bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interlayer Excitons in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Semiconductors for 2D Optoelectronics
Authors: Liu Yuanda , Elbanna Ahmed , Gao Weibo , Pan Jisheng , Shen Zexiang , Teng Jinghua
Published: October 2021

Optoelectronic materials that allow on‐chip integrated light signal emitting, routing, modulation, and detection are crucial for the development of high‐speed and high‐throughput optical communication and computing technologies. Interlayer excitons in 2D van der Waals heterostructures, where electrons and holes are bounded by Coulomb interaction but spatially localized in different 2D layers, have recently attracted intense attention for their enticing properties and huge potential in device applications. Here, a general view of these 2D‐confined hydrogen‐like bosonic particles and the state‐of‐the‐art developments with respect to the frontier concepts and prototypes is presented. Staggered type‐II band alignment enables expansion of the interlayer direct bandgap from the intrinsic visible in monolayers up to the near‐ or even mid‐infrared spectrum. Owing to large exciton binding energy, together with ultralong lifetime, room‐temperature exciton devices and observation of quantum behaviors are demonstrated. With the rapid advances, it can be anticipated that future studies of interlayer excitons will not only allow the construction of all‐exciton information processing circuits but will also continue to enrich the panoply of ideas on quantum phenomena.
Multiscale Understanding of Surface Structural Effects on High‐Temperature Operational Resiliency of Layered Oxide Cathodes
Authors: Liu Xiang , Zhou Xinwei , Liu Qiang , Diao Jiecheng , Zhao Chen , Li Luxi , Liu Yuzi , Xu Wenqian , Daali Amine , Harder Ross , Robinson Ian K. , Dahbi Mouad , Alami Jones , Chen Guohua , Xu Gui‐Liang , Amine Khalil
Published: October 2021

The worldwide energy demand in electric vehicles and the increasing global temperature have called for development of high‐energy and long‐life lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with improved high‐temperature operational resiliency. However, current attention has been mostly focused on cycling aging at elevated temperature, leaving considerable gaps of knowledge in the failure mechanism, and practical control of abusive calendar aging and thermal runaway that are highly related to the eventual operational lifetime and safety performance of LIBs. Herein, using a combination of various in situ synchrotron X‐ray and electron microscopy techniques, a multiscale understanding of surface structure effects involved in regulating the high‐temperature operational tolerance of polycrystalline Ni‐rich layered cathodes is reported. The results collectively show that an ultraconformal poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) coating can effectively prevent a LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathode from undergoing undesired phase transformation and transition metal dissolution on the surface, atomic displacement, and dislocations within primary particles, intergranular cracking along the grain boundaries within secondary particles, and intensive bulk oxygen release during high state‐of‐charge and high‐temperature aging. The present work highlights the essential role of surface structure controls in overcoming the multiscale degradation pathways of high‐energy battery materials at extreme temperature.
Crystal Phase Control during Epitaxial Hybridization of III‐V Semiconductors with Silicon
Authors: Rio Calvo Marta , Rodriguez Jean‐Baptiste , Cornet Charles , Cerutti Laurent , Ramonda Michel , Trampert Achim , Patriarche Gilles , Tournié Éric
Published: October 2021

The formation and propagation of anti‐phase boundaries (APBs) in the epitaxial growth of III‐V semiconductors on Silicon is still the subject of great debate, despite the impressive number of studies focusing on this topic in the last past decades. The control of the layer phase is of major importance for the future realization of photonic integrated circuits that include efficient light sources or for new nano‐electronic devices, for example. Here, it is experimentally demonstrated that the main‐phase domain overgrows the anti‐phase domains (APDs) because it grows faster. A large‐scale analysis of the phase evolution based on reflection high‐energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy in the case of the molecular beam epitaxy of GaSb on Silicon (001) substrate is presented. The growth rate difference between the two domains is accurately measured and is shown to come from the atomic step distribution at the III‐V surface. The influence of the substrate preparation as well as of the growth condition on this distribution is also clarified.
Doctoral degrees awarded to Blacks in agricultural economics: 1999–2019
Authors: Moser Christine
Published: October 2021

This paper looks at 21 years of data on doctoral degrees granted across the US and compares agricultural economics to economics and other fields. While the percentage of doctoral degrees awarded to Blacks is generally higher than that in economics, both the percent and the number of Blacks completing their degrees have decreased slightly over time in agricultural economics. The number and percent of doctoral degrees across all fields awarded to Black students increased over the same period. The paper also reviews studies related to diversity in the economics and agricultural economics professions and discusses possible reasons for the disparities.
Geographic mobility in the emergency medicine residency match and the influence of gender
Authors: Regan Linda , Gisondi Michael A. , Branzetti Jeremy , Mitchell Meghan , Romeo Michelle , Kayko Caroline , Hopson Laura R.
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Women are underrepresented in emergency medicine (EM) leadership. Some evidence suggests that geographic mobility improves career advancement. We compared movement between medical school and residency by gender. Our hypothesis was that women move a shorter distance than men.

Methods

We collected National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) lists of ranked applicants from eight EM residency programs from the 2020 Main Residency Match. We added the gender expressed in interviews and left the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) number as the unique identifier. Applicant data for matched osteopathic and allopathic seniors in the continental United States was included. We obtained street addresses for medical schools from an AAMC database and residency program addresses from the ACGME website. We performed geospatial analysis using ArcGIS Pro and compared results by gender. NRMP approved the data use and our institutional review board granted exempt status.

Results

A total of 881 of 944 unique applicants met inclusion criteria and included 48.5% (830/1,713) of matched allopaths and 37% of all matched seniors; 48% (420) were female. There was no significant difference between genders for distance moved (p = 0.31). Women moved a mean (±SD) 619 (±698) miles (median = 341 miles, range = 0–2,679 miles); and men, a mean (±SD) 641 (±717) miles (median = 315 miles, range = 0–2,671 miles). Further analysis of applicants traveling less than 50 miles (49 women, 51 men) and by census division showed no significant frequency differences.

Conclusion

Women and men travel similar distances for EM residency with the majority staying within geographic proximity to their medical school. This suggests that professional mobility at this stage is not a constraint. Our study findings are limited because we do not know which personal and professional factors inform relocation decisions. Gender is not associated with a difference in distance moved by students for residency. This finding may have implications for resident selection and career development.
Experimental study on breakup of a single bubble in a stirred tank: Effect of gas density and liquid properties
Authors: Zhang Huahai , Wang Yuelin , Sayyar Ali , Wang Tiefeng
Published: October 2021

Bubble breakup plays an important role in gas–liquid flows, but detailed studies are still scarce. In this work, the breakup behavior of a single bubble in a stirred tank was experimentally studied with a high‐speed camera, focusing on the effect of gas density, liquid properties, agitation speed, and mother bubble size. The bubble breakup time, breakup probability, breakup rate, and daughter bubble size distribution were determined. The internal‐flow phenomenon that the gas flowed from the smaller part to the larger part of a deformed mother bubble was observed by a high‐speed camera. The results showed that with increasing gas density, agitation speed, mother bubble size and decreasing surface tension, the bubble breakup rate and probability of equal‐size distribution significantly increased. With increasing liquid viscosity, the bubble breakup rate decreased especially in the high viscosity range. An M‐shaped daughter bubble size distribution was observed, which was consistent with our previous bubble breakup model.
Drop breakage in a single‐pass through vortex‐based cavitation device: Experiments and modeling
Authors: Thaker Abhijeet H. , Ranade Vivek V.
Published: October 2021

Liquid–liquid emulsions are used in many sectors such as personal care, home care, and food products. There is an increasing need for developing compact and modular devices for producing emulsions with desired droplet size distribution (DSD). In this work, we have experimentally and computationally investigated an application of vortex‐based hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) device for producing emulsions. The focus is on understanding drop breakage occurring in a single‐pass through the considered HC device. The experiments were performed for generating oil‐in‐water emulsion containing 1%–20% rapeseed oil. The effect of pressure drop across the HC device in the range of 50–250 kPa on drop breakage was examined. DSD of emulsions produced through a single pass was measured using the focussed beam reflectance measurements. Comprehensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on the Eulerian approach was developed to simulate multiphase cavitating flow. Using the simulated flow, population balance model (PBM) with appropriate breakage kernels was solved to simulate droplet breakage in a vortex‐based HC device. The device showed an excellent drop breakage efficiency (nearly 1% which is much higher than other commercial devices such as rotor–stators or sonolators) and was able to reduce mean drop size from 66 to ~15 μm in a single pass. The CFD and PBM models were able to simulate DSD. The presented models and results will be useful for researchers and engineers interested in developing compact devices for producing emulsions of desired DSD.
Morphological invariant of the midsagittal deep brain anatomy between humans and African great apes
Authors: Amano Hideki , Kochiyama Takanori , Tanabe Hiroki C. , Ogihara Naomichi
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Efforts have been made to mathematically reconstruct the brain morphology from human fossil crania to clarify the evolutionary changes in the brain that are associated with the emergence of human cognitive ability. However, because conventional reconstruction methods are based solely on the endocranial shape, deep brain structures cannot be estimated with sufficient accuracy. Our study aims to investigate the possible morphological correspondence between the cranial and deep brain morphologies based on humans and African great apes, with the goal of a more precise reconstruction of fossil brains.

Materials and Methods

Midsagittal endocranial and deep brain landmarks were obtained from magnetic resonance images of humans and three species of African great apes. The average midsagittal endocranial profile of all four species was calculated after Procrustes registration. The spatial deformation function from each of the endocranial profiles to the average endocranial profile was defined, and the brain landmarks enclosed in the endocranium were transformed using the deformation function to evaluate the interspecific variabilities of the positions of the brain landmarks on the average endocranial profile.

Results

The interspecific differences in the shape‐normalized positions of the corpus callosum, anterior commissure, thalamus center, and brainstem were approximately within the range of 2% of the human cranial length, indicating that the interspecific variabilities of the positions of these deep brain structures were relatively small among the four species.

Discussion

Such an invariant relationship of the deep brain structure and the endocranium that encloses the brain can potentially be utilized to reconstruct the brains of fossil hominins.
Age‐at‐death patterns and transition analysis trends for three Asian populations: Implications for [paleo]demography
Authors: Kim Jieun , Algee‐Hewitt Bridget F. B.
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Age‐at‐death estimation provides biological anthropologists with fundamental biographic information to help resolve various theoretical and practical questions about both individual expression and populational trends in present and past contexts. Particularly, researchers interested in reconstructing past populations' mortality profiles have favored using Boldsen and colleagues' Transition Analysis (TA2), as the method provides both methodological and statistical solutions for optimally treating traditional ordinal, categorical score data from multiple age indicators. In this article, we present an assessment of TA2 to better understand its age estimation patterns and trends when applied to a large‐scale, documented Asian skeletal sample.

Materials and methods

Specifically, this study examines the patterns of error and bias of TA2 when applied to three Asian populations. We assess cumulative effects of the age estimates in mortality reconstruction, and TA2's ability to accurately characterize the effects of covariates (e.g., sex, stature) that are linked to inequal social status and differential access to resources and known to further cause mortality disparities.

Results

The results show that age estimates of three age indicators (the pubic symphysis, auricular surface, and cranial sutures) combined with an informed prior produced the most accurate age estimates across all three Asian samples. Thus, the age composition of a target skeletal sample dictates the accuracy of TA2 estimates, and therefore demographic parameters.

Discussion

Although the exact parameter values may differ from the true values and a consistent underestimation of female age‐at‐death and survivorship is evident, TA2 recovers a realistic approximation of a mortality pattern by revealing (previously hidden) elderly individuals.
Stacked but not Stuck: Unveiling the Role of π→π* Interactions with the Help of the Benzofuran–Formaldehyde Complex
Authors: Li Xiaolong , Spada Lorenzo , Alessandrini Silvia , Zheng Yang , Lengsfeld Kevin Gregor , Grabow Jens‐Uwe , Feng Gang , Puzzarini Cristina , Barone Vincenzo
Published: October 2021

The 1:1 benzofuran–formaldehyde complex has been chosen as model system for analyzing π→π* interactions in supramolecular organizations involving heteroaromatic rings and carbonyl groups. A joint “rotational spectroscopy–quantum chemistry” strategy unveiled the dominant role of π→π* interactions in tuning the intermolecular interactions of such adduct. The exploration of the intermolecular potential energy surface led to the identification of 14 low‐energy minima, with 4 stacked isomers being more stable than those linked by hydrogen bond or lone‐pair→π interactions. All energy minima are separated by loose transition states, thus suggesting an effective relaxation to the global minimum under the experimental conditions. This expectation has been confirmed by the experimental detection of only one species, which was unambiguously assigned owing to the computation of accurate spectroscopic parameters and the characterization of 11 isotopologues. The large number of isotopic species opened the way to the determination of the first semi‐experimental equilibrium structure for a molecular complex of such a dimension.
Photogeneration of thiyl radicals using metal‐halide perovskite for highly efficient synthesis of thioethers
Authors: Liu Xin , Bai Rong , Guo Zhifen , Che Yan , Guo Chunyi , Xing Hongzhu
Published: October 2021

Recently, the use of metal‐halide perovskite (MHP) for photoinduced organics transformation has attracted much attention. We report herein the development of photoinduced thiol‐ene reaction using inorganic MHP of CsPbBr3 nanocrystal that is visible light‐responsive, easy‐to‐prepare, and cost‐effective. Under blue light‐emitting diode (LED), a series of thiol substrates are demonstrated to be highly efficient reaction partners to couple with alkenes tolerated with various functional groups, affording diverse thioethers containing C–S bonds. The CsPbBr3‐mediated thiol‐ene reaction is characterized by high efficiency, broad substrate applicability, excellent yields, and mild conditions. Mechanism investigation shows that the visible light‐excited CsPbBr3 induces the generation of thiyl radicals via hole oxidation to initiate the reaction, followed by redox neutral pathway and/or chain transfer pathway to accomplish thiol–olefin coupling. It is notable that CsPbBr3 exhibits advanced thiol‐ene performance than that using MHP analogs and others. The work presents a new exploration of MHP‐mediated transformation and shows great potential of MHPs for radical chemistry.
Learning low‐dimensional structure in house price indices
Authors: Glynn Chris
Published: October 2021

House price indices (HPIs) are statistical measures of real estate price dynamics in defined geographic regions over defined periods of time. HPIs are important metrics that help policymakers, mortgage lenders, real estate investors, and bank regulators monitor market conditions and manage risk. HPIs that are local, reliable, and timely are essential in understanding connections between housing markets and the broader economy. In this article, we examine the algorithmic construction of Zillow's Home Value Index (ZHVI), an HPI built on black box machine learning algorithms. To provide deeper statistical insight into ZHVI than afforded by its black box construction, we develop a Bayesian generative meta‐model that approximates the black box construction of ZHVI series in 100 metropolitan areas (metros). Each ZHVI series is modeled with a global trend, a finite mixture of Gaussian processes, and a local component. We find that there are three shared dynamic patterns across the 100 markets in our analysis, and we utilize this shared latent structure to forecast ZHVI in each metro 12 months ahead. Our clustering strategy has two advantages: (i) it allows us to construct composite HPIs where member metros are learned from the data rather than predetermined; and (ii) it allows us to estimate the relative contributions of cluster‐level and metro‐specific components to a metro's ZHVI, providing a novel statistical attribution of real estate market dynamics.
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) enabled bio‐applications: A critical review
Authors: Huang Yikun , Nieh Mu‐Ping , Chen Wilfred , Lei Yu
Published: October 2021

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are nanoscale spherical vesicles released from Gram‐negative bacteria. The lipid bilayer membrane structure of OMVs consists of similar components as bacterial membrane and thus has attracted more and more attention in exploiting OMVs' bio‐applications. Although the endotoxic lipopolysaccharide on natural OMVs may impose potential limits on their clinical applications, genetic modification can reduce their endotoxicity and decorate OMVs with multiple functional proteins. These genetically engineered OMVs have been employed in various fields including vaccination, drug delivery, cancer therapy, bioimaging, biosensing, and enzyme carrier. This review will first briefly introduce the background of OMVs followed by recent advances in functionalization and various applications of engineered OMVs with an emphasis on the working principles and their performance, and then discuss about the future trends of OMVs in biomedical applications.
Salicylic acid inducible nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of NPR1 fusion proteins in human cells
Authors: Sadeghi Fatemeh , Kumar Monish , Bandey Irfan N. , Li Xiaoyang , Roysam Badrinath , Varadarajan Navin
Published: October 2021

Ligand inducible proteins that enable precise and reversible control of nuclear translocation of passenger proteins have broad applications ranging from genetic studies in mammals to therapeutics that target diseases such as cancer and diabetes. One of the drawbacks of the current translocation systems is that the ligands used to control nuclear localization are either toxic or prone to crosstalk with endogenous protein cascades within live animals. We sought to take advantage of salicylic acid (SA), a small molecule that has been extensively used in humans. In plants, SA functions as a hormone that can mediate immunity and is sensed by the nonexpressor of pathogenesis‐related (NPR) proteins. Although it is well recognized that nuclear translocation of NPR1 is essential to promoting immunity in plants, the exact subdomain of Arabidopsis thaliana NPR1 (AtNPR1) essential for SA‐mediated nuclear translocation is controversial. Here, we utilized the fluorescent protein mCherry as the reporter to investigate the ability of SA to induce nuclear translocation of the full‐length NPR1 protein or its C‐terminal transactivation (TAD) domain using HEK293 cells as a heterologous system. HEK293 cells lack accessory plant proteins including NPR3/NPR4 and are thus ideally suited for studying the impact of SA‐induced changes in NPR1. Our results obtained using a stable expression system show that the TAD of AtNPR1 is sufficient to enable the reversible SA‐mediated nuclear translocation of mCherry. Our studies advance a basic understanding of nuclear translocation mediated by the TAD of AtNPR1 and uncover a biotechnological tool for SA‐mediated nuclear localization.
Impact of anodophilic biofilm bioelectroactivity on the denitrification behavior of air‐cathode microbial fuel cells
Authors: Zhao Wenjuan , Gao YiZhao , Zhao Yongli , Deng Xiaoya , Shao Jun , Chen Shuiliang
Published: October 2021

Generally, high bioelectroactivity of anodophilic biofilm favors high power generation of microbial fuel cell (MFC); however, it is not clear whether it can promote denitrification of MFC synchronously. In this study, we studied the impact of anodophilic biofilm bioelectroactivity on the denitrification behavior of air‐cathode MFC (AC‐MFC) in steady state and found that high bioelectroactivity of anodophilic biofilm not only favored high power generation of the AC‐MFC, but also promoted the growth of denitrifers at the anodes and strengthened denitrification. Anodophilic biofilms of AC‐MFC with various bioelectroactivity were acclimated at conditions of open circuit (OC), Rext of 1000 Ω and 20 Ω (denoted as AC‐MFC‐OC, AC‐MFC‐1000Ω, and AC‐MFC‐20Ω, respectively) and performed for over 100 days. Electrochemical tests and microbial analysis results showed that the anode of the AC‐MFC‐20Ω delivered higher current response of both oxidation and denitrification and had higher abundance of electroactive bacteria than the AC‐MFC‐OC, AC‐MFC‐1000Ω, demonstrating a higher bioelectroactivity of the anodophilic biofilms. Moreover, these electroactive bacteria favored the accumulation of denitrifers, like Thauera and Alicycliphilus, probably by consuming trace oxygen through catalyzing oxygen reduction. The AC‐MFC‐20Ω not only delivered a 61.7% higher power than the AC‐MFC‐1000Ω, but also achieved a stable and high denitrification rate constant (kDN) of 1.9 h−1, which was 50% and 40% higher than that of the AC‐MFC‐OC and AC‐MFC‐1000Ω, respectively. It could be concluded that the high bioelectroactivity of the anodophilic biofilms not only favored high power generation of the AC‐MFC, but also promoted the enrichment of denitrifers at the anodes and strengthened denitrification. This study provided an effective method for enhancing power generation and denitrification performance of the AC‐MFC synchronously.
Layered Double Hydroxide‐Derived Bimetallic Ni−Cu Catalysts Prompted the Efficient Conversion of γ‐Valerolactone to 2‐Methyltetrahydrofuran
Authors: Wang Xiaotong , Yu Zhihao , Ye Lei , Zhang Ming , Xiong Jian , Zhang Rui , Li Xiaoyun , Ji Na , Lu Xuebin
Published: October 2021

The catalytic upgrading of γ‐valerolactone (GVL) to liquid biofuel, which is of great importance to the development of new types of high‐performance heterogeneous catalysts, is regarded as a technically difficult task because of the thermal stability of GVL. Consequently, in this study, a series of nanocatalysts NixCu3‐x/Al2O3 (x=0, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3) derived from layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursors were prepared for the hydrogenation of biomass‐derived GVL to 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran (2‐MTHF). The optimal bimetallic Ni2Cu1/Al2O3 catalyst showed high 2‐MTHF selectivity with complete GVL conversion. Detailed characterization revealed cooperation between the acid sites and Ni−Cu alloy in the bimetallic catalysts, which was responsible for their high activities. More importantly, the strong interaction between Ni and Cu changed the surface chemical environment, which generated different copper species and enhanced the H2 activation ability. The reusability of the Ni2Cu1/Al2O3 catalyst and the effect of the reaction conditions, such as temperature, H2 pressure, and solvent, were also investigated.
Water Desalination Using Solar Thermal Collectors Enhanced by Nanofluids
Authors: Zakaria Muhammad , Sharaky Abbas M. , Al-Sherbini Al-Sayed , Bassyouni Mohamed , Rezakazemi Mashallah , Elhenawy Yasser
Published: October 2021

The absorption efficiency of a solar collector using different types of nanofluids was improved. Experimental work was carried out to investigate the flat‐plate and evacuated‐tube collectors under outdoor conditions to produce distilled water. A pilot plant was designed and installed. The yield of distilled water at different seawater flow rates and the physical properties of nanofluids were determined. Solar intensity, water mass flow rate, and temperature were measured. The performance of the desalination unit was evaluated in the presence of carbon nanotubes in paraffin wax and ethylene glycol nanofluids. The evaporation efficiency of the flat‐plate collector was improved up to 36 % in the presence of ethylene glycol nanofluid at 80–100 °C.
Diagnostic and prognostic implications of a three‐antibody molecular subtyping algorithm for non‐muscle invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Jackson Chelsea L , Chen Lina , Hardy Céline SC , Ren Kevin YM , Visram Kash , Bratti Vanessa F , Johnstone Jeannette , Sjödahl Gottfrid , Siemens David Robert , Gooding Robert J , Berman David M
Published: October 2021

Intrinsic molecular subtypes may explain marked variation between bladder cancer patients in prognosis and response to therapy. Complex testing algorithms and little attention to more prevalent, early‐stage (non‐muscle invasive) bladder cancers (NMIBCs) have hindered implementation of subtyping in clinical practice. Here, using a three‐antibody immunohistochemistry (IHC) algorithm, we identify the diagnostic and prognostic associations of well‐validated proteomic features of basal and luminal subtypes in NMIBC. By IHC, we divided 481 NMIBCs into basal (GATA3−/KRT5+) and luminal (GATA3+/KRT5 variable) subtypes. We further divided the luminal subtype into URO (p16 low), URO‐KRT5+ (KRT5+), and genomically unstable (GU) (p16 high) subtypes. Expression thresholds were confirmed using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. Subtypes were correlated with pathology and outcomes. All NMIBC cases clustered into the basal/squamous (basal) or one of the three luminal (URO, URO‐KRT5+, and GU) subtypes. Although uncommon in this NMIBC cohort, basal tumors (3%, n = 16) had dramatically higher grade (100%, n = 16, odds ratio [OR] = 13, relative risk = 3.25) and stage, and rapid progression to muscle invasion (median progression‐free survival = 35.4 months, p = 0.0001). URO, the most common subtype (46%, n = 220), showed rapid recurrence (median recurrence‐free survival [RFS] = 11.5 months, p = 0.039) compared to its GU counterpart (29%, n = 137, median RFS = 16.9 months), even in patients who received intravesical immunotherapy (p = 0.049). URO‐KRT5+ tumors (22%, n = 108) were typically low grade (66%, n = 71, OR = 3.7) and recurred slowly (median RFS = 38.7 months). Therefore, a simple immunohistochemical algorithm can identify clinically relevant molecular subtypes of NMIBC. In routine clinical practice, this three‐antibody algorithm may help clarify diagnostic dilemmas and optimize surveillance and treatment strategies for patients.
The organization of the zebrafish pallium from a hodological perspective
Authors: Yáñez Julián , Folgueira Mónica , Lamas Ibán , Anadón Ramón
Published: October 2021

We studied the connections (connectome) of the adult zebrafish pallium using carbocyanine dye tracing and ancillary anatomical methods. The everted zebrafish pallium (dorsal telencephalic area, D) is composed of several major zones (medial, lateral, dorsal, central, anterior, and posterior) distinguishable by their topography, cytoarchitecture, immunohistochemistry, and genoarchitecture. Our comprehensive study reveals poor interconnectivity between these pallial areas, especially between medial (Dm), lateral/dorsal (Dl, Dd), and posterior (Dp) regions. This suggests that the zebrafish pallium has dedicated modules for different neural processes. Pallial connections with extrapallial regions also show compartmental organization. Major extratelencephalic afferents come from preglomerular nuclei (to Dl, Dd, and Dm), posterior tuberal nucleus (to Dm), and lateral recess nucleus (to Dl). The subpallial (ventral, V) zones dorsal Vv, Vd, and Vs, considered homologues of the striatum, amygdala, and pallidum, are mainly afferent to Dl/Dd and Dp. Regarding the efferent pathways, they also appear characteristic of each pallial region. Rostral Dm projects to the dorsal entopeduncular nucleus. Dp is interconnected with the olfactory bulbs. The central region (Dc) defined here receives mainly projections from Dl–Dd and projects toward the pretectum and optic tectum, connections, which help to delimiting Dc. The connectome of the adult pallium revealed here complements extant studies on the neuroanatomical organization of the brain, and may be useful for neurogenetic studies performed during early stages of development. The connectome of the zebrafish pallium was also compared with the pallial connections reported in other teleosts, a large group showing high pallial diversity.
An Open Label, Adaptive, Phase 1 Trial of High‐Dose Oral Nitazoxanide in Healthy Volunteers: An Antiviral Candidate for SARS‐CoV‐2
Authors: Walker Lauren E. , FitzGerald Richard , Saunders Geoffrey , Lyon Rebecca , Fisher Michael , Martin Karen , Eberhart Izabela , Woods Christie , Ewings Sean , Hale Colin , Rajoli Rajith K. R. , Else Laura , Dilly‐Penchala Sujan , Amara Alieu , Lalloo David G. , Jacobs Michael , Pertinez Henry , Hatchard Parys , Waugh Robert , Lawrence Megan , Johnson Lucy , Fines Keira , Reynolds Helen , Rowland Timothy , Crook Rebecca , Okenyi Emmanuel , Byrne Kelly , Mozgunov Pavel , Jaki Thomas , Khoo Saye , Owen Andrew , Griffiths Gareth , Fletcher Thomas E. ,   the AGILE platform
Published: October 2021

Repurposing approved drugs may rapidly establish effective interventions during a public health crisis. This has yielded immunomodulatory treatments for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), but repurposed antivirals have not been successful to date because of redundancy of the target in vivo or suboptimal exposures at studied doses. Nitazoxanide is a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved antiparasitic medicine, that physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling has indicated may provide antiviral concentrations across the dosing interval, when repurposed at higher than approved doses. Within the AGILE trial platform (NCT04746183) an open label, adaptive, phase I trial in healthy adult participants was undertaken with high‐dose nitazoxanide. Participants received 1,500 mg nitazoxanide orally twice‐daily with food for 7 days. Primary outcomes were safety, tolerability, optimum dose, and schedule. Intensive pharmacokinetic (PK) sampling was undertaken day 1 and 5 with minimum concentration (Cmin) sampling on days 3 and 7. Fourteen healthy participants were enrolled between February 18 and May 11, 2021. All 14 doses were completed by 10 of 14 participants. Nitazoxanide was safe and with no significant adverse events. Moderate gastrointestinal disturbance (loose stools or diarrhea) occurred in 8 participants (57.1%), with urine and sclera discoloration in 12 (85.7%) and 9 (64.3%) participants, respectively, without clinically significant bilirubin elevation. This was self‐limiting and resolved upon drug discontinuation. PBPK predictions were confirmed on day 1 but with underprediction at day 5. Median Cmin was above the in vitro target concentration on the first dose and maintained throughout. Nitazoxanide administered at 1,500 mg b.i.d. with food was safe with acceptable tolerability a phase Ib/IIa study is now being initiated in patients with COVID‐19.
Feasibility and performance of the Idylla™ NRAS/BRAF cartridge mutation assay on thyroid liquid‐based fine‐needle aspiration
Authors: Hamadou Maud , Lopez Jonathan , Benzerdjeb Nazim , Cugnet‐Anceau Christine , Schnoering Gwenaelle , Besançon Julie , Mezrag Saliha , Lapras Veronique , Denier Marie‐Laure , Descotes Françoise , Decaussin‐Petrucci Myriam
Published: October 2021

Background

Thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology represent up to 30% of cases. Molecular testing is now highly recommended to improve management. This study aimed to evaluate the use of the Idylla™ NRAS/BRAF mutation test, a rapid and automated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay validated for fixed paraffin‐embedded use, on residual thyroid liquid‐based fine‐needle aspiration (LB‐FNA).

Methods

Concordance between mutations detected by the Idylla™ assay and the gold‐standard qPCR was assessed by splitting in two aliquots 31 BRAF or RAS mutated and 5 non‐mutated LB‐FNA samples. Samples were obtained either from simulated FNA after thyroidectomy or from FNA obtained during routine care. A third aliquot was used to assess the limit of detection of Idylla™ for five mutated samples.

Results

The Idylla™ assay showed a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 83% as results were concordant for 34 out of 36 samples. One discordant sample concerned a BRAF p.K601E‐mutation which is not detected by the Idylla™ cartridge. The other showed a false‐positive NRAS p.A146T detection and a weak BRAF p.V600E detection. The limit of detection of the Idylla™ assay was not reached by the dilution assay.

Conclusion

Idylla™ NRAS/BRAF mutation testing can be performed on residual thyroid LB‐FNA, using low DNA quantity input, thus not requiring a dedicated sample. The Idylla™ NRAS/BRAF assay offers a quick and easy first step for analyzing the main molecular alterations in indeterminate thyroid nodules, hence improving diagnostic management.
Genome‐wide transcriptome signatures of ant‐farmed Squamellaria epiphytes reveal key functions in a unique symbiosis
Authors: Pu Yuanshu , Naikatini Alivereti , Pérez‐Escobar Oscar Alejandro , Silber Martina , Renner Susanne S. , Chomicki Guillaume
Published: October 2021

Farming of fungi by ants, termites, or beetles has led to ecologically successful societies fueled by industrial‐scale food production. Another type of obligate insect agriculture in Fiji involves the symbiosis between the ant Philidris nagasau and epiphytes in the genus Squamellaria (Rubiaceae) that the ants fertilize, defend, harvest, and depend on for nesting. All farmed Squamellaria form tubers (domatia) with preformed entrance holes and complex cavity networks occupied by P. nagasau. The inner surface of the domatia consists of smooth‐surfaced walls where the ants nest and rear their brood, and warty‐surfaced walls where they fertilize their crop by defecation. Here, we use RNA sequencing to identify gene expression patterns associated with the smooth versus warty wall types. Since wall differentiation occurred in the most recent common ancestor of all farmed species of Squamellaria, our study also identifies genetic pathways co‐opted following the emergence of agriculture. Warty‐surfaced walls show many upregulated genes linked to auxin transport, root development, and nitrogen transport consistent with their root‐like function; their defense‐related genes are also upregulated, probably to protect these permeable areas from pathogen entry. In smooth‐surfaced walls, genes functioning in suberin and wax biosynthesis are upregulated, contributing to the formation of an impermeable ant‐nesting area in the domatium. This study throws light on a number of functional characteristics of plant farming by ants and illustrates the power of genomic studies of symbiosis.
Surface soil moisture variability in a sector of a humid basin characterized by extremely flat relief
Authors: Fajardo Luisa , Entraigas Ilda , Vercelli Natalia , Zimmermann Erik
Published: October 2021

Assessing the degree of spatial organization exhibited by soil moisture plays an important role since hydrological responses of a system are conditioned, to a large degree, by such pattern. This is more significant on plains, because water stays longer on the surface; therefore, it has more time to evaporate or infiltrate and these two processes are basically influenced by soil moisture condition. The aim was to describe surface soil moisture variability by means of a spatial and temporal dimension analysis. Four environments were considered: (A) close to temporary water bodies, poorly drained soils, and humid prairies; (B) extended lowlands, with a cemented horizon in the soil profile, and humid mesophytic meadows; (C) the flat matrix of the landscape, significant proportion of bare soil, and halophytic steppes; and (D) mounds and dunes, deep soils, and mesophytic meadows. Throughout the sampling period, some environments registered high and almost constant values (0.47–0.64 m3/m3); others recorded low and almost invariant values (0.13–0.28 m3/m3), and others showed intermediate values with broader spectrum of variation. In order to further understand surface soil moisture dynamics, multiple linear regression analyses considering soil water storage and water table depth as explanatory variables were applied. In some environments, both variables are significantly involved in the response variable explanation, and in others, soil water storage is the most predictive one. We showed that even though the study area has an extremely flat relief, a soil moisture pattern that underlies the system arises during wet periods and it becomes diffuse in dry ones.
Global plant invaders: a compendium of invasive plant taxa documented by the peer‐reviewed literature
Authors: Laginhas Brittany B. , Bradley Bethany A.
Published: October 2021

Stopping invasive species early, before they are introduced or before they have a chance to spread, is essential for effective invasive species management. With new plants introduced constantly through global trade and shifting their ranges due to climate change, proactive action to prevent invasions is more important than ever. But, before we can prevent invasions through policy, monitoring, and management, we need to know the identity of which species are invasive. Existing lists of invasive plants vary across political and jurisdictional boundaries, often rely on inconsistent knowledge of local experts, and may conflate nonnative with invasive. Here, we reviewed papers published from 1959 to 2020 to create a single consistently derived list of known invasive plants. We searched the Web of Science core collection for “articles” containing the keywords “invasi*” and “plant” within the categories “Ecology,” “Environmental Sciences,” “Biodiversity Conservation,” and “Plant Sciences.” We also reviewed papers cited in reviews of invasive plants (see Metadata S1, Class II, Section B). We read titles and abstracts to identify papers that focused on nonnative and invasive vascular plants and included in the database any nonnative plant taxon either explicitly termed invasive in the paper or implicitly defined as invasive through a description of abundance, spread and/or impact. For 2017–2020, we included only papers that described multiple invasive plants, which are much more likely to uncover novel taxa. For each paper, we retained the reported invasive taxon name, text defining invasiveness, bibliographic information, and the country or countries in the invaded range where the study took place. We used Catalogue of Life and the Plant Taxonomic Name Resolution Source to resolve the taxonomy of the invasive taxa and compiled a list of unique invasive plants described in one or more scientific papers. We extracted data from 5,893 papers and identified 3,008 unique taxa, including 2,842 species, 96 subspecies, 29 varieties, and 41 hybrids. Of these, 2,981 taxa were resolved, while 27 were unresolved. 42% of the total unique taxa were studied once in the database. This database provides a consistent, global assessment of nonnative, invasive plant taxa. We release these data into the public domain under a Creative Commons Zero license waiver (https://creativecommons.org/share‐your‐work/public‐domain/cc0/). Individuals who use these data for publication may cite this data paper.
Electrospun Composite Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Enabled with Silica‐Coated Silver Nanowires
Authors: Gan Huihui , Li Shaoqiao , Zhang Yong , Wang Jirong , Xue Zhigang
Published: October 2021

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)‐based polymer electrolyte has widely been considered as a promising material for high‐performance lithium metal batteries (LMBs) owing to the high safety, low cost, and excellent electrochemical stability. However, PEO‐based solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) has always been suffered with a poor mechanical strength and low room‐temperature ionic conductivity owing to its highly crystalline ethylene oxide (EO) chains. Especially, PEO‐based SPE exhibits an unstable framework at elevated temperature (exceed melting temperature), thus leading to the poor electrochemical performances. Here, the electrospun composite polymer membrane (CPM) based on poly(vinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) is fabricated by introduction of silica‐coated silver nanowires (AgNWs@SiO2). The PEO/LiTFSI is incorporated into the obtained PVDF‐HFP/AgNWs@SiO2 CPM to form the PEO‐based SPE. The composite polymer electrolyte membrane (CPEM) exhibits a high mechanical strength and wide electrochemical stability window (>5.0 V vs. Li+/Li) at 60 °C. The Li/CPEM/LiFePO4 cells also show a favorable cycle life at different rates and 92.7 mAh g−1 (2 C) of discharge specific capacity at 90 °C. Consequently, the PVDF‐HFP/AgNWs@SiO2 CPEM can exhibit an ideal application prospect for LMBs.
Development of the Pain Responses Scale: A measure informed by the BIS‐BAS model of pain
Authors: Day Melissa A. , Ward L. Charles , de la Vega Rocio , Ehde Dawn M. , Jensen Mark P.
Published: October 2021

Background

The behavioural inhibition system and activation system (BIS‐BAS) model of pain focusses on two clusters of responses to pain—escape/avoidance (BIS) and approach (BAS) behaviours. While the BIS‐BAS model emphasizes active responses to pain, deactivation responses such as despondence and relaxation are also common. This study sought to develop self‐report scales assessing cognitive, behavioural intentions and affective responses to pain consistent with this extended BIS‐BAS framework. We also sought to develop short‐forms of the emerging scales.

Methods

Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to derive scales from a large item pool administered to a community sample with heterogeneous chronic pain (N = 476).

Results

The items resulted in 16 scales assessing Thoughts, Affective responses, Behavioural Intentions and Valence‐Associated Thoughts, which loaded on to the four theorized types of pain responses—Escape, Approach, Despondence and Relaxation—with the four emerging short‐form scales assessing these overarching factors. The internal consistency reliabilities of the long‐forms generally ranged from good to excellent (αs ≥ 0.83), with the exception of the Relaxation‐Behavioural Intentions scale (α = 0.64). The four short‐forms demonstrated at least adequate internal consistency reliability (αs ≥ 0.79). An initial test of the construct validity of the scales in relation to pain‐related outcomes is also reported.

Conclusions

We anticipate that the Pain Responses Scale (PRS) developed from this research will be useful for assessing mechanisms targeted by many psychosocial pain treatments and will provide a nuanced understanding of the shared versus specific nature of these mechanisms.

Significance

The Pain Responses Scale emerging from this research assesses four theorized, overarching responses to pain: Escape, Approach, Giving Up and Relaxation. This measure will afford the capacity to test a reconceptualized BIS‐BAS model of pain and inform treatments that are adapted based on this framework.
One for the money, two for the show: What are the actor‐based incentives for public‐private partnerships for innovation?
Authors: Ilgenstein Sabrina A.
Published: October 2021

This paper aims to identify the processes that lead to the establishment of public‐private partnerships (PPPs) with a focus on the financial and policy incentives of the actors involved. To this end, it applies the Multiple Streams Framework to a qualitative case study to answer the following research question: are actors of PPPs for innovation motivated due to financial incentives or can they be policy driven? Although the fiscal context plays an important role in our case, the study shows that policy goals, such as providing infrastructure or public services and promoting innovation can be the main drivers for establishing a PPP. These findings offer a theoretical and practical contribution to analyze PPPs as a phenomenon. First, we establish a theoretical framework of possible incentives for actors in PPPs and, secondly, provide new insights into the PPP discussion in the public administration literature.
Beneficial effects of a nobiletin‐rich formulated supplement of Sikwasa (C. depressa) peel on cognitive function in elderly Japanese subjects; A multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Yamada Shizuo , Shirai Michiyo , Ono Ken , Teruya Toshiaki , Yamano Aki , Tae Woo Je
Published: October 2021

Background

Nobiletin exerts beneficial effects on cognitive function in various animal models of Alzheimer's disease. The present study aimed to investigate the benefits and safety of a combination food of nobiletin‐rich extract from C. depressa peel for healthy elderly subjects.

Methods

The nobiletin‐containing test food (Nobilex®) comprised high‐purity nobiletin powder combined with dried root powder of K. parviflora and dried lead powder of P. japonicum and was administered to elderly Japanese subjects once a day for 16 weeks. The Japanese version of the Wechsler Memory Scaled‐Revised (WMS‐R) was used as a primary evaluation item for the assessment of global memory. Data from a protocol‐matched population (Per Protocol Set: PPS) (n = 108) were analyzed.

Results

The scores of “general memory” or “visual memory” in the indices of WMS‐R were significantly higher in the nobiletin‐containing test food group than in the placebo group. The difference in the total WMS‐R score was significantly higher in the test‐food group (9.0 ± 7.20) than in the placebo group (5.9 ± 7.70). An age‐stratified analysis of the WMS‐R test showed similar changes in subjects aged ≦74 years to those in the overall subject population. In the stratified analysis involving subjects with an MMSE‐J score of between 24 and 28, the “figural memory” subscale score in WMS‐R was significantly higher in the test food group than in the placebo group.

Conclusion

The present results indicate that the nobiletin‐containing test food is beneficial for improving memory dysfunction in healthy elderly subjects.