bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How soil texture, channel shape and cross‐sectional area affect moisture dynamics and water loss in irrigation channels
Authors: Mu Zhifan , Li Tianxiao , Liu Dong , Fu Qiang , Hou Renjie , Li Qinglin , Ji Yi , Cui Song , Li Mo 
Published: April 2021

AbstractTo enhance the utilization efficiency of farmland irrigation water and reduce the leakage of water conveyance channels, the leakage process of channels was simulated dynamically. The simulated results were compared with data measured in laboratory experiments, and the performance of the model was evaluated. The results indicated that the simulated values of the model were consistent with the observation values, and the R2 values varied between 0.91 and 0.99. In addition, based on the laboratory experiments, a water supply system (Mariotte bottles) and soil box were built using plexiglass. Three influencing factors, namely, the channel form, soil texture and channel cross‐sectional area, were varied to observe and calculate the resulting cumulative infiltration amount, infiltration rate and wetting front migration distance. HYDRUS‐3D software was used to solve the three‐dimensional soil water movement equation under different initial conditions. The results demonstrated that the U‐shaped channel was more effective than the trapezoidal channel in increasing the utilization efficiency of the water resources. A U‐shaped channel with a small channel cross‐sectional area should be adopted and the soil particle size should be prioritized in the construction of water conveyance channels for farmlands. The simulation results were in agreement with the observed results, which indicates that HYDRUS‐3D is a reliable tool that can accurately simulate the soil moisture movement in water conveyance channels. The research results can provide a reference for the design and operation of farmland irrigation systems.
Fine scale mapping of fractional tree canopy cover to support river basin management
Authors: Gao Sicong , Castellazzi Pascal , Vervoort R. Willem , Doody Tanya M. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractManagement of water, regionally, nationally and globally will continue to be a priority and complex undertaking. In riverine systems, biotic components like flora and fauna play critical roles in filtering water so it is available for human use and consumption. Preservation of ecosystems and associated ecosystem functions is therefore vital. In highly regulated large river basins, natural ecosystems are often supported through provision of environmental flows. Flow delivery, however, should be underpinned by rigorous monitoring to identify and prioritise biotic water requirements. Currently, large‐scale monitoring solutions are scaled from remote sensing data via measurement of field evapotranspiration for woody tree vegetation species. However, as there is generally a mismatch between field data collection area and remote sensing pixel size, new methods are required to proportion tree evapotranspiration based on tree fractional canopy area per pixel. We present a novel method to derive tree fractional canopy cover (FTCC) at 20 m resolution in semi‐arid and arid floodplain areas. The method employs LiDAR as a canopy area field measurement proxy (10 m resolution). We used Sentinel‐1 and Sentinel‐2 (radar and multispectral imagery) in a Random Forest analysis, undertaken to develop a predictive FTCC model trained using LiDAR for two regions in the Murray–Darling Basin. A predictor model combining the results of both regions was able to explain between 71%–85% of FTCC variation when compared to LiDAR FTCC when output in 10% increments. Development of this method underpins the advancement of woody vegetation monitoring to inform environmental flow management in the Murray–Darling Basin. The method and fine scale outputs will also be of value to other catchment management concerns such as altered catchment water yields related to bushfires and as such has application to water management worldwide.
Lutz Creek watershed, Barro Colorado Island, Republic of Panama
Authors: Larsen Matthew C. , Stallard Robert F. , Paton Steven 
Published: April 2021

AbstractLutz creek is a small (9.69 ha) catchment located on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), a 1500‐ha island in Lake Gatún, the principal freshwater reservoir (425 ha, 26 m above sea level) of the Panama Canal watershed in central Panama. In 1972, a concrete V‐notch weir was installed on the creek, located at 9°09′42.8358″N, 79°50′15.6699″W, and hydrological record keeping began. The island was first established as a research station in 1923 and precipitation data collection was initiated in 1925. A meteorological tower, installed in 1972 and located a few meters from the weir, is currently instrumented to collect air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, evapotranspiration and solar radiation. In addition, since 1972, gravimetric soil moisture has been measured at least biweekly at 10 sites located throughout the Lutz Catchment above the location of the weir. Data collection and the administration of BCI are the responsibility of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI; https://stri.si.edu) which funds the data collection and storage. Data are in the public domain, entitled ‘Lutz Watershed And Meteorological Tower’ and are available at the STRI Physical monitoring website https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/physical_monitoring/.
Propagating uncertainty from catchment experiments to estimates of streamflow reduction by invasive alien plants in southwestern South Africa
Authors: Moncrieff Glenn R. , Slingsby Jasper A. , Le Maitre David C. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractLong‐term catchment experiments from South Africa have demonstrated that afforestation of grasslands and shrublands significantly reduces surface‐water runoff. These results have guided the country's forestry policy and the implementation of a national Invasive Alien Plant (IAP) control programme for the past few decades. Unfortunately, woody IAP densities continue to increase, compounding existing threats to water security from population growth and climatic change. Decision makers need defensible estimates of the impacts of afforestation or invasions on runoff to weigh up alternative land use options, or guide investment of limited resources into ecosystem restoration through IAP clearing versus engineering‐based water‐augmentation schemes. Existing attempts to extrapolate the impacts observed in catchment afforestation experiments to broad‐scale IAP impacts give no indication of uncertainty. Globally, the uncertainty inherent in the results from paired‐catchment experiments is seldom propagated into subsequent analyses making use of these data. We present a fully reproducible Bayesian model that propagates uncertainty from input data to final estimates of changes in streamflow when extrapolating from catchment experiments to broader landscapes. We apply our model to South Africa's catchment experiment data, estimating streamflow losses to plantations and analogous plant invasions in the catchments of southwestern South Africa, including uncertainty. We estimate that regional streamflow is reduced by 304 million m3 or 4.14% annually as a result of IAPs, with an upper estimate of 408 million m3 (5.54%) and a lower estimate of 267 million m3 (3.63%). Our model quantifies uncertainty associated with all parameters and their contribution to overall uncertainty, helping guide future research needs. Acknowledging and quantifying inherent uncertainty enables more defensible decisions regarding water resource management.
Cotton canopy reflectance under variable solar zenith angles: Implications of use in evapotranspiration models
Authors: Neale Christopher M. U. , Gonzalez‐Dugo Maria P. , Serrano‐Perez Angelica , Campos Isidro , Mateos Luciano 
Published: April 2021

AbstractEvapotranspiration (ET) is an important parameter in hydrologic processes and modelling. In agricultural watersheds with competing uses of fresh water including irrigated agriculture, estimating crop evapotranspiration (ETc) accurately is critical for improving irrigation system and basin water management. The use of remote sensing‐based basal crop coefficients is becoming a common method for estimating crop evapotranspiration for multiple crops over large areas. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), based on reflectance in the red and near‐infrared bands, are commonly used for this purpose. In this paper, we examine the effects of row crop orientation and soil background darkening due to shading and soil surface wetness on these two vegetation indices through modelling, coupled with a field experiment where canopy reflectance of a cotton crop at different solar zenith angles, was measured with a portable radiometer. The results show that the NDVI is significantly more affected than the SAVI by background shading and soil surface wetness, especially in north–south oriented rows at higher latitudes and could lead to a potential overestimation of crop evapotranspiration and irrigation water demand if used for basal crop coefficient estimation. Relationships between the analysed vegetation indices and canopy biophysical parameters such as crop height, fraction of cover and leaf area index also were developed for both indices.
Cervical lesion assessment using real‐time microendoscopy image analysis in Brazil: The CLARA study
Authors: Hunt Brady , Fregnani José Humberto Tavares Guerreiro , Brenes David , Schwarz Richard A. , Salcedo Mila P. , Possati‐Resende Júlio César , Antoniazzi Márcio , de Oliveira Fonseca Bruno , Santana Iara Viana Vidigal , de Macêdo Matsushita Graziela , Castle Philip E. , Schmeler Kathleen M. , Richards‐Kortum Rebecca 
Published: April 2021

AbstractWe conducted a prospective evaluation of the diagnostic performance of high‐resolution microendoscopy (HRME) to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in women with abnormal screening tests. Study participants underwent colposcopy, HRME and cervical biopsy. The prospective diagnostic performance of HRME using an automated morphologic image analysis algorithm was compared to that of colposcopy using histopathologic detection of CIN as the gold standard. To assess the potential to further improve performance of HRME image analysis, we also conducted a retrospective analysis assessing performance of a multi‐task convolutional neural network to segment and classify HRME images. One thousand four hundred eighty‐six subjects completed the study; 435 (29%) subjects had CIN Grade 2 or more severe (CIN2+) diagnosis. HRME with morphologic image analysis for detection of CIN Grade 3 or more severe diagnoses (CIN3+) was similarly sensitive (95.6% vs 96.2%, P = .81) and specific (56.6% vs 58.7%, P = .18) as colposcopy. HRME with morphologic image analysis for detection of CIN2+ was slightly less sensitive (91.7% vs 95.6%, P < .01) and specific (59.7% vs 63.4%, P = .02) than colposcopy. Images from 870 subjects were used to train a multi‐task convolutional neural network‐based algorithm and images from the remaining 616 were used to validate its performance. There were no significant differences in the sensitivity and specificity of HRME with neural network analysis vs colposcopy for detection of CIN2+ or CIN3+. Using a neural network‐based algorithm, HRME has comparable sensitivity and specificity to colposcopy for detection of CIN2+. HRME could provide a low‐cost, point‐of‐care alternative to colposcopy and biopsy in the prevention of cervical cancer.
The genomic landscape of young and old lung cancer patients highlights age‐dependent mutation frequencies and clinical actionability in young patients
Authors: Cai Lei , Chen Yong , Tong Xiaoling , Wu Xue , Bao Hua , Shao Yang , Luo Zhuang , Wang Xuming , Cao Yang 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe aim of the study was to investigate age‐dependent tendency of genomic alterations in lung cancer, and also to examine mutational profiles and its association with clinical treatment outcomes in young adenocarcinoma patients. By studying 7858 lung cancer samples using targeted‐gene sequencing, we investigated genomic differences and clinical on‐treatment time (OTT) to different therapies between young (≤ 45 years) and old (> 45 years) patients. The age‐dependent trend test for genomic alterations in all patients revealed steady increases in tumor mutation burden and alterations in a number of genes with age, including KRAS, MET, CDKN2A, PIK3CA and MDM2, while the frequencies of ALK, ROS1 and RET fusions and ERBB2 mutations were decreasing. The highest rate of EGFR alterations was observed in the 45 ~ 50 years age group. Comparisons of young and old adenocarcinoma patients found that young patients were characterized by a higher prevalence of ALK, ROS1 and RET fusions, and ERBB2 exon‐20 insertions and EGFR exon‐19 deletions. Actionable mutations were highly prevalent in young adenocarcinoma patients, with 88% of patients harboring at least one actionable genetic alteration. First‐line therapies in EGFR‐positive patients (n = 979) by EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors or chemotherapy resulted in similar OTT between young and old patients. Somatic interaction analyses implied that young EGFR‐positive patients were more likely to also have PIK3CA, MET, TP53 and RB1 mutations than old patients. Lung cancer in young patients, and especially those with adenocarcinoma, exhibited different clinical features and genomic attributes compared to old patients, which should be considered for therapeutic decision‐making purposes.
Measures of longitudinal adherence to fecal‐based colorectal cancer screening: Literature review and recommended approaches
Authors: Doria‐Rose V. Paul , Lansdorp‐Vogelaar Iris , McCarthy Sharon , Puricelli‐Perin Douglas M. , Butera Vicent , Segnan Nereo , Taplin Stephen H. , Senore Carlo 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe success of fecal occult blood‐based colorectal cancer screening programs is dependent on repeating screening at short intervals (ie, every 1‐2 years). We conducted a literature review to assess measures that have been used to assess longitudinal adherence to fecal‐based screening. Among 46 citations identified and included in this review, six broad classifications of longitudinal adherence were identified: (a) stratified single‐round attendance, (b) all possible adherence permutations, (c) consistent/inconsistent/never attendance, (d) number of times attended, (e) program adherence and (f) proportion of time covered. Advantages and disadvantages of these measures are described, and recommendations on which measures to use based on data availability and scientific question are also given. Stratified single round attendance is particularly useful for describing the yield of screening, while programmatic adherence measures are best suited to evaluating screening efficacy. We recommend that screening programs collect detailed longitudinal, individual‐level data, not only for the screening tests themselves but additionally for diagnostic follow‐up and surveillance exams, to allow for maximum flexibility in reporting adherence patterns using the measure of choice.
Methods used to measure maternal mortality in Sub‐Saharan Africa from 1980 to 2020: A systematic literature review
Authors: Musarandega Reuben , Machekano Rhoderick , Munjanja Stephen Peter , Pattinson Robert 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBackgroundGobally, Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) has the largest maternal mortality burden, but the region lacks accurate data.ObjectiveTo review methods historically used to measure maternal mortality in SSA to inform future study methods.Search strategyWe searched databases: PubMed, Medline, WorldCat and CINHAL, using keywords "maternal mortality," "pregnancy‐related death," "reproductive age mortality," "ratio," "rate," and "risk," using Boolean operators "OR" and "AND" to combine the search terms.Selection criteriaWe searched for empirical and analytical studies that: (1) measured maternal mortality levels, (2) were in SSA, (3) reported original results, and (4) were not duplicate studies. We included studies published in English since 1980.Data collection and analysisWe screened the studies using titles and abstracts, reading the full text of selected studies. We analyzed the estimates and strengths, and limitations of the methods.Main resultsWe identified 96 studies that used nine methods: demographic surveillance (n = 4), health record reviews (n = 18), confidential enquiries and maternal death surveillance and response (n = 7), prospective cohort (n = 9), reproductive age mortality survey (RAMOS) (n = 6), sisterhood method (n = 35), mixed methods (n = 4), and mathematical modeling (n = 13).ConclusionSisterhood method studies and RAMOS studies that combined institutional records and community data produced maternal mortality ratios more comparable with WHO estimates.
Postpartum retained products of conception: Is it possible to avoid postpartum curettage?
Authors: Nir Arava , Mor Matan , Yekutiel Matar , Eisenberg Neta , Smorgick Noam 
Published: April 2021

AbstractObjectiveRemoval of retained products of conception (RPOC) by suction curettage or hysteroscopy may be required in the postpartum period, possibly causing intrauterine adhesions. We investigated whether rates of suction curettage, hysteroscopy, and postoperative intrauterine adhesions have changed over time.MethodsParturients considered at risk for RPOC were followed in a specialized postpartum clinic with sequential ultrasound scans. We compared the rates of women requiring surgical procedures for RPOC removal and rates of postoperative intrauterine adhesions between two 2‐year periods: 2011–2012 (“early period”) and 2016–2017 (“late period”).ResultsThe overall rates of women requiring a surgical procedure for removal of RPOC did not differ between the early and late periods (38/762 [5.0%] vs 41/732 [5.6%], respectively, P = 0.595). However, removal of RPOC by suction curettage decreased significantly over time whereas removal by hysteroscopy increased (P = 0.022). Intrauterine adhesions were diagnosed in 7 of 38 women (18.4%) who underwent a surgical procedure for RPOC removal in the early period, but none of the patients operated on in the late period developed intrauterine adhesions (P = 0.004).ConclusionRemoval of RPOC in postpartum women may be completed by hysteroscopy in most cases, significantly reducing the need for postpartum curettage and the rates of postoperative intrauterine adhesions.
Evaluation of the effect of 3D porous Chitosan‐alginate scaffold stiffness on breast cancer proliferation and migration
Authors: Le Minh‐Chau N. , Xu Kailei , Wang Zi , Beverung Sean , Steward Robert L. , Florczyk Stephanie J. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBreast cancer (BCa) is one of the most common cancers for women and metastatic BCa causes the majority of deaths. The extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffens during cancer progression and provides biophysical signals to modulate proliferation, morphology, and metastasis. Cells utilize mechanotransduction and integrins to sense and respond to ECM stiffness. Chitosan‐alginate (CA) scaffolds have been used for 3D culture, but lack integrin binding ligands, resulting in round cell morphology and limited cell‐material interaction. In this study, 2, 4, and 6 wt% CA scaffolds were produced to mimic the stages of BCa progression and evaluate the BCa response to CA scaffold stiffness. All three CA scaffold compositions highly porous with interconnected pores and scaffold stiffness increased with increasing polymer concentration. MDA‐MB‐231 (231) cells were cultured in CA scaffolds and 2D cultures for 7 d. All CA scaffold cultures had similar cell numbers at 7 d and the 231 cells formed clusters that increased in size during the culture. The 2 wt% CA had the largest clusters throughout the 7 d culture compared with the 4 and 6 wt% CA. The 231 cell migration was evaluated on 2D surfaces after 7 d culture. The 6 wt% CA cultured cells had the greatest migration speed, followed by 4 wt% CA, 2D cultures, and 2 wt% CA. These results suggest that 231 cells sensed the stiffness of CA scaffolds without the presence of focal adhesions. This indicates that a non‐integrin‐based mechanism may explain the observed mechanotransduction response.
An organic dye containing electron‐rich cyclopentadithiophene for dye‐sensitized solar cells with an efficiency over 28% at 6,000 lux
Authors: Wubie Gebremariam Zebene , Desta Mekonnen Abebayehu , Weldekirstos Hulugirgesh Degefu , Lee Mandy M. , Wu Wen‐Ti , Li Sie‐Rong , Sun Shih‐Sheng 
Published: April 2021

AbstractTwo new dyes MA1114 and GZ152 were synthesized to study the effect of conjugated π‐spacers on a D‐A‐π‐A structural framework for dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The thiophene and cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT) units were introduced as an extended π‐conjugation for MA1114 and GZ152 dyes, respectively. The DSSCs based on GZ152 dye achieved an efficiency of 8.61% under standard one sun irradiation and 28.31% under 6,000 lux illumination. Introducing an electron‐rich CPDT as the extended π‐conjugated spacer prevails a broad absorption spectral profile, a high dye loading, and an excellent injection efficiency, which all contribute to excellent device performance.
Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling and Simulations of Imipenem in Burn Patients With and Without Continuous Venovenous Hemofiltration in the Military Health System
Authors: Por Elaine D. , Akers Kevin S. , Chung Kevin K. , Livezey Jeffrey R. , Selig Daniel J. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractContinuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) is a life‐sustaining procedure in patients with severe burns and acute kidney injury. Physiologic changes from burn injury and use of CVVH may alter imipenem pharmacokinetics (PK). We aimed to compare imipenem clearance (CL) in burn patients with and without CVVH, determine the effect of burn on imipenem volume of distribution (CVVH, n = 12; no CVVH, n = 11), in combination with previously published models. Model qualification was performed with standard diagnostics and comparing predicted PK parameters/time‐concentration profiles with those in the existing literature. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to evaluate the probability of target attainment. A 2‐compartment model best described the data. Utilizing albumin as a covariate on volume parameters and leveraging the clearance model from prior literature, our model predicted imipenem central volume and CL within a 10% margin of error across healthy, renally impaired, and burn populations. We provide direct comparison of imipenem CL in burn patients with and without CVVH. Notably, there was no significant difference. Large imipenem Vd in patients with severe burns is likely explained by increased capillary permeability, for which serum albumin may be a reasonable surrogate. Dosing 500 mg every 6 hours is adequate for burn patients on renally dosed CVVH; however, suspicion of augmented renal clearance or patients placed on CVVH without renal impairment may necessitate dosing of 1000 mg every 6 hours.