bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
E/Z reversible photoisomerization of methyl orange doped polyacrylic acid‐based polyelectrolyte brush films
Authors: Al‐Bataineh Qais M. , Telfah Ahmad D. , Ahmad Ahmad A. , Bani‐Salameh Areen A. , Abu‐Zurayk Rund , Hergenröder Roland
Published: October 2022

The photoswitching behavior of the polyacrylic acid (PAA) doped by methyl orange (MO) brush film was investigated using spectral analysis of UV‐Vis absorbance, Fourier Transformation Infrared spectroscopy, 2D electrical conductivity mapping and Atomic Force Microscopy. The kinetics and time evolution of the photoisomerization of the PAA‐MO PEBs film from E‐state to Z‐state by UV‐light irradiation, and reverse thermal relaxation to E‐state was explored. The results confirm that the photoisomerization kinetics of the overall peak is the superposition of the photoisomerization kinetics of transition, low‐ and high‐frequency of the transition bands. The E–Z transformation led to transforming the azobenzene from flat with no dipole moment to 3.0 D dipole moment.  Hence, the electrical conductivity escalated  accordingly. The transformation of E‐state to Z‐state led to the collapse of the formed brushes because of the angular rotational momentum consequent to E–Z isomerization.
Asymbiotic in vitro seed germination, in vitro seedling development, and ex vitro acclimatization of Spiranthes
Authors: Zale Peter J. , Clayton Ashley , Nix John , Taylor Matt
Published: October 2022

Premise

Reproducible seed propagation and production protocols were developed for Spiranthes and related taxa to facilitate ex situ conservation practices.

Methods and Results

Spiranthes seeds were scarified for 3‐ and 10‐min intervals in 10% sodium hypochlorite solution, then cultured on three seed germination media. After germination, seedlings were given one of the three photoperiod treatments, and then planted in one of four greenhouse substrates. Seed germination ranged from 0% to 90% and occurred on all three media only after the 3‐min scarification. Seedlings in the 24/0‐h light/dark and 16/8‐h light/dark photoperiods on P723 medium had significantly higher fresh weight than those in the dark treatment group. Ex vitro survival ranged from 55% to 95% across substrates.

Conclusions

Results show that Spiranthes seeds are damaged by extended chemical scarification, are adaptable to a variety of culture media, and require light for optimal development. Further experimentation showed that the propagation protocols described here can be applied broadly within the genus.
Taxonomic revision of Chinemys pani (Testudines: Geoemydidae) from the Pleistocene of Taiwan and its implications of conservation paleobiology
Authors: Liaw Yi‐Lu , Tsai Cheng‐Hsiu
Published: October 2022

Proper taxonomic identification is critical to our understanding of biodiversity and the underlying evolutionary history. Here we re‐examine the cast of the holotype of Chinemys pani, a geoemydid turtle from the Pleistocene of Taiwan; the actual specimen was not curated appropriately after the original publication and was most likely lost. Our results provide substantial evidence to show that Chinemys pani should be identified as Mauremys reevesii. The replica, though not ideal, preserves various morphological features that allow reliable taxonomic identification of Mauremys reevesii, including the presence of three longitudinal keels on the carapace, the second to sixth neural bones anteriorly short‐sided, and the lack of a movable plastral hinge. In addition, we also confirm that the original diagnostic features that established the new taxon: Chinemys pani – are polymorphic characters of Mauremys reevesii. Our taxonomic revision of a Pleistocene geoemydid turtle from Taiwan confirms the existence of the Pleistocene Mauremys reevesii. More importantly, this study offers new insights into the origin of modern biodiversity in Taiwan and gives a straightforward example of how fossils can be applied to conservation policies.
Comparative gross anatomy of epicardiac ganglionated nerve plexi on the human and sheep cardiac ventricles
Authors: Saburkina Inga , Pauziene Neringa , Solomon On Itai , Rysevaite‐Kyguoliene Kristina , Pauza Dainius H.
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to examine the distribution and quantitative parameters of the epicardiac ventricular neural ganglionated plexus in the hearts of humans and sheep, highlighting the differences of this plexus in humans and large models. Five non‐sectioned pressure distended whole hearts of the human newborns and 10 hearts of newborn German black‐faced lambs were investigated applying a histochemical method for acetylcholinesterase to stain epicardiac neural structures with their subsequent stereomicroscopic examination. In humans, the ventricular nerves are spread by four epicardiac nerve subplexuses, that is, the left and right coronary as well as the left and middle dorsal. In sheep, the ventricular nerves are spread by five epicardiac nerve subplexuses, that is, the left and right coronary, the left and middle dorsal and the right ventral ones. The ventricular epicardium involved up to 129 ganglia in humans and up to 198—in sheep. The largest number of the ventricular ganglionic cells in humans were located on the ventral side, in front of the conus arteriosus, while on sheep ventricles, the most numerous neurons distributed on the dorsal wall of the left ventricle. This comparative study of the morphological patterns of the human and sheep ventricles demonstrates that the sheep heart is neuroanatomically distinct from the human one and this must be taking into consideration using the sheep model for the heart physiology experiments.
Young consumers' attitudes towards voluntary carbon offsetting
Authors: Haug Jon Ording , Hassinggaard Ivan
Published: October 2022

Voluntary carbon offsetting (VCO) programmes are an initiative to reduce global carbon emissions and are increasing in popularity among companies, despite controversies and debates regarding the effect of offsetting activities on carbon emissions. VCO has become an important aspect of the sustainability and marketing strategies of companies. Few studies have researched the consumer aspect of companies using carbon offsetting in marketing. This study explores the knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions of young Danish consumers towards carbon offsetting. Qualitative interviews with 25 young Danish consumers were conducted based on the theory of planned behaviour, which was used as a conceptual framework. The results of the study indicate that the young consumers have little knowledge of VCO and perceive the topic as complicated and difficult. This contributes to distrust and negative perceptions of carbon offsetting programmes. In conclusion, guidance for companies to communicate carbon offsetting programmes is provided.
FcγRIIIA affinity chromatography complements conventional functional characterization of rituximab
Authors: Narvekar Aditya , Puranik Amita , Kulkarni Bhalchandra , Jagtap Dhanashree , Jain Ratnesh , Dandekar Prajakta
Published: October 2022

Analytical and functional characterization of batches of biologics/biosimilar products are imperative towards qualifying them for pre‐clinical and clinical investigations. Several orthogonal strategies are employed to characterize the functional attributes of these drugs. However, the use of conventional techniques for online monitoring of functional attributes is not feasible. Liquid chromatography is one of the crucial unit operations during the downstream processing of biopharmaceuticals. In this work, we have demonstrated the utility of FcγRIIIA affinity chromatography as an independent quantitative functional characterization tool. FcγRIIIA affinity chromatography aided in sequential elution of Rituximab glycoform mixtures, based on varying levels of galactosylation, and thereby the affinity for the receptor protein. The predominant glycans present in the three Rituximab glycoform mixture peaks were G0F, G1F, and G2F, respectively. Dissociation rate constants were derived from the chromatographic elution profiles by the peak profiling method, for the control and glucose stress conditions. The glucose stress conditions did not result in unfavorable binding kinetics of Rituximab and FcγRIIIA. The dissociation rate constants of the glycoform mixture 2, predominantly consisting of G1F, were similar to the dissociation rate constants obtained by surface plasmon resonance. Moreover, the glycosylation profiles obtained from chromatographic estimation can be corroborated with the ADCC activity. However, the ex vivo ADCC reporter assay indicated that there was an increase in the effector activity with increasing glucose stress. Thus, FcγRIIIA affinity chromatography permitted three independent assessments via a single analysis. Such approaches can be utilized as potential process analytical technology (PAT) tools in the biosimilar development process.
Immediate ridge reconstruction with a composite tuberosity graft after removal of failing implants
Authors: Pohl Snjezana
Published: October 2022

Background

When a dental implant is discovered to be failing, the implant must be removed, resulting in a defect. Immediate reconstruction of the defect using an autogenous composite tuberosity graft has been reported following the removal of a single implant. Ridge reconstruction after the removal of more than one failing dental implant poses an even greater challenge, given the substantial loss of hard and soft tissue. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report to describe the use of an autogenous composite tuberosity graft for the reconstruction of hard and soft tissue for multiple sites.

Methods and Results

Three patients with failing implants and ridge defects received a composite tuberosity graft comprising the bone, periosteum, connective tissue, and epithelium of the maxillary tuberosity for simultaneous hard and soft tissue reconstruction. Bone from the maxillary tuberosity was positioned between the bony borders of the defect or fixed buccally to augment the ridge. Smaller bone pieces from the tuberosity were used to fill the gaps. The soft tissue portion of the graft was allowed to heal spontaneously, thus eliminating the need for further surgery to increase keratinized gingiva and vestibular depth. All sites recovered uneventfully, and the ridge dimensions were re‐established.

Conclusion

For patients with sufficient tuberosity bone volume, using a one‐piece composite tuberosity bone graft appears to be a promising approach for rebuilding the ridge in a single surgery.

Key points

Why are these cases new information?

Large hard and soft tissue defects are reconstructed immediately after the removal of one or more failed implants.

Keratinized gingival width and vestibular depth are improved.

What are the keys to the successful management of these cases?

Cone‐beam computed tomography for tuberosity and defect evaluation

Careful handling of tuberosity bone

Proper graft shaping

Composite tuberosity graft fixation

Fixed provisional prosthesis for grafted area protection

What are the key limitations to the success of these cases?

Unavailability of tuberosity

A technique‐sensitive approach
Catalytic Behavior and In Situ X‐Ray Diffraction of Promoted Iron Catalysts for Fischer‐Tropsch Synthesis
Authors: Wen Ruoxi , Thiessen Johannes , Jess Andreas
Published: October 2022

The effects of structural promoters (ZnO, SiO2, and Al2O3) on the phase transformation during reduction and Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis (FTS) of a FeCuK catalyst were investigated by in situ X‐ray diffraction and the FTS catalytic performance was studied in a fixed‐bed reactor. The reduction follows the path of Fe2O3/K2Fe22O34 → Fe3O4 → α‐Fe. The addition of ZnO, SiO2, and Al2O3 delayed and prolonged the reduction. The iron carbides formed under reaction conditions were χ‐Fe5C2 and ε‐Fe2C. The presence of ZnO, SiO2, and Al2O3 favored the formation of χ‐Fe5C2. ε‐Fe2C is a more active phase. Besides, ε‐Fe2C seems to favor the formation of CO2 and C5+ and χ‐Fe5C2 benefits CH4 and C2–C4 products.
COxFixation to Elementary Building Blocks: Anaerobic Syngas Fermentation vs. Chemical Catalysis
Authors: Perret Lukas , Lacerda de Oliveira Campos Bruno , Herrera Delgado Karla , Zevaco Thomas A. , Neumann Anke , Sauer Jörg
Published: October 2022

Heterogeneous catalysis and anaerobic syngas fermentation represent two different approaches for the conversion of synthesis gas into chemicals and fuels. This review provides a unique comparison of different reaction paths for the fixation of CO2, CO and H2into elementary building blocks such as methanol, acetic acid and ethanol. Operating conditions, reactor engineering, influence of gas impurities, yields, conversion efficiencies as well as downstream product recovery are compared. It was found that mass‐specific productivity ranges in the same order of magnitude for both technologies, while space‐time yield of heterogeneous catalysis is up to three orders of magnitude higher.
Named entities detection by beam search algorithm
Authors: Gholami‐Dastgerdi Pejman , Feizi‐Derakhshi Mohammad‐Reza , Forouzandeh Aynaz
Published: October 2022

Named entity recognition (NER) is a fundamental process in NLP and a requirement for most processes. This article aims to identify the named entities in the context of social networks. For this purpose, the idea of segmenting text into suitable and unsuitable expressions for the named entities has been used. So the contribution of this article is to process informal text in the Persian language by the Beam search algorithm to detect named entities. Due to the reproductive nature of language, new words and names are always produced, and available NER systems are inefficient in detecting new entities. The other contribution of this article is to make it possible to recognize the emerging named entity by applying dynamic external knowledge. According to a sense of the lack of datasets in low‐resource languages, N‐Gram and Wikipedia anchor datasets have been prepared for Persian and deployed as external knowledge. Also, a corpus of named entities in Persian from the telegram dataset has been generated. Three native experts have done labeling of this corpus. Evaluation of these three experts and the proposed method shows that the result of the proposed method is acceptable compared to the result of a human‐to‐human also to other methods.
Empirical distribution function based dual use of auxiliary information for the improved estimation of finite population mean
Authors: Hussain Abid , Ullah Kalim , Cheema Salman A. , Ali Khan Akbar , Hussain Zawar
Published: October 2022

This research primarily aims at the development of a new estimation scheme exploiting the argument of dual use of auxiliary information. The objectives are obtained by materializing the new family of estimators, where the dual use of Supplementary Information is substantiated with the launch of the empirical distribution function of the auxiliary variable. The comparative performance evaluation of the newly devised formation is enumerated with respect to the most efficient method, to the best of our knowledge till to date, of Haq et al. along with other promising families of Hussain and Haq and Grover and Kaur. The elaborative account of contemporary advents of the newly proposed family are documented throughout the article.
Robust U‐Net: Development of robust image enhancement model using modified U‐Net architecture
Authors: Bhavani Murapaka Dhanalakshmi , Murugan Raman , Goel Tripti
Published: October 2022

The image dehazing stage is used significantly as a preprocessing step for various applications such as remote sensing and long range imaging and automatic driver assistance system. Images acquired under low illumination, fog and snow conditions frequently show qualities like low contrast and low brightness, which genuinely influence the enhanced abstract visualization on natural eyes and extraordinarily limit the exhibition of different machine vision frameworks. The images that are captured in low‐light or heavy fog might have salient features that cannot be extracted using standard computer vision systems. A good way to get the enhanced image is to determine the transmission map (haze density or low illumination parameters) of air‐light media from each pixel of the input image. In this article, an improved U‐Net architecture is proposed to enhance images and provide robust performance metrics against the existing methods. In this model, the pooling operations in generalized U‐Net architecture are replaced by discrete wavelet transform based on up and down samplings. An attention module is developed by fusing both up and down samples to identify the missing information of low‐level features in up‐samples. The proposed architecture for U‐Net tested with different datasets: See‐in‐the‐Dark (SID) dataset, Exclusively Dark Image Dataset (ExDark), Realistic Single Image Dehazing (RESIDE) dataset, and few real‐time images and achieves superior performance metrics in terms of PSNR, MSE, and SSI when compared to the other state‐of‐art methods.
Distributed, dynamic and trustworthy access control for telehealth systems
Authors: Zerga Hideyat , Amraoui Asma , Benmammar Badr
Published: October 2022

With its ability to “minimize human intervention when generating, exchanging and consuming data,” the Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly deployed in all sectors, in particular in the healthcare sector. With IoT, telehealth has become the new paradigm in healthcare, as it helps keep patients connected with wearable devices and other remote patient monitoring tools in order to help practitioners work more efficiently. However, telehealth implies that patients share their personal and physiological data remotely with the hospital staff, which can put the patient's privacy at risk. Thus, the establishment of access control is mandatory. Therefore, the objective of this article is to achieve a distributed and reliable access control for telehealth systems using smart contract‐enabled blockchain technology. To do so, we propose three different smart contract‐based access control approaches. We evaluate the three propositions and compare them with related work in terms of latency of access‐request response and gas consumption related to contract deployment, function execution and different responses, furthermore, we give a security analysis.
Single Crystal Growth of 4‐Aminobenzophenone (ABP) by Solution and Seeded Czochralski Pulling Techniques for Second Harmonic Generation Applications
Authors: Aruchamy Mythili , Karuppannan Srinivasan
Published: October 2022

Highly efficient 4‐aminobenzophenone (ABP) single crystals are grown from melt by employing the seeded Czochralski pulling technique for second harmonic generation (SHG) applications. The as‐grown seed crystals from solution with dominant (100) and (001) facets are utilized to trigger the directional solidification. For successive growth, initial measurements of the furnace temperature distribution, heat flow structure, and solidification temperature of ABP in correlation with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis are made. The controlled diffusion is ensured by monitoring the interfacial layer between the melt and the growing crystal and is maintained by optimizing the melt temperature and pulling and rotation rates. Color change of the melt due to thermal‐oxidation is prevented by appropriate control of the growth environment. A slow and steady growth rate affirms the good quality of the ABP single crystal. The anisotropic growth behavior of ABP from solution and melt is reported. Internal molecular structure, crystalline purity, molecular vibrational modes, optical transmission, and thermal behavior are studied using single crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction, FTIR, UV–vis–NIR and DSC analyses. The obtained higher SHG efficiency of the grown ABP in comparison with that of the organic and inorganic standards urea and KDP reveals its suitability for SHG applications.
Human regulatory T cells locally differentiate and are functionally heterogeneous within the inflamed arthritic joint
Authors: Lutter Lisanne , van der Wal M Marlot , Brand Eelco C , Maschmeyer Patrick , Vastert Sebastiaan , Mashreghi Mir‐Farzin , van Loosdregt Jorg , van Wijk Femke
Published: October 2022

Objective

Tregs are crucial for immune regulation, and environment‐driven adaptation of effector (e)Tregs is essential for local functioning. However, the extent of human Treg heterogeneity in inflammatory settings is unclear.

Methods

We combined single‐cell RNA‐ and TCR‐sequencing on Tregs derived from three to six patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) to investigate the functional heterogeneity of human synovial fluid (SF)‐derived Tregs from inflamed joints. Confirmation and suppressive function of the identified Treg clusters was assessed by flow cytometry.

Results

Four Treg clusters were identified; incoming, activated eTregs with either a dominant suppressive or cytotoxic profile, and GPR56+CD161+CXCL13+ Tregs. Pseudotime analysis showed differentiation towards either classical eTreg profiles or GPR56+CD161+CXCL13+ Tregs supported by TCR data. Despite its most differentiated phenotype, GPR56+CD161+CXCL13+ Tregs were shown to be suppressive. Furthermore, BATF was identified as an overarching eTreg regulator, with the novel Treg‐associated regulon BHLHE40 driving differentiation towards GPR56+CD161+CXCL13+ Tregs, and JAZF1 towards classical eTregs.

Conclusion

Our study reveals a heterogeneous population of Tregs at the site of inflammation in JIA. SF Treg differentiate to a classical eTreg profile with a more dominant suppressive or cytotoxic profile that share a similar TCR repertoire, or towards GPR56+CD161+CXCL13+ Tregs with a more distinct TCR repertoire. Genes characterising GPR56+CD161+CXCL13+ Tregs were also mirrored in other T‐cell subsets in both the tumor and the autoimmune setting. Finally, the identified key regulators driving SF Treg adaptation may be interesting targets for autoimmunity or tumor interventions.
Stay in shape: Assessing the adaptive potential of shell morphology and its sensitivity to temperature in the invasive New Zealand mud snailPotamopyrgus antipodarumthrough phenotypic plasticity and natural selection in Europe
Authors: Männer Lisa , Mundinger Carolin , Haase Martin
Published: October 2022

Climate change may force organisms to adapt genetically or plastically to new environmental conditions. Invasive species show remarkable potential for rapid adaptation. The ovoviviparous New Zealand mud snail (NZMS),Potamopyrgus antipodarum, has successfully established across Europe with two clonally reproducing mitochondrial lineages since its arrival in the first half of the 19th century. Its remarkable variation in shell morphology was shown to be fitness relevant. We investigated the effects of temperature on shell morphology across 11 populations from Germany and the Iberian Peninsula in a common garden across three temperatures. We analyzed size and shape using geometric morphometrics. For both, we compared reaction norms and estimated heritabilities. For size, the interaction of temperature and haplotype explained about 50% of the total variance. We also observed more genotype by environment interactions indicating a higher degree of population differentiation than in shape. Across the three temperatures, size followed the expectations of the temperature‐size rule, with individuals growing larger in cold environments. Changes in shape may have compensated for changes in size affecting space for brooding embryos. Heritability estimates were relatively high. As indicated by the very low coefficients of variation for clonal repeatability (CVA), they can probably not be compared in absolute terms. However, they showed some sensitivity to temperature, in haplotype t more so than in z, which was only found in Portugal. The lowCVAvalues indicate that genetic variation among European populations is still restricted with a low potential to react to selection. A considerable fraction of the genetic variation was due to differences between the clonal lineages. The NZMS has apparently not been long enough in Europe to accumulate significant genetic variation relevant for morphological adaptation. As temperature is obviously not the sole factor influencing shell morphology, their interaction will probably not be a factor limiting population persistence under a warming climate in Europe.
Sexual segregation occurs in bats within fragmented remnant woodlands in an agricultural landscape
Authors: Fialas Penelope C. , Gilmour Lia R. V. , Vickress Sophie , Underwood Emma , Williams Carol A. , Miller Helen , Lintott Paul R.
Published: October 2022

Species‐specific responses to landscape configuration and landscape composition have been studied extensively. However, little work has been done to compare intraspecific differences in habitat preferences. Bats have potential as good bioindicator taxa in woodland habitats. Therefore, studying sex differences in responses to woodland and the wider landscape can allow us to gain insight into the relative importance of these habitats for both bats and other taxa. In this study, we aimed to test the predictions that (i) habitat type and connectivity will influence the probability of recording female bats in woodlands and (ii) sex differences in response to habitat type and connectivity will be species‐specific. Bat capture data was collected in 206 woodlands over 3 years in England. The probability of detecting females relative to males was modeled in response to a range of woodland characteristics and landscape metrics for six bat species. We recorded sex differences in responses to landscape features in three species. We found a higher probability of capturing female Myotis nattereri in woodlands that were surrounded by a higher proportion of improved grasslands, whereas female Myotis mystacinus were less likely to be recorded in woodlands surrounded by semi‐natural vegetation. Female Plecotus auritus were more likely to be recorded in isolated woodlands with less connectivity to other woodlands and where agriculture dominated the surrounding landscape. Our findings indicate that sexual segregation occurs across several UK bat species in response to landscape connectivity and composition. Sexual segregation in response to landscape characteristics in bats should therefore be an important consideration in the management of fragmented agricultural landscapes.
Polyctenidae (Hemiptera: Cimicoidea) species in the Afrotropical region: Distribution, host specificity, and first insights to their molecular phylogeny
Authors: Szentiványi Tamara , Hornok Sándor , Kovács Áron B. , Takács Nóra , Gyuranecz Miklós , Markotter Wanda , Christe Philippe , Glaizot Olivier
Published: October 2022

Polyctenidae bugs are rarely studied, hematophagous, and highly specialized ectoparasites of bats. There are only 32 described species worldwide, including six species in the Afrotropical region. Knowledge on these parasites is limited, and most studies are restricted to the New World polyctenid species. Here we report additional records of Adroctenes horvathi from Kenya and South Africa, as well as Hypoctenes faini from Rwanda. We present an updated list of published polyctenid records in the Afrotropical region indicating their host specificity and their geographical distribution. We report global infection patterns and sex ratio of polyctenids based on previously published data, including Old and New World species. Lastly, we demonstrate the first molecular phylogeny of Polyctenidae, showing their phylogenetic relationship with the closely related family Cimicidae.
Focal vs. fecal: Seasonal variation in the diet of wild vervet monkeys from observational and DNA metabarcoding data
Authors: Brun Loïc , Schneider Judith , Carrió Eduard Mas , Dongre Pooja , Taberlet Pierre , Waal van de , Fumagalli Luca
Published: October 2022

Assessing the diet of wild animals reveals valuable information about their ecology and trophic relationships that may help elucidate dynamic interactions in ecosystems and forecast responses to environmental changes. Advances in molecular biology provide valuable research tools in this field. However, comparative empirical research is still required to highlight strengths and potential biases of different approaches. Therefore, this study compares environmental DNA and observational methods for the same study population and sampling duration. We employed DNA metabarcoding assays targeting plant and arthropod diet items in 823 fecal samples collected over 12 months in a wild population of an omnivorous primate, the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus). DNA metabarcoding data were subsequently compared to direct observations. We observed the same seasonal patterns of plant consumption with both methods; however, DNA metabarcoding showed considerably greater taxonomic coverage and resolution compared to observations, mostly due to the construction of a local plant DNA database. We found a strong effect of season on variation in plant consumption largely shaped by the dry and wet seasons. The seasonal effect on arthropod consumption was weaker, but feeding on arthropods was more frequent in spring and summer, showing overall that vervets adapt their diet according to available resources. The DNA metabarcoding assay outperformed also direct observations of arthropod consumption in both taxonomic coverage and resolution. Combining traditional techniques and DNA metabarcoding data can therefore not only provide enhanced assessments of complex diets and trophic interactions to the benefit of wildlife conservationists and managers but also opens new perspectives for behavioral ecologists studying whether diet variation in social species is induced by environmental differences or might reflect selective foraging behaviors.
Microhabitat use, daily activity pattern, and diet of Liolaemus etheridgei Laurent, 1998 (Reptilia: Liolaemidae) in the Andean Polylepis forests of Arequipa, Peru
Authors: Llanqui Irbin B. , Edwards Bryn , Tejeda Evaristo López
Published: October 2022

This study describes the microhabitat use, daily activity pattern, and diet of Liolaemus etheridgei Laurent, 1998 in the El Simbral and Tuctumpaya Polylepis forests in Arequipa, Peru. El Simbral is a fragmented forest, whereas Tuctumpaya is unfragmented. Our results reveal that L. etheridgei shows no positive selection for any of the microhabitats we identified in Polylepis forests; on the contrary, it selects negatively against Polylepis trees and nonthorny bushes. The daily activity patterns indicate a bimodal pattern with peaks at 9:00–10:59 and 13:00–13:59 h. The diet of L. etheridgei consists mainly of plant material, and the most important animal prey category is Lygaeidae: Hemiptera, which is selected for positively. In particular, microhabitat selection varied for nonthorny bushes, which were selected negatively in the Tuctumpaya population but neither positively nor negatively in the El Simbral population. According to the proportions of plant material found, the L. etheridgei from El Simbral were found to be omnivorous, whereas the Tuctumpaya population was herbivorous. However, the percentage of plant material consumed in the El Simbral population was close to the critical value for herbivory–omnivory. We conclude that the three ecological aspects of L. etheridgei studied here are virtually identical in El Simbral and Tuctumpaya; therefore, this species is not affected significantly by the current fragmentation of forest.
Where are the seeds? Lack of floral morphs prevent seed production by the tristylous Pontederia cordata in South Africa
Authors: Wansell Sage N. L. , Geerts Sjirk , Coetzee Julie A.
Published: October 2022

Reproduction is a crucial part of the successful establishment and spread of an invasive species. Invasive plants often produce seeds prolifically to spread into new ranges, yet the invasive macrophyte, Pontederia cordata L., does not appear to produce seeds in South Africa, limiting its invasive potential. Here, we aimed to determine what limits seed production of the tristylous P. cordata in South Africa, where it is widespread with impacts on the ecology of wetlands it invades, South Africa. We measured floral traits and pollen grain size from populations throughout the invasive range in South Africa to determine the relative proportion of tristylous morphs. We speculated that the absence of specialist native pollinators in the invasive range may be responsible for the absence of sexual reproduction and thus conducted a pollination study to determine whether flowers were visited. Thereafter, we hand pollinated 8865 flowers to conclude whether P. cordata exhibited an incompatibility system, which prevented seed production. The floral traits and pollen grain measurements were similar to those reported for short‐morphed flowers from the native range. The pollination study confirmed the absence of specialist insect visitors, while the hand‐pollination experiments resulted in no seed production. Only short‐morphed plants are present in South Africa, and the illegitimate pollination of short‐morphed plants prevents seed production. Vegetative spread through rhizome production is thus responsible for the invasion of P. cordata throughout South Africa. These findings suggest that control programs should target the plants' rhizomes to prevent and reduce spread. More importantly, preventing the introduction of medium‐ and long‐morphed plants into South Africa is crucial to preclude P. cordata from producing seeds and enhancing invasion.
Convergent evolution of the gut microbiome in marine carnivores
Authors: Wang Xibao , Wu Xiaoyang , Shang Yongquan , Mei Xuesong , Zhou Shengyang , Wei Qinguo , Sun Guolei , Dong Yuehuan , Zhang Honghai
Published: October 2022

The gut microbiome can help the host adapt to a variety of environments and is affected by many factors. Marine carnivores have unique habitats in extreme environments. The question of whether marine habitats surpass phylogeny to drive the convergent evolution of the gut microbiome in marine carnivores remains unanswered. In the present study, we compared the gut microbiomes of 16 species from different habitats. Principal component analysis (PCA) and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) separated three groups according to their gut microbiomes: marine carnivores, terrestrial carnivores, and terrestrial herbivores. The alpha diversity and niche breadth of the gut microbiome of marine carnivores were lower than those of the gut microbiome of terrestrial carnivores and terrestrial herbivores. The gut microbiome of marine carnivores harbored many marine microbiotas, including those belonging to the phyla Planctomycetes, Cyanobacteria, and Proteobacteria, and the genus Peptoclostridium. Collectively, these results revealed that marine habitats drive the convergent evolution of the gut microbiome of marine carnivores. This study provides a new perspective on the adaptive evolution of marine carnivores.
Sacubitril/valsartan and loop diuretic requirement in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in the PARAGON‐HF trial
Authors: Chatur Safia , Claggett Brian L. , Vardeny Orly , Jering Karola , Desai Akshay S. , Pfeffer Marc A. , Lefkowitz Martin , McMurray John J.V. , Solomon Scott D. , Vaduganathan Muthiah
Published: October 2022

Aims

As sacubitril/valsartan may potentiate early natriuresis, expert consensus documents recommend diuretic dose reduction on first initiation. However, there are limited data on the effects of sacubitril/valsartan on the background of varying diuretic regimens or on diuretic requirements over time in heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Methods and results

In this post hoc analysis of PARAGON‐HF, of the 4796 patients, background diuretic therapy was distributed as follows: 341 (7%) on no diuretic, 698 (15%) on non‐loop diuretic, and 3757 (78%) were on loop diuretics (1255, 1589, and 913 were on <40, 40 and >40 mg furosemide equivalent doses, respectively). The primary composite outcome of total HF hospitalizations and cardiovascular death was analysed using semiparametric proportional rates methods. The cumulative incidence of the primary composite outcome (first events) was lowest in patients on no diuretic and highest in those on >40 mg of loop diuretic (p < 0.001). The effects of sacubitril/valsartan (vs. valsartan) on the primary composite outcome (recurrent events) did not significantly vary by baseline diuretic use (pinteraction = 0.65). Treatment effects on safety outcomes were similar across diuretic categories. Sacubitril/valsartan reduced new loop diuretic initiations over the course of the trial (hazard ratio 0.83; 95% confidence interval 0.68–1.00, p = 0.055), with similar mean loop diuretic dose and rates of diuretic discontinuation between treatment groups in follow‐up. Patients randomized to sacubitril/valsartan experienced a slight early reduction in diuretic initiation or dose escalation at 30 days after initiation (net reduction 1.7%, p = 0.02), but these differences were not sustained beyond this timepoint.

Conclusions

Patients with HFpEF on higher baseline diuretic doses were at heightened risk of HF events, but similarly benefited from sacubitril/valsartan with a consistent safety profile across a range of diuretic doses. Initiation of sacubitril/valsartan was associated with modestly lower new loop diuretic requirement in follow‐up.
Modeling of Carbon Black Fragmentation During High‐Intensity Dry Mixing Using the Population Balance Equation and the Discrete Element Method
Authors: Asylbekov Ermek , Mayer Julian , Nirschl Hermann , Kwade Arno
Published: October 2022

A complex interaction between the process design and the properties of carbon black (CB) during dry mixing of cathode material influences the microstructure and thus the performance of the Li‐ion battery. The description of these interactions by means of a coupling of the mixing process simulation and the fragmentation of CB is the focus of this work. The discrete element method provides information about the frequency and intensity of the stress. The change of the CB size distribution is done by the population balance equation. The material strength as well as the fracture behavior are represented with simple models. The calibration of the model parameters is performed using the Nelder–Mead algorithm. The calibrated models provide good agreement with the measurements of the size distributions from experimental investigations. Transfer of the calibrated parameters to other process settings is possible and provides good agreement in some cases. Recalibration of the fracture behavior improves the accuracy of the model so that it can be used as a predictive tool.
Topology optimization of convective heat transfer by the lattice Boltzmann method
Authors: Luo Ji‐Wang , Chen Li , He An , Tao WenQuan
Published: October 2022

Topology optimization (TO) is a dependable approach to obtain innovative designs with improved performance. This study presents a TO method based on the adjoint lattice Boltzmann method (ALBM) and the level set method which is developed for both one‐way coupled and two‐way coupled convective heat transfer problems. The adjoint lattice Boltzmann model for fully coupled natural convection system is derived, and the coupled solution strategy is applied in the ALBM. The forward model is validated by the finite element simulation, while the adjoint model and the sensitivity expression is validated by a finite difference check, and the whole TO method is validated by a typical pure fluid flow optimization problem given in the literature. The validated TO method is then applied to enhance the heat transfer of forced convection in a two‐dimensional open chamber, and the Pareto frontier of the bi‐objective optimization is further presented and the effects of the blockages at the inlet and outlet on the overall performance are revealed. Finally, the two‐dimensional natural convection process in a closed cavity is optimized, in which the effective heat transfer coefficient can be increased to 3.96 ∼ 6.11 times of that without the optimized design when the Grashof number ranges from 1.7 to 4.2 × 105. Moreover, effects of Grashof number, porosity limitation and solid thermal diffusivity on the optimization results are analyzed in detail. Physically reasonable designs are obtained for both forced convection and natural convection systems under various parameter settings, demonstrating the effectiveness and robustness of the presented TO method.
Commodity momentum decomposition
Authors: Iwanaga Yasuhiro , Sakemoto Ryuta
Published: October 2022

This study decomposes the momentum factor (MOM) in the commodity futures market. A high‐to‐price (HTP) factor generates a higher Sharpe ratio than a price‐to‐high (PTH) factor. We uncover that the profitability mechanisms across three momentum factors are different. The positive returns on MOM and PTH are associated with overconfidence and strong self‐attribution. In contrast, HTP is linked to investors' underreaction and the information diffusion process. Moreover, we find that positive demand shocks raise the return on HTP.
Do sugar‐sweetened beverage taxes improve public health for high school aged adolescents?
Authors: Flynn James
Published: October 2022

Sugar‐sweetened beverage taxes have become an increasingly popular policy to combat the worldwide obesity epidemic, but relatively little is known about their impact on health outcomes, particularly among high school aged students. In this paper, I use public‐use data from the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System to determine whether high school students living in three of the American cities which have implemented Sugar‐sweetened beverage taxes have experienced public health improvements. Using an event‐study design that compares outcomes in treated districts to a group of similar control districts, I find reductions in soda consumption in Philadelphia and average body mass index in Philadelphia, San Francisco and Oakland, with suggestive evidence that the improvements are concentrated among female and non‐white respondents in both cases.
Factors associated with long‐acting reversible contraception usage: Results from the National Survey of Family Growth
Authors: Qureshey Emma J. , Chen Han‐Yang , Wagner Stephen M. , Chauhan Suneet P. , Fishel Bartal Michal
Published: October 2022

Objective

The authors aimed to identify factors associated with long‐acting reversible contraception (LARC) usage.

Methods

The current cross‐sectional study used data from the National Survey of Family Growth from 2011 to 2019. Respondents aged 15 to 44 years were included. Those with previous sterilization, infertility, or pregnant were excluded. The outcome evaluated was use of a LARC.

Results

Of 61 543 814 women, 44 287 911 (72.0%) met inclusion criteria. The rate of LARC use was 13.4%. Factors associated with an increased likelihood of LARC usage were married/living with a partner (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.18 [95% CI, 1.02–1.37]), perceived good health (aRR, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.13–1.84]), year of survey 2017 to 2019 (aRR, 1.53, [95% CI, 1.28–1.83]), one or two past pregnancies (aRR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.24–2.12]) or three or more past pregnancies (aRR, 1.67 [95% CI, 1.22–2.28]), age at first live birth <20 years (aRR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.20–2.08]) or 20 to 24 years (aRR, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.13–1.87]), age at onset of sexual activity 13–19 years (aRR, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.26–1.78]), and a 0‐ to 5‐month period of nonintercourse in the past year (aRR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.40–1.90]). Factors associated with decreased LARC usage were age ≥ 35 years (aRR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.65–0.85]), being non‐Hispanic Black (aRR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.62–0.89]) or non‐Hispanic other (aRR, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.59–0.88]), intending to have children (aRR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.57–0.74]), and never being sexually active (aRR, 0.10 [95% CI, 0.06–0.16]).

Conclusions

Using a nationally representative sample of women in the United States, the authors identified modifiable factors associated with LARC use. Results may be used to plan interventional trials to increase LARC usage.
Evaluating the filial behaviour scale across three cultural groups using exploratory structural equation modelling
Authors: Zong Xiaoli , Ingoglia Sonia , Lo Coco Alida , Tan Jo‐Pei , Inguglia Cristiano , Liga Francesca , Cheah Charissa S. L.
Published: October 2022

Filial piety is a Confucian concept that guides how children treat and take care of their parents. The Filial Behaviour Scale (FBS) is a 25‐item instrument developed in the Chinese context measuring behavioural manifestations of filial piety. Although the components of filial piety have been found to be relevant across cultures, little research has investigated the psychometric properties of the FBS in other cultural contexts. The present study evaluated the factor structure, internal consistency, measurement invariance and construct validity of the FBS across three cultural groups: the United States, Italy and Malaysia. Participants were 1090 emerging adults (67% females; Mage = 21.29 years, SD = 1.97; White Americans: n = 455, White Italians: n = 428, Malays: n = 328). A two‐factor structure emerged across groups: Obedience/Obligation (behaviours showing obedience and obligation towards parents) and Relationship (behaviours expressing affection and promoting positive parent–child relationships). The two factors demonstrated adequate internal consistency, full configural, partial metric and partial scalar invariance, as well as unique associations with depressive symptoms and parent–child relationships across groups. These findings yielded a more nuanced understanding of filial behaviour and supported the utility of a two‐factor FBS among emerging adults in various cultural contexts.
Interaction between environmental pollutants and cancer drug efficacy: Bisphenol A, Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and Perfluorooctanoic acid reduce vincristine cytotoxicity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells
Authors: Lagunas‐Rangel Francisco Alejandro , Liu Wen , Schiöth Helgi B.
Published: October 2022

Every day, we are exposed to many environmental pollutants that can enter our body through different routes and cause adverse effects on our health. Epidemiological studies suggest that these pollutants are responsible for approximately nine million deaths per year. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents one of the major cancers affecting children, and although substantial progress has been made in its treatment, relapses are frequent after initial treatment and are now one of the leading causes of cancer‐related death in pediatric patients. Currently, relatively little attention is paid to pollutant exposure during drug treatment and this is not taken into account for dose setting or regulatory purposes. In this work, we investigated how bisphenol A (BPA), its derivative bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) alter vincristine treatment in ALL when administered before or together with the drug. We found that these three pollutants at nanomolar concentrations, lower than those established by current regulations, can reduce the cytotoxic effects of vincristine on ALL cells. Interestingly, we found that this is only achieved when exposure to pollutants occurs prior to administration of the chemotherapeutic drug. Moreover, we found that this effect could be mediated by activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway and stabilization of microtubules. This work strengthens the idea of starting to take into account exposure to pollutants to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments.