bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene oxide crosslinker for the enhancement of mechanical properties of polylactic acid
Authors: Sujan Majharul Islam , Sarkar Stephen Don , Roy Chanchal Kumar , Ferdous Mohammad , Goswami Ankur , Gafur Md Abdul , Azam Md Shafiul
Published: May 2021

Polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymer appears to provide environmental advantages over the petroleum‐derived polymers but often ends up with limited applications owing to their poor mechanical performance and brittleness. Herein, we present a PLA polymer compatible graphene oxide (GO) based crosslinker with the intention of improving the mechanical properties. Lactic acid (LA) functionalized GO (GO‐LA) crosslinker was prepared and had been crosslinked with the PLA chains through a one‐step polycondensation reaction. The mechanical properties of the as‐synthesized GO crosslinked PLA (GO‐C‐PLA) were investigated by compression tests and compared with neat PLA, and GO reinforced PLA (GO‐PLA) with no crosslinking. With 0.3% of GO‐LA crosslinker in GO‐C‐PLA, the compressive modulus increased by nine times compared to that of the neat PLA. The compressive strength also increased to 46 MPa, which was four times higher than the neat PLA. This strategy for improving the mechanical properties by introducing GO‐based crosslinker can be used potentially for many polycondensation polymers and thus be useful for many high‐performance applications.
In‐Silico Tuning of Curcumin Loading on PEG Grafted Chitosan: An Atomistic Simulation
Authors: Sohrabi Somayeh , Khedri Mohammad , Maleki Reza , Moraveji Mostafa Keshavarz , Ghasemy Ebrahim
Published: May 2021

In this work, trimethyl chitosan grafted polyethylene glycol (PEG) was employed to optimize the curcumin loading, which is a natural bioactive substance with a good anti‐cancerous effect. It is vital to develop a novel carrier to increase the therapeutic effect of curcumin and decrease its hydrophobicity. Biocompatibility and hydrophilicity of the PEG cause it to be one of the most attractive drug carriers. Chitosan is also of great importance, considering its biocompatibility, and is used along with the drug‐carrying polymers. In this work, interaction energies, stability, hydrophilicity, and other molecular properties of the curcumin‐loaded PEG‐chitosan nanohybrid have been investigated. Atomistic analysis showd that the optimum concentration of chitosan is 60 % and optimum concentration of PEG is 40 %. In addition to concentration, the effect of PEG chain length, which is one of the important parameters of this circimin delivery system, has been also studied. The current work gives an atomistic insight into curcumin delivery and suggests a new curcumin delivery system.
On the Use of Black Ti as a Bone Substituting Biomaterial: Behind the Scenes of Dual‐Functionality
Authors: Modaresifar Khashayar , Ganjian Mahya , Angeloni Livia , Minneboo Michelle , Ghatkesar Murali K. , Hagedoorn Peter‐Leon , Fratila‐Apachitei Lidy E. , Zadpoor Amir A.
Published: May 2021

Despite the potential of small‐scale pillars of black titanium (bTi) for killing the bacteria and directing the fate of stem cells, not much is known about the effects of the pillars’ design parameters on their biological properties. Here, three distinct bTi surfaces are designed and fabricated through dry etching of the titanium, each featuring different pillar designs. The interactions of the surfaces with MC3T3‐E1 preosteoblast cells and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are then investigated. Pillars with different heights and spatial organizations differently influence the morphological characteristics of the cells, including their spreading area, aspect ratio, nucleus area, and cytoskeletal organization. The preferential formation of focal adhesions (FAs) and their size variations also depend on the type of topography. When the pillars are neither fully separated nor extremely tall, the colocalization of actin fibers and FAs as well as an enhanced matrix mineralization are observed. However, the killing efficiency of these pillars against the bacteria is not as high as that of fully separated and tall pillars. This study provides a new perspective on the dual‐functionality of bTi surfaces and elucidates how the surface design and fabrication parameters can be used to achieve a surface topography with balanced bactericidal and osteogenic properties.
Activation of Carbonyl Oxygen Sites in β‐Ketoenamine‐Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks via Cyano Conjugation for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Wang Lvting , Zhang Lili , Lin Bizhou , Zheng Yanzhen , Chen Jingling , Zheng Yun , Gao Bifen , Long Jinlin , Chen Yilin
Published: May 2021

2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are drawing intense attention in heterogenous photocatalysis due to their porous, crystalline, and tailor‐made structures. For highly efficient solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion, revealing and modulating active centers in the skeletons of COFs are of great importance but encounter severe challenges. Herein, it is demonstrated that cyano conjugation on a typical β‐ketoenamine‐linked COF via aldehyde‐imine Schiff‐base condensation contributes to an enhanced stable photocatalytic H2‐evolution rate of 1.8 mmol h−1 g−1 (λ > 420 nm) with a superior apparent quantum yield of 2.12% at 420 nm, compared to pristine COFs. Both experimental results and density functional theory calculations disclose that the cyano conjugation can efficiently improve photoinduced charge separation and effectively decrease the energy barrier for H‐intermediate generation on the carbonyl oxygen sites of the functionalized COFs. These findings present a precise organic functionalization strategy to optimize active centers on COF‐based photocatalysts for the practical applications.
High‐Index Faceted PdPtCu Ultrathin Nanorings Enable Highly Active and Stable Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis
Authors: Li Menggang , Tian Fenyang , Lin Tianshu , Tao Lu , Guo Xin , Chao Yuguang , Guo Ziqi , Zhang Qinghua , Gu Lin , Yang Weiwei , Yu Yongsheng , Guo Shaojun
Published: May 2021

Ultrathin nanosheet catalysts deliver great potential in catalyzing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), but encounter the ceiling of the surface atomic utilizations, thus presenting a challenge associated with further boosting catalytic activity. Herein, a kind of PdPtCu ultrathin nanorings with increased numbers of electrocatalytically active sites is reported, with the purpose of breaking the activity ceiling of conventional catalysts. The as‐made PdPtCu nanorings possess abundant high‐index facets at the edge of both the exterior and interior surfaces. An ultrahigh electrochemical active surface area of 92.2 m2 g–1PGM is achieved on this novel catalyst, much higher than that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst. The optimized Pd39Pt33Cu28/C shows a great enhanced ORR activity with a specific activity of 2.39 mA cm–2 and a mass activity of 1.97 A mg–1PGM at 0.9 V (versus RHE), as well as superior durability within 30 000 cycles. Density function theory calculations reveal that the high‐index facets and alloying Cu atoms can optimize the oxygen adsorption energy, explaining the enhanced ORR activity. Overcoming a key technical barrier in sub‐nanometer electrocatalysts, this work successfully introduces the hollow structures into the ultrathin nanosheets, heralding the exciting prospects of high‐performance ORR catalysts in fuel cells.
Model‐based assisted migration of oracle forms applications: The overall process in an industrial setting
Authors: Rodríguez Cristo , Garcés Kelly , Cabot Jordi , Casallas Rubby , Melo Fabián , Escobar Daniel , Salamanca Alejandro
Published: May 2021

The migration of software is an economically important niche since the daily operations of many business still rely on systems based on legacy technologies. Migration to more recent technologies comes with major technical and management challenges mainly related to knowledge‐loss issues on the specific technology but also on the architecture and design of the legacy. This article presents a method that addresses the reverse/forward engineering tasks as well as some management challenges such as the planning of the migration based on a better understanding of the system. The process relies on the use of models and transformations to create high‐level abstraction views of the legacy. A big challenge with the migration of certain legacy applications is that much of the business logic is inside triggers which are written in the PL/SQL language and scattered across the application layers. Therefore, developers need to know what they need to migrate and where it is. The main contribution of our work is that the abstractions allow developers to understand and plan the migration without the need of having a vast knowledge on the initial technology. Furthermore, our views help developers to decide about the structure and business logic they want to have in the target system. In this article, we describe the application of the method to the Oracle Forms case study. Nevertheless, the approach can be generalized to other technologies through new bridges that transform from said technologies to the abstract views. The article ends by reporting lessons learned from our experience.
Big data analytics in single‐cell transcriptomics: Five grand opportunities
Authors: Bhattacharya Namrata , Nelson Colleen C. , Ahuja Gaurav , Sengupta Debarka
Published: May 2021

Single‐cell omics technologies provide biologists with a new dimension for systematically dissecting the underlying complexities within biological systems. These powerful technologies have triggered a wave of rapid development and deployment of new computational tools capable of teasing out critical insights by analysis of large volumes of omics data at single‐cell resolution. Some of the key advancements include identifying molecular signatures imparting cellular identities, their evolutionary relationships, identifying novel and rare cell‐types, and establishing a direct link between cellular genotypes and phenotypes. With the sharp increase in the throughput of single‐cell platforms, the demand for efficient computational algorithms has become prominent. As such, devising novel computational strategies is critical to ensure optimal use of this wealth of molecular data for gaining newer insights into cellular biology. Here we discuss some of the grand opportunities of computational breakthroughs which would accelerate single‐cell research. These are: predicting cellular identity, single‐cell guided in silico drug screening for precision medicine, transfer learning methods to handle sparsity and heterogeneity of expression data, establishing genotype–phenotype relationships at single‐cell resolution, and developing computational platforms for handling big data.

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Biological Data Mining

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Big Data Mining

Technologies > Machine Learning
Modeling of thermoelastic diffusion plate under two temperature, fractional‐order, and temperature‐dependent material properties
Authors: Bajpai Ankit , Sharma P. K. , Kumar Rajneesh
Published: May 2021

A mathematical model is formulated to study the thermoelastic diffusion in the plate using two temperature fractional order theory in materials having temperature‐dependent elastic properties. Governing equations for the considered two‐dimensional problem are deduced. The plate is considered as unstrained and unstressed at uniform temperature initially. Governing equations are non‐dimensionalized and simplified by making use of potential functions. A combination of Laplace and Fourier transform is used to reduce the problem to ordinary differential equations. The arbitrary constants in solution are obtained by considering the loading environment on surfaces. The physical quantities like stresses, temperature field, mass concentration and chemical potential are determined analytically in the closed‐form. A numerical transform inversion technique is used to obtain the resulting quantities for the original region and displayed in the form of graphs to present the different physical effects.
CT-gesteuerte Schmerztherapie des spezifischen Rückenschmerzes
Authors: Stueckle Christoph. A. , Talarczyk Sarah , Stueckle Kerstin F. , Haage Patrick
Published: May 2021

Hintergrund

Rückenschmerz ist häufig und führt den Patienten sowohl zur Diagnostik als auch in bestimmten Fällen für eine Therapie zum Radiologen.

Fragestellung

Die vorliegende Untersuchung vergleicht die schmerzreduzierende Wirkung der mikroinvasiven Computertomographie(CT)-gesteuerten Schmerztherapie bei diskogenem und spondylarthrotisch bedingtem spezifischem Rückenschmerz.

Material und Methode

Über einen Zeitraum von 3,3 Jahren wurden 239 Patienten in die Untersuchung eingeschlossen, bei denen 686 CT-gesteuerte periradikuläre Therapien (PRT) und 264 CT-gesteuerte Facettengelenktherapien (FAC) durchgeführt und beurteilt wurden. Bei allen Patienten wurde vor der Intervention, im Verlauf und am Ende der Schmerzscore mittels visueller analoger Schmerzskala (VAS) bestimmt. Abschließend wurde der Behandlungserfolg in Abhängigkeit von der durchgeführten Behandlungsart und den morphologisch vorliegenden Veränderungen korreliert.

Ergebnisse

In beiden Gruppen zeigte sich unter der Behandlung eine gute Beschwerdebesserung (74 % bei PRT-Patienten und 60 % bei FAC-Patienten). Die Patienten, bei denen eine PRT durchgeführt wurde, zeigten durchschnittlich eine Verbesserung des Schmerzscores von 3,1, bei Patienten mit durchgeführter FAC von 2,1. Die Wirksamkeit der FAC zeigte eine Abhängigkeit der Wirksamkeit vom Grad der vorhandenen degenerativen Veränderungen. Je ausgeprägter die nachgewiesene Degeneration im behandelten Segment war, desto mehr Interventionen waren für ein gutes Therapieansprechen notwendig.

Schlussfolgerung

Die CT-gesteuerte PRT und FAC führen beide zu einer guten Reduktion der Beschwerdesymptomatik. Im Vergleich erzielte die PRT eine signifikant höhere Schmerzreduktion als die FAC.
The impact of epicardial adipose tissue in patients with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Fisser Christoph , Colling Stefan , Debl Kurt , Hetzenecker Andrea , Sterz Ulrich , Hamer Okka W. , Fellner Claudia , Maier Lars S. , Buchner Stefan , Arzt Michael
Published: May 2021

Aims

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been linked to impaired reperfusion success after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Whether EAT predicts myocardial damage in the early phase after acute myocardial infarction (MI) is unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether EAT in patients with acute MI is associated with more microvascular obstruction (MVO), greater ST-deviation, larger infarct size and reduced myocardial salvage index (MSI).

Methods and results

This retrospective analysis of a prospective observational study including patients with acute MI (n = 54) undergoing PCI and 12 healthy matched controls. EAT, infarct size and MSI were analyzed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, conducted 3–5 days and 12 weeks after MI. Patients with acute MI showed higher EAT volume than healthy controls (46 [25.;75. percentile: 37;59] vs. 24 [15;29] ml, p < 0.001). The high EAT group (above median) showed significantly more MVO (2.22 [0.00;5.38] vs. 0.0 [0.00;2.18] %, p = 0.004), greater ST-deviation (0.38 [0.22;0.55] vs. 0.15 [0.03;0.20] mV×10−1, p = 0.008), larger infarct size at 12 weeks (23 [17;29] vs. 10 [4;16] %, p < 0.001) and lower MSI (40 [37;54] vs. 66 [49;88] %, p < 0.001) after PCI than the low EAT group. After accounting for demographic characteristics, body-mass index, heart volume, infarct location, TIMI-flow grade as well as apnea–hypopnea index, EAT was associated with infarct size at 12 weeks (B = 0.38 [0.11;0.64], p = 0.006), but not with MSI.

Conclusions

Patients with acute MI showed higher volume of EAT than healthy individuals. High EAT was linked to more MVO and greater ST-deviation. EAT was associated with infarct size, but not with MSI.

Graphic abstract
Othello syndrome in Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review and report of a case series
Authors: De Michele Giovanna , Palmieri Gianluigi Rosario , Pane Chiara , Dello Iacovo Carmen Diletta Paola , Perillo Sandra , Saccà Francesco , De Michele Giuseppe , De Rosa Anna
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Psychosis in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is common and consists of hallucinations, illusions, and delusions. Among the latter, delusional jealousy, also named Othello syndrome (OS), might impair the quality of life of both patients and their partners. We aimed to perform a systematic review and report a series of PD patients presenting with OS.

Methods

A systematic review research was performed in PubMed database, excluding non-English articles, single case reports, reviews and neuropathology articles, comments, and articles concerning OS associated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) and levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel infusion. We also described eleven PD patients (9 M and 2 F) with OS, identified in a cohort of consecutive 153 patients, comparing them with eleven matched no OS (nOS) PD subjects taken from the same cohort.

Results

We included eight articles (four case series and four cross-sectional studies). OS resulted more common among males than females. We did not find higher levodopa dose and levodopa equivalent dose for dopamine agonists and for all anti-parkinsonian drugs in our OS group. In our case series, OS patients showed visual hallucinations (p=0.001) and a trend to have depression (p=0.080) more frequently than nOS ones.

Conclusions

OS is not a rare disorder in PD, probably due not only to abnormal dopaminergic stimulation but also to serotonergic dysfunction in biologically predisposed subjects. Visual hallucinations and other concomitant psychiatric diseases, in particular depression, might represent a risk factor for the OS development.
Tuning magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Pr0.6Sr0.4MnO3 through size modifications
Authors: Souza Anita D , Vagadia Megha , Daivajna Mamatha
Published: May 2021

Particle size as an effective tool for controlling the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Pr0.6Sr0.4MnO3 samples has been studied. In the present work, a direct influence of particle size on the magnitude of magnetization and magnetic transition temperature, TC, can be seen. The TC drops from 309 to 242 K, while the saturation magnetization (MS) decreases from 3.6 to 0.5 μB/f.u. as the particle changes from 120 to 9 nm. Concurrently, coercivity (HC) exhibits a drastic rise emphasizing the enhanced surface disorder in the nanoparticles. Another interesting observation is in the magnetic entropy change, ΔS, which though decreases in magnitude from 5.51 to 3.90 J/Kg-K as particle size decreases from 120 to 30 nm, but the temperature range of ΔS (i.e., relative cooling power, RCP) increases from 184.33 to 228.85 J/Kg. Such interplay between magnitude and wider temperature range of ΔS, which can be fine-tuned by particle size, provides an interesting tool for using surface spin disorder, as a control mechanism in modifying physical properties.
Dynamic analysis of a belt transmission with the GMS friction model
Authors: Kubas Krzysztof , Harlecki Andrzej
Published: May 2021

The paper presents a certain method of analysing the dynamics of a belt transmission. A flat transmission model developed by us was presented. For the analysis, it assumed the transmission 5PK belt. A discrete belt model, being a system of rigid beams interconnected with flexible and shock-absorbing elements, was used. To account for the mutual influence between the belt and pulleys, the Kelvin–Voigt contact model was used. The GMS friction model was also implemented, which allows all basic known friction phenomena to be taken into account. For this purpose, the vector of generalized coordinates was expanded with additional sub-systems of coordinates modelling the flexible belt-pulley connection. Moreover, two additional cases of a sudden transmission start were presented: with values of driving and resistance torque not causing a significant slip in the transmission as well as values of torque that cause slip.
Interpretative expressivism: A theory of normative belief
Authors: Brown James L. D.
Published: May 2021

Metaethical expressivism is typically characterised as the view that normative statements express desire-like attitudes instead of beliefs. However, in this paper I argue that expressivists should claim that normative statements express beliefs in normative propositions, and not merely in some deflationary sense but in a theoretically robust sense explicated by a theory of propositional attitudes. I first argue that this can be achieved by combining an interpretationist understanding of belief with a nonfactualist view of normative belief content. This results in a view I call ‘interpretative expressivism’. I then argue that traditional arguments employed by expressivists that normative statements express noncognitive attitudes can just as well support the claim that normative statements express nonfactual or nonrepresentational beliefs. Finally, I argue that this view has a number of advantages to versions of expressivism that deny that normative statements express non-deflationary normative beliefs.
A round of dancing and then one more: embedding intuition in the ballet of entrepreneurial decision making
Authors: Manesh Mohammad Fakhar , Flamini Giulia , Petrolo Damiano , Palumbo Rocco
Published: May 2021

The dance metaphor allows us to figuratively depict entrepreneurial decision making processes. Being conventionally conceived of as a sequence of purposeful behaviors rooted in a rational cognition process, entrepreneurial decision making can be featured as a ‘ballet’. This interpretation puts in the background the improvisational nature of decision making, which revokes ‘lindy hop’ as a dance style. The article intends to illuminate the role of intuition, highlighting its overlap with rationality in the entrepreneurial decision making dance. For this purpose, a bibliometric analysis followed by an interpretive literature review advances a comprehensive report of 66 peer-reviewed journal articles published from 1995 to 2019, constructing evidence on the nature of entrepreneurial decision making and on the interplay between intuition and rationality. Literature is categorized in five clusters, which are reciprocally intertwined. Firstly, intuition is unconsciously used as a strategy to deal with the uncertainty that inherently affects entrepreneurial ventures. Secondly, intuition is rooted in the entrepreneurs’ impulsivity, that echoes the role of emotions in decision making. Thirdly, the merge of rationality and intuition improves the entrepreneurs’ ability to keep up with the erratic rhythm of the decision making dance. Fourthly, the mix of intuition and rationality serves as a catalyst of entrepreneurs’ ability to thrive in complex and unpredictable environments. Fifthly, intuition generates drawbacks on entrepreneurs’ meta-cognitive knowledge, which should be carefully recognized. Embracing the dance metaphor, intuition turns out to be crucial to make entrepreneurs able to fill in the gap between rationality and uncertainty.
Beta Titanium Alloys Processed By Laser Powder Bed Fusion: A Review
Authors: Colombo-Pulgarín J. C. , Biffi C. A. , Vedani M. , Celentano D. , Sánchez-Egea A. , Boccardo A. D. , Ponthot J. -P.
Published: May 2021

In βTi-alloys, some advances and developments have been reached toward optimizing their mechanical performance and their processability. However, the applications of these alloys via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) are still under investigation. In this work, the processing of βTi-alloys via LPBF and their properties is reviewed with a focus on six selected metallurgical systems which are expected to be top performance materials in applications in the aeronautical and biomedical contexts. These six systems promise a better mechanical and functional performance considering different in-service environments for medical implants and structural applications. After literature analysis, the applicability of βTi-alloys to be processed via LPBF is then discussed considering the relevant fields of applications.
On processes of coloniality and decoloniality of knowledge: notions for analysing the international history of mathematics teaching
Authors: Schubring Gert
Published: May 2021

The aspiration of this paper is to develop a novel approach towards investigating the socio-political history of mathematics teaching in educational systems. Traditionally, historical studies are confined to just one country, the author’s country. Broader approaches address international developments by confronting and comparing global and local aspects—revealing general patterns and more specific ‘local’ structures and characteristics. Yet, already in antiquity and medieval times, the specific characteristic of mathematics teaching, namely to operate at the crossroads of general education and vocational training, proved to be intimately tied to the functioning of the particular political system. In pre-modern times, however, a truly international pattern emerged for the first time: European powers conquered, occupied and colonised overseas regions. Given that educational systems were emerging at the same time within these states, they often transmitted elements of these structures to their colonies. This phenomenon included mathematics, and the history of its teaching is analysed here as a part of coloniality. It is shown that this was not a uniform process, and the differences between the various colonial powers are discussed. The involvement of mathematics in the process of decolonisation is addressed, as well as its role in the tension between continued coloniality and movements of decoloniality. Finally, the general framework provided for studying socio-political processes connected with establishing mathematics teaching within public educational systems is applied, in order to analyse recent coloniality practices effected by international achievement studies.
Manual on the proper use of sodium astatide ([211At]NaAt) injections in clinical trials for targeted alpha therapy (1st edition)
Authors: Watabe Tadashi , Hosono Makoto , Kinuya Seigo , Yamada Takahiro , Yanagida Sachiko , Namba Masao , Nakamura Yoshihide
Published: May 2021

We present the guideline for use of [211At] sodium astatide (NaAt) for targeted alpha therapy in clinical trials on the basis of radiation safety issues in Japan. This guideline was prepared by a study supported by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, and approved by the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine on 8th Feb, 2021. The study showed that patients receiving [211At]NaAt do not need to be admitted to a radiotherapy room and outpatient treatment is possible. The radiation exposure from the patient is within the safety standards of the ICRP and IAEA recommendations for the general public and caregivers. Precautions for patients and their families, safety management associated with the use of [211At]NaAt, education and training, and disposal of medical radioactive contaminants are also included in this guideline. Treatment using [211At]NaAt in Japan should be carried out according to this guideline. Although this guideline is applied in Japan, the issues for radiation protection and evaluation methodology shown here are considered internationally useful as well.
Does Tenure Security Reduce Disaster Risk? A Comparative Study of the Nairobi Settlements of Kibera and Kawangware
Authors: McDermott Rónán , Gibbons Pat , Ochieng Dalmas , Olungah Charles Owuor , Mpanje Desire
Published: May 2021

While scholarship suggests that improving tenure security and housing significantly reduces disaster risk at the household level within urban settings, this assertion has not been adequately tested. Tenure security can be conceived as being composed of three interrelated and overlapping forms: tenure security as determined by legal systems; de facto tenure security; and tenure security as perceived by residents. This article traces the relationship between tenure security, the quality of housing, and disaster risk on the basis of a mixed methods comparative case study of the settlements of Kawangware and Kibera in Nairobi. Although the findings suggest that owner-occupancy is associated with the structural integrity of dwellings to a greater extent than tenantship, no association was found between the length of occupancy by households and the structural integrity of the dwelling. Moreover, tenantship is not found to be closely associated with fires and flooding affecting the dwelling as extant scholarship would suggest. Formal ownership is linked with greater investment and upgrading of property with significant implications for disaster risk. Our findings highlight the complex relationship between tenure security and disaster risk in urban informal settlements and provide impetus for further investigation.
A lake sediment–based paleoecological reconstruction of late Holocene fire history and vegetation change in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, USA
Authors: Cooper Christopher S. , Porinchu David F. , Reinemann Scott A. , Mark Bryan G. , DeGrand James Q.
Published: May 2021

Analyses of macroscopic charcoal, sediment geochemistry (%C, %N, C/N, δ13C, δ15N), and fossil pollen were conducted on a sediment core recovered from Stella Lake, Nevada, establishing a 2000 year record of fire history and vegetation change for the Great Basin. Charcoal accumulation rates (CHAR) indicate that fire activity, which was minimal from the beginning of the first millennium to AD 750, increased slightly at the onset of the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA). Observed changes in catchment vegetation were driven by hydroclimate variability during the early MCA. Two notable increases in CHAR, which occurred during the Little Ice Age (LIA), were identified as major fire events within the catchment. Increased C/N, enriched δ15N, and depleted δ13C values correspond with these events, providing additional evidence for the occurrence of catchment-scale fire events during the late fifteenth and late sixteenth centuries. Shifts in the vegetation community composition and structure accompanied these fires, withPinusandPiceadecreasing in relative abundance and Poaceae increasing in relative abundance following the fire events. During the LIA, the vegetation change and lacustrine geochemical response was most directly influenced by the occurrence of catchment-scale fires, not regional hydroclimate.
THE PERCEPTION OF ARABIC VOWEL DURATION BY L1 HEBREW SPEAKERS
Authors: Zaltz Yael , Segal Osnat
Published: May 2021

The acquisition of a second language (L2) may be challenging in adulthood, as the phonological system of the native language (L1) can sometimes limit the perception of phonological contrasts in L2. The present study aimed to (a) examine the influence of an L1 (Hebrew) that lacks a phonemic contrast for vowel length on the ability to discriminate between short and long vowels in L2 (Arabic); and (b) assess the effect of a short training on the participants’ discrimination performance. A total of 60 participants, 20 native Arabic speakers and 40 native Hebrew speakers, were tested using the ABX procedure in two sessions that were 10 days apart. A single training session was provided for half of the Hebrew speakers (n = 20) approximately 2–3 days after the first (pretraining) testing session. The results indicated that the trained Hebrew participants’ discrimination levels (measured by accuracy and reaction times) were above chance level but were nevertheless lower in comparison to the Arabic speakers. However, a short training session was sufficient to yield a nativelike performance that generalized to untrained nonwords. These findings support the theoretical models that predict a reserved ability to acquire new phonetic/phonological cues in L2 and have important practical implications for the process of learning a new phonological system in adulthood.
Comparing Glacial‐Geological Evidence and Model Simulations of Ice Sheet Change since the Last Glacial Period in the Amundsen Sea Sector of Antarctica
Authors: Johnson Joanne S. , Pollard David , Whitehouse Pippa L. , Roberts Stephen J. , Rood Dylan H. , Schaefer Joerg M.
Published: May 2021

Since the Last Glacial Maximum ∼20,000 years ago, the Antarctic Ice Sheet has undergone extensive changes, resulting in a much smaller present‐day configuration. Improving our understanding of basic physical processes that played important roles during that retreat is critical to providing more robust model projections of future retreat and sea‐level rise. Here, a limited‐area nested ice sheet model was applied to the last deglacial retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE), at 5 km resolution. The ice sheet response to climate and sea‐level forcing was examined at two sites along the flowlines of Pine Island Glacier and Pope Glacier, close to the Hudson Mountains and Mount Murphy respectively, and the simulated responses compared with ice sheet thinning histories derived from glacial‐geological data. The sensitivity of results to selected model parameters was also assessed. The model simulations predict a broadly similar response to ocean forcing in both the central and eastern ASE, with an initial rapid phase of thinning followed by a slower phase to the modern configuration. Although there is a mismatch of up to 5,000 years between the timing of simulated and observed thinning, the modeling suggests that the upstream geological records of ice surface elevation change reflect a response to retreat near the grounding line. The model‐data mismatch could potentially be improved by accounting for regional variations in mantle viscosity, sea‐surface heights and basal sliding properties across the continental shelf.
Deep Learned Process Parameterizations Provide Better Representations of Turbulent Heat Fluxes in Hydrologic Models
Authors: Bennett Andrew , Nijssen Bart
Published: May 2021

Deep learning (DL) methods have shown great promise for accurately predicting hydrologic processes but have not yet reached the complexity of traditional process‐based hydrologic models (PBHM) in terms of representing the entire hydrologic cycle. The ability of PBHMs to simulate the hydrologic cycle makes them useful for a wide range of modeling and simulation tasks, for which DL methods have not yet been adapted. We argue that we can take advantage of each of these approaches by embedding DL methods into PBHMs to represent individual processes. We demonstrate that this is viable by developing DL‐based representations of turbulent heat fluxes and coupling them into the Structure for Unifying Multiple Modeling Alternatives (SUMMA), a modular PBHM modeling framework. We developed two DL parameterizations and integrated them into SUMMA, resulting in a one‐way coupled implementation which relies only on model inputs and a two‐way coupled implementation, which also incorporates SUMMA‐derived model states. Our results demonstrate that the DL parameterizations are able to outperform calibrated standalone SUMMA benchmark simulations. Further we demonstrate that the two‐way coupling can simulate the long‐term latent heat flux better than the standalone benchmark and one‐way coupled configuration. This shows that DL methods can benefit from PBHM information, and the synergy between these modeling approaches is superior to either approach individually.
Affective empathy predicts self-isolation behaviour acceptance during coronavirus risk exposure
Authors: Petrocchi Serena , Bernardi Sheila , Malacrida Roberto , Traber Rafael , Gabutti Luca , Grignoli Nicola
Published: May 2021

Health risk exposure during the global COVID-19 pandemic has required people to adopt self-isolation. Public authorities have therefore had the difficult task of sustaining such protective but stressful behaviour. Evidence shows that besides egoistic drives, the motivation for self-isolation behaviour could be altruistic. However, the type and role of prosocial motivation in the current pandemic is underestimated and its interaction with risk exposure and psychological distress is largely unknown. Here we show that affective empathy for the most vulnerable predicts acceptance of lockdown measures. In two retrospective studies, one with a general population and one with COVID-19 positive patients, we found that (1) along with health risk exposure, affective empathy is a predictor of acceptance of lockdown measures (2) social covariates and psychological distress have no significant impact. Our results support the need to focus on altruistic behaviours while informing the public instead of on fear-inducing messages.
Predictive role of circulatory HMGB1 in postoperative acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease in lung cancer patients
Authors: Yamaguchi Kakuhiro , Nakao Satoshi , Iwamoto Hiroshi , Kagimoto Atsushi , Handa Yoshinori , Sakamoto Shinjiro , Horimasu Yasushi , Masuda Takeshi , Mimae Takahiro , Miyamoto Shintaro , Nakashima Taku , Tsutani Yasuhiro , Fujitaka Kazunori , Miyata Yoshihiro , Hamada Hironobu , Okada Morihito , Hattori Noboru
Published: May 2021

Postoperative acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease (AE-ILD) can be fatal in patients with lung cancer concomitant with ILD. We aimed to elucidate the predictive potential of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), which is associated with the development and severity of lung injury, for evaluating the risk of this complication. We included 152 patients with lung cancer and ILD who underwent radical surgery between January 2011 and August 2019. We evaluated the preoperative levels of serum HMGB1 and its predictive potential for postoperative AE-ILD. Postoperative AE-ILD developed in 17 patients. Serum levels of HMGB1 were significantly higher in patients with postoperative AE-ILD than in those without (median [interquartile range]: 5.39 [3.29–11.70] ng/mL vs. 3.55 [2.07–5.62] ng/mL). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that higher HMGB1 levels were significantly associated with the development of postoperative AE-ILD in entire studied patients (n = 152). In the subgroup analysis, higher HMGB1 levels were associated with a significantly increased risk of this complication in patients who underwent lobectomy (n = 77) than in those who underwent sublobar resection (n = 75). Serum HMGB1 could be a promising marker for evaluating the risk of postoperative AE-ILD, specifically in patients who underwent lobectomy.
A novel Cr3+-doped Lu2CaMg2Si3O12 garnet phosphor with broadband emission for near-infrared applications
Authors: Nie Wendong , Yao Liqin , Chen Guang , Wu ShiHao , Liao Zhijian , Han Lei , Ye Xinyu
Published: May 2021

(a) Luminescence spectra of the NIR pc-LED at different drive currents. (b) NIR output power and photoelectric efficiency at different drive currents.
Cytidine deaminase can deaminate fused pyrimidine ribonucleosides
Authors: Ludford Paul T. , Li Yao , Yang Shenghua , Tor Yitzhak
Published: May 2021

Cytidine deaminase effectively deaminates three emissive fused cytidine analogues and the reactions can be monitored in real time by fluorescence.
Accelerating the redox kinetics by catalytic activation of “dead sulfur” in lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Gao Weikang , Wang Zhide , Peng Chengxin , Kang Shifei , Cui Lifeng
Published: May 2021

This review summarizes the cutting-edge strategies in figuring out the crucial “dead sulfur” problems in lithium–sulfur batteries by catalytic activation beyond traditional temporary adsorption.
Electrochemical CO2reduction to ethanol: from mechanistic understanding to catalyst design
Authors: Nguyen Tu N. , Guo Jiaxun , Sachindran Ashwini , Li Fengwang , Seifitokaldani Ali , Dinh Cao-Thang
Published: May 2021

Mechanistic understanding has enabled the design of high-performance electrocatalysts. Reaction pathways and electrocatalyst design strategies for CO2-to-ethanol conversion are reviewed, and remaining challenges and future directions are discussed.
{Cu2SiW12O40}@HKUST-1 synthesized by a one-step solution method with efficient bifunctional activity for supercapacitors and the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Liu Huan , Gong Li-Ge , Wang Chun-Xiao , Wang Chun-Mei , Yu Kai , Zhou Bai-Bin
Published: May 2021

We successfully synthesized {Cu2SiW12O40}@HKUST-1 through a one-step solution method. The synthesized material exhibited excellent performance as a supercapacitor electrode and as a catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction.
Tunable built-in electric fields enable high-performance one-dimensional co-axial MoOx/MoON heterojunction nanotube arrays for thin-film pseudocapacitive charge storage devices
Authors: Jin Bowen , Chen Peng , Chu Hongqi , Zhang Dan , Cui Shuangshuang , Zhou Xin , Yang Min
Published: May 2021

Two kinds of built-in electric field (BEF) – in opposite directions – are produced at fully charged and discharged states on co-axial MoOx/MoON nanotubes, which increase the transport kinetics of the electrode.
Sliding ferroelectricity in two-dimensional MoA2N4(A = Si or Ge) bilayers: high polarizations and Moiré potentials
Authors: Zhong Tingting , Ren Yangyang , Zhang Zhuhua , Gao Jinhua , Wu Menghao
Published: May 2021

Strong sliding-ferroelectricity is predicted in high-mobility semiconducting MoSi2N4bilayers, and a small angle twist will induce strong Moiré potential and unique band alignment for exciton trapping.
A tuned Lewis acidic catalyst guided by hard–soft acid–base theory to promote N2 electroreduction
Authors: Ren Yongwen , Yu Chang , Song Xuedan , Zhou Fengyi , Tan Xinyi , Ding Yiwang , Wei Qianbing , Hong Jiafu , Qiu Jieshan
Published: May 2021

A paradigm of catalyst design for enhancing N2 activation is presented based on hard–soft acid–base theory using a MoSx model catalyst. The optimized MoSx delivers a NRR Faradaic efficiency of 21.60 % and NH3 yield rate of 40.4 μg h–1 mgcat.–1.
Engineered bioresponsive nanotherapeutics: recent advances in the treatment of atherosclerosis and ischemic-related disease
Authors: Rumanti Ayu Pratiwi , Maruf Ali , Liu Huawen , Ge Shuping , Lei Daoxi , Wang Guixue
Published: May 2021

Bioresponsive nanotherapeutics are promising candidates as diagnostic and therapeutic agents against atherosclerosis and ischemic-related diseases.
Adventitial recruitment of Lyve-1− macrophages drives aortic aneurysm in an angiotensin-2-based murine model
Authors: Ulndreaj Antigona , Li Angela , Chen Yonghong , Besla Rickvinder , Pacheco Shaun , Althagafi Marwan G. , Cybulsky Myron I. , Lindsay Thomas , Robbins Clinton S. , Byrne John S.
Published: May 2021

Objective: Aortic macrophage accumulation is characteristic of the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) but the mechanisms of macrophage accumulation and their phenotype are poorly understood. Lymphatic vessel endothelial receptor-1 (Lyve-1+) resident aortic macrophages independently self-renew and are functionally distinct from monocyte-derived macrophages recruited during inflammation. We hypothesized that Lyve-1+ and Lyve-1− macrophages differentially contribute to aortic aneurysm.

Approach and results: Angiotensin-2 and β-aminopropionitrile (AT2/BAPN) were administered to induce AAA in C57BL/6J mice. Using immunohistochemistry (IHC), we demonstrated primarily adventitial accumulation of aortic macrophages, and in association with areas of elastin fragmentation and aortic dissection. Compared with controls, AAA was associated with a relative percent depletion of Lyve-1+ resident aortic macrophages and accumulation of Lyve-1− macrophages. Using CD45.1/CD45.2 parabiosis, we demonstrated aortic macrophage recruitment in AAA. Depletion of aortic macrophages in CCR2−/− mice was associated with reduced aortic dilatation indicating the functional role of recruitment from the bone marrow. Depletion of aortic macrophages using anti-macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (MCSF1R)-neutralizing antibody (Ab) reduced the incidence of AAA. Conditional depletion of Lyve-1+ aortic macrophages was achieved by generating Lyve-1wt/cre Csf1rfl/fl mice. Selective depletion of Lyve-1+ aortic macrophages had no protective effects following AT2/BAPN administration and resulted in increased aortic dilatation in the suprarenal aorta.

Conclusions: Aortic macrophage accumulation in AAA derives from adventitial recruitment of Lyve-1− macrophages, with relative percent depletion of Lyve-1+ macrophages. Selective targeting of macrophage subtypes represents a potential novel therapeutic avenue for the medical treatment of AAA.
Research on joint optimal scheduling of air conditioning load and electric vehicle under demand response
Authors: Huang Haiyu , Wang Chunming , Xia Shaolian , Xiong Huaqiang , Jiang Baofeng , Liu Dunnan , Yuan Gao
Published: May 2021

As an important part of energy Internet carrier, demand side resources can participate in many interactions with power grid. In order to reduce the peak to valley load difference of power grid, from the perspective of tapping the combined peak shaving potential of air conditioning load and electric vehicles, guided by TOU price and direct load control, this paper proposes an optimal scheduling model with the minimum load difference and the maximum total revenue of users as the objective function. The results show that the joint optimal scheduling strategy can reduce the peak load and eliminate the “secondary peak load” caused by disorderly charging of electric vehicles.
An Empirical Study on the Impact of Knowledge Intensive Business Service on Technology Innovation of Equipment Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Fan Xiaonan , Li Jialun
Published: May 2021

The knowledge intensive business service has obvious technological innovation effects. It can promote the technological innovation of the equipment manufacturing industry and enhance the innovation capability of the equipment manufacturing industry through the integration and diffusion of knowledge, technology, human resources and other resources. Taking the equipment manufacturing industry and knowledge intensive business service in Liaoning Province of China as the research objects, this paper analyzes the mechanism of knowledge intensive business service in promoting equipment manufacturing innovation, and constructs a model of the impact of knowledge intensive business service on the innovation of equipment manufacturing industry.
Biomechanical Comparison of Three Stabilization Methods for Tibial Tuberosity Fractures in Dogs: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Verpaalen Valentine D. , Lewis Daniel D. , Billings Gary A.
Published: May 2021

Objective The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical properties of a hybrid external skeletal fixator (HESF) construct to the placement of paired interfragmentary Kirschner wires alone, and pin and tension band wire (PTBW) fixation for the stabilization of simulated tibial tuberosity fractures in dogs.

Study Design Tibias were harvested from 12 skeletally mature dog cadavers weighing 20 to 30 kg. An osteotomy was made through the base of the tibial tuberosity, which was subsequently repaired with either paired Kirschner wires, PTBW fixation or a HESF. A tensile load was applied to the tibial tuberosity until failure occurred. Mode of failure was described and biomechanical parameters obtained were compared between fixation groups.

Results The PTBW fixation and HESF construct afforded greater stiffness and load at 3 mm of axial displacement compared with fixation with Kirschner wires alone. There was no significant difference in stiffness and load at 3 mm displacement between PTBW and HESF fixation. Failure occurred by bending and pullout of the Kirschner wires for all fixation groups, preceded by untwisting of the knot in PTBW specimens.

Conclusion The HESF may provide a favourable alternative to PTBW fixation for tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture stabilization in dogs with substantial remaining growth potential.