bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Drip‐irrigation using highly saline groundwater increases sunflower yield in heavily saline soil
Authors: Dong Shide , Kang Yaohu , Wan Shuqin , Li Xiaobin , Miao Junxia 
Published: February 2021

AbstractTo improve global food security, techniques for sustainability managing salinity are needed. The objective of this study was to find a sustainable cultivating method for grain production using saline groundwater. A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of drip irrigation with saline water (EC = 9.5 dS m–1) (DIS), drip irrigation with freshwater (electrical conductivity [EC] = 1.3 dS m–1) (DIF), and flood irrigation with freshwater (CK) on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) yields. The cultivation pattern of “scheduled drip irrigation + mulched ridge” was adopted in DIS and DIF, while that in CK was the local pattern of “flood irrigation + flat mulch”. Results showed that drip irrigation with saline water and drip irrigation with freshwater saved 95% and 43 freshwater when compared with CK. After 2 yr, soil electrical conductivity of saturated paste extracts (ECe) in the surface 40 cm decreased from 22.9 to 6.4 dS m–1 in DIS and from 17.9 to 5.4 in DIF. The calculated desalinization rates were 72.1% for DIS and 69.3% for DIF. The sunflower yield in DIS and DIF increased by 12.1 and 37.0% and the economic benefit correspondingly increased by 29.6 and 52.5% when compared with CK after 2 yr. The drip irrigation with saline groundwater had remarkable advantages in saving freshwater, leaching salt, and increasing income.
Onset critical strains as an effective parameter for compatibilizer efficiency in a polypropylene‐poly(ethylene terephthalate) blend
Authors: Van Kets Karen , Delva Laurens , Ragaert Kim 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe effectiveness of a compatibilizer is responsible for improved mechanical properties of immiscible blends. The enhanced interactions between the phases are assessed via critical plastic strain (onset of fine slip caused by local intra‐/interlamellar slip) and critical elastic strain (onset of fibrillation of crystalline skeleton). Polypropylene‐poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PP‐PET) blends were compatibilized with three maleic anhydride grafted compatibilizers with different backbones: PP, SEBS, and POE. Using this critical onset strain method, via free shrinkage experiments, allowed to identify the effect of PET on the matrix's deformation and also the different contributions of the compatibilizers to the deformation mechanisms. Results showed that PPgMAH promoted best PET's plastic deformation to the matrix, relative to the other compatibilizers. However, SEBSgMAH's elastomeric backbone provide better stress dissipation before onset of fibrillation compared to the binary blend and matrix. This method can be used as a way to assess the effectiveness of a compatibilizer in an immiscible blend.
Bounds for the weight of external data in shrinkage estimation
Authors: Röver Christian , Friede Tim 
Published: February 2021

AbstractShrinkage estimation in a meta‐analysis framework may be used to facilitate dynamical borrowing of information. This framework might be used to analyze a new study in the light of previous data, which might differ in their design (e.g., a randomized controlled trial and a clinical registry). We show how the common study weights arise in effect and shrinkage estimation, and how these may be generalized to the case of Bayesian meta‐analysis. Next we develop simple ways to compute bounds on the weights, so that the contribution of the external evidence may be assessed a priori. These considerations are illustrated and discussed using numerical examples, including applications in the treatment of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and in fetal monitoring to prevent the occurrence of metabolic acidosis. The target study's contribution to the resulting estimate is shown to be bounded below. Therefore, concerns of evidence being easily overwhelmed by external data are largely unwarranted.
Teaching two children with autism to mand for known and unknown items using contrived motivating operations
Authors: Jessel Joshua , Ingvarsson Einar T. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe interrupted chain procedure is used to teach children with limited verbal repertoires to independently mand for missing items required to complete a task. Previous research has used interrupted chains to teach children with autism autoclitic mand frames for information on the location of missing items and persons in possession of the missing items. We extended previous research by (a) measuring generalization of autoclitic frames both within and between tasks with multiple known missing items that the participants could tact, (b) assessing whether or not the autoclitic frames would emerge following tact training of unknown items, and (c) determining if participants could be taught a mand that would result in the appropriate information to evoke the autoclitic frame for unknown items. Following training, the two boys with autism who participated in this study were able to independently mand for known missing items without direct teaching and mand for information on unknown missing items.
Immobilization of silver and strontium oxide aluminate nanoparticles integrated into plasma‐activated cotton fabric: luminescence, superhydrophobicity, and antimicrobial activity
Authors: Atta Ayman M. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSmart textiles with a multifunctional surface, such as with photoluminescence, antimicrobial, and superhydrophobic properties, are highly desirable. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were prepared and immobilized onto a cotton surface using a facile pad‐dry‐curing technique to introduce long‐lasting antimicrobial properties. The morphology of the silver immobilized cotton fibres was explored using scanning electron microscopic images and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectra. The morphology of the formed Ag NPs was determined using a transmission electron microscope. Ag NPs exhibited uniform spreading and a high deposition density with a particle diameter in the range 25–55 nm. Both photoluminescence and superhydrophobic properties were explored by studying the cotton samples treated with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane nanocomposite containing lanthanide‐doped strontium oxide aluminate NPs. Ultraviolet–visible light absorption, phosphorescence, and lifetime spectra were measured. The produced transparent superhydrophobic and photoluminescent film showed two absorbance bands at 273 and 367 nm and emission bands at 415 and 437 nm, as recognized by both absorption and emission spectra. Excellent antibacterial activities towards E. coli and S. aureus were monitored for the coated samples. Both fastness and colorimetric properties of Ag NPs‐coated fabrics were explored.
Determination of linagliptin and empagliflozin by UPLC and HPTLC techniques aided by lean six sigma approach
Authors: El‐Desouky Ebrahim A. , Abdel‐Raoof Ahmed M. , Abdel‐Fattah Ashraf , Abdel‐Zaher Ahmed , Osman Ayman O. E. , Abdel‐Monem Ahmed H. , Morshedy Samir 
Published: February 2021

AbstractTwo chromatographic techniques were developed and validated for simultaneous determination of the newly co‐formulated antidiabetic combination linagliptin and empagliflozin in their pure form and film‐coated tables. The first technique was UPLC; the separation and resolution of both analytes were achieved using a Zorbax eclipse plus C18column applying an isocratic elution based on phosphate buffer pH 4–acetonitrile (65:35, v/v) as a running mobile phase at flow rate 1.5 ml/min and the effluent was monitored at 220 nm. Augmentation of Lean Six Sigma with UPLC and HPTLC methods had a major impact on the development of robust specifications to ensure that the quality at six sigma level has a high level of statistical confidence and target performance. On the chromatogram, empagliflozin and linagliptin appeared at retention times of 1.417 and 2.453 min, respectively. The second technique was HPTLC; both analytes were fairly well resolved and separated using a developing mobile phase composed of ethyl acetate–chloroform–acetonitrile (55:25:20 by volume). The values of retention factor (RF) were 0.29 and 0.53 for linagliptin and empagliflozin, respectively. All variables were investigated to adjust the whole conditions.
Co‐occurrence of germline pathogenic variants for different hereditary cancer syndromes in patients with Lynch syndrome
Authors: Ferrer‐Avargues Rosario , Castillejo María Isabel , Dámaso Estela , Díez‐Obrero Virginia , Garrigos Noemí , Molina Tatiana , Codoñer‐Alejos Alan , Segura Ángel , Sánchez‐Heras Ana Beatriz , Castillejo Adela , Soto José Luis 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundLynch syndrome (LS) is a hereditary condition characterized by a high risk of colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, and other neoplasia associated with germline alterations in DNA mismatch repair genes. The classical genetic diagnostic strategy for LS consists of the Sanger sequencing of genes associated with the suspected syndrome. Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) enables the simultaneous sequencing of a large number of hereditary cancer genes. Here, we aimed to study whether other germline pathogenic variants of hereditary cancer genes are present in patients with LS.MethodsA cohort of 84 probands with a previous genetic diagnosis of LS by Sanger sequencing was reanalyzed using NGS via a commercial panel of 94 hereditary cancer genes by hybrid capture. The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics criteria were used to classify the clinical significance of the variants. The findings of NGS were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. When possible, genetic analyses of the new findings in the proband's relatives were also performed by Sanger sequencing.ResultsWe identified five families (6%), out of 84, with at least two germline pathogenic variants conferring to high or moderate risk in different dominant cancer‐predisposing genes: [MLH1‐BRCA2‐NBN], [MLH1‐BRCA1], [MSH2‐ATM], [MSH6‐NF1], and [MLH1‐FANCA]. Interestingly, only one out of these five families exhibited a clinical phenotype associated with the new pathogenic variants. The family with three pathogenic variants of the [MLH1‐BRCA2‐NBN] genes showed a high aggregation of tumors associated with LS and breast and ovarian cancer syndrome.ConclusionsOur results showed that the co‐occurrence of more than one pathogenic variant in cancer‐predisposing genes was remarkable among cases of LS. In most cases, no clinicial manifestations were associated with the secondary pathogenic variants. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate their clinical impact. Reanalysis of LS families should be considered only in families with mixed clinical phenotypes.
Acute appendicitis revealing a diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia
Authors: Ahmad Rita , Ali Elrazi , Okar Lina , Elaiwy Orwa , Abdelrazek Mohamed , Mulikandathil Yahya , Yassin Mohamed 
Published: February 2021

AbstractGastrointestinal manifestations of leukemias have been well recognized. Typically, acute leukemias cause typhlitis or appendicitis more commonly than chronic leukemias. Our case points to appendicitis as possible manifestation of chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Bipolar‐Interface Hydrogen Fuel Cells: A Review and Perspective on Future High‐Performance, Low Platinum‐Group Metal Content Designs
Authors: Seeberger Dominik , Hartert Adrian , Mayerhöfer Britta , Thiele Simon 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis Review elucidates the state‐of‐the‐art, challenges, and future prospects for bipolar‐interface‐based fuel cells (BPIFCs), focusing on hydrogen‐based systems. On the one side, it provides a summary of state‐of‐the‐art design strategies for BPIFCs from different fields of application. On the other hand, it identifies the two most pivotal areas for a future understanding that particularly refer to the changed mass transport situations introduced by the bipolar fuel cell design, that is, the water management and the bipolar interface layer itself. All operation‐relevant components such as the gas diffusion layers, catalyst layers, and membrane designs are discussed within the framework of these two main areas. As non‐platinum‐group metal (PGM) oxygen reduction is one of the key benefits of bipolar hydrogen fuel cells, a particular focus is put on this configuration. Several additional challenges that exclusively originate from non‐PGM‐based catalyst layers and possible mitigation approaches are discussed. One key insight is that these thick layers could take over the role of microporous layers in the future. Finally, we emphasize that there is a strong lack in both theoretical and experimental approaches that improve our understanding of the underlying processes in bipolar fuel cell designs.
Practical considerations for optimising homologous recombination repair mutation testing in patients with metastatic prostate cancer
Authors: Gonzalez David , Mateo Joaquin , Stenzinger Albrecht , Rojo Federico , Shiller Michelle , Wyatt Alexander W , Penault‐Llorca Frédérique , Gomella Leonard G , Eeles Ros , Bjartell Anders 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAnalysis of the genomic landscape of prostate cancer has identified different molecular subgroups with relevance for novel or existing targeted therapies. The recent approvals of the poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors olaparib and rucaparib in the metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) setting signal the need to embed molecular diagnostics in the clinical pathway of patients with mCRPC to identify those who can benefit from targeted therapies. Best practice guidelines in overall biospecimen collection and processing for molecular analysis are widely available for several tumour types. However, there is no standard protocol for molecular diagnostic testing in prostate cancer. Here, we provide a series of recommendations on specimen handling, sample pre‐analytics, laboratory workflow, and testing pathways to maximise the success rates for clinical genomic analysis in prostate cancer. Early involvement of a multidisciplinary team of pathologists, urologists, oncologists, radiologists, nurses, molecular scientists, and laboratory staff is key to enable optimal workflow for specimen selection and preservation at the time of diagnosis so that samples are available for molecular analysis when required. Given the improved outcome of patients with mCRPC and homologous recombination repair gene alterations who have been treated with PARP inhibitors, there is an urgent need to incorporate high‐quality genomic testing in the routine clinical pathway of these patients.
Hepatitis C‐positive Black patients develop hepatocellular carcinoma at earlier stages of liver disease and present with a more aggressive phenotype
Authors: Shaltiel Tali , Zheng Serena , Siderides Cleo , Gleeson Elizabeth M. , Carr Jacquelyn , Pletcher Eric R. , Cohen Noah A. , Golas Benjamin J. , Magge Deepa R. , Labow Daniel M. , Branch Andrea D. , Sarpel Umut 
Published: February 2021

BackgroundIn the United States, mortality after a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is higher in patients who are Black than in patients of other racial groups. The objective of this study was to clarify factors contributing to this disparity by analyzing liver and tumor characteristics in patients with HCC who have a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.MethodsRecords of patients with HCV and HCC at the authors' institution from 2003 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Race and ethnicity were self‐identified. Imaging, laboratory, and pathologic features were compared between Black and non‐Black cohorts.ResultsAmong 1195 individuals with HCC, 390 identified as Black. At the time of HCC diagnosis, Black patients had better liver function, as measured by Child‐Pugh score, Model of End‐Stage Liver Disease score, histology of nontumor tissue, and fibrosis‐4 (FIB‐4) score (all P < .05). FIB‐4 scores were <3.25 in 31% of Black patients. In addition, Black patients had less early stage HCC (20.2% vs 32.3%; P < .05), larger tumors (median [interquartile range]: 3.5 cm [2.2‐6.2 cm] vs 3.1 cm [2.1‐5.1 cm]; P < .01), more multiple tumors (median, [interquartile range]: 1 tumor [1‐3 tumors] vs 1 tumor [1‐2 tumors]; P = .03), more poorly differentiated tumors (30.3% vs 20.5%; P < .05), and more microvascular invasion (67.2% vs 56.5%; P < .05).ConclusionsBlack patients with HCV exposure develop HCC at earlier stages of liver disease than members of other racial groups. Nearly one‐third would not qualify for HCC screening using the common FIB‐4 cirrhosis threshold. Practice guidelines that stress HCC surveillance for cirrhotic patients with HCV may need to be revised to be more inclusive for Black patients. In addition, tumors in Black patients carry worse prognostic features, and molecular studies are needed to characterize their biologic properties.
An unsupervised neural network approach for imputation of missing values in univariate time series data
Authors: Savarimuthu Nickolas , Karesiddaiah Shobha 
Published: February 2021

SummaryHandling missing values in time series data plays a key role in predicting and forecasting, as complete and clean historical data help to achieve higher accuracy. Numerous research works are present in multivariate time series imputation, but imputation in univariate time series data is least considered due to correlated variables unavailability. This article aims to propose an iterative imputation algorithm by clustering univariate time series data, considering the trend, seasonality, cyclical, and residue features of the data. The proposed method uses a similarity based nearest neighbor imputation approach on each clusters for filling missing values. The proposed method is evaluated on publicly available data set from the data market repository and UCI repository by randomly simulating missing patterns under low, moderate, and high missingness rates throughout the data series. The proposed method's outcome is evaluated with the imputeTestbench package with root mean squared error as an error metric and validated through prediction accuracy and concordance correlation coefficient statistical test. Experimental results show that the proposed imputation technique produces closer values to the original time series data set, resulting in low error rates compared with other existing imputation methods.
DNA fingerprinting at farm level to map wheat variety adoption across Nepal
Authors: Garapaty Rijuta , Majumder Rituparna , Thapa Dhruba , Upadhyay Shesh Raman , Baidya Suraj , Basnet Roshan , Bhandari Deepak , Gade Poornima , Paranjape Vijay , Killian Andrzej , Vijayaraghavan Vijay Kannan , Acevedo Maricelis 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWheat is a staple crop in Nepal and is the third major cereal crop grown across the country. To improve productivity and increase the number of farmers growing wheat, the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), since 1962, has been releasing new wheat varieties with higher productivity and disease resistance. Accurate identification of the varieties grown in farmer's fields is critical for assessing the adoption levels and the impact of new varieties. This understanding can change the landscape of the wheat market and the overall vulnerability of the crop to diseases and abiotic stresses. Current methods of identification that rely on farmer description and morphological traits have been associated with ambiguity. The objective of this study was to determine the varietal adoption of wheat in the seven wheat‐growing provinces of Nepal using DNA fingerprinting technology. The study revealed that ‘Gautam’ and ‘Vijay’ are the most popular wheat varieties planted in the plain areas of Nepal. The area covered in these varieties during the 2018–2019 wheat season was 20.3 and 19.5% respectively. ‘WK1204’ was popular and mostly planted in the mountainous areas of Nepal during the October–May cropping season. The decommissioned varieties, including ‘Lerma Roja‐64’, ‘Pitic62’, ‘Kalyansona’, ‘NL‐30’, ‘Siddhartha’, ‘Vaskar’, ‘Vinayak’, ‘Annapurna‐2’, and ‘NL 251’ are still in use by 8% of wheat farmers across Nepal. Almost 38% of the varieties currently grown were released 20 yr ago. The varietal adoption was determined using molecular markers through fingerprinting, and its implications are discussed in this paper.
Control of Molecular Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction by Variation of pH and Functional Groups
Authors: Friedman Ariel , Reddy Samala Nagaprasad , Honig Hilah C. , Tasior Mariusz , Gryko Daniel T. , Elbaz Lior , Grinberg Ilya 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn the search for replacement of the platinum‐based catalysts for fuel cells, MN4 molecular catalysts based on abundant transition metals play a crucial role in modeling and investigation of the influence of the environment near the active site in platinum‐group metal‐free (PGM‐free) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts. To understand how the ORR activity of molecular catalysts can be controlled by the active site structure through modification by the pH and substituent functional groups, the change of the ORR onset potential and the electron number in a broad pH range was examined for three different metallocorroles. Experiments revealed a switch between two different ORR mechanisms and a change from 2e− to 4e− pathway in the pH range of 3.5‐6. This phenomenon was shown by density functional theory (DFT) calculations to be related to the protonation of the nitrogen atoms and carboxylic acid groups on the corroles indicated by the pKa values of the protonation sites in the vicinity of the ORR active sites. Control of the electron‐withdrawing nature of these groups characterized by the pKa values could switch the ORR from the H+ to e− rate‐determining step mechanisms and from 2e− to 4e− ORR pathways and also controlled the durability of the corrole catalysts. The results suggest that protonation of the nitrogen atoms plays a vital role in both the ORR activity and durability for these materials and that pKa of the N atoms at the active sites can be used as a descriptor for the design of high‐performance, durable PGM‐free catalysts.
Angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma masquerading as granulomatous lymphadenitis: Fine needle aspiration cytology, clinical and radiology correlation
Authors: van den Akker Tayler A. , Chen Hua 
Published: February 2021

AbstractFine needle aspiration (FNA) is a minimally invasive technique used in the initial diagnosis of superficial lesions, including lymphadenopathy. Its benefit in lymph node pathology, however, is highly variable, especially in heterogeneous lymphoproliferative disorders like angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma (AITL). AITL is an aggressive hematopoietic malignancy, histologically characterized by medium‐sized neoplastic cells, high endothelial venule proliferations, and a heterogeneous hematolymphoid background. Diagnostic difficulty arises at lymph node FNA, where cytology yields nonspecific polymorphous collections of medium‐sized lymphocytes, hematolymphoid cells, dendritic cell‐lymphoid complexes, and lymphoid tissue fragments with transgressing blood vessels; findings mimicking reactive lymphadenopathy. We present a case of a 62‐year‐old male who presented with cervical lymphadenopathy. Neck level II lymph node FNA revealed granulomatous inflammation. A cell block was prepared for additional infectious studies but was non‐contributory due to lack of material. Flow cytometry showed no evidence of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. Excisional biopsy revealed lymph node effacement by a T‐cell lymphoproliferative disorder consistent with AITL. This case contributes to the paucity of literature regarding the cytologic features of AITL observed at FNA, and becomes the premier case to emphasize the addition of granulomatous features. Despite the aggressive nature of this entity, cases are frequently misdiagnosed as reactive on initial evaluation resulting in delay of treatment. This report serves to raise suspicion of AITL and other polymorphic cellular lymphomas in the setting of reactive granulomatous cytomorphology, thus prompting histological examination of tissue biopsy, expediting treatment, and ultimately providing potential improvement to the current prognosis.