bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Logistics of deep tunnel construction sites without portal access – SBT2.1 Semmering Base Tunnel
Authors: Dankl Wolfgang , Reith Marco
Published: June 2021

The 27.3 km long Semmering Base Tunnel is a major component of the Baltic‐Adriatic Corridor trans‐European rail link. The SBT2.1 Fröschnitzgraben Tunnel section involves more construction work than any other contract section of the Semmering Base Tunnel project. First, two shafts over 400 m deep had to be sunk down to tunnel level in order to create the emergency station. From here, the tunnels are being driven towards Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag. The falling drives towards Gloggnitz, each approx. 8.5 km long, are being excavated with two tunnel boring machines (TBM), while conventional tunnelling methods (drill and blast) are being used to drive the 4.3 km long rising section towards Mürzzuschlag. Another major component of the contract is the creation and management of the Longsgraben landfill site.

With a complex construction project of this nature, the local conditions, changing construction phases, different tunnelling methods, geological conditions, safety and contractual aspects, and the long duration of the construction, must all be given careful consideration when planning the logistics. The overall scope of logistics is broken down into individual areas; this enables several logistical concepts to be developed which do not necessarily have to correlate with one another. Through the involvement of the client, it has been possible to develop efficient and, for the most part, straightforward organisational measures and solutions for this construction project.
On the Stability of Pt‐Based Catalysts in HBr/Br2 Solution
Authors: Liu Qiang , Meissel Hubert , Sadykov Ilia , Jones Simon , Van Dijk Nick , Rzepka Przemyslaw , Artiglia Luca , Ranocchiari Marco , van Bokhoven Jeroen A.
Published: June 2021

Stability studies on supported metal nanoparticles are essential for gaining insight into the design and optimization of high‐performance materials. In this work, the dissolutions of Pt‐based catalysts in HBr/Br2 mixture of various concentration regimes were studied and correlated with material structural properties. The dissolution of metal nanoparticles was enhanced by adding Br2 to the HBr solution. Comparing with commercial Pt/C catalyst, the well‐alloyed PtIr/C catalyst was observed to exhibit high resistance towards dissolution. In addition, regulating the accessibility of the metal sites to dissolution‐inducing species contributed to the marked stability of the nanoparticles in HBr/Br2 solutions, as shown for the surface‐modified PtIr/C catalysts with organic diamine molecules.
Maternal and neonatal SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies assessment after mRNA maternal vaccination in the third trimester of pregnancy
Authors: Riviello Chiara , Pontello Valentina
Published: June 2021

Synopsis

Vaccine immunization against SARS‐Cov‐2 is transferred to the fetus; however, transplacental passage of antibodies after vaccination might be less efficient than in natural infection.
Applicant factors contributing to interview selection, ranking determination, and judgement of “Fit” among health service psychology internship training programs
Authors: Ingram Paul B. , Bergquist Becca K. , Currin Joseph M. , Schmidt Adam T.
Published: June 2021

Background

The predoctoral internshipAQ4 training year is the capstone training experience for health service doctoral students. Previous research has explored what applicant characteristics are desired by internship sites and has not thoroughly explored differences between types of sites or criteria importance at different stages of applicant consideration (interview vs. ranking).

Aims

We evaluate current perceptions of doctoral student internship applications by training directors.

Materials and Methods

Internship training directors of APA‐accredited sites report on the importance of different application materials during interview and ranking decisions. We also compare these rankings across site types.

Results

Results indicate that internship sites were generally consistent in their criteria rankings; however, there were also some differences. Intern applicant “fit” continues to be the most important criteria by which applicants are judged at all stages of consideration. Qualitative analysis found that “fit” varied by site across themes of treatment, applicant, and site characteristics.

Discussion

We discuss implications in their preparation of internship applications. In addition to the practical guidance for students, we discuss how program changes can increase applicant site competitiveness.
What sound sources trigger misophonia? Not just chewing and breathing
Authors: Hansen Heather A. , Leber Andrew B. , Saygin Zeynep M.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Misophonia is a highly prevalent yet understudied condition characterized by aversion toward particular environmental sounds. Oral/nasal sounds (e.g., chewing, breathing) have been the focus of research, but variable experiences warrant an objective investigation. Experiment 1 asked whether human‐produced oral/nasal sounds were more aversive than human‐produced nonoral/nasal sounds and non‐human/nature sounds. Experiment 2 additionally asked whether machine‐learning algorithms could predict the presence and severity of misophonia.

Method

Sounds were presented to individuals with misophonia (Exp.1: N = 48, Exp.2: N = 45) and members of the general population (Exp.1: N = 39, Exp.2: N = 61). Aversiveness ratings to each sound were self‐reported.

Results

Sounds from all three source categories—not just oral/nasal sounds—were rated as significantly more aversive to individuals with misophonia than controls. Further, modeling all sources classified misophonia with 89% accuracy and significantly predicted misophonia severity (r = 0.75).

Conclusions

Misophonia should be conceptualized as more than an aversion to oral/nasal sounds, which has implications for future diagnostics and experimental consistency moving forward.
Pharmacokinetics of Asciminib in Individuals With Hepatic or Renal Impairment
Authors: Hoch Matthias , Sato Masahiko , Zack Julia , Quinlan Michelle , Sengupta Tirtha , Allepuz Alex , Aimone Paola , Hourcade‐Potelleret Florence
Published: June 2021

Asciminib is an investigational, first‐in‐class, specifically targeting the ABL myristoyl pocket (STAMP) inhibitor of BCR‐ABL1 with a new mechanism of action compared with approved ATP‐competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This report describes the findings from 2 phase 1 studies assessing the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of a single dose of asciminib (40 mg) in individuals with impaired renal function (based on absolute glomerular filtration rate; NCT03605277) or impaired hepatic function (based on Child‐Pugh classification; NCT02857868). Individuals with severe renal impairment exhibited 49%‐56% higher exposure (area under the curve [AUC]), with similar maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), than matched healthy controls. Based on these findings, as per the protocol, the PK of asciminib in individuals with mild or moderate renal impairment was not assessed. In individuals with mild and severe hepatic impairment, asciminib AUC was 21%‐22% and 55%‐66% higher, respectively, and Cmax was 26% and 29% higher, respectively, compared with individuals with normal hepatic function. Individuals with moderate hepatic impairment had similar asciminib AUC and Cmax than matched healthy controls. The increase in asciminib AUC and Cmax in the mild hepatic impairment cohort was mainly driven by 1 participant with particularly high exposure. Asciminib was generally well tolerated, and the safety data were consistent with its known safety profile. In summary, these findings indicate that renal or hepatic impairment has no clinically meaningful effect on the exposure or safety profile of asciminib, and support its use in patients with varying degrees of renal or hepatic dysfunction.
Assessment of degradation potential of Pseudomonas species in bioremediating soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons
Authors: Baig Zenab Tariq , Abbasi Sikandar Ali , Memon Abdul Ghaffar , Naz Alia , Soomro Abdul Fatah
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUND

The bioremediation versatility of soil indigenous microbial community for the degradation of oil contaminated soils has been evidenced previously. In this study, three dominant bacterial strains, Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) and two Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) (accession numbers ATCC‐27853, BAA‐427, and ATCC‐49128), were isolated from three different oil‐contaminated sites to evaluate their bioremediation potential. Degradation potential was determined against two compounds, naphthalene and pyrene, from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in batch experiment.

RESULTS

The bacterial strains were effective in degrading naphthalene and pyrene. Further, the degradation potential of these compounds was correlated with total organic carbon (TOC). Among the bacterial strains, P. putida (accession number ATCC‐27853) effectively degraded naphthalene and pyrene by 92% and 83%, respectively. The other bacterial strain, P. aeruginosa (ATCC‐27853), equally degraded the naphthalene (83.6%) but differed considerably for pyrene, with the lowest removal efficiency of 24.2% at 3 ppm. Growth profiles of the proposed bacterial strains, P. putida (accession number ATCC‐27853), P. aeruginosa (accession number BAA‐427), and P. aeruginosa, ATCC‐49128), revalidated through colony‐forming unit (CFU·mL−1). P. putida showed the highest cell count 5.06 × 108 (CFU·mL−1) for naphthalene.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights that isolated Pseudomonas strains showed the highest degrading activity for naphthalene and pyrene‐degrading without the addition of any chemical or co‐substrate within a short interval. Overall, findings indicate that inoculation of the bacterial strains belonging to Pseudomonas species can stimulate low and high weight PAH compounds degradation and maintain the bacterial biomass, thus accelerating the dissipation of soil PAHs. It further provides evidence for perspectives on the potential of bacterial community assembly of PAH‐contaminated soils. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Current status and future challenges in transitioning to continuous bioprocessing of virus‐like particles
Authors: Mittal Manya , Banerjee Manidipa , Lua Linda HL , Rathore Anurag S
Published: June 2021

Virus‐like particles (VLPs) are bioengineered protein complexes that can serve as prophylactic vaccines due to favorable immunological characteristics like size, repetitive surface geometry and ability to induce both innate and adaptive immune responses, without being infectious. Large‐scale manufacturing of VLPs presents some interesting and unique challenges associated with removal of refractory contaminants to attain high product purity, improvement in structural homogeneity and colloidal stability. Recent advancements in production and purification of VLP‐based vaccines, such as application of monolithic multicolumn chromatography and inline concentration and diafiltration, have set a stage for implementation of continuous bioprocessing for commercial manufacturing of VLPs. The benefits of continuous bioprocessing have been well demonstrated for biotherapeutics, particularly monoclonal antibodies and small peptides. With the growing demand for affordable vaccines, the biopharmaceutical industry has shown increasing interest in establishing end‐to‐end continuous platforms. This article reviews major developments that have occurred in continuous processing for the manufacturing of VLPs. The major problems inherent in transitions from batch to continuous processing are also discussed, along with potential strategies to overcome the challenges. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Environmental and economic trade‐offs of using composted or stockpiled manure as partial substitute for synthetic fertilizer
Authors: De Rosa Daniele , Biala Johannes , Nguyen Trung H. , Mitchell Elaine , Friedl Johannes , Scheer Clemens , Grace Peter R. , Rowlings David W.
Published: June 2021

Manure generated from livestock production could represent an important source of plant nutrients in substitution of synthetic fertilizer. To evaluate the sustainability of partially substituting synthetic fertilizer with soil organic amendments (OAs) in horticulture, an economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) budget was developed. The boundary for analysis included manure processing (stockpiling vs. composting) and transport and spreading of manure and compost (feedlot and chicken) in intensively cultivated horticultural fields. The OA field application rates were calculated based on the nitrogen supplied by OAs. The GHG budget based on directly measured emissions indicates that the application of composted manure, in combination with reduced fertilizer rate, was always superior to stockpiled manures. Compost treatments showed from 9 to 90% less GHG emissions than stockpiled manure treatments. However, higher costs associated with the purchase and transport of composted manure (three times higher) generated a greater economic burden compared with stockpiled manure and synthetic fertilizer application. The plant nutrient replacement value of the OAs was considered only for the first year of application, and if long‐term nutrient release from OAs is taken into account, additional savings are possible. Because the income from soil carbon sequestration initiatives in response to OA application is unlikely to bridge this financial gap, particularly in the short term, this study proposes that future policy should develop methodologies for avoided GHG emissions from OA application. The combined income from soil carbon sequestration and potentially avoided GHG initiatives could incentivize farmers to adopt OAs as a substitute for synthetic fertilizers, thereby promoting more sustainable farming practices.
Impact and risk factors for skeletal muscle mass loss after hepatic resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Itoh Shinji , Yoshizumi Tomoharu , Tomiyama Takahiro , Iseda Norifumi , Morinaga Akinari , Shimagaki Tomonari , Wang Huanlin , Kurihara Takeshi , Nagao Yoshihiro , Toshima Takeo , Harada Noboru , Nishie Akihiro , Ishigami Kousei , Mori Masaki
Published: June 2021

Background and Aim

The aims of this study were to determine whether a postoperative decrease in skeletal muscle mass (SMM) after hepatic resection can predict long‐term outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identify risk factors for SMM loss in patients who undergo hepatic resection.

Methods

This was a large retrospective study of 400 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC and pre‐ and postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans. SMM was measured at the third lumbar vertebrae, and the postoperative change in SMM compared with preoperative values was calculated as Δ SMM. The cutoff value for the post‐/preoperative ratio was set at 0.9.

Results

Sixty patients (15.0%) developed SMM loss. These patients had a significantly prolonged prothrombin time (P = 0.0092), longer duration of surgery (P = 0.0021), more blood loss (P = 0.0040), and higher rate of postoperative complications (P = 0.0037) than those without SMM loss. Multivariate analysis revealed that prolonged prothrombin time and postoperative complications were independent risk factors for SMM loss after hepatic resection. Patients with SMM loss had significantly shorter overall survival (P = 0.0018) than the other patients had. SMM loss was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio 1.551, 95% confidential interval 1.028–2.340, P = 0.0363).

Conclusions

We demonstrated an association of SMM loss with postoperative complications and long‐term prognosis in patients with HCC. Patients with prolonged prothrombin time, or postoperative complications, may need to maintain their SMM. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate whether nutritional support can improve SMM loss.
Human monocytes store and secrete preformed CCL5, independent of de novo protein synthesis
Authors: Persaud Arvin Tejnarine , Bennett Stephen Andrew , Thaya Laxshaginee , Burnie Jonathan , Guzzo Christina
Published: June 2021

Monocytes are a subset of circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with diverse roles in immunity, including sentinel roles in cytokine secretion. Conventionally, cytokines require an inductive stimulus for their expression and secretion, resulting in a time lag from the time of stimulation to when the proteins are packaged and secreted. Because cytokines are the main communicators in the immune system, their temporal expression is a key factor in coordinating responses to efficiently resolve infection. Herein, we identify that circulating human monocytes contain preformed cytokines that are stored intracellularly, in both resting and activated states. Having preformed cytokines bypasses the time lag associated with de novo synthesis, allowing monocytes to secrete immune mediators immediately upon activation or sensing of microbe-associated molecular patterns. We demonstrate here that, out of several cytokines evaluated, human monocytes contain a previously undescribed reservoir of the preformed chemokine CCL5. Furthermore, we showed that CCL5 could be secreted from monocytes treated with the protein synthesis inhibitor (cycloheximide) and Golgi blocker (brefeldin A). We examined the possibility for uptake of extracellular CCL5 from platelet aggregates and observed no significant levels of platelet binding to our enriched monocyte preparations, indicating that the source of preformed CCL5 was not from platelets. Preformed CCL5 was observed to be distributed throughout the cytoplasm and partially colocalized with CD63+ and Rab11A+ membranes, implicating endosomal compartments in the intracellular storage and trafficking of CCL5.
MiR-155 regulates neutrophil extracellular trap formation and lung injury in abdominal sepsis
Authors: Hawez Avin , Taha Dler , Algaber Anwar , Madhi Raed , Rahman Milladur , Thorlacius Henrik
Published: June 2021

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)-mediated tissue damage is a hallmark in abdominal sepsis. Under certain conditions, microRNAs (miRs) can regulate protein expression and cellular functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of miR-155 in sepsis-induced NET formation, lung inflammation, and tissue damage. Abdominal sepsis was induced in wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 and miR-155 gene-deficient mice by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The amount of DNA–histone complex formation as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) and citrullinated histone 3 in neutrophils isolated from bone marrow were examined by ELISA and flow cytometry. NETs were detected by electron microscopy in the septic lung. Levels of PAD4 and citrullinated histone 3 were determined by Western blot in the blood neutrophils. Lung levels of MPO, CXC chemokines, and plasma levels of DNA–histone complexes and CXC chemokines were quantified. In vitro studies revealed that neutrophils from miR-155 gene-deficient mice had less NETs forming ability than WT neutrophils. In the miR-155 gene-deficient mice, CLP yielded much less NETs in the lung tissue compared with WT control. CLP-induced PAD4 levels, histone 3 citrullination, edema, MPO activity, and neutrophil recruitment in the lung were markedly reduced in the mice lacking miR-155. Furthermore, tissue and plasma levels of CXCL1 and CXCL2 were significantly lower in the miR-155 gene-deficient mice compared with WT after induction of abdominal sepsis. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-155 regulates pulmonary formation of NETs in abdominal sepsis via PAD4 up-regulation and histone 3 citrullination. Thus, targeting miR-155 could be a useful target to reduce pulmonary damage in abdominal sepsis.
Sinonasal surgery alters brain structure and function: Neuroanatomical correlates of olfactory dysfunction
Authors: Whitcroft Katherine L. , Noltus Jan , Andrews Peter , Hummel Thomas
Published: June 2021

Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is more common than hearing loss, partial blindness, or blindness and can have a significant impact on the quality of life. Moreover, unexplained OD is an early biomarker in neurodegenerative diseases and increases 5‐year mortality risk. Structural alterations in olfactory eloquent brain regions may represent the neuroanatomical correlates of OD. Previous studies have demonstrated reduced gray matter (GM) volume in areas of presumed olfactory relevance in patients with OD. However, being cross‐sectional in nature, these studies do not provide evidence of causality, for which longitudinal work is required. At present, however, longitudinal studies addressing olfactory structural plasticity are limited, both in number and methodological approach: to our knowledge, such work has not included parallel functional imaging to confirm the relevance of structural change. We therefore performed a longitudinal multimodal neuroimaging study investigating structural and functional plasticity in 24 patients undergoing surgical treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis, compared with 17 healthy controls. We demonstrated functionally significant structural plasticity within the orbitofrontal, anterior cingulate and insular cortices, and temporal poles in patients 3 months after surgery. Of interest, GM volume decreased in these regions, in association with increased psychophysical scores and BOLD signal. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate both structural and functional plasticity of the central olfactory networks, thereby confirming these areas as neuroanatomical correlates of olfactory function/dysfunction.
Audiologic Phenotype and Progression in Pediatric STRC‐Related Autosomal Recessive Hearing Loss
Authors: Simi Andrea , Perry Julia , Schindler Emma , Oza Andrea , Luo Minjie , Hartman Tiffiney , Krantz Ian D. , Germiller John A. , Kawai Kosuke , Kenna Margaret
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a common sensory deficit affecting pediatric populations. The majority of pediatric SNHL is genetic in etiology, with over 123 identified nonsyndromic causative genes. One such gene is STRC, which has been identified as the second most frequent autosomal recessive nonsyndromic gene associated with SNHL in multiple populations. The objective of this study was to investigate the phenotypic presentation and incidence of audiologic progression in pediatric patients with STRC‐related hearing loss (HL).

Methods

Thirty‐nine pediatric patients with confirmed HL and biallelic pathogenic STRC mutations were identified at two pediatric hospitals. A retrospective chart review was completed including demographics, medical history, genetic testing results, and audiologic data. HL progression was assessed using air conduction thresholds from pure‐tone audiograms and auditory brain stem responses, and masked bone conduction thresholds from pure‐tone audiograms.

Results

Thirty‐six patients had homozygous STRC deletions. Three were compound heterozygotes. All patients had bilateral, symmetric SNHL. Baseline HL was mild in 39% of ears, moderate in 52%, and moderate‐severe in 3%. Of the 31 patients for which sufficient data were available to evaluate progression, 18 (58%) had some degree of progressive HL. Among these 31 patients assessed for progression, the mean hearing threshold declined by 0.6 dB per year (95% confidence interval: 0.5, 0.8; P < .001).

Conclusions

These biallelic STRC patients displayed HL ranging from mild to moderate‐severe at baseline and progressing in 58%. The variability of the STRC phenotype and the possibility of audiologic progression should be considered in the clinical management of pediatric STRC‐related SNHL.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 131:E2897–E2903, 2021
Proteomic Characterization of Senescent Laryngeal Adductor and Plantaris Hindlimb Muscles
Authors: Shembel Adrianna C. , Kanshin Evgeny , Ueberheide Beatrix , Johnson Aaron M.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

The goals of this study were to 1) compare global protein expression in muscles of the larynx and hindlimb and 2) investigate differences in protein expression between aged and nonaged muscle using label‐free global proteomic profiling methods.

Methods

Liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) analysis was performed on thyroarytenoid intrinsic laryngeal muscle and plantaris hindlimb muscle from 10 F344xBN F1 male rats (5 old and 5 young). Protein expression was compared and pathway enrichment analysis performed for each muscle type (larynx and limb) and age group (old and young muscle).

Results

Over 1,000 proteins were identified in common across both muscle types and age groups using LC‐MS/MS analysis. Significant age‐related differences were seen across 107 proteins in plantaris hindlimb and in 19 proteins in thyroarytenoid laryngeal muscle. Bioinformatic and enrichment analysis demonstrated protein differences between the hindlimb and larynx may relate to immune and stress redox responses and RNA repair.

Conclusion

There are clear differences in protein expressions between the laryngeal and hindlimb skeletal muscles. Initial analysis suggests differences between the two muscle groups may relate to stress responses and repair mechanisms. Age‐related changes in the thyroarytenoid appear to be less obvious than in the plantaris. Further in‐depth study is needed to elucidate how aging affects protein expression in the laryngeal muscles.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 132:148–155, 2022
Plankton respiration in the Atacama Trench region: Implications for particulate organic carbon flux into the hadal realm
Authors: Fernández‐Urruzola Igor , Ulloa Osvaldo , Glud Ronnie N. , Pinkerton Matthew H. , Schneider Wolfgang , Wenzhöfer Frank , Escribano Rubén
Published: June 2021

Respiration is a key process in the cycling of particulate matter and, therefore, an important control mechanism of carbon export to the ocean's interior. Most of the fixed carbon is lost in the upper ocean, and only a minor amount of organic material sustains life in the deep‐sea. Conditions are particularly extreme in hadal trenches, and yet they host active biological communities. The source of organic carbon that supports them and the contribution of these communities to the ocean carbon cycle, however, remain uncertain. Here we report on size‐fractionated depth profiles of plankton respiration assessed from the activity of the electron transport system in the Atacama Trench region, and provide estimates of the minimum carbon flux (FC) needed to sustain the respiratory requirements from the ocean surface to hadal waters of the trench and shallower nearby sites. Plankton < 100 μm contributed about 90% to total community respiration, whose magnitude was highly correlated with surface productivity. Remineralization rates were highest in the euphotic zone and declined sharply within intermediate oxygen‐depleted waters, remaining fairly constant toward the bottom. Integrated respiration in ultra‐deep waters (> 1000 m) was comparable to that found in upper layers, with 1.3 ± 0.4 mmol C m−2 d−1 being respired in the hadopelagic. The comparison between our FC models and estimates of sinking particle flux revealed a carbon imbalance through the mesopelagic that was paradoxically reduced at greater depths. We argue that large fast‐sinking particles originated in the overlying surface ocean may effectively sustain the respiratory carbon demands in this ultra‐deep marine environment.
Biocompatible Autonomic Self‐healing PVA‐TA Hydrogel with High Mechanical Strength
Authors: Huang Jinxin , Wu Chengwei , Yu Xiaogang , Li Heng , Ding Shuaiwen , Zhang Wei
Published: June 2021

The autonomic self‐healing hydrogel with good biocompatibility is generally poor in tensile strength, which seriously hinders its development and application in the field of loaded biomaterials. Here, based on a large number of strong H bonds formed between poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and tannic acid (TA), an autonomic self‐healing PVA‐TA hydrogel with high strength and high healing efficiency is successfully prepared. The tensile strength of PVA‐TA hydrogel is 224 kPa, which can spontaneously restore to 87% of its initial strength within 2 h after fracture without external stimuli. The obtained hydrogel also shows good biocompatibility.
Dialectical thinking as a driver of charitable giving
Authors: DeMotta Yoshiko
Published: June 2021

It is well documented that people are less generous in their charitable contribution when donation recipients are perceived to bear some responsibility for their aversive situation. However, there is limited research that identifies the factors that may influence generosity toward blameworthy recipients. The present research addresses this gap and examines the moderating role of dialectical thinking in the relationship between recipient responsibility and charitable giving. Our studies demonstrate that compared to high dialectical thinkers, low dialectical thinkers are less likely to donate when they perceive recipients to be responsible for their plight. Mediation analysis reveals that this effect is mediated through low dialectical thinkers' weaker belief in recipients' changeability and lower degree of sympathy. This study intends to make theoretical contributions to the literatures of dialectical thinking and charitable giving, and provides implications for organizations with the aim of helping seemingly irresponsible individuals.
Prevalence of Black Gill (Hyalophysa lynni) in White Shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus and Brown Shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus along the Texas Gulf Coast
Authors: Swinford Jillian L. , Anderson Joel D.
Published: June 2021

Shrimp black gill is an emerging disease caused by a parasitic ciliate, Hyalophysa lynni, that attacks gill tissue in white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus and brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus and induces an immune response that produces melanized tissue in shrimp gills. This immune response causes necrosis and damage in shrimp gill tissue, which limits shrimp metabolic capability and can lead to high predation mortality among infected individuals. Shrimp black gill was first observed in the southeast Atlantic shrimp fishery in the United States, and this ciliate has been increasing in prevalence in shrimp populations of this region since 2000. The Gulf of Mexico, with its lucrative shrimp fishery and extended warmwater conditions during the year, is a potential region for H. lynni spread. White and brown shrimp were sampled from seven major bays along the Gulf coast of Texas from March to November 2019 and underwent PCR analysis to detect H. lynni presence in gill tissue. From March to November, 65% of the collected shrimp samples tested positive for H. lynni. Samples from all seven bays tested positive for H. lynni, with the upper-coast bays having a significantly higher disease prevalence than lower-coast bays. Both white and brown shrimp samples tested positive for H. lynni; however, white shrimp samples had a significantly higher disease prevalence. Overall, disease prevalence showed a temporal pattern of low prevalence in the spring, peaking during the late fall. Generalized additive mixed models detected a high water temperature and a salinity level of 30‰ or less as significant contributors to high disease prevalence. This study validates the commonality of H. lynni presence in the western Gulf of Mexico, serves as a baseline for future shrimp black gill sampling efforts in this region, and contributes to the understanding and management of potential disease threats to the Texas shrimp fishery.
Artemisinin‐derived dimers from a chemical perspective
Authors: Çapcı Aysun , Herrmann Lars , Sampath Kumar Halmuthur M. , Fröhlich Tony , Tsogoeva Svetlana B.
Published: June 2021

Considerable progress has been made with the rather recently developed dimer approach, which has already found applications in the development of new effective artemisinin‐derived antimalarial, anticancer, and antiviral agents. One observation common to these potential applications is the significant (i.e., much more than double) improvement in activity of artemisinin based dimers, which are not toxic to normal cells and have fewer or less harmful side effects, with respect to monomers against parasites, cancer cells and viruses. Due to the high potential of the dimerization concept, many new artemisinin‐derived dimer compounds and their biological activities have been recently reported. In this review an overview of the synthesis of dimer drug candidates based on the clinically used drug artemisinin and its semisynthetic derivatives is given. Besides the highlighting of biological activities of the selected dimers, the main focus is set on different synthetic approaches toward the dimers containing a broad variety of symmetric and nonsymmetric linking moieties.
Oklahoma's perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs related to water resources and their management: A decade long look
Authors: Wagner Kevin L. , Eck Christopher J. , King Audrey E. H. , Joshi Omkar
Published: June 2021

Water resources are a critical issue across the United States. Addressing water issues requires public understanding, acceptance, support, and participation. This study compared the public's perceptions and knowledge of Oklahoma water over time. A 53‐item paper questionnaire was administered to a randomly sampled mailing list of Oklahoma residents in 2008 and 2018. There were no statistically significant differences between the public's perception in 2008 and 2018. Participants were mostly unaware of what watersheds are, and their perceptions and behaviors were seemingly unaffected by changes in weather patterns and water education efforts. When questioned about their knowledge of water issues, the most frequent response was ‘don't know’. Results suggest improved education and outreach is needed to advance the public's water knowledge. Furthermore, this study found that long term evaluations of public perceptions, behaviors, and knowledge are extremely important in determining education program effectiveness. In this case, findings indicate status quo will not yield needed changes.
Try these 6 tips to grow your organic social media
Authors: Pavlik Amelia
Published: June 2021

Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, WeChat. The ever‐evolving landscape of social media platforms is challenging enough for full‐time social media managers to keep up with. So when you don't even know the difference between a tweet and a story, where do you start?
Exploring the role and clinical implications of proteasome inhibition in medulloblastoma
Authors: Hoerig Clay M. , Plant‐Fox Ashley S. , Pulley Michelle D. , Di Kaijun , Bota Daniela A.
Published: June 2021

Ubiquitin proteasome‐mediated protein degradation has been implicated in posttranslational oncogenesis in medulloblastoma. Current research is evaluating the clinical implications of proteasome inhibition as a therapeutic target. In medulloblastoma cell lines, proteasome inhibitors induce apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation via multiple pathways involving activation of caspase pathways, NFκB (nuclear factor kappa‐light‐chain‐enhancer of activated B cells) pathway inhibition, reduced AKT/mTOR pathway activity, and pro‐apoptotic protein expression. Second‐generation proteasome inhibitors demonstrate blood–brain barrier penetration while maintaining antitumor effect. This review summarizes the ubiquitin‐proteasome system in the pathogenesis of medulloblastoma and the potential clinical implications.
Rank of a matrix of block graphs
Authors: Chen Yu , Liao Yunhua
Published: June 2021

The block graphs are good models in many real‐world applications, such as molecular graph model for Polymers and windmill networks. A block graph is a graph in which every block is a complete graph. In this paper, we first prove that, the entries of distance matrix of block graph satisfy the famous () and we define an matrix and index inspired by the Wiener index . We find that, if the block graph is a tree or each of its blocks is a triangle, then and it is independent of the structure of block graphs . Finally, we obtain the index, Wiener index and Wiener polarity index of isomers of heptane, respectively.
Precautionary strategy for high‐risk airway bleeding cases during robotic‐assisted bronchoscopy
Authors: Fernandez‐Bussy Sebastian , Abia‐Trujillo David , Patel Neal M. , Pascual Jorge M. , Majid Adnan , Folch Erik E , Reisenauer Janani S.
Published: June 2021

Bronchoscopy in thrombocytopenic patients remains a controversial topic as traditionally varying platelet thresholds have been stablished as “safe,” ranging from 20,000 to 50,000. A lower threshold may be safe for a routine airway inspection with bronchoalveolar lavage but will be far from safe for more invasive interventions such as needle biopsy, transbronchial biopsy, or cryo‐biopsy. Currently, a minimal platelet threshold during robotic‐assisted bronchoscopy (RAB) has not been established. In addition, the absolute platelet number does not guarantee appropriate platelet function. The literature regarding the safety of bronchoscopy and its bleeding risk, considering broader and more functional tests such as thromboelastography (TEG), is also lacking. We present our RAB approach to safely sample lung nodules in a patient with thrombocytopenia. Our precautionary strategy for high‐risk bleeding cases during RAB utilizing TEG and parallel flexible bronchoscopy with segmental balloon occlusion may be an appropriate technique to minimize bleeding risk.
Survival mediation analysis with the death‐truncated mediator: The completeness of the survival mediation parameter
Authors: Tai An‐Shun , Tsai Chun‐An , Lin Sheng‐Hsuan
Published: June 2021

In medical research, the development of mediation analysis with a survival outcome has facilitated investigation into causal mechanisms. However, studies have not discussed the death‐truncation problem for mediators, the problem being that conventional mediation parameters cannot be well defined in the presence of a truncated mediator. In the present study, we systematically defined the completeness of causal effects to uncover the gap, in conventional causal definitions, between the survival and nonsurvival settings. We propose a novel approach to redefining natural direct and indirect effects, which are generalized forms of conventional causal effects for survival outcomes. Furthermore, we developed three statistical methods for the binary outcome of survival status and formulated a Cox model for survival time. We performed simulations to demonstrate that the proposed methods are unbiased and robust. We also applied the proposed method to explore the effect of hepatitis C virus infection on mortality, as mediated through hepatitis B viral load.
Estimating heterogeneous survival treatment effect in observational data using machine learning
Authors: Hu Liangyuan , Ji Jiayi , Li Fan
Published: June 2021

Methods for estimating heterogeneous treatment effect in observational data have largely focused on continuous or binary outcomes, and have been relatively less vetted with survival outcomes. Using flexible machine learning methods in the counterfactual framework is a promising approach to address challenges due to complex individual characteristics, to which treatments need to be tailored. To evaluate the operating characteristics of recent survival machine learning methods for the estimation of treatment effect heterogeneity and inform better practice, we carry out a comprehensive simulation study presenting a wide range of settings describing confounded heterogeneous survival treatment effects and varying degrees of covariate overlap. Our results suggest that the nonparametric Bayesian Additive Regression Trees within the framework of accelerated failure time model (AFT‐BART‐NP) consistently yields the best performance, in terms of bias, precision, and expected regret. Moreover, the credible interval estimators from AFT‐BART‐NP provide close to nominal frequentist coverage for the individual survival treatment effect when the covariate overlap is at least moderate. Including a nonparametrically estimated propensity score as an additional fixed covariate in the AFT‐BART‐NP model formulation can further improve its efficiency and frequentist coverage. Finally, we demonstrate the application of flexible causal machine learning estimators through a comprehensive case study examining the heterogeneous survival effects of two radiotherapy approaches for localized high‐risk prostate cancer.
Ammonium‐Anchored Palladium‐NHC Complex on Polystyrene Resin: A Highly Reactive Catalyst for the Mizoroki‐Heck Reaction**
Authors: Meng Qi , Zhang Huimin , Chen Haiqun , Teng Qiaoqiao
Published: June 2021

A polystyrene supported palladium complex was prepared via quaternization of an amine functionalized NHC palladium complex with Merrifield resin. The material was characterized by multiple spectroscopic and microscopic techniques and applied in the Mizoroki‐Heck reactions. Upon immobilization, the catalytic activity of the Pd‐NHC increased significantly, which even allowed gram‐scale conversions at ppm [Pd] loadings. Kinetic, hot filtration and poisoning tests indicated that the material only functioned as a pre‐catalyst. Soluble Pd(0) species were generated under the catalytic condition as the real catalysts, which were re‐capturable to the ammonium‐NHC functionalized resin support, allowing catalytic recycling for seven times.
Advanced Devices for Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy
Authors: Wang Lude , Dai Chendong , Jiang Lianfu , Tong Gangling , Xiong Yunhai , Khan Karim , Tang Zhongmin , Chen Xiang , Zeng Haibo
Published: June 2021

At present, tumor diagnosis is performed using common procedures, which are slow, costly, and still presenting difficulties in diagnosing tumors at their early stage. Tumor therapeutic methods also mainly rely on large‐scale equipment or non‐intelligent treatment approaches. Thus, an early and accurate tumor diagnosis and personalized treatment may represent the best treatment option for a successful result, and the efforts in finding them are still in progress and mainly focusing on non‐destructive, integrated, and multiple technologies. These objectives can be achieved with the development of advanced devices and smart technology that represent the topic of the current investigations. Therefore, this review summarizes the progress in tumor diagnosis and therapy and briefly explains the advantages and disadvantages of the described microdevices, finally proposing advanced micro smart devices as the future development trend for tumor diagnosis and therapy.
Strategies for Polysulfide Immobilization in Sulfur Cathodes for Room‐Temperature Sodium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Zhou Jiahui , Xu Shengming , Yang Yue
Published: June 2021

Room‐temperature sodium–sulfur batteries are one of the most attractive energy storage systems due to their low cost and ultrahigh energy density (2600 W h kg−1). During the charge/discharge process, the sulfur can react with sodium via a multistep redox reaction to obtain a high specific capacity (1675 mA h g−1). However, these batteries face the difficult challenge of the “shuttle effect,” which hinders their practical application. Many strategies have been employed to address this issue on sulfur electrodes, such as intact physical confinement, chemical inhibition, and electrocatalysis. In this review, the mechanisms of the abovementioned strategies are summarized, the remaining issues are clarified, and research directions are proposed for developing advanced sodium–sulfur batteries.
Self‐Powered Low‐Cost UVC Sensor Based on Organic‐Inorganic Heterojunction for Partial Discharge Detection
Authors: Park Taehyun , Hur Jaehyun
Published: June 2021

Power outages caused by the aging of high‐voltage power facilities can cause significant economic and social damage. To prevent such problems, it is necessary to implement a widespread and sustainable monitoring system. Partial discharge (PD) is a preliminary symptom of power equipment aging accompanying the light, typically in the UV range. UVC (200–280 nm) is more useful than UVA and UVB because of low interference from the environment owing to its solar‐blindness by the stratosphere. Therefore, to realize a wide‐range and durable diagnosis system, it is necessary to develop sensors that can selectively detect UVC, while enabling mass production at low‐cost and low power consumption. Here, a solution‐processable photodiode sensor that is inexpensive, mass‐producible, and self‐powered with selective UVC detection is developed. The optoelectronic characteristics of photodiode consisting of organic p‐polymer and inorganic n‐ZnO nanoparticles are systematically studied to determine the optimum p‐type polymer and its thickness. The device shows high‐performance: fast response time (rise/fall time: 36.6/37.0 ms) and high spectral response in the UVC region (maximum responsivity of 20 mA W−1) under self‐powered operation. Furthermore, the practical application of the device to detect PD signals with a visual alarm system under UVC release conditions is demonstrated.
Fast Response Organic Tandem Photodetector for Visible and Near‐Infrared Digital Optical Communications
Authors: Liu Junshi , Jiang Jizhong , Wang Shuangpeng , Li Tengfei , Jing Xin , Liu Yanling , Wang Yaxi , Wen Han , Yao Mengnan , Zhan Xiaowei , Shen Liang
Published: June 2021

Organic photodetectors (OPDs), which usually work as photodiodes, photoconductors, or phototransistors, have emerged as candidates for next‐generation light sensing. However, low response speed caused by low carrier mobility and resistance‐capacitance (RC) time constant, severely hinders the commercialization of OPDs. Herein, the authors demonstrate a state‐of‐the‐art OPD with a record response speed of 146.8 ns by employing tandem structure to simultaneously reduce both the carrier transit time and RC time constant of the device, which is faster than that of previously reported OPDs as far as they know. Moreover, benefitting from the multi‐level barrier enhancement and voltage division engendered by tandem structure, an ultralow noise current of 7.82 × 10−14 A Hz−1/2 is obtained, as well as a wide detection range in 300–1000 nm. In addition, the tandem OPDs are successfully integrated into the optical communication system as signal receivers, demonstrating the precise digital signal communication from visible to near‐infrared light. It is believed that tandem OPDs have promising application potential in the wireless transmission system.
An Intelligent Graphene‐Based Biosensing Device for Cytokine Storm Syndrome Biomarkers Detection in Human Biofluids
Authors: Hao Zhuang , Luo Yang , Huang Cong , Wang Ziran , Song Guoli , Pan Yunlu , Zhao Xuezeng , Liu Shaoqin
Published: June 2021

Abnormal elevated levels of cytokines such as interferon (IFN), interleukin (IL), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), are considered as one of the prognosis biomarkers for indicating the progression to severe or critical COVID‐19. Hence, it is of great significance to develop devices for monitoring their levels in COVID‐19 patients, and thus enabling detecting COVID‐19 patients that are worsening and to treat them before they become critically ill. Here, an intelligent aptameric dual channel graphene‐TWEEN 80 field effect transistor (DGTFET) biosensing device for on‐site detection of IFN‐γ, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 within 7 min with limits of detection (LODs) of 476 × 10−15, 608 × 10−15, or 611 × 10−15 m respectively in biofluids is presented. Using the customized Android App together with this intelligent device, asymptomatic or mild COVID‐19 patients can have a preliminary self‐detection of cytokines and get a warning reminder while the condition starts to deteriorate. Also, the device can be fabricated on flexible substrates toward wearable applications for moderate or even critical COVID‐19 cases for consistently monitoring cytokines under different deformations. Hence, the intelligent aptameric DGTFET biosensing device is promising to be used for point‐of‐care applications for monitoring conditions of COVID‐19 patients who are in different situations.