bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in potential evaporation with the extension of water‐saving irrigation in Xinjiang, north‐western China
Authors: Han Songjun , Ren Mengzhi , Liu Dengfeng , Han Congying , Tian Fuqiang , Zhang Baozhong 
Published: May 2024

AbstractSince the late 1990s, the irrigation quota in Xinjiang, northwestern China has witnessed a decline, owing to the widespread adoption of highly efficient water‐saving irrigation technologies. This phenomenon prompts the question: has there been a corresponding impact on potential evaporation? To explore changes in potential evaporation resulting from irrigation advances, we conducted a comprehensive analysis spanning the years 1978–2017 in Xinjiang. Our investigation focused on a pairwise examination of agricultural stations with substantial irrigation effects, enveloped by a substantial proportion of cultivated land, and reference stations with negligible irrigation effects, surrounded by a comparatively smaller proportion of cultivated land. The findings unveiled a noteworthy reduction in potential evaporation at agricultural stations during the period 1978–1997. However, a contrasting trend emerged in the subsequent period of 1998–2017, wherein there was a significant increase in potential evaporation. In contrast, reference stations did not exhibit statistically significant reversals in potential evaporation. The observed changes in potential evaporation at agricultural stations were primarily attributed to shifts in aerodynamic components. These changes were closely associated with the reversed changes in irrigation intensity, a consequence of the widespread adoption of water‐saving irrigation practices since 1998.
Towards non‐invasive tissue hydration measurements with optical coherence tomography
Authors: Neubrand Linda B. , van Leeuwen Ton G. , Faber Dirk J. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe attenuation coefficient () measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used to determine tissue hydration. Previous dual‐wavelength OCT systems could not attain the needed precision, which we attribute to the absence of wavelength‐dependent scattering of tissue in the underlying model. Assuming that scattering can be described using two parameters, we propose a triple/quadrupole‐OCT system to achieve clinically relevant precision in water volume fraction. In this study, we conduct a quantitative analysis to determine the necessary precision of measurements and compare it with numerical simulation. Our findings emphasize that achieving a clinically relevant assessment of a 2% water fraction requires determining the attenuation coefficient with a remarkable precision of 0.01 . This precision threshold is influenced by the chosen wavelength for attenuation measurement and can be enhanced through the inclusion of a fourth wavelength range.
Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Intramuscular Injectable Benzathine Penicillin G in Japanese Healthy Participants
Authors: Li Yinhua , Okayama Akifumi , Hagi Toshiaki , Muto Chieko , Raber Susan , Nagashima Masahito 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAn intramuscular (IM) suspension of benzathine penicillin G (BPG) has been used as first‐line therapy for the treatment of syphilis worldwide since its approval in the 1950s. However, there are limited reports about the pharmacokinetics of BPG. A Phase 1 study was conducted on eight Japanese healthy participants to investigate the pharmacokinetics (samples collected predose to 648 h post‐dose) and safety of 2.4 million units of BPG after a single IM injection. Following administration, penicillin G, the active moiety of BPG, was absorbed slowly from the injection site with a median time to Cmax (tmax) of 48 h post‐dose. After the achievement of Cmax, concentrations of penicillin G declined slowly in a monophasic fashion with a mean apparent terminal half‐life of 189 h. Geometric mean AUCinf and Cmax were 50770 ng•h/mL and 259 ng/mL, respectively. Median time (range) above the well‐accepted therapeutic concentration (18 ng/mL) for syphilis treatment was 561 h (439‐608 h [18‐25 days]), which reached and exceeded the necessary duration of 7‐10 days for syphilis treatment. Two participants were underdosed with residual drug left in the syringe due to the high viscosity of the drug product. Only one (12.5%) participant reported a mild adverse event of nasopharyngitis, which was considered not related to the study treatment. The study results supported BPG approval in Japan as an option for syphilis treatment.
Effects of ungulate‐proof fencing on space use by wild pigs
Authors: Koriakin Kelly , Jolley D. Buck , Smith Benjamin , VerCauteren Kurt C. , Snow Nathan P. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a highly adaptable species that have invaded many regions and cause significant damage throughout the world. Ungulate‐proof fencing is increasingly used in conjunction with other control techniques to manage wild pig populations. However, little is known about how fencing affects wild pig space use behaviors and whether any changes may be exploited to increase efficacy of control activities. Our goal was to understand how wild pigs altered their space use behaviors in response to newly constructed fencing. Specifically, we examined for changes in space use area (home range and core area), increases in overlap with conspecifics, and shifts in space use as ungulate exclusion fencing was constructed on northern Guam from February 2021 to March 2022. Wild pigs closer to the fence had decreased space use. For every 200 m nearer newly constructed fence, home ranges and core areas decreased approximately 15% and 16%, respectively. When individual wild pigs were enclosed by the fence, those animals increased their home range overlap with conspecifics by approximately 76% compared to wild pigs outside the fence. Wild pigs shifted their home ranges 3 to 9 times more during the first part of fence construction when 68% of the fence was completed compared to all other time periods, with male wild pigs shifting greater distances than females by 1.15 times. The construction of ungulate fencing led to smaller space use areas of wild pigs on both sides of the fence and intensified use of the area inside the fence by wild pigs contained within (i.e., more overlap). Management activities nearer the fence should account for decreases in home range and core area size to maximize population control efforts (i.e., more densely spaced trap sites). Enclosed wild pigs should be eradicated quickly to minimize damages to sensitive flora and fauna and decrease disease risk from intensified movement behaviors inside the fence.
“Dissolve‐on‐Demand” 3D Printed Materials: Polymerizable Eutectics for Generating High Modulus, Thermoresponsive and Photoswitchable Eutectogels
Authors: Mutch Alexandra L. , Nahar Yeasmin , Bissember Alex C. , Corrigan Nathaniel , Boyer Cyrille , Oh Xin Yi , Truong Vinh Xuan , Thickett Stuart C. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractSolvent‐free photopolymerization of vinyl monomers to produce high modulus materials with applications in 3D printing and photoswitchable materials is demonstrated. Polymerizable eutectic (PE) mixtures are prepared by simply heating and stirring various molar ratios of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), acrylamide (AAm) and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The structural and thermal properties of the resulting mixtures are evaluated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). UV photocuring kinetics of the PE mixtures is evaluated via in situ photo‐DSC and photorheology measurements. The PE mixtures cure rapidly and display storage moduli that are orders of magnitude greater than equivalent copolymers cured in an aqueous medium. The versatility of these PE systems is demonstrated through the addition of a photoswitchable spiropyran acrylate monomer, as well as applying the PE formulation as a stereolithography (SLA)‐based 3D printing resin. Due to the hydrogen‐bonding network in PE systems, 3D printing of the eutectic resin is possible in the absence of crosslinkers. The addition of a RAFT agent to reduce average polymer chain length enables 3D printing of materials which retain their shape and can be dissolved on demand in appropriate solvents.
Manufacturing studies of a polymeric/composite heart valve prosthesis
Authors: Chen Mary Jialu , Pappas Georgios A. , Smid Caroline C. , Cesarovic Nikola , Falk Volkmar , Ermanni Paolo 
Published: May 2024

AbstractCurrent transcathether heart valves rely on metal mesh stents, resulting in discontinuous stent‐leaflet interfaces that introduce stress concentrations, reducing valve lifetime. This work aims to investigate non‐conventional methods to create a fully polymeric transcatheter heart valve, exhibiting a quasi‐continuous interface with hemocompatible leaflets with high durability potential. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is of particular interest as a cardiovascular material due to hemocompatibility and mechanical resilience, highly relevant for catheter delivered valves. For increased reproducibility and design freedom, an autoclave process was used to manufacture thin‐ply PEEK composite stents. We demonstrated that a suitable membrane material during manufacturing is essential to evenly distribute pressure around the stent. Meanwhile, a modified vacuum forming process was used to simultaneously form and attach PEEK leaflets to the stent using a heated mold. This simple and robust method enables rapid manufacturing of an integral PEEK‐based valve design, resulting in improved stent‐leaflet bonding, demonstrating an alternative to conventional dip‐coating. The customized vacuum forming causes a controlled annealing effect in semicrystalline materials such as PEEK. Processing PEEK leaflets at higher mold temperatures results in higher crystallinity, elastic modulus, and bond strength. These processes enable greater design flexibility and promote composite materials for use in heart valve devices.Highlights
Developed manufacturing processes for PEEK‐based heart valve implants.
Proof of concept for thermoforming of semi‐crystalline PEEK leaflets.
Demonstrated effect of processing temperature on valve mechanical properties.
Autoclave processing and vacuum forming enable new heart valve designs.
Clinical implementation of first trimester screening for congenital heart defects
Authors: Helmbæk Marie Elisabeth , Sundberg Karin , Jørgensen Ditte Staub , Petersen Olav Bjørn , Tolsgaard Martin , Vejlstrup Niels Grove , Harmsen Lotte , Kruse Charlotte , Steensberg Jesper , Vedel Cathrine , Ekelund Charlotte Kvist 
Published: May 2024

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the feasibility and performance of implementing a standardized fetal cardiac scan at the time of a routine first‐trimester ultrasound scan.MethodA retrospective, single‐center study in an unselected population between March 2021 and July 2022. A standardized cardiac scan protocol consisting of a four‐chamber and 3‐vessel trachea view with color Doppler was implemented as part of the routine first‐trimester scan. Sonographers were asked to categorize the fetal heart anatomy. Data were stratified into two groups based on the possibility of evaluating the fetal heart. The influence of maternal and fetal characteristics and the detection of major congenital heart disease were investigated.ResultsA total of 5083 fetuses were included. The fetal heart evaluation was completed in 84.9%. The proportion of successful scans increased throughout the study period from 76% in the first month to 92% in the last month. High maternal body mass index and early gestational age at scan significantly decreased the feasibility. The first‐trimester detection of major congenital heart defects was 7/16, of which four cases were identified by the cardiac scan protocol with no false‐positive cases.ConclusionFirst‐trimester evaluation of the fetal heart by a standardized scan protocol is feasible to implement in daily practice. It can contribute to the earlier detection of congenital heart defects at a very low false positive rate.
Disruption of microRNA pathway core genes inhibits molting and reproduction of the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne
Authors: Yan Yi , Liu De‐Qian , Li Can , Yang Wen‐Jia , Xu Kang‐Kang 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDMicroRNA (miRNA) pathway genes have been widely reported to participate in several physiological events in insect lifecycles. The cigarette beetle Lasioderma serricorne is an economically important storage pest worldwide. However, the functions of miRNA pathway genes in L. serricorne remain to be clarified. Herein, we investigated the function of molting and reproduction of the miRNA pathway in L. serricorne.RESULTSLsDicer‐1, LsArgonaute‐1, LsLoquacious and LsExportin‐5 were universally expressed in adults, whereas LsPasha and LsDrosha were mainly expressed in the pupae. The genes presented different patterns in various tissues. Silencing of LsDicer‐1, LsArgonaute‐1, LsDrosha and LsExportin‐5 resulted in a high proportion of wing deformities and molting defects. Silencing of LsDicer‐1, LsArgonaute‐1, LsPasha and LsLoquacious affected the development of the ovary and the maturation of oocytes, resulting in a significant decrease in fecundity. Further investigation revealed that the decreases in LsDicer‐1 and LsArgonaute‐1 expression destroyed follicular epithelia and delayed vitellogenesis and oocyte development. In addition, the expression levels of several miRNAs (let‐7, let‐7‐5p, miR‐8‐3p, miR‐8‐5p, miR‐9c‐5p, miR‐71, miR‐252‐5p, miR‐277‐3p, miR‐263b and Novel‐miR‐50) were decreased significantly after knockdown of these miRNA pathway core genes, indicating that they played important roles in regulating miRNA‐mediated gene expression.CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that miRNA pathway genes play important roles in the molting, ovarian development and female fecundity of L. serricorne, and thus are potentially suitable target genes for developing an RNAi strategy against a major pest of stored products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Tripartite interactions of an endophytic entomopathogenic fungus, Asian corn borer, and host maize under elevated carbon dioxide
Authors: Sui Li , Zhu Hui , Wang Deli , Zhang Zhengkun , Bidochka Michael J. , Barelli Larissa , Lu Yang , Li Qiyun 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDBiological control of insect pests is encountering an unprecedented challenge in agricultural systems due to the ongoing rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) level. The use of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) in these systems is gaining increased attention, and EPF as crop endophytes hold the potential for combining insect pest control and yield enhancement of crops, but the effects of increased CO2 concentration on this interaction are poorly understood. Here, the introduction of endophytic EPF was explored as an alternative sustainable management strategy benefiting crops under elevated CO2, using maize (Zea mays), Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis), and EPF (Beauveria bassiana) to test changes in damage to maize plants from O. furnacalis, and the nutritional status (content of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), biomass, and yield of maize.RESULTSThe results showed that endophytic B. bassiana could alleviate the damage caused by O. furnacalis larvae for maize plants under ambient CO2 concentration, and this effect was enhanced under higher CO2 concentration. Inoculation with B. bassiana effectively counteracted the adverse impact of elevated CO2 on maize plants by preserving the nitrogen content at its baseline level (comparable with ambient CO2 conditions without B. bassiana). Both simultaneous effects could explain the improvement of biomass and yield of maize under B. bassiana inoculation and elevated CO2.CONCLUSIONThis finding provides key information about the multifaceted benefits of B. bassiana as a maize endophyte. Our results highlight the promising potential of incorporating EPF as endophytes into integrated pest management strategies, particularly under elevated CO2 concentrations. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
A pyramidal residual attention model of short‐term wind power forecasting for wind farm safety
Authors: Wang Hai‐Kun , Du Jiahui , Li Danyang , Chen Feng 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWind power fluctuation significantly impacts the safe and stable operation of the wind farm power grid. As the installed capacity of grid‐connected wind power expands to a certain threshold, these fluctuations can detrimentally affect the wind farm's operations. Consequently, wind power prediction emerges as a critical technology for ensuring safe, stable and efficient wind power generation. To optimize power grid dispatching and enhance wind farm operation and maintenance, precise wind power prediction is essential. In this context, we introduce a joint deep learning model that integrates a compact pyramid structure with a residual attention encoder, aiming to bolster wind farm operational safety and reliability. The model employs a compact pyramid architecture to extract multi‐time scale features from the input sequence, facilitating effective information exchange across different scales and enhancing the capture of long‐term sequence dependencies. To mitigate vanishing gradients, the residual transformer encoder is applied, augmenting the original attention mechanism with a global dot product attention pathway. This approach improves the gradient descent process, making it more accessible without introducing additional hyperparameters. The model's efficacy is validated using a dataset from an actual wind farm in China. Experimental outcomes reveal a notable enhancement in wind power prediction accuracy, thereby contributing to the operational safety of wind farms.
Matrix‐free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging for rapid evaluation of wood biomass conversion
Authors: Nishimura Hiroshi , Watanabe Takashi 
Published: May 2024

AbstractRationaleThis study overcomes traditional biomass analysis limitations by introducing a pioneering matrix‐free laser desorption/ionization (LDI) approach in mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) for efficient lignin evaluation in wood. The innovative acetic acid–peracetic acid (APA) treatment significantly enhances lignin detection, enabling high‐throughput, on‐site analysis.MethodsWood slices, softwood from a conifer tree (Japanese cypress) and hardwood from a broadleaf tree (Japanese beech), were analyzed using MSI with a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. The developed APA treatment demonstrated effectiveness for MSI analysis of biomass.ResultsOur imaging technique successfully distinguishes between earlywood and latewood and enables the distinct visualization of lignin in these and other wood tissues, such as the radial parenchyma. This approach reveals significant contrasts in MSI. It has identified intense ions from β‐O‐4‐type lignin, specifically in the radial parenchyma of hardwood, highlighting the method's precision and utility in wood tissue analysis.ConclusionsThe benefits of matrix‐free LDI include reduced peak overlap, consistent sample quality, preservation of natural sample properties, enhanced analytical accuracy, and reduced operational costs. This innovative approach is poised to become a standard method for rapid and precise biomass evaluation and has important applications in environmental research and sustainable resource management and is crucial for the effective management of diverse biomass, paving the way towards a sustainable, circular society.
Hedyotis diffusa Willd inhibits inflammation and oxidative stress to protect against chronic prostatitis via the NRF2/ARE signaling pathway
Authors: Mo Junfu , Xia Kang , Wu Chaokui 
Published: May 2024

AbstractChronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a common and serious disease with unclear pathogenesis and recurrent symptoms. Hedyotis diffusa Willd (HDW) has been recognized for its potential in managing various chronic inflammatory diseases. This research aimed to interrogate the mechanism of HDW in treating CP/CPPS. Complete Freund Adjuvant (CFA) and LPS were utilized to establish the rat and cell models of CP/CPPS. Results showed that HDW decreased levels of inflammation‐related factors in CP rat prostate tissue and LPS‐elicited RWPE‐1 cell injury model. Moreover, HDW administration impaired oxidative stress in the prostate and RWPE‐1 cells. In addition, HDW treatment activated the NRF2/ARE signaling in rat prostate tissue and cell models. Interestingly, NRF2/ARE pathway inhibitor ML385 reversed the inhibition effects of cell apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress triggered by HDW. In summary, HDW alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress by activating NRF2/ARE signaling in CP/CPPS rat model and human prostate epithelial cell injury model.
Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium isolated from hen eggs and quail eggs in Karaj, Iran
Authors: Yousefi Amin Asghar , Oshaghi Mojgan , Habibi Sina , Bashashati Mohsen , Fallah Mehrabadi Mohammad Hossein , Safavieh Sedigheh Sadat 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackground and aimDifferent Salmonella serotypes are considered one of the most important food pathogens in the world. Poultry meat and eggs are the primary carriers of Salmonella in human populations. This study aimed to estimate the Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium contamination rates of retail hen and quail eggs in Karaj, Iran. Moreover, the antimicrobial resistance patterns of the strains were evaluated, and the efficiency of the standard culture method and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m‐PCR) were compared.Materials and methodsIn this descriptive cross‐sectional study over 1 year (Jan–Dec 2022), 150 commercial and 150 backyard hen eggs and 300 commercial quail eggs, without cracks and fractures, were collected randomly from best selling groceries in Karaj city. All samples were examined for Salmonella contamination independently by standard culture and m‐PCR approaches. A standard disc diffusion method was employed to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains against 18 antimicrobial agents.ResultsOut of 300 examined eggs, 2 S. enteritidis strains were isolated from the shell of backyard hen eggs. The same serotype was also detected in the contents of one of these two eggs. One S. typhimurium was isolated from the shell of a commercial hen egg. Overall, the Salmonella contamination of the shell and contents was 1% and 0.3%, respectively. Salmonella was not isolated from the eggshells or the contents of the quail eggs. There was complete agreement between the results of m‐PCR and the standard culture methods. Among the 18 tested antibiotics, the highest resistance was recorded for colistin (100%), followed by nalidixic acid (75%).ConclusionAs most Salmonella spp. are associated with human food poisoning, continuous surveillance is required to effectively reduce the risk posed by contaminated poultry eggs. Furthermore, mandatory monitoring of antimicrobial use on Iranian poultry farms is recommended.
Accumulated Silence When “Passing the Buck”: Organisational Tensions in Child Welfare Investigations
Authors: Ponnert Lina 
Published: May 2024

AbstractSweden’s child welfare services are characterised by intra-organisational specialisation and collaboration with Barnahus as a standard procedure in cases of child abuse. This chapter examines what happens with social workers’ risk assessments when they are both filtered internally at different units and in relation to Barnahus and a criminal law-oriented logic. Various organisational tensions are discussed, and how they might affect child welfare investigations and practice related to suspected violence. When children disclose violence, the concept of “accumulated silence” is applied to illustrate the multi-layered juridification process, where cases are often passed on between units and professionals. The analysis is based on interviews with social workers from different municipalities in Sweden.