bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multivariable prognostic model for heart failure in Chinese Han population‐based setting
Authors: Huang Man , Xiao Lei , Sun Yang , Hu Dong , Chen Yanghui , Wang Yan , Wang Dao Wen
Published: April 2022

Aims

The prognosis of heart failure (HF) depends on genetic predisposition, and recent studies have shown that impaired autophagy is involved in HF. This study was aimed to construct a prognostic model combining polygenetic background based on the autophagy pathway and other traditional risk factors (TRF) of HF prognosis.

Methods and results

Via re‐analysing the transcriptomic data of 50 failing and 14 non‐failing donors, differentially expressed autophagy‐related genes (ARGs) were chosen for further comparison and analysis with whole exome sequencing and follow‐up data of 1000 HF patients. By searching from reported articles, prognosis‐related polymorphisms were identified. ARGs and prognosis‐related polymorphisms were used to develop genetic risk score (GRS) and genetic risk factor (GRF), respectively. We compared the predictive power of five models [Model 1, GRS; Model 2, composite of TRF and N‐terminal B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP); Model 3, composite of TRF, NT‐proBNP, and GRS; Model 4, composite of TRF, NT‐proBNP, and GRF; and Model 5, composite of TRF, NT‐proBNP, GRF, and GRS] by applying receiver operating characteristic curves. Twenty‐four prognosis‐related polymorphisms were used to construct GRF and 11 variants among 48 differentially expressed ARGs associated with clinical outcomes of HF patients were applied for GRS. GRS was strongly associated with cardiac mortality of HF patients, independent of TRF and GRF (95% confidence interval 1.273–1.739, P = 5.78 × 10−7). Comparing with patients with lowest GRS tertile, those with highest tertile had higher risks of developing worse clinical outcomes (hazard ratio = 1.866; 95% confidence interval 1.352–2.575, P = 1.47 × 10−4). The discrimination power of the model including GRS, TRF, GRF, and NT‐proBNP is most considerable (area under curve = 0.777), especially in men, patients over 60, patients with hypertension, patients without diabetes or hyperlipidaemia.

Conclusions

The model combining autophagy‐related GRS, TRF, GRF, and NT‐proBNP performs well in distinguishing between worse‐prognosis and better‐prognosis HF patients, leading a promising strategy for HF treatment and HF prevention.
Cationic Iridium(I) NHC‐Phosphinidene Complexes and Their Application in Hydrogen Isotope Exchange Reactions
Authors: Peters Marius , Bockfeld Dirk , Tamm Matthias
Published: April 2022

The reaction of the dimeric iridium complex [Ir(cod)Cl]2 (cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene) with the N‐heterocyclic carbene‐phosphinidene adduct (IDipp)PH (1, IDipp=1,3‐bis(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin‐2‐ylidene) afforded the neutral bimetallic iridium(I) complex [μ‐{(IDipp)PH}{Ir(cod)Cl}2] (2), and further addition of IDipp(PH) (1) yielded the corresponding monometallic iridium(I) complex [{(IDipp)PH}Ir(cod)Cl] (3). Dechlorination of these complexes with sodium tetrakis[3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaBArF4) yielded their cationic derivatives [{μ‐(IDipp)PH}{Ir(cod)}2{μ‐Cl}][BArF4] (4) and [{(IDipp)PH}Ir(cod)(PPh3)][BArF4] (5). All complexes were structurally characterized and showed the expected square‐planar coordination geometry and significant polarization of the P−C bond of the NHC‐phosphinidene adduct upon metal coordination. The complexes 4 and 5 were tested for their applicability in catalytic H/D exchange reactions, and both complexes showed high activity for a broad range of aromatic substrates, ranging from ketones, amides, esters, nitro compounds and heterocycles.
Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to Syngas and HCOOH by Homogeneous Fc‐NAP2
Authors: Akhter Sk Samim , Padhi Sumanta Kumar
Published: April 2022

Catalytic CO2 reduction is an emerging domain of sustainable energy. The behavior of polypyridyl ligand to reduce CO2 into value‐added products is quite rare. In this study, the Fc‐NAP2 (Fc‐NAP2=1,1‐bis[1,8‐naphthyrid‐2‐yl]ferrocene) has been employed for CO2 reduction in CH3CN/H2O (90 : 10, v/v) under homogeneous electrochemical conditions at −1.6 V vs. SCE. The Fc‐NAP2 efficiently produces CO/HCOOH/H2 from CO2 through proton coupled 2e− reduction at an overpotential of 735 mV vs. SCE, wherein the TOF and Faradaic efficiency of CO, H2, and HCOOH was found to be 8.5 h−1, 14 h−1, 4.61 h−1 and 11.9±0.09 %, 19.4±0.08 %, 10.8±0.02 % respectively at −1.6 V vs. SCE after 3 h of electrolysis.
Organic Synthesis with Elemental Lanthanides – Going Beyond Samarium and Ytterbium
Authors: Bousrez Guillaume , Jaroschik Florian
Published: April 2022

Lanthanide (Ln) metals are strong reducing agents (E0(Ln3+/Ln0)≈−2.3 V vs. NHE) which can be applied in various manners in organic synthesis. While samarium and ytterbium have been employed for more than 50 years, the last 20 years have seen the emergence of synthetic applications using other metals, such as lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium or dysprosium. The large electron reservoir of lanthanide metals, the Lewis acidic character of the Ln3+ ions and their intermediate electronegativity compared to lithium or magnesium can provide unique reactivity patterns. This review provides an overview on the potential of these metals for synthetic organic chemistry in the following areas: 1) for Grignard type reactivity and radical generation, 2) in reduction chemistry involving carbonyl compounds and dehalogenation reactions and 3) in combination with transition metals.
Fish Species Sensitivity Ranking Depends on Pesticide Exposure Profiles
Authors: Nickisch Born Gericke Dirk , Rall Björn Christian , Singer Alexander , Ashauer Roman
Published: April 2022

In the regulatory environmental risk assessment of plant protection products, the exposure tested in standard toxicity tests assumes simple exposure dynamics, such as constant exposure at the first stage of testing. However, environmental exposure can be highly dynamic. A species response to exposure is governed by toxicokinetics (TK) and toxicodynamics (TD). Therefore, it can be expected that the sensitivity of a species to a substance is dependent on the interplay of TKTD processes with the dynamics of the exposure. We investigated whether exposure dynamics affects species sensitivity of five fish species and if their sensitivity rankings differ among exposure profiles. We analyzed individual survival under projected surface water exposure to benzovindiflupyr. For this purpose, we calibrated compound- and species-specific reduced general unified threshold models of survival (GUTS-RED) models from standard laboratory toxicity data with the assumptions of stochastic death and individual tolerance. Using the calibrated models, we generated species sensitivity distributions based on median lethal profile multiplication factors for three characteristic exposure profiles. The analysis was performed using different GUTS-RED implementations: openGUTS (MATLAB® and Windows® versions) and the R package morse. The sensitivity rankings of the fish species changed as a function of exposure profile. For a multiple-peak scenario, rainbow trout was the most sensitive species. For a single peak followed by a slow concentration decline the most sensitive species was the fathead minnow (GUTS-RED-stochastic death) or the common carp (GUTS-RED-individual tolerance). Our results suggest that a single most sensitive species cannot be defined for all situations, all exposure profiles, and both GUTS-RED variants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1732–1741. © 2022 Syngenta. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Benchmarking statistical methods for analyzing parent–child dyads in genetic association studies
Authors: Ray Debashree , Vergara Candelaria , Taub Margaret A. , Wojcik Genevieve , Ladd‐Acosta Christine , Beaty Terri H. , Duggal Priya
Published: April 2022

Genetic association studies of child health outcomes often employ family‐based study designs. One of the most popular family‐based designs is the case–parent trio design that considers the smallest possible nuclear family consisting of two parents and their affected child. This trio design is particularly advantageous for studying relatively rare disorders because it is less prone to type 1 error inflation due to population stratification compared to population‐based study designs (e.g., case–control studies). However, obtaining genetic data from both parents is difficult, from a practical perspective, and many large studies predominantly measure genetic variants in mother–child dyads. While some statistical methods for analyzing parent‐child dyad data (most commonly involving mother–child pairs) exist, it is not clear if they provide the same advantage as trio methods in protecting against population stratification, or if a specific dyad design (e.g., case–mother dyads vs. case–mother/control–mother dyads) is more advantageous. In this article, we review existing statistical methods for analyzing genome‐wide marker data on dyads and perform extensive simulation experiments to benchmark their type I errors and statistical power under different scenarios. We extend our evaluation to existing methods for analyzing a combination of case–parent trios and dyads together. We apply these methods on genotyped and imputed data from multiethnic mother–child pairs only, case–parent trios only or combinations of both dyads and trios from the Gene, Environment Association Studies consortium (GENEVA), where each family was ascertained through a child affected by nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate. Results from the GENEVA study corroborate the findings from our simulation experiments. Finally, we provide recommendations for using statistical genetic association methods for dyads.
Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on Pennsylvania and its healthcare system
Authors: Yilmaz Ayse , Hermane Allison
Published: April 2022

Background and Aims

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has taken a toll on Pennsylvania, and the fight against the pandemic continues, with the commonwealth's hospitals and health systems at the epicenter. This report aims to demonstrate the magnitude of the impact of the pandemic on Pennsylvania, with specific attention to its hospitals and health systems and their financial status during the very first year of the pandemic.

Methods

To measure this magnitude, publicly available US and Pennsylvania COVID‐19 data is analyzed, including more detailed geographical, rural/urban, and race/ethnicity analyses.

Results

The results show that the case counts started with just two cases on March 6, 2020, and rose to approximately a million by the first anniversary of the pandemic's arrival in the commonwealth. Tragically, the death toll totaled nearly 25,000 during the first year. Philadelphia County had the highest number of total COVID‐19 cases, while Forest County had the highest incidence rate. The Southeast region had the highest number of total COVID‐19 cases, while the Lehigh Valley had the highest incidence rate. The incidence rate also was higher in rural counties than in urban counties. Black and Latino/a/x populations of Pennsylvania were disproportionally affected by the virus. Several reports measured the financial impact of the pandemic on the state's hospitals to be $4.1–$5 billion during this year.

Conclusion

Hospitals are economic anchors of their communities. To fulfill their critical mission during the pandemic and beyond—and remain economic and community anchors—they need ongoing state and federal support.
Demonstration of a compact deep UV Raman spatial heterodyne spectrometer for biologics analysis
Authors: Foster Michael , Brooks William , Jahn Philipp , Hedberg Jesper , Andersson Andreas , Ashton And Lorna
Published: April 2022

Monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments are increasingly important classes of biotherapeutics. However, these products are both challenging and expensive to manufacture. New process analytical technologies used to monitor these products during their manufacture are of significant interest. Deep UV Raman spectroscopy promises to provide the required specificity and accuracy, however instruments, have historically been large and complex. In this paper, a new deep UV Raman instrument is described using a solid‐state laser and a spatial heterodyne spectrometer. The instrument overcomes practical limitations of the technique and could readily be used for online measurement. A series of observations have been made of biopharmaceutical products, including immunoglobulin G and domain antibodies. Where high levels of both specificity and linearity when measuring samples of different concentration with a precision of better than 0.05 mg/mL has been demonstrated.
The northern treeshrew (Scandentia: Tupaiidae:Tupaia belangeri) in the context of primate locomotor evolution: A comprehensive analysis of gait, positional, and grasping behavior
Authors: Granatosky Michael C. , Toussaint Severine L. D. , Young Melody W. , Panyutina Aleksandra , Youlatos Dionisios
Published: April 2022

The locomotor behaviors of treeshrews are often reported as scurrying “squirrel‐like” movements. As such, treeshrews have received little attention beyond passing remarks in regard to primate locomotor evolution. However, scandentians vary considerably in habitat and substrate use, thus categorizing all treeshrew locomotion based on data collected from a single species is inappropriate. This study presents data on gait characteristics, positional, and grasping behavior of the northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) and compares these findings to the fat‐tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) to assess the role of treeshrews as a model for understanding the origins of primate locomotor and grasping evolution. We found that northern treeshrews were primarily arboreal and shared their activities between quadrupedalism, climbing and leaping in rates similar to fat‐tailed dwarf lemurs. During quadrupedal locomotion, they exhibited a mixture of gait characteristics consistent with primates and other small‐bodied non‐primate mammals and demonstrated a hallucal grasping mode consistent with primates. These data reveal that northern treeshrews show a mosaic of primitive mammalian locomotor characteristics paired with derived primate features. Further, this study raises the possibility that many of the locomotor and grasping characteristics considered to be “uniquely” primate may ultimately be features consistent with Euarchonta.
Exploring the expanse between theoretical questions and experimental approaches in the modern study of evolvability
Authors: Draghi Jeremy A. , Ogbunugafor C. Brandon
Published: April 2022

Despite several decades of computational and experimental work across many systems, evolvability remains on the periphery with regards to its status as a widely accepted and regularly applied theoretical concept. Here we propose that its marginal status is partly a result of large gaps between the diverse but disconnected theoretical treatments of evolvability and the relatively narrower range of studies that have tested it empirically. To make this case, we draw on a range of examples—from experimental evolution in microbes, to molecular evolution in proteins—where attempts have been made to mend this disconnect. We highlight some examples of progress that has been made and point to areas where synthesis and translation of existing theory can lead to further progress in the still‐new field of empirical measurements of evolvability.
Long non‐coding RNA ELFN1‐AS1‐mediated ZBTB16 inhibition augments the progression of gastric cancer by activating the PI3K/AKT axis
Authors: Zhuang Shao‐Hua , Meng Chu‐Chen , Fu Jin‐Jin , Huang Jian
Published: April 2022

Long non‐coding RNA ELFN1 antisense RNA 1 (ELFN1‐AS1) has been reported as a cancer driver in many human malignancies. This study was conducted to investigate the function of ELFN1‐AS1 in gastric cancer (GC) and its mechanism of action. Bioinformatics analysis revealed increased expression of ELFN1‐AS1 in GC, and abundant expression of ELFN1‐AS1 was observed in the acquired GC cell lines. Knockdown of ELFN1‐AS1 in GC cells weakened cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and resistance to apoptosis. ELFN1‐AS1 was mainly localized in the nuclei of GC cells. ELFN1‐AS1 recruited DNA methyltransferases to the promoter region of ZBTB16 and induced transcriptional repression of ZBTB16 through methylation modification. Furthermore, downregulation of ZBTB16 activated the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway and restored the proliferation and invasiveness of GC cells. In vivo, downregulation of ELFN1‐AS1 reduced the growth rate of xenograft tumors in mice. In summary, this study demonstrates that ELFN1‐AS1 recruits DNA methyltransferases to the promoter region of ZBTB16 to induce its transcriptional repression, which further augments the development of GC by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Controlling Topology and Polarization State of Lasing Photonic Bound States in Continuum
Authors: Mohamed Sughra , Wang Jie , Rekola Heikki , Heikkinen Janne , Asamoah Benjamin , Shi Lei , Hakala Tommi K.
Published: April 2022

Recently, optical bound states in continuum (BICs) incorporated with optical gain have been reported to exhibit lasing. Here, it is shown that each of the four BICs supported by C symmetric photonic crystal slab can be made to lase, allowing the control over the topological charge of the resulting laser beam. The type of each BIC and their topological charges are identified by imaging the far‐field polarization vortices of the lasing signal. Results are compared with experimentally obtained dispersions, finite element method simulations, and multipole decomposition method based on the microscopic polarization currents in the photonic crystal plane. A demonstration of multimode lasing of two non‐degenerate BICs with opposite topological charges is presented. The momentum space overlap of the BICs results in a unique polarization pattern. The study provides a generalizable example for engineering the topological properties of coherent light.
All‐Dielectric Trifunctional Metasurface Capable of Independent Amplitude and Phase Modulation
Authors: Zheng Chenglong , Li Jie , Yue Zhen , Li Jitao , Liu Jingyu , Wang Guocui , Wang Silei , Zhang Yating , Zhang Yan , Yao Jianquan
Published: April 2022

It is essential to independently control the amplitude, phase, and polarization of electromagnetic waves, and there is an urgent need to integrate multiple functions independently on a single device. Here, an all‐silicon multifunctional metasurface platform that can arbitrarily and independently encode three pairs of amplitude and phase profiles into a single‐layer device is proposed. Three complex amplitude functions can be presented independently by switching the polarization states of the incident and transmitted waves. As a proof of the feasibility and flexibility of the platform, three examples are designed here: the first can generate multipair foci of equal intensity, the second can generate multipair axial bifocals of equal intensity, and the third can generate multipair foci of arbitrary intensity ratios. The experimental results are in good agreement with the simulations. The proposed multifunctional metasurface platform is powerful in manipulating the amplitude, phase, and polarization of electromagnetic waves, which can find applications in particle manipulation, biology, imaging, and other fields.
Fractional CO2 laser ablation leads to enhanced permeation of a fluorescent dye in healthy and mycotic nails—An imaging investigation of laser–tissue effects and their impact on ungual drug delivery
Authors: Ortner Vinzent Kevin , Nguyen Nhi , Brewer Jonathan R. , Solovyeva Vita , Haedersdal Merete , Philipsen Peter Alshede
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Conventional oral antifungal therapies for onychomycosis (OM) often do not achieve complete cure and may be associated with adverse effects, medical interactions, and compliance issues restricting their use in a large group of patients. Topical treatment can bypass the systemic side effects but is limited by the physical barrier of the nail plate. Ablative fractional laser (AFL) treatment can be used to improve the penetration of topical drugs into the nail. This study visualized the effects of laser ablation of nail tissue and assessed their impact on the biodistribution of a fluorescent dye in healthy and fungal nail tissue.

Methods

For the qualitative assessment of CO2 AFL effects on healthy nail tissue, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering microscopy (CARS‐M), and widefield fluorescence microscopy (WFM) were used. To quantitate the effect of laser‐pretreatment on the delivery of a fluorescent dye, ATTO‐647N, into healthy and fungal nail tissue, ablation depth, nail plate thickness, and ATTO‐647N fluorescence intensity in three nail plate layers were measured using WFM. A total of 30 nail clippings (healthy n = 18, fungal n = 12) were collected. An aqueous ATTO‐647N solution was directly applied to the dorsal surface of 24 nail samples (healthy n = 12, fungal n = 12) and incubated for 4 hours, of which half (healthy n = 6, fungal n = 6) had been pretreated with AFL (30 mJ/mb, 15% density, 300 Hz, pulse duration <1 ms).

Results

Imaging revealed a three‐layered nail structure, an AFL‐induced porous ablation crater, and changes in autofluorescence. While intact fungal samples showed a 106% higher ATTO‐647N signal intensity than healthy controls, microporation led to a significantly increased fluorophore permeation in all samples (p < 0.0001). AFL processing of nail tissue enhanced topical delivery of ATTO‐647N in all layers, (average increase: healthy +108%, fungal +33%), most pronounced in the top nail layer (healthy +122%, fungal +68%). While proportionally deeper ablation craters correlated moderately with higher fluorescence intensities in healthy nail tissue, fungal samples showed no significant relationship.

Conclusion

Fractional CO2 laser microporation is a simple way of enhancing the passive delivery of topically applied ATTO‐647N. Although the impaired nail plate barrier in OM leads to greater diffusion of the aqueous solution, AFL can increase the permeability of both structurally deficient and intact nails.
Implementation of Water‐Soluble Cyclodextrin‐Based Polymers in Biomedical Applications: How Far Are We?
Authors: Agnes Marco , Pancani Elisabetta , Malanga Milo , Fenyvesi Eva , Manet Ilse
Published: April 2022

Cyclodextrin‐based polymers can be prepared starting from the naturally occurring monomers following green and low‐cost procedures. They can be selectively derivatized pre‐ or post‐polymerization allowing to fine‐tune functionalities of ad hoc customized polymers. Preparation nowadays has reached the 100 g scale thanks also to the interest of industries in these extremely versatile compounds. During the last 15 years, these macromolecules have been the object of intense investigations in view of possible biomedical applications as the ultimate goal and large amounts of scientific data are now available. Compared to their monomeric models, already used in the formulation of various therapeutic agents, they display superior behavior in terms of their solubility in water and solubilizing power toward drugs incompatible with biological fluids. Moreover, they allow the combination of more than one type of therapeutic agent in the polymeric system. In this review, a complete state of the art on the knowledge and potentialities of water‐soluble cyclodextrin‐based polymers as therapeutic agents as well as carrier systems for different types of therapeutics to implement combination therapy is provided. Finally, a perspective on their assets for innovation in disease treatment as well as their limits that still need to be addressed is given.
Do government subsidies and financing constraints play a dominant role in the effect of state ownership on corporate innovation? Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Qi‐an , Tang Shuxiang , Xu Yuan
Published: April 2022

We construct a chain multiple mediation model to examine how state ownership affects corporate innovation through government subsidies and financing constraints. The results are as follows. First, the effect of state ownership on corporate innovation varies by share. Second, government subsidies and financing constraints act as chain multiple mediators between state ownership and corporate innovation; however, their mediating effects vary across shares of state ownership. Third, the direct effect of state ownership in different shares on corporate innovation is significantly stronger than the chain multiple mediating effects of government subsidies and financing constraints.
On the Riesz estimation of multivariate probability density functions
Authors: Reyes Camilo , Ossandón Sebastián , Barrientos Mauricio
Published: April 2022

In this article, an efficient mathematical procedure is proposed for estimating a multivariate probability density function (mpdf). The method is based on statistical moments but does not require all samples. This is achieved by relating the probability distribution with these statistical moments. The novelty of the method is the calculation of coefficients associated with the mpdf on a suitable Riesz basis chosen for
. The chosen base has several advantages. First, once the coefficients are known to calculate the mpdf, it does not require any matrix inversion. Second, these coefficients can be precalculated and stored. Third, the method is modular, which makes it possible to parallelize the process. These advantages lead us to a very accurate and economical procedure from a cost perspective of computational efforts and time savings. Different numerical examples are presented to prove the effectiveness of our proposed methodology and are compared with more traditional approaches, such as the kernel density method.
Microenergy acoustic pulse therapy restores urethral wall integrity and continence in a rat model of female stress incontinence
Authors: Tan Yan , Reed‐Maldonado Amanda B. , Wang Guifang , Banie Lia , Peng Dongyi , Zhou Feng , Chen Yinwei , Wang Zhao , Lin Guiting , Lue Tom F.
Published: April 2022

Objective

To determine the outcomes and mechanisms of microenergy acoustic pulse (MAP) therapy in an irreversible rat model of female stress urinary incontinence.

Materials and Methods

Twenty‐four female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned into four groups: sham control (sham), vaginal balloon dilation and ovariectomy (VBDO), VBDO + β‐aminopropionitrile (BAPN), and VBDO + β‐aminopropionitrile treated with MAP (MAP). MAP therapy was administered twice per week for 4 weeks. After a 1‐week washout period, all 24 rats were evaluated with functional and histological studies. The urethral vascular plexus was examined by immunofluorescence staining with antibodies against collagen IV and von Willebrand factor (vWF). The urethral smooth muscle stem/progenitor cells (uSMPCs) were isolated and functionally studied in vivo and in vitro.

Results

Functional study with leak point pressure (LPP) measurement showed that the MAP group had significantly higher LPPs compared to VBDO and BAPN groups. MAP ameliorated the decline in urethral wall thickness and increased the amount of extracellular matrix within the urethral wall, especially in the urethral and vaginal elastic fibers. MAP also improved the disruption of the urethral vascular plexus in the treated animals. In addition, MAP enhanced the regeneration of urethral and vaginal smooth muscle, and uSMPCs could be induced by MAP to differentiate into smooth muscle and neuron‐like cells in vitro.

Conclusion

MAP appears to restore urethral wall integrity by increasing muscle content in the urethra and the vagina and by improving the urethral vascular plexus and the extracellular matrix.
Development of soybean oil‐based aqueous polyurethanes and the effect of hydroxyl value on its properties
Authors: Lou Wenxue , Dai Zhuding , Jiang Pingping , Zhang Pingbo , Bao Yanmin , Gao Xuewen , Xia Jialiang , Haryono Agus
Published: April 2022

A series of soybean oil‐based polyols were synthesized via the reaction between epoxidized soybean oil and 1,3‐propanediol, trimethylolpropane and xylitol, respectively. The aqueous polyurethanes were synthesized by prepared soybean oil‐based polyols. The effect of hydroxyl value of soybean oil‐based polyols on the mechanical, thermal, hydrophobic properties of the aqueous polyurethane films were also investigated. The results showed that the OH value of polyol increased, the Tg of aqueous polyurethane films increased from 30.04 to 88.28 °C and the water contact angle of materials improved from 80.80° to 98.20°. Besides, water absorption reduced from 40.25% to 2.40%. Also, all samples were placed in the 1 wt% sodium hydroxide solution at 45 °C to test the degradation behaviors. After 24 h, the results demonstrated that aqueous polyurethane synthesized by the highest hydroxyl value(251.00mgKOH/g)polyol had the lowest degradation rate(7.10%). Finally, the mechanical properties and morphology of the aqueous polyurethane film after degradation were investigated, which proved that the hydroxyl value affected the mechanical properties and morphology of the aqueous polyurethane film after degradation.
Tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes‐based subtypes and genomic characteristics of EBV‐associated lymphoepithelioma‐like carcinoma
Authors: Yin WenJuan , Jin JiaoYue , Bao Hua , Chen HanLin , Wang CanMing , Cheng GuoPing , Wu ChaoQi , Wu Meijuan , Yan Junrong , Wu Xue , Shao Yang , Ni Xinghao , Su Dan
Published: April 2022

Tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) offer a key for morphological diagnosis of lymphoepithelioma‐like carcinoma (LELC) and are the foundation of oncoimmunology. To date, no reports have found a specific risk stratification value of TILs and related it to genomic variation in LELC. Based on the stromal TILs (str‐TILs) ratio, we classified 105 Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)‐associated LELC cases into two subtypes: patients with ≥60% str‐TILs area ratio in tumor were classified as subtype I, and otherwise as subtype II. Subtype I patients had significantly better progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). We also explored the genomic characteristics of EBV‐associated LELC within different involved organs. We performed whole‐exome sequencing for 51 patients with enough tissue and analyzed the genomic characteristics of EBV‐associated LELC. Overall, EBV‐associated LELCs were characterized by a low somatic mutation rate and copy number variations; the enriched genetic lesions affected RTK‐RAS, PI3K, and cell cycle pathways. Moreover, EBV‐associated LELCs from different organs were more similar to each other genetically as compared with other traditional carcinomas of the same sites―as evidenced by unsupervised clustering based on the quantitative data from both mutation signature and chromosomal aneuploidies. Notably, EBV‐associated LELC patients with oncogenic driver alterations showed a worse prognosis compared with patients without such alterations. © 2022 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Exponential attitude tracking and disturbance rejection of rigid body systems
Authors: He Changran , Au Kwok Wai Samuel
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we study the exponential attitude tracking and disturbance rejection problem of rigid body systems. We design a control law for the rigid body system that ensures the exponential convergence of the attitude tracking error and the angular velocity tracking error in the presence of unknown external disturbances. Furthermore, by tuning some design parameters, the exponential convergence rate can be made arbitrarily fast. The effectiveness of our approach is validated by a numerical example.
In‐Vitro Evaluation of Folic Acid Capped Gold Nanoformulations for Drug Delivery to Prostate Cancer
Authors: Selvarathinam Thambiraj , Dhesingh Ravi Shankaran
Published: April 2022

Development of effective nanoformulations is one of the captivated attentions in the area of healthcare applications. Drug encapsulated metal nanoparticles (AuNPs) is an impressive nanoformulations, which reduces the side effects, enrich the pharmacokinetic and enables the targeted drug delivery. Gold nanoformulations (FA‐AuNFs) receiving much consideration in biomedical research, owing to their unique physical and chemical properties with beneficial features including ease of synthesize, relatively low‐toxicity, and good biocompatibility. Herein, we aimed to establish a simple, one‐step synthesis of gold nanoformulations by chemical reduction method using folic acid (FA) as a capping and stabilizing agent. Further, folic acid capped AuNPs were encapsulated with the docetaxel (Dtx) (an anticancer drug). The surface structural formation, chemical bonding with chemical constituents and surface morphology of the FA‐AuNFs were extensively demonstrated by various analytical techniques. Raman and FT‐IR spectra reveal that the formation of folic acid and Dtx on the surface of synthesized FA‐AuNFs. FE‐SEM and HR‐TEM results suggest that the particles are spherical in shape with an average dimension of 3 nm and nanoformulations at 6 nm. The encapsulation efficiency of Dtx encapsulated FA‐AuNFs was achieved 96 % evident from the elemental mapping, XRD and SAED pattern analysis. The drug release profile exhibited prolonged drug release kinetics at 72 h. The apoptotic quantification and binding affinity (IC50) of the FA capped FA‐AuNFs (FA‐AuNPs‐Dtx) were evaluated for the in‐vitro cytotoxicity and fluorescent staining analysis against prostate cancer cell line (PC3). The synthesized multifunctional nanoformulations could be comprehensively used for simultaneous imaging and therapeutic applications.
Gas‐Phase Alkali Metal‐Assisted MOCVD Growth of 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides for Large‐Scale Precise Nucleation Control
Authors: Kim Tae Soo , Dhakal Krishna P. , Park Eunpyo , Noh Gichang , Chai Hyun‐Jun , Kim Youngbum , Oh Saeyoung , Kang Minsoo , Park Jeongwon , Kim Jaewoo , Kim Suhyun , Jeong Hu Young , Bang Sunghwan , Kwak Joon Young , Kim Jeongyong , Kang Kibum
Published: April 2022

Advances in large‐area and high‐quality 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) growth are essential for semiconductor applications. Here, the gas‐phase alkali metal‐assisted metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition (GAA‐MOCVD) of 2D TMDCs is reported. It is determined that sodium propionate (SP) is an ideal gas‐phase alkali‐metal additive for nucleation control in the MOCVD of 2D TMDCs. The grain size of MoS2in the GAA‐MOCVD process is larger than that in the conventional MOCVD process. This method can be applied to the growth of various TMDCs (MoS2, MoSe2, WSe2, and WSe2) and the generation of large‐scale continuous films. Furthermore, the growth behaviors of MoS2under different SP and oxygen injection time conditions are systematically investigated to determine the effects of SP and oxygen on nucleation control in the GAA‐MOCVD process. It is found that the combination of SP and oxygen increases the grain size and nucleation suppression of MoS2. Thus, the GAA‐MOCVD with a precise and controllable supply of a gas‐phase alkali metal and oxygen allows achievement of optimum growth conditions that maximizes the grain size of MoS2. It is expected that GAA‐MOCVD can provide a way for batch fabrication of large‐scale atomically thin electronic devices based on 2D semiconductors.
Doing no harm: One practitioner's journey towards trauma‐informed practice
Authors: Mundell Chris
Published: April 2022

In this article I highlight the complexities of trying to “do no harm” in student affairs practice. Drawing on my experiences as a student affairs professional who spent many years in roles responding to crises and working directly with students who had experienced trauma, I offer some lessons learned in my evolving understanding of a trauma‐informed student affairs practice.
Keeping the score: Reflections on the (un)intended consequences of studying Latino male success in higher education
Authors: Pérez David , Vicente Bulmaro
Published: April 2022

Conducting research with undergraduate men of color can expose participants and researchers to trauma, which presents both challenges and opportunities. Using data from The National Study on Latino Male Achievement (TNSLMA), this article offers insights about how top‐down and bottom‐up processes can facilitate healing as scholars process traumatic experiences with research participants. Implications center on using trauma‐informed practices to enhance scholars’ praxes and to minimize deleterious effects of revisiting traumatic memories.
Re‐envisioning student development theory through a trauma lens
Authors: Shalka Tricia R.
Published: April 2022

Much of the student development theory we draw on in student affairs practice is presented from a trauma‐neutral perspective. In this article, I bring a trauma‐informed and power‐conscious lens to student development theory and encourage us to think about the possibilities and complexities that arise through this framing. I offer some big questions to think with as well as some tangible suggestions for practice.
Enhancing the Mechanical Robustness of Gold Nanowire Array via Sulfide‐Mediated Growth
Authors: Su Dongmeng , Lam Zhenhui , Zheng Yonglong , Wang Yawen , Liu Bin , Chen Hongyu
Published: April 2022

Vertical nanowire arrays (NWAs) have attracted great attention for their outstanding electronic and materials transport properties. Despite the recent progresses, peel‐off of the metal NWAs remains a major challenge for their application. Herein, the peel‐off problem is studied and improved synthesis to solve the problem is discussed. Severe electrode degradation is caused by bubble formation, but even simple cyclic voltammetry scans without major redox chemistry could induce degradation. The robustness of the Au NWAs is found to depend mainly on their surface hydrophilicity. Most importantly, sulfide treatment of the NH2‐functionalized substrate is found to give sparser and longer Au NWAs, with greatly improved robustness. Coupled with Pd coating with concomitant hydrophilic treatment, the sulfide‐mediated Au@Pd NWAs could withstand 1 h of constant voltage electrolysis without much loss of the current intensity.
ZnIn2S4‐Based Nanostructures in Artificial Photosynthesis: Insights into Photocatalytic Reduction toward Sustainable Energy Production
Authors: Ren Yijie , Foo Joel Jie , Zeng Deqian , Ong Wee‐Jun
Published: April 2022

As one of the most attractive technologies, photocatalysis arouses tremendous interest to directly harvest, convert, and store renewable solar energy for solving the energy crisis. Zinc indium sulfide (ZnIn2S4), a novel ternary metal chalcogenide, is highly desired owing to its non‐toxicity, low cost, and easy fabrication. However, it still suffers from some problems, including low charge‐carrier transfer rate and the ultrafast electron–hole recombination. Hence, various efficient modification methods are developed for enhancing the photocatalytic performance of ZnIn2S4 nanomaterials. Herein, the photocatalytic energy applications of ZnIn2S4‐based nanocomposites are systematically summarized, followed by a thorough discussion on the synthesis methods of ZnIn2S4 micro/nanostructures. Furthermore, special attention is paid to various design strategies, including dimensionality tuning, element doping, vacancy control, cocatalyst loading, and heterojunction construction. Many important energy conversion applications are also addressed, such as photocatalytic water splitting, carbon dioxide reduction, and nitrogen fixation. The influence of physicochemical properties, including structure, optical, electronic, and adsorption, on the charge dynamics for boosted photocatalytic energy applications are concluded to unravel the property–application relationship. Through reviewing the significant state‐of‐the‐art advances on this topic, the current challenges and the crucial issues of ZnIn2S4‐based photocatalysts are prospected.
The Deep Understanding into the Promoted Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction of ZIF‐8‐Derived Single‐Atom Catalysts by the Simple Grinding Process
Authors: Chen Zhangsen , Zhang Gaixia , Hu Qingmin , Zheng Yi , Cao Siyi , Chen Guozhu , Li Cuncheng , Boyko Teak , Chen Ning , Chen Weifeng , Regier Tom , Dynes James , Wang Jian , Wang Hsiao-Tsu , Zhou Jigang , Sun Shuhui
Published: April 2022

Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF‐8)‐derived single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are widely studied in many catalytic reactions such as hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR). Grinding procedures involved in the synthesis of ZIF‐8‐derived SACs could affect the catalytic performance but are less evaluated in the literature. Herein, a series of ZIF‐8‐derived cobalt SACs (C–Co–ZIFs) with different grinding processes to investigate the impact of the grinding degrees on the performance of the electrochemical reduction reaction of CO2 (ECO2RR) is presented. The moderate grinding process affords a boost in CO Faradaic efficiency (FE, around 15% higher than that of the original C–Co–ZIF) and the highest current densities among all the samples. The variations in the electronic structure of the Co active sites in the ground catalysts are confirmed by X‐Ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X‐Ray emission spectroscopy (XES) for improved catalytic performance. The increased micropores in the moderately ground catalyst provide more exposed active sites while the increased meso‐ and macropores promote the mass transfer, benefiting the ECO2RR performance. It suggests that the impact of grinding processes on the synthesis of ZIF‐8‐derived SACs should be considered for the evaluation of the catalytic performance.
Measuring the effectiveness of using rangers to deliver a behavior change campaign on sustainable palm oil in a UK zoo
Authors: Major Katie , Smith Daniel
Published: April 2022

A fundamental objective of modern zoos is promoting pro‐environmental behaviors. This study experimentally assessed the contribution of zoo rangers (staff employed to engage visitors) in delivering a behavior change campaign promoting sustainable palm oil use. The campaign was delivered in a dedicated area in a walk‐through animal exhibit, with rangers either “present” or “absent” in the campaign space. Questionnaires assessing awareness, knowledge, and purchasing intentions were completed by 1032 visitors. Two analyses were conducted: (1) comparing the impact of ranger presence versus absence (to assess the overall impact of having rangers present regardless of whether they talked to visitors) and (2) comparing the impact of talking to a ranger against demographically matched individuals visiting when rangers were absent (to assess the specific impact of talking to a ranger). Visitors who talked to rangers were more aware of palm oil, had more knowledge, and greater intentions of purchasing sustainable palm oil. However, as only one‐quarter of visitors talked to a ranger, fewer differences were found comparing ranger presence versus absence. These findings suggest that rangers can be instrumental in communicating complex conservation issues and delivering zoo‐based behavior change campaigns, but their impact is limited by low engagement rates.
Genomic Prediction: Progress and Perspectives for Rice Improvement
Authors: Bartholomé Jérôme , Prakash Parthiban Thathapalli , Cobb Joshua N.
Published: April 2022

Genomic prediction can be a powerful tool to achieve greater rates of genetic gain for quantitative traits if thoroughly integrated into a breeding strategy. In rice as in other crops, the interest in genomic prediction is very strong with a number of studies addressing multiple aspects of its use, ranging from the more conceptual to the more practical. In this chapter, we review the literature on rice (Oryza sativa) and summarize important considerations for the integration of genomic prediction in breeding programs. The irrigated breeding program at the International Rice Research Institute is used as a concrete example on which we provide data and R scripts to reproduce the analysis but also to highlight practical challenges regarding the use of predictions. The adage “To someone with a hammer, everything looks like a nail” describes a common psychological pitfall that sometimes plagues the integration and application of new technologies to a discipline. We have designed this chapter to help rice breeders avoid that pitfall and appreciate the benefits and limitations of applying genomic prediction, as it is not always the best approach nor the first step to increasing the rate of genetic gain in every context.
Genome and Environment Based Prediction Models and Methods of Complex Traits Incorporating Genotype × Environment Interaction
Authors: Crossa José , Montesinos-López Osval Antonio , Pérez-Rodríguez Paulino , Costa-Neto Germano , Fritsche-Neto Roberto , Ortiz Rodomiro , Martini Johannes W. R. , Lillemo Morten , Montesinos-López Abelardo , Jarquin Diego , Breseghello Flavio , Cuevas Jaime , Rincent Renaud
Published: April 2022

Genomic-enabled prediction models are of paramount importance for the successful implementation of genomic selection (GS) based on breeding values. As opposed to animal breeding, plant breeding includes extensive multienvironment and multiyear field trial data. Hence, genomic-enabled prediction models should include genotype × environment (G × E) interaction, which most of the time increases the prediction performance when the response of lines are different from environment to environment. In this chapter, we describe a historical timeline since 2012 related to advances of the GS models that take into account G × E interaction. We describe theoretical and practical aspects of those GS models, including the gains in prediction performance when including G × E structures for both complex continuous and categorical scale traits. Then, we detailed and explained the main G × E genomic prediction models for complex traits measured in continuous and noncontinuous (categorical) scale. Related to G × E interaction models this review also examine the analyses of the information generated with high-throughput phenotype data (phenomic) and the joint analyses of multitrait and multienvironment field trial data that is also employed in the general assessment of multitrait G × E interaction. The inclusion of nongenomic data in increasing the accuracy and biological reliability of the G × E approach is also outlined. We show the recent advances in large-scale envirotyping (enviromics), and how the use of mechanistic computational modeling can derive the crop growth and development aspects useful for predicting phenotypes and explaining G × E.
3Dvar and SC-4DVar for the Lorenz 63 Model
Authors: Evensen Geir , Vossepoel Femke C. , van Leeuwen Peter Jan
Published: April 2022

In this chapter, we study the workings of 3DVar and SC-4DVar on the same chaotic Lorenz 1963 system as used with ensemble methods in Chap. 10.1007/978-3-030-96709-3_15. We will apply both 3DVar and SC-4DVar sequentially over multiple data-assimilation windows, and we will demonstrate the difference between the filter solution obtained by 3DVar and the recursive SC-4DVar smoother solution. We will also dive deeper into the behavior of the SC-4DVar with highly nonlinear- and chaotic dynamics and try to understand more of the method’s properties and possible limitations in these cases. After studying the 3DVar and 4DVar methods, we compare them with the ensemble methods used in Chap. 10.1007/978-3-030-96709-3_15.