bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transoral robotic surgery in a modified Trendelenburg position for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in a patient with severe thoracic kyphosis
Authors: Lee Ying Ki , Manek Roshni , Hardman John , Ghedia Reshma , Hariri Ahmad , Lacey Orla , Harrington Kevin , Paleri Vinidh
Published: December 2022

Background

Excessive flexion of the neck and upper back from severe kyphosis of the thoracic spine may limit treatment options for head and neck cancer (HNC).

Methods

We describe an innovative approach to transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in a patient with severe thoracic kyphosis and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) who was unsuitable for definitive radiotherapy.

Results

Detailed discussion of management pathway, perioperative considerations, and surgical challenges is presented. TORS lateral oropharyngectomy was successfully performed with the robotic system docked from the caudal end in a modified Trendelenburg position.

Conclusions

With appropriate surgical and anesthetic planning, TORS for patients with severe thoracic kyphosis is a feasible and suitable treatment.
Nature‐inspired K+‐sensitive imaging probes for biomedical applications
Authors: Wang Qiyue , Yang Shengfei , Li Fangyuan , Ling Daishun
Published: December 2022

In living systems, potassium ion (K+) plays a vital role in a variety of physiological functions, whose dyshomeostasis has been seen as a biomarker of many diseases. Consequently, real‐time monitoring of K+ dynamics would benefit disease diagnosis and offer insight into the pathogenic mechanisms as well as the progression of diseases. By learning from K+‐specific substances in nature, such as ionophores, ion channels and DNA G‐quadruplex, this perspective introduces the ingenious designs, imaging functionalities, and response principles of K+‐sensitive probes. Furthermore, the recent advances in K+ probes for disease diagnosis, especially for brain disorders and tumors, are briefly summarized. Finally, we highlight the current challenges and future perspectives of K+‐sensitive probes for biomedical applications.
Inside Cover
Authors: Lombardo Giuseppe , Bernava Giuseppe Massimo , Serrao Sebastiano , Lombardo Marco
Published: December 2022

Theranostics is a breakthrough paradigm of personalized and precision medicine for treatment of visual disorders. In this work, accuracy and precision of this therapeutic approach for achieving predictable strengthening of corneal tissue biomechanics were assessed on eye bank human donor tissues. Theranostic UV‐A light mediated imaging and photo‐activation of the tissues enriched with riboflavin demonstrated highly precise and predictable real time assessment of treatment efficacy on individual corneas.

Further details can be found in the article by Giuseppe Lombardo, Giuseppe Massimo Bernava, Sebastiano Serrao, and Marco Lombardo (e202200218).

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Mendelian randomization study on the causal effect of chickenpox on dementia
Authors: Zhou Shan , Zhu Gaizhi , Xu Yaqi , Gao Ran , Zhang Min , Zeng Qi , Su Wenting , Wang Renxi
Published: December 2022

Some viruses, such as varicella zoster virus, are associated with severe dementia. The present study aims to identify the causal link between chickenpox and dementia. To date, the largest publicly available genome‐wide association study (GWAS) for chickenpox (710 cases and 211 856 controls from European individuals) and for dementia (5933 cases and 212 859 controls from European individuals) were used to performed this two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. We found no significant pleiotropy or heterogeneity in all seven selected chickenpox genetic instrumental variants in dementia GWAS. Of seven chickenpox genetic variants, two are located in the intergenic region and five are located in intron. We found that as chickenpox genetically increased, dementia risk increased based on an inverse‐variance weighted analysis (β = 0.070, 95% confidence interval [CI] for β: 0.014–0.126; odds ratio [OR] = 1.073, 95% CI for OR: 1.015–1.134; p = 0.014) and weighted median (β = 0.071, 95% CI for β: 0.002–0.141; OR = 1.074, 95% CI for OR: 1.002–1.152; p = 0.045). Reverse MR analysis showed no causal effect of dementia on chickenpox. Our analysis suggests a causal effect of genetically increased chickenpox on dementia risk. Thus, chickenpox may be a potential risk factor for dementia.
Clinical severity of Omicron subvariants BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5 in a population‐based cohort study in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Russell Shannon L. , Klaver Braeden R. A. , Harrigan Sean P. , Kamelian Kimia , Tyson John , Hoang Linda , Taylor Marsha , Sander Beate , Mishra Sharmistha , Prystajecky Natalie , Janjua Naveed Z. , Zlosnik James E. A. , Sbihi Hind
Published: December 2022

The SARS‐CoV‐2 variant Omicron emerged in late 2021. In British Columbia (BC), Canada, and globally, three genetically distinct subvariants of Omicron, BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5, emerged and became dominant successively within an 8‐month period. SARS‐CoV‐2 subvariants continue to circulate in the population, acquiring new mutations that have the potential to alter infectivity, immunity, and disease severity. Here, we report a propensity‐matched severity analysis from residents of BC over the course of the Omicron wave, including 39,237 individuals infected with BA.1, BA.2, or BA.5 based on paired high‐quality sequence data and linked to comprehensive clinical outcomes data between December 23, 2021 and August 31, 2022. Relative to BA.1, BA.2 cases were associated with a 15% and 28% lower risk of hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (aHRhospital = 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.096–1.252; aHRICU = 1.368; 95% CI = 1.152–1.624), whereas BA.5 infections were associated with an 18% higher risk of hospitalization (aHRhospital = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.133–1.224) after accounting for age, sex, comorbidities, vaccination status, geography, and social determinants of health. Phylogenetic analysis revealed no specific subclades associated with more severe clinical outcomes for any Omicron subvariant. In summary, BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5 subvariants were associated with differences in clinical severity, emphasizing how variant‐specific monitoring programs remain critical components of patient and population‐level public health responses as the pandemic continues.
A hidden anchor: The influence of service levels on demand forecasts
Authors: Fahimnia Behnam , Arvan Meysam , Tan Tarkan , Siemsen Enno
Published: December 2022

Demand planning is informed by demand forecasts, service level requirements, replenishment constraints, and revenue projections. “Demand forecasts” differ from “demand plans” in that forecasts only represent the distribution (or the most likely value) of product demand. Motivated by common forecasting practices in industry, our research examines whether forecasters recognize this difference between demand forecasts and demand plans. Based on a lab experiment informed by data from two large FMCG companies, we found that forecasters factor service levels into their demand forecasts, even when they are clearly instructed to predict the most likely demand and incentivized to minimize the forecast error. We establish that this result holds for students and practitioners alike, and show that this behavior is driven by the service level information, and not some other anchor. We use data from a recent industry survey to support the external validity of our key findings.
Effect of subcritical water flash release processing on buckwheat flour properties
Authors: Plumier Benjamin , Kenar James A. , Felker Frederick C. , Winkler‐Moser Jill , Singh Mukti , Byars Jeffrey A. , Liu Sean X.
Published: December 2022

Background

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is rich in bioactive components. However, many of these components are trapped within cellular structures, making them inaccessible. Buckwheat flour was hydrothermally modified using subcritical water coupled with a flash pressure release (SCWF). The effects of the SCWF parameters (120, 140, and 160 °C and hold times of 0, 15, and 30 min) on the flour's structure, physicochemical, and functional properties were studied relative to the raw flour.

Results

Treatment deepened the flour color with increasing processing temperatures and hold times. Starch content remained unchanged though its granular structure was disrupted. SCWF treatments lowered total phenolic content compared with the raw flour, except for 160 °C–30 min, where total phenolic content increased by 12.7%. The corresponding antioxidant activities were found consistent with phenolic content. Soluble and insoluble dietary fiber amounts were not substantially influenced at 120 and 140 °C, whereas treatments at 160 °C (15 and 30 min hold) decreased soluble dietary fiber while increasing insoluble dietary fiber. Protein content increased 70–109% in some treatments, suggesting greater protein accessibility. Water‐holding capacity significantly increased for flour treated at 120 °C, whereas only slight improvements occurred at 140 and 160 °C.

Conclusions

Subcritical water flash processing can modify the compositional and functional properties of buckwheat flour depending on the choice of reaction conditions. Observed changes were consistent with alteration of the flour's cellular structure and allow some components to become more accessible. The resulting SCWF‐modified buckwheat flours provide new food ingredients for potential use in ready‐to‐eat foods and spreads with improved health benefits. Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Response of the plant–soil system to desertification in the Hulun Buir Sandy Land, China
Authors: Chen Yun , Li Yuqiang , Cao Wenjie , Wang Xuyang , Duan Yulong , Liu Xinping , Yao Caiping
Published: December 2022

In this study, the vegetation and soils of different desertification landscapes (sandy grassland, and fixed, semi‐fixed, semi‐mobile, and mobile dunes) in the Hulun Buir Sandy Land were examined to quantify the impacts of desertification on plants, soils, and microbes, and the key limiting factors of restoration. Desertification caused soil quality to decline and led to an imbalance of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) supplies (N:P ratios decreased significantly from 3.55–1.8, p < 0.05). Desertification did not change the stoichiometric relationships among plant carbon (C), N, and P at a community level, but promoted redistribution of nutrients from roots to aboveground tissues. The aboveground biomass N and P increased by 9.8% and 39.3%, respectively from grassland to mobile dunes, but these of the underground biomass decreased by 26.1% and 37.7%, respectively. N limitation (plant N:P < 10) occurred at the community level. Desertification led to the change of dominant species from perennial herbs to annual psammophytes, and plant diversity (from 1.15–0.79) and productivity (from 880.6 to 128.6 g m−2) first increased slightly (p > 0.05) and then decreased sharply (p < 0.05) with increasing desertification, but with no significant (p > 0.05) change of the microbial community. Redundancy analysis showed that the main environmental drivers were the soil N:P (with an explanation of 29.6%), followed by pH, electrical conductivity, and the soil's fine particles (with a total explanation of 24.3%). Based on these results, three reference frames were proposed for the restoration of the near‐original vegetation community.
Microcystin as a biogeochemical cycle: Pools, fluxes, and fates of the cyanotoxin in inland waters
Authors: Shingai Quin K. , Wilkinson Grace M.
Published: December 2022

Microcystin poses a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. There is a pressing need to understand the production, movement, and storage of microcystin in lakes. We constructed a conceptual biogeochemical model for microcystin through a comprehensive literature synthesis, identifying four major pools and nine major fluxes in lakes that also connect to the terrestrial environment. This conceptual model can be used as the framework for developing ecosystem mass balances of microcystin. We propose that the concentration of microcystin in the water column is the balance between the import, sediment translocation, production and degradation, uptake, burial, and export. However, substantial unknowns remain pertaining to the magnitude and movement of microcystin. Future investigations should focus on sediment fluxes, drivers of biodegradation, and seasonal dynamics. Adopting the framework of a “microcystin cycle” improves our understanding of processes driving toxin prevalence and helps to prioritize strategies for minimizing exposure risks.
Effect of Different Surface Modifications of Brazilian Attapulgite (ATP) on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of LLDPE/ATP Nanocomposites
Authors: da Silva Thais Ferreira , de Souza Gabriel Portilho Monteiro , Morgado Guilherme Ferreira de Melo , Quinteiro Eduardo , Albers Ana Paula Fonseca , Passador Fabio Roberto
Published: December 2022

In this work, Brazilian attapulgite (ATP) with different surface modifications is used as a mineral filler in the development of linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) nanocomposites. As a raw mineral, Brazilian ATP has many impurities in its structural channels (ATPr). Thus, sodium polyacrylate, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfuric acid are used to remove impurities from ATPr in a process called acid activation (ATPa). Also, inorganic materials do not have good interfacial interaction with organic polymers. Therefore, as an alternative to this challenge, two surface modifications are made to the ATPa: silanization (ATPs) and organophilization (ATPo). ATPr, ATPa, ATPs, and ATPo are characterized by FT‐IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), XRD (X‐ray diffraction), TGA (thermogravimetric analysis), and FEG‐SEM (field emission gun scanning electron microscopy). The effectiveness of surface modifications is evaluated for LLDPE/ATP nanocomposites with the addition of 3 wt% ATP (ATPr, ATPa, ATPs, and ATPo) prepared by extrusion. The nanocomposites are analyzed by XRD, thermal characterization (differential scanning calorimetry—DSC), mechanical characterization (Shore D hardness, tensile test, and Izod impact strength), and morphological characteristics (SEM micrographs). It can be noted that the addition of treated ATP increases the mechanical properties. The silanization is more effective when compared to the organophilization treatment.
Production and Characterization of Starch/PVA Blends with Bioactive Compounds from Malt Bagasse
Authors: Almeida Lais C. M. , Carvalho Francieli K. , Olivato Juliana B.
Published: December 2022

Starch is an abundant and renewable material for producing biodegradable films and, to improve their mechanical performance is usually blended with polymers of better performance, as poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Malt bagasse or brewer spent grain is a by‐product of brewing, mostly used as animal feed, and has bioactive compounds with proven antioxidant properties. On this basis, this work aims to produce starch‐PVA blends incorporated with malt bagasse extracts of two different types of beer, Pilsen, and Weiss. The inclusion of the Weiss (WMB) and Pilsen (PMB) malt bagasse extracts has no significant influence on the water solubility of the films. FEG‐SEM images present no tendency to phase separation at the sample surfaces, with a higher roughness of samples containing PMB extracts and improved homogeneity with the presence of WMB extracts. The inclusion of the bioactive extracts, regardless of concentration, has preserved the resistance and flexibility of the blends. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that all the extracts have a positive influence on the thermal stability of the materials. The starch/PVA biodegradable blends provide an alternative for producing active films suitable for cosmetic uses as anti‐aging masks.
Application of Atmospheric‐Air Plasma on Polyhydroxybutirate Solution – Evaluation of Promoted Changes on the Casted Film Surface and Nanoparticles Production
Authors: Rosa Victor Sermoud , dos Santos Mendonça Tiago , Mendonça Roberta Helena , Simao Renata Antoun , Bastos Daniele Cruz
Published: December 2022

Polyhydroxybutirate (PHB) is a very promising biopolymer once it can be used as an eco‐friendly substitute to some synthetic polymers. In this work, PHB solutions are prepared by casting using chloroform as solvent. The solution is modified by plasma treatment using a commercial atmospheric‐air plasma‐jet system (PlasmaPen TM; PVA TePla America), feed with ambient air compressed under 7 bar, operating with a fixed potency of 150 W, receiving 220 VAC (60 Hz, 2 A) as an input, having a plasma plume with a length of 1.2–1.5 cm and a diameter of ≈0.5–0.6 cm. The PHB solution (PHB not treated or PHB‐NT) is treated for 1 min, with 5 cm of distance between the solution surface and the output of the equipment in order to promote local precipitation of PHB. The resulting solutions are used to produce PHB treated films named as PHB‐T. The PHB‐NT and PHB‐T films surface are analyzed through contact angle measurements, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Fourier‐Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Results point to changes in reduction of PHB crystallinity and increase in surface roughness of the PHB‐T film caused by the presence of the circular crystalline regions that can be an indicator of possible PHB nanoparticles production.
Thermoplastic Starch – Urea, a Feasible Alternative to Release Nitrogen as Fertilizer
Authors: de Souza Gamarano Daniel , Pereira Iaci M. , Mottin Artur C. , Ayres Eliane
Published: December 2022

Urea is the most common N‐containing fertilizer used for plant growth. However, more than half of urea applied to the soil may not reach the plants due to losses from leaching by rain and irrigation water. In this work, as a strategy to obtain matrices with prolonged release urea, starch is extruded with the addition of glycerol and different urea contents. Tensile test and SAXS are used to evaluate the obtained thermoplastic starch (TPS) compositions. Releasing of urea in water from the extruded matrices is assessed using UV/Vis spectroscopy. The assays show that, after a fast release of urea in the first 8 h, the curves tend to stabilize, suggesting a prolonged releasing behavior. Preliminary plant growth assessment, using radish seeds (Raphanus sativus), suggests the suitability of urea‐plasticized starch as a fertilizer for agriculture or horticulture purposes. Thermographic images indicate that urea, released from the starch matrices, increases transpiration lowering leaf temperatures. Further research involves adding a crosslinker in order to retard urea releasing, and blending starch with N containing polymers, which can also release N into the soil, increasing the weight percentage of N in the final product.
Moving water equilibria preserving nonstaggered central scheme for open‐channel flows
Authors: Li Zhen , Dong Jian , Luo Yiming , Liu Min , Li Dingfang
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we investigate a well‐balanced and positive‐preserving nonstaggered central scheme, which has second‐order accuracy on both time and spatial scales, for open‐channel flows with the variable channel width and the nonflat bottom. We perform piecewise linear reconstructions of the conserved variables and energy as well as discretize the source term using the property that the energy remains constant, so that the complex source term and the flux can be precisely balanced so as to maintain the steady state. The scheme also ensures that the cross‐sectional wet area is positive by introducing a draining time‐step technique. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the scheme is capable of accurately maintaining both the still steady‐state solutions and the moving steady‐state solutions, simultaneously. Moreover, the scheme has the ability to accurately capture small perturbations of the moving steady‐state solution and avoids generating spurious oscillations. It is also capable of showing that the scheme is positive‐preserving and robust in solving the dam‐break problem.
Efficacy of ultrasound vector flow imaging in tracking omnidirectional pulsatile flow
Authors: Haniel Jonathas , Yiu Billy Y. S. , Chee Adrian J. Y. , Huebner Rudolf , Yu Alfred C. H.
Published: December 2022

Background

Ultrasound vector flow imaging (VFI) shows potential as an emerging non‐invasive modality for time‐resolved flow mapping. However, its efficacy in tracking multidirectional pulsatile flow with temporal resolvability has not yet been systematically evaluated because of the lack of an appropriate test protocol.

Purpose

We present the first systematic performance investigation of VFI in tracking pulsatile flow in a meticulously designed scenario with time‐varying, omnidirectional flow fields (with flow angles from 0° to 360°).

Methods

Ultrasound VFI was performed on a three‐loop spiral flow phantom (4 mm diameter; 5 mm pitch) that was configured to operate under pulsatile flow conditions (10 ml/s peak flow rate; 1 Hz pulse rate; carotid pulse shape). The spiral lumen geometry was designed to simulate recirculatory flow dynamics observed in the heart and in curvy blood vessel segments such as the carotid bulb. The imaging sequence was based on steered plane wave pulsing (−10°, 0°, +10° steering angles; 5 MHz imaging frequency; 3.3 kHz interleaved pulse repetition frequency). VFI's pulsatile flow estimation performance and its ability to detect secondary flow were comparatively assessed against flow fields derived from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations that included consideration of fluid‐structure interactions (FSI). The mean percentage error (MPE) and the coefficient of determination (R2) were computed to assess the correspondence of the velocity estimates derived from VFI and CFD‐FSI simulations. In addition, VFI's efficacy in tracking pulse waves was analyzed with respect to pressure transducer measurements made at the phantom's inlet and outlet.

Results

Pulsatile flow patterns rendered by VFI agreed with the flow profiles computed from CFD‐FSI simulations (average MPE: –5.3%). The shape of the VFI‐measured velocity magnitude profile generally matched the inlet flow profile. High correlation exists between VFI measurements and simulated flow vectors (lateral velocity: R2 = 0.8; axial velocity R2 = 0.89; beam‐flow angle: R2 = 0.98; p < 0.0001 for all three quantities). VFI was found to be capable of consistently tracking secondary flow. It also yielded pulse wave velocity (PWV) estimates (5.72 ± 1.02 m/s) that, on average, are within 6.4% of those obtained from pressure transducer measurements (6.11 ± 1.15 m/s).

Conclusion

VFI can consistently track omnidirectional pulsatile flow on a time‐resolved basis. This systematic investigation serves well as a quality assurance test of VFI.
Towards a holistic approach to rewilding in cultural landscapes
Authors: Massenberg Julian R. , Schiller Johannes , Schröter‐Schlaack Christoph
Published: December 2022

In recent years, rewilding has been attracting growing attention as novel, process‐oriented concept supporting ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Rewilding aims to strengthen the adaptive capacity of ecosystems by restoring natural processes and withdrawing anthropogenic interventions. Yet, diverging understandings, conceptions and definitions of rewilding result in a somewhat fuzzy concept.

So far, the scientific discussion focused primarily on biological and ecological effects and success factors of rewilding. However, particularly in Europe, which is characterised by densely populated areas and a long history of landscape cultivation, rewilding affects also socio‐economic and socio‐cultural dimensions

Based on a synthesis of current scientific publications, we argue that rewilding should be understood as an increase in wildness, that is restoring the autonomy of natural processes and self‐sustaining ecosystems in order to overcome the improper dualistic understanding of human‐nature relationships in which humanity is outside of nature.

We identify knowledge gaps and emphasise the need for inter‐ and transdisciplinary research on rewilding to develop a holistic approach to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration. In this context, we particularly emphasise the temporal dynamics of changes in landscapes, which are often long‐term and therefore difficult to monitor, the openness of rewilding processes and the associated uncertainty about end states, as well as the complexity of human‐nature relations and the associated value pluralism.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Registration of ‘NW13493’ hard white winter wheat
Authors: Baenziger P. S. , Frels K. A. , Boehm, J. , Belamkar V. , Rose D. J. , Xu L. , Finnie S. M. , Wegulo S. N. , Regassa T. , Easterly A. C. , Creech C. F. , Santra D. K. , Klein R. N. , Jin Y. , Kolmer J. , Chen M.‐S. , Bowden R. L. , Guttieri M. J. , Bai G. , Salah I. El‐Basyoni , Masterson S. D. , Poland J.
Published: December 2022

Historically, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars developed by the cooperative University of Nebraska–USDA‐ARS wheat improvement project were hard red winter wheat. With the expanding hard white wheat market, there is a greater emphasis on developing hard white winter wheat lines adapted to the Great Plains. ‘NW13493’ (tested as NW13493) (Reg. no. CV‐1197, PI 699380) was selected for its white kernels, agronomic performance, relevant disease resistances, and end‐use quality and is adapted to the central Great Plains. NW13493 was licensed to Bay State Milling Company on the basis of its superior agronomic and end‐use quality performance and also the need to ensure hard white wheat growers have a known market for their grain. NW13493 hard white winter wheat was released in February 2021 by the developing institutions and the licensee. NW13493 was a selection in 2013 from the cross ‘SD98W175‐1’/‘NW03666’, which was made in 2007. The pedigree of SD98W175‐1 is ‘KS84273BB‐10’/‘KSSB110‐9’//’KS831374‐141B’/‘YE1110’/3/ ‘KS82W418’/‘Stephens’ and the pedigree of NW03666 is ‘N94S097KS’/‘NE93459’. The F1 generation was grown in the greenhouse in 2008, and the F2 to F3 generations were advanced as bulks at Mead, NE, in 2009–2010. NW13493 was evaluated in replicated trials beginning in 2014. It has excellent winter survival and agronomic performance, acceptable disease reactions to many of the common diseases in its target area, and good end‐use quality for bread making.
Transition metals doped (3,3) armchair boron nitride nanosheet as dilute magnetic semiconductors materials for the spintronic application
Authors: Malek Akram , Movlarooy Tayebeh , Hessami Pilehrood Saeid
Published: December 2022

Magnetic 2D materials have attracted considerable attention for their significant potential application in spintronic. In this work, the effect of substitutional doping of 3d‐transition metals such as Co, Cr, Mn, and Fe on the magnetic and electronic properties of boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS) was studied based on the spin‐polarized density functional theory. The results revealed that the non‐magnetic and semiconducting behavior of BNNS can be altered by magnetically active dopants. The spin‐polarized density of states suggests that pure BNNS is a nonmagnetic semiconductor with a direct bandgap while transition metals doped BNNS are dilute magnetic semiconductors or half metals (HM). Co doping shows the most stable ferromagnetic phases in the nanosheet. A pair of Mn and Co atoms doped BNNS in edge structure show HM property with 100% spin polarization and seem to be good candidates for spintronic applications and especially as spin filter devices and spin current injectors.
Non‐pulmonary CFTR‐related symptom improvement with ivacaftor in p.Phe508del/p.Arg117His (7T) cystic fibrosis
Authors: Kuek Stephanie L. , Massie R. John H.
Published: December 2022

Diagnosis and management of CRMS/CFSPID and cystic fibrosis (CF) with mild phenotypes remains challenging, and this extends to expanding practice with the use of CFTR modulators. We describe a case of an 18‐year‐old man with p.F508del/p.Arg117His(7T) initially presenting with CRMS/CFSPID. He went on to be diagnosed with pancreatic sufficient CF with minimal lung disease. However, he has had significant CFTR‐related symptoms with recurrent pancreatitis and chronic sinusitis. These non‐pulmonary symptoms resolved following introduction of the CFTR modulator ivacaftor. Care for those with mild CF phenotypes, CRMS/CFSPID and those with CFTR‐RD must be individualized, and open dialogue, education and patient centred care is necessary to ascertaining which patients might benefit from management in a multidisciplinary CF clinic and treatment. There may be a role for expanding the use of CFTR modulators to include non‐pulmonary manifestations of CFTR dysfunction in some cases.
A systematic review and evaluation of statistical methods for group variable selection
Authors: Buch Gregor , Schulz Andreas , Schmidtmann Irene , Strauch Konstantin , Wild Philipp S.
Published: December 2022

This review condenses the knowledge on variable selection methods implemented in R and appropriate for datasets with grouped features. The focus is on regularized regressions identified through a systematic review of the literature, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. A total of 14 methods are discussed, most of which use penalty terms to perform group variable selection. Depending on how the methods account for the group structure, they can be classified into knowledge and data‐driven approaches. The first encompass group‐level and bi‐level selection methods, while two‐step approaches and collinearity‐tolerant methods constitute the second category. The identified methods are briefly explained and their performance compared in a simulation study. This comparison demonstrated that group‐level selection methods, such as the group minimax concave penalty, are superior to other methods in selecting relevant variable groups but are inferior in identifying important individual variables in scenarios where not all variables in the groups are predictive. This can be better achieved by bi‐level selection methods such as group bridge. Two‐step and collinearity‐tolerant approaches such as elastic net and ordered homogeneity pursuit least absolute shrinkage and selection operator are inferior to knowledge‐driven methods but provide results without requiring prior knowledge. Possible applications in proteomics are considered, leading to suggestions on which method to use depending on existing prior knowledge and research question.
Thermoelectric energy harvesting for personalized healthcare
Authors: Gao Wei , Wang Yang , Lai Feili
Published: December 2022

In recent decades, there has been increased research interest in miniaturizing and decentralizing diagnostic platforms to enable continuous personalized healthcare and free patients from long‐term hospitalization. However, the lack of reliable and portable power supplies has limited the working time of the personalized healthcare platform. Compared with the current power supplies (e.g., batteries and supercapacitors) that require manual intervention, thermoelectric devices promise to continuously harvest waste heat from the human body to satisfy the energy consumption of personalized healthcare platforms. Herein, this review discusses thermoelectric energy harvesting for personalized healthcare. It begins with the fundamental concepts of different thermoelectric materials, including electron thermoelectric generators (TEGs), ionic thermogalvanic cells (TGCs), and ionic thermoelectric capacitors (TECs). Then, the wearable and implantable applications of thermoelectric devices are presented. Finally, future directions of next‐generation thermoelectric devices for personalized healthcare are discussed. It is hoped that developing high‐performance thermoelectric devices will change the landscape of personalized healthcare in the future.
Molecular Resolution Mapping of Erythrocyte Cytoskeleton by Ultrastructure Expansion Single‐Molecule Localization Microscopy
Authors: Hou Mengdi , Xing Fulin , Yang Jianyu , Hu Fen , Pan Leiting , Xu Jingjun
Published: December 2022

The combination of expansion microscopy and single‐molecule localization microscopy has the potential to approach the molecular resolution. However, this combination meets challenges due to the hydrogel shrinkage in the presence of imaging buffer. Here, a method of ultrastructure expansion single‐molecule localization microscopy (U‐ExSMLM) based on skillfully adhering the gel onto poly‐l‐lysine (pLL)‐coated coverslip is developed to prevent lateral shrinkage of the hydrogel. U‐ExSMLM is then applied to dissect the membrane cytoskeleton organization of human erythrocytes at molecular resolution. The resolved nanoscale spatial distributions of cytoskeleton proteins, including the N/C‐termini of β‐spectrin, protein 4.1, and tropomodulin, show good agreement with the acknowledged model of erythrocyte cytoskeleton structure, demonstrating the reliability of U‐ExSMLM. Furthermore, the concentration of pLL is adjusted to preserve the physiological biconcave morphology of erythrocytes, and it is found that the spectrin cytoskeleton in the dimple regions has lower density and larger length than that in the rim regions, which provides the direct evidence for cytoskeleton asymmetry in human erythrocytes. Therefore, the integrated method offers future opportunities to study the ultrastructure of membrane cytoskeleton at molecular resolution.
Effect of Boron Content on Microstructure and Impact Toughness in CGHAZ of Shipbuilding Steel Plates with Ca Deoxidation
Authors: Liu Dekun , Yang Jian , Zhang Yinhui
Published: December 2022

Herein, the effect of boron (B) content on the microstructure and impact toughness in the coarse‐grained heat‐affected zone (CGHAZ) after large heat input welding of 400 kJ cm−1 for the EH40 shipbuilding steel plate with Ca deoxidation is studied. As the B content is increased from 0.0002 to 0.0024 wt%, the average width of grain boundary ferrites (GBFs) is decreased from 14.6 to 11.3 μm, the formation of acicular ferrite (AF) is promoted, and the formations of GBF and Widmanstatten ferrite (WF) are hindered in CGHAZ. The heat‐affected zone (HAZ) impact toughness is increased from 39 to 97 J at −20 °C. The fraction of low‐angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) is decreased from 40 to 29%, and the high‐angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) is increased from 60 to 71%. When the B content is 0.0024 wt%, the B atom segregates on the grain boundaries, and the widths of the segregation lines range from 2.3 to 3.6 μm. GBF is found to be the weakest zone in the CGHAZ. B addition can effectively reduce the formation of GBF, enhancing the critical crack stress and improving the HAZ toughness.
Numerical study on shear capacity of geometrically similar RC interior beam‐column joints
Authors: Jin Liu , Miao Liyue , Du Xiuli
Published: December 2022

Reinforced concrete (RC) beam‐column joints often present brittle shear failure in the core area. The objective of the study is to study the effects of stirrup ratio and axial load ratio on the shear capacity of geometrically similar beam‐column joints having different structural sizes. In this work, a series of 3D mesoscale simulations on the shear failure of RC beam‐column joints were conducted and validated, in which the concrete heterogeneity was considered explicitly. The simulation results indicate that stirrups can improve the shear strength of joints, enhance the ductility, improve deformation ability, while weaken the size effect on the nominal shear strength. Moreover, the increasing axial load ratio would lead to the increase of shear strength, as well as the increase of size effect. Based on the modeling results, a novel semiempirical and semitheoretical size effect law considering the quantitative effect of stirrups and axial load ratio was proposed. In addition, the proposed size effect law was verified against with some available test data.
Perspective: Simultaneous treatment of relativity, correlation, and QED
Authors: Liu Wenjian
Published: December 2022

Electronic structure calculations of many‐electron systems should in principle treat relativistic, correlation, and quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects simultaneously to a high precision, so as to match experimental measurements as close as possible. While both relativistic and QED effects can readily be built into the many‐electron Hamiltonian, electron correlation is more difficult to describe due to the exponential growth of the number of parameters in the wave function. Compared with the spin‐free case, spin–orbit interaction results in the loss of spin symmetry and concomitant complex algebra, thereby rendering the treatment of electron correlation even more difficult. Possible solutions to these issues are highlighted here.

This article is categorized under:

Electronic Structure Theory > Ab Initio Electronic Structure Methods
Physiological peristaltic flow of Jeffrey fluid inside an elliptic cross section with heat and mass transfer: Exact solutions through Polynomial solution technique
Authors: Nadeem Sohail , Akhtar Salman , Akkurt Nevzat , Saleem Anber , Almutairi Shahah , Ghazwani Hassan Ali
Published: December 2022

An interpretation of heat and mass transfer for the peristaltic flow of a non‐Newtonian Jeffrey fluid inside a duct having an elliptic cross‐section is mathematically investigated. We have considered constant heat absorption for the present study and a descriptive heat as well as mass transfer analysis is carried out. Exact solutions are computed by utilizing a polynomial solution technique to solve the dimensionless partial differential equations appearing in the problem. A purposeful and detailed graphical assessment is provided for the final mathematical results. Velocity as well as temperature profiles attain highest value at the core region of duct while these profiles gradually decline toward duct boundaries. The incrementing value of λ1 is resulting in an increase of flow and since λ1 is the dimensionless ratio of relaxation to retardation time, it means that the increasing value of λ1 results in an increase of relaxation time but it also results in decline of retardation time.
CFT description of BH’s and ECO’s: QNMs, superradiance, echoes and tidal responses
Authors: Consoli Dario , Fucito Francesco , Morales Jose Francisco , Poghossian Rubik
Published: December 2022

Abstract

Using conformal field theory and localization tecniques we study the propagation of scalar waves in gravity backgrounds described by Schrödinger like equations with Fuchsian singularities. Exact formulae for the connection matrices relating the asymptotic behaviour of the wave functions near the singularities are obtained in terms of braiding and fusion rules of the CFT. The results are applied to the study of quasi normal modes, absorption cross sections, amplification factors, echoes and tidal responses of black holes (BH) and exotic compact objects (ECO) in four and five dimensions. In particular, we propose a definition of dynamical Love numbers in gravity.
Higher derivative corrections to black brane thermodynamics and the weak gravity conjecture
Authors: Noumi Toshifumi , Satake Hibiki
Published: December 2022

Abstract

We study higher derivative corrections to black brane thermodynamics and their implications for the weak gravity conjecture for p-form gauge fields. In particular we show that higher derivative corrections decrease tension-to-charge ratios of extremal black branes as implied by the weak gravity conjecture, if four-derivative couplings follow scattering positivity bounds. We also demonstrate that entropy corrections in the micro canonical ensemble are positive under the same assumptions. This extends earlier works in the Einstein-Maxwell theory to p-form gauge fields in general spacetime dimensions.
Production and characterisation of self-blowing lignin-based foams
Authors: Fagbemigun Taiwo K. , Mai Carsten
Published: December 2022

Self-blowing lignin-furanic foams were produced using formulations comprising Kraft lignin and furfuryl alcohol as the major components. Diethyl ether, Tween 85 and sulphuric acid were used as blowing agent, surfactant and catalyst. The influence of the components and the ratio of furfuryl alcohol to lignin was investigated with regard to the foam density, mechanical properties, water absorption, thermal properties, and fire behaviour. Depending on the formulation, the density of lignin-furanic foams ranged between 60 and 320 kg m−3.Increasing the furfuryl alcohol content increased the density of the foams. Low-density foams were obtained with a higher proportion of diethyl ether. The compression strength and modulus of elasticity (MoE) of lignin-furanic foams also increased with foam density. All lignin-furanic foams showed good thermal stability and residual masses by thermogravimetric analysis. Cone calorimetric analysis showed that lignin-furanic foams have poor flammability and self-extinguish within few seconds.
The incidence of non-affective psychotic disorders in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bastien Rayanne John-Baptiste , Ding Tao , Gonzalez-Valderrama Alfonso , Valmaggia Lucia , Kirkbride James B. , Jongsma Hannah E.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Global understanding of the epidemiological landscape of non-affective psychotic disorders (NAPD) is predominantly based on studies from high-income countries. We sought to systematically review and meta-analyse all incidence studies conducted in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods

We systematically searched four databases using terms for NAPD, incidence and LMICs. Citations were eligible for inclusion if: published between 1 January 1960 and 31 May 2022; wholly or partially conducted in an LMIC, and; containing data on NAPD incidence in the general adult population. Two independent raters assessed study quality according to previously published criteria. We conducted a narrative synthesis and random-effects meta-analyses where sufficient studies were available (N ≥ 5).

Results

We retrieved 11 421 records, of which 23 citations met inclusion criteria from 18 unique studies across 19 settings in 10 LMICs. Median study quality was 4 out of 7 (interquartile range: 3–6). The crude incidence of NAPD varied around 4.2 times, from 10.0 per 100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.7–11.4) in Brazil to 42.0 (95%CI 32.2–54.8) in India, with marked heterogeneity in methodologies and rates. Our 60-year review highlights the dearth of robust evidence on the incidence of psychotic disorders in LMICs.

Conclusion

Without reliable, contemporary estimates of this fundamental cornerstone of population health, it is impossible to understand the true burden, distribution or causes of psychotic disorders in over 87% of the world’s population. A new, more equitable global mental health evidence base for NAPD is now urgently required.
A pure theory of population distribution when preferences are ordinal
Authors: Stark Oded , Kosiorowski Grzegorz
Published: December 2022

We model an environment in which individuals prefer to be in a space in which their rank is higher, be it a social space, a geographical space, a work environment, or any other comparison sphere which we refer to in this paper, and without loss of generality, as a region. When the individuals can choose between more than two regions, we inquire: (i) whether a steady-state distribution of the population is reached; (ii) how long it will take to reach a steady state; and (iii) if a steady state obtains, whether at the steady state social welfare is maximized. Despite the fact that when there are three or more regions the mobility paths are more intricate than when there are only two regions, we prove that a steady-state distribution of the population across the regions is reached; we identify the upper bound of the number of time periods that it will take to reach the steady-state distribution; and we show that the steady-state distribution maximizes social welfare. This last result is surprising: even though the individuals act of their own accord, they achieve the socially preferred outcome.
Convexity estimates for high codimension mean curvature flow
Authors: Lynch Stephen , Nguyen Huy The
Published: December 2022

We consider the flow by mean curvature of smooth n-dimensional submanifolds of $${\mathbb {R}}^{n+k}$$

R

n
+
k

, $$k \ge 2$$

k
≥
2

, which are compact and quadratically pinched. We establish that such flows are asymptotically convex, that is, the first eigenvalue of the second fundamental form in the principal mean curvature direction blows up at a strictly slower rate than the mean curvature vector. This generalises the convexity estimate of Huisken–Sinestrari to higher codimensions. By combining our estimate with work of Naff, we conclude that singularity models for the flow are convex ancient solutions of codimension one.
Stochastic collocation method for computing eigenspaces of parameter-dependent operators
Authors: Grubišić Luka , Saarikangas Mikael , Hakula Harri
Published: December 2022

We consider computing eigenspaces of an elliptic self-adjoint operator depending on a countable number of parameters in an affine fashion. The eigenspaces of interest are assumed to be isolated in the sense that the corresponding eigenvalues are separated from the rest of the spectrum for all values of the parameters. We show that such eigenspaces can in fact be extended to complex-analytic functions of the parameters and quantify this analytic dependence in a way that leads to convergence of sparse polynomial approximations. A stochastic collocation method on an anisoptropic sparse grid in the parameter domain is proposed for computing a basis for the eigenspace of interest. The convergence of this method is verified in a series of numerical examples based on the eigenvalue problem of a stochastic diffusion operator.
Genotype–Phenotype Correlations and Clinical Outcomes in 155 Cases of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma
Authors: Wang Hogan , Papachristos Alexander J. , Gill Anthony J. , Clifton‐Bligh Roderick , Aniss Ahmad M. , Glover Anthony , Sywak Mark , Sidhu Stan B.
Published: December 2022

Background

Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumours, often associated with germline mutations that influence the disease biology and clinical course. We aimed to describe the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of a consecutive series of PPGL patients and correlate mutation status with clinical outcomes.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of all PPGL patients who presented to a tertiary referral centre between March 2005 and February 2022. Genotypic, phenotypic and follow‐up data were analysed.

Results

A total of 140 patients were included. Of these, 94 (67%) patients underwent genetic testing and a mutation was detected in 36 (38%) patients. Mutation presence was associated with younger age, smaller tumour size and bilateral adrenal tumours. Disease recurrence occurred at a median time of 5.4 (IQR 2.8–11.0) years after treatment in 21 (15%) patients, of which 14 (67%) had a mutation in a susceptibility gene. Recurrence pattern was influenced by mutation type; higher local recurrence risk for SDHA, SDHB, and MEN2B disease, and higher metastatic risk for SDHB, VHL and MEN2A disease. Recurrence occurred in three (3%) patients with mutation absence. Multivariate analysis revealed that age  ≤40 years and mutation presence were associated with increased risk of disease recurrence.

Conclusions

Genotypic characteristics strongly influence disease presentation and recurrence risk, which may occur more than 5 years after initial treatment. Routine genetic testing of PPGL patients is warranted given the high prevalence of mutations, allowing for prognostication and tailored follow‐up. In the presence of germline mutations, follow‐up should be life‐long.