bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low heritability and high phenotypic plasticity of salivary cortisol in response to environmental heterogeneity in a wild pinniped
Authors: Nagel Rebecca , Kaiser Sylvia , Stainfield Claire , Toscani Camille , Fox‐Clarke Cameron , Paijmans Anneke J. , Costa Castro Camila , Vendrami David L. J. , Forcada Jaume , Hoffman Joseph I.
Published: March 2022

Individuals are unique in how they interact with and respond to their environment. Correspondingly, unpredictable challenges or environmental stressors often produce an individualized response of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis and its downstream effector cortisol. We used a fully crossed, repeated measures design to investigate the factors shaping individual variation in baseline cortisol in Antarctic fur seal pups and their mothers. Saliva samples were collected from focal individuals at two breeding colonies, one with low and the other with high density, during two consecutive years of contrasting food availability. Mothers and pups were sampled concurrently at birth and shortly before weaning, while pups were additionally sampled every 20 days. We found that heritability was low for baseline cortisol, while within‐individual repeatability and among‐individual variability were high. A substantial proportion of the variation in baseline cortisol could be explained in pups and mothers by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors including sex, weight, day, season, and colony of birth. Our findings provide detailed insights into the individualization of endocrine phenotypes and their genetic and environmental drivers in a wild pinniped. Furthermore, the strong associations between cortisol and life history traits that we report in fur seals could have important implications for understanding the population dynamics of species impacted by environmental change.
A novel index to aid in prioritizing habitats for site‐based conservation
Authors: Basooma Anthony , Nakiyende Herbert , Olokotum Mark , Balirwa John S. , Nkalubo Winnie , Musinguzi Laban , Natugonza Vianny
Published: March 2022

Funding biodiversity conservation strategies are usually minimal, thus prioritizing habitats at high risk should be conducted. We developed and tested a conservation priority index (CPI) that ranks habitats to aid in prioritizing them for conservation. We tested the index using 1897 fish species from 273 African inland lakes and 34 countries. In the index, lake surface area, rarity, and their International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status were incorporated. We retrieved data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and IUCN data repositories. Lake Nyasa had the highest species richness (424), followed by Tanganyika (391), Nokoué (246), Victoria (216), and Ahémé (216). However, lakes Otjikoto and Giunas had the highest CPI of 137.2 and 52.1, respectively. Lakes were grouped into high priority (CPI > 0.5; n = 56) and low priority (CPI < 0.5; n = 217). The median surface area between priority classes was significantly different (W = 11,768, p < .05, effect size = 0.65). Prediction accuracy of Random Forest (RF) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) for priority classes were 0.912 and 0.954, respectively. Both models exhibited lake surface area as the variable with the highest importance. CPI generally increased with a decrease in lake surface area. This was attributed to less ecological substitutability and higher exposure levels of anthropogenic stressors such as pollution to a species in smaller lakes. Also, the highest species richness per unit area was recorded for high‐priority lakes. Thus, smaller habitats or lakes may be prioritized for conservation although larger waterbodies or habitats should not be ignored. The index can be customized to local, regional, and international scales as well as marine and terrestrial habitats.
Sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors in heart failure: an updated meta‐analysis
Authors: Cao Yang , Li Pengxiao , Li Yi , Han Yaling
Published: March 2022

Aims

We aimed to examine efficacy and safety outcomes of sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) for the treatment of heart failure (HF), especially in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Methods and results

PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify randomized controlled trials comparing SGLT2i vs. placebo in HF patients. A total of 10 studies with 23 852 HF patients were eventually included. Compared with placebo, SGLT2i is associated with a lower incidence of composite of first hospitalization for heart failure (HHF) or cardiovascular death (CV death) [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.76 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.71–0.81], which is consistent regardless of the diabetes status, type of gliflozines used, and follow‐up duration. SGLT2i can reduce the risk of total HHF or CV death (HR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.68–0.81), first HHF (HR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.64–0.75), CV death (HR = 0.88, 95%CI = 0.80–0.96), any death (HR = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.83–0.97), and any serious events (HR = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.87–0.93) in HF patients, at the cost of increased risk of urinary tract infections (risk ratio = 1.17, 95%CI = 1.03–1.33). In HFpEF patients, SGLT2i is associated with a significant reduction of composite of first HHF or CV death (HR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.73–0.91), first HHF (HR = 0.71, 95%CI = 0.62–0.82), and total HHF or CV death (HR = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.43–0.86).

Conclusions

Sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitor contributed to better efficacy outcomes in overall HF patients and showed an inspiring breakthrough in the treatment of HFpEF.
GVHD, IBD, and primary immunodeficiencies: The gut as a target of immunopathology resulting from impaired immunity
Authors: Zeiser Robert , Warnatz Klaus , Rosshart Stephan , Sagar  , Tanriver Yakup
Published: March 2022

The intestinal tract is the largest immunological organ in the body and has a central function of regulating local immune responses, as the intestinal epithelial barrier is a location where the immune system interacts with the gut microbiome including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Impaired immunity in the intestinal tract can lead to immunopathology, which manifests in different diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or intestinal graft‐versus‐host disease. A disturbed communication between epithelial cells, immune cells, and microbiome will shape pathogenic immune responses to antigens, which need to be counterbalanced by tolerogenic mechanisms and repair mechanisms.

Here, we review how impaired intestinal immune function leads to immunopathology with a specific focus on innate immune cells, the role of the microbiome, and the resulting clinical manifestations including intestinal graft‐versus‐host disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and enteropathy in primary immunodeficiency.
Interlaboratory Comparison of Three Sediment Bioaccumulation Tests
Authors: Lotufo Guilherme R. , Biedenbach James M. , Farrar J. Daniel , Chanov Michael K. , Hester Brian W. , Warbritton C. Ryan , Steevens Jeffery A. , Netchaev Jenifer M. , Bednar Anthony J. , Moore David W.
Published: March 2022

Standard bioaccumulation tests are commonly conducted using Macoma nasuta (clam), and Alitta virens (polychaete) for marine tests, and Lumbriculus variegatus (an oligochaete) for freshwater tests. Because the interlaboratory variability associated with these tests is unknown, four experienced laboratories conducted standard 28-day bioaccumulation tests with the above species using sediments contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Chemical analysis of tissue samples was performed by a single laboratory. The intralaboratory variance among replicates was relatively low for PCB tissue concentrations, with coefficients of variation (CVs) ranging from 9% to 28% for all laboratories and species, with the exception of one laboratory reporting higher variability for L. variegatus (CV = 51%). Intralaboratory variance for PCB tissue concentrations was higher than interlaboratory variance for A. virens and L. variegatus, and the magnitude of difference (MOD) for laboratory means ranged from 1.4 to 2.0 across species. Intralaboratory variability was also low for lipid content, and lipid normalization of PCB and PAH body residues generally had little impact on variability. In addition to variability across bioassay laboratories, analytical variability was evaluated by different laboratories measuring the concentration of PCBs and total lipids in a subsample of tissue homogenate of sediment-exposed test organisms. Variability associated with tissue analysis was higher than bioassay laboratory variability only in tests with L. variegatus. Statistical differences between samples may be observed due to the low intralaboratory variability; however, the biological significance of these differences may be limited because the MOD is low. Considering the MOD when comparing bioaccumulation across treatments accounts for uncertainty related to inherent variability of the test in the interpretation of statistically significant results. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1260–1275. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
The positivity‐preserving finite volume scheme with fixed stencils for anisotropic diffusion problems on general polyhedral meshes
Authors: Yang Di , Gao Zhiming , Ni Guoxi
Published: March 2022

Two kinds of nonlinear cell‐centered positivity‐preserving finite volume schemes are proposed for the anisotropic diffusion problems on general three‐dimensional polyhedral meshes. First, the one‐sided flux on the cell‐faces is discretized using the fixed stencil of all vertices, then the cell‐centered discretization scheme is obtained using the nonlinear two‐point flux approximation. On this basis, a new explicit weighted second‐order vertex interpolation algorithm for arbitrary polyhedral meshes is designed to eliminate the vertex auxiliary unknowns in the scheme. In addition, an improved Anderson acceleration algorithm is adopted for nonlinear iteration. Finally, some benchmark examples are given to verify the convergence and positivity‐preserving property of the two schemes.
The love of nature: Imaginary environments and the production of ontological security in postnatural times
Authors: Pohl Lucas , Helbrecht Ilse
Published: March 2022

The existence of nature is vehemently called into question in the Anthropocene. The standard image of nature as a pristine, harmonious, and stable background no longer holds, especially as ecological changes increasingly penetrate the collective consciousness. Consequently, there has been growing interest in the psychological effects of this end of nature. A recent wave of scholarship shows how climate change and the Anthropocene more generally affect people's daily lives and present significant threats to psychic well‐being. This paper follows on from these debates. In contrast, however, we ask if and how nature is still considered as providing a subjective sense of (ontological) security today. We argue that, even under postnatural conditions, nature still maintains an imaginary existence in the social reality of the subject. We address this argument empirically by focusing on everyday life perceptions of nature in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, and theoretically by following the psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan. Drawing on image‐based interviews (photo‐elicitation), we demonstrate that a psychoanalytic approach to imaginary environments allows us to understand why people state that they love nature even though it does not exist. We show how this love works by pointing out how nature is considered as (m)other and, through this, engaged as a place to retreat and escape from the burdens of everyday life while being perceived from a certain distance. In conclusion, we emphasise the broader political consequences of the imaginary existence of nature and call for further engagement with the persistence of nature's fantasy in times when nature seems to no longer fit the purpose.
Healthy, nudged, and wise: Experimental evidence on the role of information salience in reducing tobacco intake
Authors: Fakir Adnan M. S. , Bharati Tushar
Published: March 2022

We evaluate the performance of two behavioral interventions aimed at reducing tobacco consumption in an ultra‐poor rural region of Bangladesh, where conventional methods like taxes and warning labels are infeasible. The first intervention asked participants to daily log their tobacco consumption expenditure. The second intervention placed two graphic posters with warnings about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption on tobacco users and their children in the sleeping quarters of the participating households. While both interventions reduced household tobacco consumption expenditure, male participants who logged their expenditure substituted cigarettes with cheaper smokeless tobacco. The reduction in tobacco intake is larger among males with a non‐tobacco consuming spouse. Exploratory analysis reveals that risk‐averse males who spent relatively more on tobacco responded more to the logbook intervention. More educated, patient males with children below age five responded better to the poster intervention. The findings suggest that in countries with multi‐tiered tobacco excise tax structures, which incentivize downward substitution, extending complementary demand‐side policies that worked elsewhere to the rural poor might be unwise. Instead, policies may leverage something as universal as parental concern for their children's health to promote better health decision‐making.
The association between inflammatory biomarkers and statin use among patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Getz Kayla R. , Bellile Emily , Zarins Katie R. , Chinn Steven B. , Taylor Jeremy M. G. , Rozek Laura S. , Wolf Gregory T. , Mondul Alison M.
Published: March 2022

Background

Tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and cytokines are associated with prognosis among patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Statins (cholesterol‐lowering drugs) may improve HNSCC prognosis, particularly in human papillomavirus (HPV)‐positive cases, but the mechanism remains unclear.

Methods

Statin use was collected from medical records for HNSCC cases (2008–2014). TILs were counted in tumor tissue, and a total weighted score (TILws) was created. Cytokines were measured in blood. The associations between statins and biomarkers were estimated using logistic (biomarker categories: <median, ≥median) and linear regression models (log‐transformed continuous biomarkers) adjusted for age, smoking, and comorbidities.

Results

We observed a positive association between statins and TILs among HPV‐positive patients (TILws odds ratio [OR] = 2.80; 95% CI = 1.03–7.61), but no association among HPV‐negative patients. We observed no association between statins and cytokines.

Conclusions

Statins may influence TILs in HPV‐positive patients. This may be the mechanism through which they improve prognosis in HPV‐positive HNSCC patients.
Successful management of testicular primitive neuroectodermal tumor with multiple bone metastases
Authors: Takasawa Takuya , Minagawa Tomonori , Domen Takahisa , Fukushima Toshirou , Fujii Yu , Iwaya Mai , Koizumi Tomonobu , Ogawa Teruyuki , Ishizuka Osamu
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Germ cell tumor with malignant transformation is extremely rare. We present a case of testicular primitive neuroectodermal tumor with multiple metastases that was effectively managed by surgery, irradiation, and second‐line chemotherapy.

Case presentation

A 22‐year‐old man was diagnosed as having teratoma including primitive neuroectodermal tumor with lymph node and multiple bone metastases. Five months afterwards the first‐line therapy, his skull metastasis recurred. Vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide therapy followed by vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide therapy was given as second‐line chemotherapy. Computed tomography revealed no disease progression 3 months after the treatments.

Conclusion

Metastatic primitive neuroectodermal tumor may be successfully managed by multidisciplinary cancer treatment.
Exendin‐4 enhances osteogenic differentiation of adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells through the receptor activator of nuclear factor‐kappa B and osteoprotegerin signaling pathway
Authors: Habib Sarah A. , Kamal Mohamed M. , El‐Maraghy Shohda A. , Senousy Mahmoud A.
Published: March 2022

The capability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to repair bone damage and defects has long been investigated. The receptor activator of nuclear factor‐kappa B (RANK), its ligand (RANKL) and the decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG) axis is crucial to keep the equilibrium between osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity. Exendin‐4 utilization increased bone formation and enhanced bone integrity. This study aimed to investigate the mentioned axis and determine the effect of exendin‐4 upon adipose mesenchymal stem cells (Ad‐MSCs) osteogenic differentiation. Ad‐MSCs were isolated from rat epididymal fat, followed by characterization and then differentiation into osteocytes both in the presence or absence of exendin‐4. Osteogenic differentiation was evaluated by alizarin red staining and the expression of osteogenic markers; using reverse transcriptase‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and enzyme‐linked immunoassay. MSCs derived from rat epididymal fat were isolated and characterized, along with their differentiation into osteocytes. The differentiated cells were alizarin red‐stained, showing increased staining intensity upon addition of exendin‐4. Moreover, the addition of exendin‐4 elevated the messenger RNA expression levels of osteogenic markers; runt‐related transcription factor‐2 (RUNX‐2), osteocalcin, and forkhead box protein O‐1 while reducing the expression of the adipogenic marker peroxisome‐proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma. Exendin‐4 addition elevated OPG levels in the supernatant of osteogenic differentiated cells. Moreover, exendin‐4 elevated the protein levels of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor and RUNX‐2, while decreasing both RANK and RANKL. In conclusion, osteogenic differentiation of Ad‐MSCs is associated with increased osteoblastic rather than osteoclastic activity. The findings of this study suggest that exendin‐4 can enhance Ad‐MSCs osteogenic differentiation partially through the RANK/RANKL/OPG axis.
The clinical value of dual‐energy computed tomography and diffusion‐weighted imaging in the context of liver cancer: A narrative review
Authors: Fan Pei‐Lin , Chu Jun , Wang Qing , Wang Chen
Published: March 2022

The dual‐energy computed tomography (DECT) and diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI‐MRI) are used to diagnose liver cancer. The clinical value of these two examination methods needs to be further summarized. We collected and summarized relevant literature published from 2011 to 2021. The diagnostic performance of DECT was assessed between conventional computed tomography and DWI‐MRI. DWI‐MRI had a 69% sensitivity for detecting small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions and a 60% diagnostic specificity for differentiating between types of HCC lesions. DECT had a sensitivity to small liver lesions (<1 cm) of 69%, and the diagnostic specificity for HCC and metastasis was about 60%. DWI was more sensitive (90.3% vs. 74.9%) and accurate (91.9% vs. 76.9%) in diagnosing HCC compared with conventional MRI sequencing. With the aid of contrast media, DWI‐MRI had 90.0% specificity for detecting small HCCs (smaller than 1 cm). Furthermore, DWI‐MRI not only provided physicians with valuable diagnostic information but also delivered histological grading information, with 78% accuracy for all benign lesions and 71% for solid lesions. DECT had relatively high sensitivity and required a lower contrast medium dose. With standardized quantitative parameters, it can be an extremely useful tool for HCC surveillance. DWI‐MRI is the preferred imaging process as it produces high‐contrast images for supporting an early diagnosis (high sensitivity and specificity) and provides histological information using non‐ionizing radiation.
Foreign direct investment, anti‐money laundering regulations and economic growth
Authors: Ofoeda Isaac , Agbloyor Elikplimi Komla , Abor Joshua Yindenaba , Achampong Kofi Osei
Published: March 2022

This study seeks to establish the impact of anti‐money laundering (AML) regulations on economic growth as well as how AML regulations influence the foreign direct investment (FDI)–growth nexus for 165 economies across the globe. We employ Prais–Winsten and the Hansen (2000) panel threshold regression estimation techniques to test the hypotheses of the study. We use data ranging from 2012 to 2018. We provide evidence that AML regulations generally stimulate growth; however, AML regulations only stimulate growth below the threshold value. Again, although we report that FDI stimulates growth, the growth‐enhancing impact of FDI is more pronounced at higher levels of AML regulations.
Natural history of arginase 1 deficiency and the unmet needs of patients: A systematic review of case reports
Authors: Bin Sawad Aseel , Pothukuchy Arti , Badeaux Mark , Hodson Victoria , Bubb Gillian , Lindsley Kristina , Uyei Jennifer , Diaz George A.
Published: March 2022

Background

Arginase 1 deficiency (ARG1‐D) is a rare, progressive and debilitating urea cycle disorder characterized by clinical manifestations including spasticity, seizures, developmental delay, and intellectual disability. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and summarize the natural history of ARG1‐D and the unmet needs of patients.

Methods

A comprehensive search of published case reports was undertaken to identify patients with ARG1‐D regardless of interventions, comparisons, or outcomes. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and other evidence‐based medicine literature databases were searched on 20 April 2020. Quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist. (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020212142.)

Results

One hundred and fifty seven ARG1‐D patients were included from 111 publications (good overall quality based on JBI's Checklist); 84 (53.5%) were males. Motor deficits (including spasticity), intellectual disability, and seizures were reported in >50% of the cases. Mean age (SD) at diagnosis was 6.4 years and the laboratory findings most commonly reported to support diagnosis included elevated plasma arginine (81.5%), mutation inARG1gene through genetic testing (60%), and absence/reduction of red blood cell arginase activity (51%). Reported management approaches mainly included dietary protein restriction (68%), nitrogen scavengers (45%), and essential amino acid supplements (21%). Author‐reported clinical improvement was documented for 26% of patients, 15% deteriorated, and 19% had limited or no change; notably, no indication of clinical outcome was reported for 40% cases.

Conclusion

This review illustrates a significant burden of disease and highlights a considerable unmet need for clinically effective treatment options for patients with ARG1‐D.
Development and validation of the Clinical Aspects of Historical Trauma Questionnaire in Rwandan genocide survivors
Authors: Mutuyimana Celestin , Maercker Andreas
Published: March 2022

Historical trauma is a relatively new concept in the literature, and investigations are needed to clarify its clinical aspects and develop instruments to measure its sequelae. The purpose of this study was to develop the Clinical Aspects of Historical Trauma Questionnaire (CAHTQ), which is meant to capture trauma sequelae in different contexts, and provide initial psychometric information. Participants were survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda (N = 261) aged 32–87 years (M = 46.30 years, SD = 11.95) who completed a preliminary version of the CAHTQ, constructed based on theoretical and content‐related consideration, as well as the International Trauma Questionnaire, Fatalism Scale, Public Health Depression Questionnaire, Brief Coping Inventory, Forgiveness Questionnaire, and Sentiment of Reconciliation Questionnaire to test the discriminant and convergent validity of the CAHTQ. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to reduce the number of items and extract factors; confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to confirm the measure's dimensionality. The final questionnaire includes 20 items and five subscales. The items demonstrated good internal consistency, Cronbach's α = .91, and the CFA demonstrated a very good fit of the model to the data, χ2(60, N = 261) = 271, CFI = .963 = , TLI = .956, SMRR = .052, RMSEA = .052. The CAHTQ was developed to capture the clinical aspects of historical trauma sequelae. Unlike comparable previously developed instruments, this questionnaire can be used for various historical traumas globally, and its suitability for this purpose will be the focus of future studies.
A validation study of the Swedish version of the Glasgow hearing aid benefit profile evaluated in otosclerosis subjects
Authors: Dahlin Redfors Ylva , Jönsson Radoslava , Finizia Caterina
Published: March 2022

Objectives

The aim of this study was to translate the Glasgow Benefit Hearing Aid Profile (GHABP) to Swedish, and to analyze its validity and reliability in patients undergoing rehabilitation with surgery or hearing aids.

Methods

The GHABP was translated to Swedish following published guidelines. One version of the questionnaire was adapted to fit the surgical intervention. A modification was made to the questionnaire by removing the answer option “not applicable” (N/A) since it was found confusing by the subjects. A prospective multicenter cohort study was performed to validate the questionnaire. One hundred and twenty‐three individuals diagnosed with otosclerosis were included in the study prior to the intervention. The individuals were divided into three groups based on the intervention and previous hearing aid experience. Pure tone audiometry was performed 1 month prior and 1 year after the intervention. The Swedish version of the GHABP was completed by the individuals prior to the intervention, as well as 6 and 12 months after the intervention. Validity and reliability were assessed.

Results

The Swedish versions of the GHABP were well accepted by the included individuals. The questionnaires showed good psychometric properties, with comparable results for the two different interventions and three separate intervention groups. Initial disability was more pronounced in more challenging listening situations. Disability was reduced after the intervention. The “Use,” “Benefit,” and “Satisfaction” domains demonstrated beneficial results; however, a ceiling effect was noted in the same domains. The reliability was overall very high.

Conclusion

The Swedish version of the GHABP had good psychometric properties, with high validity and reliability. The same outcomes were found for the hearing aid and surgery groups. A ceiling effect was observed that can affect the questionnaire's ability to distinguish between subjects and measures over time.

Level of evidence

2c
Predator cues target signaling pathways in toxic algal metabolome
Authors: Brown Emily R. , Moore Sam G. , Gaul David A. , Kubanek Julia
Published: March 2022

Early detection of predators is critical to the survival of all living organisms. For phytoplankton, recognition and response to chemical cues from predators, as evidence of predation risk, are particularly crucial. The phytoplankton Alexandrium minutum upregulates its toxicity when exposed to copepodamides, a suite of compounds released by copepod predators. However, how A. minutum perceives these predatory cues and what metabolic pathways are involved in initiating toxin induction remains unknown. In this study, liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry and NMR‐based metabolomics uncovered subtle physiological responses of A. minutum to copepodamides, including altered regulation of branched‐chain amino acid biosynthesis and potential enhancement of butanoate metabolism and arginine biosynthesis. While we have yet to identify a chemoreceptor directly activated by copepod cues, based on the results of inhibition experiments, detection of copepodamides appears to disrupt the activity of serine/threonine phosphatases leading to increased jasmonic acid biosynthesis and signaling, which leads to amplified gonyautoxin biosynthesis in A. minutum. This study is an important step toward a better understanding of chemosensory ecology of predator–prey interactions in phytoplankton.
Light‐Driven Awn‐Footed Soft Robots
Authors: Song Xiaodong , Qiu Xiaxin , Huang Xiaowen , Xu Mengda , Zhang Lidong
Published: March 2022

Anisotropic friction, widely existing on biological surface, is vital for motion or transporting cargoes in nature; however, the challenge remains to introduce anisotropic friction into soft robotic systems. Herein, an assembling method is reported to introduce elastic awns of Setaria viridis to a soft robot, in which the elastic awn with anisotropic surface structures is capable of giving rise to the anisotropic friction. The body of soft robot is composed of three functional layers: polydimethylsiloxane@carbon nanotubes layer that generates photothermal effect, poly(vinylidene difluoride) layer, able to direct the motion of robot, and waxy rice amylopectin@polyvinyl alcohol layer for humidity response. The humidity‐responsive layer improves the shape recoverability of the soft robot during the response to light irradiation, and thus extending its motion lifetime. The elastic‐awn legs support the body of robot and push the robot forward by the positive friction. Based on the anisotropic friction, the controllable motion of various soft robots is successfully achieved in response to external stimuli.
End Group Dye‐Labeled Polycarbonate Block Copolymers for Micellar (Immuno‐)Drug Delivery
Authors: Czysch Christian , Medina‐Montano Carolina , Dal Nils‐Jørgen Knudsen , Dinh Thi , Fröder Yannick , Winterwerber Pia , Maxeiner Konrad , Räder Hans‐Joachim , Schuppan Detlef , Schild Hansjörg , Bros Matthias , Biersack Bernhard , Fenaroli Federico , Grabbe Stephan , Nuhn Lutz
Published: March 2022

Defined conjugation of functional molecules to block copolymer end groups is a powerful strategy to enhance the scope of micellar carriers for drug delivery. In this study, an approach to access well‐defined polycarbonate‐based block copolymers by labeling their end groups with single fluorescent dye molecules is established. Following controlled polymerization conditions, the block copolymers’ primary hydroxy end group can be converted into activated pentafluorophenyl ester carbonates and subsequently aminolyzed with fluorescent dyes that are equipped with primary amines. During a solvent‐evaporation process, the resulting end group dye‐labeled block copolymers self‐assemble into narrowly dispersed ∼25 nm‐sized micelles and simultaneously encapsulate hydrophobic (immuno‐)drugs. The covalently attached fluorescent tracer can be used to monitor both uptake into cells and stability under biologically relevant conditions, including incubation with blood plasma or during blood circulation in zebrafish embryos. By encapsulation of the toll‐like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8) agonist CL075, immune stimulatory polymeric micelles are generated that get internalized by various antigen‐presenting dendritic cells and promote their maturation. Generally, such end group dye‐labeled polycarbonate block copolymers display ideal features to permit targeted delivery of hydrophobic drugs to key immune cells for vaccination and cancer immunotherapy.
Low Light Amplification Threshold and Reduced Efficiency Roll‐Off in Thick Emissive Layer OLEDs from a Diketopyrrolopyrrole Derivative
Authors: Shukla Atul , Entoma Volter , McGregor Sarah K. M. , Hasan Monirul , Mamada Masashi , Moore Evan G. , Adachi Chihaya , Lo Shih‐Chun , Namdas Ebinazar B.
Published: March 2022

External quantum efficiency (EQE) roll‐off under high current injection has been one of the major limiting factors toward the development of organic semiconductor laser diodes (OSLDs). While significant progress in this regard has been made on organic semiconductors (OSCs) emitting in the blue–green region of the visible spectrum, OSCs with longer wavelength emission (>600 nm) have fallen behind in both material development and the advancement in device architectures suitable for the realization of OSLDs. Therefore, to make simultaneous incremental advancements, a host–guest system comprising of a high performing poly(9,9‐dioctylfluorene‐alt‐benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) polymer and an efficient small molecule laser dye, dithiophenyl diketopyrrolopyrrole (DT‐DPP), is used. This combination provides an extremely low amplified spontaneous emission threshold of 4.2 µJ cm−2 at an emission wavelength of 620 nm. The solution‐processed organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) fabricated using this system exhibit a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 2.6% with low efficiency roll‐off and high current injection up to 90 A cm−2 to yield ultrahigh luminance of over 1.5 million cd m−2.
Super‐Moisturizing Materials from Morphological Deformation of Suprapolysaccharides
Authors: Budpud Kulisara , Okeyoshi Kosuke , Kobayashi Shoko , Okajima Maiko K. , Kaneko Tatsuo
Published: March 2022

The evaporative interface on polysaccharides has evolved to form hierarchical structures with moisture sensitivity to enable organisms to live in drying environments. Here, the discovery of the morphological instability of polysaccharides, especially the reversible self‐assembly/disassembly between micron‐fibers and microparticles in response to changes in aquatic environments, is reported. This is similar but different to the dynamic instability observed in cytoskeletal proteins, in terms of an accompanying the polymeric deformation. The formation of the polymeric fibers containing crystalline structures can be flexibly controlled by controlling the polymer concentration and salt concentration in aqueous mixtures. Moreover, the microparticles having crosslinking points in the interior acquire the ability to retain a larger number of water molecules in drying environments and behave as super‐moisturizing materials.
Strategy and design of multi‐unit auction in grouped asymmetric setting
Authors: Chen Shiying , Dong Zhenhuan , Cao Chunming , Zheng Changjun
Published: March 2022

In this study, the difference amongst bidders is modelled by the two parameters of valuation and marginal utility. Thus, the symmetrical multi‐unit auction is extended to the asymmetric private value model. The optimal strategy of any different bidders can be solved by the model, which expands the practical application of multi‐unit auction theory. On this basis, the yield and price volatility of different auction mechanisms under the ‘two‐group case’ are evaluated. The results show that Vickrey auction is generally superior to uniform price auction. Different from the other two formats, the fluctuation range of discriminatory price auction revenue is large.
Fast‐track talent to compete in the short term. Looking at the soccer mirror: Atlético de Madrid FC versus FC Barcelona
Authors: Maqueira‐Marín Juan Manuel , Nuñez‐Cacho‐Utrilla Pedro Victor , Fernández‐Menéndez José , Minguela‐Rata Beatriz
Published: March 2022

This study addresses the Fast‐Track Internal Talent Development model, which consists of capturing unrecognized talent and developing it quickly, in a short period of time. Two examples in European soccer can be used to illustrate this: the traditional Internal Talent Development model followed by Fútbol Club Barcelona and the new model of Fast‐Track Internal Talent Development deployed by Atlético de Madrid Fútbol Club. Longitudinal case study enables us to identify the Fast‐Track Internal Talent Development model. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is applied to player performance to determine which of the two TM models has been more efficient.
Improving sensitivity and connectivity of retinal vessel segmentation via error discrimination network
Authors: Lin Guoye , Bai Hanhua , Zhao Jie , Yun Zhaoqiang , Chen Yangfan , Pang Shumao , Feng Qianjin
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Automated retinal vessel segmentation is crucial to the early diagnosis and treatment of ophthalmological diseases. Many deep‐learning‐based methods have shown exceptional success in this task. However, current approaches are still inadequate in challenging vessels (e.g., thin vessels) and rarely focus on the connectivity of vessel segmentation.

Methods

We propose using an error discrimination network (D) to distinguish whether the vessel pixel predictions of the segmentation network (S) are correct, and S is trained to obtain fewer error predictions of D. Our method is similar to, but not the same as, the generative adversarial network. Three types of vessel samples and corresponding error masks are used to train D, as follows: (1) vessel ground truth; (2) vessel segmented by S; (3) artificial thin vessel error samples that further improve the sensitivity of D to wrong small vessels. As an auxiliary loss function of S, D strengthens the supervision of difficult vessels. Optionally, we can use the errors predicted by D to correct the segmentation result of S.

Results

Compared with state‐of‐the‐art methods, our method achieves the highest scores in sensitivity (86.19%, 86.26%, and 86.53%) and G‐Mean (91.94%, 91.30%, and 92.76%) on three public datasets, namely, STARE, DRIVE, and HRF. Our method also maintains a competitive level in other metrics. On the STARE dataset, the F1‐score and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of our method rank second and first, respectively, reaching 84.51% and 98.97%. The top scores of the three topology‐relevant metrics (Conn, Inf, and Cor) demonstrate that the vessels extracted by our method have excellent connectivity. We also validate the effectiveness of error discrimination supervision and artificial error sample training through ablation experiments.

Conclusions

The proposed method provides an accurate and robust solution for difficult vessel segmentation.
MRI lung lobe segmentation in pediatric cystic fibrosis patients using a recurrent neural network trained with publicly accessible CT datasets
Authors: Pusterla Orso , Heule Rahel , Santini Francesco , Weikert Thomas , Willers Corin , Andermatt Simon , Sandkühler Robin , Nyilas Sylvia , Latzin Philipp , Bieri Oliver , Bauman Grzegorz
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To introduce a widely applicable workflow for pulmonary lobe segmentation of MR images using a recurrent neural network (RNN) trained with chest CT datasets. The feasibility is demonstrated for 2D coronal ultrafast balanced SSFP (ufSSFP) MRI.

Methods

Lung lobes of 250 publicly accessible CT datasets of adults were segmented with an open‐source CT‐specific algorithm. To match 2D ufSSFP MRI data of pediatric patients, both CT data and segmentations were translated into pseudo‐MR images that were masked to suppress anatomy outside the lung. Network‐1 was trained with pseudo‐MR images and lobe segmentations and then applied to 1000 masked ufSSFP images to predict lobe segmentations. These outputs were directly used as targets to train Network‐2 and Network‐3 with non‐masked ufSSFP data as inputs, as well as an additional whole‐lung mask as input for Network‐2. Network predictions were compared to reference manual lobe segmentations of ufSSFP data in 20 pediatric cystic fibrosis patients. Manual lobe segmentations were performed by splitting available whole‐lung segmentations into lobes.

Results

Network‐1 was able to segment the lobes of ufSSFP images, and Network‐2 and Network‐3 further increased segmentation accuracy and robustness. The average all‐lobe Dice similarity coefficients were 95.0 ± 2.8 (mean ± pooled SD [%]) and 96.4 ± 2.5, 93.0 ± 2.0; and the average median Hausdorff distances were 6.1 ± 0.9 (mean ± SD [mm]), 5.3 ± 1.1, 7.1 ± 1.3 for Network‐1, Network‐2, and Network‐3, respectively.

Conclusion

Recurrent neural network lung lobe segmentation of 2D ufSSFP imaging is feasible, in good agreement with manual segmentations. The proposed workflow might provide access to automated lobe segmentations for various lung MRI examinations and quantitative analyses.
Examining lung microstructure using 19F MR diffusion imaging in COPD patients
Authors: Obert Arnd Jonathan , Gutberlet Marcel , Kern Agilo Luitger , Kaireit Till Frederik , Glandorf Julian , Moher Alsady Tawfik , Wacker Frank , Hohlfeld Jens Michael , Vogel‐Claussen Jens
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To examine the time‐dependent diffusion of fluorinated (19F) gas in human lungs for determination of surface‐to‐volume ratio in comparison to results from hyperpolarized 129Xe and lung function testing in healthy volunteers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Methods

Diffusion of fluorinated gas in the short‐time regime was measured using multiple gradient‐echo sequences with a single pair of trapezoidal gradient pulses. Pulmonary surface‐to‐volume ratio was calculated using a first‐order approximation of the time‐dependent diffusion in a study with 20 healthy volunteers and 22 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The repeatability after 7 days as well as the correlation with hyperpolarized 129Xe diffusion MRI and lung function testing was analyzed.

Results

Using 19F diffusion MRI, the median surface‐to‐volume ratio is significantly decreased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (S/V = 126 cm−1 [87–144 cm−1]) compared with healthy volunteers (S/V = 164 cm−1 [160–84 cm−1], p < 0.0001). No significant difference was found between measurements within 7 days for healthy (p = 0.88, median coefficient of variation = 4.3%) and diseased subjects (p = 0.58, median coefficient of variation= 6.7%). Linear correlations were found with S/V from 129Xe diffusion MRI (r = 0.85, p = 0.001) and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (r = 0.68, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Examination of lung microstructure using time‐dependent diffusion measurement of inhaled 19F is feasible, repeatable, and correlates with established measurements.
A column generation algorithm for the demand‐responsive feeder service with mandatory and optional, clustered bus‐stops
Authors: Galarza Montenegro Bryan David , Sörensen Kenneth , Vansteenwegen Pieter
Published: March 2022

With the rise of smart cities, relevant passenger data can be collected to improve the quality of transport services. In this article, a demand‐responsive feeder service is presented. A feeder service transports passengers from a low‐demand area, like a suburban area, to a transportation hub, like a city center. The feeder service modeled in this article considers two sets of bus stops: mandatory stops and optional stops. Mandatory stops are always visited by a bus, while optional stops are only visited when a client nearby makes a request for transportation. This gives the service both flexibility and some predictability. To optimize the performance of the service, mathematical modeling techniques to improve the model's runtime are developed. It is concluded that a combination of column generation and the separation of sub‐tour elimination constraints decreases the computing time of small and midsize instances significantly.
Z‐pin effect on interlaminar mechanical and ablation performance of quartz‐phenolic composites
Authors: Li Lisha , Li Yong , Huan Dajun , Chen Xiaodong , Liu Hongquan , Wang Wuqiang , Li Yanrui , Jin Yue , Li Wenying
Published: March 2022

When a spacecraft flies at a high speed through a high‐heat flow, the ablative composites suffer from severe delamination and bulging due to their weak interlaminar performance. This will interfere normal operations of spacecraft. To improve the interlaminar performance of ablative composites is of great significance to the ablative structures. This study investigated Z‐pin reinforced quartz‐phenolic composites and reinforcement mechanism. First, a thermogravimetry (TG) test was used to analyze the thermal decomposition process of the phenolic. Second, a series of tests, including a single Z‐pin pull‐out, a single‐lap joint tensile and an oxyacetylene ablation test, were conducted to investigate composites' ablation performance. We also deployed a 3D morphometer and an infrared thermography to reveal the function of Z‐pins. The results demonstrated that Z‐pins can improve composites' ablation performance in both structure and function. In the structure, Z‐pins suppress the interlaminar delamination of composites by enhancing the interlaminar strength. As the ablation time increases, interface bridging between the Z‐pin and laminates contributes increasingly to the interlaminar shear strength of laminates. After 60 s of ablation in a flame of 920°C, the interlaminar shear strength of Z‐pin specimens is 84.66% stronger than that of the normal composites. In the function, the Z‐pins suppress large areas of bulges by providing escape channels for pyrolysis gas, and reduce bulging areas by 60%. Z‐pin technology can effectively suppress mechanical erosion of the ablative surface due to the delamination and bulging. It is an important way to improve ablation performance of ablative structures.
Anomaly detection in IR images of PV modules using supervised contrastive learning
Authors: Bommes Lukas , Hoffmann Mathis , Buerhop‐Lutz Claudia , Pickel Tobias , Hauch Jens , Brabec Christoph , Maier Andreas , Marius Peters Ian
Published: March 2022

Increasing deployment of photovoltaic (PV) plants requires methods for automatic detection of faulty PV modules in modalities, such as infrared (IR) images. Recently, deep learning has become popular for this. However, related works typically sample train and test data from the same distribution ignoring the presence of domain shift between data of different PV plants. Instead, we frame fault detection as more realistic unsupervised domain adaptation problem where we train on labeled data of one source PV plant and make predictions on another target plant. We train a ResNet‐34 convolutional neural network with a supervised contrastive loss, on top of which we employ ak‐nearest neighbor classifier to detect anomalies. Our method achieves a satisfactory area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 73.3% to 96.6% on nine combinations of four source and target datasets with 2.92 million IR images of which 8.5% are anomalous. It even outperforms a binary cross‐entropy classifier in some cases. With a fixed decision threshold, this results in 79.4% and 77.1% correctly classified normal and anomalous images, respectively. Most misclassified anomalies are of low severity, such as hot diodes and small hot spots. Our method is insensitive to hyperparameter settings, converges quickly, and reliably detects unknown types of anomalies making it well suited for practice. Possible uses are in automatic PV plant inspection systems or to streamline manual labeling of IR datasets by filtering out normal images. Furthermore, our work serves the community with a more realistic view on PV module fault detection using unsupervised domain adaptation to develop more performant methods with favorable generalization capabilities.