bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supplementation of Aspergillus glaucus with gfdB gene encoding a glycerol 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase in Aspergillus nidulans
Authors: Király Anita , Szabó Ivett G. , Emri Tamás , Leiter Éva , Pócsi István
Published: June 2020

In Aspergillus nidulans, there are two putative glycerol 3‐phosphate dehydrogenases encoded by the genes gfdA and gfdB, while the genome of the osmophilic Aspergillus glaucus harbors only the ortholog of the A. nidulans gfdA gene. Our aim was to insert the gfdB gene into the genome of A. glaucus, and we reached this goal with the adaptation of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens‐mediated transformation method. We tested the growth of the gfdB‐complemented A. glaucus strains on a medium containing 2 mol l‒1 sorbitol in the presence of oxidative stress generating agents such as tert‐butyl hydroperoxide, H2O2, menadione sodium bisulfite, as well as the cell wall integrity stress‐inducing agent Congo Red and the heavy metal stress eliciting CdCl2. The growth of the complemented strains was significantly higher than that of the wild‐type strain on media supplemented with these stress generating agents. The A. nidulans ΔgfdB mutant was also examined under the same conditions and resulted in a considerably lower growth than that of the control strain in all stress exposure experiments. Our results shed light on the fact that the gfdB gene from A. nidulans was also involved in the stress responses of the complemented A. glaucus strains supporting our hypothesis on the antioxidant function of GfdB in the Aspergilli. Nevertheless, the osmotolerant nature of A. glaucus could not be explained by the lack of the gfdB gene in A. glaucus, as we hypothesized earlier.
Influence of attractions on destination selection
Authors: McKercher Bob , Tolkach Denis
Published: June 2020

This study tests the juxtaposition of Pearce's Travel Career Pattern with McKercher's tourism product taxonomy by examining the relationship between motive and the role attractions' taxa play in influencing the decision to visit a destination. The study represents the third in a series of three papers, with the first two presenting a conceptual model and testing the model with secondary data, respectively. The study concluded that Pearce's core motives were associated with tourists seeking a destination experience, while when respondents expressed middle and outer layer motives, they tended to seek more of an attraction specific experience.
Patterns of Obstruction on DISE in Adults With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Change With BMI
Authors: Wong Stephanie J. , Luitje Martha E. , Karelsky Sveta
Published: June 2020

Objectives

We describe drug‐induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) obstruction patterns in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on body mass index (BMI). We also evaluate subgroups of patients with clinically significant obstruction patterns at the velopharynx and oropharynx.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Methods

Single‐institution, retrospective chart review of adults with OSA who underwent DISE with dexmedetomidine sedation from 2016 to 2018. Endoscopic findings were graded using VOTE (Velum, Oropharynx, Tongue base, Epiglottis) classification. Oropharyngeal obstruction was additionally graded with the modifier T when due to palatine tonsil tissue. Findings in patients who had BMI < 25, 25 ≤ BMI < 30, and BMI ≥ 30 were compared.

Results

One hundred and eleven patients (1 underweight, 23 normal weight, 56 overweight, and 31 obese) were reviewed. Patients with lower BMI were more likely to have more severe obstruction at the level of the tongue base (χ2 = 11.52, P = .021) and epiglottis (χ 2 = 10.56, P = .032). Conversely, patients with higher BMI were more likely to have complete concentric (grade 2C) velum obstruction (χ 2 = 16.04, P < .001) and more severe oropharyngeal obstruction (χ 2= 9.65, P = .046). Patients with grade 2 oropharyngeal obstruction without tonsil obstruction had more severe concurrent velum obstruction compared to subjects with grade 2 T oropharyngeal obstruction (P = .009).

Conclusion

In adults with OSA, BMI categories have significantly distinct obstruction patterns at all airway levels on DISE, and there appear to be distinct subgroups associated with certain velum and oropharynx collapse patterns. These findings may have important implications for positive airway pressure–alternative treatment.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 131:224–229, 2021
Cost‐Effectiveness of Depression Screening for Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Residents
Authors: Kligerman Maxwell P. , Devine Erin E. , Bentzley Jessica P. , Megwalu Uchechukwu C.
Published: June 2020

Objectives

This study aims to determine the cost‐effectiveness of screening and treating otolaryngology–head and neck surgery residents for depression.

Methods

A Markov model was built using TreeAgePro, version 2019 (TreeAge Software Inc.; Williamstown, MA) to assess the cost‐effectiveness of five potential treatment algorithms: 1) treat all residents with psychotherapy, 2) screen and treat depressed residents with psychotherapy, 3) screen and treat depressed residents with pharmacotherapy, 4) screen and treat depressed residents with combination psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy, and 5) no intervention. A Monte Carlo probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA), consisting of 1 thousand simulations over a cumulative 5‐year period, was performed to evaluate both base case values and a range of values for model variables.

Results

Screening residents for depression and treating with combination psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy was cost‐effective and the optimal strategy at a willingness‐to‐pay threshold of $50 thousand per quality‐adjusted life year (QALY). This option demonstrated an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio of $27,578 per QALY for base case values. PSA confirmed these results and demonstrated that screening residents for depression and treating with either combination pharmacotherapy/psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy alone, or psychotherapy alone were cost‐effective options in 94.9% of simulations.

Conclusion

Depression and burnout remain crucial issues among resident physicians. This study demonstrates that actively screening residents for depression is cost‐effective. Based on these results, residency programs may consider trialing standardized depression screening protocols.

Level of Evidence

I and II. Laryngoscope, 131:502–508, 2021
Development of degraded ravine lands of Western India using Sapota (Achras zapota) plantation with terracing vs. trenching‐on‐slope‐based conservation measures
Authors: Kumar Raj , Bhardwaj Ajay Kumar , Rao Battu Krishna , Vishwakarma Anand Kumar , Bhatnagar Pratap Ray , Patra Sridhar , Kumar Gopal , Kakade Vijaysinha , Dinesh Dhakshanamoorthy , Pande Vinod Chandra , Singh Gaurav , Dobhal Sneha , Sharma Narinder Kumar
Published: June 2020

Globally, ravine landscapes are considered among the world's most degraded ecosystems. Restoring ravines is considered a high priority item in the conservation programmes, and tree establishment augmented with appropriate soil and water conservation measures is the most sought‐after restoration strategy. This study examined the impact of terracing and trenching on runoff, soil loss, and soil properties along with Sapota (Achras zapota) growth, fruit yield, biomass and carbon stock during 6 years (2010–2015) in a degraded ravine land of Western India. The four soil and water conservation strategies tested were (1) bench terracing + Sapota (Bt), (2) bench terracing + Sapota with crop cultivation (BtCr), (3) continuous slope + Sapota (Sl), and (4) continuous slope + Sapota with trenches (SlTr). All conservation techniques increased Sapota height (Bt: 54%; BtCr: 27%; SlTr: 35%) and basal diameter (Bt: 36%; BtCr: 18%; StCr: 22%) compared to Sl. Biomass and carbon stock of Sapota were in the order of Bt > SlTr > BtCr > Sl. During the droughtperiod, fruit yield was highest in Bt followed by BtCr, SlTr, and least in Sl. The treatment SlTr and Bt reduced runoff by 16–34% and soil loss by 15–25%, compared to Sl. The growth and biomass were strongly correlated with soil loss. The findings suggested that bench terracing is the best soil and water conservation measure for restoring highly degraded ravines of Western India. Under circumstances where terracing is not feasible, trenching could be a significant step along with Sapota plantation to restore these ravines.
Silicon Photonics Optical Frequency Synthesizer
Authors: Singh Neetesh , Xin Ming , Li Nanxi , Vermeulen Diedrik , Ruocco Alfonso , Magden Emir Salih , Shtyrkova Katia , Ippen Erich , Kärtner Franz X. , Watts Michael R.
Published: June 2020

The knowledge of the exact frequency of an optical source has always been one of the ultimate goals in optics. Since the discovery of the laser, complex systems have been developed to address this challenge. That effort reached a significant milestone with the advent of the femtosecond laser frequency comb that reduced the system size from an entire lab down to the bench‐top. That spurred interest in the development of integrated optical frequency synthesizers that can generate precisely different optical frequencies on demand and can be deployed widely. In this work, such an optical frequency synthesizer using supercontinuum waveguide and second harmonic generator on silicon photonics platform is demonstrated. Integrated silicon photonics based tunable continuous wave laser is phase‐locked to a microwave reference, to synthesize absolute optical frequencies in the telecom band. A relative frequency instability of 1 × 10−12 at 1 s level is achieved by utilizing an integrated self‐referencing scheme that exploits the strong 3rd order and electric‐field‐induced 2nd order nonlinearities of silicon waveguides. With this work, an all on‐chip silicon photonics based frequency synthesizer seems promising for mass production of next generation broad‐band coherent optical communication systems, spectroscopic, detection, and ranging systems and future integrated quantum systems with Hz‐level precision.
Tilted‐Pulse‐Front Schemes for Terahertz Generation
Authors: Wang Lu , Tóth György , Hebling János , Kärtner Franz
Published: June 2020

High energy single‐ to few‐cycle terahertz pulses enable the exploration of electron acceleration, strong‐field physics, and nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy. One important method of generating such terahertz pulses is using the tilted‐pulse‐front (TPF) technique. However, the needed angular dispersion leads to a spatial and temporal break‐up of the optical pump, reducing the generation efficiency and the electric field quality of the terahertz pulses. To decrease the effects caused by angular dispersion, multiple schemes with discrete pulse‐front‐tilt are suggested. Based on a 2D+1 numerical model, a systematic comparative study of the conventional TPF scheme, three discrete TPF schemes, and a scheme with spatio‐temporally chirped (STC) optical pulses is performed. Smaller optimal interaction lengths and conversion efficiencies are predicted compared to 1D models. For small pump beam sizes, it is concluded that the STC scheme delivers spatially homogeneous terahertz pulses with the highest conversion efficiency, and for short interaction lengths, the discrete TPF schemes cannot outperform the continuous ones. However, for large pump sizes, the nonlinear echelon slab delivers the spatially most homogeneous terahertz beams and has the unique potential of generating high energy terahertz pulses. In general, this work gives guidance to choose the most appropriate setup for a given terahertz experiment.
USP53 promotes apoptosis and inhibits glycolysis in lung adenocarcinoma through FKBP51‐AKT1 signaling
Authors: Zhao Xinmin , Wu Xianghua , Wang Huijie , Yu Hui , Wang Jialei
Published: June 2020

Despite an overall decline in the incidence of new cases, lung adenocarcinoma continues to be a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Due to lack of gene expression signatures for risk and prognosis stratification of lung adenocarcinoma, identifying novel molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets may potentially improve lung adenocarcinoma prognosis and treatment. In the current study, we investigate the role of USP53 in lung adenocarcinoma. Bioinformatics analysis, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot were employed to examine patterns of gene expression in human lung adenocarcinoma database, patient samples, and cancer cell lines. Stable cell lines were produced by transducing with USP53 overexpression vector or short hairpin RNA targeting USP53 in the presence and absence of AKT pathway inhibitor LY294002. Functional assays were carried out to examine the impact of USP53 and AKT pathway on lung adenocarcinoma cell viability, apoptosis, and glycolysis in vitro, as well as tumor growth in vivo. The correlation between USP53 and FKBP51 was measured by coimmunoprecipitation and ubiquitination assay. Decreased USP53 levels are a reliable marker of lung adenocarcinoma across published datasets, clinical samples, and cell culture lines. Low USP53 expression is linked to decreased apoptosis and increased metabolic activity, suggesting it acts as a tumor suppressor. USP53 regulates cell apoptosis and glycolysis through the AKT1 pathway. Mechanistically, USP53 deubiquitinates FKBP51, which in turn dephosphorylates AKT1, and ultimately inhibits tumor growth in lung adenocarcinoma. Taken together, our study establishes USP53 as a novel regulator of AKT1 pathway with an important role in tumorigenesis in lung adenocarcinoma.
Cofinitely g‐radical supplemented modules
Authors: Nebiyev Celil
Published: June 2020

In this work, all rings have unity and all modules are unital left modules. Let M be an R‐module. If every cofinite submodule of M has a g‐radical supplement in M, then M is called a cofinitely g‐radical supplemented module. In this work, some properties of cofinitely g‐radical supplemented modules are investigated. It is clear that every cofinitely g‐supplemented module is cofinitely g‐radical supplemented. Hence, cofinitely g‐radical supplemented modules are more general than cofinitely g‐supplemented modules.
Auto‐segmentation of organs at risk for head and neck radiotherapy planning: From atlas‐based to deep learning methods
Authors: Vrtovec Tomaž , Močnik Domen , Strojan Primož , Pernuš Franjo , Ibragimov Bulat
Published: June 2020

Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the basic treatment modalities for cancer of the head and neck (H&N), which requires a precise spatial description of the target volumes and organs at risk (OARs) to deliver a highly conformal radiation dose to the tumor cells while sparing the healthy tissues. For this purpose, target volumes and OARs have to be delineated and segmented from medical images. As manual delineation is a tedious and time‐consuming task subjected to intra/interobserver variability, computerized auto‐segmentation has been developed as an alternative. The field of medical imaging and RT planning has experienced an increased interest in the past decade, with new emerging trends that shifted the field of H&N OAR auto‐segmentation from atlas‐based to deep learning‐based approaches. In this review, we systematically analyzed 78 relevant publications on auto‐segmentation of OARs in the H&N region from 2008 to date, and provided critical discussions and recommendations from various perspectives: image modality — both computed tomography and magnetic resonance image modalities are being exploited, but the potential of the latter should be explored more in the future; OAR — the spinal cord, brainstem, and major salivary glands are the most studied OARs, but additional experiments should be conducted for several less studied soft tissue structures; image database — several image databases with the corresponding ground truth are currently available for methodology evaluation, but should be augmented with data from multiple observers and multiple institutions; methodology — current methods have shifted from atlas‐based to deep learning auto‐segmentation, which is expected to become even more sophisticated; ground truth — delineation guidelines should be followed and participation of multiple experts from multiple institutions is recommended; performance metrics — the Dice coefficient as the standard volumetric overlap metrics should be accompanied with at least one distance metrics, and combined with clinical acceptability scores and risk assessments; segmentation performance — the best performing methods achieve clinically acceptable auto‐segmentation for several OARs, however, the dosimetric impact should be also studied to provide clinically relevant endpoints for RT planning.
Myopathies featuring early or prominent dysphagia
Authors: Triplett James D. , Pinto Marcus V. , Hosfield Emily A. , Milone Margherita , Liewluck Teerin
Published: June 2020

Background

Limited data exist regarding myopathies with early or prominent dysphagia.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed (January 2003 to August 2019) to identify myopathy patients in whom dysphagia was the initial symptom or was disproportionately severe compared with limb weakness.

Results

Thirty‐two patients were identified. The median age at diagnosis was 65 y (range, 36–80 y). Inclusion body myositis (IBM) (n = 15), immune‐mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) (n = 5), and oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (n = 4), were the most common diagnoses. In 4 patients (3 IMNM and 1 nonspecific myositis) dysphagia evolved rapidly. At evaluation, 21 patients required diet alterations, 5 required feeding tubes, and 8 had aspiration pneumonia. Follow‐up data were available for 20 patients (median, 24 mo). Eight patients received immunosuppressive therapies with improvement in 7, including 3 of 4 with rapidly progressive dysphagia.

Conclusions

IBM and IMNM accounted for approximately two‐thirds of patients with early or prominent dysphagia at our institution. Rapidly progressive dysphagia may predict immunotherapy responsiveness.
The influence of external reference price strategies in a nonprofit arts organization's “pay‐what‐you‐want” setting
Authors: Gross Hellen P. , Rottler Maren , Wallmeier Franziska
Published: June 2020

Nonprofit arts organizations face conflicting objectives to balance—or more specifically, to create—artistic and educational value and to generate financial income from various sources. Pay‐what‐you‐want (PWYW), a participative pricing mechanism where services have no fixed price and customers actively decide what to pay, is a novel pricing mechanism and is of high interest for organizations and researchers alike. Based on the concepts of loss aversion and gain, this study presents a field experiment to test the effects of different PWYW pricing strategies on the amount of money paid by visitors of a German photo biennial. Explicitly, the provisions of minimum, maximum, and suggested external reference prices are compared to a setting with no external reference prices. We test the derived hypotheses, discuss the results, and provide implications for future research, as well as for the management of nonprofit arts organizations.
Mathematical modeling to design public health policies for Chikungunya epidemic using optimal control
Authors: Gonzalez‐Parra Gilberto , Díaz‐Rodríguez Miguel , Arenas Abraham J.
Published: June 2020

In this article, we study the control of a Chikungunya epidemic model solving several optimal control problems. We implement three strategies to control the spread of the Chikungunya virus in the human and vector population. The first control strategy is an educational campaign promoting the use bednets, avoiding water stagnation, wearing long sleeved shirts, among others. The second is treatment of the infected individual, and the third relies on spraying insecticide. The optimal control problem that we solve has a mathematical model for Chikungunya representing the control system. We rely on Pontryagin's maximum principle to solve the optimal control problem. For the mathematical model of the Chikungunya epidemic, we use the incidence data from Colombia corresponding to the year 2015. An additional aim of this study is to investigate which control measures are more efficient and suggest policies to health institutions to reduce the number of infected individuals. Although the mathematical model fits real data of the Colombian case, the policies and insights presented in this article might be extrapolated to different countries.
Sub‐10 nm Radiolabeled Barium Sulfate Nanoparticles as Carriers for Theranostic Applications and Targeted Alpha Therapy
Authors: Reissig Falco , Zarschler Kristof , Hübner René , Pietzsch Hans‐Jürgen , Kopka Klaus , Mamat Constantin
Published: June 2020

The treatment of cancer patients with α‐particle‐emitting therapeutics continues to gain in importance and relevance. The range of radiopharmaceutically relevant α‐emitters is limited to a few radionuclides, as stable chelators or carrier systems for safe transport of the radioactive cargo are often lacking. Encapsulation of α‐emitters into solid inorganic systems can help to diversify the portfolio of candidate radionuclides, provided, that these nanomaterials effectively retain both the parent and the recoil daughters. We therefore focus on designing stable and defined nanocarrier‐based systems for various clinically relevant radionuclides, including the promising α‐emitting radionuclide 224Ra. Hence, sub‐10 nm barium sulfate nanocontainers were prepared and different radiometals like 89Zr, 111In, 131Ba, 177Lu or 224Ra were incorporated. Our system shows stabilities of >90 % regarding the radiometal release from the BaSO4 matrix. Furthermore, we confirm the presence of surface‐exposed amine functionalities as well as the formation of a biomolecular corona.
The impacts of trust, cost and risk on collaboration in environmental governance
Authors: Bodin Örjan , Baird Julia , Schultz Lisen , Plummer Ryan , Armitage Derek
Published: June 2020

Collaborative approaches to environmental governance are drawing increased interest in research and practice. In this article we investigate the structure and functioning of actor networks engaged in collaboration.

We specifically seek to advance understanding of how and why collaborative networks are formed as actors engage in addressing two broad classes of collective action problems: coordination and cooperation. It has been proposed that more risk‐prone cooperative problems favour denser and more cohesive bonding network structures, whereas less risky coordination problems favour sparser and more centralized bridging structures.

Recent empirical findings, however, cast some doubts on these assumptions. In building on previous work we propose and evaluate a set of propositions in order to remedy these ambiguities. Our propositions build on the assumption that bridging structures could, if actors experience sufficient levels of trust in the collaborative process, adequately support both cooperation and coordination problems.

Our empirical investigation of four UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserves gives initial support for our assumptions, and suggests that bridging structures emerge when actors have trust in the collaborative endeavour, and/or when the cost of collaborative failure is deemed low. While caution is warranted due to data limitations, our findings contribute to improved policies and guidelines on how to stimulate and facilitate more effective collaborative approaches to environmental governance.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Effect of aspect ratio of vertically aligned copper nanowires in the presence of cellulose nanofibers on the thermal conductivity of epoxy composites
Authors: Thieu Nhat Anh Thi , Vu Minh Canh , Kim Dae Hoon , Choi Won Kook , Kim Sung‐Ryong
Published: June 2020

The composites comprising vertically aligned network of copper nanowires (CuNWs) in the presence of cellulose nanofibers were fabricated by using the freeze‐templating method and the effect of aspect ratio (A/R) of CuNWs on the thermal conductivity of epoxy composites was investigated. The thermal conductivity of epoxy composites increased to 0.79 W m−1 K−1 at 1.12 vol% of high A/R CuNWs loading, corresponding to the thermal conductivity enhancement of 365% as compared to the pure epoxy. The thermal conductivity of vertically aligned higher A/R CuNWs/epoxy, which is 38.5% and 51.9% higher than those of the lower A/R CuNWs and the randomly aligned CuNWs, respectively. The application of the epoxy composites in heat dissipation was demonstrated by the temperature changes of composites on a hot plate with the increase of heating time. These results indicate that the thermally conductive composites in this study could be applied for thermal dissipating materials in electronic devices.
UAV‐based imaging platform for monitoring maize growth throughout development
Authors: Tirado Sara B. , Hirsch Candice N. , Springer Nathan M.
Published: June 2020

Plant height (PH) data collected at high temporal resolutions can give insight into how genotype and environmental variation influence plant growth. However, in order to increase the temporal resolution of PH data collection, more robust, rapid, and low‐cost methods are needed to evaluate field plots than those currently available. Due to their low cost and high functionality, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide an efficient means for collecting height at various stages throughout development. We have developed a procedure for utilizing structure from motion algorithms to collect PH from RGB drone imagery and have used this platform to characterize a yield trial consisting of 24 maize hybrids planted in replicate under two dates and three planting densities. PH data was collected using both weekly UAV flights and manual measurements. The comparisons of UAV‐based and manually acquired PH measurements revealed sources of error in measuring PH and were used to develop a robust pipeline for generating UAV‐based PH estimates. This pipeline was utilized to document differences in the rate of growth between genotypes and planting dates. Our results also demonstrate that growth rates generated by PH measurements collected at multiple timepoints early in development can be useful in improving predictions of PH at the end of the season. This method provides a low cost, high throughput method for evaluating plant growth in response to environmental stimuli on a plot basis that can be implemented at the scale of a breeding program.
Effects of walnut intake on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Li Jiayang , Jiang Bo , O. Santos Heitor , Santos Dinamene , Singh Ambrish , Wang Lei
Published: June 2020

The impact of walnuts on blood pressure (BP) is not a well‐established fact. Although several studies have assessed the effects of walnut consumption on BP, results are conflicting. Thus, we examined the effects of walnut doses and length of supplementation on BP. Biomedical databases were searched for published trials that compared walnut‐enhanced diet to control diet. Eighteen trials met eligibility criteria (n = 1,799). Overall, walnut consumption neither did alter SBP (weighted mean difference [WMD]: 0.08 mmHg; 95% CI: −0.69, 0.85) nor DBP (WMD: 0.08 CI: −0.26, 0.42). In subgroup analyses, walnut ingestion ≤40 g was statistically correlated with reduction in SBP (WMD: −0.53 mmHg, 95% CI: −0.79, −0.26) and DBP (WMD: −0.191 mmHg, 95% CI: −0.384, −0.034). Moreover, the length of intervention ≥8 weeks was linked to a significant reduction in SBP (WMD: −1.18 mmHg, 95% CI: −1.30, −1.06). Following dose–response evaluation, walnut intake significantly changed SBP (p = .015) and DBP (p = .026) through a nonlinear fashion at walnut dose up to 40 g/d. Nevertheless, these statistical results cannot be translated into clinical practice, once the changes expressed as WMD are slight taking into consideration the absolute values of BP categories. In conclusion, this meta‐analysis does not support walnut consumption as a BP‐lowering strategy.
Improving the extraction and purification of leaf and phloem sugars for oxygen isotope analyses
Authors: Lehmann Marco M. , Egli Melanie , Brinkmann Nadine , Werner Roland A. , Saurer Matthias , Kahmen Ansgar
Published: June 2020

Rationale

The oxygen isotopic composition (here shown as the δ18O value) of soluble sugars in leaves and phloem tissue holds valuable information about plant functions in response to climatic changes. However, δ18O analysis of sugars is prone to error, and thoroughly tested methods are lacking.

Methods

We performed three experiments to test if sample preparation modifies the δ18O values of sugars. In experiment 1, we tested the effects of oven‐drying versus freeze‐drying, whereas in experiment 2 we focused on the extraction and purification of leaf sugars. In experiment 3, we investigated the exudation and purification of twig phloem sugars as a function of exudation time and different ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) exudation media.

Results

Freeze‐drying produced more consistent δ18O values than oven‐drying for sucrose but not for phloem sugars. The extraction and purification of leaf sugars can be performed without a significant modification of their δ18O values; yet the purified leaf and phloem sugars possessed higher δ18O values than the fraction of water‐soluble compounds. Moreover, the exudation time significantly modulated the δ18O values of phloem sugars, which is probably related to changes in the sugar composition. The addition of EDTA did not improve the determination of the δ18O values of phloem sugars.

Conclusions

We show that the sample preparation of plant sugars for the reliable determination of δ18O values requires a strict protocol, which is described in this paper. For phloem sugar, we recommend a maximum exudation time of 1 h to reduce the degradation of sucrose and minimise oxygen isotope exchange reactions between the resulting hexoses and water.
Cherry‐picking the Sustainable Development Goals: Goal prioritization by national governments and implications for global governance
Authors: Forestier Oana , Kim Rakhyun E.
Published: June 2020

The member states of the United Nations collectively agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as equally important global objectives. Yet the same states seem to prioritize certain SDGs in national implementation. Such cherry‐picking defies the “integrated and indivisible” nature of the SDGs, and could negatively impact overall progress on sustainable development globally. Which SDGs receive more attention than the others in national policies, and what implications can we draw for global governance? We address these questions in two parts. Through a content analysis of the Voluntary National Reviews of 19 countries of varying income levels, we find that SDGs 1 and 8 on poverty eradication and economic growth are by far most widely prioritized. We then look specifically into Bhutan and Vietnam to explore possible explanations for goal prioritization as well as the potential steering effects of international organizations on their national policies. The findings have important policy implications for global governance. We argue that the High‐level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, in particular, has an important role to play to better coordinate international organizations to help mitigate unhealthy goal prioritization.
A High‐Energy and Long‐Life Aqueous Zn/Birnessite Battery via Reversible Water and Zn2+ Coinsertion
Authors: Hou Zhiguo , Dong Mengfei , Xiong Yali , Zhang Xueqian , Ao Huaisheng , Liu Mengke , Zhu Yongchun , Qian Yitai
Published: June 2020

Aqueous rechargeable Zn/birnessite batteries have recently attracted extensive attention for energy storage system because of their low cost and high safety. However, the reaction mechanism of the birnessite cathode in aqueous electrolytes and the cathode structure degradation mechanics still remain elusive and controversial. In this work, it is found that solvation water molecules coordinated to Zn2+ are coinserted into birnessite lattice structure contributing to Zn2+ diffusion. However, the birnessite will suffer from hydroxylation and Mn dissolution with too much solvated water coinsertion. Through engineering Zn2+ primary solvation sheath with strong‐field ligand in aqueous electrolyte, highly reversible [Zn(H2O)2]2+ complex intercalation/extraction into/from birnessite cathode is obtained. Cathode–electrolyte interface suppressing the Mn dissolution also forms. The Zn metal anode also shows high reversibility without formation of “death‐zinc” and detrimental dendrite. A full cell coupled with birnessite cathode and Zn metal anode delivers a discharge capacity of 270 mAh g−1, a high energy density of 280 Wh kg−1 (based on total mass of cathode and anode active materials), and capacity retention of 90% over 5000 cycles.
Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Nanomaterials for Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction
Authors: Yang Chenhuai , Li Shuyu , Zhang Zhicheng , Wang Haiqing , Liu Huiling , Jiao Fei , Guo Zhenguo , Zhang Xiaotao , Hu Wenping
Published: June 2020

Electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECR) to value‐added chemicals and fuels is regarded as an effective strategy to mitigate climate change caused by CO2 from excess consumption of fossil fuels. To achieve CO2 conversion with high faradaic efficiency, low overpotential, and excellent product selectivity, rational design and synthesis of efficient electrocatalysts is of significant importance, which dominates the development of ECR field. Individual organic molecules or inorganic catalysts have encountered a bottleneck in performance improvement owing to their intrinsic shortcomings. Very recently, organic–inorganic hybrid nanomaterials as electrocatalysts have exhibited high performance and interesting reaction processes for ECR due to the integration of the advantages of both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic processes, attracting widespread interest. In this work, the recent advances in designing various organic–inorganic hybrid nanomaterials at the atomic and molecular level for ECR are systematically summarized. Particularly, the reaction mechanism and structure–performance relationship of organic–inorganic hybrid nanomaterials toward ECR are discussed in detail. Finally, the challenges and opportunities toward controlled synthesis of advanced electrocatalysts are proposed for paving the development of the ECR field.
Infiltrated NiCo Alloy Nanoparticle Decorated Perovskite Oxide: A Highly Active, Stable, and Antisintering Anode for Direct‐Ammonia Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Song Yufei , Li Haidong , Xu Meigui , Yang Guangming , Wang Wei , Ran Ran , Zhou Wei , Shao Zongping
Published: June 2020

Direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cell (DA‐SOFC) is superior to low‐temperature direct ammonia fuel cell using anion exchange membrane because of much improved anode reaction kinetics at elevated temperature. However, significant performance degradation due to severe sintering of conventional nickel cermet anode under operating conditions is a big challenge for realizing its practical use. Herein, a high‐performance anode based on La0.55Sr0.30TiO3−δ (LST) perovskite substrate with its surface decorated with in situ exsolved and strongly coupled NiCo alloy nanoparticles (NPs) is designed and fabricated for DA‐SOFCs, exhibiting superior catalytic activity for NH3 decomposition reaction due to balanced NH3 adsorption and N2 desorption processes. An electrolyte‐supported single cell with infiltrated NiCo/LST on Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 scaffold anode delivers a maximum power density of 361 mW cm−2 at 800 °C in NH3 fuel, superior to similar SOFCs with Ni or Co NP‐decorated LST based anodes (161 and 98 mW cm−2). Furthermore, the SOFC with this newly developed anode displays favorable operational stability without obvious performance degradation at 700 °C for a test period of ≈120 h, attributed to its high antisintering capability. This study provides some strategies to develop highly active, stable, and antisintering perovskite‐based nanocomposite for DA‐SOFCs, facilitating the practical use of this technology.
Spatiotemporal‐based sentiment analysis on tweets for risk assessment of event using deep learning approach
Authors: Parimala M. , Swarna Priya R. M. , Praveen Kumar Reddy M. , Lal Chowdhary Chiranji , Kumar Poluru Ravi , Khan Suleman
Published: June 2020

Social media plays a vital role in analyzing the actual emotions of people after and during a disaster. Sentiment analysis is a method to detect a pattern from the emotions and feedback of the user. The main objective of the proposed work is to perform sentiment analysis on the tweets on a specific disaster context for a particular location at different intervals of time. LSTM network with word embedding algorithm is used to derive keywords based on the history of tweets and the context of the tweets. The proposed algorithm risk assessment sentiment analysis (RASA) uses the keywords generated from the network to classify the tweets and sentiment score for each location is identified. The model is validated with various state‐of‐art algorithms, namely, support vector machine, Naive‐Bayes, maximum entropy, logistic regression, random forest, XGBoost, stochastic gradient descent, and convolution neural networks in 2‐fold scenario: one for binary class and the other multiclass with three target classes. The results infer that the proposed RASA performs better in a binary class scenario with an increase of 1% when compared with XGBoost and 30% in multiclass scenario on an average when compared with all the other techniques. The model helps the government to take preventive measures to manage the posteffect of the disaster event in a location.
The transformation and upgrade of China's manufacturing industry in Industry 4.0 era
Authors: Sun Yu , Li Ling , Shi Hui , Chong Dazhi
Published: June 2020

Currently, many countries are striving to transform and upgrade their manufacturing industries. Manufacturing development strategies such as Industry 4.0 have attracted a lot of attention from both industry and academia. To provide a fundamental basis and reference for the development of China's manufacturing industry, this study reviews the key concept and implementation mechanism of Industry 4.0. After analysing main problems existing in China's manufacturing industry, this study provides a key strategy for the transformation and upgrade of China's manufacturing industry. A digital manufacturing ecosystem framework is also proposed to explore theoretical and practical significance of this strategy.
A genomic biomarker that identifies human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells with high scalability
Authors: Sathiyanathan Padmapriya , Samsonraj Rebekah M. , Tan Clarissa L. L. , Ling Ling , Lezhava Alexander , Nurcombe Victor , Stanton Lawrence W. , Cool Simon M.
Published: June 2020

Although the application of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to repair damaged or diseased tissues has proven relatively effective, both the donor-to-donor variability in ex vivo expansion rates and the maintenance of stemness remain a bottleneck to widespread translation. Previous work from this laboratory stratified donors into those yielding hMSCs with high- or low-growth capacity; global transcriptomic analysis revealed that high-growth-capacity hMSCs were characterized by a loss of the gene encoding glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1). These GSTT1-null hMSCs demonstrated increased proliferative rates, clonogenic potential, and longer telomeres compared with low-growth capacity hMSCs that were GSTT1-positive. Thus, this study identifies GSTT1 as a novel genomic DNA biomarker for hMSC scalability.
Genome‐wide association mapping of Fusarium langsethiae infection and mycotoxin accumulation in oat (Avena sativa L.)
Authors: Isidro‐Sánchez Julio , D'Arcy Cusack Kane , Verheecke‐Vaessen Carol , Kahla Amal , Bekele Wubishet , Doohan Fiona , Magan Naresh , Medina Angel
Published: June 2020

Fusarium langsethiae is a symptomless pathogen of oat panicles that produces T‐2 and HT‐2 mycotoxins, two of the most potent trichothecenes produced by Fusarium fungi in cereals. In the last few years, the levels of these mycotoxin in oat grain has increased and the European commission have already recommended a maximum level for of 1000 μg kg−1 for unprocessed oat for human consumption. The optimal and most sustainable way of combating infection and mycotoxin contamination is by releasing resistant oat varieties. Here the objective was to determine if we could identify any genomic loci associated with either the accumulation of F. langsethiae DNA or mycotoxins in the grain. In each of two years, field trials were conducted wherein 190 spring oat varieties were inoculated with a mixture of three isolate of the pathogen. Mycotoxins were quantified using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Varieties were genotyped using 16,863 genotyping by sequencing markers. Genome‐wide association studies associated 5 SNPs in the linkage group Mr06 with T‐2 + HT‐2 mycotoxin accumulation. Markers were highly correlated, and a single QTL was identified. The marker avgbs_6K_95238.1 mapped within genes showing similarity to lipase, lipase‐like or lipase precursor mRNA sequences and zinc‐finger proteins. These regions have previously been shown to confer a significant increase in resistance to Fusarium species.
Fully percutaneous fetoscopic repair of myelomeningocele: 30‐month follow‐up data
Authors: Diehl D. , Belke F. , Kohl T. , Axt‐Fliedner R. , Degenhardt J. , Khaleeva A. , Oehmke F. , Faas D. , Ehrhardt H. , Kolodziej M. , Uhl E. , Windhorst A. C. , Neubauer B. A.
Published: June 2020

Objective

This observational study reports on the postnatal mortality and 30‐month outcome of children who underwent fully percutaneous fetoscopic repair of myelomeningocele (MMC) at a single center in Giessen, Germany.

Methods

Between October 2010 and August 2014, a total of 72 patients underwent fully percutaneous fetoscopic MMC closure at 21 + 0 to 29 + 1 (mean, 23 + 5) weeks' gestation. Of these, 52 (72%) participated in this study; however, 30‐month mortality data are available for all 72 children. Children were examined at four timepoints: shortly after birth and at 3 months, 12 months and 30 months of corrected age. The patients underwent age‐specific standardized neurological examinations and assessment of leg movements and ambulation at all timepoints. Cognitive and motor development were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, second edition (BSID‐II), at 30 months.

Results

All 72 children survived the intrauterine procedure, however, four (5.6%) infants died postnatally (including two of the 52 comprising the study cohort). Of the 52 patients included in the study, 11.5% were delivered before the 30th week of gestation (mean, 33 + 1 weeks) and, of the survivors, 48.1% had ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement. Of the 50 infants that were alive at 30 months, independent ambulation, without orthosis, was feasible for 46%. At 30 months of follow‐up, 46% of children presented with a functional level that was at least two segments better than the anatomical level of the lesion. At 30 months, 70% of the children presented with BSID‐II psychomotor development index score of ≥ 70 and 80% with BSID‐II mental development index score of ≥ 70.

Conclusion

Intrauterine repair of MMC by percutaneous fetoscopy shows largely similar outcomes to those reported for open repair, with respect to mortality, prematurity, shunt‐placement rates, motor and mental development and free ambulation. © 2020 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
First record of death-feigning in Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) (Cathartidae)
Authors: Spina Marjory Auad , Silveira Luís Fábio
Published: June 2020

Death-feigning is a behavior ability with the purpose of allowing prey to evade from predators. Despite death-feigning is recorded on a wide variety of bird species, it has been recorded only once in vultures, more specifically on a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) nest. In addition to this record, we report this behavior while manipulating an individual of Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) in Brazil. This behavior is not usual in Cathartidae since adult vultures do not have a known natural predator.
Three bird species new to Brazil from the Serra da Mocidade, a remote mountain in Roraima
Authors: Laranjeiras Thiago Orsi , Melinski Ramiro Dário , Naka Luciano Nicolas , Leite Gabriel Augusto , Lima Gisiane Rodrigues , d’Affonseca-Neto José Anselmo , Cohn-Haft Mario
Published: June 2020

From 15 January to 06 February 2016, we conducted an expedition to the Serra da Mocidade, a remote and previously unexplored mountain range in extreme northern Amazonian Brazil. There we encountered three bird species never before documented in Brazilian territory: Grallaria guatimalensis (Grallariidae) was photographed, audio recorded, video recorded and a single specimen collected; Catharus aurantiirostris (Turdidae) was similarly documented and a series of specimens collected; and a single individual of Parkesia motacilla (Parulidae) was photographed. All were found in the understory of montane forest at 1000–1550 m elevation. We interpret each of these as most likely representing a regularly occurring population on Mocidade. However, each had probably been overlooked in Brazil for a different reason and represents a distinct distributional pattern. Adding these novelties to Brazil’s previously published total of 1919 species clearly expresses the country’s position among the most bird-rich in the world, perhaps the richest, and suggests that further exploration of Brazil’s Amazonian mountains will yield more discoveries.
The origin and widespread occurrence of Sli-based self-compatibility in potato
Authors: Clot Corentin R. , Polzer Clara , Prodhomme Charlotte , Schuit Cees , Engelen Christel J. M. , Hutten Ronald C. B. , van Eck Herman J.
Published: June 2020

Self-compatible (SC) diploid potatoes allow innovative potato breeding. Therefore, the Sli gene, originally described in S. chacoense, has received much attention. In elite S. tuberosum diploids, spontaneous berry set is occasionally observed. We aimed to map SC from S. tuberosum origin. Two full-sib mapping populations from non-inbred diploids were used. Bulks were composed based on both pollen tube growth and berry set upon selfing. After DNA sequencing of the parents and bulks, we generated k-mer tables. Set algebra and depth filtering were used to identify bulk-specific k-mers. Coupling and repulsion phase k-mers, transmitted from the SC parent, mapped in both populations to the distal end of chromosome 12. Intersection between the k-mers from both populations, in coupling phase with SC, exposed a shared haplotype of approximately 1.5 Mb. Subsequently, we screened read archives of potatoes and wild relatives for k-mers specific to this haplotype. The well-known SC clones US-W4 and RH89-039-16, but surprisingly, also S. chacoense clone M6 were positives. Hence, the S. tuberosum source of SC seems identical to Sli. Furthermore, the candidate region drastically reduced to 333 kb. Haplotype-specific KASP markers were designed and validated on a panel of diploid clones including another renown SC dihaploid G254. Interestingly, k-mers specific to the SC haplotype were common in tetraploid varieties. Pedigree information suggests that the SC haplotype was introduced into tetraploid varieties via the founder “Rough Purple Chili”. We show that Sli is surprisingly widespread and indigenous to the cultivated gene pool of potato.