bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High‐strength wood‐based composites via laminated delignified wood veneers with different adhesive contents for structural applications
Authors: Zou Miao , Tang Qiheng , Guo Wenjing
Published: February 2022

The processing of natural wood into a high‐performance wood‐based composite to broaden the potential applications of wood can be achieved by various techniques using bulk wood as a raw material. However, attention has seldom been paid to the use of wood veneers for preparing high‐performance structural materials. In this study, delignified birch veneers are used as raw materials to fabricate high‐strength delignified wood‐based laminated composites (DWLCs) with phenol‐formaldehyde (PF) resin as adhesive. The DWLCs with a PF resin content of 40% had high mechanical properties and displayed flexural and tensile stress of 405.8 and 324.4 MPa, respectively. The flexural and tensile stress are 1.24 and 1.21 times higher than those of natural wood‐based laminated composites (WLCs). And we confirmed that partial delignification could contribute to enhancing the mechanical properties of high‐strength wood‐based composites. By using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), the strengthening mechanisms of the high‐performance DWLCs were investigated. Due to both the surface of the cell lumen and cell walls being filled with PF resin, the wood microstructure was cured under high pressure so that the DWLCs were enhanced.
Prediction of enantioselectivity in thiol addition to imines catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acids
Authors: Yu Xinliang
Published: February 2022

Predicting enantioselectivities in asymmetric catalytic reactions through chemometric approach is a challenging area. In this paper, quantitative structure−selectivity relationship (QSSR) models were successfully developed for thiol addition to N‐acylimines catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acids. Ten Dragon molecular descriptors calculated from thiols and phosphoric acid catalysts were used to correlate with 1075 enantioselectivities ΔΔG. Machine learning algorithms, support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF), were adopted to build QSSRs after descriptor subset selection based on the multiple linear regression technique. The SVM and RF models, respectively, have coefficient of determination R2 of 0.925 and 0.944 for the training set, and of 0.837 and 0.851 for the test set. Both SVM and RF models were subjected to internal and external validation and estimation in prediction ability and systematic error.
Impact of the family communication environment on burden and clinical communication in blood cancer caregiving
Authors: Campbell‐Salome Gemme , Fisher Carla L. , Wright Kevin B. , Lincoln Greg , Applebaum Allison J. , Sae‐Hau Maria , Weiss Elisa S. , Bylund Carma L.
Published: February 2022

Objective

We examined the effects of the family communication environment (conversation orientation) on adult child caregivers' burden and clinical interactions and if the effects are mediated by openness to communicate about cancer, avoidant cancer communication, and social support (SS).

Method

Caregivers of a parent diagnosed with a blood cancer (N = 121) completed an online survey of validated measures of conversation orientation (i.e., the extent to which families openly communicate), SS, cancer openness, avoidance, caregiver burden, clinical communication skills, and quality of clinical interactions (QCI).

Results

Conversation orientation had significant indirect effects on caregiver burden, mediated by SS (β = −0.11, p < 0.001), as well as cancer openness and avoidance (β = −0.07, p < 0.001). Conversation orientation also had significant indirect effects on caregivers' communication skills with a parent's clinician, mediated by avoidance (β = 0.08, p < 0.01) and SS (β = 0.06, p < 0.001). Finally, conversation orientation had significant indirect effects on caregivers' QCI mediated by avoidance (β = 0.71, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Adult child caregivers whose families communicate more openly exhibit less caregiver burden and report better clinical interaction skills and perceived quality of the clinical interaction. Avoidance emerged as a key mediating factor. Caregivers from less open communication environments may benefit from interventions that help them navigate challenging but critical caregiving conversations.
The impact of cancer on the mental health of patients parenting minor children: A systematic review of quantitative evidence
Authors: Johannsen Lene , Brandt Maja , Frerichs Wiebke , Inhestern Laura , Bergelt Corinna
Published: February 2022

Objective

To provide an overview of quantitative data on the impact of cancer on the mental health of patients parenting minor children. We focused on mental health outcomes, their levels and prevalence, and applied measurement tools.

Methods

MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Web of Science were searched up to March 2021. We included quantitative studies, published in a peer‐reviewed journal and reporting outcomes on the mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety) of cancer patients parenting minor children (≤ 21 years). Study quality was assessed based on the National Institute for Health assessment tool for observational studies. This study is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019141954).

Results

A total of 54 articles based on 36 different studies were included in this systematic review. Studies differ markedly regarding study and sample characteristics (e.g., outcome measures, sample size, parental health status). Depression and anxiety levels range from normal to abnormal, according to applied measurement tools. 7%–83% of parents with cancer have depression scores indicating probable depression and 19%–88% have anxiety scores indicating anxiety disorder.

Conclusions

This review reveals the dimension of mental burden affecting cancer patients parenting minor children. To identify, address and timely treat potentially arising mental health problems and support needs, affected parents should be closely monitored by healthcare professionals and referred to specialized support offers, if necessary. In the context of a comprehensive patient‐ and family‐oriented care, it is highly relevant to integrate mental health (including parental) issues routinely into oncological care by proactively asking for the patient's psychosocial situation and the family status.
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion Evolution during Ratchet Growth of PBX 9502 and Neat TATB
Authors: Woznick Caitlin S. , Graff Thompson Darla , Scott Sidney J.
Published: February 2022

The Plastic‐Bonded Explosive (PBX) 9502 is comprised of the insensitive high explosive TATB (triamino trinitrobenzine) crystals coated in FK‐800 polymer binder and isostatically pressed. The TATB crystals have a graphitic, plate‐like morphology and possess significant thermal and mechanical anisotropy. Compactions of neat TATB or TATB‐based composites (like PBX 9502) have been shown to have TATB crystals that are oriented during the pressing process giving rise to TATB texture and resulting in micro‐ and macro‐scale anisotropy of the compaction. Thermal cycling of the compactions results in irreversible volume expansion (or ratchet growth) likely by creating stress points on the microscale. However, the actual mechanism behind this expansion is not fully understood. Previous characterization of the ratchet growth phenomenon has focused on the magnitude of the irreversible strain as measured before and after a thermal cycle. In the work presented here, we analyze the evolving thermal expansion behavior during the ascending and descending temperature ramps and compare differences observed due to the presence/absence of binder in the compaction.
Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer and the risk of thyroid diseases
Authors: Liu Jui‐Ming , Chen Yu‐Tang , Wu Chun‐Te , Hsu Wen‐Lin , Hsu Ren‐Jun
Published: February 2022

Background

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the major treatment for metastatic prostate cancer (PCa), but few studies have investigated the effects of ADT on thyroid diseases.

Methods

This population‐based, nationwide cohort study utilized the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) with 17,192 PCa patients between 1997 and 2013. We used the Cox proportional hazards models and propensity score‐matched analysis to analyze the association between ADT and the development of thyroid diseases.

Results

A total of 17,192 newly diagnosed men with PCa were selected from the NHIRD. There were 6200 ADT users and 6200 non‐ADT users after 1:1 propensity score matching. There was a significantly decreased risk of thyroid diseases among ADT users compared with non‐ADT users (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65–0.95, p < 0.001). Further analysis showed a significantly decreased risk of thyroid diseases with increasing ADT duration (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The result showed that ADT use in men with PCa was associated with a decreased risk of thyroid disease development.
Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs in acute viral respiratory tract infections: An updated systematic review
Authors: Azh Nima , Barzkar Farzaneh , Motamed‐Gorji Nogol , Pourvali‐Talatappeh Parmida , Moradi Yousef , Vesal Azad Roya , Ranjbar Mitra , Baradaran Hamid Reza
Published: February 2022

In this systematic review, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in treating respiratory tract infections in adults and children. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched. A total of 34 randomized clinical trials were included in this systematic review. We assessed the risk of bias of all included studies using the Cochrane tool for risk of bias assessment. The evidence on ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, diclofenac, and other NSAIDs were rated for degree of uncertainty for each of the study outcomes and summarized using the grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) approach. Our findings suggest that high‐quality evidence supports the use of NSAIDs to reduce fever in both adults and children. However, the evidence was uncertain for the use of NSAIDs to reduce cough. Most studies showed that NSAIDs significantly relieved sore throat. The evidence for mortality and oxygenation is limited. Regarding the adverse events, gastrointestinal discomfort was more frequently reported in children. For adults, our overall certainty in effect estimates was low and the increase in gastrointestinal adverse events was not clinically significant. In conclusion, NSAIDs seem to be beneficial in the outpatient management of fever and sore throat in adults and children. Although the evidence does not support their use to decrease mortality nor improve oxygenation in inpatient settings, the use of NSAIDs did not increase the rate of death or the need for ventilation in patients with respiratory tract infections. Further studies with a robust methodology and larger sample sizes are recommended.
Spatial–temporal distribution of Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and factors affecting its abundance in Brazil corn
Authors: Foresti Josemar , Pereira Renata R , Santana Paulo A , das Neves Taline NC , da Silva Paulo R , Rosseto Jaédino , Novais Istchuk Ademar , Ishizuka Tamylin K , Harter Wagner , Schwertner Matheus H , Picanço Marcelo C
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUND

Since the last decade, Dalbulus maidis has become the primary pest in cornfields, particularly due to its ability to transmit plant pathogens. Dalbulus maidis is the main vector of the corn stunt spiroplasma and maize bushy stunt phytoplasma. However, there is little information available on this pest. Understanding its spatial dynamics may allow us to determine how its infestations begin and to identify its colonization patterns, dispersal, and the role of landscape structure on D. maidis dynamics. Thus, this study aimed to investigate within‐field spatial distribution and the factors associated with D. maidis abundance in five commercial fields.

RESULTS

In all fields, higher infestations occurred at the boundaries of the central pivot, showing a clear edge‐biased distribution. Ranges varied from 100.4 to 611.8 m, and our models' overall fit indicated strong to moderate spatial dependency. Additionally, correlation analyses indicated a positive effect of air temperature on the population of D. maidis. Conversely, rainfall negatively affected D. maidis.

CONCLUSION

This study provides essential guidance for improving D. maidis integrated pest management at regional and local scales. Based on its high dispersal ability, our study suggests the need for a legislative or regulatory method of control for D. maidis, especially in regions where corn has more than one growing season. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Understanding the Origin of Thermal Annealing Effects in Low‐Temperature Amorphous Silicon Films and Solar Cells
Authors: Wilken Karen , Güneş Mehmet , Wang Shuo , Finger Friedhelm , Smirnov Vladimir
Published: February 2022

A detailed investigation of the effects of prolonged postdeposition annealing on the performance of amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) solar cells and the properties of individual a‐Si:H layers that are fabricated at low temperature of 120 °C is presented. A substantial improvement in all parameters of the current–voltage curves of these solar cells is observed upon annealing, consistent with an improvement in the collection voltage of the solar cells. Modifications of p‐type layers during deposition of the solar cells are found to make no significant contribution to the annealing behavior of solar cells, while variations in the properties of n‐type and intrinsic layers contribute substantially. The results indicate that the largest contribution to the annealing effect originates from changes in the electronμτ‐product in the intrinsic absorber layer upon annealing, while changes in holeμτ‐products have a minor contribution to the annealing effect in the solar cell. Besides a lack of significant changes in the number of recombination centers upon annealing, an improvement in the external quantum efficiency curves upon annealing may be accurately reproduced in computer simulations by assuming an increase in the band mobilities of both electrons and holes.
Preparation of NaV6O15 Nanosheet Cathodes with High Cycling Performance and Good Capacity Retention Rate in Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Ran Yan , Ren Jie , Yang Zhichao , Wang Bingsen , Wang Yude
Published: February 2022

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) have become a promising alternative energy storage device due to their lower cost and better safety performance than lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, the biggest challenge is the need to develop electrode materials with higher capacity and longer life than LIBs at present. Herein this work, a tunnel‐structured sodium vanadate (NaV6O15) is synthesized by molten salt method as the cathode materials for AZIBs. The prepared NaV6O15 nanosheets have a high specific capacity of 325 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.1 A g−1, and the capacity retention rate is as high as 127.08% under 1000 cycling at a current density of 1 A g−1. This excellent performance is mainly attributed to the stable tunneled structure, which provides an effective diffusion path for Zn2+ insertion and avoids structural damage. Herein the subsequent cycles, Zn2+ is mainly inserted/extracted in NaV6O15 and Zn3(OH)2V2O7·2H2O. The preparation of NaV6O15 cathode materials and the molten salt method provide a certain reference value for the development of AZIBs in this work.
Morphological Surface Study of Silver Electrodeposition by Kinetic Monte Carlo‐Embedded Atom Method
Authors: Ataalite Hassan , Dardouri Moloudi , Hasnaoui Abdellatif , Sbiaai Khalid
Published: February 2022

Herein, a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulation of the 3D electrodeposition of Ag metal on Ag cathode surface is carried out under galvanostatic, different substrate temperatures, and current density conditions. Both deposition and diffusion processes are considered during the film electrodeposition, where each adatom diffuses via nearest‐neighbor hopping, exchange, and step‐edge atom exchange mechanisms. The interatomic interaction is described within the well‐known embedded atomic method (EAM) framework. The number of hopping, exchange, and step‐edge exchange mechanisms is evaluated using a power law of time , , and , respectively. However, the step‐edge exchange mechanism depends on current density. The effects of deposited atom number, current density, and substrate temperature on the transitions of surface morphologies of the electrodeposited thin film are studied considering different combinations of the mechanisms. The results indicate that surface roughness increases when the number of deposited atoms and the current density increase, but when the substrate temperature increases the roughness decreases. In addition, the resulting surface has been found to be smooth if all diffusion mechanisms are involved in the electrodeposition phenomenon, while roughness occurs when diffusion takes place only via hopping mechanism. Furthermore, the surface roughness behavior is found to be related to clusters and islands distribution.
Magnetic Interactions in IV–VI Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors
Authors: Górska Małgorzata , Kilański Łukasz , Łusakowski Andrzej
Published: February 2022

Diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) are interesting because of the interplay between the electronic and magnetic subsystems. Selected magnetic properties of IV–VI DMS are described, looking at the similarities and differences between magnetic properties of II–VI, IV–VI, and III–V DMS. The influence of the crystalline and electronic structure of the material on its magnetic properties is focused on, especially on the exchange interactions among magnetic ions. Methods of determination of the exchange parameters are described by using different experimental techniques, such as measurements of magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, and specific heat. The development in the material technology from bulk crystals to thin films and nanostructures is followed.
The impact of a preparatory science of learning intervention in secondary schools contexts in Australia
Authors: Byers Terry , Leighton Vicky , Leggett Jack , Krzensk Alex , Adamson Rebecca , Pollock Christopher , MacMahon Stephanie
Published: February 2022

It is well documented that students of all ages tend to rely on inefficient study strategies. In a departure from the accustomed reactive strategy‐training approach found in university settings, this study took a novel approach focusing on students at an earlier stage in their education. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of early preparatory and applied instructional training interventions on secondary school‐age student learner behaviours (metacognition and self‐regulation) and study strategies (knowledge of, belief in and commitment in use) in their schooling contexts. It applied a single‐subject research design (SSRD) through a repeated measures approach in two Australian secondary schools, aided by a partnership with the University of Queensland. The study unpacked the impact, barriers and challenges of a preparatory study strategy training and instruction methodology. When the instruction focused on improving students’ knowledge of effective strategies, many appeared ambivalent with little change. However, when the study strategy training was integrated into subject curricula and assessments, this approach significantly increased students’ knowledge about them, belief in their efficacy and commitment to using them. These altered strategy preferences and use correlated with changes to learner behaviours associated with metacognitive knowledge, self‐efficacy and self‐regulation. Furthermore, teachers coached in integrating, applying and teaching the strategies reported similar increases in their knowledge, belief, and commitment to their use to suit their subjects’ curricular and assessment requirements. These initial findings highlight the ingredients to effectively instruct secondary students to translate the science of learning into their study plans.
Optimized data rate allocation for dynamic sensor fusion over resource constrained communication networks
Authors: Jung Hyunho , Pedram Ali Reza , Cuvelier Travis C. , Tanaka Takashi
Published: February 2022

This article presents a new method to solve a dynamic sensor fusion problem. We consider a large number of remote sensors which measure a common Gauss–Markov process. Each sensor encodes and transmits its measurement to a data fusion center through a resource restricted communication network. The communication cost incurred by a given sensor is quantified as the expected bitrate from the sensor to the fusion center. We propose an approach that attempts to minimize a weighted sum of these communication costs subject to a constraint on the state estimation error at the fusion center. We formulate the problem as a difference‐of‐convex program and apply the convex‐concave procedure (CCP) to obtain a heuristic solution. We consider a 1D heat transfer model and a model for 2D target tracking by a drone swarm for numerical studies. Through these simulations, we observe that our proposed approach has a tendency to assign zero data rate to unnecessary sensors indicating that our approach is sparsity‐promoting, and an effective sensor selection heuristic.
A fast manhattan frame estimation method based on normal vectors
Authors: Zhang Yutong , Ding Yan , Song Jianmei , Li Jiaxin , Wei Hua‐Liang
Published: February 2022

In most human made scenes, such as high‐rise urban city or indoor environment, the surface normal vectors or direction vectors are concentrated in three orthogonal principal directions. The scene of such a pattern is called Manhattan World (MW), and the coordinate frame formed by the three principal directions is called Manhattan Frame (MF). MF estimation methods have been applied to many different fields, such as scene reconstruction, Visual based Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (V‐SLAM) and camera calibration. In this paper, we propose a novel MF estimation method based on a set of normal vectors. A cost function of normal vectors and MF axes is introduced based on the trigonometric function. For computational purpose, the cost function is significantly simplified by making use of vector dot and cross products, and the reduced cost function only involves 14 scalar parameters that need to be computed with O(n) complexity. The experimental results show that the proposed MF estimation method has excellent real‐time performance and gives high accuracy on both the virtual and real‐world benchmark datasets of different sizes.
The largest hole in sparse random graphs
Authors: Draganić Nemanja , Glock Stefan , Krivelevich Michael
Published: February 2022

We show that for any with , with high probability, the size of a largest induced cycle in the random graph is . This settles a long‐standing open problem in random graph theory.
Extending the susceptible‐exposed‐infected‐removed (SEIR) model to handle the false negative rate and symptom‐based administration of COVID‐19 diagnostic tests: SEIR‐fansy
Authors: Bhaduri Ritwik , Kundu Ritoban , Purkayastha Soumik , Kleinsasser Michael , Beesley Lauren J. , Mukherjee Bhramar , Datta Jyotishka
Published: February 2022

False negative rates of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 diagnostic tests, together with selection bias due to prioritized testing can result in inaccurate modeling of COVID‐19 transmission dynamics based on reported “case” counts. We propose an extension of the widely used Susceptible‐Exposed‐Infected‐Removed (SEIR) model that accounts for misclassification error and selection bias, and derive an analytic expression for the basic reproduction number as a function of false negative rates of the diagnostic tests and selection probabilities for getting tested. Analyzing data from the first two waves of the pandemic in India, we show that correcting for misclassification and selection leads to more accurate prediction in a test sample. We provide estimates of undetected infections and deaths between April 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021. At the end of the first wave in India, the estimated under‐reporting factor for cases was at 11.1 (95% CI: 10.7,11.5) and for deaths at 3.58 (95% CI: 3.5,3.66) as of February 1, 2021, while they change to 19.2 (95% CI: 17.9, 19.9) and 4.55 (95% CI: 4.32, 4.68) as of July 1, 2021. Equivalently, 9.0% (95% CI: 8.7%, 9.3%) and 5.2% (95% CI: 5.0%, 5.6%) of total estimated infections were reported on these two dates, while 27.9% (95% CI: 27.3%, 28.6%) and 22% (95% CI: 21.4%, 23.1%) of estimated total deaths were reported. Extensive simulation studies demonstrate the effect of misclassification and selection on estimation of and prediction of future infections. A R‐package SEIRfansy is developed for broader dissemination.
Communication frames and beneficiary engagement in corporate social initiatives: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in France
Authors: Durand Rodolphe , Huysentruyt Marieke
Published: February 2022

Research Summary

This article asks how distinct communication frames used by corporate social initiatives (CSIs) affect beneficiary engagement, specifically their reach vis‐à‐vis disadvantaged groups. Through a unique randomized field experiment in France, we assess the effectiveness of a series of communication frames on beneficiaries' decisions to enroll and use the social goods provided. Our results show that empathy‐ and simplicity‐oriented frames significantly increase program enrollment and utilization rates relative to other strategies, notably the widely used charity frame. We find that none of the tested communication frames raised take‐up by nonnative French beneficiaries, and only the empathy frame augmented the response of the very poor. Our work opens new research directions for strategic management studies on CSIs, communication frames, inclusion and social outcomes.

Managerial Summary

Many corporate social initiatives (CSIs) launch large information campaigns to raise awareness about the social goods they provide. Findings from a field experiment reveal that the communication frames that CSIs deploy matters. Communication that expresses empathy (how the CSI understands and cares about its target beneficiaries) or presents simple information (what the CSI does) is far more effective at raising take‐up than communication frames that emphasize what for (why) and the charitable identity (who) about the CSI. However, results also reveal that foreigners and the economically most disadvantaged beneficiaries responded the least to these communication frames. This suggests that more is needed to effectively raise take‐up by these subgroups. Our work speaks to strategy researchers and practitioners interested in CSIs, communication frames, and social inclusion.
Progress of GaN‐Based Optoelectronic Devices Integrated with Optical Resonances
Authors: Zhao Lixia , Liu Chang , Wang Kaiyou
Published: February 2022

Being direct wide bandgap, III‐nitride (III‐N) semiconductors have many applications in optoelectronics, including light‐emitting diodes, lasers, detectors, photocatalysis, etc. Incorporation of III‐N semiconductors with high‐efficiency optical resonances including surface plasmons, distributed Bragg reflectors and micro cavities, has attracted considerable interests for upgrading their performance, which can not only reveal the new coupling mechanisms between optical resonances and quasiparticles, but also unveil the shield of novel optoelectronic devices with superior performances. In this review, the content covers the recent progress of GaN‐based optoelectronic devices integrated with plasmonics and/or micro resonators, including the LEDs, photodetectors, solar cells, and light photocatalysis. The authors aim to provide an inspiring insight of recent remarkable progress and breakthroughs, as well as a promising prospect for the future highly‐integrated, high speed, and efficient GaN‐based optoelectronic devices.
Simultaneously Integrate Iron Single Atom and Nanocluster Triggered Tandem Effect for Boosting Oxygen Electroreduction
Authors: Zhai Weijuan , Huang Senhe , Lu Chenbao , Tang Xiannong , Li Longbin , Huang Bingyu , Hu Ting , Yuan Kai , Zhuang Xiaodong , Chen Yiwang
Published: February 2022

Atomically nitrogen‐coordinated iron atoms on carbon (FeNC) catalysts are emerging as attractive materials to substitute precious‐metal‐based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, FeNC usually suffers from unsatisfactory performance due to the symmetrical charge distribution around the iron site. Elaborately regulating the microenvironment of the central Fe atom can substantially improve the catalytic activity of FeNC, which remains challenging. Herein, N/S co‐doped porous carbons are rationally prepared and are verified with rich Fe‐active sites, including atomically dispersed FeN4 and Fe nanoclusters (FeSA‐FeNC@NSC), according to systematically synchrotron X‐ray absorption spectroscopy analysis. Theoretical calculation verifies that the contiguous S atoms and Fe nanoclusters can break the symmetric electronic structure of FeN4 and synergistically optimize 3d orbitals of Fe centers, thus accelerating OO bond cleavage in OOH* for improving ORR activity. The FeSA‐FeNC@NSC delivers an impressive ORR activity with half‐wave‐potential of 0.90 V, which exceeds that of state‐of‐the‐art Pt/C (0.87 V). Furthermore, FeSA‐FeNC@NSC‐based Zn‐air batteries deliver excellent power densities of 259.88 and 55.86 mW cm–2 in liquid and all‐solid‐state flexible configurations, respectively. This work presents an effective strategy to modulate the microenvironment of single atomic centers and boost the catalytic activity of single‐atom catalysts by tandem effect.
Single Virus Detection on Silicon Photonic Crystal Random Cavities
Authors: Watanabe Keisuke , Wu Hsin‐Yu , Xavier Jolly , Joshi Lovleen Tina , Vollmer Frank
Published: February 2022

On‐chip silicon microcavity sensors are advantageous for the detection of virus and biomolecules due to their compactness and the enhanced light–matter interaction with the analyte. While their theoretical sensitivity is at the single‐molecule level, the fabrication of high quality (Q) factor silicon cavities and their integration with optical couplers remain as major hurdles in applications such as single virus detection. Here, label‐free single virus detection using silicon photonic crystal random cavities is proposed and demonstrated. The sensor chips consist of free‐standing silicon photonic crystal waveguides and do not require pre‐fabricated defect cavities or optical couplers. Residual fabrication disorder results in Anderson‐localized cavity modes which are excited by a free space beam. The Q ≈105 is sufficient for observing discrete step‐changes in resonance wavelength for the binding of single adenoviruses (≈50 nm radius). The authors’ findings point to future applications of CMOS‐compatible silicon sensor chips supporting Anderson‐localized modes that have detection capabilities at the level of single nanoparticles and molecules.
Detailed Hall–Petch Analysis of Cold Rolled and Annealed Duplex 2205 Stainless Steel
Authors: Geshani Mohammad Saleh , Mirzadeh Hamed , Sohrabi Mohammad Javad
Published: February 2022

The grain size of duplex 2205 stainless steel is controlled by cold rolling followed by annealing, where grain refinement and grain coarsening are achieved via primary recrystallization and grain growth, respectively. Annealing treatment is conducted at 620 and 1120 °C, followed by water quenching, where the former temperature results in the formation of χ‐phase (chi‐phase) during annealing heat treatment. Based on tensile testing and Hall–Petch analysis, simple equations are proposed for relating the yield stress and ultimate tensile strength to the grain size and relative volume fractions of ferrite and austenite in the dual‐phase microstructures. The outcome of this research is helpful in controlling the microstructure and mechanical properties of duplex stainless steels.
A Numerical Study on the State of the Blast Furnace Thermal Reserve Zone under Different Starting Temperatures of Coke Solution Loss Reaction
Authors: Meng Fanchao , Shao Lei , Ni Wenjie , Zou Zongshu
Published: February 2022

As a measure to improve the blast furnace gas utilization efficiency during the iron making, decreasing the temperature of blast furnace thermal reserve zone (here called TRZ for short) by increasing the coke reactivity and therefore lowering the starting temperature of coke solution loss reaction (CSLR) has received much attention. However, this measure is proposed merely from a thermodynamic point of view by considering that the FeO reduction with CO is slightly exothermic. The effect of the CSLR starting temperature on the state of TRZ that also determines the kinetic conditions for indirect reduction has yet to be clarified. For this, a 1D kinetic model built previously is adopted in this paper to investigate how the TRZ state and gas utilization efficiency respond to the changes in the starting temperature of CSLR. The results show that with a decrease in the starting temperature, the height and average temperature of TRZ decrease, and the lower edge of TRZ shifts upwards. The gas utilization efficiency increases first and then decreases, thus leading to a critical starting temperature. Moreover, a lower critical temperature corresponds to a higher gas utilization efficiency. An increase in iron ore reducibility or top pressure can lower the critical temperature.
Minimum thickness of solid concrete floor slab with column line beams to avoid walking vibration discomfort
Authors: Zahid Tazwar Bakhtiyar , Amanat Khan Mahmud
Published: February 2022

In this study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the minimum slab thickness of reinforced concrete (RC) solid floor slab with column‐line beams to minimize vibration discomfort when subjected to human walking‐induced excitation. An elastic time history finite element analysis methodology has been adopted for the study. An intermediate floor panel of a multistory building has been modeled using appropriate material properties, element dimensioning and stiffness modifiers. The developed model was subjected to a walking excitation using a time history function. The finite element modeling and time history analysis scheme has been validated against experimental study described in the design guide by Fanella and Mota. The study was then focused on studying the walking‐induced vibration characteristics of the floor slab using the span length and slab thickness as the study parameters. The acceleration data obtained for the central point of the slab was subjected to fast fourier transform (FFT) to convert the response to the frequency domain. Comparisons were then made to obtain the minimum slab thickness for each span length using both frequency and acceleration criteria following ACI serviceability limit and the design guide limit by Fanella and Mota. It was observed that a combination of the two limits were needed to determine the minimum slab thickness. The findings will help engineers to design slabs with adequate thickness to minimize human walking‐induced vibration related discomfort.
Report of the General Committee: 23
Authors: Wilson Karen L.
Published: February 2022

Decisions of the General Committee are reported on proposals in Report 70 of the Permanent Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants and Reports 12 and 13 of the Permanent Nomenclature Committee for Fossils.
Bisphenol F exposure affects mouse oocyte in vitro maturation through inducing oxidative stress and DNA damage
Authors: Ding Zhi‐Ming , Chen Yang‐Wu , Ahmad Muhammad Jamil , Wang Yong‐Sheng , Yang Sheng‐Ji , Duan Ze‐Qun , Liu Ming , Yang Cai‐Xia , Liang Ai‐Xin , Hua Guo‐Hua , Huo Li‐Jun
Published: February 2022

Bisphenol F (BPF), a substitute for bisphenol A (BPA), is progressively used to manufacture various consumer products. Despite the established reproductive toxicity of BPF, the underlying mechanisms remain to elucidate. This in‐vitro study deep in sighted the BPF toxicity on mouse oocyte meiotic maturation and quality. After treating oocytes with BPF (300 μM), the oocyte meiotic progression was blocked, accentuated by a reduced rate in the first polar body extrusion (PBE). Next, we illustrated that BPF induced α‐tubulin hyper‐acetylation disrupted the spindle assembly and chromosome alignment. Concurrently, BPF resulted in severe oxidative stress and DNA damage, which triggered the early apoptosis in mouse oocytes. Further, altered epigenetic modifications following BPF exposure were proved by increased H3K27me3 levels. Concerning the toxic effects on spindle structure, oxidative stress, and DNA damage in mouse oocytes, BPF toxicity was less severe to oocyte maturation and spindle structure than BPA and induced low oxidative stress. However, compared with BPA, oocytes treated with BPF were more prone to DNA damage, indicating not less intense or even more severe toxic effects of BPF than BPA on some aspects of oocytes maturation. In brief, the present study established that like wise to BPA, BPF could inhibit meiotic maturation and reduce oocyte quality, suggesting it is not a safe substitute for BPA.
Building on Linguistic Strengths: Tenets of a Culturally Sustaining Teacher
Authors: Dunham Heather , Murdter‐Atkinson Jessica , Nash Brady , Wetzel Melissa Mosley
Published: February 2022

Changes in the U.S. demographics over the past few decades reflect the growing diversity in American classrooms as more students come to school speaking, reading, or writing two or more languages. By building on students’ full repertoire of linguistic and cultural resources, educators have the potential to transform literacy instruction in multilingual classrooms. This article showcases four tenets of culturally sustaining teaching and details how preservice teachers in a reading practicum enacted these four tenets by recognizing and building on bi/multilingual students’ linguistic and cultural strengths. The article concludes with a discussion of how these enactments suggest new possibilities for literacy educators in similar contexts.
Ultrasonography of the cranial part of the thorax is a quick and sensitive technique to detect lung consolidation in veal calves
Authors: Masset Nicolas , Assié Sébastien , Herman Nicolas , Jozan Thibault , Herry Vincent
Published: February 2022

Background

In the veal calf industry, bovine respiratory disease is the main cause of morbidity and mortality. Lung ultrasonography (LUS) is an accurate technique to diagnose bronchopneumonia in calves. Due to the economic constraints faced by the industry, a screening technique able to rapidly examine large numbers of calves is required.

Objective

To determine if lung ultrasonography focusing on the cranial part of the thorax (1st to 2nd intercostal space (ICS) on the right and 2nd to 3rd on the left) and/or on the middle part of the thorax (3rd to 5th ICS on the right and 4th to 5th on the left) (alternative techniques) are rapid screening techniques as sensitive as LUS of the entire lung (reference technique) to identify calves with lung consolidation lesions.

Methods

Data on 300 veal calves aged 33.1 ± 8.0 days and weighing on average 67.5 ± 4.0 kg at LUS from two farms were analysed. Systematic LUS of the entire lung was performed on all calves and a lung consolidation score was given to different parts of the thorax. Agreements between the alternative and the reference techniques were measured by Cohen's κ, McNemar's test and weighted κ.

Results

Agreement between LUS focusing on the cranial + middle part or on the cranial part only of the thorax and the reference technique were almost perfect with a cutoff of 1 cm. The relative sensitivity of these two alternative techniques was high (> 93%).

Conclusion

Lung ultrasonography of the cranial + middle part or on the cranial part only of the thorax are quick and sensitive techniques to identify veal calves with lung consolidation lesions shortly after arrival at the facility.
Ultrasound‐ and nerve stimulation‐guided sciatic and saphenous nerve blocks in a pet rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) undergoing calcaneal fracture repair
Authors: Felisberto Ricardo , Flaherty Derek , Tayari Hamaseh
Published: February 2022

The beneficial effects of performing regional anaesthesia techniques as part of a pre‐emptive analgesic strategy are to improve perioperative analgesia and reduce opioid and general anaesthetic drug requirements. In prey species, an early recovery of voluntary motor function, especially after a regional anaesthesia, is essential for the animal's health and welfare. To reduce motor paralysis, a low volume and concentration of local anaesthetic should be administered close to the targeted nerve. This is the first report of an ultrasound (14 MHz linear probe)‐ and nerve stimulation (0.2 mA; 0.3 second; 2 Hz)‐guided saphenous and sciatic nerve blocks using bupivacaine (0.125%; 0.2 mL/kg per nerve) in a rabbit. Drug consumption, physiological response to surgery and postoperative pain scoring were used to determine block success. The ultrasound‐ and nerve stimulation‐guided sciatic and saphenous nerve blocks could be recommended as part of multimodal pain management in rabbits undergoing appropriate pelvic limb orthopaedic surgeries.
Application of nucleoside or nucleotide analogues in RNA dynamics and RNA‐binding protein analysis
Authors: Zheng Meifeng , Lin Yingying , Wang Wei , Zhao Yu , Bao Xichen
Published: February 2022

Cellular RNAs undergo dynamic changes during RNA biological processes, which are tightly orchestrated by RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs). Yet, the investigation of RNA dynamics is hurdled by highly abundant steady‐state RNAs, which make the signals of dynamic RNAs less detectable. Notably, the exert of nucleoside or nucleotide analogue‐based RNA technologies has provided a remarkable platform for RNA dynamics research, revealing diverse unnoticed features in RNA metabolism. In this review, we focus on the application of two types of analogue‐based RNA sequencing, antigen‐/antibody‐ and click chemistry‐based methodologies, and summarize the RNA dynamics features revealed. Moreover, we discuss emerging single‐cell newly transcribed RNA sequencing methodologies based on nucleoside analogue labeling, which provides novel insights into RNA dynamics regulation at single‐cell resolution. On the other hand, we also emphasize the identification of RBPs that interact with polyA, non‐polyA RNAs, or newly transcribed RNAs and also their associated RNA‐binding domains at genomewide level through ultraviolet crosslinking and mass spectrometry in different contexts. We anticipated that further modification and development of these analogue‐based RNA and RBP capture technologies will aid in obtaining an unprecedented understanding of RNA biology.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein‐RNA Recognition

RNA Structure and Dynamics > RNA Structure, Dynamics and Chemistry

RNA Methods > RNA Analyses in Cells
On the response of anisotropic elastic bodies described by implicit constitutive relations
Authors: Bustamante Roger , Rajagopal Kumbakonam R.
Published: February 2022

In this short note we derive constitutive relations for the response of elastic solids, which are transversely isotropic and those that have two preferred directions of symmetry wherein the material moduli of the body depend on its density, undergoing small deformations. Such constitutive relations have relevance to the response of rocks, concrete, ceramics, bones, and porous metals. The constitutive relations that we develop reduce appropriately to the classical linearized elastic constitutive relation, when appropriate material moduli are set to zero. The new constitutive relations, when restricted to those that are linear in both the stress and the linearized strain, have terms in addition to those for a classical linearized elastic body, and it would be interesting to investigate the consequence of these additional terms with regard to the response of the body.
Production and decay of the Higgs boson in association with top quarks
Authors: Stremmer Daniel , Worek Malgorzata
Published: February 2022

Abstract

We report on the calculation of the next-lo-leading order QCD corrections to Higgs boson production and decay in association with top quarks. We consider leptonic decays of top quarks leading to the hadronic process pp → e+νeμ−$$ \overline{\nu} $$

ν
¯

μb$$ \overline{b} $$

b
¯

H(H → X) at the LHC with $$ \sqrt{s} $$

s

= 13 TeV. All resonant as well as non-resonant Feynman diagrams, interferences and off-shell effects are included for the top quark and W gauge boson. Decays of the Higgs boson, on the other hand, are included in the narrow-width approximation. Specifically, we consider Higgs boson decays into b$$ \overline{b} $$

b
¯

, τ+τ−, γγ and e+e−e+e−. Numerical results are given at the integrated and differential fiducial level for various factorisation and renormalisation scale choices and different PDF sets. We study the main theoretical uncertainties that are associated with neglected higher order terms in the perturbative expansion and with different parametrisations of the PDFs. Furthermore, we examine the size of the off-shell effects by an explicit comparison to the calculation in the full narrow-width approximation. Finally, the impact of the contributions induced by the bottom-quark parton density is investigated.
Organoids from human tooth showing epithelial stemness phenotype and differentiation potential
Authors: Hemeryck Lara , Hermans Florian , Chappell Joel , Kobayashi Hiroto , Lambrechts Diether , Lambrichts Ivo , Bronckaers Annelies , Vankelecom Hugo
Published: February 2022

Insight into human tooth epithelial stem cells and their biology is sparse. Tissue-derived organoid models typically replicate the tissue’s epithelial stem cell compartment. Here, we developed a first-in-time epithelial organoid model starting from human tooth. Dental follicle (DF) tissue, isolated from unerupted wisdom teeth, efficiently generated epithelial organoids that were long-term expandable. The organoids displayed a tooth epithelial stemness phenotype similar to the DF’s epithelial cell rests of Malassez (ERM), a compartment containing dental epithelial stem cells. Single-cell transcriptomics reinforced this organoid-ERM congruence, and uncovered novel, mouse-mirroring stem cell features. Exposure of the organoids to epidermal growth factor induced transient proliferation and eventual epithelial-mesenchymal transition, highly mimicking events taking place in the ERM in vivo. Moreover, the ERM stemness organoids were able to unfold an ameloblast differentiation process, further enhanced by transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) and abrogated by TGFβ receptor inhibition, thereby reproducing TGFβ's known key position in amelogenesis. Interestingly, by creating a mesenchymal-epithelial composite organoid (assembloid) model, we demonstrated that the presence of dental mesenchymal cells (i.e. pulp stem cells) triggered ameloblast differentiation in the epithelial stem cells, thus replicating the known importance of mesenchyme-epithelium interaction in tooth development and amelogenesis. Also here, differentiation was abrogated by TGFβ receptor inhibition. Together, we developed novel organoid models empowering the exploration of human tooth epithelial stem cell biology and function as well as their interplay with dental mesenchyme, all at present only poorly defined in humans. Moreover, the new models may pave the way to future tooth-regenerative perspectives.