bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coupled effects of heavy rainfall and falling water‐level exhibit the most significant influences on reservoir bank failures
Authors: Li Yihang , Xu Xiangzhou , Guo Shengli
Published: May 2024

Mass failures are often induced or activated by the variation of hydrological factors within a reservoir area. Clarifying the relationships between the failure volume and different hydrological factors may help to identify both the dominant factors influencing reservoir bank failures and the most hazardous combinations of factors inducing such events. This study examines the influence of different hydrological factors on bank failures using model experiments incorporating variations in rainfall, wave and water level. The results indicate that the coupled effects of heavy rainfall and falling water‐level had the most significant impact on bank failure. The cumulative failure mass of the reservoir bank peaked at 177.2 × 103 cm3 under the coupled effects of rainfall and falling water‐level. In comparison, the cumulative mass failures on the reservoir bank under rainfall superimposed onto waves and rainfall superimposed onto water level rise were 162.4 × 103 and 129.2 × 103 cm3, respectively. The impact of heavy rainfall significantly contributed the mass failures on soil reservoir bank. The analysis reveals that the highest cumulative failure, 106.3 × 103 cm3, occurred during periods of heavy rainfall. Compared with heavy rainfall, the cumulative failure volumes in the reservoir experienced a reduction of 46% and 55% under solely declining and solely rising reservoir water levels, respectively. The early phases of changing hydrological conditions have a significant effect on the stability of the soil reservoir bank. Mass failures on the bank predominantly occurred during the initial three events of the five simulation experiments performed for each landform, which could account for up to 87% of the total volume. Hence, it is advisable to avoid lowering reservoir water levels during periods of sustained heavy rainfall in order to mitigate the risk of bank failure.
Association depressive symptoms with memory function and social capital before and during COVID‐19 in community‐dwelling older adults in rural Japan: A retrospective study with a longitudinal data
Authors: Kunitake Yutaka , Imamura Yoshiomi , Kunitake Hiroko , Ohishi‐Fukuchi Junko , Matsushima Jun , Tateishi Hiroshi , Murakawa‐Hirachi Toru , Kojima Ryohei , Sakemura Yuta , Kikuchi Jun , Shiraishi Takumi , Takamori Ayako , Morisaki Toshihiro , Yamada Shigeto , Monji Akira , Mizoguchi Yoshito
Published: May 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the impact of memory function and social capital on depressive symptoms during the COVID‐19 pandemic among older adults in rural Japan.

Methods

A retrospective study with longitudinal data was conducted during COVID‐19 from May 2021 to November 2021 (T2) in Kurogawa, Japan. The candidate population for this study was 145 with the following requirements: (1) older individuals aged 65 years or above who were registered in the Kurogawa study, and (2) those with previous data (from November 2016 to February 2020; T1 as pre‐pandemic). Memory function was assessed using the Wechsler Memory Scale‐Revised Logical Memory II delayed recall part A (LM II‐DR). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Japanese version of the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS‐15). Social capital was evaluated through civic participation, social cohesion, and reciprocity. Fear of the COVID‐19 infection (FCV‐19S) was evaluated.

Results

The final analysis included 96 participants (mean age = 81.0 years, SD = 4.8) Multivariate analysis for GDS‐15 score by Mixed Model Repeated Measures (MMRM) revealed significant associations between LM II‐DR (β = −0.13, 95% CI: −0.21–0.05, p = 0.002) and FCV‐19S during COVID‐19 (β = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01–0.15, p = 0.02) with GDS‐15 score. However, civic participation, social cohesion and reciprocity were not associated with GDS‐15 score.

Conclusions

Among older adults in rural Japan, memory function and fear of the COVID‐19 infection were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in MMRM analysis. However, social capital was not associated with depressive symptoms. This highlights the need to address memory function and fear of the COVID‐19 infection in interventions for older adults during crises like the COVID‐19 pandemic.
A recipe for why and how to set up and sustain an experimental catchment
Authors: Penna Daniele
Published: May 2024

Experimental catchments are fundamental elements in hydrological sciences as they provide key data for putting forward and testing hypotheses, developing theories, constraining models, and making predictions. Significant progress in catchment hydrology stemmed from field measurements but increasing costs and risks associated with field work and the availability of big data based on remote sensing, machine learning, and a plethora of models, as well as observations deriving from previous and current sites, raises questions on whether running an experimental catchment still provides individual and community benefits as in the past. In this commentary, I highlight the advantages of keeping experimental catchments alive and propose a personal 10‐step “recipe” to set up a new experimental catchment and manage and sustain it in the long term. These suggestions can be useful both to young and less young researchers who are open to facing the challenge of measuring processes in the field and are willing to offer the scientific community new experimental evidence for advancing our current knowledge in catchment hydrology.
DTM resolution controls the accuracy of estimating surface runoff indicators in flat, lowland landscapes
Authors: Schaap Peter , van der Velde Ype , de Louw Perry , Bartholomeus Harm
Published: May 2024

Surface runoff plays an important role in contaminant transport, nutrient loss, soil erosion and peak discharges in streams and rivers. Because it is the result of a variety of complex hydrological processes, estimating surface runoff using physically based hydrological models is challenging. Upscaling of physical soil properties is necessary to cope with the limits of computational power in surface runoff modelling. In flat landscapes, the (micro)topographic surface controls the onset and progression of surface runoff on saturated soils during rain events. Therefore, its proper representation is crucial when attempting to model and predict surface runoff. In this study, the influence of microtopography (centimetre scale) on estimations of maximum depression storage (MDS), random roughness (RR) and the connectivity threshold (CT) is explored. These properties are selected because they often serve as surface runoff indicators in hydrological modelling. To characterize microtopography, a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) is used to generate a digital terrain model (DTM) of the study site with a horizontal spatial resolution of 5 cm. MDS, RR and CT are then calculated and compared to the values generated from the publicly available Dutch national DTM dataset with a resolution of 50 cm. Our results show considerable differences in MDS, RR and CT when calculated for the different input resolution datasets. Using DTMs that do not sufficiently capture microtopography leads to underestimation of MDS and RR, and to overestimation of CT. Our findings indicate that surface runoff indicators, and thereby the surface runoff response of a saturated surface to rainfall events, are defined at scales smaller than the scales of typically available DTMs. Understanding surface runoff through modelling studies therefore requires a framework that accounts for this lack of information arising from using coarser resolution DTMs. We demonstrate a linear relationship between MDS values generated from the different resolution DTMs. This opens the possibility of using empirical scaling relationships between high‐ and lower‐resolution DTMs to account for microtopography. Repetition of our measurements on similar surfaces would contribute to establishing such empirical scaling relationships. Our results should be seen as indicative of flat landscapes and surfaces where centimetre scale microtopography is relevant.
Risk factors for intensive care unit admission after cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum
Authors: Munoz Jessian L. , Cheng CeCe , McCann Georgia A. , Ramsey Patrick , Byrne John J.
Published: May 2024

Objective

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a complex disorder of uterine wall disruption with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly at time of delivery. Both physician and physical hospital resource allocation/utilization remains a challenge in PAS cases including intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The primary objective of the present study was to identify preoperative risk factors for ICU admission and create an ICU admission prediction model for patient counseling and resource utilization decision making in an evidence‐based manner.

Methods

This was a case–control study of 145 patients at our PAS referral center undergoing cesarean hysterectomy for PAS. Final confirmation by histopathology was required for inclusion. Patient disposition after surgery (ICU vs post‐anesthesia care unit) was our primary outcome and pre‐/intra‐/postoperative variables were obtained via electronic medical records with an emphasis on the predictive capabilities of the preoperative variables. Uni‐ and multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent predictive factors for ICU admission.

Results

In this large cohort of 145 patients who underwent cesarean hysterectomy for PAS, with histopathologic confirmation, 63 (43%) were admitted to the ICU following delivery. These patients were more likely to be delivered at an earlier gestational age (34 vs 35 weeks, P < 0.001), have had >2 episodes of vaginal bleeding and emergent delivery compared to patients admitted to patients with routine recovery care (44% vs 18.3%, P = 0.009). Uni‐ and multivariate logistic regression showed an area under the curve of 0.73 (95% CI: [0.63, 0.81], P < 0.001) for prediction of ICU admission with these three variables. Patients with all three predictors had 100% ICU admission rate.

Conclusion

Resource prediction, utilization and allocation remains a challenge in PAS management. By identifying patients with preoperative risk factors for ICU admission, not only can patients be counseled but this resource can be requested preoperatively for staffing and utilization purposes.
Hibernoma in the renal sinus: A case mimicking malignancy
Authors: Kashima Ayano , Majima Tsuyoshi , Muramatsu Tomoaki , Kurosu Haruka , Kawanishi Hideji , Kobayashi Ikuo , Kajikawa Keishi , Takahara Taishi , Yamamoto Takahiro , Sassa Naoto
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Hibernomas are benign tumors of brown adipose tissue. Hibernoma in the renal sinus is extremely rare. Herein, we present the third known case of renal hibernoma.

Case presentation

A 71‐year‐old man reported to our department with a left kidney tumor with an average growth rate of 5 mm/year and a progressive contrast effect on computed tomography. It was diagnosed as a hibernoma following a laparoscopic radical nephrectomy.

Conclusion

We encountered a rare case of a hibernoma in the renal sinus. Development of new and accurate diagnostic methods for hibernoma, without resorting to nephrectomy, is essential.
Building a workforce of diverse women leaders: Understanding intersectional identities
Authors: Fleming Eleanor , Alkhubaizi Qoot , Cunha‐Cruz Joana , Dariotis Wei Ming
Published: May 2024

Background

Women have made significant advancements in the dentist workforce, growing from 20% of dentists in 2005 to 34.5% in 2020. Women have also made inroads in academic dentistry. While much scholarship has documented a growing feminization in dentistry and efforts to promote gender equity in the profession, there has been less exploration of the intersectional identities of these women. This manuscript explores how academic dentistry can support diverse women's leadership focusing on intersectional identities.

Methods

Applying the theoretical framework of intersectionality, we assess publicly available data to explore the percentages of faculty and deans who are women of color. Drawing upon best practices in higher education and our personal experiences, we explore opportunities to increase participation and support the advancement of women of color in academia.

Results

In the academic year 2018–2019, of the 5066 full‐time faculty members, 40.5% were women. Minoritized women comprised 13.4% of full‐time faculty members, compared to White women who were 20.6% of full‐time faculty. Minoritized women comprised 7.3% of dental school deans, compared to White women who were 17.6% of deans.

Conclusion

Intersectionality allows for a deeper examination of women in academic dentistry. Women of color are often erased in discussions about women in academic dentistry, even as the profession celebrates the progress made by women. Embracing the intersectional identities of women and by extension, people who identify as gender non‐confirming may help dental schools to become humanistic environments where faculty and leadership represent the growing diversity in the profession and in the world.
Stakeholder perceptions of gerodontology education for final year Australian dental school curricula
Authors: Nilsson Angie , Young Louise , Evans Rebecca , Jennings Ernest , Lee Andrew
Published: May 2024

Aim

The study explored the perceptions of final‐year Australian dental students, directors of nursing, and consumer representatives toward geriatric education provided at Australian undergraduate dental schools. Findings will strengthen and inform future curricula design for dental schools.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews and focus groups were conducted through videoconferencing and in‐person interviews, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Thematic analysis found the major themes to include relationships, curriculum variation, resources, and in‐service learning experiences. The participants found gaps in the current delivery of undergraduate dental education. Solutions included greater resourcing through funding and time allocated to supervisors and a curriculum dedicated to gerodontology.

Conclusions

Healthcare professional curriculum design must consider the needs of the learners and stakeholders involved in the health of older people. The focus group participants found multiple barriers and gaps to achieving what is required to adequately prepare dental graduates for an older, frail, and care‐dependent population. For curricula to be successful, policymakers and education providers must find solutions to ensure that the oral health needs of older Australians are addressed and managed appropriately.
QoL during KTd or KRd induction followed by K maintenance or observation in transplant noneligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: Longitudinal and cross‐sectional analysis of the randomized AGMT 02 study
Authors: Ludwig Heinz , Melchardt Thomas , Schweitzer Ilvy , Sormann Siegfried , Schreder Martin , Andel Johannes , Hartmann Bernd , Zojer Niklas , Schöffmann Laurenz , Gunsilius Eberhard , Podar Klaus , Egle Alexander , Willenbacher Wolfgang , Wöll Ewald , Ruckser Reinhard , Bozic Boris , Krauth Maria‐Theresa , Petzer Andreas , Schmitt Clemens , Machherndl‐Spandl Sigrid , Agis Hermine , Fillitz Michael , Wang Song‐Yau , Knop Stefan , Greil Richard
Published: May 2024

Understanding the impact of induction and maintenance therapy on patients’ quality of life (QoL) is important for treatment selection. This study aims to compare patient‐reported QoL between patients treated with KTd or KRd induction therapy and K maintenance therapy or observation. QoL was assessed using the EORTC QOL‐C 30 and QOL‐MY20 questionnaires in the AGMT‐02 study, in which 123 patients with newly diagnosed transplant ineligible multiple myeloma were randomized to nine cycles of either KTd or KRd induction therapy, followed by 12 cycles of K maintenance therapy, or observation. Longitudinal assessments showed statistically significant improvements in global health‐related QoL, various disease symptoms and pain for both treatment regimens. KTd improved insomnia and fatigue, and KRd improved physical functioning. Cross‐sectional comparisons indicated a “slight” superiority of KTd over KRd in several scales, with the exception of higher neuropathy scores with KTd. During maintenance, longitudinal comparisons showed no statistically significant changes. Cross‐sectional comparisons revealed a “slight” improvement in cognitive functioning during carfilzomib therapy, but a worsening in most other QoL scales. Induction therapy led to improvements in most QoL items, while maintenance therapy with K maintenance was associated with “slight” or “moderate” impairments in several QoL scales compared with the observation group.
How to create team design in tourism and hospitality organizations: Through team‐level autonomy and task interdependence
Authors: Lim SangGon (Edward) , Jung Hyojung “Julie” , Lee Stacy H.
Published: May 2024

Team‐based organizational structures have been widely adopted in tourism and hospitality firms. Based on socio‐technical systems theory, this study focused on two critical components of team design: team‐level autonomy and task interdependence. The impacts of these elements on team outcomes vary by context (e.g., organizations and task types). Exploration of these features' relationships with teamwork processes in tourism and hospitality settings is thus warranted. This study took a social process (i.e., team communication) as a mediating mechanism to explain team‐level organizational phenomena. A total of 312 responses from tourism and hospitality employees were collected through Qualtrics. Structural equation modeling using the R Lavaan package showed that team‐level autonomy and task interdependence were positively and indirectly related to team performance through team communication. Also, their interaction was positively associated with team outcomes. These findings contribute to the team effectiveness literature and provide tourism and hospitality organizations with practical guidance.
Millions in BH funding to advance Unity Agenda announced
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: May 2024

The Biden‐Harris administration last week announced $46.8 million in behavioral health funding opportunities to advance President Biden's Unity Agenda as part of May Mental Health Awareness Month, according to a U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) news release.
On the construction of the Stokes flow in a domain with cylindrical ends
Authors: Wendland Wolfgang L.
Published: May 2024

Based on existence results for the Stokes operator and its solution properties in manifolds with cylindrical ends by Große et al. and Kohr et al., the Stokes flow in a three‐dimensional compact domain
with circular openings
through which the fluid enters and leaves
through unbounded cylindrical pipes the Stokes flow is modeled as a mixed boundary value problem
whereas in the cylindrical ends, the velocities and pressures are constant on every straight line in the cylindrical directions with initial values from the openings
of
. These values equal the velocities and pressures which are obtained from the mixed boundary values' solution in
at the openings
.
Local solutions for nonhomogeneous Navier–Stokes equations with large flux
Authors: Rencławowicz Joanna , Zaja¸czkowski Wojciech M.
Published: May 2024

The local existence of solutions to nonhomogeneous Navier–Stokes equations in cylindrical domains with arbitrary large flux is demonstrated. The existence is proved by the method of successive approximations. To show the existence with the lowest possible regularity the special Besov spaces called the Sobolev–Slobodetskii spaces are used. The inflow and outflow are prescribed on the parts of the boundary which are perpendicular to the
‐axis. Since the inflow and outflow are positive the crucial point of this paper is to verify that
‐coordinate of velocity is also positive. Finally, we conclude the local existence such that the velocity belongs to
, the gradient of pressure to
and the density to
, where
.
Exponential stabilization of hybrid event‐triggered singular time‐delay systems
Authors: Ramaswami Reshma , Thoppilkalam Nivedha Vasu , Vinodkumar Arumugam , Alzabut Jehad
Published: May 2024

The exponential stability of hybrid event‐triggered singular time‐delay (STD) systems is established in this paper. To ensure their exponential stability, we give sufficient conditions for linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) for STD systems with average impulsive gain. Furthermore, zeno behavior is avoided by carefully designing the settings for event‐triggering conditions. A few numerical examples demonstrate the usefulness of the suggested findings.
Intention to have a third child among millennial parents with two children in eastern China: A cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Xu Fen , Jiang Shen‐jun , Ge Pan‐pan , Yang Jue , Lu Sha
Published: May 2024

Aim

This Study Aimed to Assess the Intention to Have a Third Child among Millennial Parents (25–40 years old) with Two Children in a City in Eastern China and to Explore the Influencing Factors Related to Fertility Intention.

Design

A cross‐sectional design study.

Methods

A convenience sampling method was used to enrol participants of childbearing age who visited two tertiary hospitals in Hang zhou, a city in eastern China, from June 2021 to March 2022. We conducted a face‐to‐face questionnaire survey with 520 participants and calculated the prevalence of intention‐related factors. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse the independent influencing factors of fertility intention.

Results

In total, 105 (20.2%) participants had the intention to have a third child. The results showed that ‘employment status’, ‘age’, ‘reasons for wanting a third child’, the considered ‘biggest barrier to having a third child’, ‘views on the three‐child policy’, ‘desired free services’, ‘supporting work policies’ and ‘assistance policies’ were significant independent influencing factors of intention to have a third child (p‐value < 0.05). The intention of the participants ‘over 30 years old’ was 2.466 times that of those ‘30 years old and under’, and ‘older age/personal health status’ was considered the ‘biggest barrier to having a third child’. Regarding policy and social reasons, the participants who need ‘medical assistance’ policy negatively affect the intention to have a third child (OR = 0.453, 95% CI = 0.247–0.830).

Implications for Healthcare/Nursing

Nursing plays an important role in health promotion. Nurses can help couples make wise decisions about fertility by providing professional consultation, education, evaluation and support. They can also provide corresponding nursing and guidance to improve couples' health quality and overall reproductive success.

Conclusions

The general level of intention to have a third child of Millennial parents with two children is still low. The participants who are ‘housewives/househusbands’, ‘over 30 years old’, and satisfied with the state of ‘medical assistance’ have higher fertility intentions.

Patient or Public Contribution

It is particularly meaningful for the policymakers to improve the social support system and raise universal awareness to encourage childbirth.
Clinical features and outcomes of young patients with low‐grade non‐rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas treated with a risk‐based strategy: A report from Children's Oncology Group study ARST0332
Authors: Douglass David P. , Coffin Cheryl M. , Randall R. Lor , Yang Yan , Barkauskas Donald A. , Million Lynn , McCarville M. Beth , Pappo Alberto S. , Weiss Aaron R. , Spunt Sheri L.
Published: May 2024

Background

In retrospective analyses, the Pediatric Oncology Group [POG) and the Federation National des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer (FNCLCC) histologic grade predict outcome in pediatric non‐rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma (NRSTS), but prospective data on grading, clinical features, and outcomes of low‐grade NRSTS are limited.

Methods

We analyzed patients less than 30 years of age enrolled on Children's Oncology Group (COG) study ARST0332 (NCT00346164) with POG grade 1 or 2 NRSTS. Low‐risk patients were treated with surgery alone. Intermediate‐/high‐risk patients received ifosfamide/doxorubicin and radiotherapy, with definitive resection either before or after 12 weeks of chemoradiotherapy.

Results

Estimated 5‐year event‐free and overall survival were 90% and 100% low risk (n = 80), 55% and 78% intermediate risk (n = 15), and 25% and 25% high risk (n = 4). In low‐risk patients, only local recurrence was seen in 10%; none with margins greater than 1 mm recurred locally. Sixteen of 17 intermediate‐/high‐risk patients who completed neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy underwent gross total tumor resection, 80% with negative margins. Intermediate‐/high‐risk group events included one local and seven metastatic recurrences. Had the FNCLCC grading system been used to direct treatment, 29% of low‐risk (surgery alone) patients would have received radiotherapy ± chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Most low‐risk patients with completely resected POG low‐grade NRSTS are successfully treated with surgery alone, and surgical margins greater than 1 mm may be sufficient to prevent local recurrence. Patients with intermediate‐ and high‐risk low‐grade NRSTS have outcomes similar to patients with high‐grade histology, and require more effective therapies. Use of the current FNCLCC grading system may result in overtreatment of low‐risk NRSTS curable with surgery alone.
Very elevated hCGβ (≥10 multiple of the median) in maternal marker screening for Down syndrome: Frequency, etiologies, outcomes, and guidelines
Authors: Dreux Sophie , Rosenblatt Jonathan , Massardier Jérôme , Benachi Alexandra , Voirin‐Mathieu Etienne ,   ABA Study Group, Muller Françoise
Published: May 2024

Aim

This aim of this study was to detail maternal and fetal anomalies observed on a national scale in a large French cohort of patients presenting high hCG values (≥10 multiple of the median [MoM]) at Down syndrome screening in order to define clear and optimal guidelines.

Methods

This is a retrospective multicenter study based on a French annual database of all trisomy 21 screenings. Our study targeted and studied cases with hCG or hCGβ values ≥10 MoM. Complementary exams and outcomes were analyzed.

Results

The calculated frequency was 0.05% for hCGβ ≥10 MoM in unselected patients. For this series of 289 cases, a complication of the pregnancy or a poor outcome was observed in 145 cases (51%) as follows: 96 (66%) cases of fetal disease, 23 (16%) of maternal disease, 5 (3.5%) of placental anomalies and 21 (14.5%) of systemic disease concerning mother, fetus and placenta.

Conclusion

This study establishes the frequency of hCG or hCGβ values ≥10 MoM, presents a flow chart that optimizes follow‐up, and gives clear information for patients presenting with such abnormal values at trisomy 21 screening.
Diversity of unique, nonmycorrhizal endophytic fungi in cultivated Phalaenopsis orchids: A pilot study
Authors: Watkinson Jonathan I. , Winkel Brenda S. J.
Published: May 2024

Orchids comprise one of the largest, most diverse, and most broadly distributed families of flowering plants and contribute significantly to habitat biodiversity. One key aspect of orchid growth and development is the formation of mycorrhizal symbioses with compatible endophytic fungi, which are maintained throughout the life of the plant. Substantial efforts to identify the fungi that form mycorrhizal symbioses across a range of orchid species have often also uncovered numerous nonmycorrhizal, endophytic fungi. These fungi could also have significant effects on orchid growth and development and are beginning to be analyzed more closely, particularly in wild species. The role of endophytic fungi in the production, distribution, and continued growth by the hobbyist of orchids is not known. As an initial step toward characterizing nonmycorrhizal endophytic fungi associated with cultivated orchids, we undertook a survey of fungi residing within roots of Phalaenopsis plants growing in home environments. Sequence analysis of ITS regions amplified from total DNA isolated from roots allowed rapid identification of endophytic fungi to the class level and may offer a useful initial screening method for beneficial species, for example, in horticultural settings. ITS‐PCR sequences subsequently obtained from individual fungi cultured from surface‐sterilized orchid roots corroborated the findings of the initial screen, while also providing a more complete characterization of the array of fungal taxa that were present. Although lower in diversity than has been reported for orchids growing in the wild, these endophytes have the potential to substantially enhance the growth and disease resistance of horticultural orchids.
CShaperApp: Segmenting and analyzing cellular morphologies of the developing Caenorhabditis elegans embryo
Authors: Cao Jianfeng , Hu Lihan , Guan Guoye , Li Zelin , Zhao Zhongying , Tang Chao , Yan Hong
Published: May 2024

Caenorhabditis elegans has been widely used as a model organism in developmental biology due to its invariant development. In this study, we developed a desktop software CShaperApp to segment fluorescence‐labeled images of cell membranes and analyze cellular morphologies interactively during C. elegans embryogenesis. Based on the previously proposed framework CShaper, CShaperApp empowers biologists to automatically and efficiently extract quantitative cellular morphological data with either an existing deep learning model or a fine‐tuned one adapted to their in‐house dataset. Experimental results show that it takes about 30 min to process a three‐dimensional time‐lapse (4D) dataset, which consists of 150 image stacks at a ∼1.5‐min interval and covers C. elegans embryogenesis from the 4‐cell to 350‐cell stages. The robustness of CShaperApp is also validated with the datasets from different laboratories. Furthermore, modularized implementation increases the flexibility in multi‐task applications and promotes its flexibility for future enhancements. As cell morphology over development has emerged as a focus of interest in developmental biology, CShaperApp is anticipated to pave the way for those studies by accelerating the high‐throughput generation of systems‐level quantitative data collection. The software can be freely downloaded from the website of Github (cao13jf/CShaperApp) and is executable on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.
Exploring the feasibility of indocyanine green fluorescence for intraoperative ureteral visualisation in robotic transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopy surgery during endometriosis resection
Authors: Delgadillo Chabolla Luis E. , Alpuing Radilla Linda A. , Koythong Tamisa , Sunkara Sowmya , Mendez Yamely , Wang Qianqing , Guan Xiaoming
Published: May 2024

Background

To assess the feasibility of use of indocyanine green (ICG) in identifying and minimising urinary tract injury during surgical resection of endometriosis through robotic transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopy surgery (RvNOTES).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective case series in two academic tertiary care hospitals. We examined 53 patients who underwent RvNOTES hysterectomy with planned endometriosis resection.

Results

The study involved 53 patients undergoing RvNOTES with ICG fluorescence for endometriosis resection. Mean patient age was 37.98 ± 6.65 years. Operative time averaged 181.32 ± 53.94 min, with estimated blood loss at 45.57 ± 33.62 mL. Postoperative stay averaged 0.23 ± 0.47 days. No ICG‐related complications occurred.

Conclusion

No complications occurred with ICG fluorescence in RvNOTES. It appears to be a safe option for ureteral localisation and preservation. ICG fluorescence is widely used in diverse medical specialities for identifying ureters during complex surgeries. Larger studies are needed to firmly establish its advantages in intraoperative ureteral visualisation during RvNOTES for deep infiltrative endometriosis.
Decentralized adaptive fault‐tolerant control for interconnected nonlinear time‐delay systems with uniform prescribed performance
Authors: Hua Changchun , Wang Bin , Li Hao , Li Qidong
Published: May 2024

In this article, the prescribed performance tracking control problem is studied for interconnected nonlinear time‐delay systems with sensor and actuator faults. Based on the dynamic gain technique and the backstepping control method, a delay‐independent adaptive state feedback controller is designed. Besides, by embedding a smooth function into the controller, the unknown external disturbances, sensor and actuator faults are successfully compensated. Furthermore, we can deal with the asymmetric prescribed performance control with semi‐global or global requirements uniformly by selecting the initial value of the the scaling function. Based on Lyapunov theory, it is proved that the system output of each subsystem can closely track the desired signal and the boundedness of all signals in the closed‐loop systems can be ensured under the proposed control method. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is proved by two simulation examples.
Assessing river ecological status through Eurasian otter diet analysis
Authors: Tolrà Arnau , Riera Joan Lluís , Ruiz‐Olmo Jordi
Published: May 2024

To identify and mitigate biodiversity decline, it is necessary to develop and implement appropriate ecological assessment methods. This particularly relevant in ecosystems under strong human pressure, such as riverine environments, in which ecological assessment requires several standardized methods useful in a wide range of riverine characteristics and habitats. In this work, we related otter diet composition with a set of environmental variables in representative river reaches of two contiguous river basins with a high diversity of habitats and varying degrees of human alteration. Our goal was to determine to what extent otter prey communities were sensitive to habitat characteristics and human pressures. Our results suggest that otter prey community in heavily anthropized rivers vary significantly across three gradients: habitat productivity, habitat structure and habitat stability. We also compared the results obtained from the otter diet with those obtained from electrofishing. Overall, the otter diet changed spatially in a similar way to the fish community sampled by electrofishing, but both methods showed disagreements that suggest different biases in some habitats and for some species. We conclude that otter diet analysis is a potential supplementary method for assessing river ecological status and that human alterations related to habitat structural simplification and water extraction can prevent freshwater biodiversity recovery in human‐dominated landscapes despite improvements in biochemical water quality.
Implications of current soil phosphorus levels for manureshed analysis in North Carolina
Authors: Miller Steven , Kulesza Stephanie , Gatiboni Luciano , Hardy David , Sharara Mahmoud
Published: May 2024

Manure relocation strategies are needed to mitigate excessive phosphorus (P) application to agricultural land in areas of intensive animal agricultural production. This requires conceptual frameworks such as the manureshed, which categorizes agricultural areas according to the potential to export or receive manure for P fertilization. To further understand how the manureshed concept could be utilized, assessments of the potential implementation and necessity of the manureshed model are needed. With North Carolina at the center of the largest manureshed in the United States, North Carolina is an ideal test case to identify areas of concern for manure relocation under the manureshed framework. Swine and poultry dominate North Carolina's agricultural production, and because the vast majority of North Carolina producers are not required to limit manure applications to a P‐based rate, P accumulates. Therefore, soil test data from samples submitted to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) from 2017 to 2019 were used to determine how manureshed classes defined by Spiegal et al. correspond to current soil test P levels. It was determined that 36% of counties experience very high (>100 mg P kg−1; N = 36) median P concentrations in soil. Furthermore, fields cultivated with warm‐season forages had the highest mean P concentration (188 mg kg−1) and high median P trended toward counties with high animal production. Lastly, while mean soil P for all manureshed classifications fell into the very high category, manure source counties had the highest mean soil P concentrations (188 mg kg−1), which was 39%–52% higher than the other classifications. This suggests that, in addition to manuresheds classification, soil test data are needed to design and promote manure redistribution strategies.
Naphthyl‐Based Chalcone Derivatives: A Multifaceted Player in Medicinal Chemistry
Authors: Mahesha Priyanka , Shetty Nitinkumar S.
Published: May 2024

Research has placed a great deal of emphasis on molecule development and discovery with substantial biological profiling in recent years. Despite the significant side effects, medicinal chemists have long strived to synthesize drug molecules with the highest level of therapeutic activity and the lowest possible level of toxicity. The naphthyl‐based chalcone derivatives have drawn attention due to their simple structures and wide range of pharmacological effects. The main focus of this review is to outline the biologically active molecules based on naphthyl moiety‐substituted chalcone derivatives developed over the years. A synopsis of pharmacological screening, including relevant structure‐activity relationships, action mechanisms, and possible therapeutic applications, is provided in this article. It is true that prospective hybrids combining the naphthyl moiety with different chalcone pharmacophores are needed to address drug resistance and improve specificity. Therefore, this review may be useful in the development and design of new, highly successful therapeutic drugs based on previously reported methodologies.
Formation and Fluorescent Mechanism of Multiple Color Emissive Carbon Dots from o‐Phenylenediamine
Authors: Li Pengfei , Xue Shanshan , Sun Lu , Ma Xiaobao , Liu Wenning , An Li , Liu Yichang , Qu Dan , Sun Zaicheng
Published: May 2024

Carbon dots (CDs) have received considerable attention in many application areas owing to their unique optical properties and potential applications; however, the fluorescent mechanism is an obstacle to their applications. Herein, three‐color emissive CDs are prepared from single o‐phenylenediamine (oPD) by regulating the ratio of ethanol and dimethylformamide (DMF). Fluorescent mechanism of these CDs is proposed as molecular state fluorescence. Reaction intermediates are identified using liquid chromatrography–mass spectroscopy (LC–MS) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. 1H‐Benzo[d]imidazole (BI), 2,3‐diaminophenazine (DAP), and 5,14‐dihydroquinoxalino[2,3‐b] phenazine (DHQP) are proposed to be the fluorophores of blue, green, and red emissive CDs by comparing their optical properties. As per the LC–MS and 1H‐NMR analysis, DHQP with red emission tends to form from DAP and oPD in pure ethanol. By adding DMF, BI formation is enhanced and DHQP formation is suppressed. The prepared CDs exhibit green emission with DAP. When the DMF amount is >50%, BI formation is considerably promoted, resulting in DAP formation being suppressed. BI with blue emission then turns into the fluorophore of CDs. This result provides us an improved understanding of the fluorescent mechanism of oPD‐based CDs, which guides us in designing the structure and optical properties of CDs.
Eggshell‐Like Carbon Microspheres with Curvature Scheme: Distorted Energy Band and Atomic Charge Waves‐Driven High Performance for Zinc–Air Battery
Authors: Wang Qiheng , Li Ruixue , Feng Wen , Liu Mengying , Li Peng , Liu Jingjun
Published: May 2024

A metal‐free nanocarbon with an eggshell structure is synthesized from chitosan (CS) and natural spherical graphite (NSG) as a cathode electrocatalyst for clean zinc‐air batteries and fuel cells. It is developed using CS‐derived carbons as an eggshell, covering NSG cores. The synthesis involves the in situ growth of CS on NSG, followed by ammonia‐assisted pyrolysis for carbonization. The resulting catalyst displays a curved structure and completely coated NSG, showing superior oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance. In 1 M NaOH, the ORR half‐wave potential reached 0.93 V, surpassing the commercial Pt/C catalyst by 50 mV. Furthermore, a zinc‐air battery featuring the catalyst achieves a peak power density of 167 mW cm‐2 with excellent stability, outperforming the Pt/C. The improved performance of the eggshell carbons can be attributed to the distorted energy band of the active sites in the form of N‐C moieties. More importantly, the curved thin eggshells induce built‐in electric fields that can promote electron redistribution to generate atomic charge waves around the N‐C moieties on the carbon shells. As a result, the high positively charged and stable C+ sites adjacent to N atoms optimize the adsorption strength of oxygen molecules, thereby facilitating performance.
Thermally Conductive Elastomer Composites with High Toughness, Softness, and Resilience Enabled by Regulating Interfacial Structure and Dynamics
Authors: Fan Jianfeng , Zhou Yu , Ding Shengchang , Pang Yunsong , Zeng Xiangliang , Guo Shifeng , Xu Jianbin , Ren Linlin , Sun Rong , Zeng Xiaoliang
Published: May 2024

The emerging applications of thermally conductive elastomer composites in modern electronic devices for heat dissipation require them to maintain both high toughness and resilience under thermomechanical stresses. However, such a combination of thermal conductivity and desired mechanical characteristics is extremely challenging to achieve in elastomer composites. Here this long‐standing mismatch is resolved via regulating interfacial structure and dynamics response. This regulation is realized both by tuning the molecular weight of the dangling chains in the polymer networks and by silane grafting of the fillers, thereby creating a broad dynamic‐gradient interfacial region comprising of entanglements. These entanglements can provide the slipping topological constraint that allows for tension equalization between and along the chains, while also tightening into rigid knots to prevent chain disentanglement upon stretching. Combined with ultrahigh loading of aluminum‐fillers (90 wt%), this design provides a low Young's modulus (350.0 kPa), high fracture toughness (831.5 J m−2), excellent resilience (79%) and enhanced thermal conductivity (3.20 W m−1 k−1). This work presents a generalizable preparation strategy toward engineering soft, tough, and resilient high‐filled elastomer composites, suitable for complex environments, such as automotive electronics, and wearable devices.
Improving Thermal Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells by Suppressing Ion Migration
Authors: Shi Yifeng , Zheng Yifan , Xiao Xun , Li Yan , Feng Dianfu , Zhang Guodong , Zhang Yang , Li Tao , Shao Yuchuan
Published: May 2024

Ion migration presents a formidable obstacle to the stability and performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), hindering their progress toward commercial feasibility. Herein, the degradation mechanism of PSCs caused by iodide ion migration, which leads to abnormal changes in photoluminescence transients at the buried interface of perovskite films, is investigated. In light of this problem, a novel strategy is proposed to mitigate ion migration by introducing poly(2‐vinylnaphthalene) into poly[bis(4‐phenyl)(2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)amine] as the hole transport layer with improved ion‐blocking capability. Consequently, this layer effectively reduces defect concentration, suppresses ion migration, and modulates energy level alignment, leading to an impressive efficiency exceeding 23% for doctor‐bladed FAPbI3 PSCs. Moreover, the corresponding unencapsulated devices demonstrate remarkable durability, maintaining over 80% of their initial value after undergoing rigorous stress tests in accordance with the International Electrotechnical Commission 61215 standard for temperature, humidity, and illumination. These tests include 1000 h of thermal cycling and a long‐term operational test lasting 600 h under maximum power point tracking.
“Lace up Your Boots and Do Something:” A Symbolic‐Interactionist Analysis of Girls and Young Women Equestrian Athletes' Resilience
Authors: Sanchez Laura
Published: May 2024

This analysis illuminates how girls and young women dedicated to horse sports craft a resilient identity that they take to their wider lives. The constitutive features of their horse person identity are their willingness to love, care, and learn about horses combined with their embodied close relationships with specific horses. This horse person identity orients them toward a resilient mindset marked by perseverance, patience, and adaptability, as they manage the physical and emotional risks inherent in riding. Significantly, they believe that their horse person‐derived resilient mindset is useful for challenges in personal relationships and social interactions outside their riding community.
Middle school students' use of the energy concept to engage in new learning: What ideas matter?
Authors: Nordine Jeffrey , Kubsch Marcus , Fortus David , Krajcik Joseph , Neumann Knut
Published: May 2024

One reason for the widespread use of the energy concept across the sciences is that energy analysis can be used to interpret the behavior of systems even if one does not know the particular mechanisms that underlie the observed behavior. By providing an approach to interpreting unfamiliar phenomena, energy provides a lens on phenomena that can set the stage for deeper learning about how and why phenomena occur. However, not all energy ideas are equally productive in setting the stage for new learning. In particular, researchers have debated the value of teaching students to interpret phenomena in terms of energy forms and transformations. In this study, we investigated how two different approaches to middle school energy instruction—one emphasizing energy transformations between forms and one emphasizing energy transfers between systems—prepared students to use their existing energy knowledge to engage in new learning about a novel energy‐related phenomenon. To do this, we designed a new assessment instrument to elicit student initial ideas about the phenomenon and to compare how effectively students from each approach learned from authentic learning resources. Our results indicate that students who learned to interpret phenomenon in terms of energy transfers between systems learned more effectively from available learning resources than did students who learned to interpret phenomena in terms of energy forms and transformations. This study informs the design of introductory energy instruction and approaches for assessing how students existing knowledge guides new learning about phenomena.