bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structured presurgery prehabilitation for aged patients undergoing elective surgery significantly improves surgical outcomes and reduces cost: A nonrandomized sequential comparative prospective cohort study
Authors: Koh Frederick H. , Loh Caroline H. , Tan Winson J. , Ho Leonard M.L. , Yen Dulcena , Chua Jason M.W. , Kok Shawn S.X. , Sivarajah Sharmini S. , Chew Min‐Hoe , Foo Fung‐Joon
Published: December 2021

Background

With increasing global life expectancy, the number of major surgeries performed on aged adults invariably increases. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a structured prehabilitative program for aged colorectal cancer patients in improving short‐term surgical outcomes.

Methods

A prospective philanthropically sponsored Programme for Enhanced Elderly Recovery at Sengkang General Hospital (PEERS) was initiated in February 2017 for patients ≥70‐years‐old who were due to undergo elective colectomies. These patients were put through a 2‐ to 4‐week‐long program before surgery, which included geriatric assessment, nutrition supplementation, and resistance training. They were compared with patients from a similar age group before PEERS was introduced (non‐PEERS).

Results

Fifty‐eight patients, with a median age of 78.5 (70–93) years, were recruited from a single institution to undergo PEERS. Baseline characteristics between the groups were similar. There was no significant improvement of anthropometric and functional characteristics before and after PEERS. Duration of hospitalization was shorter in the PEERS group (9 vs 11 days, P = 0.01). Both groups had similar 30‐days’ morbidity rates (8.6% vs 17.4%, P = 0.26). The PEERS group had significant improvement in their median EuroQol‐5 Dimension score (0.70 presurgery to 0.80 6‐months’ postsurgery, P = 0.01). After multivariate analysis, the average duration of hospitalization in the PEERS group was 6.8 days shorter (P = 0.018; CI, 1.2–12.4) after adjusting for modality of surgery and complications. This represented a cost saving of USD$11,838.80.

Conclusion

A standardized prehabilitation program for aged adults reduced the duration of hospitalization, improved the quality of life after surgery, and reduced costs.
Translation, validity, and reliability of NUTRISCORE: The nutrition risk assessment screening test for Turkish cancer patients
Authors: Ak Elif , Demirel Birsen , Atasoy Beste M. , Yumuk Perran Fulden
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The aim was to determine the validity and the reliability of the Turkish version of the screening test named NUTRISCORE in cancer patients.

Methods

The language validity of the Turkish form of the study scale was provided by the translationback‐translation method. NUTRISCORE and nutritional risk screening (NRS)‐2002, malnutrition screening tool (MST), and European Diagnostic Criteria (EDC) were administered to 240 volunteers in oncology clinics, and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were calculated for the validity and reliability analysis. Cohen's kappa coefficient was used to determine the fit between the screening tests.

Results

Thirteen experts were consulted for scale content validity, and the content validity index was found to be 0.94. The scale was administered to 67 patients with 4‐week intervals for test‐retest reliability, and a positive, high‐level and statistically significant relationship was found between the two measurements (r = 0.971, P < 0.01). Compared with the reference test NRS‐2002, the specificity values of NUTRISCORE, MST, and EDC screening tests were found to be 100%, 83%, and 91%, whereas the sensitivity values of same screening tests were calculated as 85%, 91% and 81%, respectively. According to Cohen's kappa statistics, the kappa agreement between NRS‐2002 and NUTRISCORE was 0.88, the kappa agreement between NRS‐2002 and MST was 0.34, and it was found to be 0.73 for NRS‐2002 and EDC.

Conclusion

The nutrition screening test named NUTRISCORE showed adequate validity and reliability in Turkish and can detect malnutrition risk of cancer patients treated in oncology clinics as a screening tool.
Exploring the role of charitable ethnocentrism and donation motives in international giving: Empirical evidence from Germany
Authors: Müller Marcella S. , Lindenmeier Jörg
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of the drivers of international giving intention by examining the joint effect of ethnocentrism and donation motives. More specifically, this study analyzes the direct effect of charitable ethnocentrism on the intention to give to international causes. Additionally, the study investigates the moderating effect of charitable ethnocentrism on the relationships between donation motives and the intention to donate to international causes. This study's findings indicate that ethnocentric donors are less willing to donate to international causes. Moreover, the study results show that the effects of egoistic and tax‐saving donation motives vary across different levels of charitable ethnocentrism: charitable ethnocentrism enhances the effect of the egoism motive on international donation intention, whereas the effect of the tax‐saving motive on international giving intention is mitigated. Based on the empirical findings, this study discusses implications for theory and practice along with study limitations and avenues for future research.
Indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO)‐1 and IDO‐2 activity and severe course of COVID‐19
Authors: Guo Lihui , Schurink Bernadette , Roos Eva , Nossent Esther J , Duitman Jan Willem , Vlaar Alexander PJ , van der Valk Paul , Vaz Frédéric M , Yeh Syun‐Ru , Geeraerts Zachary , Dijkhuis Annemiek , van Vught Lonneke , Bugiani Marianna , Lutter René ,   also on behalf of the Amsterdam UMC COVID‐19 Biobank Study Group
Published: December 2021

COVID‐19 is a pandemic with high morbidity and mortality. In an autopsy cohort of COVID‐19 patients, we found extensive accumulation of the tryptophan degradation products 3‐hydroxy‐anthranilic acid and quinolinic acid in the lungs, heart, and brain. This was not related to the expression of the tryptophan‐catabolizing indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO)‐1, but rather to that of its isoform IDO‐2, which otherwise is expressed rarely. Bioavailability of tryptophan is an absolute requirement for proper cell functioning and synthesis of hormones, whereas its degradation products can cause cell death. Markers of apoptosis and severe cellular stress were associated with IDO‐2 expression in large areas of lung and heart tissue, whereas affected areas in brain were more restricted. Analyses of tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, and sequential plasma samples indicate early initiation of the kynurenine/aryl‐hydrocarbon receptor/IDO‐2 axis as a positive feedback loop, potentially leading to severe COVID‐19 pathology. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Pancancer cytotoxic T‐cell trapping: are neutrophil extracellular traps a viable biomarker for immunotherapy response?†
Authors: Desharnais Lysanne , D Spicer Jonathan
Published: December 2021

In a recent issue of The Journal of Pathology, a study by de Andrea, Ochoa, Villalba‐Esparza et al demonstrated the presence of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in a variety of human solid tumor types detected by multiplex immunofluorescence. In addition to NET identification and quantification, they found that there is individual heterogeneity in NET abundance in tumors and in circulation, and that NETs are positively associated with IL‐8 and negatively associated with tumor‐infiltrating CD8+ T cells. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Health‐related quality of life, obesity, fragmented sleep, fatigue, and psychosocial problems among youth with craniopharyngioma
Authors: Klages Kimberly L. , Berlin Kristoffer S. , Cook Jessica L. , Merchant Thomas E. , Wise Merrill S. , Mandrell Belinda N. , Conklin Heather M. , Crabtree Valerie McLaughlin
Published: December 2021

Objective

Youth with craniopharyngioma experience weight gain, fragmented sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), fatigue, and psychosocial problems that negatively impact their overall health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Greater hypothalamic tumor involvement (HI) may be associated with higher rates or severity of these impairments; however, the direct and indirect impact of HI on the physical and psychosocial consequences associated with pediatric craniopharyngioma remain unclear. The purpose of the current study was to examine relations between HI, body mass index (BMI), fragmented sleep, EDS, fatigue, psychosocial problems, and HRQoL among youth with craniopharyngioma.

Methods

Eighty‐four youth with craniopharyngioma (Mage = 10.27 ± 4.3 years, 53.6% female, 64.3% White) were assessed with actigraphy, nocturnal polysomnography, and multiple sleep latency tests prior to proton therapy, when indicated. Caregivers completed measures of fatigue, psychosocial functioning, and HRQoL.

Results

Hypothalamic tumor involvement was associated with greater BMI (Est. = 2.97, p = 0.003) and daytime sleepiness (Est. = 2.53, p = 0.01). Greater fatigue predicted more psychosocial problems (Est. = 0.29, p < 0.001) and lower HRQoL (Est. = 0.23, p = 0.001). Psychosocial problems also predicted lower HRQoL (Est. = −0.34, p = 0.004). Fragmented sleep (Est. = 0.03, p = 0.04) and fatigue (Est. = 0.10, p = 0.02) indirectly predicted lower HRQoL through psychosocial problems.

Conclusions

Youth with craniopharyngioma with greater HI may benefit from weight reduction interventions and management of excessive sleepiness. Patients should be prospectively monitored for sleep problems, fatigue, and psychosocial problems, as these patients may benefit from interventions targeting fatigue and psychosocial health to improve HRQoL.
One‐Pot Synthesis and DFT Calculations of Ti‐BiOCl/Bi Heterostructure Photocatalyst with Oxygen Vacancies and Bi Metal Induced by Ti Doping
Authors: Li Danyang , Wu Chuanrui , Wen Xiaoxu , Gao Bo , Liu Ziyi , Huang Haihua , Yao Shujuan , Pu Xipeng
Published: December 2021

Oxygen vacancies (OVs), doped Ti and plasmonic Bi metal are simultaneously introduced into BiOCl, which is prepared by a simple and one‐pot solvothermal method without any special reduction and high‐temperature processes. The microstructures, electronic structures, optical properties, and photodegradation activity are systematically discussed. Additionally, the amount of attached Bi metal and photocatalytic efficiency can be tuned via the content of doped Ti. The ultrahigh electron transfer tunnel between intermediate energy levels and attached Bi metals is confirmed through the close combination of active species detection experiments and density functional theory calculations. Further, the enhanced photocatalysis mechanism is discussed in detail. In the current study, the prospective on the preparation methods and modification strategies involving OVs, attached plasmonic Bi metal, and doped metal could be extended to other catalysts to regulate their interfacial properties and catalytic activity to deal with environmental problems.
Wool fiber curvature is correlated with abundance of K38 and specific keratin‐associated proteins
Authors: Plowman Jeffrey E. , Harland Duane P. , Richena Marina , Thomas Ancy , Hefer Charles A. , van Koten Chikako , Scobie David R. , Grosvenor Anita J.
Published: December 2021

Curvature in mammalian fibers, such as wool and human hair, is an important feature of the functional trait of coat structure—it affects mechanical resilience and thermo‐insulation. However, to examine the relationship between fiber curvature, ultrastructure and protein composition fiber diameter variability has to be minimal. To achieve this we utilised the progeny of straight‐wool domestic sheep mutant rams (crimp mutants) and wild‐type ewes. Proteomic and structural results of the resulting mutant/wild‐type twin pairs confirmed that straight crimp mutant wool had a normal cuticle and the same cortical protein and ultrastructural building blocks as wild‐type (crimpy) fibers but differed in the layout of its cortical cells and in the relative proportions of keratin (K) and keratin‐associated proteins (KAPs). In the case of the crimp mutants (straight fibers), the orthocortex was distributed in a fragmented, annular ring, with some orthocortical cells near the central medulla, a pattern similar to that of straight hairs from humans and other mammals. Crimp mutant fibers were noted for the reduced abundance of some proteins in the high glycine–tyrosine class normally associated with the orthocortex, specifically the KAP6, KAP7, and KAP8 families, while proteins from the KAP16 and KAP19 were found in increased abundance. In addition to this, the type I keratin, K38, which is also associated with the orthocortex, was also found at lower abundance in the mutant fibers. Conversely, proteins from the ultra‐high sulfur class normally associated with the paracortex, specifically the KAP4 and KAP9 families, were found in higher abundance.
Triethylborane as Single Boron and Carbon Source Toward Stable and Homogeneous Boron‐Doped Graphene
Authors: Zan Recep
Published: December 2021

Herein, the synthesis of a stable and homogeneous boron‐doped graphene film using triethylborane as a single source of carbon and boron is reported. The effects of triethylborane amount and growth time on the synthesis of doped graphene are investigated under the same growth conditions on polycrystalline copper foil in a three‐zone chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system, which has not thus far been researched in detail. The findings show that boron‐doped graphene films are successfully synthesized. The results enable the design of a recipe for thin‐film doped graphene grown with optimum optical transmission and sheet resistance via amending TEB molarity and growth time. Such changes suggest that the single‐layer graphene film with high homogeneity can be obtained for the film grown using 0.5 m triethylborane along with 10 min growth time as confirmed by Raman mapping and atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements. It is further revealed that increasing the amount of triethylborane and growth times leads to the formation of thicker graphene films. In addition, X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) measurements indicate that boron atoms get into a honeycomb structure, thanks to substitutional doping. The findings of this study have significant implications for the implementation of boron‐doped graphene films in semiconductor‐based technology.
Large‐Diameter III–V on Si Substrates by the Smart Cut Process: The 200 mm InP Film on Si Substrate Example
Authors: Ghyselen Bruno , Navone Christelle , Martinez Muriel , Sanchez Loic , Lecouvey Christophe , Montmayeul Brigitte , Servant Florence , Maitrejean Sylvain , Radu Ionut
Published: December 2021

Compared to silicon substrates, III–V materials based on GaAs and/or InP are generally limited to small diameters, up to 150 mm for GaAs and 100 mm for InP, even though bulk wafers of 150 mm diameter have already been sampled. Herein, a new technology is proposed to extend the diameter of these materials by combining the Smart Cut technology, which is based on wafer bonding and layer transfer techniques, with tiling. In this unique approach, the donor substrate used in the layer transfer step is not a simple bulk wafer (limited in diameter), but a large‐diameter rebuilt wafer produced by tiling many coupons of wafers, which are cut from bulk III–V substrates of small diameter. As already established in high‐volume manufacturing schemes for silicon on insulator substrates generated through the Smart Cut process, the donor substrate can be repeatedly reclaimed and reused, allowing this approach to be economically viable. Herein, the production of an InP film of 200 mm diameter on silicon substrates is investigated and successfully demonstrated. This generic approach can be adapted to produce other large‐diameter III–V on Si substrates, including those of 300 mm diameter.
Adjusting for bias in the mean for primary and secondary outcomes when trials are in sequence
Authors: Rothwell Joanne C. , Julious Steven A. , Cooper Cindy L.
Published: December 2021

When designing a clinical trial, one key aspect of the design is the sample size calculation. The sample size calculation tends to rely on a target or expected difference. The expected difference can be based on the observed data from previous studies, which results in bias. It has been reported that large treatment effects observed in trials are often not replicated in subsequent trials. If these values are used to design subsequent studies, the sample sizes may be biased which results in an unethical study. Regression to the mean (RTM) is one explanation for this. If only health technologies which meet a particular continuation criterion (such as in the first study) are progressed to a second confirmatory trial, it is highly likely that the observed effect in the second trial will be lower than that observed in the first trial. It will be shown how when moving from one trial to the next, a truncated normal distribution is inherently imposed on the first study. This results in a lower observed effect size in the second trial. A simple adjustment method is proposed based on the mathematical properties of the truncated normal distribution. This adjustment method was confirmed using simulations in R and compared with other previous adjustments. The method can be applied to the observed effect in a trial, which is being used in the design of a second confirmatory trial, resulting in a more stable estimate for the ‘true’ treatment effect. The adjustment accounts for the bias in the primary and secondary endpoints in the first trial with the bias being affected by the power of that study. Tables of results have been provided to aid implementation, along with a worked example. In summary, there is a bias introduced when the point estimate from one trial is used to assist the design of a second trial. It is recommended that any observed point estimates be used with caution and the adjustment method developed in this article be implemented to significantly reduce this bias.
Kernel hazard estimation for visualisation of the effect of a continuous covariate on time‐to‐event endpoints
Authors: Jackson Richard J. , Cox Trevor F.
Published: December 2021

The problem of associating a continuous covariate, or biomarker, against a time‐to‐event outcome, is that it often requires categorisation of the covariate. This can lead to bias, loss of information and a poor representation of any underlying relationship. Here, two methods are proposed for estimating the effects of a continuous covariate on a time‐to‐event endpoint using weighted kernel estimators. The first method aims to estimate a density function for a time‐to‐event endpoint conditional on some covariate value whilst the second uses a joint density estimator. The results are visualisations in the form of surface plots that show the effects of a covariate without any need for categorisation. Both methods can aid interpretation and analysis of covariates against a time‐to‐event endpoint.
Control of lipid oxidation in ground meat by using whey protein isolate active biopolymers with lignin microparticles
Authors: Gomide Raissa Alvarenga Carvalho , de Oliveira Ana Carolina Salgado , Rodrigues Lorena Mendes , Luvizaro Lucas Baldo , Ramos Eduardo Mendes , de Oliveira Cassiano Rodrigues , Borges Soraia Vilela
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of whey protein isolate (WPI) films containing different lignin microparticle (LMP) concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75% w/w) during 4 days of storage at 4°C. The antioxidant activity was determined, and the effect of the active films on the prevention of oxidation in ground meat (Biceps femoris) was investigated by the identification of volatile compounds through gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC–MS), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values, myoglobin redox forms and instrumental colour. An increase in the antioxidant activity was observed for the films as a function of the LMP concentration. A reduction of TBARS values was observed for the treatments with LMP. No significant differences were observed for the myoglobin redox forms. The use of 0.50% w/w of LMP in WPI‐based films can provide antioxidant properties to the material under the conditions studied, allowing its use for controlling the lipid oxidation in ground meat.
Normalization of gearbox vibration signal for tooth crack diagnosis under variable speed conditions
Authors: Yang Xingkai , Zhou Peng , Zuo Ming J. , Tian Zhigang
Published: December 2021

Variable speed conditions introduce Amplitude Modulation (AM) and Frequency Modulation (FM) effects into gearbox vibration signals, which makes it difficult to distinguish between changes of tooth crack severity and speed changes. To overcome this problem, the AM and FM effects caused by speed variation need to be removed. Order tracking techniques are used to remove the FM effect. Some methods have been reported to reduce the AM effect. However, they attenuated crack information since they focused on the entire vibration signal. Besides, the performance of the reported methods on removing the AM effect was not quantitatively evaluated. In this study, a novel normalization method focusing on the Crack Induced Impulses (CII) is proposed to remove the AM effect without attenuating the tooth crack information. A modified Adaptive Chirp Mode Decomposition method is developed to obtain the CII under variable speed conditions. The peak envelope of the CII is determined using spline interpolation of its envelope peaks and is employed to remove the AM effect of the CII by normalization. Two metrics are introduced to quantitatively evaluate the performance of the proposed normalization method on removing the AM effect and preserving the tooth crack information. The effectiveness of the proposed normalization method is demonstrated using simulated gearbox signals and experimental gearbox datasets. The proposed method benefits tracking tooth crack severity progression under variable speed conditions.
Monitoring of coefficient of variation with function‐based adaptive exponentially weighted moving average control chart
Authors: Arshad Asma , Noor‐ul‐Amin Muhammad , Hanif Muhammad
Published: December 2021

In this paper, a new adaptive control chart is presented to study the relative process variability, which is called the coefficient of variation (CV). The CV study is the monitoring of a process with an unstable mean value over time. So, a function‐based adaptive exponentially weighted moving average (FAEWMA) CV control chart is proposed to detect the infrequent changes in the process CV, named as “FAEWMA CV” control chart. The function is suggested to adapt the smoothing constant (SC) of the plotting statistic as per arising process shift size in CV. The efficiency is examined through the run‐length values, which are computed through the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation method. The FAEWMA CV chart outperformed the existing AEWMA CV charts. A real‐life example is studied to explain implementation details in the example section.
Changing prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling during lesional progression and exacerbation of endometriosis by inhibition of PGE2 receptor EP2 and EP4
Authors: Huang Qingqing , Liu Xishi , Guo Sun‐Wei
Published: December 2021

Purpose

We investigated the change, if any, in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling in endometriotic lesions of different developmental stages in mouse. In addition, we evaluated the effect of treatment of mice with induced deep endometriosis (DE) with inhibitors of PGE2 receptor subtypes EP2 and EP4 and metformin.

Methods

Three mouse experimentations were conducted. In Experiment 1, female Balb/C mice were induced with endometriosis or DE and were serially sacrificed after induction. Experiments 2 and 3 evaluated the effect of treatment with EP2 and EP4 inhibitors and metformin, respectively, in mice with induced DE. Immunohistochemistry analysis of COX‐2, EP2, and EP4, along with the extent of lesional fibrosis, was evaluated.

Results

The immunostaining of COX‐2, EP2, and EP4 turned from activation to a stall as lesions progressed. Treatment with EP2/EP4 inhibitors in DE mice exacerbated endometriosis‐associated hyperalgesia and promoted fibrogenesis in lesions even though it suppressed the PGE2 signaling dose‐dependently. In contrast, treatment with metformin resulted in increased PGE2 signaling, concomitant with improved hyperalgesia, and retarded lesional fibrogenesis.

Conclusions

The PGE2 signaling diminishes as endometriotic lesions progress. Treatment with EP2/EP4 inhibitors in DE mice exacerbates endometriosis, but metformin appears to be promising seemingly through the induction of the PGE2 signaling.
Hypoxia: Role of SIRT1 and the protective effect of resveratrol in ovarian function
Authors: Nishigaki Akemi , Tsubokura Hiroaki , Tsuzuki‐Nakao Tomoko , Okada Hidetaka
Published: December 2021

Background

Ovarian function is closely related to the degree of vascular network development surrounding the ovary. Maternal aging‐related construction defects in this vascular network can cause ovarian hypoxia, which impedes oocyte nutrient supply, leading to physiological changes in the ovaries and oocytes. The anti‐aging gene Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) senses and adapts to ambient stress and is associated with hypoxic environments and mitochondrial biogenesis.

Methods

The present study is a literature review focusing on investigations involving the changes in SIRT1 and mitochondrial expression during hypoxia and the cytoprotective effects of the SIRT1 activator, resveratrol.

Main findings

Hypoxia suppresses SIRT1 and mitochondrial expression. Resveratrol can reverse the hypoxia‐induced decrease in mitochondrial and SIRT1 activity. Resveratrol suppresses the production of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α and vascular endothelial growth factor proteins.

Conclusion

Resveratrol exhibits protective activity against hypoxic stress and may prevent hypoxia‐ or aging‐related mitochondrial dysfunction. Resveratrol treatment may be a potential option for infertility therapy.
Adaptive fuzzy fixed‐time tracking control for permanent magnet synchronous motor
Authors: Yue Hanxue , Wang Huanqing , Wang Yueying
Published: December 2021

This article focuses on the problem of fixed‐time position tracking of permanent magnet synchronous motors with uncertain parameters and load torque disturbance. Based on the fixed‐time stability theory, adaptive control, fuzzy control, and backstepping algorithm, a novel adaptive fuzzy fixed‐time controller is proposed. It is shown that the presented control scheme can guarantee that the tracking errorconverges to a small neighborhood of the zero and all the signals of the close‐loop system are bounded in the fixed‐time. At last, the theoretical analysis and simulation results verify the effectiveness of the developed control strategy.
Integrated tools for identifying optimal flow regimes and evaluating alternative minimum flows for recovering at‐risk salmonids in a highly managed system
Authors: Peterson James T. , Pease Jessica E. , Whitman Luke , White James , Stratton‐Garvin Laurel , Rounds Stewart , Wallick Rose
Published: December 2021

Water resource managers are faced with difficult decisions on how to satisfy human water needs while maintaining or restoring riverine ecosystems. Decision sciences have developed approaches and tools that can be used to break down difficult water management decisions into their component parts. An essential aspect of these approaches is the use of quantitative models to evaluate alternative management strategies. Here, we describe four integrated decision support models for evaluating the effect of flows on two life history stages of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Steelhead (O. mykiss). We then use constrained nonlinear optimization to identify optimal flow regimes for the water year type with the least available water. These flow regimes were then used by managers to develop candidate minimum flow strategies that were evaluated using forward simulation and sensitivity analyses. We found that optimal flow regimes differed markedly from existing regulations and varied among species and life history stages. However, evaluation of tradeoffs among the four competing objectives indicated relatively minimal losses for most objectives when the optimal flows were based on equally weighting the objectives. Sensitivity analysis indicated that water temperature was the primary driver of estimated outcomes and suggested that managers consider alternative means of managing temperatures. Decision sciences have created multiple analytical tools and approaches that simplify complex problems, such as water resource management, and we believe that water resource management would benefit from their increased use.
Habitat availability determines food chain length and interaction strength in food webs of a large lowland river
Authors: Brauns Mario , Kneis David , Brabender Marian , Weitere Markus
Published: December 2021

Many large rivers used for navigation have lost their hydromorphological heterogeneity, which has led to the widespread loss of native biodiversity and the concurrent establishment of non‐native communities. While the effects on biodiversity are well‐described, we know little about how the loss of natural habitats and the restructuring of communities cumulate into effects on riverine food webs. We constructed binary and ingestion webs for benthic macroinvertebrates and their resources in the Elbe River (Germany) and compared if food chain length, food web complexity, robustness, ingestion rates, and consumer‐resource interaction strength differ among three shoreline engineering practices. Food webs at profoundly altered shorelines were significantly less complex and had significantly shorter food chains than the food web at the semi‐natural shoreline. However, food web robustness to a simulated loss of species was comparable at all shorelines. Total ingestion rates were up to eight times lower at highly altered shorelines due to significantly lower ingestion rates by native species. Predator–prey interaction strength was comparable among shorelines due to higher shares of non‐native predators, indicating that non‐native predators can be functionally equivalent to native predators. We attributed the observed food web differences to the absence of complex habitats at profoundly altered shorelines and the accompanied absence of specialized consumers. Our study provides empirical evidence that hydromorphological modifications reduce the efficiency of food webs to control organic matter dynamics and may ultimately affect the provisioning of riverine ecosystem services.
Equilibrium morphology and scour evolution at blunt nosed chevrons
Authors: Roy Deep , Pagliara Simone
Published: December 2021

Blunt nosed chevrons are low‐head river restoration structures commonly used in large rivers to enhance the navigation and aquatic habitat. These structures usually create scour regions in their vicinity, which provides habitat for various aquatic organisms. Furthermore, the scour pools represent suitable locations for fish nursery. In some cases, the noses of islands are protected by constructing chevrons which reduce the intensity of erosive action. Only a few studies deal with the analysis of the scour phenomena due to chevrons. Therefore, this paper aims at investigating the scour evolution and characteristics at equilibrium due to chevrons inserted in both straight and curved channels. The most influential parameters governing the scour mechanisms (e.g., densimetric Froude number) were identified via dimensional analysis. Experimental evidence allowed us to distinguish and classify different scour morphology types for chevrons in curved channels: Types Ab, Bb and Cb were identified, corresponding to Types A, B and C in straight channels. Moreover, useful empirical relationships are provided to estimate the maximum scour hole depth and length, and the dune height with sufficient accuracy (R2 ranging from 0.63 to 0.86). Finally, the equations are validated with the data from previous studies, showing a good predicting capacity.
Extending Hui‐Walter framework to correlated outcomes with application to diagnosis tests of an eye disease among premature infants
Authors: Liu Yu‐Lun , Ying Gui‐Shuang , Quinn Graham E. , Zhou Xiao‐Hua , Chen Yong
Published: December 2021

Diagnostic accuracy, a measure of diagnostic tests for correctly identifying patients with or without a target disease, plays an important role in evidence‐based medicine. Diagnostic accuracy of a new test ideally should be evaluated by comparing to a gold standard; however, in many medical applications it may be invasive, costly, or even unethical to obtain a gold standard for particular diseases. When the accuracy of a new candidate test under evaluation is assessed by comparison to an imperfect reference test, bias is expected to occur and result in either overestimates or underestimates of its true accuracy. In addition, diagnostic test studies often involve repeated measurements of the same patient, such as the paired eyes or multiple teeth, and generally lead to correlated and clustered data. Using the conventional statistical methods to estimate diagnostic accuracy can be biased by ignoring the within‐cluster correlations. Despite numerous statistical approaches have been proposed to tackle this problem, the methodology to deal with correlated and clustered data in the absence of a gold standard is limited. In this article, we propose a method based on the composite likelihood function to derive simple and intuitive closed‐form solutions for estimates of diagnostic accuracy, in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Through simulation studies, we illustrate the relative advantages of the proposed method over the existing methods that simply treat an imperfect reference test as a gold standard in correlated and clustered data. Compared with the existing methods, the proposed method can reduce not only substantial bias, but also the computational burden. Moreover, to demonstrate the utility of this approach, we apply the proposed method to the study of National‐Eye‐Institute‐funded Telemedicine Approaches to Evaluating of Acute‐Phase Retinopathy of Prematurity (e‐ROP), for estimating accuracies of both the ophthalmologist examination and the image evaluation.
Design and Synthesis of D‐π‐A form of p‐Nitrophenylacrylonitrile Substituted Triphenylamine Chromophores; Photophysical, Electrochemical Properties, DFT and Thermal Studies
Authors: Mantur Shivaraj , Patil Mallikarjun K. , Najare Mahesh S. , Nadaf AfraQuasar A. , Yaseen Mohammed , Gaonkar Supreet , Inamdar Sanjeev R. , Khazi Imtiyaz Ahmed M. , Kamble Ravindra R.
Published: December 2021

This paper reports a novel Donor‐π‐Acceptor type of π‐conjugated triphenylamine (TPA) dyes bearing a 4‐nitrophenyl acrylonitrile units (abbreviated as TPA‐4(a–e) which were synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation followed by palladium catalyzed Suzuki‐Miyaura cross coupling reaction with good yield. These dyes contain TPA as electron donor (D) and 4‐nitrophenyl acrylonitrile as electron acceptor (A) and probes were confirmed by standard spectroscopic techniques viz.,1H, 13C NMR, FT‐IR, GC‐MS and ESI‐MS. Herein, for the D‐π‐A push‐pull structure, TPA and 4‐nitrophenyl acrylonitrile are connected by vinylene bond as the π‐bridge. Optical/Solvatochromic properties were studied in detail by UV‐Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The intramolecular charge transfer properties were studied using DFT model with the CAM‐B3LYP function and solvatochromism by experimental method. The synthesized materials have shown moderate quantum yields. Optical bandgap values range from 2.33 to 2.39 eV and these derivatives exhibit well judged thermal stability and their 5 % weight loss temperature are in the range 178–220 °C. Cyclic voltametery study of the title compounds indicated that
values ranging from 1.05–1.25 eV. Quantum yields (Φ) of the probes are experimentally measured in the 1, 4‐dioxane and the Stokes shifts are observed to be in the range of 4882–5545 cm−1. The results displayed that these novel (D−A−D) chromophores could play an important role in the organic optoelectronics.
Efficient and Gram‐Scale Synthesis of 1‐Methyl‐2,3,4‐Trinitropyrrole: A Promising Precursor for Insensitive High Energy Melt‐Castable Materials
Authors: Thaltiri Vikranth , Shanmugapriya V. , Panda Pradeepta K.
Published: December 2021

1‐Methyl‐2,3,4,5‐tetranitropyrrole (NMTNP) is recently found to be a promising insensitive high energy melt‐castable material. To prove its potentials further, herewith, we established 1‐methyl‐2,3,4‐trinitropyrrole (1) as a potent precursor for NMTNP, by developing a method for its efficient synthesis with excellent overall yield. This method involves mild nitrating conditions, easier purification (minimal chromatography) and readily available reagents and hence can be scaled up easily. In addition, the facile synthesis of 2,3,4‐trinitropyrrole during this process can lead to new class of pyrrole based high energy density materials.
Ag‐Doped TiO2Nanoparticles as an Effective Photocatalyst for Degradation of Indigo Carmine Dye under Visible Light
Authors: Sukhadeve Gaurav , Shaileshkumar  , Janbandhu Y. , Kumar Rahul , Gedam Rupesh S.
Published: December 2021

TiO2 nanoparticles doped with Ag have been prepared by Sol‐gel route. Prepared materials were characterized by various characterization techniques. The phases of prepared samples were confirmed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman analysis and the single phase anatase structure of TiO2 was identified. Spherical shape nanoparticles were observed in High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM). Optical absorption and Photoluminsescence (PL) measurements were carried out to find the energy band gap and recombination rate of charge carriers respectively. The photocatalytic activity of prepared samples was tested on Indigo Carmine (IC) dye as an organic pollutant under visible light irradiation. Improvement in degradation efficiency was observed with an increase in Ag concentration. Degree of mineralization of IC‐dye after photocatalytic activity was studied by total oraganic carbon (TOC) analysis.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Fused Pyrimidines as E. coli Thymidylate Monophosphate Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Blindheim Fredrik Heen , Malme Ane Thoresen , Dalhus Bjørn , Sundby Eirik , Hoff Bård Helge
Published: December 2021

To front emergence of antibiotic resistance there is an urgent need for new therapeutics, and one seemingly relevant target is thymidylate monophosphate kinase (TMPK). Serendipitously, we discovered a naphthyl substituted pyrrolopyrimidine possessing activity towards E. coli TMPK. Based on this hit, synthesis, and screening of 61 fused pyrimidines were undertaken. The most potent derivatives were also counter assayed towards the human variant of the enzyme. Two of the inhibitors possessed promising drug‐like properties and selectivity for E. coli TMPK. Although the initial pyrrolopyrimidine hit failed to have cellular activity, two alternative scaffolds were discovered providing starting points for further work.
Designable Integration of Silicide Nanowire Springs as Ultra‐Compact and Stretchable Electronic Interconnections
Authors: Yuan Rongrong , Qian Wentao , Liu Zongguang , Wang Junzhuan , Xu Jun , Chen Kunji , Yu Linwei
Published: December 2021

Stretchable electronics are finding widespread applications in bio‐sensing, skin‐mimetic electronics, and flexible displays, where high‐density integration of elastic and durable interconnections is a key capability. Instead of forming a randomly crossed nanowire (NW) network, here, a large‐scale and precise integration of highly conductive nickel silicide nanospring (SiNix‐NS) arrays are demonstrated, which are fabricated out of an in‐plane solid–liquid–solid guided growth of planar Si nanowires (SiNWs), and subsequent alloy‐forming process that boosts the channel conductivity over 4 orders of magnitude (to 2 × 104 S cm−1). Thanks to the narrow diameter of the serpentine SiNix‐NS channels, the elastic geometry engineering can be accomplished within a very short interconnection distance (down to ≈3 µm), which is crucial for integrating high‐density displays or logic units in a rigid‐island and elastic‐interconnection configuration. Deployed over soft polydimethylsiloxane thin film substrate, the SiNix‐NS array demonstrates an excellent stretchability that can sustain up to 50% stretching and for 10 000 cycles (at 15%). This approach paves the way to integrate high‐density inorganic electronics and interconnections for high‐performance health monitoring, displays, and on‐skin electronic applications, based on the mature and rather reliable Si thin film technology.
Reversible Shielding and Immobilization of Liposomes and Viral Vectors by Tailored Antibody‐Ligand Interactions
Authors: Thomas Oliver S. , Rebmann Balder , Tonn Matthias , Schirmeister Ivo C. , Wehrle Sarah , Becker Jan , Zea Jimenez Gabriel J. , Hook Sebastian , Jäger Sarah , Klenzendorf Melissa , Laskowski Mateo , Kaier Alexander , Pütz Gerhard , Zurbriggen Matias D. , Weber Wilfried , Hörner Maximilian , Wagner Hanna J.
Published: December 2021

Controlling the time and dose of nanoparticulate drug delivery by administration of small molecule drugs holds promise for efficient and safer therapies. This study describes a versatile approach of exploiting antibody‐ligand interactions for the design of small molecule‐responsive nanocarrier and nanocomposite systems. For this purpose, antibody fragments (scFvs) specific for two distinct small molecule ligands are designed. Subsequently, the surface of nanoparticles (liposomes or adeno‐associated viral vectors, AAVs) is modified with these ligands, serving as anchor points for scFv binding. By modifying the scFvs with polymer tails, they can act as a non‐covalently bound shielding layer, which is recruited to the anchor points on the nanoparticle surface and prevents interactions with cultured mammalian cells. Administration of an excess of the respective ligand triggers competitive displacement of the shielding layer from the nanoparticle surface and restores nanoparticle‐cell interactions. The same principle is applied for developing hydrogel depots that can release integrated AAVs or liposomes in response to small molecule ligands. The liberated nanoparticles subsequently deliver their cargoes to cells. In summary, the utilization of different antibody‐ligand interactions, different nanoparticles, and different release systems validates the versatility of the design concept described herein.
Matching Charge Extraction Contact for Infrared PbS Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells
Authors: Li Mingyu , Chen Shiwu , Zhao Xinzhao , Xiong Kao , Wang Bo , Shah Usman Ali , Gao Liang , Lan Xinzheng , Zhang Jianbing , Hsu Hsien‐Yi , Tang Jiang , Song Haisheng
Published: December 2021

Infrared solar cells (IRSCs) can supplement silicon or perovskite SCs to broaden the utilization of the solar spectrum. As an ideal infrared photovoltaic material, PbS colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) with tunable bandgaps can make good use of solar energy, especially the infrared region. However, as the QD size increases, the energy level shrinking and surface facet evolution makes us reconsider the matching charge extraction contacts and the QD passivation strategy. Herein, different to the traditional sol‐gel ZnO layer, energy‐level aligned ZnO thin film from a magnetron sputtering method is adopted for electron extraction. In addition, a modified hybrid ligand recipe is developed for the facet passivation of large size QDs. As a result, the champion IRSC delivers an open circuit voltage of 0.49 V and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.47% under AM1.5 full‐spectrum illumination, and the certified PCE is over 10%. Especially the 1100 nm filtered efficiency achieves 1.23%. The obtained devices also show high storage stability. The present matched electron extraction and QD passivation strategies are expected to highly booster the IR conversion yield and promote the fast development of new conception QD optoelectronics.
Cybernetic crisis management in a federal system—Insights from the Covid pandemic
Authors: Schwaninger Markus , Schoenenberger Lukas
Published: December 2021

We aim to contribute to improving the management of pandemic crises. Our focus is on federal systems, as these are particularly powerful in dealing with environmental complexity. Through four waves of the pandemic, spanning a year and a half, we studied crisis management based on the case of the Swiss Federation. This research concentrates on three research questions: (1) How is the management of the Covid‐19‐Crisis organized in Switzerland? (2) How effective is this organization in coping with the dynamics of emergency? (3) What lessons can be learned for the design of a crisis management in the future? We apply the Viable System Model (VSM) as a framework for our study, elaborating a diagnosis and a design for the management of epidemic or pandemic crises. The VSM is a conceptual tool that is particularly strong for analysing federal systems. Hence, substantial insights have surfaced to orientate a future crisis management.
Octopuses and lobsters are sentient, says review
Authors: Mills Georgina
Published: December 2021

Cephalopods and decapods are to be recognised as sentient beings by the government, as Georgina Mills reports
Testing for cannabis intoxication: Current issues and latest advancements
Authors: Johnson Olivia E. , Miskelly Gordon M. , Rindelaub Joel D.
Published: December 2021

Cannabis is used globally for both recreational and medical purposes. The use of cannabis can impair driving ability and increase the risk of fatal accidents. Therefore, operating motor vehicles and machinery under the influence of cannabis is illegal in most jurisdictions. With many governments easing legal restrictions on the use of cannabis, the demand for cannabis intoxication testing is increasing globally. Identification of prior cannabis use is currently accomplished using a variety of biological matrices, including urine, blood, sweat, hair, and oral fluid. Despite the ability to identify prior exposure to or intake of cannabis, each of these matrices has limitations in assessing the current intoxication state of an individual, an essential aspect of many current legislations. Exhaled breath represents a potentially useful matrix for measuring recent use, however, current uncertainty in breath levels indicative of impairment and the technical limitations associated with rapid, on‐site analysis of breath matrices have restricted the widespread deployment of cannabis breath analyzers. These challenges are compounded by the relatively short intoxication window of cannabis relative to its lifetime in the body, reinforcing the need for rapid toxicological screening. This review summarizes the state of cannabis intoxication testing, highlighting the challenges associated with the current forensic testing techniques, and the potential for breath analysis, which has gained interest recently from both academic researchers and commercial entities.

This article is categorized under:

Toxicology > Drug Analysis

Toxicology > Cannabis