bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Availability of Therapies and Services for Parkinson's Disease in Africa: A Continent‐Wide Survey
Authors: Hamid Eman , Ayele Biniyam A. , Massi Daniel Gams , Ben Sassi Samia , Tibar Houyam , Djonga Emmanuel Epenge , El‐Sadig Sarah Misbah , AMER EL KHEDOUD Wahiba , Razafimahefa Julien , Kouame‐Assouan Ange Eric , Ben‐Adji Djibrilla , Lengané Yilédoma Thierry Modeste , Musubire Abdu Kisekka , Mohamed Muhyadin Hassan , Phiri Tiwonge Elisa , Nestor Nsengiyumva , Alwahchi Wael Abdulgader , Neshuku Saara Ndinelago , Ocampo Cassandra , Sakadi Foksouna , Maidal Moulid Ali , Ngwende Gift Wilson , Hooker Juzor , Okeng'o Kigocha , Charway‐Felli Augustina , Atadzhanov Masharip , Carr Jonathan , Okubadejo Njideka U. , Shalash Ali
Published: June 2021

Background

The growing burden of Parkinson's disease (PD) in Africa necessitates the identification of available therapies and services to improve patient care.

Objective

To investigate the availability, affordability, frequency of usage, and insurance coverage of PD therapies (pharmacological, surgical, physical, and speech therapies) and services including specialized clinics, specialists, and nurses across Africa.

Methods

A comprehensive web‐based survey was constructed and distributed to neurologists/physicians with a special interest in PD across Africa. The survey instrument includes components that address availability, affordability, frequency of use, and insurance coverage of different therapies and services.

Results

Responses were received from 28 (of 43 contacted) countries. Levodopa‐based oral preparations were always available in 13 countries (46.4%) with variable affordability and “partial or no” insurance coverage in 60% of countries. Bromocriptine was the most available (50%) and affordable ergot dopamine agonists (DA), whereas non‐ergot DA was always available in only six countries (21.4%). Trihexyphenidyl was the most available and affordable anticholinergic drug (46.4%). Tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were available in most countries (89.3% and 85.7% respectively), with variable affordability. Quetiapine and clozapine were less available. Specialized clinics and nurses were available in 25% and 7.1% of countries surveyed, respectively. Other services were largely unavailable in the countries surveyed.

Conclusion

PD‐specific therapies and services are largely unavailable and unaffordable in most African countries. The data provide a platform for organizing strategies to initiate or scale up existing services and drive policies aimed at improving access to care and tailoring education programs in Africa. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Mutational spectrum of NF1 gene in 24 unrelated Egyptian families with neurofibromatosis type 1
Authors: N. Abdel‐Aziz Nahla , Y. El‐Kamah Ghada , A. Khairat Rabab , R. Mohamed Hanan , Z. Gad Yehia , El‐Ghor Akmal M. , Amr Khalda S.
Published: June 2021

Background

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1; OMIM# 162200) is a common autosomal dominant genetic disease [incidence: ~1:3500]. In 95% of cases, clinical diagnosis of the disease is based on the presence of at least two of the seven National Institute of Health diagnostic criteria. The molecular pathology underlying this disorder entails mutation in the NF1 gene. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical and molecular characteristics of a cohort of Egyptian NF1 patients.

Method

This study included 35 clinically diagnosed NF1 patients descending from 25 unrelated families. Patients had ≥2 NIH diagnostic criteria. Examination of NF1 gene was done through direct cDNA sequencing of multiple overlapping fragments. This was supplemented by NF1 multiple ligation dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analysis of leucocytic DNA.

Results

The clinical presentations encompassed, café‐au‐lait spots in 100% of probands, freckling (52%), neurofibromas (20%), Lisch nodules of the iris (12%), optic pathway glioma (8%), typical skeletal disorders (20%), and positive family history (32%).

Mutations could be detected in 24 families (96%). Eight mutations (33%) were novel.

Conclusion

This study illustrates the underlying molecular pathology among Egyptian NF1 patients for the first time. It also reports on 8 novel mutation expanding pathogenic mutational spectra in the NF1 gene.
Grüss type inequalities via generalized fractional operators
Authors: Butt Saad Ihsan , Akdemir Ahmet Ocak , Nadeem Muhammad , Raza Malik Ali
Published: June 2021

One of the main motivation points in studies on inequalities is to obtain generalizations and to introduce new approaches. In this direction, the generalized fractional integral operators defined within the scope of fractional analysis are quite functional. In this paper, some new integral inequalities have been proved by using generalized fractional integral operators and some classical inequalities for integrable functions. In the proofs of the main findings, the definitions of the generalized fractional integral operator, certain classical relations, and some classical inequalities are used.
Pterostilbene Improves Insulin Resistance Caused by Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) in Hepatocytes and Mice
Authors: Yu Wenzhe , Fan Lida , Wang Mingfu , Cao Bin , Hu Xiaoqian
Published: June 2021

Scope

Increased consumption of modern processed foods rich in AGEs is drawing worldwide concerns because they are related with rising diabetes prevalence. This study aimed to investigate if pterostilbene (PTE) regulates glucose metabolism and insulin signaling, as well as its potential mechanism in the context of AGEs exposure.

Methods and Results

In vitro, Lo2 and HepG2 cells are treated with vehicle, AGEs with or without PTE. AGEs exposure directly impair insulin action as evidenced by assays of insulin‐stimulated glucose uptake, consumption, and output. However, PTE efficiently rescue the AGE‐induced phenotypes in both cell lines, and enhance IRS‐1/PI3K/AKT insulin signaling in a dose‐dependent manner. In vivo, C57BL6 mice are fed with regular, high AGEs diet and high AGEs plus PTE. PTE administration effectively improves hyperglycemia, glucose tolerance, and impaired hepatic insulin signaling induced by AGEs, consistent with the in vitro experiments. Moreover, PTE reduce AGEs accumulation in liver and serum. RNA‐seq data indicate that PTE counteracts several AGEs‐induced dysfunctions including diabetes related process, glucose metabolic process, immune response, and so on.

Conclusion

PTE treatment prominently reduced AGEs accumulation and alleviated AGEs‐associated diabetes symptoms. PTE could be used as a promising glucose‐sensitizing agent for nutritional intervention.
Local perturbation responses and checkerboard tests: Characterization tools for nonlinear MRI methods
Authors: Chan Chin‐Cheng , Haldar Justin P.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Modern methods for MR image reconstruction, denoising, and parameter mapping are becoming increasingly nonlinear, black‐box, and at risk of “hallucination.” These trends mean that traditional tools for judging confidence in an image (visual quality assessment, point‐spread functions (PSFs), g‐factor maps, etc.) are less helpful than before. This paper describes and evaluates an approach that can help with assessing confidence in images produced by arbitrary nonlinear methods.

Theory and Methods

We propose to characterize nonlinear methods by examining the images they produce before and after applying controlled perturbations to the measured data. This results in functions known as local perturbation responses (LPRs) that can provide useful insight into sensitivity, spatial resolution, and aliasing characteristics. LPRs can be viewed as generalizations of classical PSFs, and are are very flexible—they can be applied to arbitary nonlinear methods and arbitrary datasets across a range of different reconstruction, denoising, and parameter mapping applications. Importantly, LPRs do not require a ground truth image.

Results

Impulse‐based and checkerboard‐pattern LPRs are demonstrated in image reconstruction and denoising scenarios. We observe that these LPRs provide insights into spatial resolution, signal leakage, and aliasing that are not available with other methods. We also observe that popular reference‐based image quality metrics (eg, mean‐squared error and structural similarity) do not always correlate with good LPR characteristics.

Conclusions

LPRs are a useful tool that can be used to characterize and assess confidence in nonlinear MR methods, and provide insights that are distinct from and complementary to existing quality assessments.
Sensitivity of fiber orientation dependent to temperature and post mortem interval
Authors: Lenz Claudia , Berger Celine , Bauer Melanie , Scheurer Eva , Birkl Christoph
Published: June 2021

Purpose

imaging of brain white matter is well known for being sensitive to the orientation of nerve fibers with respect to the B0 field of the MRI scanner. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether and to which extent fiber orientation dependent differs between in vivo and post mortem in situ examinations, and to investigate the influence of varying temperatures and post mortem intervals (PMI).

Methods

Post mortem in situ and in vivo MRI scans were conducted at 3T. was acquired with a multi‐echo gradient‐echo sequence, and the orientation of white matter fibers was computed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Fitting of the measured fiber orientation dependent was performed using three different formulations of a previously proposed model.

Results

increased with increasing fiber angle for in vivo and post mortem in situ examinations, whereby the orientation dependency was lower post mortem. The different formulations of the fiber orientation model resulted in an identical fit, but showed large variations of the estimated parameters. The higher order orientation dependent components significantly decreased with decreasing temperature, while the orientation independent components showed no significant correlation with either temperature or PMI.

Conclusion

Although the mean diffusivity is strongly reduced post mortem, we could successfully estimate the fiber angle using DTI. Due to the strong correlation of the higher order orientation dependent components with temperature, the decreased fiber orientation dependency post mortem in situ might primarily be attributed to the lower brain temperature.
Development of Aquaculture Protocols and Gonadal Differentiation of Red Shiner
Authors: Teal Chad N. , Schill Daniel J. , Fogelson Susan B. , Bonar Scott A.
Published: June 2021

Developing detailed rearing methods and describing the onset of gonadal differentiation in Red Shiners Cyprinella lutrensis could facilitate the development of novel techniques to control or enhance populations, enable toxicology studies, and help construct bioassays. In this study, we develop and report aquaculture practices for Red Shiner that ensure consistent year-round production in laboratory settings and evaluate the timing of sexual differentiation via histological gonad examinations. Our methods resulted in a mean of 56.00% (SD = 8.98%) survival through the larval stages of development, and we obtained spawns from captive-reared Red Shiners 138 d posthatch. Red Shiners are gonochoristic, and both ovaries and testes differentiate directly from undifferentiated gonads. Ovaries begin to differentiate in females 45 d posthatch, while testes begin differentiating in males 105 d posthatch. This study provides in-depth protocols for the closed-cycle aquaculture of Red Shiners and describes the gonadal differentiation and development of both sexes.
Investigation of liquefaction‐induced lateral spreading of gently sloping grounds using a variable permeability model
Authors: Malekmakan Mahmood , Shahir Hadi , Ayoubi Peyman
Published: June 2021

Liquefaction‐induced lateral spreading takes place on gently sloping grounds due to the liquefaction of sand layers during an earthquake. This phenomenon had catastrophic effects in past events such as the 1964 Niigata, Japan earthquake. In this study, a recently proposed variable permeability function along with a critical state two‐surface plasticity model is employed in a fully‐coupled dynamic numerical model to simulate the lateral spreading. The variable permeability function is re‐calibrated such that the numerical model is able to simulate lateral spreading in a more realistic way compared to the experimental records. By means of six centrifuge experiments for verification, it is shown that the current numerical model is properly capable to capture the underlying physics of liquefaction‐induced lateral spreading. Using the calibrated model, a comprehensive parametric study is conducted and the results are used to develop a practical correlation to estimate the lateral displacement of a liquefied gently sloped ground.
Effectiveness of demand and fulfillment control in dynamic fleet management of ride‐sharing systems
Authors: Haferkamp Jarmo , Ehmke Jan Fabian
Published: June 2021

In recent years, innovative ride‐sharing systems have gained significant attention. In such systems, dynamic fleet management covers demand and fulfillment control to determine which stochastically incoming requests are to be satisfied and how vehicle resources are utilized for their fulfillment, respectively. Demand and fulfillment control can be implemented ranging from straightforward myopic to more sophisticated anticipatory. In this paper, our aim is twofold: (1) we want to classify how policies implement demand and fulfillment control in the related literature on dynamic fleet management; (2) we want to explore the effectiveness of demand and fulfillment control under varying conditions in order to identify benefits and risks for ride‐sharing systems. To this end, we define policies that differ in the optimization of demand and/or fulfillment control through the exploitation of either confirmed or complete information. Our experimental results demonstrate that demand and fulfillment control affect the performance and service quality of ride‐sharing systems quite differently.
Mitigate Wildfire Impacts on Drinking Water Quality and Operations
Authors: Tran Tiffany , Baribeau Hélène , Sullivan Laurie
Published: June 2021

The 2020 wildfire season set records in the United States, particularly in California, and the effects of those fires can be felt by water utilities throughout their water treatment and distribution systems. In response to these destructive events, the California Urban Water Agencies held a workshop on wildfire impacts to share best management practices, adaptation resources, and lessons learned.
Polyamide layer sulfonation of a nanofiltration membrane to enhance perm‐selectivity via regulation of pore size and surface charge
Authors: Wang Biao , Zhao Dongsheng
Published: June 2021

In this study, sulfonated nanofiltration membranes were synthesized via interfacial polymerization (IP) of aqueous‐phase piperazine (PIP), 3‐amino‐1‐propanesulfonic acid (APA), and organic‐phase trimesoyl chloride (TMC) monomers on porous substrates. Membranes with different APA contents were thoroughly characterized to determine how APA affected the physicochemical characteristics and perm‐selectivity of the membranes. Membrane characterization confirmed the incorporation of APA into the generated polyamide (PA) layer. The optimal membrane performance was obtained at a 0.8 w/v% aqueous‐phase APA content, where the enhanced membrane molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) and surface hydrophilicity resulted in a pure water permeability of 11.9 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, approximately 13.1% higher than that of the blank membrane. Enhanced electrostatic repulsion of the APA‐modified membrane on Na2SO4 resulted in up to a 96.2% Na2SO4 rejection rate. The 24.3% NaCl rejection rate resulted in NaCl/Na2SO4 selectivity for the mixed‐salt solution of the optimized membrane of 19.9, which was a significant increase over that of the blank. The embedding of APA did not affect the long‐term stability of the NF membrane. The combined effects of the hydrophilicity, charge, and roughness of the membrane surface slightly enhanced the antifouling ability of the APA‐modified membrane over that of the blank. This study provides a facile strategy for the fabrication of NF membranes with high perm‐selectivity.
Generation of nylon copolymer reinforced with carbon nanotubes and thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers for use in fused filament fabrication
Authors: Han Jier Y. , Chen Tianran , Baird Donald G.
Published: June 2021

Multiscale thermoplastic composites consisting of nylon copolymer (PAc) reinforced with thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were generated in the form of strands and then processed via fused filament fabrication (FFF). The tensile modulus and strength of the laid‐up strands were found to be similar to those reported for polymer reinforced with nearly continuous carbon fibers. In this paper, 1 wt% CNTs were discovered to significantly enhance tensile properties of a nylon copolymer (PAc) reinforced with 20, 30, and 40 wt% TLCP wholly thermoplastic composite (WTC). The WTC filaments were then laid down via fused filament fabrication (FFF). Based on the previous work carried out in our lab, 1 wt% CNTs were the crucial concentration to efficiently enhance carbon fiber (CF) reinforced multiscale composites. The deagglomerated CNT dispersion in the WTCs was accomplished by using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). The effects of TLCP concentration and printing patterns in the lay‐down processes were explored. The most improvement in tensile properties due to the 1 wt% addition of CNTs was observed to be for the 20 wt% TLCP/1 wt% CNTs/PAc samples. The resulting composite filaments exhibited 225% and 80% improvement in the tensile modulus and strength, respectively, compared to the wholly thermoplastic composites (WTCs) without CNTs. In addition, 40 wt% TLCP/1 wt% CNT/PAc 3D printed specimens with filaments laid parallel to the printing direction exhibited excellent tensile modulus and strength of 38.92 GPa and 127.16 MPa, respectively. The measured tensile modulus of 40 wt% TLCP reinforced WTC is even higher than the reported 69 wt% long glass fiber (LGF) or 26 wt% long carbon fiber (LCF) reinforced nylon in fused filament fabrication with the same printing pattern.
The role of interface on dynamic mechanical properties, dielectric performance, conductivity, and thermal stability of electrospun carbon nanofibers reinforced epoxy
Authors: Aziz Iram , Duran Hatice , Saleem Murtaza , Yameen Basit , Arshad Salman Noshear
Published: June 2021

Polymer nanocomposites containing pristine (PCNF) and amine‐functionalized (NFCNF) electrospun carbon nanofibers were fabricated. The amine‐terminated functional groups on CNFs, with a surface coverage of 2.76 mmol/g, react with the epoxy monomers forming covalent linkages for better dispersion and stronger interface. The improved load transfer resulted in an improvement of 82% in storage modulus (rubbery region~70°C) and 20°C increase in the glass transition temperature for 1 wt% NFCNF‐epoxy. Tensile strength and modulus improves by 22% and 27%, respectively, for 2 wt% NFCNF‐epoxy. The thermal stability, dielectric properties and AC/DC conductivity are discussed in terms of the interfacial characteristics. These results highlight the potential of electrospun CNFs as structural and functional reinforcement.
Unique combination of spatial and temporal control of maleic anhydride plasma polymerization
Authors: Jebali Syrine , Airoudj Aissam , Ferreira Isabelle , Hegemann Dirk , Roucoules Vincent , Gall Florence Bally‐Le
Published: June 2021

The chemical properties of plasma polymers strongly depend on the operating conditions of plasma polymerization and impact their final application. Low‐pressure pulsed plasma polymerization of maleic anhydride was investigated at different positions from the glow discharge in a unique 1‐m‐long reactor. Based on a macroscopic approach, the growth kinetics of maleic anhydride plasma polymerization was investigated, leading to the identification of three growth regimes. The calculation of apparent activation energies associated with each regime and each position and the chemical characterization of polymer films by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection–Fourier‐transform infrared as well as optical emission spectroscopy analyses of plasma species formed during deposition strongly indicate a combined spatial and temporal influence on the plasma polymerization kinetics.
Ethical considerations of urban ecological design and planning experiments
Authors: Pataki Diane E. , Santana Carlos G. , Hinners Sarah J. , Felson Alexander J. , Engebretson Jesse
Published: June 2021

Societal Impact Statement

It is increasingly common for plant scientists and urban planning and design professionals to collaborate on interdisciplinary teams that integrate scientific experiments into public and social urban spaces. However, neither the procedural ethics that govern scientific experimentation, nor the professional ethics of urban design and planning practice, fully account for the possible impacts of urban ecological experiments on local residents and communities. Scientists that participate in design and planning teams act as decision‐makers, and must expand their domain of ethical consideration accordingly. Conversely, practitioners who engage in ecological experiments take on the moral responsibilities inherent in generation of knowledge. To avoid potential harm to human and non‐human inhabitants of cities while maintaining scientific and professional integrity in research and practice, an integrated ethical framework is needed for urban ecological planning and design.

While there are many ethical and procedural guidelines for scientists who wish to inform decision‐making and public policy, urban ecologists are increasingly embedded in planning and design teams to integrate scientific measurements and experiments into urban landscapes. These scientists are not just informing decision‐making – they are themselves acting as decision‐makers. As such, researchers take on additional moral obligations beyond scientific procedural ethics when designing and conducting ecological design and planning experiments. We describe the growing field of urban ecological design and planning and present a framework for expanding the ethical considerations of socioecological researchers and urban practitioners who collaborate on interdisciplinary teams. Drawing on existing ethical frameworks from a range of disciplines, we outline possible ways in which ecologists, social scientists, and practitioners should expand the traditional ethical considerations of their work to ensure that urban residents, communities, and non‐human entities are not harmed as researchers and practitioners carry out their individual obligations to clients, municipalities, and scientific practice. We present an integrated framework to aid in the development of ethical codes for research, practice, and education in integrated urban ecology, socioenvironmental sciences, and design and planning.
A narrative review of diaphragmatic ultrasound in pediatric critical care
Authors: Weber Mark D. , Lim Joel K. B. , Glau Christie , Conlon Thomas , James Richard , Lee Jan Hau
Published: June 2021

The use of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) at the bedside has increased dramatically within emergency medicine and in critical care. Applications of POCUS have spread to include diaphragmatic assessments in both adults and children. Diaphragm POCUS can be used to assess for diaphragm dysfunction (DD) and atrophy or to guide ventilator titration and weaning. Quantitative, semi‐quantitative and qualitative measurements of diaphragm thickness, diaphragm excursion, and diaphragm thickening fraction provide objective data related to DD and atrophy. The potential for quick, noninvasive, and repeatable bedside diaphragm assessments has led to a growing amount of literature on diaphragm POCUS. To date, there are no reviews of the current state of diaphragm POCUS in pediatric critical care. The aims of this narrative review are to summarize the current literature regarding techniques, reference values, applications, and future innovations of diaphragm POCUS in critically ill children. A summary of current practice and future directions will be discussed.
Mode of action and efficacy of quinolinic acid for the control of Ceratocystis fimbriata on sweet potato
Authors: Chen Ying , Zhou Yi‐Dong , Laborda Pablo , Wang Hai‐Lin , Wang Rui , Chen Xian , Liu Feng‐Quan , Yang Dong‐Jing , Wang Su‐Yan , Shi Xin‐Chi , Laborda Pedro
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUND

Ceratocystis fimbriata is a hazardous fungal pathogen able to cause black rot disease on sweet potato. The management of C. fimbriata strongly relies on the use of toxic fungicides, and there is a lack of efficient alternative strategies.

RESULTS

The antifungal properties of quinolinic acid (QA) were studied for the first time, indicating that QA shows selective antifungal activity against C. fimbriata. QA inhibited completely the mycelial growth of C. fimbriata at less than 0.8 mg mL–1 concentration (pH 4), and was able to produce alterations in the fungal cell wall, and to impede spore agglutination and mycelium formation. QA significantly reduced the concentration of ergosterol, and was able to associate to iron (II), suggesting that QA may be a lanosterol 14‐α demethylase inhibitor. In preventive applications, QA reduced the disease incidence of C. fimbriata on sweet potato by 75%, achieving higher control efficacy in comparison with commercial fungicides prochloraz and carbendazim.

CONCLUSIONS

The first selective antifungal agent against C. fimbriata was discovered in this work, and showed suitable antifungal properties for the management of black rot disease. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
An ALA122THR substitution in the AHAS/ALS gene confers imazamox‐resistance in Aegilops cylindrica
Authors: Rodriguez Jeanette , Hauvermale Amber , Carter Arron , Zuger Rachel , Burke Ian C
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUND

Wheat growers have limited herbicide options to manage Aegilops cylindrica Host (jointed goatgrass), with many relying on mesosulfuron or imazamox in Clearfield™ winter wheat. Both imazamox and mesosulfuron inhibit acetohydroxyacid synthase/acetolactate synthase (AHAS/ALS). In 2015, a suspected imazamox resistant biotype of Ae. cylindrica was found in eastern Washington.

RESULTS

Imazamox and mesosulfuron were applied to the suspected resistant and susceptible Ae. cylindrica biotypes in increasing application rates to evaluate herbicide dose needed to cause 50% growth reduction (GR50). The imazamox resistant biotype had a GR50 of 308.5 g ai ha−1 and was more than 5000 times more resistant to imazamox than a known susceptible biotype with a GR50 of 0.06 g ai ha−1. The Ae. cylindrica resistant biotype was also resistant to mesosulfuron, with an GR50 of 46.82 g ai ha−1, which was five times more than the susceptible GR50 of 8.6 g ai ha−1. Sequencing of the AHAS/ALS gene revealed an Ala122Thr substitution in the herbicide binding region of the AHAS/ALS gene on the D genome of Ae. cylindrica. The resistance trait was inherited as a dominant trait, and the Ala122Thr co‐segregates with the resistance phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

An Ala122Thr substitution in the AHAS/ALS gene on the D genome of Ae. cylindrica confers resistance to imazamox in Ae. cylindrica. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Evaluating the success of treatments that slow spread of an invasive insect pest
Authors: Walter Jonathan A , Rodenberg Clare A , Stovall Atticus E L , Nunez‐Mir Gabriela C , Onufrieva Ksenia S , Johnson Derek M
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUND

Treatments for the suppression and eradication of insect populations undergo substantial testing to ascertain their efficacy and safety, but the generally limited spatial and temporal scope of such studies limit knowledge of how contextual factors encountered in operational contexts shape the relative success of pest management treatments. These contextual factors potentially include ecological characteristics of the treated area, or the timing of treatments relative to pest phenology and weather events. We used an extensive database on over 1000 treatments of nascent populations of Lymantria dispar (L.) (gypsy moth) to examine how place‐based and time‐varying conditions shape the success of management treatments.

RESULTS

We found treatment success to vary across states and years, and to be highest in small treatment blocks that are isolated from other populations. In addition, treatment success tended to be lower in treatment blocks with open forest canopies, possibly owing to challenges of effectively distributing treatments in these areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings emphasize the importance of monitoring for early detection of nascent gypsy moth colonies in order to successfully slow the spread of the invasion. Additionally, operations research should address best practices for effectively treating with patchy and open forest canopies. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Eosinophilia associated with clozapine therapy
Authors: Lam Y. W. Francis
Published: June 2021

Clozapine is used in the management of treatment‐resistant schizophrenia. However, its utility is limited by the occurrence of agranulocytosis, neutropenia, and leukopenia in up to 3% of patients, necessitating regular monitoring of hematological laboratory indices. In addition, several cases of self‐limiting eosinophilia have been reported in the literature, with most cases occurring 4 weeks after treatment initiation and rarely exceeding a 35% relative eosinophil count (percentage of white blood cells that are eosinophils).
Robotic versus laparoscopic distal pancreatectomies: A systematic review and meta‐analysis on costs and perioperative outcome
Authors: Di Martino Marcello , Caruso Riccardo , D'Ovidio Angelo , Núñez‐Alfonsel Javier , Burdió Pinilla Fernando , Quijano Collazo Yolanda , Vicente Emilio , Ielpo Benedetto
Published: June 2021

Aim

The aim of this meta‐analysis is to compare perioperative outcomes and costs of robotic and laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (RDP and LDP).

Material and methods

In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, we searched Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane and Web of Science for reports published before December 2020.

Results

The literature search identified 11 papers (1 187 patients). RDP showed a lower conversion rate (odds ratio: 2.56, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.31 to 5.00) with no significant differences in bleeding and operative time, complications ≥ Clavien–Dindo grade III, pancreatic fistulas and length of stay. Despite RDP presenting higher costs in all included studies, none of these differences were significant. However, RDP showed higher total costs than LDP (standardized mean differences [SMD]: −1.18, 95% CI: −1.97 to −0.39). A subgroup analysis according to the continent of origin showed that studies coming from Asian research groups kept showing significant differences (SMD: −2.62, 95% CI: −3.38 to −1.85), while Western groups did not confirm these findings.

Conclusion

Based on low‐quality evidence, despite some potential technical advantages, RDP still seems to be costlier than LDP.
Distributed Nash equilibrium learning: A second‐order proximal algorithm
Authors: Pan Wei , Lu Yu , Jia Zehua , Zhang Weidong
Published: June 2021

This article addresses the distributed Nash equilibrium (NE) seeking problem for multiagent networked games with partial decision information. We employ a quadratically approximated alternating direction method of multipliers together with an augmented consensus procedure to compute the NE of games with twice differentiable cost functions. The resulting second‐order proximal algorithm enjoys relatively fast convergence rate and less burden on step size selection compared with the existing works. Numerical simulations are consistent with our theoretical analysis.
Normal forms and internal regularization of nonlinear differential‐algebraic control systems
Authors: Chen Yahao , Trenn Stephan , Respondek Witold
Published: June 2021

In this article, we propose two normal forms for nonlinear differential‐algebraic control systems (DACSs) under external feedback equivalence, using a notion called maximal controlled invariant submanifold. The two normal forms simplify the system structures and facilitate understanding the various roles of variables for nonlinear DACSs. Moreover, we study when a given nonlinear DACS is internally regularizable, that is, when there exists a state feedback transforming the DACS into a differential‐algebraic equation (DAE) with internal regularity, the latter notion is closely related to the existence and uniqueness of solutions of DAEs. We also revise a commonly used method in DAE solution theory, called the geometric reduction method. We apply this method to DACSs and formulate it as an algorithm, which is used to construct maximal controlled invariant submanifolds and to find internal regularization feedbacks. Two examples of mechanical systems are used to illustrate the proposed normal forms and to show how to internally regularize DACSs.
Online inverse reinforcement learning for nonlinear systems with adversarial attacks
Authors: Lian Bosen , Xue Wenqian , Lewis Frank L. , Chai Tianyou
Published: June 2021

In the inverse reinforcement learning (RL) problem, there are two agents. A learner agent seeks to mimic another expert agent's state and control input behavior trajectories by observing the expert's behavior trajectories. These observations are used to reconstruct the unknown expert's performance objective. This article develops novel inverse RL algorithms to solve the inverse RL problem in which both agents suffer from adversarial attacks and have continuous‐time nonlinear dynamics. We first propose an offline inverse RL algorithm for the learner to reconstruct unknown expert's performance objective. This offline inverse RL algorithm is based on the technique of integral RL (IRL) and only needs partial knowledge of the system dynamics. The algorithm has two learning stages: an optimal control learning stage first and a second learning stage based on inverse optimal control. Then, based on the offline algorithm, an online inverse RL algorithm is further developed to solve the inverse RL problem in real time without knowing the system drift dynamics. This online adaptive learning method consists of simultaneous adaptation of four neural networks (NNs): a critic NN, an actor NN, an adversary NN, and a state penalty NN. Convergence of the algorithms as well as the stability of the learner system and the synchronous tuning NNs are guaranteed. Simulation examples verify the effectiveness of the online method.
Impact of nitrogen management and tillage practices on nitrous oxide emissions from rainfed corn
Authors: Arango Miguel A. , Rice Charles W.
Published: June 2021

More than 85% of anthropogenic N2O emissions are associated with N enrichment of agricultural soils. Improving management strategies can reduce N2O emissions in agricultural systems by limiting optimal soil N and water conditions for the production of N2O. The objective of this study was to assess N2O emissions from different N management strategies under long‐term tillage systems. Two N management strategies were evaluated: (a) source (compost and urea) and (b) placement (broadcast and surface‐banded application of urea under conventional till and no‐till systems). Overall, soil N2O emissions were affected by the availability of inorganic N and precipitation rather than tillage. Conventional till and no‐till emissions were not significantly different. Banded application of N increased overall N2O emissions by 30% compared with broadcast N application without affecting yield and N uptake. In general, synthetic N fertilizers increased N2O emissions more than organic fertilizers, but organic fertilizer characteristics, such as the carbon content, could increase emissions.
Structural Design Strategy and Active Site Regulation of High‐Efficient Bifunctional Oxygen Reaction Electrocatalysts for Zn–Air Battery
Authors: Liu Xu , Zhang Guangying , Wang Lei , Fu Honggang
Published: June 2021

Zinc–air batteries (ZABs) exhibit high energy density as well as flexibility, safety, and portability, thereby fulfilling the requirements of power batteries and consumer batteries. However, the limited efficiency and stability are still the significant challenge. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are two crucial cathode reactions in ZABs. Development of bifunctional ORR/OER catalysts with high efficiency and well stability is critical to improve the performance of ZABs. In this review, the ORR and OER mechanisms are first explained. Further, the design principles of ORR/OER electrocatalysts are discussed in terms of atomic adjustment mechanism and structural design in conjunction with the latest reported in situ characterization techniques, which provide useful insights on the ORR/OER mechanisms of the catalyst. The improvement in the energy efficiency, stability, and environmental adaptability of the new hybrid ZAB by the inclusion of additional reaction, including the introduction of transition‐metal redox couples in the cathode and the addition of modifiers in the electrolyte to change the OER pathway, is also summarized. Finally, current challenges and future research directions are presented.
Tuning the Chemical Properties of Co–Ti3C2Tx MXene Materials for Catalytic CO2 Reduction
Authors: Ma Jun , Jiang Qian , Zhou Yanan , Chu Wei , Perathoner Siglinda , Jiang Chengfa , Wu Kuang‐Hsu , Centi Gabriele , Liu Yuefeng
Published: June 2021

MXenes, a novel family of 2D materials, are energy materials that have gained considerable attention, particularly for their catalytic applications in emerging areas such as CO2 and N2 hydrogenation. Herein, for the first time, it is shown that the surface reducibility of Ti3C2Tx MXene can be tuned by N doping, which induces a change in the catalytic properties of supported Co nanoparticles. Pristine Co–Ti3C2Tx MXene favors CO production during CO2 hydrogenation, whereas CH4 production is favored when the MXene is subjected to simple N doping. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveal that surface rutile TiO2 nanoparticles appear on the Ti3C2Tx support upon N doping, which interact strongly with the supported Co nanoparticles. This interaction alters the reducibility of the supported Co nanoparticles at the interface with the TiO2 nanoparticles, shifting the product selectivity from CO to CH4. This study successfully showcases a practical strategy, based on surface chemistry modulation of 2D MXenes, for regulating product distribution in CO2 hydrogenation.
NIR‐II Photoacoustic Reporter for Biopsy‐Free and Real‐Time Assessment of Wilson's Disease
Authors: Fu Qinrui , Ye Jiamin , Wang Juejun , Liao Naishun , Feng Hongjuan , Su Lichao , Ge Xiaoguang , Yang Huanghao , Song Jibin
Published: June 2021

Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare inherited disorder of copper metabolism with pathological copper hyperaccumulation in some vital organs. However, the clinical diagnosis technique of WD is complicated, aggressive, and time‐consuming. In this work, a novel ratiometric photoacoustic (PA) imaging nanoprobe in the NIR‐II window is developed to achieve noninvasive, rapid, and accurate Cu2+ quantitative detection in vitro and in vivo. The nanoprobe consists of Cu2+‐responsive IR970 dye and a nonresponsive palladium‐coated gold nanorod (AuNR‐Pd), achieving a concentration‐dependent ratiometric PA970/PA1260 signal change. The urinary Cu2+ content is detectable within minutes down to a detection limit of 76 × 10−9 m. This report acquisition time is several orders of magnitude shorter than those of existing detection approaches requiring complex procedure. Moreover, utilizing the ratiometric PA nanoprobe, PA imaging enables biopsy‐free measurement of the liver Cu2+ content and visualization of the liver Cu2+ biodistribution of WD patient, which avoid the body injury during the clinical Cu2+ test using liver biopsy method. The NIR‐II ratiometric PA detection method is simple and noninvasive with super precision, celerity, and simplification, which holds great promise as an alternative to liver biopsy for clinical diagnosis of WD.
A Renewable Light‐Promoted Flexible Li‐CO2 Battery with Ultrahigh Energy Efficiency of 97.9%
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Xue , Guan De‐Hui , Li Fei , Li Ma‐Lin , Zheng Li‐Jun , Xu Ji‐Jing
Published: June 2021

Directly converting and storing abundant solar energy in next‐generation energy storage devices is of central importance to build a sustainable society. Herein, a new prototype of a light‐promoted rechargeable and flexible Li‐CO2 battery with a TiO2/carbon cloth (CC) cathode is reported for the direct utilization of solar energy to promote the kinetics of the carbon dioxide reduction reaction and carbon dioxide evolution reaction (CO2ER). Under illumination, photoelectrons are generated in the conduction band of TiO2/CC, followed by the enhancing diffusion of electrons and lithium ions during the discharge process. The photoelectrons on the cathode surface can regulate the morphology of the discharge product Li2CO3, contributing to boosting the kinetics of the subsequent CO2ER process. In the reverse charge process, photogenerated holes can favor the decomposition of Li2CO3, leading to a negative charge potential of 2.88 V without increased polarization over ≈60 h of cycling. Owing to an ultralow overpotential of 0.06 V between the discharge and charge process, an ultrahigh energy efficiency of 97.9% is attained under illumination. The introduction of a light‐promoted flexible Li‐CO2 battery can pave the way toward developing the use of solar energy to address the charging overpotential of conventional Li‐CO2 batteries.
In Situ Observation of Low‐Power Nano‐Synaptic Response in Graphene Oxide Using Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Hui Fei , Liu Peisong , Hodge Stephen A. , Carey Tian , Wen Chao , Torrisi Felice , Galhena D. Thanuja L. , Tomarchio Flavia , Lin Yue , Moreno Enrique , Roldan Juan B. , Koren Elad , Ferrari Andrea C. , Lanza Mario
Published: June 2021

Multiple studies have reported the observation of electro‐synaptic response in different metal/insulator/metal devices. However, most of them analyzed large (>1 µm2) devices that do not meet the integration density required by industry (1010 devices/mm2). Some studies emploied a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to explore nano‐synaptic response in different materials, but in this setup there is a nanogap between the insulator and one of the metallic electrodes (i.e., the STM tip), not present in real devices. Here, it is demonstrated how to use conductive atomic force microscopy to explore the presence and quality of nano‐synaptic response in confined areas <50 nm2. Graphene oxide (GO) is selected due to its easy fabrication. Metal/GO/metal nano‐synapses exhibit potentiation and paired pulse facilitation with low write current levels <1 µA (i.e., power consumption ≈3 µW), controllable excitatory post‐synaptic currents, and long‐term potentiation and depression. The results provide a new method to explore nano‐synaptic plasticity at the nanoscale, and point to GO as an important candidate for the fabrication of ultrasmall (<50 nm2) electronic synapses fulfilling the integration density requirements of neuromorphic systems.
A Single Magnetic Particle with Nearly Unlimited Encoding Options
Authors: Müssig Stephan , Reichstein Jakob , Prieschl Johannes , Wintzheimer Susanne , Mandel Karl
Published: June 2021

Communicating objects are demanded for product security and the concepts of a circular economy or the Internet of Nano Things. Smart additives in the form of particles can be the key to equip objects with the desired materials intelligence as their miniaturized size improves applicability and security. Beyond their proposed identification by optical signals, magnetic signals deriving from magnetic particles can hypothetically be used for identification but are to date only resolved roughly. Herein, a magnetic particle‐based toolbox is reported, that provides more than 77 billion (77 × 109) different magnetic codes, adjustable in one single particle, that can be read out unambiguously, easily, and quickly. The key towards achieving the vast code variety is a hierarchical supraparticle design that is inspired by music: similarly to how the line‐up variation of a musical ensemble yields distinguishable overtones, the variation of the supraparticle composition alters their magnetic overtones. By minimizing magnetic interactions, customizable signals are spectrally decoded by the simple method of magnetic particle spectroscopy. A large number of chemically adjustable magnetic codes and the possibility of their remote, contactless detection from within materials is a breakthrough for unexploited labeling applications and pave the way towards materials intelligence.
Metal Chalcogenides with Heterostructures for High‐Performance Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Li Yu , Wu Feng , Qian Ji , Zhang Minghao , Yuan Yanxian , Bai Ying , Wu Chuan
Published: June 2021

Heterostructures exhibit intriguing and significant properties for functional material applications, such as photosensing devices, semiconductor materials, and supercapacitors. Rechargeable batteries as typical energy‐storage devices have drawn widespread attention in the past several decades, on account of high energy density, being low‐cost, and ecofriendly. Preparing superior active materials is the critical technology to ameliorate the electrochemical performance of batteries. In recent years, the concept of constructing heterostructures for the application of electrode materials has been considered as a promising design approach. Among all the electrode materials, metal chalcogenides (MCs) have presented excellent properties due to their high theoretical capacity based on multielectron reaction. Herein, the progress on MCs with heterostructures is summarized in terms of various material species and their specific application for several typical battery systems. Finally, possible challenges and comprehensive perspectives are given to provide an instructive direction for the thoughtful design strategies of heterostructures and the development of MCs for next‐generations rechargeable batteries.
Periphery Modification of Tetrathiafulvalenes: Recent Development and Applications
Authors: Yoshimura Aya , Misaki Yohji
Published: June 2021

Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and its analogs are fascinating molecules in materials science based on their excellent electron‐donating abilities. This personal account describes recent advances in the synthesis of TTF analogs for functional materials via the palladium‐catalyzed modification of peripheries of TTF analogs. We first consider three types of molecules: fluorophore‐TTF hybrid molecules, multi‐redox systems, and an organic ligand for metal‐organic frameworks. These molecules were successfully synthesized via Stille coupling or palladium‐catalyzed direct C−H arylation and their structural, electrochemical, and optical properties were clarified. Subsequently, phosphorus‐substituted TTF analogs were successfully synthesized for future applications of redox‐active phosphine ligands for metal catalysts. The development of these molecules can significantly affect the advancement of chemical science.