bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Polyploidy in Indian paintbrush (Castilleja; Orobanchaceae) species shapes but does not prevent gene flow across species boundaries
Authors: Hersch‐Green Erika I. 
Published: October 2012

•Premise of study:A difference in chromosome numbers (ploidy variation) between species is usually considered a major barrier to gene flow. Therefore, it is surprising that little is known about whether ploidy variation, both within and among species, influences spatial patterns of interspecific hybridization. The role that polyploidy plays in structuring gene flow patterns between three co‐occurring Indian paintbrush (Castilleja) species is investigated.•Methods:Reciprocal hand pollinations were performed in populations where the three species co‐occurwithandwithoutvariable plants (previous data tested the ancestral “hybrid” history of these variable plants). I measured fruit set, seed production, seed germination, and the DNA content of parent plants and 26 synthesized F1hybrids. Data were combined with pollinator fidelity data to estimate the contribution of individual barriers to reproductive isolation.•Key results:Interspecific gene flow could occur in all directions, but barriers were weaker for conspecific vs. heterospecific crosses. Species were nearly fixed for different ploidy levels, but some deviations occurred, primarily in populations with variable plants. Interspecific gene flow could occur across ploidy levels, but it was more likely when species had the same number of chromosomes or when resulting F1hybrids had even numbers of chromosomes. Postzygotic reproductive barriers were generally weaker than pollinator fidelity.•Conclusions:Polyploidy likely plays a large role in shaping contemporary and historical patterns of gene flow among these species. This study suggests that differences in chromosome numbers among closely related, compatible species might help structure spatial patterns of hybridization.
Juvenile Xanthogranuloma Presenting as Bilateral Non-Infiltrative Extraconal Superior Orbital Tumour in a 27 Year Old Nigerian Woman: Features, Management and Outcome
Authors: Chuka Okosa Michael , Darlinton Anyiam Daniel Chukwuemeka 
Published: October 2012

Introduction Orbital masses in adults are often caused by systemic diseases or are associated with systemic manifestations. Juvenile xanthogranuloma as a cause is rare and unreported in Africa. We present clinical features, management, and outcomes of bilateral orbital adult onset juvenile xanthogranuloma. Case Presentation A 27 year old Nigerian woman presented with bilateral upper-lid lumps having lasted 5 months. These increased in size for about 1 month and stopped. Lid swelling was preceded by itchy eyes, redness of conjunctiva, and occasional mild pain. There were no visual or systemic symptoms. The lumps were firm, slightly mobile, not tender, and not attached to skin but rather to deeper structures. There was restriction on up-gaze but no proptosis or diplopia. Hematological, biochemical, and X-ray investigations were normal. Prednisolone tablets 10 mg daily for two weeks were not useful. Tissue biopsy was invaluable in diagnosis of this rare condition and disclosed juvenile xanthogranuloma. Partial surgical excision was done under lidocaine infiltration. No recurrence has occurred in 40 months of follow-up. No systemic disease has manifested. Conclusion Juvenile xanthogranuloma can present as bilateral superior orbital tumor in adults; functional and cosmetic aims were achieved by sub-total excision.
Decitabine Induced Transient Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report
Authors: De Chitradeep , Phookan Jaya , Parikh Valay , Nagrani Tarun , Lakhani Mayur , Forte Frank , Lafferty James 
Published: October 2012

Case Report A 75-yr-old gentleman, with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus and Acute Myeloid Leukemia presented to our emergency department with a chief complaint of exertional dyspnea and chest pain. A week prior to this visit, he had recieved a cycle of decitabine chemotherapy at 20 mg/metered square for ten days. This was his second cycle of decitabine. His out patient medications included megesterol, omeprazole, morphine sulfate and insulin glargine. The patient was admitted to the Coronary Care Unit for Acute Coronary Syndrome. His cardiac enzymes were elevated (peak troponin 30 ng/mL, CKMB 67.4 ng/mL). His 12 lead EKG revealed sinus tachycardia with a ventricular rate of 113, but without acute ST–T wave changes. The BNP was 259 pg/mL. A 2D echo revealed moderate diffuse hypokinesis with an EF of 35%. He subsequently underwent a left heart catheterization, which showed non-obstructive CAD. In our patient, the elevated troponins (peak troponin 30 ng/mL) and BNP were seen concomitant with the onset of cardiogenic shock. Two months ago, his 2 D echocardiogram revealed an ejection fraction of about 55%–65% with slightly increased left ventricular (LV) wall thickness. Discussion The most common adverse effects of decitabine include cytopenia, nausea, pain and erythema/nodules at the injection site. To date, there has been only one reported case of a hypomethylating agent inducing acute myocarditis. We a present a case of reversible, non-ischemic cardiomyopathy secondary to decitabine chemotherapy, which resolved after the drug was discontinued. Trials involving decitabine for the treatment of MDS reported no myocarditis. In our case, the diagnosis of transient cardiomyopathy was highly probable since the patient's troponins and echocardiogram returned to baseline after discontinuation of treatment. Also, the patient never had any further chest pain at his 6 month follow up. In this case, we believe that the elevated Troponin I levels, along with a cardiac catheterization revealing patent coronary vessels, favor our hypothesis that our patient suffered from acute myocarditis as a result of direct toxicity from decitabine chemotherapy. We doubt that there was an underlying infectious etiology, since the patient had three negative blood cultures, two negative urine cultures and a negative viral serology. Our case demonstrates that chest pains in a patient treated with hypomethylating agents should be further explored in order to rule out acute myocarditis.
FUNCTIONAL DESIGN OF WAVE PROTECTION STRUCTURES AND LAYOUT FOR A SPECIAL SITUATED MARINA
Authors: Weichbrodt Frank , Schlamkow Christian , Haverland Torsten 
Published: October 2012

Between the breakwaters of the harbour entrance of Rostock-Warnemunde, located at the Baltic Coast of Germany, a small marina is situated. In 1999 these breakwaters were modified in order to meet the nautical requirements of larger ships.
From this time on, serious problems for the pleasure boats were observed due to wave disturbance. New structural measures like floating breakwaters and vertical walls
(small length) showed only poor improvements.
The objective of the investigations was the functional design of wave protection structures and a layout able to meet the user requirements on a modern marina with
focus on competitive sailing sports. The investigations were assigned by the Sport Confederation of the Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
To accomplish this objective, numerical simulations as well as small scale hydraulic tests were performed at the University of Rostock.
LAGRANGIAN DROGUE-BASED DRIFTER FOR MONITORING SUSPENDED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IN INTERTIDAL ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Nishi Takahiro , Lemckert Charles , Hayashi Kentaro , Yamada Fumihiko 
Published: October 2012

The in-situ Lagrangian-Acoustic Drogue (LAD) presented by Schacht and Lemckert (2007) for monitoring the temporal and spatial distributions of both the current and the suspended sediment concentration within the estuary environments has been modified to operate in the shallow water intertidal regions. The new drogue, called the LAD for Inter-Tidal environments (LAD-IT), is equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS), a small Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and nephelometer. The small ADCP, which did not have a bottom tracking facility, was used to maximize the range of depths the LAD-IT could operate over. The accuracy of a vertical current profile measured using the LAD-IT was examined through the laboratory experiments conducted at an outdoor stream pool in Kumamoto, Japan, with uni-directional flow conditions, and through the field experiments conducted within an intertidal zone of Ariake Sound in Kumamot, Japan, with multi-directional flow conditions. Under uni- directional flow conditions the current profile was measured within 7% accuracy by summing the surface current velocity calculated using GPS tracking and the relative current profile measured using ADCP. Under multi-directional flow conditions, such as those of tide and wind-induced wave fields, the current profile agreed within 5% accuracy. This was partly because both Eulerian and Lagrangian mass transport velocities under these conditions were on the order of 1cm/s, and thus the error value was very small. The temporal and spatial distributions of both the current velocity and the suspended sediment concentration were also measured using the LAD-IT on the Brisbane River, Australia under uni-directional flow conditions. The field observation results support the conventional concept of the suspended sediment	as a vertical balance between downward suspended sediment settling and upward turbulent diffusion fluxes. The results indicate the LAD-IT is adequate for estimating the sediment settling velocity in the field.
DEVELOPMENT ON OFFSHORE STRUCTURE
Authors: Kouichirou Anno , Nishihata Takeshi 
Published: October 2012

Authors have developed the offshore structure for control of sea environment named S-VHS construction
method, which is composed of the sloping top slit-type caisson and steel pipe piles. The sloping top form enables to
realize the remarkable reduction of wave force exerted on the dike body compared with the conventional one.
In this paper, hydraulic feature with wave dissipation ability and wave force reduction effect are verified
through some hydraulic experiments. After the preliminary study for the valid structure form, reflection and
transmission ability for the selected structure models were tested with the hydraulic experiment relevant to the ratio of
caisson width and wave length. Finally, wave force experiment was executed and it revealed the performance of wave
force reduction. Based on the results, we proposed specific design wave force formula for S-VHS construction method.
Psychosis in Alzheimer Disease and Elevations in Disease-Relevant Biomarkers
Authors: Gomar Jesus J. , Koppel Jeremy 
Published: June 2024

ImportanceThe emergence of psychotic symptoms in Alzheimer disease (AD) is associated with accelerated cognitive and functional decline that may be related to disease pathology.ObjectiveTo investigate the longitudinal dynamics of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (p-tau181) and neurofilament light chain protein (NfL) levels in association with the emergence of psychotic symptoms (delusions and hallucinations) in the context of AD.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study used longitudinal data from the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Baseline analyses compared patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD (both with psychosis [AD+P] and without psychosis [AD-P]) and participants who were cognitively unimpaired (CU). For the longitudinal analysis, participants with MCI and AD were subdivided into patients with evidence of psychosis at baseline (AD+P baseline) and patients free of psychosis at baseline who showed incidence of psychosis over the course of the study (AD+P incident). Study data were analyzed between June and November 2023.ExposuresPlasma p-tau181 and NfL measures in individuals with MCI and AD, both with and without psychosis.Main Outcomes and MeasuresPlasma p-tau181 and NfL quantifications up to 48 months and concurrent assessments of presence or absence of delusions and hallucinations via the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) questionnaire.ResultsThe cohort included 752 participants with AD (mean [SD] age, 74.2 [7.7] years; 434 male [57.7%]). A total of 424 CU participants had a mean (SD) age of 75.4 (6.6) years of whom 222 were female (52.4%). In the longitudinal analysis of p-tau181 trajectories of the AD+P group, the group of patients who showed incidence of psychosis over the course of follow-up (AD+P incident) demonstrated an associated increase in plasma p-tau181 levels compared with the group of patients who had psychosis at baseline (AD+P baseline) and showed an associated decrease in plasma p-tau181 levels (F4, 117 = 3.24; P = .01). The mean slope of p-tau181 change was significantly different in AD+P incident and AD+P baseline groups (F5,746 = 86.76, P &amp;lt; .0001) and when only individuals with amyloid-β positivity (Aβ+), which was determined using positron emission tomography, were compared (F5,455 = 84.60, P &amp;lt; .001). Patients who experienced psychosis at any time had increased levels of NfL relative to those who never experienced psychosis.Conclusions and RelevanceResults of this cohort study suggest that the emergence of psychosis in AD was associated with elevations in plasma levels of p-tau181, highlighting the potential utility of plasma p-tau181 as a biomarker of neuropsychiatric illness in AD, which could have implications for predictive and treatment response strategies.
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Within a National Multispecialty Surgical Quality Improvement Program
Authors: Temple Larissa K. F. , Pusic Andrea L. , Liu Jason B. , Melucci Alexa D. , Collins Courtney E. , Kazaure Hadiza S. , Brajcich Brian C. , Fordham Matthew J. , Lapsley Jakob C. , Ko Clifford Y. 
Published: June 2024

ImportancePatient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly recognized for their ability to promote patient-centered care, but concerted health information technology (HIT)–enabled PROM implementations have yet to be achieved for national surgical quality improvement.ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of collecting PROMs within a national surgical quality improvement program.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis was a pragmatic implementation cohort study conducted from February 2020 to March 2023. Hospitals in the US participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and their patients were included in this analysis.ExposuresStrategies to increase PROM collection rates were identified using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Framework for Spread and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and operationalized with the IHI Model for Improvement’s Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary goal was to accrue more than 30 hospitals and achieve collection rates of 30% or greater in the first 3 years. Logistic regression was used to identify hospital-level factors associated with achieving collection rates of 30% or greater and to identify patient-level factors associated with response to PROMs.ResultsAt project close, 65 hospitals administered PROMs to 130 365 patients (median [IQR] age, 60.1 [46.2-70.0] years; 77 369 female [59.4%]). Fifteen PDSA cycles were conducted to facilitate implementation, primarily targeting the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains of Inner Setting (ie, HIT platform) and Individuals (ie, patients). The target collection rate was exceeded in quarter 3 (2022). Fifty-eight hospitals (89.2%) achieved collection rates of 30% or greater, and 9 (13.8%) achieved collection rates of 50% or greater. The median (IQR) maximum hospital-level collection rate was 40.7% (34.6%-46.7%). The greatest increases in collection rates occurred when both email and short-message service text messaging were used, communications to patients were personalized with their surgeon’s and hospital’s information, and the number of reminders increased from 2 to 5. No identifiable hospital characteristic was associated with achieving the target collection rate. Patient age and insurance status contributed to nonresponse.Conclusions and RelevanceResults of this cohort study suggest that the large-scale electronic collection of PROMs into a national multispecialty surgical registry was feasible. Findings suggest that HIT platform functionality and earning patient trust were the keys to success; although, iterative opportunities to increase collection rates and address nonresponse remain. Future work to drive continuous surgical quality improvement with PROMs are ongoing.
Electronic Transport and Interaction of Lattice Dynamics in Topological Nodalline Semimetal HfAs2 Single Crystals
Authors: Muhammad Zahir , Hussain Ghulam , Islam Rajbul , Zawadzka Natalia , Hossain Md Shafayat , Iqbal Obaid , Babiński Adam , Molas Maciej R. , Xue Fei , Zhang Yue , Hasan M. Zahid , Zhao Weisheng 
Published: June 2024

AbstractTopological semimetals represent a novel class of quantum materials displaying non‐trivial topological states that host Dirac/Weyl fermions. The intersection of Dirac/Weyl points gives rise to essential properties in a wide range of innovative transport phenomena, including extreme magnetoresistance, high mobilities, weak antilocalization, electron hydrodynamics, and various electro‐optical phenomena. In this study, the electronic, transport, phonon scattering, and interrelationships are explored in single crystals of the topological semimetal HfAs2. It reveals a weak antilocalization effect at low temperatures with high carrier density, which is attributed to perfectly compensated topological bulk and surface states. The angle‐resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) results show anisotropic Fermi surfaces and surface states indicative of the topological semimetal, further confirmed by first‐principle density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, the lattice dynamics in HfAs2 are investigated both with the Raman scattering and density functional theory. The phonon dispersion, density of states, lattice thermal conductivity, and the phonon lifetimes are computed to support the experimental findings. The softening of phonons, the broadening of Raman modes, and the reduction of phonon lifetimes with temperature suggest the enhancement of phonon anharmonicity in this new topological material, which is crucial for boosting the thermoelectric performance of topological semimetals.
Fully 2D Materials‐Based Resistive Switching Circuits for Advanced Data Encryption
Authors: Han Tingting , Aguirre Fernando , Zhu Kaichen , Yuan Bin , Pazos Sebastian , Zhang Nan , Wang Sui‐Dong , Li Shaojuan , Lanza Mario 
Published: June 2024

AbstractData encryption is an essential building block in modern electronic systems to prevent spying and hacking. Every day more and more objects produce electronic data, and this needs to be encrypted before being transmitted. Hence, designing devices, circuits, and systems for data encryption that can be integrated in all kinds of objects and that consume low amounts of energy is highly necessary. Here, this work reports the fabrication of flexible and transparent electronic circuits consisting of devices that exhibit threshold‐type resistive switching with a high degree of stochasticity. The cycle‐to‐cycle variability of switching voltages and state currents is significant but confined within a well‐defined range, which is consistent across multiple devices. This allows to design an efficient protocol for true random number generation. The circuits are fabricated with only synthetic 2D materials, can be fabricated in a scalable manner, and can be integrated in any object.
Synthesis of Ti1‐xWx Solid Solution MAX Phases and Derived MXenes for Sodium‐Ion Battery Anodes
Authors: Ratzker Barak , Favelukis Bar , Baranov Mark , Rathod Yugal , Greenberg Avia , Messer Or , Goldstein Dor A. , Upcher Alexander , Ezersky Vladimir , Maman Nitzan , Biran Ido , Natu Varun , Sokol Maxim 
Published: June 2024

AbstractA distinguishing feature of MAX phases and their MXene derivatives is their remarkable chemical diversity. This diversity, coupled with the 2D nature of MXenes, positions them as outstanding candidates for a wide range of electrochemical applications. Chemical disorder introduced by a solid solution can improve electrochemical behavior. Up to now, adding considerable amount of tungsten (W) in MAX phase and MXenes solid solutions, which can enhance electrochemical performance, proved challenging. In this study, the synthesis of M site Ti1‐xWx solid solution MAX phases are reported. The 211‐type (Ti1‐xWx)2AlC exhibits a disordered solid solution, whereas the 312‐type (Ti1‐xWx)3AlC2 displays a near‐ordered structure, resembling o‐MAX, with W atoms preferentially occupying the outer planes. Solid‐solution MXenes, Ti2.4W0.6C2Tz, and Ti1.6W0.4CTz, are synthesized via selective etching of high‐purity MAX powder precursors containing 20% W. These MXenes are evaluated as sodium‐ion battery anodes, with Ti1.6W0.4CTz showing exceptional capacity, outperforming existing multilayer MXene chemistries. This work not only demonstrates the successful integration of W in meaningful quantities into a double transition metal solid solution MAX phase, but also paves the way for the development of cost‐effective MXenes containing W. Such advancements significantly widen their application spectrum by fine‐tuning their physical, electronic, mechanical, electrochemical, and catalytic properties.
Size‐Dependent Photocatalytic Reactivity of Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanoparticles
Authors: Kim Seunghyeon , Zhou Xin , Li Yungui , Yang Qiqi , Liu Xiaomin , Graf Robert , Blom Paul W. M. , Ferguson Calum T. J. , Landfester Katharina 
Published: June 2024

AbstractParticle size is a critical factor for improving photocatalytic reactivity of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) as mass transfer in the porous materials is often the rate‐limiting step. However, due to the synthetic challenge of controlling the size of CMPs, the impact of particle size is yet to be investigated. To address this problem, a simple and versatile dispersion polymerization route that can synthesize dispersible CMP nanoparticles with controlled size from 15 to 180 nm is proposed. Leveraging the precise control of the size, it is demonstrated that smaller CMP nanoparticles have dramatically higher photocatalytic reactivity in various organic transformations, achieving more than 1000% enhancement in the reaction rates by decreasing the size from 180 to 15 nm. The size‐dependent photocatalytic reactivity is further scrutinized using a kinetic model and transient absorption spectroscopy, revealing that only the initial 5 nm‐thick surface layer of CMP nanoparticles is involved in the photocatalytic reactions because of internal mass transfer limitations. This finding substantiates the potential of small CMP nanoparticles to efficiently use photo‐generated excitons and improve energy‐efficiency of numerous photocatalytic reactions.