bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GIRK channel activity in prelimbic pyramidal neurons regulates the extinction of cocaine conditioned place preference in male mice
Authors: Rose Timothy R. , Marron Fernandez de Velasco Ezequiel , Mitten Eric H. , Wickman Kevin
Published: November 2022

Drug‐induced neuroadaptations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) have been implicated in drug‐associated memories that motivate continued drug use. Chronic cocaine exposure increases pyramidal neuron excitability in the prelimbic subregion of the PFC (PL), an adaptation that has been attributed in part to a suppression of inhibitory signalling mediated by the GABAB receptor (GABABR) and G protein‐gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK/Kir3) channels. Although reduced GIRK channel activity in PL pyramidal neurons enhances the motor‐stimulatory effect of cocaine in mice, the impact on cocaine reward and associated memories remains unclear. Here, we employed Cre‐ and CRISPR/Cas9‐based viral manipulation strategies to evaluate the impact of GIRK channel or GABABR ablation in PL pyramidal neurons on cocaine‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and extinction. Neither ablation of GIRK channels nor GABABR impacted the acquisition of cocaine CPP. GIRK channel ablation in PL pyramidal neurons, however, impaired extinction of cocaine CPP in male but not female mice. Since ablation of GIRK channels but not GABABR increased PL pyramidal neuron excitability, we used a chemogenetic approach to determine if acute excitation of PL pyramidal neurons impaired the expression of extinction in male mice. While acute chemogenetic excitation of PL pyramidal neurons induced locomotor hyperactivity, it did not impair the extinction of cocaine CPP. Lastly, we found that persistent enhancement of GIRK channel activity in PL pyramidal neurons accelerated the extinction of cocaine CPP. Collectively, our findings show that the strength of GIRK channel activity in PL pyramidal neurons bi‐directionally regulates cocaine CPP extinction in male mice.
Environmental drivers of harvestmen assemblages (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Neotropical rainforest landscapes
Authors: Andrade Alessandra Rodrigues Santos de , Lira André Felipe de Araujo , Salomão Renato Portela , Alvarado Fredy , DeSouza Adriano Medeiros , DaSilva Marcio B. , Delabie Jacques Hubert Charles
Published: November 2022

Understanding the effects of environmental conditions on biodiversity may provide cues regarding the resilience of ecological communities facing human activities in tropical forests. Under this scenario, harvestmen are among the most ideal models for understanding the ecological dynamics associated with shifts in environmental conditions. In this study, we evaluated how changes in attributes related to environmental conditions shape harvestmen assemblages in the Atlantic Forest. We assessed the effect of environmental transformation in four forest fragments with different proportions of native forest cover based on their environmental attributes (temperature, humidity, leaf litter depth and cover, and herbaceous vegetation cover) on harvestmen species richness, abundance, and composition. Overall, 865 harvestmen individuals belonging to six families and 41 species were sampled. The effects of environmental conditions on harvestmen assemblages were context‐dependent. In the most conserved fragment, there was an increase in harvestmen richness and abundance with increasing temperature. Furthermore, herbaceous vegetation cover negatively affected harvestmen richness and abundance. Species turnover was the main driver of harvestmen beta diversity in all forest fragments. With the results presented herein, we demonstrate that harvestmen species richness and abundance are modulated by landscape modifications and subsequent alterations in the environment resulting from human‐induced disturbance. Our results highlight the importance of considering environmental transformations at a large spatial scale (i.e., landscape) and local scale (i.e., environmental attributes) to design appropriate conservation strategies for Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
Role of small RNAs harbored by sperm in embryonic development and offspring phenotype
Authors: Yang Chen , Zeng Qun‐Xiong , Liu Jin‐Chuan , Yeung William Shu‐Biu , Zhang Jian V. , Duan Yong‐Gang
Published: November 2022

Background

RNA harbored by mammalian sperm is increasingly considered to be an additional source of paternal hereditary information, beyond DNA. Recent studies have demonstrated the role of sperm small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) in modulating early embryonic development and offspring phenotype. The biogenesis of the sperm sRNA payload of mammalian sperm has been explored in many studies.

Aims

To summarize the possible mechanisms underpinning sperm sncRNAs regulating embryonic development and offspring phenotypes.

Materials and Methods

PubMed database (papers published from 2002 to 2022) was searched for studies reporting the impact of sperm sncRNAs on early embryonic development and offspring phenotype.

Results

The sncRNAs categories and source (such as tRNA‐derived small RNAs, ribosomal RNA‐derived small RNAs, microRNAs, and PIWI‐interacting RNAs), and RNA modification upon different types of environmental exposure or by paternally‐acquired factors were summarized. The potential mechanisms whereby the modifications of sperm sncRNAs modulate embryonic development and offspring phenotype under normal and pathological conditions (such as obesity, altered glucose metabolism, and psychological stress) were discussed.

Discussion and conclusion

Sperm sncRNAs modulate embryo development and offspring phenotype, and the resulting modifications may be transgenerationally inherited.
Current status and future directions in the development and optimization of thoracic and abdominal artificial organs
Authors: Tatum Robert , Wong Daniella , Martins Paulo N. , Tchantchaleishvili Vakhtang
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Artificial organs are engineered devices with the capacity to be implanted or integrated into a living body to replace a failing organ, or to duplicate or augment one or multiple functions of the diseased organ.

Areas Covered

We evaluate the present landscape and future possibilities of artificial organ engineering by exploring the spectrum of four distinguishable device features: mobility, compatibility, functionality, and material composition. These mechanical and functional differences provide the framework through which we examine the current status and future possibilities of the abdominal and thoracic artificial organs.

Expert Opinion

Transforming the artificial organs landscape in ways that expand the scope of existing device capabilities and improve the clinical utility of artificial organs will require making improvements upon existing technologies and multidisciplinary cooperation to create and discover new capacities.
The roles of sub‐micron and microscale roughness on shear‐driven thrombosis on titanium alloy surfaces
Authors: Jayaraman Anjana , Kang Junhyuk , Antaki James F. , Kirby Brian J.
Published: November 2022

Background

Continuous‐flow ventricular assist devices (cfVADs) are implanted in patients with end‐stage heart failure to assist with blood circulation. However, VAD implantation is associated with dangerous thrombotic complications. Our goal was to determine the impact of micron and sub‐micron scale Ti6Al4V surface roughness on adherent platelet aggregate properties under clinically relevant shear rates.

Methods

We used fluorescence microscopy to visualize platelets in real time as they adhered to Ti6Al4V coupons of varying degrees of roughness, including a smooth control, in microfluidic channels and quantified deposition using an image processing algorithm. We systematically characterized roughness using spatial frequencies to generalize results for more blood‐biomaterial contact applications.

Results

We observed that on the control and sub‐micron rough surfaces, at 1000 s−1, platelets adhered uniformly on the surface. At 2000 s−1, we observed small and stably adherent platelet aggregates. At 5500 s−1, platelet aggregates were large, unstable and interconnected via fibrillar structures. On a surface with micron‐scale roughness features, at all three shear rates, platelets deposited in the troughs of the roughened surface, and formed aggregates. Thrombus height at 2000 s−1 and 5500 s−1 was greatest on the roughest surface and lowest on the mirror‐finished surface, as indicated by the mean fluorescence intensity.

Conclusions

These results demonstrated that at high shear rates, thrombi form regardless of surface topography at the scales applied. At lower shear rates, micron‐scale surface features cause thrombus formation, whereas submicron features result in innocuous platelet adhesion. These findings have implications for manufacturing costs and other considerations.
Does the mixed‐ownership reform improve the productivity of state‐owned enterprises? Evidence from companies listed in Chinese stock
Authors: Zhang Fan , Wang Fei , Wang Qiao
Published: November 2022

The Chinese government initiated a new round of state‐owned enterprise (SOE) reform in 2015 to improve SOE's performance with a focus on introducing multiple ownership shareholders and strategic partners, known as the mixed‐ownership reform (MOR). This paper examines the policy effectiveness of the current MOR, an ongoing quasi‐experiment, for listed SOEs’ productivity from 2011 to 2019 using a time‐varying difference‐in‐difference (DID) approach. Overall, the total factor productivity (TFP) of SOEs selected as pilots by the government improved significantly by 14.57% after the reform compared to other SOEs, providing evidence for the positive role of the current MOR. This positive impact is prolonged and tends to increase in the post‐reform years. A series of robustness checks show that our empirical specification satisfies the basic assumptions of DID and our findings are robust. By comparing the two reform strategies in the MOR, we find that the restructuring and reorganization plan is the primary channel driving TFP growth, showing a 0.4% improvement after the reform, rather than the employee stock ownership plan. We also investigate the impact of MOR on other financial and non‐financial indicators, but we only find a significant increase in the profitability of SOEs’ assets.
Imaging scale surface topography of an endemic cyprinid fish, Garra sharq from the Arabian Peninsula: An integrated optical light and scanning electron microscopy approach
Authors: Echreshavi Sorour , Al Jufaili Saud M. , Esmaeili Hamid Reza
Published: November 2022

The optical light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques have proven to play a key and noteworthy role in the advancement of morphological studies in general, and in investigating fish scale morphology in particular. These techniques have illustrated several hidden architectural structures in scales that contribute effectively to fish identification and classification. The scale morphological and topological characters such as type, size, shape, lateral surface, focus position, circuli appearance, radii type, lepidonts, and posterior and anterior margin shapes were obtained using macro‐ and microscopic analysis in six body regions for three size classes of Garra sharq, a cyprinid endemic fish of the Arabian Peninsula. The general scale type in the studied G. sharq species was a basal elasmoid cycloid and a sectioned type. As a protective structure, the scales display several specific characteristics including firm attachment to the fish body, overlapping, and thin structure with a high surface area and high strength. These characteristics improve scale resistance to penetration, increase protection against mechanical injury and microbial infection, enhance scale flexibility, reduce fish weight (reduce friction drag), and increase scale transparency. The scales demonstrate plasticity in focus shape, size, and position in the six fish body parts and fish size groups. The examined scales displayed narrow or wide grooves (radii) in three types including primary, secondary, and tertiary present in all four scale fields (anterior, posterior, and laterals), thus a tetra‐sectioned type that is almost specific to the genus Garra. This characteristic also increases scale flexibility. The rostral margin of scales was characterized by the presence of waved and striate types. The lepidont shape and size varied being blunt, flat, pointed, tiny, sharp, short, and long. Some of these scale characters and their morphologies could be used as an alternative tool for identification, classification, and phylogenetic interpretation among the different freshwater fish species and genera.
Contrasting union orientations and engagement with international private regulation: The agency and role of labour in MNC subsidiaries in Ghana
Authors: Tetteh Nathaniel , Mustchin Stephen
Published: November 2022

This article focuses on multinational company subsidiaries in Ghana with contrasting approaches to international private regulation. The findings explore the nature and outcomes of international private regulation but also the agency of unions and their orientations in terms of whether they valued and engaged with international private regulation or otherwise. Local union orientations and industrial relations dynamics are key influences on whether international private regulation is meaningfully applied or perceived as useful, and these contrasted notably within the research underpinning this article.
Inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway and cell cycle re‐entry contribute to the protective effect of remote ischemic pre‐conditioning of rat hindlimbs on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury
Authors: Zhao Yongmei , Ding Mao , Yan Feng , Yin Jie , Shi Wenjuan , Yang Nan , Zhao Haiping , Fang Yalan , Huang Yuyou , Zheng Yangmin , Yang Xueqi , Li Wei , Ji Xunming , Luo Yumin
Published: November 2022

Aims

Remote ischemic pre‐conditioning (RIPC) protects against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the mechanisms underlying this protection remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of Janus‐activated kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway and cell cycle arrest, and their relationship with neuronal apoptosis following RIPC.

Methods

A rat cerebral I/R injury model was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and AG490 was used to investigate the mechanisms of RIPC. p‐JAK2‐, p‐STAT3‐, cyclin D1‐, and cyclin‐dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) expression was assessed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.

Results

RIPC reduced the infarct volume, improved neurological function, and increased neuronal survival. Furthermore, p‐JAK2 and p‐STAT3 were detected during the initial phase of reperfusion; the expression levels were significantly increased at 3 and 24 h after reperfusion and were suppressed by RIPC. Additionally, the MCAO‐induced upregulation of the cell cycle regulators cyclin D1 and CDK6 was ameliorated by RIPC. Meanwhile, cyclin D1 and CDK6 were colocalized with p‐STAT3 in the ischemic brain.

Conclusion

RIPC ameliorates the induction of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway and cell cycle regulators cyclin D1 and CDK6 by MCAO, and this net inhibition of cell cycle re‐entry by RIPC is associated with downregulation of STAT3 phosphorylation.
What makes “difficult” settings difficult? Contextual challenges for accountability
Authors: Joshi Anuradha
Published: November 2022

Motivation

It is increasingly common for international development actors to work in difficult and fragile settings, yet much of our understanding of accountability through social and political action comes from more stable settings. As an increasing percentage of the world's population live in places characterized by fragility, it is essential to understand the context for accountability in these settings.

Purpose

This article proposes a framework based on three domains of contestation: natural resources, identity, and legitimacy. Based on this framework, it unpacks the constraints towards progress on accountability in difficult settings, and the challenges in creating an environment for citizen claim‐making.

Methods and approach

The article draws on research from a five‐year Action for Empowerment and Accountability (A4EA) programme which focused on examining social and political action in Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Research papers from the programme were analysed together with a close reading of existing literature to decipher the common traits hampering citizen action and state response in difficult settings.

Findings

The core argument is that a weak state and the prevalence of non‐state groups vying for power are fundamental to difficult contexts in three different domains: natural resources, legitimacy, and identity, in which underlying contestation generates conflict, violence, and fragility. The three domains are set within two structural factors: historical legacies and social norms. The article traces how contestation in these domains within structural factors influences the behaviour of powerholders as well as the outlook of citizens who could make accountability claims.

Policy implications

The article concludes by suggesting that lessons for development actors attempting to promote accountability in these settings are: to “work with the grain”, e.g. recognize the context and work with it; explore possibilities for change at the local level, e.g. where alliance building and networking might be more feasible; and look for the small wins—because in a context fraught with difficulties, small achievements such as overcoming fear should be counted as a success.
EXCESSIVE COMPETITION ON HEADLINE PRICES
Authors: Inderst Roman , Obradovits Martin
Published: November 2022

In a variety of purchasing situations, consumers may focus primarily on headline prices, disregarding the full costs associated with acquiring and maintaining a product or service contract. Even when this is the case, the literature has delineated various circumstances where intense competition can protect consumers through the so‐called “waterbed effect.” In this article, we however show that when consumers have context‐dependent preferences, competition may rather exacerbate their and society's harm by distorting product choice and provision. Then, consumer protection policy must sufficiently constrain hidden fees so that competition, along with high‐quality firms' incentives to educate consumers, can restore efficiency.
Effect of Pluronic F‐127 debinding temperature on the sintering and densification of alumina by direct ink writing
Authors: Majumder Debabrata , Rupa P Karuna Purnapu
Published: November 2022

Hydrogel‐based alumina (Al2O3) inks were prepared using Pluronic F‐127 with 65 wt% of solid loading (Al2O3). The Al2O3 inks were deposited, and the freestanding samples were studied using TGA/DTA. Significant weight loss was observed between 180 and 360°C. A two‐stage hydrogel debinding process of Al2O3 samples was carried out at 180 and 360°C with holding times of 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 min. The Al2O3 samples were then sintered at 1600°C. X‐ray diffraction was used for the phase analysis of the alumina inks, and a scanning electron microscope was used microstructural analysis. Based on the TGA/DTA analysis, a two‐stage debinding process was adopted. Significant effect of hydrogel debinding temperature was observed on the sintering and densification behavior of alumina. It was observed that the porosities in the alumina samples were increasing when the debinding time was increased from 30 to 150 min, with the debinding temperature at 180 and 360°C. Moreover, the nature of the porosities was changing from closed porosities to interconnected porosities.
What drives customers toward proximity payment services? An integrated theory of planned behavior perspective
Authors: Jain Nikunj Kumar , Kaushik Kapil , Sharma Anita
Published: November 2022

Proximity mobile payment (PMP) services facilitate mobile payments between payer and payee who are at same location thorough a proximity technology such as QR codes, Bluetooth, and near‐field communication. It has potential to drastically change consumers' payment methods in developing countries where traditional finance infrastructure is lacking. However, there are various challenges to adopting PMP in such countries. This study aims to explore users' opinions on and motivations for using PMP by proposing an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model. It also seeks to resolve inconsistencies in PMP adoption studies regarding the role of user's trust in PMP services. A survey instrument was used to collect data from PMP users in a developing country. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. This study highlights trust as a mitigator of the negative effect induced by the perceived risk of using PMP services. It also validates that the TPB, coupled with other contextual factors, explains the adoption of PMP services in developing countries.
Revealing structural role of ZrO2 in silicate glasses from macroscale property by rigid‐unit packing fraction method
Authors: Shi Ying , Fu Qiang , Spier Charisse , Vu Myra , Xie Wenqing , Du Jincheng
Published: November 2022

The structural role of an oxide as a former and modifier can have significant effects on the chemical durability and mechanical properties of the glass. Some oxides with high‐field strength cations, for example, MgO and ZrO2, are often labeled as a third group—intermediate, due to their either undetermined or dual structural roles dependent on the glass compositions. Based on our recent modification of the Makishima–Mackenzie (MM) model using the rigid‐unit Packing Fraction (RUPF), we analyzed a series of novel zirconia‐containing bioactive glasses. The RUPF‐based MM‐model provides better prediction of the elastic moduli of these new glasses in comparison to experimental measurements. At the same time, the structural role of zirconia can be determined by comparison with calculations by assuming various structural roles and those from experiments. We reveal that ZrO2 acts as the network former in phosphosilicate glasses, which leading to significant increase in packing fraction and consequent increase in Young's modulus. The recent experimental and atomistic simulation results support the glass former role of zirconia in silicate glasses. This method is general and applicable to other oxides in glasses.
Using WhatsApp increases language students' self‐motivation and achievement, and decreases learning anxiety: A self‐determination theory approach
Authors: Alamer Abdullah , Al Khateeb Ahmed , Jeno Lucas M.
Published: November 2022

Background

Mobile‐assisted language learning (MALL) has long been advocated to promote students' language study outcomes. However, little is known about how using instant messaging applications (an example of MALL) affect student motivation, language anxiety, and actual achievement.

Objectives

To help close this gap, we have conducted a quasi‐experimental study, in which we have used self‐determination theory to test a mediational process model, in an effort to understand the psychological mechanisms that underlie the effect of instant messaging applications on student outcomes.

Methods

Two groups of Saudi undergraduate students (N = 447) were recruited to participate in the study. Participants under the experimental condition were invited to engage in language‐related tasks with their teacher outside of class through the WhatsApp application, whereas participants under the control condition received standard teaching. We applied partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM) to test our model.

Results and Conclusions

The results of the PLS‐SEM showed that the total effects of using instant messaging applications on autonomous motivation and L2 achievement were significant but that language anxiety was influenced only indirectly and negatively through language achievement. Also, the PLS‐SEM showed that our results have strong predcitive power indicating support for external validity.

Implications

Our results show that instant messaging applications can be used to facilitate interest and achievement and to decrease anxiety. Furthermore, we are contributing to L2 methodological literature by using applications of PLS‐SEM in experimental designs that can help researchers and practitioners of motivational processes.
End‐of‐life health care use among socially isolated and cognitively impaired older adults
Authors: Kotwal Ashwin A. , Cenzer Irena S. , Yaffe Kristine , Perissinotto Carla , Smith Alexander K.
Published: November 2022

Background

Social isolation is common in the last years of life, especially among individuals with cognitive impairment (CI), but it is unknown if social isolation is related to end‐of‐life health care use.

Methods

We used nationally‐representative 2006–2018 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data linked to Medicare claims, including adults age ≥65 interviewed in the last 4 years of life (N = 2380). We used a validated social isolation scale and three social isolation subscales: (1) household contacts (marital status, household size, nearby children), (2) social network interaction (with children, family, and friends), and (3) community engagement. End‐of‐life health outcomes included 2+ emergency department (ED) visits in the last month of life, hospitalizations or ICU stays in the last 6 months of life, and any hospice use. CI was defined using the validated Langa‐Weir methodology. We used logistic regression to test the association of each social isolation measure with each end‐of‐life outcome, adjusted for sociodemographic covariates, and tested for interaction terms with CI (p < 0.2).

Results

The mean age of our sample of decedents was 81.2 (SD = 9.9), 53% were female, 8% Black, and 4% Hispanic. Overall, social isolation and the community engagement subscale were not associated with end‐of‐life health care use. Fewer household contacts were associated with lower hospice use (aOR = 0.74, p = 0.005). There were significant interaction terms between the social network interaction subscale and CI for ED use (p = 0.009) and hospitalizations (p = 0.04), and a trend for ICU stays (p = 0.15); individuals with both low social network interaction and CI had lower health care use across all three outcomes compared to other groups.

Conclusions

Individuals with fewer household contacts had lower hospice use, and cognitively impaired individuals with low social network interaction had fewer end‐of‐life ED visits, hospitalizations, and ICU stays. Clinicians should consider mobilizing external support services to ensure access to goal‐concordant care for older adults with limited end‐of‐life social contact when needed.
Localisation of oestrogen receptors in stem cells and in stem cell‐derived neurons of the mouse
Authors: Davis DeAsia , Vajaria Ruby , Delivopoulos Evangelos , Vasudevan Nandini
Published: November 2022

Oestrogen receptors (ER) transduce the effects of the endogenous ligand, 17β‐estradiol in cells to regulate a number of important processes such as reproduction, neuroprotection, learning and memory and anxiety. The ERα or ERβ are classical intracellular nuclear hormone receptors while some of their variants or novel proteins such as the G‐protein coupled receptor (GPCR), GPER1/GPR30 are reported to localise in intracellular as well as plasma membrane locations. Although the brain is an important target for oestrogen with oestrogen receptors expressed differentially in various nuclei, subcellular organisation and crosstalk between these receptors is under‐explored. Using an adapted protocol that is rapid, we first generated neurons from mouse embryonic stem cells. Our immunocytochemistry approach shows that the full length ERα (ERα‐66) and for the first time, that an ERα variant, ERα‐36, as well as GPER1 is present in embryonic stem cells. In addition, these receptors typically decrease their nuclear localisation as neuronal maturation proceeds. Finally, although these ERs are present in many subcellular compartments such as the nucleus and plasma membrane, we show that they are specifically not colocalised with each other, suggesting that they initiate distinct signalling pathways.
Comparison of laparoscopic enclosed electromechanical morcellation and vaginal enclosed scalpel morcellation at laparoscopic myomectomy: A prospective randomized trial
Authors: Akdemir Ali , Ari Sabahattin A. , Taylan Enes , Okmen Firat , Sahin Cagdas
Published: November 2022

Aim

This study aimed to compare the laparoscopic‐enclosed electromechanical morcellation (LEM) with vaginal‐enclosed scalpel morcellation (VSM) in laparoscopic myomectomy procedures.

Methods

One hundred eighteen patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy were enrolled the prospective randomized interventional clinical study in tertiary university hospital. After myomectomy, tissue removal was accomplished via either LEM using the in‐glove morcellation technique or VSM.

Results

The median tissue removal time was longer in the LEM group (25 min [range: 14–55]) than the VSM group (20 min [range: 6–38] [p = 0.001]). Rescue analgesia requirement was significantly higher in the LEM group than the VSM group (mean rank: 56.92 vs. 40.92 doses, respectively; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between preoperative and postoperative third month total scores of female sexual function index (FSFI) and subdomains in the LEM group. Conversely, all subdomains and total scores of FSFI (26.5 [16.7–34.8] vs. 22.7 [15.2–28.7]) except pain significantly worsened 3 months after operation in the VSM group.

Conclusions

LEM was associated with a longer tissue removal time and increased postoperative analgesic requirement. On the other hand, VSM was associated with worsened postoperative sexual function from baseline.
Shidian meteorite, a new fall analog of near‐Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu
Authors: Fan Yan , Li Shijie , Liu Shen , Yin Qingzhu , Song Guangming , Xu Rui , Zhang Jiang , Zhang Pengfei , Liu Chengyu , Wang Rong , Smith Thomas
Published: November 2022

Shidian is a recent meteorite which fell in Yunnan province, China, on November 27, 2017, and has been classified as a CM2 chondrite. Petrography, mineralogy, oxygen and chromium isotopic composition, reflectance spectrum, and density studies of Shidian are reported in this study. Clasts with different aqueous alteration degree, two type 1 clasts with nontypical CM petrography, and one metamorphic clast are observed in Shidian. Mineralogically, Shidian main body consists of phyllosilicates (∼70 vol%), forsterite (∼13 vol%), fayalitic olivine, carbonates, sulfide, high‐Ca pyroxene, magnetite framboids, and Fe‐Ni metal. The average electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) analytical totals of phyllosilicates are 84.07 ± 1.75 wt%, with average FeO/SiO2of tochilinite–cronstedtite intergrowths (TCIs) in different clasts ranging from 1.18 to 3.29. The bulk geochemical composition is characterized by flat rare earth element pattern, and by depletion of highly volatile elements. The whole rock oxygen isotopic composition is −0.51 ± 0.73‰, 5.44 ± 1.01‰, and −3.38 ± 0.20‰ for δ17O, δ18O, and Δ17O, respectively, with bulk chromium isotopic composition as ε54Cr = 1.00 ± 0.11. The grain density, bulk density, and porosity are 2.758 ± 0.008 g cm−3, 2.500 ± 0.004 g cm−3, and 9.37 ± 0.59%, respectively. The reflectance spectrum shows “blue” (negative) continuum slope across the visible and near‐infrared range, with characteristic absorption features (such as 0.765, 0.923, and 1.160 μm for phyllosilicates). These characteristics indicate that Shidian is an unheated, brecciated CM chondrite and may be an analog of asteroid Bennu.
Development and Testing of a Curriculum to Improve Decision‐Making Skills in Middle and High School Students
Authors: Shelton Tricia , Benatowicz Corinne , Healy Pat , Ryan Neal D. , Cameron Judy L.
Published: November 2022

Adolescence is a key developmental period for developing and strengthening brain circuits that underlie effective decision‐making skills, which profoundly impact lifelong health and academic, professional, and economic achievement. But decision‐making skills are learned rather than inherent. School presents an ideal environment for the direct instruction and frequent practice of decision‐making skills, however, finding time in the school day is a challenge for contemporary educators. We have developed a learning curriculum that involves active student participation to strengthen decision‐making skills that is sufficiently flexible and adaptable to be utilized in a wide variety of content‐specific classwork. Using this curriculum, students show evidence of improved decision‐making skills, including increased consideration of the number of factors that are relevant to their decision, the resources needed to make a particular decision, and both the short‐term and long‐term consequences of decisions.
“In‐Out‐In” Percutaneous Reduction Technique for Treatment of Valgus‐Impacted Femoral Neck Fractures: A Technical Trick and Case Series
Authors: Yu Tianming , Liu Jianlei , Ying Jichong , Zhuang Yunqiang
Published: November 2022

Objective

Valgus‐impacted femoral neck fractures with or without posterior tilt of the femoral head are very common and full of pitfalls in clinical practice, which may lead to femoral neck shortening (FNS) and avascular necrosis (AVN). The study tries to introduce a novel technical trick aiming at anatomical reduction of valgus‐impacted femoral neck fracture with minimally invasive procedure, and summarize the clinical prognosis in case series.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 24 patients (seven men and 17 women) with valgus‐impacted femoral neck fractures between May 2017 and July 2020 were managed by “in‐out‐in” percutaneous reduction technique (percutaneous reduction group). Another 24 cases (10 men and 14 women) suffering the fractures underwent in situ fixation were enrolled as control group for function comparison (in situ fixation group). All patients were followed up for 24–42 months. The clinical outcomes included complications after operations (χ2 test) and Harris Hip Score (HHS) for hip function (unpaired t test) in the two groups. The radiographic outcomes were evaluated by collodiaphyseal angle, posterior tilt angle, and FNS before the operation and during the follow‐up in the percutaneous reduction group (unpaired t test).

Results

Patients' preoperative data, including age, sex, affected side, fracture types, and medical history, were similar between the two groups, respectively (p > 0.05). After surgery, the mean HHS at 6, 12, and 24 months were all better in the percutaneous reduction group (76 ± 6.72, 85.34 ± 6.33 and 90.54 ± 5.81) than that in the in situ fixation group (70.86 ± 6.91, 80 ± 6.11 and 84.1 ± 7.82), respectively (p < 0.05). One patient suffered fixation failure with screws retreat and one patient suffered AVN in the percutaneous reduction group. In the in situ fixation group, AVN occurred in two patients at last follow‐up. There was no significant difference in complication amounts between the two groups (p > 0.05). In the percutaneous reduction group, collodiaphyseal angle, posterior tilt angle, and amount of FNS were significantly different between preoperative cases and immediately postoperative cases (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical difference of the measurements among postoperative cases at different time points (within 24 h, 6 months, and 2 years postoperatively) (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Our experience of the technique and the case series show that “in‐out‐in” percutaneous reduction technique for treatment of valgus‐impacted femoral neck fracture with or without posterior tilt of the femoral head is safe and effective for achieving successful bone union and satisfactory function.
GmEIL4 enhances soybean (Glycine max) phosphorus efficiency by improving root system development
Authors: Yang Yuming , Wang Ruiyang , Wang Li , Cui Ruifan , Zhang Hengyou , Che Zhijun , Hu Dandan , Chu Shanshan , Jiao Yongqing , Yu Deyue , Zhang Dan
Published: November 2022

Phosphorus (P) deficiency seriously affects plant growth and development and ultimately limits the quality and yield of crops. Here, a new P efficiency‐related major quantitative trait locus gene, GmEIL4 (encoding an ethylene‐insensitive 3‐like 1 protein), was cloned at qP2, which was identified by linkage analysis and genome‐wide association study across four environments. Overexpressing GmEIL4 significantly improved the P uptake efficiency by increasing the number, length and surface area of lateral roots of hairy roots in transgenic soybeans, while interfering with GmEIL4 resulted in poor root phenotypic characteristics compared with the control plants under low P conditions. Interestingly, we found that GmEIL4 interacted with EIN3‐binding F box protein 1 (GmEBF1), which may regulate the root response to low P stress. We conclude that the expression of GmEIL4 was induced by low‐P stress and that overexpressing GmEIL4 improved P accumulation by regulating root elongation and architecture. Analysis of allele variation of GmEIL4 in 894 soybean accessions suggested that GmEIL4 is undergoing artificial selection during soybean evolution, which will benefit soybean production. Together, this study further elucidates how plants respond to low P stress by modifying root structure and provides insight into the great potential of GmEIL4 in crop P‐efficient breeding.
Microscope studies of symptomless growth of Botrytis cinerea in Lactuca sativa and Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Emmanuel Christy J. , Schoonbeek Henk‐Jan , Shaw Michael W.
Published: November 2022

The grey mould pathogen Botrytis cinerea forms systemic associations in some hosts, spreading into plant organs produced a considerable time after initial infection. These infections may have no macroscopic symptoms during much of the hosts' lifetime and are at least partially within the host tissue. The aim of the studies reported here was to locate and visualize these infections at a cellular level in Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and Arabidopsis thaliana. Symptomless but infected plants were produced by dry spore inoculation of plants growing in conditions previously shown to result in fungal spread from the initial inoculation site to newly developing plant organs. Tissue taken from inoculated plants was examined using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Two B. cinerea isolates were used: B05.10 and its GFP‐labelled derivative Bcgfp1‐3. Spore germination on leaf surfaces was followed by development of subcuticular inclusions and plant cell damage in single infected epidermal cells and sometimes a few nearby cells. Sparsely branched long hyphae arose and spread from the inclusions, mostly on the outer surface of the epidermal layer but occasionally below the cuticle or epidermal cells, where further inclusions formed. This was consistent with the pattern in time of recovery of B. cinerea from surface‐sterilized leaf tissue. In the late symptomless phase, mycelium arising from internal fungal inclusions formed mycelial networks on the surface of leaves. Symptomless exterior mycelium grew on the roots in A. thaliana.
Analysis of insurers' performance using frontier efficiency and productivity methods. The great contributions by David Cummins and Mary Weiss
Authors: Rubio‐Misas María
Published: November 2022

This article provides an in‐depth analysis of the great contributions by J. David Cummins and Mary A. Weiss to research on insurers' performance using frontier efficiency and productivity methods. Twenty‐nine empirical papers are surveyed as well as a book chapter that gives foundations and a guide in using methodology and defining outputs and inputs. Both econometric and non‐parametric approaches have been used to estimate frontiers in these analyses, the data envelopment analysis (DEA) being the most frequently used method. A modified version of the value‐added approach has normally been used to define outputs and inputs. The majority of their studies focus on the United States, but they have also conducted analyses on other countries (Germany, Italy, and Spain) as well as on intercountry samples (mainly European countries but also Islamic countries). Their empirical papers in this strand of literature have been grouped into 11 different application areas where the main analyzed issues and/or hypotheses tested as well as the principal findings have been discussed. Their contributions to this field have received great attention in literature to the point that the leading paper in almost all of these application areas is one conducted by Cummins and/or Weiss.
The Effect of Family Planning Counseling on Incident Pregnancy in Nepal
Authors: Guo Muqi , Huber‐Krum Sarah , Shah Iqbal , Canning David
Published: November 2022

An intervention aimed at institutionalizing postpartum intrauterine device (PPIUD) services was introduced in Nepal between 2015 and 2019. The intervention was evaluated using a cluster‐randomized stepped‐wedge trial, with data on women being collected immediately after delivery and at one‐ and two‐year postpartum follow‐ups. The sample consists of 19,155 women. We used intention‐to‐treat (ITT) analysis and structural equation model (SEM) to investigate how the intervention affected the occurrence of a new pregnancy (incident pregnancy). The ITT analysis showed that women in the intervention group had a reduced probability, –0.7 percentage points (95 percent CI: –3.0, 1.4), of having an incident pregnancy compared to women in the control group. The SEM analysis showed that the intervention increased the probability of receiving antenatal family planning counseling and PPIUD‐specific counseling by 22.2 percentage points (95 percent CI: 20.0, 24.4) and 26.5 percentage points (95 percent CI: 24.8, 28.3), respectively. The intervention had an unintended spillover effect, increasing the probability of receiving postnatal family planning counseling by 11.4 percentage points (95 percent CI: 7.3, 15.5). In the SEM, we find the expected impact of the intervention on increased counseling and induced effects on contraceptive method initiation, lowering the probability of an incident pregnancy by 0.3 percentage points (95 percent CI: –0.5, –0.1).
Numerical Investigation of the Intercooler Performance of Aircraft Piston Engines Under the Influence of High Altitude and Cruise Mode
Authors: Sun Meiyao , Liu Zhentao , Liu Jinlong
Published: November 2022

Multistage supercharging is an effective way to solve the problems of low volumetric efficiency and combustion deterioration of piston engines under high altitude conditions. As a critical component of the supercharger system, the high-altitude intercooler performance is challenged to meet the heavy heat load caused by the large boosting ratio. The purpose of this study was to add more knowledge on the high-altitude intercooler performance to the limited existing studies. The intercooler experimental tests were conducted in a high-altitude simulation system, allowing for simultaneous pressure and temperature reductions. A 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed and validated against experimental results to investigate the intercooler performance, including the heat exchange and pressure drop characteristics. The results indicated that the atmospheric conditions and cruising speed significantly affected the intercooler performance. For example, the weighting of the effects of the temperature difference and air density on heat exchange performance varied with altitude. The altitude of 11 km was the turning point of the heat transfer rate because it is the junction of the troposphere and stratosphere. Based on this finding, this study further investigated whether a higher cruise speed could compensate for heat transfer deterioration with increasing altitude, more consistent with actual flight conditions. The simulation results showed that the variation of cruise speed directly affected the effectiveness of the heat exchanger, resulting in a different trend with altitude. Furthermore, the heat exchange of the intercooler fluctuated less with altitude under variable speed conditions. Overall, these findings support more fundamental research on high-altitude intercoolers, which may benefit the design and optimization of high-altitude engines and turbocharged systems.
Short-Time Creep Deformation of the Coarse-Grained Nickel-Base Alloy 247 and Its Implications on the High-Cycle Fatigue Behavior
Authors: Jordan Oliver , Lion Philipp , Beck Tilmann
Published: November 2022

Cast polycrystalline nickel-base superalloys are typically used for critical high temperature aerospace and automotive components, such as turbine blades or turbocharger wheels. These high temperature components can undergo creep damage caused by, e.g., centrifugal forces on the turbine rotor blades, as well as high-cycle fatigue (HCF) from, for instance, vibrations of the rotor blade. Therefore, both, creep resistance and fatigue strength are important mechanical properties of these materials. The study presented here addresses the introduction of creep damage and its influence on the high-cycle fatigue behavior. For this purpose, fatigue specimens of coarse-grained Alloy 247 LC CC blade root material were prestressed on a pneumatic creep test rig to achieve creep-induced microstructural damage. The isothermal 900 °C short-time creep investigations below 1000 h test duration were performed at different tensile stresses which result in different strain rates. After the creep tests, scanning electron- and optical microscopy investigations of metallographic cross section of selected specimens were performed to determine the creep-induced grain boundary damage such as pore count, pore size, and coarsening of the γ' structure. This was followed by uniaxial, stress-controlled isothermal 850 °C high cycle fatigue tests on undamaged and predamaged specimens at a frequency of 10 Hz and a load ratio of R = −1. Subsequently, fractographic and cross section investigations, which provide information on the fatigue cracking, the failure initiating defects, and the pore morphology, were performed. The results of this study show that the degree of creep induced porosity is a dominant structural parameter for the HCF behavior of the investigated nickel-base superalloy.
Smooth Crack Band Model—A Computational Paragon Based on Unorthodox Continuum Homogenization
Authors: Zhang Yupeng , Bažant Zdeněk P.
Published: November 2022

The crack band model, which was shown to provide a superior computational representation of fracture of quasibrittle materials (in this journal, May 2022), still suffers from three limitations: (1) The material damage is forced to be uniform across a one-element wide band because of unrestricted strain localization instability; (2) the width of the fracture process zone is fixed as the width of a single element; and (3) cracks inclined to rectangular mesh lines are represented by a rough zig-zag damage band. Presented is a generalization that overcomes all three, by enforcing a variable multi-element width of the crack band front controlled by a material characteristic length l0. This is achieved by introducing a homogenized localization energy density that increases, after a certain threshold, as a function of an invariant of the third-order tensor of second gradient of the displacement vector, called the sprain tensorη, representing (in isotropic materials) the magnitude of its Laplacian (not expressible as a strain-gradient tensor). The continuum free energy density must be augmented by additional sprain energy Φ(l0η), which affects only the postpeak softening damage. In finite element discretization, the localization resistance is effected by applying triplets of self-equilibrated in-plane nodal forces, which follow as partial derivatives of Φ(l0η). The force triplets enforce a variable multi-element crack band width. The damage distribution across the fracture process zone is non-uniform but smoothed. The standard boundary conditions of the finite element method apply. Numerical simulations document that the crack band propagates through regular rectangular meshes with virtually no directional bias.
Australian wildfires depleted the ozone layer
Authors: Salawitch Ross J. , McBride Laura A.
Published: November 2022

Various mechanisms initiated by wildfires thinned the stratospheric ozone layer