bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trees as bioindicators of hillslope degradation by debris flows and dangerous rockfalls along the Lefthand Canyon, Colorado Front Range
Authors: Pawlik Łukasz , Buma Brian , Wistuba Małgorzata , Malik Ireneusz , Ślęzak Albert 
Published: December 2022

AbstractTrees provide important ecosystem services such as hillslope stabilization from landslides and rockfall protection, and may also be useful indicators of likelihood of those events in the future. Anatomical changes of tree wood are caused by various physical and biological phenomena. There are several geomorphic processes that change tree‐ring characteristics, including hillslope movement, and if detectable, these changes may be used as bioindicators of terrain surface stability. This type of proxy data is vital to places that lack systematic monitoring infrastructure. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of a heavy rainfall that happened on 11–13 September 2013 in the Colorado Front Range (CFR), which triggered more than 1300 debris flows. We intensely studied one large debris flow that was triggered in the region and the surrounding trees. We explored potential tree‐based records of hillslope instability including compression wood and the method of eccentricity index of tree rings prior to the 2013 event. In addition, the response index was correlated with daily precipitation totals of the previous and current year in a moving window mode. We also evaluated rockfall patterns to explore the frequency and spatial distribution of tree‐scar‐based records. Our primarily goal was to test the method in dry climate conditions and to reconstruct possible soil instability episodes and rockfalls that led to hillslope degradation and tree mortality. In this study, we aimed to fill a significant knowledge gap on debris flows and rockfalls frequency in a dry montane forest system. We were able to distinguish 5 years of increased response index (>25% of trees recording slope instability): 1955 (30%), 1982 (27%), 2002 (27%), 2006 (31%), and 2009 (26%). A spring and early summer season daily precipitation totals of the previous year and summertime daily precipitation totals of the current year explained part of the response index variability. Significant correlation coefficients were up to 0.27. Almost 30 historical rockfall events were dated but only one coincided with an earthquake. In total 138 scars visible on growing trees were mapped. Some of them were found even 3.1 m above the ground level. We conclude that trees can be effective bioindicators of hillslope instability related to debris flows and rock falling. However, extreme climate events such as heavy rainfall causing a high number of debris flows can be difficult to predict based on the method adopted in the present study.
Changes of bacterial communities in restored Phragmites australis wetlands indicate the improvement of soil in the Yellow River Delta
Authors: Ge Minjia , Gao Jingwen , McClellan S. Alex , Hou Aixin , Yu Junbao , Yang Jisong , Song Tiehong , Guan Bo 
Published: December 2022

AbstractWith increasing global awareness of the ecological services that wetlands can provide, an increased emphasis has been placed on the need for wetland restoration projects. Among the types of wetland restoration projects that have been initiated are those that aim to return farmlands back to their previous wetland state to restore wetland vegetation and regain the ecological services that had been lost. However, studies on the changes of belowground bacterial diversities following the conversion of farmlands back to wetlands are rare, especially in coastal areas. In the present study, we examined the soil characteristics and the microbial diversity of the soil and roots across Phragmites australis–dominated coastal marshes within the Yellow River Delta. We sampled two marshes that had been restored 11 and 3 years prior to sampling (11‐year site and 3‐year site, respectively). We also sampled two additional, undisturbed wetlands—one within the new Yellow River course (NC site), and the other within the abandoned Yellow River course (OC site)—to serve as controls to assess the effectiveness of the wetland restoration project. Specifically, we measured the concentrations of nutrients and organic matter in the soil, the activities of the enzymes urease, sucrase, and alkaline phosphatase in the soil, and the diversity of the microbial communities in the soil and roots. The results showed that the concentrations of soil nutrients and the activities of the soil enzymes were significantly greater in the 11‐year site compared to the 3‐year site but were similar between the 11‐year site and the NC site. Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou indices of diversity among the soil bacteria were positively correlated with the concentrations of soil nutrients and the activities of the soil enzymes, which were generally lowest in the 3‐year site compared to the other study sites. The diversity indices among the root bacteria, however, did not exhibit a similar trend. The bacterial community composition of the soil and roots differed between sites. The relative abundance of Firmicutes in the soil and roots was highest in the 3‐year site compared to the 11‐year, NC, and OC sites. The relative abundance of soil Bacteroidetes was higher in the soils of the NC and OC sites compared to in those of the restoration sites. Overall, the diversity richness of the subsurface bacterial communities increased with the time since the restoration of these wetlands, and after 11 years post‐restoration, appeared to resemble those of the natural wetlands of the area. Our results therefore imply that future assessments of coastal wetland restoration projects could be made based in part on soil nutrient concentrations, enzyme activities, and the microbial diversity of the soil and plant roots within these systems.
Three‐dimensional printing and its application to legume proteins: A review
Authors: Chakraborty Piyali , Eqbal Md. Danish , Ahmed Jasim 
Published: December 2022

AbstractAdditive manufacturing, or three‐dimensional printing (3DP) technology, has been recently explored in every field of science and technology for its unique features and ease of operation. 3DP technology has a wide range of applications in the food industry. The technology has enormous potential for the development of functional foods, for food and drug delivery, and for people with special needs, including dysphagia patients. This review envisages the recent interest in plant proteins and the development of food products using additive manufacturing (3DP), which is an exciting opportunity for the food industry and legume producers. The development of the formulation prior to printing requires a thorough rheological characterization for the smooth operation of the printer and fidelity. The steady flow properties and viscoelasticity of legume proteins, as well as their role in 3DP, are elucidated. Finally, this review provides insights into the current state of legume protein‐based 3DP and food product development.
Room‐Temperature Low‐Threshold Plasmonic Nanolaser through Mode‐Tailoring at Communication Wavelengths
Authors: Xu Jialu , Zhang Taiping , Li Yongzhuo , Zhang Jianxing , Wang Zhen , Kan Qiang , Zhang Ruikang , Ning Cun‐Zheng 
Published: December 2022

AbstractPlasmonic nanolasers have shown unique potential for on‐chip optical interconnects at optical communication wavelengths because of their ultra‐small physical volumes beyond the diffraction limit. However, the high threshold and associated power consumption are key remaining challenges due to the long‐recognized intrinsic plasmonic absorption and extrinsic losses related to the inevitable fabrication imperfections and the resulting rough surfaces or interfaces. This article demonstrates a new threshold‐reduction strategy in a silver‐cup plasmonic nanolaser by selectively confining plasmonic modes at the high‐quality naturally cleaved surfaces at the bottom, while avoiding the rough etched surfaces of the sidewall. Through size control and modal design, lasing preferentially occurs via the bottom whispering gallery plasmonic mode with a large quality factor, small modal volume, and robust performance largely immune to fabrication imperfections. The nanolaser has a subwavelength volume of 0.02λ3 near λ = 1.55 µm with a record‐low threshold of 20.1 kW cm−2 for a near‐infrared plasmonic nanolaser at room temperature under optical pumping. Importantly, the laser becomes the first near‐infrared plasmonic nanolaser to meet the power‐consumption requirement of less than 10 fJ bit−1, providing one of the rarely available on‐chip sources with a small footprint and low power consumption for the photonic integrated circuits.
An Injectable Enzymatically Crosslinked and Mechanically Tunable Silk Fibroin/Chondroitin Sulfate Chondro‐Inductive Hydrogel
Authors: Farokhi Maryam , Solouk Atefeh , Mirzadeh Hamid , Herbert Teuschl Anderaes , Redl Heinz 
Published: December 2022

AbstractAn injectable hybrid hydrogel is synthesized, comprising silk fibroin (SF) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) through di‐tyrosine formation bond of SF chains. CS and SF are reported with excellent biocompatibility as tissue engineering scaffolds. Nonetheless, the rapid degradation rate of pure CS scaffolds presents a challenge to effectively recreate articular cartilage. As CS is one of the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) components, it has the potential to enhance the biological activity of SF‐based hydrogel in terms of cartilage repair. Therefore, altering the CS concentrations (i.e., 0 wt%, 0.25 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, and 2 wt%), which are interpenetrated between SF β‐sheets and chains, can potentially adjust the physical, chemical, and mechanical features of these hybrid hydrogels. The formation of β‐sheets by 30 days of immersion in de‐ionized (DI) water can improve the compression strength of the SF/CS hybrid hydrogels in comparison with the same SF/CS hybrid hydrogels in the dried state. Biological investigation and observation depicts proper cell attachment, proliferation and cell viability for C28/I2 cells. Gene expression of sex‐determining region YBox 9 (SOX9), Collagen II α1, and Aggrecan (AGG) exhibits positive C3H10T1/2 growth and expression of cartilage‐specific genes in the 0.25 wt% and 0.5 wt% SF/CS hydrogels.
A Maximization of the Proton Conductivity of Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) with Grafted Segments Containing Multiple, Flexible Propanesulfonic Acid Groups
Authors: Yu Yang , Zeng Zheng , Gao Xuesong , Xiong Chunyong , Zhu Huamei , Cen Hongyu , Zheng Xuan , Liu Qingting , Hu Tao , Wu Chonggang 
Published: December 2022

AbstractTo enhance the proton conductivity of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK), proton‐conducting groups are required to be covalently connected to SPEEK and form proton‐conducting channels. Herein, SPEEK fully grafted with segments containing multiple, flexible propanesulfonic acid groups (MS‐SPEEK‐102) is successfully prepared. Compared with SPEEK, MS‐SPEEK‐102 exhibits a higher proton conductivity of 8.3 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 80 °C with 98% relative humidity, and consequently a greater power density of 0.530 W cm−2 at 60 °C. These can be ascribed to the increased number of sulfonic acid groups, and ample, uninterrupted proton‐conducting channels constructed by the movement of the maximum content, flexible side‐chain segments. This approach offers an idea for obtaining a proton exchange membrane with good proton conductivity based on SPEEK.
Sanctions and rewards with a motivated agent
Authors: Yahagi Ken 
Published: December 2022

AbstractThis paper provides a simple framework for determining whether a principal should use external incentives (i.e., rewards and sanctions) when such incentive schemes affect an agent's intrinsic motivation to engage in a mission and discusses the welfare effects. We show that (a) when the agent needs to participate in the mission, the principal should use only sanctions, which generate excessive effort relative to the socially efficient effort level. However, if the principal must consider the agent's outside options and (b) when the reward encourages intrinsic motivation, the principal should use only rewards, which also generate excessive effort; and (c) when the reward discourages intrinsic motivation, the principal should use both rewards and sanctions, leading to insufficient effort. These findings are helpful for identifying appropriate carrot and stick strategies in public/private organization management practices and public/private reform programs.
Effect of Amyloid on Cognitive Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Authors: Baik Kyoungwon , Kim Hye Ryun , Park Mincheol , Lee Younggun , Na Han Kyu , Sohn Young H. , Seong Joon‐Kyung , Lee Phil Hyu 
Published: December 2022

ABSTRACTBackgroundConcomitant amyloid pathology contributes to the clinical heterogeneity of Lewy body diseases (LBDs).ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the pattern and effect of amyloid accumulation on cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).MethodsWe retrospectively assessed 205 patients with LBD (91 with DLB and 114 with PD) who underwent 18F‐florbetaben positron emission tomography and divided them into amyloid‐positive and amyloid‐negative groups depending on global standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs). We investigated the effect of group on the regional and global SUVRs using general linear models (GLMs) after controlling for age, sex, cognitive status, and score on the Korean version of the Mini‐Mental State Examination. Moreover, the effect of amyloid on cognitive function, depending on the type of LBD, was evaluated using GLMs with interaction analysis.ResultsIn all evaluated regions including the striatum, the DLB group showed a higher SUVR than the PD group. Among amyloid‐positive patients, the DLB group had a higher regional SUVR than the PD group in the frontal and parietal cortices. There was a significant interaction effect between amyloid and disease groups in language and memory function. In patients with PD, global amyloid load was negatively associated with language (B = −2.03; P = 0.010) and memory functions (B = −1.96; P < 0.001). However, amyloid load was not significantly associated with cognitive performance in the DLB group.ConclusionsAlthough the burden of amyloid was higher in the DLB group, amyloid accumulation was negatively associated with the memory and language functions in the PD group only. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
A wideband frequency reconfigurable antenna with improved gain
Authors: Sheng Lili , Meng Liang , Lin Yixiang , Gong Yanping , Yang Xiaohui , Cao Weiping 
Published: December 2022

AbstractA wideband frequency reconfigurable antenna based on active artificial magnetic conductor (AAMC) surface is proposed with improved gain. The AAMC element consists of a composite polygon‐rectangle‐ring with five patches and a cross‐strip inside. A reverse‐bias varactor is inserted between the ring and ground plane to make the in‐phase reflection frequency bands adjustable. A dipole is placed above the AAMC surface which is composed of 5 × 5 unit cells. The measured results show that the reconfigurable frequency ranges from 1.64 to 4.16 GHz while maintaining the radiation patterns stable. Moreover, the peak gain reaches 10.65 dBi at 3.5 GHz.
Automatic organ completion with image stitching for personalized radiation dosimetry in CT examinations
Authors: Xin Lin , Zhuo Weihai , Liu Haikuan , Xie Tianwu 
Published: December 2022

AbstractPurposeComputed tomography (CT) image‐based patient‐specific voxel‐based dosimetry has difficulties complementing missing tissues for organs located partially inside or completely outside the image volume. Previous studies constructed patient‐specific whole‐body models by rescaling reference phantoms or extending regional CT images with manually adjusted phantoms. This study proposes a methodology for automatic organ completion of regional CT images for CT dosimetry using a stitching approach.MethodsVirtual clinical trials were performed by truncating whole‐body CT images to generate virtual clinical chest and abdominopelvic CT images. Corresponding anchor images for each patient were selected according to sex and similarity of the axial length and water equivalent diameter of the virtual regional CT images. Automatic image stitching was performed by transformation initialization and iteration, while the stitched CT images and organ atlas were used in GPU‐based Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations to generate a radiation dose map and absorbed organ dose. To evaluate the performance of the stitching model in radiation dosimetry, organ mass differences and Jaccard's coefficient of stitched and rescaled anchor images were calculated, and the radiation doses were compared among the corresponding values from the VirtualDose®, original whole‐body CT, stitching model, regional CT, registration‐based rescaling method, and WED‐based rescaling method.ResultsThe anatomical accuracy of stitched images was significantly improved. For organs partially inside the image volume, organ dose estimation from the stitching model could be more accurate than that reported in previous studies. The absolute differences in effective dose from the stitched images were 6.55% and 4.81% for chest and abdominopelvic CT scans, respectively.ConclusionThe proposed automatic stitching model partially complements organs inside or outside the CT scan range and provides more accurate anatomical representations for radiation dosimetry than traditional phantom rescaling methods.
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant for the treatment of refractory myasthenia gravis with anti‐muscle specific kinase antibodies
Authors: Beland Benjamin , Hahn Christopher , Jamani Kareem , Chhibber Sameer , White Christopher , Atkins Harold , Storek Jan 
Published: December 2022

AbstractIntroduction/AimsUp to 25% of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) have refractory disease despite trials of multiple immunosuppressants. Several case series describe acetylcholine receptor antibody‐positive (AChR) MG patients treated with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). In this report, we describe three patients with anti‐muscle‐specific kinase (MuSK) MG treated with HSCT.MethodsWe included all patients who had undergone HSCT with anti‐MuSK myasthenia gravis identified through the records of the Alberta Blood and Marrow Transplant Program. We collected demographic and clinical data including validated MG scales as well as questionnaire data.ResultsAll 3 patients had severe disease (Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America score IVb‐V) and were refractory to multiple treatments, including rituximab. All patients improved with no clinical manifestations or mild symptoms and remained as such for 2, 3.5, and 5.5 y. Adverse events ranged from treatable infections and transient dyspnea to persistent fatigue and premature menopause. The average worst Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG‐ADL) scores improved from 14.7 before to 0.3 after HSCT. The mean worst Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life Questionnaire (MG‐QoL15) scores improved from 26.7 to 0. All patients reported they would undergo transplant again for their MG.DiscussionWe describe three patients with anti‐MuSK MG treated with HSCT, all of whom became symptom free from MG with a tolerable side effect profile. In patients with severe refractory anti‐MuSK MG, it may be reasonable to consider HSCT.
Breastfeeding self‐efficacy predicts breastmilk feeding in preterm infants at discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit
Authors: Brockway Meredith , Mcleod Samantha , Kurilova Jana , Fenton Tanis R. , Duffett‐Leger Linda , Benzies Karen M. 
Published: December 2022

AbstractAimTo examine the association between breastfeeding self‐efficacy (BSE) and breastmilk feeding at discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit among mothers of preterm infants.DesignSecondary analysis of the Family Integrated Care (FICare) cluster randomized controlled trial.MethodsData from 221 mothers of preterm infants who participated in the standard care group of the trial were analysed. BSE at admission was assessed using the modified Breastfeeding Self‐Efficacy Scale–Short Form (BSES‐SF). Breastmilk feeding was assessed using 24 hr maternal recall at discharge.ResultsMothers who were exclusively breastmilk feeing their infants at discharge had statistically significantly higher mean BSES‐SF scores at admission (68.4, SD = 13.7) than those providing a combination of breastmilk and formula or only formula (59.6, SD = 14.7; p < .001). Multivariable logistic regression showed that higher BSE at admission, maternal birth in Canada, and absence of diabetes were statistically significant predictors of exclusive breastmilk feeding at discharge.
Mechanically robust and highly elastic thermally induced shape memory polyurethane based composites for smart and sustainable robotic applications
Authors: Ahmed Naveed , Niaz Basit , Ahmed Saad , Javid Muhammad Tariq , Ali Muhammad , Tariq Muhammad 
Published: December 2022

AbstractIn the present study, polyurethane (PU) was prepared using a pre‐polymer (two‐shot) process with a novel phloroglucinol chain extender. PU nanocomposite was prepared by incorporating acid‐FMWCNTs in pristine‐PU. Polystyrene (PS) was functionalized with the nitro group through our previously reported method. The ternary blend composites (PU/PS‐NO2/FMWNTs) were prepared using acid functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (FMWCNTs) for enhanced properties and selectivity. Nitro‐functionalized‐PS/PU composite properties were compared with pristine‐PU and its blend composite. The structure of the pre‐designed PU polymer and its composites were confirmed by the FTIR and the degree of crystallinity and amorphous state was determined with XRD analysis. Excellent thermal stabilities were confirmed through a TGA thermogram with an increase in the loading amount of FMWCNTs. Excellent tensile strength 59.2 ± 2.6 MPa with 0.1 g loading amount of FMWCNTs with enhanced flexibilities was achieved. The significant change in surface morphologies and porosity suggested enhanced interaction (physical and chain entanglement) of FMWCNTs and nitrated‐PS with PU chain as the loading amount of filler increased. The resulted porous spongy cluster (as seen in SEM images) provides efficient shape recovery strain with excellent flexibility to the composite material without compromising repeatability. Almost 100% shape recovery was observed for all samples with repeated recoveries. The recovery time of PU nanocomposite observed is shorter than neat polyurethane and PU/PS‐NO2 blends because of their better conductive nature but causes brittleness, which can easily initiate a crack in the sample compared to a blended sample.