bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
α‐Sulfo Fatty Methyl Ester Sulfonate: A Review on Chemistry, Processing Technologies, Performance, and Applications in Laundry Detergents
Authors: Siwayanan Parthiban , Ban Zhen Hong , Zhang Xinchi , Parthiban Anupreetha 
Published: April 2021

Abstractα‐Sulfo fatty methyl ester sulfonate (α‐MES) is one of the anionic surfactants that is currently used commercially in the cleaning industry. Although the fundamental studies on α‐MES were initiated as far back as the 1950s, it was only recognized as a class of surfactant in the 1980s. In the initial stage of development, α‐MES has been associated with many technical impediments, which created a fear factor for the detergent industry to consider this oleo‐based anionic surfactant for commercial production. However, all the technical adversities have been resolved after five decades of continuous active research and development activities. This paper will review the history, chemistry, process development, processing technologies, performance, commercial production, and applications of oleo‐based based α‐MES with special emphasis on palm oil‐based α‐MES. The paper also will highlight the challenges and adversities faced by the technology developers and product formulators toward the commercialization of α‐MES as an active ingredient in the production of powder and liquid laundry detergents.
Suitability and benefits from intercropped sorghum–amaranth under partial root‐zone irrigation
Authors: Baghdadi Amirsaleh , Paknejad Farzad , Golzardi Farid , Hashemi Masoud , Ilkaee Mohammad Nabi 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe production of sufficient animal feed in arid and semi‐arid regions plays a significant role in food security in these areas. The present study was conducted based on the hypothesis that intercropping of sorghum and amaranth, comprising relatively drought tolerant forages, will enhance the yield and quality of the feed under limited irrigation water availability.RESULTSImplementation of fixed alternate furrow irrigation (FFI) and alternate furrow irrigation (AFI) resulted in a saving of 22.5% and 19.7% of irrigation water, respectively. However, the water saving declined both yield and quality of forage. In conventional furrow irrigation (CFI), the highest dry matter (DM) yield was 15.5 Mg  ha−1, obtained from S50–A50 treatment. In FFI and AFI, sole sorghum produced the highest DM. However, their maximum yields (11.2 and 12.6 Mg ha‐1, respectively) were not significantly different from yields in S75–A25 intercropping ratios. Irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) was similar in CFI and AFI and considerably higher than FFI. Sorghum monoculture and the S75–A25 intercropping had the highest IWUE (3.4 and 3.3 kg m−3), whereas IWUE of the sole amaranth was 1.7 kg m−3. The partial land equivalent ratio and monetary advantage index of amaranth and sorghum indicated that sorghum would benefit from intercropping as long as its ratio in the intercropping is more than 25%.CONCLUSIONWhen sufficient irrigation is available, intercropping of sorghum and amaranth can considerably improve yield and quality of emergency feed. However, the benefits from intercropping faded under the two partial root‐zone irrigation methods used in the present study. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Rapid photoacclimation during episodic deep mixing augments the biological carbon pump
Authors: Penta W. Bryce , Fox James , Halsey Kimberly H. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractEpisodic deep mixing events are one component of the biological carbon pump that physically transports organic carbon into the mesopelagic. Episodic deep mixing also disrupts summertime thermal stratification thereby changing the light field and nutrient concentrations available for phytoplankton growth. Phytoplankton survival and growth below the mixed layer following restratification depends on how rapidly cells can employ a variety of photoacclimation processes in response to the environmental changes. To compare the relative timescales of summertime episodic deep mixing events with the timescales of phytoplankton photoacclimation processes, we first analyzed autonomous float data to survey the frequency and magnitude of deep mixing events in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Next, we simulated a sustained deep mixing event in the laboratory and measured rates of acclimation processes ranging from light harvesting to growth in a model diatom and green alga. In both algae increases in chlorophyll (Chl) were coupled to growth, but growth of the green alga lagged the diatom by about a day. In float profiles, significant increases in Chl and phytoplankton carbon (Cphyto) were detected below the mixed layer following episodic deep mixing events. These events pose a previously unrecognized source of new production below the mixed layer that can significantly boost the amount of carbon available for export to the deep ocean.
The slow and steady salinization of Sparkling Lake, Wisconsin
Authors: Dugan Hilary A. , Rock Linnea A. 
Published: April 2021

The concentrations of conservative solutes in seepage lakes are determined by the relative inputs of precipitation vs. groundwater. In areas of road salt application, seepage lakes may be at high risk of salinization depending on groundwater flow. Here, we revisit a 1992 analysis on the salinization of Sparkling Lake, a deep seepage lake in Northern Wisconsin. The original analysis predicted a rapid increase in chloride concentrations before reaching a steady steady of 8 mg L−1 by 2020. Forty years of monitoring Sparkling Lake show that rather than reaching a dynamic equilibrium, chloride concentrations have steadily increased. We update the original box model approach by adding a soil reservoir component that shows the slow steady rise in chloride is the result of terrestrial retention. For freshwater rivers and lakes, chloride retention on the landscape will both delay chloride impairment and prolong recovery and must be considered when modeling future chloride contamination risk.
Injectable Hydrogels as Local Depots at Tumor Sites for Antitumor Immunotherapy and Immune‐Based Combination Therapy
Authors: Ma Hongyu , He Chaoliang , Chen Xuesi 
Published: April 2021

AbstractDespite the encouraging clinical responses of several human cancers to immunotherapy, the efficacy of this treatment remains limited by variable objective response rates and severe systemic immune‐related adverse events. To overcome these issues, injectable hydrogels have been developed as local depots that permit the sustained release of single or multiple immunotherapy agents, including traditional immunomodulatory factors, immune checkpoint blocking antibodies, and exogenous immune cells. The antitumor efficacy of immunotherapy can also be enhanced by its combination with other therapeutic approaches, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and phototherapy. Despite local treatment strategies, potent systemic antitumor immune responses with low systemic toxicity can be obtained, leading to significant local and abscopal tumor‐killing, reduced tumor metastasis, and the prevention of tumor recurrence. This review highlights recent progress in injectable hydrogel‐based local depots for tumor immunotherapy and immune‐based combination therapy. Moreover, the proposed mechanisms responsible for these antitumor effects are discussed.
Self‐Strengthening Dielectric Elastomer of Triblock Copolymer with Significantly Improved Electromechanical Performance under Low Voltage
Authors: Xiao Youhua , Chen Zheqi , Mao Jie , Cao Xunuo , He Jin , Yang Tao , Chen Liyuan , Yang Xuxu , Zhao Junjie , Li Tiefeng , Luo Yingwu 
Published: April 2021

AbstractDielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are promising soft electromechanical transducers for soft robotics. Fabricating a high‐performance DEA actuated by sub‐kV voltage remains challenging. Here, a facile method not only to fabricate ultrathin dielectric elastomer films of triblock copolymers but also to enhance the dielectric breakdown strength and thus enhance the electromechanical performance is reported. A thick thermoplastic elastomer film of poly(styrene‐b‐butyl acrylate‐b‐styrene) from solution blading is symmetrically pre‐stretched and relaxed at 120 °C to fabricate a freestanding ultrathin DE film. Compared with the pristine DE film of the same thickness (12 µm), the thermally‐relaxed DE film with equally biaxial pre‐stretch ratio 3.5 × 3.5 exhibits increased electrical breakdown strength by a factor of 1.9 (from 43 to 82 V µm−1), maximum actuation area strain by a factor of 1.9 (from 11.7% to 22.4%), and highest energy density by a factor of 5.7 (from 4.5 to 25.8 kJ m−3). The enhancement may be ascribed to the self‐reinforcement of the dielectric breakdown strength due to the morphology change of polystyrene nanodomains from spheres to oblate spheroids. Thanks to the ultra‐thinness, the high electromechanical performance is achieved within sub‐kV driving voltage in all cases.
LINC00662 modulates cervical cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis via sponging miR‐103a‐3p and upregulating PDK4
Authors: Liu Yongli , Qiu Shuang , Zheng Xiaoli , Qiu Yingying , Yao Shenghui , Ge Yan , Zhou Caixia 
Published: April 2021

AbstractCervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common cancers among women with high recurrence rates all over the world. Recently, the molecular mechanism of CC has been gradually uncovered in accumulating reports. This study aimed to investigate the function and upstream regulation mechanism of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) in CC cells, which was verified as an oncogene in several cancers. Through RT‐qPCR assay, we discovered that PDK4 was highly expressed in CC cells. Then, it was demonstrated in function assays that PDK4 facilitated CC cell proliferation and invasion, but inhibited CC cell apoptosis. Next, we sought to determine the upstream genes of PDK4, and miR‐103a‐3p was identified to target PDK4. Then, through bioinformatics tools and a range of mechanism assays, long intergenic non‐protein coding RNA 662 (LINC00662) was verified as the sponge of miR‐103a‐3p. Moreover, LINC00662 positively modulated PDK4 expression via competitively binding to miR‐103a‐3p in CC cells. Subsequently, rescue assays demonstrated that LINC00662 accelerated CC cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis through upregulating PDK4. Furthermore, forkhead box A1 (FOXA1) was verified to activate transcription of both LINC00662 and PDK4. Taken together, our study revealed a novel ceRNA pattern of LINC00662/miR‐103a‐3p/PDK4 with FOXA1 as a transcription factor of LINC00662 and PDK4 in CC cells.
Investigating the ACE2 polymorphisms in COVID‐19 susceptibility: An in silico analysis
Authors: Pouladi Nasser , Abdolahi Sepehr 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBackgroundNovel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) became an epidemic disease and lead to a pneumonia outbreak first in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The symptoms related to coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19) were different ranging from mild to severe lung injury and multi‐organ failure symptoms, eventually leading to death, especially in older patients with other co‐morbidities. The receptor of this virus in the human cell is angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).MethodsIn this paper, we aimed to perform an in silico analysis of the frequently studied variants of the ACE2 gene and determine the effects of the variants in mRNA secondary structure and binding affinity of cellular factors. Fourteen single‐nucleotide polymorphisms were selected based on previous studies and investigated.ResultsAll of the variants were analyzed in the RNAsnp database and three revealed a significant p‐value. The spliceAid2 database prediction showed that 7 out of 14 SNPs caused an alteration in a way that only the wild or mutated form was able to bind to proteins. The latter database also reported that three SNPs produces a dual form in which different specific proteins can bind to the sequence in a specific form (either wild or mutated form).ConclusionAltogether, these estimations revealed the potential of variants in manipulation of the final stable form of ACE2 that can lead to different COVID‐19 susceptibility.
Novel mutations in BMP1 result in a patient with autosomal recessive osteogenesis imperfecta
Authors: Xi Lei , Lv Shanshan , Zhang Hao , Zhang Zhen‐Lin 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBackgroundOsteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare heritable bone disorder that is characterised by increased bone fragility and recurrent fractures. To date, only 19 OI patients have been reported, as caused by BMP1 gene mutations, worldwide. Here, we report a patient with a BMP1 gene mutation to explore the relationship between genotype and phenotype, and the patient was followed up for 4 years.MethodsDetailed clinical features were collected, and BMP1 mutational analysis was performed by next‐generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing.ResultsThe patient had recurrent fractures, low bone mass, bone deformities and growth retardation but did not have hearing loss or dentinogenesis imperfecta. Next‐generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing revealed a heterozygous novel missense variant (c.362C>T in exon 3, p.Ala121Val) and a heterozygous novel deletion mutation (c.1252delA in exon 10, p.Ser418AlafsX22). The parents of the proband were heterozygous carriers of these mutations. The patient received regular weekly treatment of 70 mg oral alendronate for 3 years, and her BMD Z‐score for the femur significantly increased from −1.3 to 0.9 at L1‐4 and from −1.7 to −0.1. She had no fracture during 4 years of follow‐up.ConclusionWe discovered two heterozygous novel mutations in an OI patient with BMP1 gene mutations, expanding the spectrum of gene mutations in OI.
Monomer Concentration in Polymer Particles in Emulsion Polymerization
Authors: Schork F. Joseph 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe rate of an emulsion polymerization depends on the monomer concentration at the locus of polymerization in the polymer particles. This note suggests a shortcut method of specifying monomer concentration for new monomers, or monomers for which thermodynamic swelling data is unavailable. While the monomer concentration in a polymer particle in moles per liter varies widely, when described as volume fraction monomer, the variance is much smaller. In fact, for ten monomers for which experimental values are available, the volume fraction monomer in a polymer particle in equilibrium with an aqueous phase saturated with monomer of that polymer is 0.67 ± 0.04. Hence, if no other value is available, one could assume a monomer volume fraction monomer of 0.67 with a good degree of accuracy.
Mini Nutritional Assessment ‐ Short Form Is a Useful Malnutrition Screening Tool in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis, Using the Global Leadership Initiative for Malnutrition Criteria as the Gold Standard
Authors: Casas Deza Diego , Betoré Glaria María Elena , Sanz‐París Alejandro , Lafuente Blasco Miguel , Fernández Bonilla Eva María , Bernal Monterde Vanesa , Arbonés Mainar José Miguel , Fuentes Olmo Javier 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe use of nutrition‐screening tools in cirrhotic patients is not systematized. Recently, specific tools have been proposed for patients with cirrhosis, but their diagnostic capabilities have been scarcely studied.MethodsThis was a prospective study that includes outpatients with liver cirrhosis undergoing follow‐up in the hepatology consultations of a tertiary‐care university hospital. A trained gastroenterologist applied the screening tools: Liver Disease Universal Screening Tool (LDUST), Royal Free Hospital‐Nutrition Prioritizing Tool (RFH‐NPT), and Mini Nutritional Assessment‐Short Form (MNA‐SF). Subsequently, the diagnosis of malnutrition was made according to Global Leadership Initiative for Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria by an endocrinologist, who was blind to the results of the screening tools.ResultsSixty‐three patients (38.1% women, mean age 63.1 ± 9.9 years) with cirrhosis (60.3% Child‐Pugh A, 34.9% Child‐Pugh B, and 4.8% Child‐Pugh C) were evaluated. The prevalence of malnutrition was 38.1% (15.9% moderate, 22.2% severe). Advanced stages of cirrhosis were associated with a higher prevalence of malnutrition (P = .021). MNA‐SF was the most accurate screening tool, being superior to RFH‐NPT and LDUST. It presented better sensitivity than RFH‐NPT (88% [0.68–0.97] vs 67% [0.45–0.84], P = .031) and better specificity than both LDUST (97% [0.87–0.99] vs 62% [0.45–0.77], P < .001) and RFH‐NPT (97% [0.87–0.99] vs 82% [0.67–0.93], P = .016).ConclusionsAccording to the GLIM criteria, malnutrition affected 38.1% of patients with cirrhosis, being severe in 22% of the patients. MNA‐SF is the most accurate screening test, superior even to tools specifically designed for cirrhotic patients (LDUST).
An efficient and locking‐free material point method for three‐dimensional analysis with simplex elements
Authors: Wang Lei , Coombs William M. , Augarde Charles E. , Cortis Michael , Brown Michael J. , Brennan Andrew J. , Knappett Jonathan A. , Davidson Craig , Richards David , White David J. , Blake Anthony P. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe Material Point Method is a relative newcomer to the world of solid mechanics modelling. Its key advantage is the ability to model problems having large deformations while being relatively close to standard finite element methods, however its use for realistic engineering applications will happen only if the material point can be shown to be both efficient and accurate (compared to standard finite element methods), when modelling complex geometries with a range of material models. In this paper we present developments of the standard material point method aimed at realizing these goals. The key contribution provided here is the development of a material point method that avoids volumetric locking (arising from elastic or elasto‐plastic material behavior) while using low‐order tetrahedral finite elements for the background computational mesh, hence allowing unstructured background grids to be used for complex geometries. We also show that these developments can be effectively parallelized to improve computational efficiency.
Identification of metallic objects using spectral magnetic polarizability tensor signatures: Object characterisation and invariants
Authors: Ledger Paul D. , Wilson Ben A. , Amad Alan A. S. , Lionheart William R. B. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe early detection of terrorist threat objects, such as guns and knives, through improved metal detection, has the potential to reduce the number of attacks and improve public safety and security. To achieve this, there is considerable potential to use the fields applied and measured by a metal detector to discriminate between different shapes and different metals since, hidden within the field perturbation, is object characterisation information. The magnetic polarizability tensor (MPT) offers an economical characterisation of metallic objects that can be computed for different threat and non‐threat objects and has an established theoretical background, which shows that the induced voltage is a function of the hidden object's MPT coefficients. In this article, we describe the additional characterisation information that measurements of the induced voltage over a range of frequencies offer compared with measurements at a single frequency. We call such object characterisations its MPT spectral signature. Then, we present a series of alternative rotational invariants for the purpose of classifying hidden objects using MPT spectral signatures. Finally, we include examples of computed MPT spectral signature characterisations of realistic threat and non‐threat objects that can be used to train machine learning algorithms for classification purposes.
COVID‐19 as a nonprofit workplace crisis: Seeking insights from the nonprofit workers' perspective
Authors: Kuenzi Kerry , Stewart Amanda J. , Walk Marlene 
Published: April 2021

AbstractDue to the COVID‐19 pandemic, nonprofit organizations face increased demands for services alongside decreased revenues and must make tough choices on how to weather these stressors. Alongside these organizational changes, COVID‐19 impacts nonprofit workers and could be a career shock for these individuals, potentially altering how they think of their work and career intentions, even jeopardizing their commitment to the sector. Therefore, this paper outlines a research agenda to understand how the pandemic impacts nonprofit workers and their commitment to working in the sector. Several areas for future research are identified including human resource policy, leadership development, generational differences, gender effects, nonprofit graduate education, and mission‐specific work effects.
Improving the effectiveness of prosocial advertising campaigns: Message strategies to increase support from less empathic individuals
Authors: Bünzli Fabienne 
Published: April 2021

AbstractIndividuals with low levels of trait empathy are hesitant when it comes to helping people in need. This makes it difficult for nonprofit organizations to gain their support for prosocial advertising campaigns. An experimental study among 214 Swiss students examines what message strategies nonprofit organizations should use to increase support from less empathic people. We investigate the effects of depicting daily life situations where people in need are happy versus sad (visual message strategies) and the effects of presenting statistical versus anecdotal evidence (verbal message strategies). The results show that less empathic individuals hold more favorable attitudes toward prosocial advertising campaigns when exposed to sad daily life images and anecdotal evidence. Moreover, attitudes mediate message effects on less empathic individuals' intentions to comply with a prosocial advocacy. Overall, the study suggests that nonprofit organizations should prefer sad over happy daily life images and anecdotal over statistical evidence in prosocial advertising campaigns.
A systematic review of agouti (Dasyproctidae: Dasyprocta) records from the pre‐1492 Lesser Antilles: New perspectives on an introduced commensal
Authors: Rabinow Sophie , Giovas Christina 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe agouti (Dasyprocta sp.), a medium‐sized neotropical rodent, was introduced by indigenous peoples to the Caribbean islands over a millennium ago and is recorded at archeological sites throughout the Lesser Antilles and southern Caribbean. Like many commensal fauna, these mammals are valuable proxies for deciphering ancient human practices and mobility. However, unsystematic reporting and ambiguous data hinder determination of the agouti's timing of entry, paths of dissemination, distribution, ecological impact, and cultural significance. Here, we present the first systematic review of all published records of which we are aware for pre‐1492 agouti skeletal remains in the Caribbean, totaling 63 sites on 24 islands. On the basis of these data, we address the issue of archeological species attributions in relation to unresolved phylogenetic and taxonomic issues for Dasyprocta spp. In addition, we synthesize findings for agouti distribution, abundance, and chronology of occurrence. Data are consistent with an initial introduction to the northern Lesser Antilles by ca. AD 35 and perhaps as early as ca. 500 BC. While the midden contexts in which agoutis are almost always found affirm their use as food, ethnohistoric records point to the utilization of skeletal remains in ritual and artifact manufacture. This study provides the first region‐wide synthesis of archeological agoutis and highlights the important insights to be gained from such systematic reviews. It is particularly significant for informing the potential ecological impacts of indigenous faunal introductions prior to Columbus's arrival.