bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Iron nanoparticles to recover a co-contaminated soil with Cr and PCBs
Authors: Gil-Díaz M. , Pérez R. A. , Alonso J. , Miguel E. , Diez-Pascual S. , Lobo M. C. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractLittle attention has been given to the development of remediation strategies for soils polluted with mixture of pollution (metal(loid)s and organic compounds). The present study evaluates the effectiveness of different types of commercial iron nanoparticles (nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI), bimetallic nZVI-Pd, and nano-magnetite (nFe3O4)), for the remediation of an industrial soil co-contaminated with Cr and PCBs. Soil samples were mixed with nZVI, nZVI-Pd, or nFe3O4 at doses selected according to their reactivity with PCBs, homogenized, saturated with water and incubated at controlled conditions for 15, 45 and 70 days. For each sampling time, PCBs and chromium were analyzed in aqueous and soil fractions. Cr(VI) and Cr leachability (TCLP test) were determined in the soil samples. The treatment with the three types of iron nanoparticles showed significant reduction in Cr concentration in aqueous extracts at the three sampling times (> 98%), compared to the control samples. The leachability of Cr in treated soil samples also decreased and was stable throughout the experiment. Results suggested that nZVI and nZVI-Pd immobilized Cr through adsorption of Cr(VI) on the shell and reduction to Cr(III). The mechanism of interaction of nFe3O4 and Cr(VI) included adsorption and reduction although its reducing character was lower than those of ZVI nanoparticles. PCBs significantly decreased in soil samples (up to 68%), after 15 days of treatment with the three types of nanoparticles. However, nFe3O4 evidenced reversible adsorption of PCBs after 45 days. In general, nZVI-Pd reduced PCB concentration in soil faster than nZVI. Control soils showed a similar reduction in PCBs concentration as those obtained with nZVI and nZVI-Pd after a longer time (45 days). This is likely due to natural bioremediation, although it was not effective for Cr remediation. Results suggest that the addition of nZVI or nZVI-Pd and pseudo-anaerobic conditions could be used for the recovery of soil co-contaminated with Cr and PCBs.
Membrane extraction with styrene-maleic acid copolymer results in insulin receptor autophosphorylation in the absence of ligand
Authors: Morrison Kerrie A. , Wood Laura , Edler Karen J. , Doutch James , Price Gareth J. , Koumanov Francoise , Whitley Paul 
Published: March 2022

AbstractExtraction of integral membrane proteins with poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) provides a promising alternative to detergent extraction. A major advantage of extraction using copolymers rather than detergent is the retention of the lipid bilayer around the proteins. Here we report the first functional investigation of the mammalian insulin receptor which was extracted from cell membranes using poly(styrene-co-maleic acid). We found that the copolymer efficiently extracted the insulin receptor from 3T3L1 fibroblast membranes. Surprisingly, activation of the insulin receptor and proximal downstream signalling was detected upon copolymer extraction even in the absence of insulin stimulation. Insulin receptor and IRS1 phosphorylations were above levels measured in the control extracts made with detergents. However, more distal signalling events in the insulin signalling cascade, such as the phosphorylation of Akt were not observed. Following copolymer extraction, in vitro addition of insulin had no further effect on insulin receptor or IRS1 phosphorylation. Therefore, under our experimental conditions, the insulin receptor is not functionally responsive to insulin. This study is the first to investigate receptor tyrosine kinases extracted from mammalian cells using a styrene-maleic acid copolymer and highlights the importance of thorough functional characterisation when using this method of protein extraction.
Exploitation of response surface method for the optimization of RF-MEMS reconfigurable devices in view of future beyond-5G, 6G and super-IoT applications
Authors: Iannacci Jacopo , Tagliapietra Girolamo , Bucciarelli Alessio 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe emerging paradigms of the Beyond-5G, 6G and Super-IoT will demand for high-performance Radio Frequency (RF) passive components, and RF-MEMS technology, i.e. Microsystems-based RF passives, is a good candidate to meet such a challenge. As known, RF-MEMS have a complex behavior, that crosses different physical domains (mechanical; electrical; electromagnetic), making the whole design optimization and trimming phases particularly articulated and time consuming. In this work, we propose a novel design optimization approach based on the Response Surface Method (RSM) statistical methodology, focusing on a class of RF-MEMS-based programmable step power attenuators. The proposed method is validated both against physical simulations, performed with Finite Element Method (FEM) commercial software tools, as well as experimental measurements of physical devices. The case study here discussed features 3 DoFs (Degrees of Freedom), comprising both geometrical and material parameters, and aims to optimize the RF performances of the MEMS attenuator in terms of attenuation (S21 Scattering parameter) and reflection (VSWR—Voltage Standing Wave Ratio). When validated, the proposed RSM-based method allows avoiding physical FEM simulations, thus making the design optimization considerably faster and less complex, both in terms of time and computational load.
Visible light-induced N-radical 5-exo/6-endo cyclization of alkenyl amides: facile access to isoindolinones/isoquinolinones
Authors: Lei Zhen-Yao , Hu Kui , He Yuan-Xiang , Geng Shu , Chen Li-Na , Zou Shuai , Pan Li , Ding Zhi-Jun , Huang Feng 
Published: March 2022

A new visible-light catalyzed protocol was developed for direct conversion of amide N–H bond to N-radical without metal catalyst and external oxidant, which was facile access to isoindolinones and isoquinolinones via 5-exo/6-endo cyclization.
MicroRNAs as messengers of liver diseases: has the message finally been decrypted?
Authors: Pirola Carlos J. , Sookoian Silvia 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are regarded as crucial regulators of gene expression and diverse aspects of cell biology, can be present in various body fluids as highly stable molecules. It is also known that miRNAs exert tissue-specific regulation of gene transcription. Large amount of clinical and experimental evidence provided the rationale for raising the intriguing question of whether miRNAs can mediate cell–cell communication. For those reasons, miRNAs have been considered as the ‘Holy Grail’ of biomarkers allowing non-invasive diagnostic screening and early detection of a variety of diseases, including solid and non-solid cancers. In a study published in Clin. Sci. (Lond.) (2011) 120(5):183–193 (https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20100297), Gui et al. investigated the hypothesis that circulating miRNAs could be used to identify patients with liver pathologies. Specifically, the authors profiled circulating miRNAs in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver cirrhosis (LC), and healthy controls and found that serum miR-885-5p levels were significantly higher in samples of patients with HCC (6.5-fold increase) and LC (8.8-fold increase). In this commentary, we highlight biological aspects associated with mir-122-the ‘liver-specific’ miRNA, which has been associated with a diverse range of liver pathologies. In addition, we discuss the relevance of mir-885-5p as potential biomarker for detecting human cancers. Finally, we provide some clues about how presumably unrelated miRNAs such as miR-122 and miR-885-5p may act in similar biological processes (BPs), making the miRNA regulatory networks more complex than anticipated.
Building Sustainable Models of Research–Practice Partnerships Within Educational Systems
Authors: Alonzo Crystle N. , Komesidou Rouzana , Wolter Julie A. , Curran Maura , Ricketts Jessie , Hogan Tiffany P. 
Published: March 2022

Purpose:
To describe the 9-year journey of a group of language and literacy researchers in establishing and cultivating Research–Practice Partnerships (RPPs). Those interested in incorporating implementation science frameworks in their research may benefit from reading our exploration into this type of work and our lessons learned.

Method:
We showcase how a group of researchers, who are committed to collaboration with school practitioners, navigated building and scaling RPPs within educational systems necessary for our long-term implementation work. We provide details and illustrative examples for three, distinct, mutually beneficial, and sustainable partnerships.

Results:
Three different practice organizations are represented: (1) a single metropolitan school, (2) a small metropolitan school district, and (3) a large metropolitan school district, highlighting specific priorities and needs depending on the type of practice organization. Each partnership has distinct research and practice goals related to improving language and literacy outcomes in children. We describe how the researchers assisted with meeting the partner practice organizations' goals and engaged in capacity building while producing rigorous scientific knowledge to inform clinical and educational practice. Additionally, we discuss how research priorities and strategies were pivoted in the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating our commitment to the partnerships and how to respond to challenges to guarantee long-term sustainability.

Conclusion:
By discussing three distinctive partnerships, we demonstrate the various ways researchers can approach RPPs and grow them into mutually beneficial collaborations and support implementation goals.
Single image dehazing using generative adversarial networks based on an attention mechanism
Authors: Ma Yongli , Xu Jindong , Jia Fei , Yan Weiqing , Liu Zhaowei , Ni Mengying 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMost existing image dehazing methods rely on the solution of the atmospheric scattering model or supervised learning based on paired images. However, owing to incomplete prior knowledge and the lack of paired hazy and haze‐free images of the same scenes as training samples, their performances for single image dehazing are unsatisfactory. Here, the authors present an unpaired image learning method based on the attention mechanism for single image dehazing problems. The method uses the constraint transfer learning ability and circulatory structure of CycleGAN to carry out an unsupervised image dehazing task for unpaired data. Considering the complexity of the haze distribution in actual imaging and human visual characteristics, the improved channel attention and domain attention mechanisms are integrated into the network to process different features and different regions non‐uniformly. The experimental results show that the proposed method achieves good results on both synthetic datasets and real hazy images.
ICARUS, a new inner heliospheric model with a flexible grid
Authors: Verbeke C. , Baratashvili T. , Poedts S. 
Published: March 2022

Context. Simulating the propagation and predicting the arrival time of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the inner heliosphere with a full three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) propagation model requires a significant amount of computational time. For CME forecasting purposes, multiple runs may be required for different reasons such as ensemble modeling (uncertainty on input parameters) and error propagation. Moreover, higher resolution runs may be necessary, which also requires more CPU time, for example for the prediction of solar energetic particle acceleration and transport or in the framework of more in-depth studies about CME erosion and/or deformation during its evolution.
Aims. In this paper we present ICARUS, a new inner heliospheric model for the simulation of a steady background solar wind and the propagation and evolution of superposed CMEs. This novel model has been implemented within the MPI-AMRVAC framework which enables the use of stretched grids and solution adaptive mesh refinement (AMR). The usefulness and efficiency (speed-up) of these advanced features are explored. In particular, we model a typical solar wind with ICARUS and then launch a simple cone CME and follow its evolution. We focus on the effect of radial grid stretching and two specific methods or criteria to trigger solution AMR on this typical simulation run.
Methods. For the solar background wind simulation run, we limited the mesh refinement to the area(s) of interest, in this case a co-rotating interaction region (CIR). For the CME evolution run, on the other hand, we apply AMR where the CME is located by the use of a tracing function. As such, the grid is coarsened again after the CME has passed.
Results. The implemented AMR is flexible and only refines the mesh in a particular sector of the computational domain, for example around the Earth or a single CIR, and/or for a particular feature such as CIR or CME shocks. Radial grid stretching alone yields speed-ups of up to 4 and more, depending on the resolution. Combined with solution adaptive mesh refinement, the speed-ups can be much larger depending on the complexity of the simulation (e.g., number of CIRs in the background wind, number of CMEs) and on the chosen AMR criteria, thresholds and the number of refinement levels.
Conclusions. The ICARUS model implemented in the MPI-AMRVAC framework is a new inner heliospheric 3D MHD model that uses grid stretching as well as AMR techniques. The flexibility in the grid and its resolution allows an optimization of the computational time required for CME propagation simulations for both scientific and forecasting purposes.
Prospects of measuring a metallicity trend and spread in globular clusters from low-resolution spectroscopy
Authors: Baratella M. , Prabhu Deepthi S. , Lima L. , Prugniel P. 
Published: March 2022

Context.The metallicity spread, or the metallicity trend along the evolutionary sequence of a globular cluster, is a rich source of information to help understand the cluster physics (e.g., multiple populations) and stellar physics (e.g., atomic diffusion). Low-resolution integral-field-unit spectroscopy in the optical with the MUSE spectrograph is an attractive prospect if it can provide these diagnostics because it allows us to efficiently extract spectra of a large fraction of the cluster stars with only a few telescope pointings.Aims.We investigate the possibilities of full-spectrum fitting to derive stellar parameters and chemical abundances at low spectral resolution (R ∼ 2000).Methods.We reanalysed 1584 MUSE spectra of 1061 stars above the turn-off of NGC 6397 using FERRE and employing two different synthetic libraries.Results.We derive the equivalent iron abundance [Fe/H]efor fixed values of [α/Fe] (solar or enhanced). We find that (i) the interpolation schema and grid mesh are not critical for the precision, metallicity spread, and trend; (ii) with the two considered grids, [Fe/H]eincreases by ∼0.2 dex along the sub-giant branch, starting from the turn-off of the main sequence; (iii) restricting the wavelength range to the optical decreases the precision significantly; and (iv) the precision obtained with the synthetic libraries is lower than the precision obtained previously with empirical libraries.Conclusions.Full-spectrum fitting provides reproducible results that are robust to the choice of the reference grid of synthetic spectra and to the details of the analysis. The [Fe/H]eincrease along the sub-giant branch is in stark contrast with the nearly constant iron abundance previously found with empirical libraries. The precision of the measurements (0.05 dex on [Fe/H]e) is currently not sufficient to assess the intrinsic chemical abundance spreads, but this may change with deeper observations. Improvements of the synthetic spectra are still needed to deliver the full possibilities of full-spectrum fitting.
HR 6819 is a binary system with no black hole
Authors: Frost A. J. , Bodensteiner J. , Rivinius Th. , Baade D. , Merand A. , Selman F. , Abdul-Masih M. , Banyard G. , Bordier E. , Dsilva K. , Hawcroft C. , Mahy L. , Reggiani M. , Shenar T. , Cabezas M. , Hadrava P. , Heida M. , Klement R. , Sana H. 
Published: March 2022

Context. Two scenarios have been proposed to match the existing observational constraints of the object HR 6819. The system could consist of a close inner B-type giant plus a black hole (BH) binary with an additional Be companion in a wide orbit. Alternatively, it could be a binary composed of a stripped B star and a Be star in a close orbit. Either scenario makes HR 6819 a cornerstone object as the stellar BH closest to Earth, or as an example of an important transitional, non-equilibrium phase for Be stars with solid evidence for its nature.
Aims. We aim to distinguish between the two scenarios for HR 6819. Both models predict two luminous stars but with very different angular separations and orbital motions. Therefore, the presence of bright sources in the 1−100 milliarcsec (mas) regime is a key diagnostic for determining the nature of the HR 6819 system.
Methods. We obtained new high-angular resolution data with VLT/MUSE and VLTI/GRAVITY of HR 6819. The MUSE data are sensitive to bright companions at large scales, whilst the interferometric GRAVITY data are sensitive down to separations on mas scales and large magnitude differences.
Results. The MUSE observations reveal no bright companion at large separations and the GRAVITY observations indicate the presence of a stellar companion at an angular separation of ∼1.2 mas that moves on the plane of the sky over a timescale compatible with the known spectroscopic 40-day period.
Conclusions. We conclude that HR 6819 is a binary system and that no BH is present in the system. The unique nature of HR 6819, and its proximity to Earth make it an ideal system for quantitatively characterising the immediate outcome of binary interaction and probing how Be stars form.
Influence of Weight Bearing on Postoperative Complications after Surgical Treatment of the Lower Extremity
Authors: Eickhoff Alexander Maximilian , Cintean Raffael , Fiedler Carina , Gebhard Florian , Schütze Konrad , Richter Peter 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Purpose In order to prevent implant failure and secondary fracture dislocation, it is often recommended that patients perform partial weight-bearing after surgery of the lower
extremity. Previous examinations showed that patients are often not able to follow these instructions. In this study, patients who had undergone surgery of the lower extremity were studied
in order to analyze whether incorrect loading influenced the number and severity of complications.
Methods Fifty-one patients were equipped with electronic shoe insoles, which measure loading and other parameters. The measurement period was 24 to 102 hours. Median duration of
follow-up was 490 days. The primary outcome parameter was postoperative complications leading to revision surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square and Fisher exact
tests with significance set at a p < 0.05.
Results Seven out of fifty-one patients had postoperative complications. Four wound complications, one implant failure, chronic instability after fracture of the tibia, and one
implant loosening of a hip prosthesis were recorded. In total, 26 of 39 patients were not able to follow the postoperative instructions. Five of the twenty-six patients with difficulties in
partial weight-bearing suffered a postoperative complication. In comparison, only 2 of the other 25 patients were affected. There was no statistically significant correlation between high
weight-bearing and occurrence of complications (p = 0.29).
Conclusion Most of the patients were unable to follow the surgeon’s instructions for partial weight-bearing. Excessive loading did not seem to influence the number and severity of
postoperative complications, especially regarding implant failure. Therefore, we should continue with measurements and reevaluate the “partial weight-bearing doctrine”.
Chlormethin-Gel-basierte komplette Remission einer CD30-positiven Mycosis fungoides-Plaque
Authors: Fahlbusch Sera Selina , Hüning Svea , Lücke A. , Nashan Dorothee 
Published: March 2022

ZusammenfassungChlormethin-Gel ist seit Mai 2019 als Lokaltherapeutikum bei Erwachsenen für kutane T-Zell-Lymphome vom Typ Mycosis fungoides (MF) zugelassen. Die topische Anwendung erfolgt 1-mal täglich. Im Rahmen der Zulassungsstudie kam es nach einer mindestens 6-monatigen Behandlung mit Chlormethin-Gel bei 76,7 % der Patienten (69 von 90) zu einer ≥ 50 %-igen Verbesserung der klinischen Befunde, gemessen anhand der CAILS-Skala (Composite Assessment of Index Lesion Serverity). Eine komplette Remission wurde bei 19 % (17 von 90) der Patienten beschrieben. Etwas mehr als die Hälfte der behandelten Patienten zeigte lokale Nebenwirkungen mit Hautirritationen, Hautrötungen und auch Hautinfektionen. Weitere mögliche Hautreaktionen sind Pruritus, Blasenbildung und Geschwüre.Im Folgenden wird von einer Patientin mit einer bekannten CD30+-Mycosis fungoides im Stadium IIB (ISCL/EORTC 2007) berichtet. Eine unter verschiedenen Systemtherapien (Bexaroten, Bade-PUVA, Brentuximab Vedotin) immer wieder rezidivierende, ca. handtellergroße Plaque an der Flanke links wurde mit Chlormethin-Gel behandelt.Aufgrund bereits bekannter, langsam progredienter Größenzunahme und wiederholt schmerzhafter Mazerationen dieses Herdes erfolgte auch mit Blick auf mögliche Nebenwirkungen von Chlormethin-Gel die Behandlung in Absprache mit der Patientin nur jeden zweiten Tag.Unter diesem Therapieregime zeigte sich, nach anfänglicher kurzzeitiger Hautreizung, bereits nach 3 Monaten eine komplette, histologisch gesicherte, aktuell anhaltende Remission der Läsion.Diese Kasuistik soll einen eindrucksvollen Therapieverlauf unter Chlormethin-Gel in reduzierter Dosierung und bei guter Verträglichkeit präsentieren.