bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pyrogeography in flux: Reorganization of Australian fire regimes in a hotter world
Authors: Cunningham Calum X. , Williamson Grant J. , Nolan Rachael H. , Teckentrup Lina , Boer Matthias M. , Bowman David M. J. S. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractChanges to the spatiotemporal patterns of wildfire are having profound implications for ecosystems and society globally, but we have limited understanding of the extent to which fire regimes will reorganize in a warming world. While predicting regime shifts remains challenging because of complex climate–vegetation–fire feedbacks, understanding the climate niches of fire regimes provides a simple way to identify locations most at risk of regime change. Using globally available satellite datasets, we constructed 14 metrics describing the spatiotemporal dimensions of fire and then delineated Australia's pyroregions—the geographic area encapsulating a broad fire regime. Cluster analysis revealed 18 pyroregions, notably including the (1) high‐intensity, infrequent fires of the temperate forests, (2) high‐frequency, smaller fires of the tropical savanna, and (3) low‐intensity, diurnal, human‐engineered fires of the agricultural zones. To inform the risk of regime shifts, we identified locations where the climate under three CMIP6 scenarios is projected to shift (i) beyond each pyroregion's historical climate niche, and (ii) into climate space that is novel to the Australian continent. Under middle‐of‐the‐road climate projections (SSP2‐4.5), an average of 65% of the extent of the pyroregions occurred beyond their historical climate niches by 2081–2100. Further, 52% of pyroregion extents, on average, were projected to occur in climate space without present‐day analogues on the Australian continent, implying high risk of shifting to states that also lack present‐day counterparts. Pyroregions in tropical and hot‐arid climates were most at risk of shifting into both locally and continentally novel climate space because (i) their niches are narrower than southern temperate pyroregions, and (ii) their already‐hot climates lead to earlier departure from present‐day climate space. Such a shift implies widespread risk of regime shifts and the emergence of no‐analogue fire regimes. Our approach can be applied to other regions to assess vulnerability to rapid fire regime change.
Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio reflects tumour‐infiltrating lymphocytes and tumour‐associated macrophages and independently predicts poor outcome in breast cancers with neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Li Joshua J X , Ni Shelly Y B , Tsang Julia Y S , Chan Wai Yin , Hung Ray K W , Lui Joshua W H , Ng Sally W Y , Shum Leong Kwong , Tang Ying Fei , Tse Gary M 
Published: January 2024

AimsThe neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a systemic reflection of cancer‐associated inflammation and a prognostic marker for breast cancer. For the local tumour microenvironment, tumour‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are also highly correlated with breast cancer survival. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the circulating and local immune microenvironment, and to further delineate the prognostic role of NLR in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).MethodsA cohort of breast cancer patients receiving NAC with subsequent surgery was retrieved. Clinical data were reviewed. Histological slides and CD8 immunohistochemistry from biopsy (pre‐chemotherapy) and excision (postchemotherapy) specimens were assessed for TILs and TAMs.ResultsA total of 146 patients were included. There was a significant positive correlation between pre‐ and postsurgery NLR at a cut‐off of 2.6 (median pre‐chemotherapy NLR) (P < 0.001). NLR pre‐chemotherapy was associated positively with necrosis on biopsy (P = 0.027) and excision (P = 0.021) and TAMs on excision (P = 0.049). NLR 1 year postsurgery was associated with high tumour stage (P = 0.050) and low histological grade (P = 0.008). TIL count was lower in NLR‐high cases at almost all time‐points by histological assessment and CD8 immunostaining (P < 0.050). In multivariate analysis, postsurgery NLR is an independent predictor for overall survival [OS; hazard ratio (HR) = 9.524, P < 0.001], breast cancer‐specific survival (BCSS) (HR = 10.059, P = 0.001) and disease‐free survival (DFS; HR = 2.824, P = 0.016).ConclusionsThe association between NLR with tumour necrosis, TAMs and TILs illustrates an interaction between the circulating and local immune microenvironment. Late NLR is a strong indicator of outcome and may be useful for prognostication and disease monitoring.
Lymph node regression after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer
Authors: Ozturk Sonay K , Martinez Cristina G , Mens David , Verhoef Cornelis , Tosetto Miriam , Sheahan Kieran , de Wilt Johannes H W , Hospers Geke A P , van de Velde Cornelis J H , Marijnen Corrie A M , van der Post Rachel S , Nagtegaal Iris D 
Published: January 2024

AimsLymph node metastases (LNM) are one of the most important prognostic indicators in solid tumours and a major component of cancer staging. Neoadjuvant therapy might influence nodal status by induction of regression. Our aim is to determine the prevalence and role of regression of LNM on outcomes in patients with rectal cancer.Methods and resultsFour independent study populations of rectal cancer patients treated with similar regimens of chemoradiotherapy were pooled together to obtain a total cohort of 469 patients. Post‐treatment nodal status (ypN) and signs of tumour regression (Reg) were incorporated to form three‐tiered (ypN− Reg+, ypN− Reg− and ypN+) and four‐tiered (ypN− Reg+, ypN− Reg−, ypN+ Reg+ and ypN+ Reg−) classifications. In our cohort, 31% of patients presented with ypN+ rectal cancer. As expected, we found significantly worse overall survival (OS) in ypN+ patients compared to ypN− patients (P = 0.002). The percentage of ypN− patients with lymph nodes with complete regression was 20% in our cohort. While node‐negative patients with and without regression had similar OS (P = 0.09), disease‐free survival (DFS) was significantly better in node‐negative patients with regression (P = 0.009).ConclusionsRegression in lymph nodes is frequent, and node‐negative patients with evidence of lymph node regression have better DFS compared to node‐negative patients without such evidence.
Markedly increased duodenal villous surface apoptosis in patients taking pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against human immunodeficiency virus
Authors: Hutchings Danielle A , Larson Brent K , Guindi Maha , Waters Kevin M 
Published: January 2024

AimsPre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) consists of combination antiretroviral therapy and is increasingly utilized to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in high‐risk populations. Two index cases noted during routine care showed markedly increased duodenal villous surface apoptosis in patients on PrEP. We sought to examine the prevalence of this finding and identify any clinicopathologic correlations.MethodsGastrointestinal biopsy specimens from 23 male patients aged 18–40 years taking PrEP and 23 control patients were reviewed. Patients with HIV, inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases, and celiac disease were excluded. Apoptoses were counted on surface epithelium and deep crypts. The highest apoptotic body count per tissue fragment was recorded. Clusters were defined as groups of ≥5 apoptoses. Apoptotic counts between patients taking PrEP and controls were compared using t‐tests.ResultsIn PrEP patients, the median age was 35 years (range 25–40) and 83% (19/23) were white. The control patients were demographically similar (median age: 32 years [range 23–40]; 70% [16/23] white). Duodenal apoptosis in villous surface epithelium was increased in PrEP patients, with 14/23 (60.9%) patients having ≥10 surface apoptoses compared to 2/23 (8.7%) controls (P = 2.1 × 10−3) and 14/23 (61%) having clusters compared to 3/23 (13%) controls (P = 2.0 × 10−3). There was no significant association between increased surface apoptosis or clusters and clinical symptoms or duration of PrEP use.ConclusionMarkedly increased villous surface apoptosis, particularly in clusters, is often seen in the duodenum of patients taking PrEP. Although the mechanism and significance are unknown, knowledge of this peculiar finding may prevent unnecessary additional testing.
Magmatic processes forming replacement textures with fluorite alignments in feldspars in an evolved trachyte from Oki‐Dogo Island, Sea of Japan
Authors: Nakano Satoshi , Makino Kuniaki 
Published: January 2024

AbstractInternal microtextures of ternary alkali feldspars in sanidine trachyte from Oki‐Dogo Island were examined using an electron microprobe analyzer, a scanning electron microscope, a transmission electron microscope and cathodoluminescence instruments, to develop the understanding of volcanic processes of alkaline magmas related to feldspar crystallization. The examined trachyte is an evolved rock of the Oki‐Dogo Pliocene trachyte group. Its phenocryst feldspars are commonly associated with lamellar‐wavy‐domain textures with scales approximately from 100 nm up to several hundreds of μm that show complex and gradual variations in composition: however, anti‐rapakivi zoning textures common in other Oki‐Dogo alkaline rocks are almost completely absent in the trachyte. These textures are produced by extensive magmatic ion‐exchange replacement reactions progressively advanced in the evolved magma. Characteristic braided fluorite alignments are developed consistently with lamellar‐wavy‐domain textures in phenocryst feldspars, and similar braided alignments are also present in groundmass feldspars with complicated microtextures. Most of fluorite grains are <100 nm in diameter, and the patterns of braided fluorite alignments vary greatly in individual feldspars. The whole occurrence of the feldspar microtextures represents an extreme example of diffusion‐controlled replacement reactions, progressively advanced in the dry (relatively anhydrous) trachyte magma. The genetic processes forming fluorite alignments in feldspars are related to magma compositions, especially F and P contents, and the crystallization of F‐bearing minerals, especially of fluorapatite.
Plastic shaping of NiFe2O4‐based cermets using granular feedstock: microstructure and mechanical properties
Authors: Fu Yang , Zou Heng , Kang Xiao , Xiong Huiwen , Zhang Lei , Zhou Kechao 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCarbon‐free aluminum electrolysis is crucial for achieving the low‐carbon development and carbon neutrality in the future aluminum industry. NiFe2O4‐based cermet is the potential candidate of inert anode, benefiting from the satisfactory corrosion resistance and high‐temperature conductivity. Herein, complex‐shaped 25(Cu–20Ni)/(NiFe2O4–10NiO) cermets were fabricated via a plastic shaping method using the polyformaldehyde (POM)‐based granular feedstock. The feedstock showed uniform microstructure with evenly dispersed powders wrapped in polymers, which exhibited shear‐thinning behavior during molding. Roles of the feedstock with different powder loadings in the morphology and bending strength of the cermets were investigated. High‐precision gear parts exhibited no deformation, a high relative density over 98%. Investigation of different powder loadings revealed that parts prepared with a 56 vol% loading demonstrate the excellent performance, and possessed an impressive flexural strength of 178.4 MPa. This achievement provided a foundation for the future utilization of complex‐shaped inert anode material components in industrial applications.
Studies on synthesis, densification, and characterization of neodymium hexaboride
Authors: Sonber Jitendra Kumar , Murthy Tammana Sree Rama Chandra , Paul Bhaskar , Majumdar Sanjib , Sairam K. , Sahoo Deepak , Singh D. K. , Bathula Vishwanadh , Kain Vivekanand 
Published: January 2024

AbstractNeodymium hexaboride (NdB6) is an important rare‐earth hexaboride material that has many structural and functional applications in advanced technologies. This paper presents the results on experimental studies of synthesis, densification, microstructural characterization, and mechanical properties of NdB6. Single‐phase NdB6 powder was obtained by the carbothermic reduction of Nd2O3 and B4C at optimized conditions and charge composition. Densification of NdB6 powders was carried out by pressureless sintering and hot pressing. The highest density of 93% theoretical density (TD) was obtained at 1800°C by hot pressing for 2 h in a vacuum, whereas 79% TD was obtained by pressureless sintering at 1900°C. However, 99.9% dense NdB6 was obtained by adding a sintering aid of 5 wt.% B4C using a hot‐pressing technique at 1800°C. Microstructural characterization revealed no significant grain growth during hot pressing at 1800°C, and a dominant transgranular mode of fracture was observed in fractography. Hardness values were measured as 23.8 and 28.8 GPa, respectively, by two different techniques micro‐ and nanohardness testers. Fracture toughness and elastic modulus of hot‐pressed NdB6 sample were measured as 3.04 MPa m1/2 and 484 GPa, respectively. The flexural strength of dense NdB6 was obtained as 156 MPa by three‐point bend test.
SiC‐bonded diamond ceramics for extreme conditions in subsea applications
Authors: Kailer Andreas , Matthey Björn , Kunze Steffen , Herrmann Mathias , Tschirpke Caroline 
Published: January 2024

AbstractExtremely reliable and wear‐resistant components are required for subsea pump applications. For this purpose, materials and components were developed and qualified within the framework of a joint project1, which under media lubrication with water containing particles, exhibit the highest possible wear resistance and can thus achieve the longest possible service life. The developed SiC‐bonded diamond ceramics have diamond contents of up to 60 % by volume and can be manufactured in the form of a solid material or as graded components containing diamonds only in the tribologically stressed areas. The results show that the investigated diamond‐containing ceramics are very suitable for media‐lubricated sliding bearings and mechanical seals in subsea applications. The friction values under media lubrication are very stable and independent of tribological loads. In mechanical seal application, SiC‐bonded diamond shows significantly better friction performance than the reference material SiC. An outlook is given on demonstrator tests that are currently in preparation.
Energy storage and discharge performance for (1−x)BaSrTiO3−xBi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3 ceramics
Authors: Dai Zhonghua , Liu Chenxi , Pan Yihao , Hou Jie , Pan Yu , Zhao Xin , Liu Weiguo , Cong Yu , Gu Shuitao 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAlthough lead‐free dielectric ceramics have been widely studied to obtain excellent dielectric properties and good energy storage properties, the primary challenge of low energy storage density has not yet been resolved. Here, we introduce the concept of crossover relaxor ferroelectrics, which represent a state intermediate between normal ferroelectrics and relaxor ferroelectrics, as a solution to address the issue of low energy density. The (1−x)BaSrTiO3−xBi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3 (x = 0,.05, .1, .15, .2) ceramics were prepared by a solid‐state method. Remarkably, 0.85BST–0.15BZT ceramics achieved a high recoverable energy density (Wrec) of 2.18 J/cm3 under an electric field of 240 kV/cm. BST–BZT materials exhibit substantial recoverable energy density, high breakdown strength, and superior energy efficiency, positioning them as a promising alternative to meet the diverse demands of high‐power applications.
The medical cost and outcome of desensitization protocol in kidney transplantation recipients with high immunological risks
Authors: Maenosono Ryoichi , Unagami Kohei , Oki Rikako , Fujiwara Yuya , Banno Taro , Okada Daigo , Yagisawa Takafumi , Kanzawa Taichi , Hirai Toshihito , Omoto Kazuya , Hanafusa Norio , Azuma Haruhito , Takagi Toshio , Ishida Hideki 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundKidney transplantation is a well‐established alternative in renal replacement therapy. Compared with hemodialysis, low‐immunological‐risk kidney transplantation can reduce the medical treatment costs associated with end‐stage renal disease. However, there are few reports on whether high‐immunological‐risk kidney transplantation reduces the financial burden on governments. We investigated the medical costs of high‐immunological‐risk kidney transplantation in comparison with the cost of hemodialysis in Japan.MethodsWe compared the medical costs of high‐immunological‐risk kidney transplantation with those of hemodialysis. 15 patients who underwent crossmatch‐positive and/or donor‐specific antibody‐positive kidney transplantations between 2020 and 2021 were enrolled in this study. The patients received intravenous immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis, and rituximab as desensitizing therapy.ResultsAcute antibody‐mediated rejection was detected in nine (60%) recipients, while there were no indications of graft function deterioration during the follow‐up. For each patient, the transplant hospitalization cost was 38 428 ± 8789 USD. However, the cumulative costs were 59 758 ± 10 006 USD and 79 781 ± 16 366 USD, at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Compared with hemodialysis (34 286 USD per year), high‐immunological‐risk kidney transplantation tends to be expensive in the first year, but the cost is likely to be lower than that of hemodialysis after 3 years.ConclusionsAlthough kidney transplantation is initially expensive compared with hemodialysis, the medical cost becomes advantageous after 3 years even in kidney transplant recipients with high immunological risk.
Exploring the impact of oil security attention on oil volatility: A new perspective
Authors: Wang Lu , Li Shan , Liang Chao 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBy constructing a novel index, the oil security attention index, this paper uses the heterogeneous autoregressi (HAR)‐type and its extended models to study whether oil security attention can predict oil volatility. Based on the definition of the different dimensions of oil security and three‐pass regression filter (TPRF) dimension reduction technology, combined with Google search volume data of 23 keywords related to oil security, the oil security attention index is constructed. Considering the potential nonlinear relationship between attention and oil volatility, we incorporate asymmetric effects in the new extended HAR‐type models. The research findings show that the oil security attention index we propose can capture the volatility of West Texas Intermediate. The out‐of‐sample results indicate that the extended models have better predictive power, which confirms the asymmetric relationship between oil security attention and oil volatility. In the robustness analysis, we compare TPRF with traditional principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS), and show that the oil security attention index constructed using TPRF has more favourable information than PCA and PLS to capture the oil security attention of the public.
Characterizing stress development and cracking of ceramic particulate coatings during drying
Authors: Moorhead Annie , Francis Lorraine F. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractDuring drying, liquid‐applied particulate coatings develop stress and are consequently prone to stress‐induced defects, such as cracking, curling, and delamination. In this work, the stress development and cracking of coatings, prepared from aqueous silica and zinc oxide particle suspensions, were characterized using cantilever beam deflection with simultaneous imaging of the coating surface. Drying uniformity was improved and lateral or edge‐in drying was discouraged by using thin silicone walls around the perimeter of the cantilever. Coatings prepared from larger monodisperse silica particles (D50 ∼ 0.9 µm) dried uniformly but had a high critical cracking thickness (>150 µm) that prevented simultaneous study of stress development and cracking. Coatings prepared from smaller silica particles (D50 ∼ 0.3 µm) cracked readily at low thicknesses but exhibited edge‐in drying that complicated the stress measurement data. This drying nonuniformity was connected to the potential for these small particles to accumulate at the coating surface during drying. Hence, the selection of particle size and density was critical to drying uniformity when characterizing stress development and cracking. Coatings prepared from suspensions of zinc oxide particles (D50 ∼ 0.4 µm) were well‐suited for these studies, with uniform drying stress peaking at ∼1 MPa. Characteristic features in the stress development data above and below the critical cracking thickness (53 µm) were identified, demonstrating that cantilever beam deflection is a useful tool for studying the effectiveness of crack mitigation methods and the fundamentals of coating fracture during drying.
Phase transition enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption in Cs(Pb,Fe,Co,Ni,Mn)Br3‐based high‐entropy compounds
Authors: Chen Qiuling , Chen Lele , Wu Xiangyu 
Published: January 2024

AbstractTo address challenges such as signal interference and crosstalk, the development of novel materials with the ability of electromagnetic absorption (EMA) is imperative. In this study, the composition of the B‐site of CsPbBr3 was fixed for all samples Pb0.2Fe0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Mn0.2 with varying A/B ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3. We achieved good EMA properties for the Cs1(Pb0.2Fe0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Mn0.2)3O3, including a minimum reflection loss of 75 dB at 10.2 GHz and a 2.5 mm thickness, accompanied by an exceptionally wide effective bandwidth of 8.8 GHz. X‐ray diffraction, transmittance electron microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, etc. were used to characterize the structure, morphology, and EMA‐associated properties of CsMBr3. The presence of high entropy was validated through meticulous analysis using Rietveld and grazing‐incidence wide‐angle scattering patterns. The magnetic permeability, dielectric constant, polarization, and attenuation loss were improved with a high‐entropy ratio of 3 within the 30–50 nm crystals. Notable lattice distortion within PbBr6 and phase transition within high‐entropy alloying are the driving forces behind these enhanced EMA characteristics.