Such operators are non-local in the case of the free particle. For the harmonic oscillator, the symmetry generators are obtained with the help of the conformal bridge transformation. We also study a multi-particle version of the harmonic oscillator system with |γ| = 1 using the mean-field theory and find that the emerging vortex structure respects a singular point of the background.