bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A nomogram for predicting stones recurrence in patients with bile duct stones undergoing laparoscopic common bile duct exploration
Authors: Xie Wangcheng , Yang Tingsong , Zhou Xue , Ma Zhilong , Yu Weidi , Song Guodong , Hu Zhengyu , Gong Jian , Wang Yuxiang , Song Zhenshun
Published: February 2022

Background

The recurrence of bile duct stones is a long‐term outcome for patients undergoing laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) that is worthy of attention. This study aimed to investigate long‐term risk factors for stones recurrence after LCBDE and develop a nomogram for predicting the risk.

Methods

The clinical data on consecutive patients with bile duct stones undergoing LCBDE at Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital between January 2014 and February 2019 with a follow‐up period longer than 2 years were reviewed. Independent risk factors of stones recurrence identified by the Cox regression model were used to develop a nomogram in predicting stones recurrence after LCBDE.

Results

Eight hundred and twenty‐two patients were eventually included in this study. Of these patients, 42 (5.11%) developed stones recurrence. The cumulative incidences of stones recurrence at 1, 3, and 5 years after LCBDE were 1.34%, 4.36%, and 7.14%, respectively. Independent risk factors of stones recurrence were identified to be age (HR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.02‐1.07), T‐tube drainage (HR = 3.28, 95% CI = 1.23‐8.72), fatty liver (HR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.39‐5.20), urinary calculus (HR = 4.68, 95% CI = 2.29‐9.56), post‐cholecystectomy (HR = 5.21, 95% CI = 2.39‐11.33), and post‐ERCP + EST (HR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.18‐6.96). By these factors, a developed nomogram showed a C‐index of 0.770 to predict stones recurrence.

Conclusions

The nomogram, based on identified risk factors, showed good accuracy for predicting stones recurrence, which is valuable to guide these patients’ follow‐up and prevention.
A comprehensive study of the liquid transfer from the front to the back of a vertical perforated sheet
Authors: Iyer Manasa , Casalinho Joel , Pachón‐Morales John , Seiwert Jacopo , Wattiau Mikael , Zimmer Laurent , Duval Hervé
Published: February 2022

Perforations contribute to liquid redistribution in corrugated sheet packings. We focus on a simplified but relevant experimental configuration where a vertical perforated flat sheet is supplied with liquid on its front side. We examine how the perforations irrigate the back of the plate. We successively consider a single perforation, a spanwise row of perforations, and a staggered array of perforations. We quantify the liquid transfer through a single row of perforations and find that the transferred flow rate per unit perforation diameter varies linearly with the supply flow rate per unit width. We also analyze the spreading of the rivulets leaking from the perforations, their merging into a continuous wavy film, and the leveling of this film as it falls down the plate. The spreading and the merging exhibit a power‐law behavior in agreement with theoretical models. The leveling exhibits exponential decay behavior.
Integration of reinforcement learning and model predictive control to optimize semi‐batch bioreactor
Authors: Oh Tae Hoon , Park Hyun Min , Kim Jong Woo , Lee Jong Min
Published: February 2022

As the digital transformation of the bioprocess is progressing, several studies propose to apply data‐based methods to obtain a substrate feeding strategy that minimizes the operating cost of a semi‐batch bioreactor. However, the negligent application of model‐free reinforcement learning (RL) has a high chance to fail on improving the existing control policy because the available amount of data is limited. In this article, we propose an integrated algorithm of double‐deep Q‐network and model predictive control. The proposed method learns the action‐value function in an off‐policy fashion and solves the model‐based optimal control problem where the terminal cost is assigned by the action‐value function. For simulation study, the proposed method, model‐based method, and model‐free methods are applied to the industrial scale penicillin process. The results show that the proposed method outperforms other methods, and it can learn with fewer data than model‐free RL algorithms.
Variation in floral volatiles across time, sexes, and populations of wind‐pollinated Schiedea globosa
Authors: Powers John M. , Sakai Ann K. , Weller Stephen G. , Campbell Diane R.
Published: February 2022

Premise

Floral scent is a key aspect of plant reproduction, but its intraspecific variation at multiple scales is poorly understood. Sexual dimorphism and temporal regulation of scent can be shaped by evolution, and interpopulation variation may be a bridge to species differences. We tested whether intraspecific chemical diversity in a wind‐pollinated species where selection from biotic pollination is absent is associated with genetic divergence across the Hawaiian archipelago.

Methods

Floral volatiles from females, males, and hermaphrodites of subdioecious Schiedea globosa grown in a common environment from 12 populations were sampled day and night and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Variation among groups was analyzed by constrained ordination. We also examined the relationships of scent dissimilarity to geographic and genetic distance between populations.

Results

Flowers increased total emissions at night through higher emissions of several ketones, oximes, and phenylacetaldehyde. Females emitted less total scent per flower at night but more of some aliphatic compounds than males, and males emitted more ketones and aldoximes. Scent differed among populations during day and night. Divergence in scent produced at night increased with geographic distance within 70–100 km and increased with genetic distance for males during the day and night, but not for females.

Conclusions

Schiedea globosa exhibits diel and sex‐based variation in floral scent despite wind pollination and presumed loss of biotic pollination. In males, interpopulation scent differences are correlated with genetic differences, suggesting that scent evolved with dispersal within and across islands.
Boosting Cycling Stability and Rate Capability of Li–CO2 Batteries via Synergistic Photoelectric Effect and Plasmonic Interaction
Authors: Zhang Kun , Li Jiaxin , Zhai Weijie , Li Chuanfa , Zhu Zhengfeng , Kang Xinyue , Liao Meng , Ye Lei , Kong Taoyi , Wang Chuang , Zhao Yang , Chen Peining , Gao Yue , Wang Bingjie , Peng Huisheng
Published: February 2022

Sluggish CO2 reduction/evolution kinetics at cathodes seriously impede the realistic applications of Li–CO2 batteries. Herein, synergistic photoelectric effect and plasmonic interaction are introduced to accelerate CO2 reduction/evolution reactions by designing a silver nanoparticle‐decorated titanium dioxide nanotube array cathode. The incident light excites energetic photoelectrons/holes in titanium dioxide to overcome reaction barriers, and induces the intensified electric field around silver nanoparticles to enable effective separation/transfer of photogenerated carriers and a thermodynamically favorable reaction pathway. The resulting Li–CO2 battery demonstrates ultra‐low charge voltage of 2.86 V at 0.10 mA cm−2, good cycling stability with 86.9 % round‐trip efficiency after 100 cycles, and high rate capability at 2.0 mA cm−2. This work offers guidance on rational cathode design for advanced Li–CO2 batteries and beyond.
Rhodamine Fluorophores for STED Super‐Resolution Biological Imaging
Authors: Chen Fuqian , Liu Wenming , Li Huan , Deng Tao , Xing Bengang , Liu Fang
Published: February 2022

Among all fluorescent scaffolds, rhodamine and its derivatives have gained the greatest interest for super‐resolution imaging based on stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, because of their typically high brightness, excellent photo‐stability and easy access to chemical derivatization. During the last few years, many successful examples have shown the imaging improvement by fine‐tuning the chemical structure of rhodamine scaffolds. However, there is still a lack of overall summarization, particularly during the most recent five years. Herein, the recent achievements in the design of rhodamine dyes toward STED super‐resolution bio‐imaging are summarized, by classifying them into four parts according to different biological targets including the cytoskeletons, membranous organelles, DNA/RNAs and other functional substances. The basic principle for structure design as well as the relationships between chemical modification and the function for STED imaging will be mainly focused.
Au‐NHC complexes with thiocarboxylate ligands: Synthesis, structure, stability, thiol exchange and in vitro anticancer activity
Authors: Al‐Buthabhak Hawraa S. , Falasca Valerio , Yu Yu , Sobolev Alexandre N. , Skelton Brian W. , Moggach Stephen A. , Ferro Vito , Al‐Salami Hani , Baker Murray V.
Published: February 2022

Novel complexes of form (NHC)Au(SCOR) (NHC = N‐heterocyclic carbene, SCOR− = thiocarboxylate ligand) were synthesised and characterised by spectroscopic techniques and X‐ray diffraction studies. The results of NMR and X‐ray studies indicated that thiocarboxylate ligands are comparable with NHCs in their electron donor ability. The complexes were stable at room temperature in the solid state but in solution underwent disproportionation reactions to form equilibria with [Au(NHC)2]+ and [Au(SCOR)2]−. In solution, the thiocarboxylate ligand in (NHC)Au(SCOR) underwent rapid exchange with other thiocarboxylate or thiolate ligands. The (NHC)Au(SCOR) complexes showed toxicity against cisplatin‐resistant ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR‐8), with IC50 < 10 μM, in the range exhibited by cationic [Au(NHC)2]+ complexes well‐known for their promising anticancer activity.
Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride by Ag/AgI/WO3·H2O composites
Authors: Tang Jianke , Meng Rongqian , Xue Yanfeng , Deng Xiaoli , Li Qiaoling
Published: February 2022

Novel visible light response Z‐scheme Ag/AgI/WO3·H2O composite photocatalysts were synthesized using a two‐step hydrothermal method followed by a photoreduction process without adding any surfactant. The synthesized Ag/AgI/WO3·H2O composite (AAW‐2) with the Ag/WO3·H2O molar ratio of 0.8/1 showed the highest photodegradation activity for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) solution under visible light, and its rate constant was 24.6 times higher than that of WO3·H2O. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the Ag/AgI/WO3·H2O composite can be due to the efficient separation of the electron–hole pairs through the Z‐scheme Ag/AgI/WO3·H2O structure. The AAW‐2 composite exhibited excellent stability toward TCH degradation after four successive circulations. Finally, the photocatalytic mechanism of the Ag/AgI/WO3·H2O composite was proposed based on the radical‐trapping experiments, where h+ and •O2− were the main active species during the photocatalytic reaction.
Media used as an information source to solve baseline gaps in marine megafauna conservation: Recommendations to standardize reports on cetacean stranding events
Authors: Liu Xin , Mei Zhigang , Zheng Jinsong , Hao Yujiang , Wang Kexiong , Wang Ding
Published: February 2022

Systematic records of cetacean strandings provide valuable baseline data on conservation actions, yet an effective scheme of nationwide stranding records is still lacking in Chinese waters. Non‐traditional data sources such as media offer a cost‐effective alternative to supplement the baseline gaps.

Media reports on cetacean strandings from 2007 to 2019 in Chinese waters were collected and verified through online searching. In a total of 1,298 stranding events, 1,576 individuals were identified, including at least seven species of Mysticeti and 22 species of Odontoceti.

The stranding events were not evenly distributed along the coastline of Chinese waters. Taiwan had the highest number of events, followed by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Fujian. Cetacean strandings occurred in all months, but most frequently in spring from March to May.

The increasing annual number might be due to rising stranding events or reflect an increase in social awareness, which demonstrated the potential value of the citizen science programme.

Standardized media reports with more comprehensive, accurate and detailed information were recommended, conducive to establishing a nationwide stranding record network in Chinese waters. The combination of data from different regions on a large scale can help inform the effective conservation of cetaceans.
Impact of Degree of Graphitization, Surface Properties and Particle Size Distribution on Electrochemical Performance of Carbon Anodes for Potassium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wrogemann Jens M. , Fromm Olga , Deckwirth Fabian , Beltrop Kolja , Heckmann Andreas , Winter Martin , Placke Tobias
Published: February 2022

Carbons are considered as anode active materials in potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs). Here, the correlation between material properties of disordered (non‐graphitic) and ordered graphitic carbons and their electrochemical performance in carbon||K metal cells is evaluated. First, carbons obtained from heat treatment of petroleum coke at temperatures from 800 to 2800 °C are analyzed regarding their microstructure and surface properties. Electrochemical performance metrics for K+ ion storage like specific capacity and Coulombic efficiency (CEff) are correlated with surface area, non‐basal planes and microstructure properties, and compared to Li+ ion storage. For disordered carbons, the specific capacity can be clearly correlated with the defect surface area. For highly ordered graphitic carbons, the degree of graphitization strongly determines the specific capacity. The initial CEff of graphitic carbons shows a strong correlation with basal and non‐basal planes. Second, kinetic limitations of ordered graphitic carbons are re‐evaluated by analyzing commercial graphites regarding particle size and surface properties. A clear correlation between particle size, surface area and well‐known challenges of graphitic carbons in terms of low‐rate capability and voltage hysteresis is observed. This work emphasizes the importance of bulk and surface material properties for K+ ion storage and gives important insights for future particle design of promising carbon anodes for PIB cells.
The real‐world clinical outcomes and treatment patterns of patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma treated with anlotinib in the post‐ALTER0203 trial era
Authors: Zhang Ren‐Shu , Liu Jie , Deng Yao‐Tiao , Wu Xin , Jiang Yu
Published: February 2022

Background

The ALTER0203 clinical trial showed that anlotinib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, had antitumor effects on advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) after the failure of standard chemotherapy. We aimed to evaluate the real‐world efficacy and explore prognostic factors and treatment patterns of anlotinib in patients with advanced STS.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic STS who received at least one dose of anlotinib from June 2018 to March 2021. The survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log‐rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was performed for multivariate analysis.

Results

A total of 209 patients were included. The median age was 48 (range 11–85) years. The median follow‐up, progression‐free survival, and overall survival were 18.7 months, 6.1 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.9–7.2], and 16.4 months (95% CI: 13.6–19.1), respectively. The objective response rate was 13.4%. Nutritional status, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, and anlotinib treatment patterns (combination therapy or switch maintenance therapy vs. monotherapy) were significantly associated with progression‐free survival. Besides, pathological grade, nutritional status, ECOG performance status, and anlotinib treatment patterns were predictive of overall survival. Due to anlotinib‐related toxicity, 31 (14.8%) patients, and 25 (12.0%) patients experienced dose reduction and treatment discontinuation, respectively.

Conclusion

These findings confirmed the efficacy of anlotinib in patients with advanced STS in a real‐world setting. The patterns of anlotinib treatment deserve further exploration.
The link between family identification, loneliness, and symptom severity in people with eating disorders
Authors: McNamara Niamh , Wakefield Juliet R. H. , Cruwys Tegan , Potter Adam , Jones Bethany A. , McDevitt Sara
Published: February 2022

Families play an important role in eating disorder (ED) recovery, and it has been suggested that they can ameliorate the loneliness associated with EDs. However, the psychological mechanisms through which this occurs have yet to be systematically explored. Utilising the Social Identity Approach to Health, we explore whether identification with one's family group positively predicts health in people with self‐reported EDs due to its potential to reduce feelings of loneliness. We investigate this in two online questionnaire studies (N = 82; N = 234), one conducted before the COVID‐19 pandemic and the second conducted in its early stages. In both studies, mediation analyses demonstrated that family identification was associated with fewer and less severe self‐reported ED symptoms, and in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic, reduced self‐reported ED‐related impact and anxiety. In both studies, these benefits were suggestive of a protective role of family identification against loneliness. Our findings provide a framework for understanding in general why families can be considered an important social recovery resource and should be included in the treatment of adult EDs. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.
The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on grocery shopper behaviour: Analysis of shopper behaviour change using store transaction data
Authors: Boyle Paul , Bond Raymond , Martinez Carracedo Jorge , Simmons Geoff , Mulvenna Maurice , Hollywood Lynsey
Published: February 2022

The systemic shock of coronavirus (COVID‐19) and its impact on the global economy has been unprecedented with grocery shopper behaviour changing dramatically through various stages of the pandemic. COVID‐19 has caused unusual market conditions, with significant changes to grocery shopper behaviour that need to be understood to allow for appreciation of shopper behaviour change and retail planning implications during future systemic shocks. The aim of this study was therefore to understand grocery‐shopping behaviour during COVID‐19. Specific objectives were to investigate changes to grocery sale patterns by basket size, composition and category, as well as during specific time periods of the pandemic. The use of transaction data using a range of market basket indicators (e.g., value, size, product mix), revealed profound changes that indicate the challenge shoppers faced navigating a new ‘normal grocery shop’ and the pressure on retailers to analyse consumption changes in order to prioritise demand planning. While the use of this data and analysis approach is an important contribution to consumer behaviour research, our focus was on the bigger patterns observed through the data pertaining to changes in shopper behaviour during systemic shocks. A key contribution of this paper is how the use of transaction data from grocery retail provides a nuanced understanding of how grocery shoppers responded leading up to and during the pandemic. For example, we found that grocery shoppers purchased more than just ‘daily staples’ to stock‐up during the pandemic, with increased awareness of health and wellbeing an important aspect.
The cost‐effectiveness of radial access percutaneous coronary intervention: A propensity‐score matched analysis of Victorian data
Authors: Lee Peter , Brennan Angela , Dinh Diem , Stub Dion , Lefkovits Jeffrey , Reid Christopher M. , Zomer Ella , Chin Ken , Liew Danny
Published: February 2022

Background

Despite evidence of the comparative benefits of transradial access percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) over transfemoral access, its uptake remains highly varied across Australia. Few studies have explored the implications of the choice of access site during PCI from the perspective of the Australian healthcare setting. We, therefore, performed a cost‐effectiveness analysis of radial versus femoral access PCI.

Methods

Data from the Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry (VCOR) were used to inform our economic analyses. Patients treated through either radial or femoral access PCI were propensity score‐matched using the inverse probability weighted (IPW) method, and the incidence of major bleeding and all‐cause mortality in the cohort was used to inform an economic model comprising a hypothetical sample of 1000 patients. Costs and utility data were drawn from published sources. The economic evaluation adopted the perspective of the Australian healthcare system.

Results

Among a cohort of 1000 patients over 1 year, there were 19 fewer deaths, and six fewer episodes of nonfatal major bleeding in the radial group compared to the femoral group. Total cost savings attributed to radial access was AUD $1 214 688. Hence, from a health economic point of view, radial access PCI was dominant over femoral access PCI. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of these findings.

Conclusions

Radial access is associated with improved patient outcomes and considerably lower costs relative to femoral access PCI. Our findings support radial access being the preferred approach for PCI across a variety of indications in Australia.
Phytotoxic Effect of sub‐3‐nm Crystalline Ceria Nanoparticles on the Hydroponic Growth of Daikon Radish Microgreens
Authors: Both Avinash Kumar , Shaker Ema , Cheung Chin Li
Published: February 2022

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (ceria NPs) have been widely used in many industrial applications. They have been proposed as a potential remedy for reducing oxidative stress in biological systems. General concerns over the toxicity of engineered ceria NPs have led to studies of their phytotoxicity in plants. Most of these plant growth studies were conducted in soil using grain crops and commercial ceria NPs of sizes from 6 nm to 100’s nm. In this paper, we report our evaluation of the phytotoxicity and uptake of sub‐3‐nm crystalline ceria NPs by exposing Daikon radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) microgreens to these NPs with environmentally relevant concentrations under hydroponic growth conditions. Aqueous suspensions of different concentrations of these ceria NPs (0.1 ppm, 1 ppm, and 10 ppm) were applied to these microgreens for the last 7 days of the 12‐day growth period. Our results revealed the uptake of cerium by plant roots and the translocation of cerium to the stems and the cotyledons (seed leaves). The accumulation of cerium was found to be maximum at the roots, followed by the cotyledons and the stems of the plants. Even at the lowest concentration (0.1 ppm) of the sub‐3‐nm ceria NPs, the accumulation of cerium at the roots significantly stunted the root growth. However, these NP treatments did not show significant changes to the distributions of macro‐minerals (Mg, K, and Ca) and micro‐minerals (Zn and Cu) in the microgreens at the end of the 12‐day growth period.
Polypeptide Radical Cathode for Aqueous Zn‐Ion Battery with Two‐Electron Storage and Faster Charging Rate
Authors: Deng Yongqi , Teng Changchang , Wu Yihan , Zhang Kefu , Yan Lifeng
Published: February 2022

The rapidly growing demand for batteries has led to a lack of global mineral resources and rechargeable organic batteries are paid extensive attention, owing to the abundance resources, light weight, and high flexibility of organic electrodes. However, most organic electrodes that use aliphatic backbones are nondegradable, leading to unsustainability when active sites fail. In this study, a poly(aspartic acid) polypeptide (PASP) with amide links in the backbone and nitroxide radical pendant groups in the side chains is synthesized by modifying the polypeptides with 4‐amino‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine. In combination with a Zn anode, the PASP‐TEMPO composite electrode exhibits rapid charge–discharge and superior cycling stability with reversible two‐electron redox reaction in aqueous electrolyte. The Zn/PASP‐TEMPO organic radical battery delivers a discharge capacity of around 80 mAh g−1 by two‐electron reaction and charge–discharge rates of up to 18 A g−1. Because the redox reaction process of the nitroxyl radical turning into oxoammonium follows a p‐type mechanism that interacts with an anion, three electrolytes with different anions are tested in the Zn/PASP‐TEMPO organic radical battery. Experimental results indicate that discharge plateau voltage is tunable by choosing different zinc salts as electrolytes. Capacity retention of up to 97.4 % after 500 cycles is realized in 1 m ZnClO4 electrolyte, which can be attributed to the adjacent reaction potentials of the two‐step one‐electron reaction.
The economic tradeoffs and ecological impacts associated with a potential mesopelagic fishery in the California Current
Authors: Dowd Sally , Chapman Melissa , Koehn Laura E. , Hoagland Porter
Published: February 2022

The ocean's mesopelagic zone (200–1000 m) remains one of the most understudied parts of the ocean despite knowledge that mesopelagic fishes are highly abundant. Apex predators from the surface waters are known to consume these fishes, constituting an important ecological interaction. Some countries have begun exploring the potential harvest of mesopelagic fishes to supply fishmeal and fish oil markets due to the high fish abundance in the mesopelagic zone compared with overfished surface waters. This study explored the economic and ecological implications of a moratorium on the harvest of mesopelagic fishes such as lanternfish off the US West Coast, one of the few areas where such resources are managed. We adapted a bioeconomic decision model to examine the tradeoffs between the values gained from a hypothetical mesopelagic fishery with the potential values lost from declines in predators of mesopelagic fishes facing a reduced prey resource. The economic rationale for a moratorium on harvesting mesopelagics was sensitive both to ecological relationships and the scale of the nonmarket values attributed to noncommercial predators. Using a California Current‐based ecological simulation model, we found that most modeled predators of mesopelagic fishes increased in biomass even under high mesopelagic harvest rates, but the changes (either increases or decreases) were small, with relatively few predators responding with more than a 10% change in their biomass. While the ecological simulations implied that a commercial mesopelagic fishery might not have large biomass impacts for many species in the California Current system, there is still a need to further explore the various roles of the mesopelagic zone in the ocean.
Long‐term changes in habitat selection and prey spectrum in a reintroduced Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in Switzerland
Authors: Nagl Daniela , Breitenmoser Urs , Hackländer Klaus , Ryser Andreas , Zimmermann Fridolin , Signer Sven , Haller Heinrich , Breitenmoser‐Würsten Christine , Vogt Kristina
Published: February 2022

When wild‐caught Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from the Slovak Carpathian Mountains were reintroduced to Central Switzerland in the early 1970s and spread through the north‐western Swiss Alps (NWA), they faced a largely unfamiliar landscape with strongly fragmented forests, high elevations, and intense human land use. For more than 30 years, radio‐collared lynx have been monitored during three different project periods (in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2010s). Our study explored, how lynx over generations have learned to adjust to the alpine environment. We predicted that (1) lynx nowadays select more strongly for open habitats, higher elevations, and steep slopes compared to the early stages of recolonization and that (2) consequently, there were significant changes in the Eurasian lynx’ prey spectrum. To test our predictions, we analyzed telemetry data (VHF, GPS) of 13 adult resident lynx in the NWA over 35 years, using Resource Selection Functions. Furthermore, we compared kills recorded from different individuals inhabiting the same region during three project periods. In general, lynx preferred forested areas, but over the years, they avoided open habitat less. Compared to the early stage of the recolonization, lynx in the most recent project period selected for higher elevations and the proportion of chamois in their prey spectrum surmounted that of roe deer. Potential driving factors for the observed changes could be increasing tolerance to human presence, intraspecific competition, or fitness benefits through exploitation of new resources. Long‐term studies like ours provide important insight into how animals can respond to sudden environmental changes, e.g., in the course of translocations into new areas or anthropogenic alterations of their habitats.
Ixodes scapularis density in US temperate forests shaped by deer, earthworms, and disparate factors at two scales
Authors: Larson Scott R. , Sabo Autumn E. , Kruger Eric , Jones Phillip , Paskewitz Susan M.
Published: February 2022

Forest and wildlife management can help regulate the risk of human exposure to tick‐borne pathogens by influencing the population density of host‐seeking ticks and the pathogen infection prevalence in tick populations. For the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), also known as the deer tick, the overall density of host‐seeking nymphs and the density of nymphs infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (which causes Lyme disease) are often closely and positively correlated. We sought to identify biotic and abiotic factors influencing nymph abundance in a multiscale assessment within and across forested landscapes in northern Wisconsin. On a set of randomly located plots within each of six mesic, hardwood‐dominated forests, we collected host‐seeking and on‐host ticks, observed two common mammal hosts (white‐tailed deer and mice), and characterized the structure and composition of the forest plant community. We also surveyed activity of exotic invasive earthworms, which are altering forest structure in the region. At the broader forest‐level scale (n = 6), nymphal tick abundance was positively related to deer population density after accounting for the negative influence of forb cover. At the finer plot‐level scale (n = 87), nymph abundance was positively correlated with the abundance of coarse woody debris and negatively correlated with the density of earthworm castings, an indicator of Lumbricid (nightcrawler) activity. Thus, we identified a suite of key factors, operating at different spatial scales, that shape the suitability of forest habitat for questing immature ticks. These findings inform our basic understanding of blacklegged tick ecology and also have important implications for managing tick‐borne pathogens in forest ecosystems and landscapes.
Design and Synthesis of Sebacic Acid from Castor Oil by New Alternate Route
Authors: Bhukya Gandhi , Kaki Shiva Shanker
Published: February 2022

A simple and alternate organic synthetic route for sebacic acid, a high value ten‐carbon aliphatic dicarboxylic acid from castor oil is described in this study. Castor oil methyl esters are purified to obtain methyl ester of ricinoleic acid that is used as the starting material for the preparation of sebacic acid. The hydroxyl group of methyl ricinoleate is oxidized to corresponding 12‐oxo derivative followed by isomerization of the cis 9, 10 olefinic bond to trans 10, 11 isomer. The isomerized compound is subjected to dihydroxylation followed by oxidative cleavage and subsequent methylation to obtain dimethyl decanedioate. The dimethyl decanedioate is finally hydrolyzed to obtain sebacic acid. The intermediate compounds and final product are purified and characterized by chromatographic and spectral analysis. The final compound is analyzed by 1H and 13C‐NMR as well as high resolution mass spectrometry and compared with standard compound for the confirmation of the structure.

Practical Applications: The design and preparation of sebacic acid by the novel alternate route is described.

Castor oil, a renewable source, is utilized as the raw material for the preparation of sebacic acid.

Isomerization of the 9, 10 cis bond to 10, 11 trans bond is the key step in the synthesis of sebacic acid.

The chemical transformation of castor oil to sebacic acid by newer route is investigated.
Energetic and Topological Supramolecular Study and Nucleation Mechanism Proposal of Halogenated Phenols
Authors: Teixeira Campos Patrick , Karkow Bones Mariana , Siqueira da Silva Rubia Mara
Published: February 2022

In this work, an energetic and topological supramolecular study of 10 different halogenated phenols, X−C6H4−OH (X=F, Cl, Br and I) in the ortho, meta, and para positions was carried out, except for X=Br, in ortho‐ and meta‐X‐phenols. Most compounds have a molecular coordination number (MCN) of fourteen. All intermolecular interactions were classified, and the robustness was evaluated. Strong intermolecular interactions such as O−H⋅⋅⋅O and π⋅⋅⋅π contributed half the energy of the cluster, although interactions considered weak as C−H⋅⋅⋅X and C−H⋅⋅⋅π reached 40 % in energetic contribution, as they revealed a greater number of occurrences. Additionally, these theoretical data of energy were correlated with experimental data of melting point and packing density revealing a notable trend. In almost all cases evaluating the same position, the higher the density, the higher the melting point and the higher the stabilizing energy. Finally, nucleation proposals were suggested for all compounds and revealed that six compounds needed three stages, while four compounds needed only two stages to promote the growth of the supramolecular structure in three directions.
On the Asymmetric Iridium‐Catalyzed N‐Allylation of Amino Acid Esters: Improved Selectivities through Structural Variation of the Chiral Phosphoramidite Ligand
Authors: Albat Dominik , Köcher Alicia , Witt Julia , Schmalz Hans‐Günther
Published: February 2022

The investigation of the iridium‐catalyzed asymmetric N‐allylation of tert‐butyl glycinate using a “branched” racemic 1‐vinyl‐alkyl methyl carbonate revealed severe limitations of existing protocols. By screening a set of 24 BINOL‐derived chiral phosphoramidites a new superior ligand (L24*) was identified which afforded the amination product with high enantioselectivity (≥95 % ee) under optimized conditions. This ligand also allowed the N‐allylation of other amino acid tert‐butyl esters (derived from alanine, phenylalanine, or proline) with outstanding levels of diastereocontrol (d.r. ≥99 : 1) and negligible matched/mismatched differences.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Rivers: A Review of the Genes Detected and New Challenges
Authors: Grenni Paola
Published: February 2022

River ecosystems are very important parts of the water cycle and an excellent habitat, food, and drinking water source for many organisms, including humans. Antibiotics are emerging contaminants which can enter rivers from various sources. Several antibiotics and their related antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been detected in these ecosystems by various research programs and could constitute a substantial problem. The presence of antibiotics and other resistance cofactors can boost the development of ARGs in the chromosomes or mobile genetic elements of natural bacteria in rivers. The ARGs in environmental bacteria can also be transferred to clinically important pathogens. However, antibiotics and their resistance genes are both not currently monitored by national or international authorities responsible for controlling the quality of water bodies. For example, they are not included in the contaminant list in the European Water Framework Directive or in the US list of Water-Quality Benchmarks for Contaminants. Although ARGs are naturally present in the environment, very few studies have focused on non-impacted rivers to assess the background ARG levels in rivers, which could provide some useful indications for future environmental regulation and legislation. The present study reviews the antibiotics and associated ARGs most commonly measured and detected in rivers, including the primary analysis tools used for their assessment. In addition, other factors that could enhance antibiotic resistance, such as the effects of chemical mixtures, the effects of climate change, and the potential effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, are discussed. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:687–714. © 2022 SETAC

Abstract

Different factors can affect antibiotic and antibiotic resistance gene concentrations in rivers, including those related to climate changes (e.g., temperature, dissolved organic carbon, water dilution, or water scarcity) and the amount of antibiotics and biocides in the effluents from urban and hospital wastewater-treatment plants, further intensified by the actual pandemic situation for specific antibiotics prescribed for coronavirus disease 2019 patients. WWTP = wastewater-treatment plant; COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019; ARG = antibiotic resistance gene.
Qualitative assessment of online information available on accredited head and neck surgery fellowship programs
Authors: Gordon Alex J. , Patel Aneek , Weed Donald , Bewley Arnaud F. , Moore Michael G. , Givi Babak
Published: February 2022

Background

The present study aims to assess the quality and availability of online information about fellowships accredited by the American Head & Neck Society (AHNS).

Methods

AHNS directory pages and institutional web sites of 50 AHNS‐accredited fellowships were identified. Web pages were scored using 20 standardized criteria including general information, application information, alumni, surgical training, research, and quality‐of‐life.

Results

Median scores for AHNS directory pages and institutional web sites were 11 (range: 7–14) and 10 (4–15), respectively. Faculty listings, contact information, program location, number of positions, and breadth of surgical exposure were the most commonly listed criteria. Less common criteria included didactic schedule, protected academic time, previous research projects, year of accreditation, work‐life balance, fellow selection criteria, interview information, and salary.

Conclusions

The AHNS directory and institutional web sites are most comprehensive in general program information and details about surgical training. Information about the application process, work‐life balance, and research opportunities were less common.
A Multiparametric Fusion Deep Learning Model Based on DCE‐MRI for Preoperative Prediction of Microvascular Invasion in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Gao Wenyu , Wang Wentao , Song Danjun , Wang Kang , Lian Danlan , Yang Chun , Zhu Kai , Zheng Jiaping , Zeng Mengsu , Rao Sheng‐xiang , Wang Manning
Published: February 2022

Background

Assessment of microvascular invasion (MVI) in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) by using a noninvasive method is an unresolved issue. Deep learning (DL) methods based on multiparametric fusion of MR images have the potential of preoperative assessment of MVI.

Purpose

To investigate whether a multiparametric fusion DL model based on MR images can be used for preoperative assessment of MVI in ICC.

Study type

Retrospective.

Population

A total of 519 patients (200 females and 319 males) with a single ICC were categorized as a training (n = 361), validation (n = 90), and an external test cohort (n = 68).

Field strength/Sequence

A 1.5 T and 3.0 T; axial T2‐weighted turbo spin‐echo sequence, diffusion‐weighted imaging with a single‐shot spin‐echo planar sequence, and dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) imaging with T1‐weighted three‐dimensional quick spoiled gradient echo sequence.

Assessment

DL models of multiparametric fusion convolutional neural network (CNN) and late fusion CNN were both constructed for evaluating MVI in ICC. Gradient‐weighted class activation mapping was used for visual interpretation of MVI status in ICC.

Statistical Tests

The DL model performance was assessed through the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) with the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were measured. P value < 0.05 was considered as statistical significance.

Results

In the external test cohort, the proposed multiparametric fusion DL model achieved an AUC of 0.888 with an accuracy of 86.8%, sensitivity of 85.7%, and specificity of 87.0% for evaluating MVI in ICC, and the positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 63.2% and 95.9%, respectively. The late fusion DL model achieved a lower AUC of 0.866, with an accuracy of 83.8%, sensitivity of 78.6%, specificity of 85.2% for evaluating MVI in ICC.

Data Conclusion

Our DL model based on multiparametric fusion of MRI achieved a good diagnostic performance in the evaluation of MVI in ICC.

Level of Evidence

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
Characterization of the chemical constituents and in vivo metabolic profile of Scutellaria barbata D. Don by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with high‐resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Kang An , Jiang Jialu , Li Qin , Sheng Xianjie , Chen Yan , Tan Jiani , Li Liu , Shen Weixing , Tang DongXin , Cheng Haibo , Sun Dongdong
Published: February 2022

Scutellaria barbata D. Don (S. barbata) is one of the most frequently used anticancer herb medicine in China. Mechanistic understanding of the biological activities of S. barbata is hindered by limited knowledge regarding its components and metabolic profile. In this study, ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry) was used to identify the chemical constituents in S. barbata and their metabolic profiles in rats. By applying cleavage rules and comparison with reference substances, 89 components were identified in S. barbata, which included 45 flavonoids, 28 diterpenoids, 10 phenolics, and 6 others. A total of 110 compounds, including 32 prototype compounds and 78 metabolites, were identified or tentatively characterized in vivo. Methylation, sulfonation, and glucuronidation were the main metabolic pathways, which could be attributed to the fact that several of the compounds in S. barbata have phenolic hydroxyl groups. This is the first systematic study on the chemical constituents and in vivo metabolic profile of S. barbata. The analytical method features a quick and comprehensive dissection of the chemical composition and metabolic profile of S. barbata and provides a basis for exploring its various biological activities.
Free convection flow in a microchannel filled with porous material having temperature‐dependent thermal conductivity
Authors: Hamza Muhammed Murtala , Abubakar Auwal Bala , Panyanak Bancha , Pakkaranang Nuttapol
Published: February 2022

This paper investigates the impact of Darcy number and variable thermal conductivity on MHD free convective heat transfer in a microchannel. Approximate solution of the problem is obtained by using semi‐analytical method. Most of the fluid physical properties associated with flow are displayed, analyzed, and discussed. From the results, it is found that Darcy number reduces fluid velocity in case of asymmetric heating of the microchannel at the lower plate while fluid velocity is enhanced at the upper plate. It is also observed that variable thermal conductivity enhances fluid velocity in case of both asymmetric and symmetric heating of the microchannel bounding walls. It is further seen that there is point of intersection around the center of the microchannel when both variable thermal conductivity and Darcy number are increased.
Global smooth solutions of 3‐D Navier‐Stokes‐Korteweg equations with large initial data
Authors: Yu Yanghai , Yang Xiaolei , Wu Xing
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we consider the Cauchy problem to the tri‐dimensional compressible Navier‐Stokes‐Korteweg system with a specific choice on the Korteweg tensor in the whole space and establish the global solutions to the tri‐dimensional Navier‐Stokes‐Korteweg equations with a class of large initial data whose L2 norm can be arbitrarily large.
A two‐stage multiresolution neural network for automatic diagnosis of hepatic echinococcosis from ultrasound images: A multicenter study
Authors: Cheng Jun , Wang Haixia , Li Rui , Li Xiaomeng , Zhou Xu , Yang Xin , Wang Yi , Xiong Linfei , Fan Haining , Wang Tianfu , Li Mei , Ni Dong
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Hepatic echinococcosis is a parasitic disease. Ultrasound imaging is a crucially important tool for the diagnosis of this disease. Based on ultrasonic manifestations, hepatic echinococcosis can be classified into many subtypes. However, subtyping is nontrivial due to the challenges of complex sonographic textures and large intraclass and small interclass differences. The purpose of this study is to develop a computer‐aided diagnosis system for hepatic echinococcosis based on ultrasound images.

Methods

We collected a multicenter ultrasound dataset containing 9112 images from 5028 patients who were diagnosed with hepatic echinococcosis (the largest cohort to date) and developed a two‐stage multiresolution neural network for the automatic diagnosis of hepatic echinococcosis into nine subtypes, as suggested by the WHO. Our method was based on YOLO3 with two additional strategies to improve its performance: coarse grouping and multiresolution sampling. Considering that some subtypes are inherently very similar and difficult to differentiate; in the first stage, we detected and classified lesions into four coarse groups instead of making a direct classification into nine classes. In the second stage, we performed fine‐grained classification within each coarse group. Multiple views with different resolutions were sampled from the detected lesions and were input into Darknet53. The softmax outputs for the multiresolution views were averaged to generate the final output.

Results

Both the proposed coarse grouping and multiresolution sampling strategies proved to be effective and improved the classification performance by a large margin compared with the setting without using the two strategies. Using fivefold cross‐validation, our method achieved 87.1%, 86.2%, and 86.5% in the average recall, precision and F1‐score, respectively, and outperformed other state‐of‐the‐art methods remarkably.

Conclusions

The experimental results demonstrate the great promise of our method for classifying hepatic echinococcosis. Our method can be used as an effective tool to facilitate large‐scale screening for hepatic echinococcosis in high‐risk, resource‐poor areas, thus contributing to the early diagnosis of this disease and resulting in more successful treatment.