bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aluminum to germanium inversion in mullite‐type RAlGeO5: Characterization of a rare phenomenon for R = Y, Sm–Lu
Authors: Ghosh Kowsik , Murshed M. Mangir , Fischer Michael , Gesing Thorsten M. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractMullite‐type RMn2O5 (R = Y, rare‐earth element) ceramics are of ongoing research attentions because of their interesting crystal‐chemical, physical, and thermal properties. We report a detailed structural, spectroscopic and thermal analysis of the series of mullite‐type RAlGeO5 (R = Y, Sm‐Lu) phases. Polycrystalline samples are prepared by solid‐state synthesis methods. Each sample is characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction followed by Rietveld refinements, showing that they are isotypic and crystallize in the space group Pbam. The change of the metric parameters is explained in term of the lanthanide contraction effect. A rare inversion of Al/Ge between octahedral and pyramidal sites have been observed for these mullite‐type so called O10 compounds, and the inversion parameter found to be between 0.22(1) and 0.30(1) for different R‐cations. The <Al/Ge–O> bond distances and their bond valence sums (BVSs) support the respective inversions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculated phonon density of states (PDOS) and electronic band structures are compared for the vibrational and electronic band gap features respectively. Analysis of UV/Vis absorption spectra using both derivation of absorption spectra fitting (DASF) and Tauc's methods demonstrates that each of the RAlGeO5 O10 compounds is high bandgap semiconductor, possessing direct transition between 4.1(1) and 5.4(1) eV. Both Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectra show clear red shift (quasi‐harmonic) of the vibrational wavenumbers with respect to the ionic radii of the R‐cations. Selective Raman bands at higher wavenumber region further complement the inversion of Al/Ge between two coordination sites. The higher decomposition temperature of the RAlGeO5 compounds, compared to those of RMn2O5 phases, is explained in terms of higher bond strength of Al/Ge‐O than those of Mn‐O. Irrespective to the inversion between Al‐ and Ge‐sites, the decomposition temperature also depends on the type of R‐cation in RAlGeO5.
Strong links between plant traits and microbial activities but different abiotic drivers in mountain grasslands
Authors: Weil Sarah‐Sophie , Martinez‐Almoyna Camille , Piton Gabin , Renaud Julien , Boulangeat Louise , Foulquier Arnaud , Saillard Amélie , Choler Philippe , Poulenard Jérôme ,   ORCHAMP Consortium, Münkemüller Tamara , Thuiller Wilfried 
Published: August 2021

AbstractAimPlant–soil interactions can be major driving forces of community responses to environmental changes in terrestrial ecosystems. These interactions can leave signals in aboveground plant functional traits and belowground microbial activities and these signals can manifest in observed covariations. However, we know little about how these plant–soil linkages vary in response to environmental conditions at biogeographic scales for which experiments are impossible. Here, we investigate patterns of direct and indirect linkages between plant functional traits, soil microbial activities and environmental conditions in mountain grasslands along elevational gradients.LocationThe French Alps.TaxonVascular plants and soil microbiota.MethodsWe analysed observational grassland data sampled along 14 elevational gradients across the entire French Alps (between 1500 and 2800 m of elevation). Using Graphical Lasso, we inferred a partial correlation network to tease apart direct and indirect plant–soil linkages without defining the direction of interactions a priori.ResultsWe found tight spatial associations of plant traits with microbial activities, climate driving the former and soil properties the latter. In these plant–soil linkages, the dominance of specific plant traits was more important than their diversity. We then showed that in sites with conservative plant traits and reduced organic matter quality, soil microbes invested strongly in nutrient acquisition.Main conclusionsBy investigating plant–soil linkages along elevational gradients in the French Alps, we showed that plant functional traits and belowground microbial activity are tightly linked and how they depend on environmental conditions. Overall, we demonstrated how soil functioning can be integrated in studies of ecosystem shifts under environmental change at large spatial scales.
Therapeutic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells‐derived exosomes on osteoarthritis
Authors: Jin Yi , Xu Min , Zhu Hai , Dong Chen , Ji Juan , Liu Yake , Deng Aidong , Gu Zhifeng 
Published: August 2021

AbstractMesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown chondroprotective effects in clinical models of osteoarthritis (OA). However, effects of MSC‐derived exosomes on OA remain unclear. The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of exosomes from human bone marrow MSCs (BM‐MSCs) in alleviating OA. The anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) and destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery were performed on the knee joints of a rat OA model, followed by intra‐articular injection of BM‐MSCs or their exosomes. In addition, BM‐MSC‐derived exosomes were administrated to primary human chondrocytes to observe the functional and molecular alterations. Both of BM‐MSCs and BM‐MSC‐derived exosomes alleviated cartilage destruction and subchondral bone remodelling in OA rat model. Administration of BM‐MSCs and exosomes could reduce joint damage and restore the trabecular bone volume fraction, trabecular number and connectivity density of OA rats. In addition, in vitro assays showed that BM‐MSCs‐exosomes could maintain the chondrocyte phenotype by increasing collagen type II synthesis and inhibiting IL‐1β–induced senescence and apoptosis. Furthermore, exosomal lncRNA MEG‐3 also reduced the senescence and apoptosis of chondrocytes induced by IL‐1β, indicating that lncRNA MEG‐3 might partially account the anti‐OA effects of BM‐MSC exosomes. The exosomes from BM‐MSCs exerted beneficial therapeutic effects on OA by reducing the senescence and apoptosis of chondrocytes, suggesting that MSC‐derived exosomes might provide a candidate therapy for OA treatment.
In and out: Traffic and dynamics of thrombopoietin receptor
Authors: Roy Anita , Shrivastva Saurabh , Naseer Saadia 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThrombopoiesis had long been a challenging area of study due to the rarity of megakaryocyte precursors in the bone marrow and the incomplete understanding of its regulatory cytokines. A breakthrough was achieved in the early 1990s with the discovery of the thrombopoietin receptor (TpoR) and its ligand thrombopoietin (TPO). This accelerated research in thrombopoiesis, including the uncovering of the molecular basis of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and the advent of drugs to treat thrombocytopenic purpura. TpoR mutations affecting its membrane dynamics or transport were increasingly associated with pathologies such as MPN and thrombocytosis. It also became apparent that TpoR affected hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) quiescence while priming hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) towards the megakaryocyte lineage. Thorough knowledge of TpoR surface localization, dimerization, dynamics and stability is therefore crucial to understanding thrombopoiesis and related pathologies. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms of TpoR traffic. We will focus on the recent progress in TpoR membrane dynamics and highlight the areas that remain unexplored.
Punctuational ecological changes rather than global factors drive species diversification and the evolution of wing phenotypes inMorphobutterflies
Authors: Chazot Nicolas , Blandin Patrick , Debat Vincent , Elias Marianne , Condamine Fabien L. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractAssessing the relative importance of geographical and ecological drivers of evolution is paramount to understand the diversification of species and traits at the macroevolutionary scale. Here, we use an integrative approach, combining phylogenetics, biogeography, ecology and quantified phenotypes to investigate the drivers of both species and phenotypic diversification of the iconic Neotropical butterfly genusMorpho. We generated a time‐calibrated phylogeny for all known species and inferred historical biogeography. We fitted models of time‐dependent (accounting for rate heterogeneity across the phylogeny) and paleoenvironment‐dependent diversification (accounting for global effect on the phylogeny). We used geometric morphometrics to assess variation of wing size and shape across the tree and investigated their dynamics of evolution. We found that the diversification ofMorphois best explained when considering variable diversification rates across the tree, possibly associated with lineages occupying different microhabitat conditions. First, a shift from understory to canopy was characterized by an increased speciation rate partially coupled with an increasing rate of wing shape evolution. Second, the occupation of dense bamboo thickets accompanying a major host‐plant shift from dicotyledons towards monocotyledons was associated with a simultaneous diversification rate shift and an evolutionary ‘jump’ of wing size. Our study points to a diversification pattern driven by punctuational ecological changes instead of a global driver or biogeographic history.
Dose response of coconut rhinoceros beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) to 92 kV x‐ray irradiation
Authors: Jenkins Daniel M. , Watanabe Shizu , Haff Ron P. , Melzer Michael J. , Jackson Eric , Liang Pei‐Shih 
Published: August 2021

AbstractTo evaluate the potential suitability of x‐ray irradiation as a physical control method for invasive Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) (Oryctes rhinoceros Linnaeus 1758; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), either through sterile insect technique (SIT) or through direct irradiation of naturally infested materials in the field, we recorded longevity of eggs, larval and adult life stages of CRB irradiated with different doses of x‐rays emitted from a tube energized at 92 kV. Eggs and larvae were highly susceptible to radiation at all tested doses (down to about 2–5 Gy), though adults required larger doses (at least 50 Gy) to render them incapable of reproducing. At exposures near 50 Gy sterilized adults nevertheless were observed to survive for more than a month, suggesting SIT may be a viable control approach for this beetle. Similarly, these results may facilitate the discovery of hidden breeding sites in the wild by tagging and releasing sterilized adults. While larvae were highly susceptible to x‐ray irradiation, irradiation would probably not be an effective tool for field control due to rapid attenuation of radiation energy (exponential decay coefficients ranging from about 0.3–0.6 cm−1) in the organic nesting materials we tested, and the tendency for CRB adults to burrow and oviposit deep in mulch (1 m or more).
Paired facial treatment with 755nm picosecond laser with diffractive lens array and 1060nm laser lipolysis of the submentum: An open‐label prospective trial
Authors: Wang Jordan V. , Christman Mitalee P. , Feng Hao , Pomerantz Hyemin , Lederhandler Margo , Geronemus Roy G. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractBackgroundPerforming multiple cosmetic treatments in a single session to target different aspects of facial rejuvenation is an effective regimen. Picosecond lasers with a fractionated handpiece can target fine lines, which can supplement submental fat reduction procedures. However, limited data exist on the safety and efficacy of single‐session treatment strategies.AimsTo assess the safety and utility of paired facial treatment with 755 nm picosecond laser with diffractive lens array (DLA) and 1060 nm laser lipolysis of the submentum.Patients/MethodsA prospective clinical study investigated the utility of paired facial treatment with 755 nm picosecond laser with DLA and 1060 nm diode laser lipolysis of the submentum. Subjects received treatments during the same session. Subjects were enrolled to receive up to 3 picosecond laser and 2 lipolysis treatments at 2‐8‐week intervals.ResultsEleven subjects completed the study. Mean age was 52.1 years, and 81.8% were female. Fitzpatrick skin types II‐VI were represented. For investigator global aesthetics improvement scores (GAIS), 63.6%, 81.8%, and 85.7% had improvement from baseline at 30‐, 90‐, and 180‐day follow‐up, respectively. At 180‐day follow‐up, 100% maintained improvement from 90‐day follow‐up. At 90‐day follow‐up, calculations for neck laxity showed a significant improvement of 11.7% from baseline (p < 0.001) with a mean amount of lift of 42.7 mm2, which was above the predetermined threshold (20 mm2). No serious or unexpected treatment effects were observed.ConclusionPaired facial treatment with 755 nm picosecond laser with DLA and 1060 nm laser lipolysis of the submentum improved clinical aesthetic outcomes. This treatment regimen was demonstrated to be safe, well‐tolerated, and well‐liked by subjects.
Stability and change in autobiographical reasoning: A 4‐year longitudinal study of narrative identity development
Authors: McLean Kate C. , Dunlap David , Jennings Sarah C. , Litvitskiy Nicole S. , Lilgendahl Jennifer P. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractObjectiveResearch on personality development has traditionally focused on rank‐order stability and mean‐level change in the context of personality traits. The present study expands this approach to the examination of change and stability at another level of personality—narrative identity—by focusing on autobiographical reasoning. Drawing from theory in personality and developmental science, we examine stability and change in exploratory processing and positive and negative self‐event connections.MethodWe take advantage of a longitudinal study of emerging adult personality and identity development, which includes four waves of data across 4 years, examining reasoning in two domains of identity, academics, and romance (n = 1520 narratives; n = 176–638 participants, depending on the analysis).ResultsWe found moderate rank‐order stability in autobiographical reasoning, but more so for exploratory processing than self‐event connections. We found mean‐level increases for exploratory processing in the context of romance and stability in the context of academics. For self‐event connections, we saw a decrease for positive connections, and for negative connections about romance, with stability for negative connections about academics.ConclusionsImplications include developmental differences in types of reasoning as well as the sensitivity of narrative identity to revealing the contextual nature of personality development.
#Grateful: Longitudinal Associations Between Adolescents’ Social Media Use and Gratitude During the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Authors: Maheux Anne J. , Nesi Jacqueline , Galla Brian M. , Roberts Savannah R. , Choukas‐Bradley Sophia 
Published: August 2021

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, some ways of using social media—such as directly communicating with friends—may have helped adolescents thrive. We examined longitudinal associations between high school adolescents’ social media use and gratitude across a 15‐month period before and during the pandemic (n = 704, Mage = 15.10; 52% girls). The trajectories of gratitude and the importance of social media for meaningful conversations with friends—but not frequency of social media use—were positively associated over time. At the within‐person level, gratitude predicted increased importance of social media for meaningful conversations, but not vice‐versa. Findings suggest that gratitude may be associated with and may motivate using social media to foster social connection, but may not increase overall social media use.
Positive predictive value of sustained virologic response 4 weeks posttreatment for achieving sustained virologic response 12 weeks posttreatment in patients receiving glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials
Authors: Gane Edward , de Ledinghen Victor , Dylla Douglas E. , Rizzardini Giuliano , Shiffman Mitchell L. , Barclay Stephen T. , Calleja Jose Luis , Xue Zhenyi , Burroughs Margaret , Gutierrez Julio A. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractSustained virologic response at posttreatment Week 12 (SVR12) is the widely accepted efficacy endpoint for direct‐acting antiviral agents. Those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are presenting younger with milder liver disease, potentially reducing need for long‐term liver posttreatment monitoring. This analysis aimed to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of SVR at posttreatment Week 4 (SVR4) for achieving SVR12 in patients with HCV, without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis, receiving glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) in clinical trials. An integrated dataset from 20 Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of G/P was evaluated in patients with 8‐, 12‐ or 16‐week treatment duration consistent with the current label (label‐consistent group), and in all patients regardless of treatment duration consistency with the current label (overall group). Sensitivity analyses handled missing data either by backward imputation or were excluded. SVR4 PPV, negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity and specificity were calculated for achieving SVR12 in both groups, and by treatment duration in the label‐consistent group. SVR was defined as HCV ribonucleic acid <lower limit of quantification. The label‐consistent group and overall group included 2890 and 4390 patients, respectively. PPV of SVR4 for SVR12 was >99% in both groups regardless of treatment duration. Not achieving SVR4 had 100% NPV and sensitivity for all groups. SVR4 measure had 79.5% specificity for identifying patients who did not achieve SVR12. Across 20 Phase 2/3 clinical trials of G/P, SVR4 was highly predictive of SVR12. Long‐term follow‐up to confirm SVR may not be necessary for certain populations of patients with HCV.
Communicative Effectiveness in BELF (English as a Business Lingua Franca) Meetings: ‘Explaining’ as a Pragmatic Strategy
Authors: KAUR JAGDISH , BIRLIK SEVAL 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe study investigates business professionals of different language backgrounds using English as a business lingua franca (BELF) in formal internal meetings. In particular, it examines how these participants deploy ‘explaining’ as a pragmatic strategy to increase communicative effectiveness. The data comprise 6 internal business meetings, totaling 293 minutes of video recordings. A discourse analysis of the meeting data reveals that the participants move to explain even in the absence of a request for an explanation or following an implicit request for further information. The strategy of explaining allows the speaker to provide additional information or background details that contribute to increasing communicative clarity and enhancing shared knowledge. The findings offer insights into the pragmatic competence of BELF users that is crucial in the accomplishment of communicative goals in the business setting. The findings also have pedagogical implications in that they point to the relevance of incorporating the teaching of pragmatic strategies such as explaining in business communication courses to address the needs of future business practitioners in a globalized world.
The Negotiation of Meaning in Aviation English as a Lingua Franca: A Corpus‐Informed Discursive Approach
Authors: ISHIHARA NORIKO , PRADO MALILA CARVALHO DE ALMEIDA 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThis study explores the pragmatics of aviation English (AE) as a lingua franca in radiotelephony (R/T) communications primarily between aviators and air traffic controllers worldwide. AE is a crosslinguistic register used by aviation professionals who do not necessarily share their first languages and cultures. Accordingly, mutual intelligibility is the ultimate goal, as in English as a lingua franca (ELF) featuring message‐oriented accommodation. Simultaneously, AE is a highly restricted and relatively stable register, as its use is mandated to maximize accuracy, conciseness, and clarity of communication—factors all contributing to air safety. While instruction and testing in AE have been investigated in applied linguistics, its pragmatics‐focused aspects are underexplored. In this qualitative corpus‐informed study, we first relied on a small corpus of R/T communications in nonroutine situations to identify 3 cases of communication difficulty and then, investigate in depth the discursive construction of meaning, especially in terms of the pragmatic strategies the interactants used on the radio. Drawing exclusively on ELF‐speaker exchanges from the corpus, we illustrate the process of the negotiation of meaning within the constraints of the given aviation contexts. The findings of this study reveal similarities and differences between AE in R/T communications and general ELF discourses described in the literature. We conclude by offering pedagogical implications for enhanced aeronautical training addressing pragmatic and interactional competence.
Stance‐Taking in Heritage Language Writing
Authors: XIAO–DESAI YANG 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThis study explored stance‐taking in Chinese heritage language writing. Analysis focused on a prominent stance expression,wo juede‘I think.’ Frequency, function, and formulaic usage ofwo juedewere compared across 3 written Chinese corpora by heritage learners, second language (L2) learners, and native speakers (L1 writers). The analysis revealed distinctive linguistic features and collocational patterns of stance‐taking among the 3 groups. Overall, heritage writers’ stance performance was found to be self‐centered and text oriented. They exhibited a strong reliance onwo juedecombined with textual organizers such as contrastive or causal conjunctions. In contrast, L1 writers were more reader oriented, exhibiting a strong tendency to combinewo juedewith interpersonal devices including attitudinal markers, modal verbs, sentence‐final particles, and question forms. The study also found that heritage writers’ stance‐taking performance consistently fell between that of L1 and L2 writers. Findings and pedagogical implications are discussed in light of heritage learner pragmatics and learner agency.
Digital Game‐Based Learning of Formulaic Expressions in Second Language Chinese
Authors: TANG XIAOFEI , TAGUCHI NAOKO 
Published: August 2021

AbstractDigital games offer a promising platform to engage second language (L2) learners in contextualized language practice, including pragmatics practice. Although scholars have made strong claims on the benefits of game‐based learning, empirical findings have not yet established strong support for the effectiveness of games. Existing studies are mostly descriptive rather than experimental; few studies have compared L2 learning outcomes between a game‐based learning group and a comparison control group. To fill this gap, this study investigated the instructional and motivational effects of a digital game on learning Chinese formulaic expressions. We developed two digital learning environments: a scenario‐based digital game (Questaurant) and an interactive online lesson. Forty‐nine learners of Chinese in two U.S. universities were randomly assigned to the game group (n = 25) or the online lesson group (n = 24). Both groups equally improved their knowledge of formulaic expressions after the respective learning session. However, the game group showed a significantly higher level of motivation compared to the online lesson group.