bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of collagen triple helix repeat containing‐1 and mitotic spindle apparatus antibody in small cell lung cancer diagnosis
Authors: Liu Yuhan , Hu Tingting , Li Xu , Li Xiaohang , Yu Jianlin , Wu Yang , Chen Simei , Tan Liming
Published: April 2022

Background

The clinical significance of serum collagen triple helix repeat protein‐1 (CTHRC1) and mitotic spindle apparatus antibody (MSA) in the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Methods

Of the 229 lung tumor patients selected, 62 patients were divided into SCLC, 94 patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and 73 patients with benign lung disease (BLD). The health controls (HC) had a span of 66 cases with normal physical condition. The serum extracted from each participator and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was adopted for measuring the serum CTHRC1 and MSA; in the meantime, automatic electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was used for the quantitative determination of serum NSA and CEA. And then, the differences in serum CTHRC1, MSA, NSE, and CEA were compared among involved groups.

Results

① Compared with other groups, the concentrations of CTHRC1, MSA, and NSE showed a marked increase in the group of SCLC (all p < 0.01). Especially for SCLC patients with lymph node metastasis, CTHRC1 provided a notably higher level than those without metastasis. ② CTHRC1 and MSA established a diagnostic criterion with the specificity of 90.99% and 86.27% for SCLC, respectively. ③ In series, the specificity of CTHRC1 and NSE was the highest (99.30%), while MSA and NSE had the highest sensitivity (96.72%) in parallel. ④ Both CTHRC1 and MSA were hazardous factors interconnected with SCLC.

Conclusion

Serum CTHRC1 and MSA had a more exciting prospect of application. When used in conjunction with NSE and CEA, they could optimize the clinical diagnosis value of SCLC.
Characteristics of outpatients with functional somatic syndromes at a university hospital's general medicine clinic
Authors: Nishiyama Junji , Abe Tetsuya , Imaizumi Sumito , Yamane Akira , Fukunaga Mikihiko
Published: April 2022

Background

The term medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) is unhelpful for both patients and physicians, and more acceptable illness categories are needed as substitutes for MUS. While some potential substitutes are characterized by excessive psychological burden related to somatic symptoms, “functional somatic syndromes” (FSS) is a category that focuses on physical dysfunction and emphasizes similarities among individual syndromes. Examples of FSS include irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, and fibromyalgia syndrome. This study aimed to distinguish FSS from MUS and compare the somatic and psychobehavioral characteristics of FSS with those of other diseases.

Methods

This study included 1975 first‐visit outpatients at a Japanese university hospital's general medicine clinic. According to their first‐listed diagnosis, they were classified as having FSS, acute infection, organic disease (OD), psychiatric disorder, and unknown condition (UC). The somatic symptom burden and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed using the Somatic Symptom Scale‐8 and EuroQol‐5 Dimension, respectively; the involvement of psychobehavioral factors affecting somatic symptoms was also evaluated.

Results

Overall, 33% of patients were included in the FSS category, and 93% of the supposed MUS (FSS and UC) were diagnosed with FSS. Compared with OD, FSS showed more severe somatic symptom burden, similar reduced HRQoL, and higher involvement of psychobehavioral factors.

Conclusion

It can be useful to improve FSS diagnostic skills for the reduction of MUS misdiagnosis. Psychobehavioral factors might be less associated with MUS (in the narrow sense of the term) than FSS.
Endoscopic features of colorectal lymphoma according to histological type
Authors: Yachida Tatsuo , Matsuda Takahisa , Sakamoto Taku , Nakajima Takeshi , Kakugawa Yasuo , Maeshima Akiko Miyagi , Taniguchi Hirokazu , Kushima Ryoji , Tobinai Kensei , Kobara Hideki , Masugata Hisashi , Masaki Tsutomu , Saito Yutaka
Published: April 2022

Background and Aim

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the histological type of colorectal lymphoma and its endoscopic features.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed patients with primary colorectal lymphoma who were diagnosed using colonoscopy and biopsy specimens at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. The lesions were macroscopically classified into the following types via colonoscopy: polypoid, ulcerative, multiple lymphomatous polyposis, diffuse, and mixed.

Results

A total of 117 lesions were identified in 90 patients enrolled in this study. Of these, 59 (50%) were located in the ileocecal region, 23 (20%) in the rectum, 9 (8%) in the transverse colon, 8 (7%) in the sigmoid colon, 7 (6%) in the descending colon, and 4 (3%) in the ascending colon. Moreover, the most common histological subtypes were diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in 39 patients (43%) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in 23 patients (26%), followed by follicular lymphoma (FL; 17%), mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (9%), peripheral T‐cell lymphoma‐NOS (2%), monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T‐cell lymphoma (MEITL; 2%), and Burkitt lymphoma (1%). More than half of the DLBCL (52%), MCL (52%), and MALT (56%) lymphomas were macroscopically classified as polypoid types. In contrast, FL lesions showed various macroscopic types. The majority of DLBCL (62%) and FL (78%) lesions were distributed in the ileocecal region. MCL lesions tended to be widely spread in various sites of the large intestine.

Conclusions

Colorectal lymphomas showed macroscopically distinctive features depending on the histological type. Understanding the macroscopic classification of the lesions by colonoscopy and its distribution may be helpful in diagnosing the type of lymphoma and determining the malignant grade based on the histological types.
Multicolor list Ramsey numbers grow exponentially
Authors: Fox Jacob , He Xiaoyu , Luo Sammy , Xu Max Wenqiang
Published: April 2022

The list Ramsey number , recently introduced by Alon, Bucić, Kalvari, Kuperwasser, and Szabó, is a list‐coloring variant of the classical Ramsey number. They showed that if is a fixed ‐uniform hypergraph that is not ‐partite and the number of colors goes to infinity, . We prove that if and only if is not ‐partite.
Is the value added tax reform a source of food insecurity and food poverty? The Burkina Faso case
Authors: Mamboundou Pierre N.
Published: April 2022

To finance its ambitious development programme, Burkina Faso aims to pass tax reforms by introducing a minimum value added tax (VAT) of 5% on agricultural goods and increasing VAT on water and electricity to 18%. In a country where nearly 10% of the population is food insecure, this reform could worsen the situation. We built a dynamic and recursive computable general equilibrium model with microsimulation to evaluate the effects of these tax reforms on poverty and food security. Results show that both proposed VAT changes lead to increased poverty and food insecurity, especially with the minimum VAT on agricultural products.
Chemical kinetics of hexamethyldisiloxane pyrolysis: A ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation study
Authors: Chen Yugong , Chen Hao , Wang Jianxiang , Huang Yaosong
Published: April 2022

The pyrolysis kinetics of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) at various temperatures was studied using the reactive force field (ReaxFF) molecular dynamics simulations. Reaction rate constants and the main pyrolysis pathways were explored at the initial decomposition stage of HMDSO and intermediates decomposition stage. The activation energy and pre‐exponential factor describing the reaction rate constants were obtained and further validated by experimental data and DFT theoretical calculations. The formation of C5H15OSi2 fragment by Si–C bond dissociation was dominant at the initial decomposition stage of HMDSO at the simulation temperatures of 2500–4000 K. The subsequent reaction pathways involved the formation of C5H14OSi2 and C4H11OSi2. After that, the pathways were different for 2500 and 3000 K. At 4000 K, small silicon‐containing fragments were formed, including CH3Si, CH4Si, and C3H9Si, etc. The simulations also revealed that the major hydrocarbons generated during HMDSO pyrolysis were CH3 and CH4. Also, CH4 formation was more important in the end of HMDSO pyrolysis when simulation temperature was over 3500 K.
Development and implementation experience of a learning healthcare system for facility based newborn care in low resource settings: The Neotree
Authors: Heys Michelle , Kesler Erin , Sassoon Yali , Wilson Emma , Fitzgerald Felicity , Gannon Hannah , Hull‐Bailey Tim , Chimhini Gwendoline , Khan Nushrat , Cortina‐Borja Mario , Nkhoma Deliwe , Chiyaka Tarisai , Stevenson Alex , Crehan Caroline , Chiume Msandeni Esther , Chimhuya Simbarashe ,   the Neotree Team
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Improving peri‐ and postnatal facility‐based care in low‐resource settings (LRS) could save over 6000 babies' lives per day. Most of the annual 2.4 million neonatal deaths and 2 million stillbirths occur in healthcare facilities in LRS and are preventable through the implementation of cost‐effective, simple, evidence‐based interventions. However, their implementation is challenging in healthcare systems where one in four babies admitted to neonatal units die. In high‐resource settings healthcare systems strengthening is increasingly delivered via learning healthcare systems to optimise care quality, but this approach is rare in LRS.

Methods

Since 2014 we have worked in Bangladesh, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and the UK to co‐develop and pilot the Neotree system: an android application with accompanying data visualisation, linkage, and export. Its low‐cost hardware and state‐of‐the‐art software are used to support healthcare professionals to improve postnatal care at the bedside and to provide insights into population health trends. Here we summarise the formative conceptualisation, development, and preliminary implementation experience of the Neotree.

Results

Data thus far from ~18 000 babies, 400 healthcare professionals in four hospitals (two in Zimbabwe, two in Malawi) show high acceptability, feasibility, usability, and improvements in healthcare professionals' ability to deliver newborn care. The data also highlight gaps in knowledge in newborn care and quality improvement. Implementation has been resilient and informative during external crises, for example, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. We have demonstrated evidence of improvements in clinical care and use of data for Quality Improvement (QI) projects.

Conclusion

Human‐centred digital development of a QI system for newborn care has demonstrated the potential of a sustainable learning healthcare system to improve newborn care and outcomes in LRS. Pilot implementation evaluation is ongoing in three of the four aforementioned hospitals (two in Zimbabwe and one in Malawi) and a larger scale clinical cost effectiveness trial is planned.
Diabetes, Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c), and Neuroaxonal Damage in Parkinson's Disease (MARK‐PD Study)
Authors: Uyar Merve , Lezius Susanne , Buhmann Carsten , Pötter‐Nerger Monika , Schulz Robert , Meier Stephanie , Gerloff Christian , Kuhle Jens , Choe Chi‐un
Published: April 2022

Background

Diabetes is associated with incidence and prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD). Furthermore, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels have been linked with motor function and progression.

Objectives

We evaluated the relationship between prevalent diabetes and HbA1c levels with serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels as marker of neuroaxonal damage.

Methods

NfL concentrations were analyzed with Simoa in serum of 195 PD patients with available HbA1c values. Motor (MDS‐UPDRS III, Hoehn & Yahr [H&Y]) and cognitive (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]) function was assessed and vascular comorbidities were documented from medical records.

Results

PD patients with prevalent diabetes had higher serum NfL levels and lower MoCA scores independent of age, body mass index (BMI), and vascular risk factors. Furthermore, diabetes was associated with higher H&Y stages in unadjusted and age/BMI‐adjusted models. Higher HbA1c levels were associated with increased NfL in unadjusted and age/BMI‐adjusted models.

Conclusions

In PD patients, diabetes and high HbA1c are associated with increased neuroaxonal damage and cognitive impairment. © 2022 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson Movement Disorder Society.
Tyrosol Ameliorates the Symptoms of Obesity, Promotes Adipose Thermogenesis, and Modulates the Composition of Gut Microbiota in HFD Fed Mice
Authors: Li Xiaoping , Wei Teng , Li Jingfang , Yuan Yuan , Wu Min , Chen Fang , Deng Ze‐Yuan , Luo Ting
Published: April 2022

Scope

Tyrosol is one of the main polyphenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and its role in combating obesity is unknown. Thus, this study is designed to investigate the effect of tyrosol consumption on obesity and its underlying mechanisms in high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced mice.

Methods and results

After supplementation with 0.2% (wt/wt) tyrosol for 16 weeks, the final body weight, and the levels of plasma triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and fasting glucose are significantly decreased when compared with HFD group. Furthermore, tyrosol may act as a ligand which binds with nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha (PPARα). Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), iodothyronine deiodinase 2 (DIO2), PPAR‐γ coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α), and PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), the downstream genes of PPARα which are related to thermogenic function of adipocytes, are significantly increased in both brown adipose tissue (BAT) and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) after tyrosol administration. In addition, tyrosol changes the community composition of gut microbiota, including decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, and increasing the relative abundance of family muribaculaceae, genus Blautia and Lachnospiraceae_bacterium_28_4.

Conclusion

Tyrosol consumption attenuates obesity and related symptoms in HFD‐fed mice probably via the modulation of PPARα‐thermogenesis and gut microbiota.
Nuclear receptor coactivator‐6 is essential for the morphological change of human uterine stromal cell decidualization via regulating actin fiber reorganization
Authors: Watanabe Norikazu , Kawagoe Jun , Sugiyama Akiko , Takehara Isao , Ohta Tsuyoshi , Nagase Satoru
Published: April 2022

Nuclear receptor coactivator 6 (Ncoa6), a modulator of several nuclear receptors and transcription factors, is essential for the decidualization of endometrial stromal cells in mice. However, the function of Ncoa6 in the human endometrium remains unclear. We investigated its function in the decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) isolated from resected uteri. Knockdown of Ncoa6 was performed using two independent small interfering RNAs. Decidualization was induced in vitro via medroxyprogesterone and cyclic adenosine monophosphate. We compared decidualized cellular morphology between the Ncoa6 knockdown cells and control cells. Messenger RNA (mRNA) sequencing was performed to determine the Ncoa6 target genes in undecidualized HESCs. We found that the knockdown of Ncoa6 caused the failure of morphological changes in decidualized HESCs compared to that in the control cells. mRNA sequencing revealed that Ncoa6 regulates the expression of genes associated with the regulation of actin fibers. Ncoa6 knockdown cells failed to reorganize actin fibers during the decidualization of HESCs. Ncoa6 was shown to play an essential role in decidualization via the appropriate regulation of actin fiber regulation in HESCs. Herein, our in vitro studies revealed a part of the mechanisms involved in endometrial decidualization. Future research is needed to investigate these mechanisms in women with implantation defects.
The psychological impact of Behçet's disease
Authors: El Hasbani Georges , Uthman Imad , Jawad Sudad , Jawad Ali S. M.
Published: April 2022

Background

Bechet's disease (BD), a chronic multiorgan involving disease, has a significant impact on quality of life in spite of effective treatment modalities. Disease manifestations such as arthritis, orogenital ulcerations, rashes, angiitis, and neurological involvement affect health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) through its impact on depression, anxiety, and fatigue.

Objectives

We aimed explore the psychological impact of BD, taking into consideration the effect on the HRQoL, as well as the association with depression, anxiety, wellbeing, and fatigue.

Methods

This is a narrative review of the literature that looks into the association of BD on the HRQoL including all studies that have assessed such as association.

Results/Findings

Depression and anxiety are prevalent among patients with BD, and contribute significantly to fatigue, a common symptom among BD patients. In addition, the psychological wellbeing is affected by the disease, however, more studies are needed to assess this relationship.

Conclusion

Depression and anxiety are strongly associated with BD, and contribute significantly to fatigue, a common symptom among BD patients. In addition, the psychological wellbeing is affected by the disease, however, more studies are needed to assess this relationship. Besides, the controlling factors of the psychological impact are still to be deciphered.
Acute high‐intensity interval exercise attenuates incubation of craving for foods high in fat
Authors: Kirkpatrick Georgia E. , Dingess Paige M. , Aadland Jake A. , Brown Travis E.
Published: April 2022

Objective

Food‐seeking behaviors can be driven by food‐associated cues, and palatable food seeking in response to food cues is a risk factor for obesity development. Cue‐induced food seeking increases following a period of abstinence, a behavioral phenomenon known as “incubation of craving,” which may contribute to an individual’s difficulty abstaining from palatable foods. Pharmacological and environmental manipulations have been employed to try and reduce incubation of craving, albeit primarily in drug abuse paradigms. The goal of this study was to determine whether forced exercise can attenuate incubation of high‐fat food craving.

Methods

Male Sprague Dawley rats learned to self‐administer high‐fat pellets (60%) in combination with a compound cue (light + tone). The influence of high‐intensity interval exercise on the time‐dependent increase in cue‐induced lever responding was investigated 30 days after the first cue test.

Results

Rats exposed to exercise during abstinence did not express incubation of craving.

Conclusions

The results suggest that high‐intensity exercise can prevent the establishment of incubation of craving for foods high in fat and may reduce cue‐induced maladaptive food‐seeking behaviors that contribute to overeating and obesity.
Preparation of porous starch from native starch by using fungal amylase and evaluation of its adsorption property on natural pharmacodynamic compounds
Authors: Qian Junqing , Yang Haiyan , Mo Chenghong , Chen Yan , Zhao Changyan
Published: April 2022

Due to the reliable safety of starch, it has a wide range of applications in pharmaceutical fields and food sectors. Enzymatic preparation of porous starch can better maintain the properties of starch and expand its applications, which indicates that the research on starch is worthwhile. According to the enzymatic hydrolysis ratio and the morphology of starch particles, the technological method was determined by using unpretreated corn starch as raw material and the fungal amylase as hydrolysis amylase. Then the technological conditions for preparing corn porous starch through enzymatic hydrolysis were optimized by single factor experiment. The morphology of porous starch was obtained via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The infrared spectrum (FTIR) showed that the porous starch had a same molecular structure compared with native starch. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) displayed that the crystal structure of porous starch was quite consistent with the native starch. The study on adsorption properties of porous starch for natural pharmacodynamic compounds genistein exhibited that the adsorption behaviors of porous starch were found to conform well to the Freundlich model and the pseudo‐first‐order model. Besides, the release assay demonstrated that the genistein which was incorporated into porous starch possessed superior sustained release effect. The porous starch obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis had ideal adsorption properties for natural pharmacodynamic compounds and is valuable as a drug carrier material.
Antibiotic use in children before, during and after hospitalisation
Authors: Thaulow Christian Magnus , Blix Hege Salvesen , Nilsen Roy Miodini , Eriksen Beate Horsberg , Wathne Jannicke Slettli , Berild Dag , Harthug Stig
Published: April 2022

Purpose

To investigate ambulatory antibiotic use in children during 1 year before and 1 year after in‐hospital antibiotic exposure compared to children from the general population that had not received antibiotics in‐hospital.

Methods

Explorative data‐linkage cohort study from Norway of children aged 3 months to 17 years. One group had received antibiotics in‐Hospital (H+), and one group had not received antibiotics in‐hospital (H‐). The H+ group was recruited during admission in 2017. Using the Norwegian Population Registry, 10 children from the H‐ group were matched with one child from the H+ group according to county of residence, age and sex. We used the Norwegian Prescription Database to register antibiotic use 1 year before and 1 year after the month of hospitalisation.

Results

Of 187 children in the H+ group, 83 (44%) received antibiotics before hospitalisation compared to 288/1870 (15%) in the H‐ group, relative risk (RR) 2.88 (95% confidence interval 2.38–3.49). After hospitalisation, 86 (46%) received antibiotics in the H+ group compared to 311 (17%) in the H‐ group, RR 2.77 (2.30–3.33). Comorbidity‐adjusted RR was 2.30 (1.84–2.86) before and 2.25 (1.81–2.79) after hospitalisation. RR after hospitalisation was 2.55 (1.99–3.26) in children 3 months‐2 years, 4.03 (2.84–5.71) in children 3–12 years and 2.07 (1.33–3.20) in children 13–17 years.

Conclusions

Children exposed to antibiotics in‐hospital had two to three times higher risk of receiving antibiotics in ambulatory care both before and after hospitalisation. The link between in‐hospital and ambulatory antibiotic exposure should be emphasised in future antibiotic stewardship programs.
Superior EMI shielding effectiveness with enhanced electrical conductivity at low percolation threshold of flexible novel ethylene methyl acrylate/single‐walled carbon nanotube nanocomposites
Authors: Sit Subhashis , Chakraborty Goutam , Das Narayan Chandra
Published: April 2022

The rising trend of electromagnetic pollution has motivated us to develop a novel electromagnetic interference shielding (EMI) material by adopting a facile, industry viable, and cost‐effective solution mixing strategy. Single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) as conductive fillers is employed in a lightweight, highly flexible ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) polymer to fabricate the superior electrically conductive and efficient EMI shielding material at a relatively lower percolation threshold limit compared to other carbonaceous fillers has been justified by their morphological characterization. The electrical conductive network formation is attained at just 1.96 wt% of SWCNT loading resulting in more than 20 dB of EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) dominated by absorption mechanism to fulfill the industrial requirement along with excellent mechanical properties improvement, and the highest SE is 45 dB at 15 wt% of reinforcement facilitating their potential use in both industry and academia.
Degradation in photovoltaic encapsulant transmittance: Results of the second PVQAT TG5 artificial weathering study
Authors: Morse Joshua , Thuis Michael , Holsapple Derek , Willis Ryan , Kempe Michael D. , Miller David C.
Published: April 2022

The optical degradation of encapsulants from ultraviolet (UV) radiation has historically resulted in a significant loss in performance throughout the life of a photovoltaic (PV) module. International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) test methods have recently been developed to screen for PV encapsulants prone to loss in optical performance. The present study was performed to benchmark polymeric packaging materials relative to IEC 62788‐1‐4 (covering the measurement of optical transmittance) and IEC 62788‐1‐7 (on the durability of transmittance), provide feedback toward improvement of the methods, and develop insight regarding optical degradation. Contemporary materials were examined, including poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate) (EVA), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), polyolefin elastomer (POE), and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) encapsulants; a poly(ethene‐co‐tetrafluoroethene)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (ETFE/PET) transparent backsheet; and a polystyrene (PS) working reference material. The use of silica‐, specialty‐, and rolled‐glass was also compared in laminated coupons. Specimen size was separately examined from 2.5 to 12.5 cm. Weathering was performed with a xenon source, using IEC TS 62788‐7‐2 methods A2, A3, A4, and A5 (chamber temperature of 55°C, 65°C, 75°C, or 85°C), respectively. Characterizations were made using a UV–visible–near‐infrared (UV–VIS–NIR) spectrophotometer (transmittance and reflectance, with and without an integrating sphere), a UV–VIS fluorescence spectrophotometer, a camera, and an optical microscope. Performance was analyzed, including solar weighted transmittance, yellowness index, UV cut‐off wavelength, and haze (scattering). Separate Arrhenius analyses were performed to assess retention of transmittance and changes in yellowness index. The activation energy for both characteristics was found to range from 15–80 kJ·mol−1, with an average of 48 kJ·mol−1, similar to the average of 45 kJ·mol−1 identified in the previous international PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Task Group 5 (TG5) study of more traditional encapsulants. The separate degradation modes of discoloration and scattering were distinguished in the encapsulants using a comprehensive spectral characterization. Based on these results, the IEC 62788‐1‐7 pass/fail criteria of 5% change in transmittance was confirmed to identify a known bad encapsulant.
Placental and plasma early predictive biomarkers for gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Wei Yiling , He Andong , Huang Zhengrui , Liu Jia , Li Ruiman
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common disease that can give rise to adverse obstetric outcomes. For successful early intervention, more studies on novel predictive biomarkers for GDM are required.

Experimental Design

The protein expression profiles of placental tissue from patients with GDM and normal pregnant women were investigated using data‐independent acquisition proteomics with five biological replicates. Early pregnancy maternal plasma samples from the GDM (n = 79) and control (n = 81) groups were used for further validation of candidate biomarkers.

Results

We identified 37 differentially expressed proteins between the two groups. CD109 antigen (CD109) and endosialin (CD248) were identified as hub proteins. In the validation experiments, CD109 expression was lower in the early pregnancy maternal plasma of patients with GDM compared with that in normal pregnant women, and CD248 expression was higher in the GDM group. The area under the curve of CD109, CD248, and their combination as indicators in early pregnancy maternal plasma was 0.681, 0.609, and 0.695, respectively.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

The present study is the first to obtain preliminary evidence that CD109 and CD248 can predict GDM during early pregnancy, as well as providing proteome‐level insights into this disease's pathological mechanisms.
Bed‐mounted laparoscopic surgical robot system with novel positioning arm mechanism
Authors: Chung Deok Gyoon , Hwang Minho , Cheon Byungsik , Kong Dukyoo , Kang DongHoon , Lee Dong‐Ho , Kim Chang‐Kyun , Kim Duksang , Han Jung Min , Kim Young‐Geun , Kwon Dong‐Soo
Published: April 2022

Background

Commercialised laparoscopic surgical robotic systems require a large operating room and can only be used in large hospitals. If the robotic system is to be used in a small‐ or medium‐sized hospital, the occupied volume must be reduced further.

Methods

In this paper, we propose a bed‐mounted system that can be installed in a general operating room. Furthermore, we proposed a novel positioning arm suitable for a bed‐mounted surgical robot system.

Results

The surgical possibility of the proposed bed‐mounted system has been verified. Furthermore, the surgical possibility of the proposed system was confirmed using in vivo animal experiments.

Conclusions

A bed‐mounted laparoscopic robotic system and a novel positioning arm was proposed. The study's ultimate goal is to enable robotic surgery in small and medium‐sized hospitals by introducing the proposed bed‐mounted laparoscopic robot system, allowing many people to receive high‐quality medical services.
Epistemic agency for costructuring expansive knowledge‐building practices
Authors: Zhang Jianwei , Tian Yan , Yuan Guangji , Tao Dan
Published: April 2022

As a hallmark of authentic science practices, students need to enact epistemic agency to shape/reshape the key aspects of their inquiry work as a collaborative community. This study elaborates an emergent temporal mechanism for engaging students' epistemic agency: “reflective structuration” by which members of a classroom community coconstruct ever‐evolving inquiry directions and group structures as their collective inquiry work proceeds. Using an interactional ethnography method, we examined how students (n = 22) in a Grade 5 classroom coconstructed shared inquiry directions and flexible group structures to guide their sustained inquiry about human body systems over 7 months supported by a collaborative online environment. Rich data were collected to trace the work of the eye inquiry group as a telling case. With their teacher's support, students took agentic moves to construct an evolving set of wondering areas as a way to frame what their whole class needed to investigate. Flexible groups, such as the eye inquiry group, emerged and evolved in the various areas, leading to progressively deepening inquiry and extensive idea exchanges among students. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Hierarchical multivariate directed acyclic graph autoregressive models for spatial diseases mapping
Authors: Gao Leiwen , Datta Abhirup , Banerjee Sudipto
Published: April 2022

Disease mapping is an important statistical tool used by epidemiologists to assess geographic variation in disease rates and identify lurking environmental risk factors from spatial patterns. Such maps rely upon spatial models for regionally aggregated data, where neighboring regions tend to exhibit similar outcomes than those farther apart. We contribute to the literature on multivariate disease mapping, which deals with measurements on multiple (two or more) diseases in each region. We aim to disentangle associations among the multiple diseases from spatial autocorrelation in each disease. We develop multivariate directed acyclic graphical autoregression models to accommodate spatial and inter‐disease dependence. The hierarchical construction imparts flexibility and richness, interpretability of spatial autocorrelation and inter‐disease relationships, and computational ease, but depends upon the order in which the cancers are modeled. To obviate this, we demonstrate how Bayesian model selection and averaging across orders are easily achieved using bridge sampling. We compare our method with a competitor using simulation studies and present an application to multiple cancer mapping using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program.
Effect of Ti Addition on Non‐Metallic Inclusion Characteristics in TRIP Steel
Authors: Li Bin , Zhu Hangyu , Sun Jiwei , Song Mingming , Zhao Jixuan
Published: April 2022

Herein, the effect of Ti addition on the formation and evolution of inclusions in high‐Al transformation‐induced plasticity (TRIP) steel is investigated by performing a series of laboratory experiments and thermodynamic calculations for different quantities and sequences of Ti addition. Before the addition of Al and Ti, the main inclusions are spherical Mn–Si–Al–O oxide particles. The addition of Al transforms the Mn–Si–Al–O inclusions to Al2O3 inclusion. After the subsequent addition of 0.02 wt% Ti, the main inclusions are Al2O3, AlN, Al2O3–AlN, Al2O3–TiN, and Al2O3–AlN–TiN. However, after the subsequent addition of 0.05 or 0.12 wt% Ti to molten steel, the main inclusions are Al2O3, TiN, and Al2O3–TiN, and almost no AlN is observed. Using different addition sequences of Al and Ti to high‐Al TRIP steel does not result in significant differences in the types of inclusions. Adding Ti to molten steel does not transform Al2O3 to Ti‐oxides, whereas Al addition causes Ti‐oxides to be transformed to Al2O3. Importantly, adding over 0.05 wt% Ti to TRIP steel prevents the formation of AlN inclusion.
Transition‐Metal‐Based Cocatalysts for Photocatalytic Water Splitting
Authors: Zhao Hui , Jian Liang , Gong Ming , Jing Mengyang , Li Haixia , Mao Qinyi , Lu Tongbin , Guo Yinxin , Ji Rong , Chi Wenwen , Dong Yuming , Zhu Yongfa
Published: April 2022

Recently, semiconductor‐based photocatalytic water splitting has been extensively studied as a promising strategy for converting solar energy into carbon‐neutral and clean H2 fuel. However, the lack of sufficient active sites for surface redox reactions generally results in unsatisfactory photocatalytic water splitting performances over semiconductors. For this problem, cocatalyst provides an encouraging solution and is of great significance in improving photocatalytic performance. Noble metals and their derivatives are mostly utilized as efficient cocatalytic components, but their scarcity and expensiveness severely hamper large‐scale applications. Thereby, the utilization of noble‐metal‐free cocatalysts has aroused immense research attention. Owing to the facile availability, low cost, large abundance, high stability, and efficient performance, transition‐metal‐based materials have been developed as desirable candidates in the photocatalytic water splitting water splitting process. This review gives an outline of some recent advances in the active transition‐metal‐based water splitting cocatalysts. First, the fundamentals of transition‐metal‐based cocatalysts are presented, including the classification, function mechanisms, loading methods, modification strategies, and design considerations. Second, the various cases of depositing reduction cocatalysts, oxidation cocatalysts, and reduction–oxidation dual cocatalysts for water splitting are further discussed. Finally, the crucial challenges and possible research directions of transition‐metal‐based cocatalysts for photocatalytic water splitting are proposed.
Seismic force demand on RC shear walls for direct displacement‐based design
Authors: Abdi Saeid , Khosravi Horr , Jafarieh Amir Hossein
Published: April 2022

This article aims to investigate seismic force demand on RC shear walls which are designed using direct displacement‐based design (DDBD) method. For this purpose, first 12 shear walls were designed using DDBD approach and then were modeled nonlinearly in OpenSees using fiber section elements. Each wall was subjected to 45 artificial ground motions and the seismic force demand, including the shear force and the bending moment, were determined along the wall height. The nonlinear dynamic analysis results indicated that the seismic force demand was significantly amplified relative to the design forces. This amplification, which was due to the higher mode effects, is mainly a function of structural period and ductility demand. To find new shear and moment envelopes for capacity design, two envelop shapes compatible with internal force pattern along the wall height were selected. Then, the required equations were presented for envelope parameters based on the regression analysis of the results. The comparison of seismic force demand with proposed and previous envelopes indicates the superiority of new proposed envelopes for DDBD approach.
Amlodipine decreases mitral regurgitation volume in dogs over 7 days: A study of 24 dogs with myxomatous mitral valve degeneration
Authors: Park Sool Yi , Oh Won‐Seok , Lee Seunggon
Published: April 2022

Background

Amlodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium‐channel blocker, is currently being investigated as a treatment for myxomatous mitral valvular degeneration (MMVD). However, the effects of amlodipine on moderate or severe spontaneous MMVD, based on changes in echocardiographic indices, remain unclear.

Animals

Client‐owned small‐breed dogs (n = 24) with naturally occurring MMVD of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) stage B2 or higher.

Methods

Basic dog information including previous medication treatments were recorded. All subjects received amlodipine 0.1 mg/kg, administered per os, twice daily for 7 days, in addition to their existing medication. We measured systolic blood pressure, obtained x‐ray, echocardiography, blood test data before and after 1 week of amlodipine administration.

Results

Left ventricular end‐diastolic internal diameter, left atrial diameter and E wave reduced statistically after 1 week of amlodipine treatment (all p < 0.001). No adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that low‐dose amlodipine should be considered as treatment for dogs with ACVIM stage B2‒C MMVD.
Emergent time, cosmological constant and boundary dimension at infinity in combinatorial quantum gravity
Authors: Trugenberger C. A.
Published: April 2022

Abstract

Combinatorial quantum gravity is governed by a discrete Einstein-Hilbert action formulated on an ensemble of random graphs. There is strong evidence for a second-order quantum phase transition separating a random phase at strong coupling from an ordered, geometric phase at weak coupling. Here we derive the picture of space-time that emerges in the geometric phase, given such a continuous phase transition. In the geometric phase, ground-state graphs are discretizations of Riemannian, negative-curvature Cartan-Hadamard manifolds. On such manifolds, diffusion is ballistic. Asymptotically, diffusion time is soldered with a manifold coordinate and, consequently, the probability distribution is governed by the wave equation on the corresponding Lorentzian manifold of positive curvature, de Sitter space-time. With this asymptotic Lorentzian picture, the original negative curvature of the Riemannian manifold turns into a positive cosmological constant. The Lorentzian picture, however, is valid only asymptotically and cannot be extrapolated back in coordinate time. Before a certain epoch, coordinate time looses its meaning and the universe is a negative-curvature Riemannian “shuttlecock” with ballistic diffusion, thereby avoiding a big bang singularity. The emerging coordinate time leads to a de Sitter version of the holographic principle relating the bulk isometries with boundary conformal transformations. While the topological boundary dimension is (D − 1), the so-called “dimension at infinity” of negative curvature manifolds, i.e. the large-scale spectral dimension seen by diffusion processes with no spectral gap, those that can probe the geometry at infinity, is always three.
Skeletal maturation in different anteroposterior and vertical skeletal growth patterns in female subjects
Authors: El-Dawlatly Mostafa M. , Abdelghaffar Ahmed Y. , Palomo Juan Martin , Mostafa Yehya A.
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The aim of the present work was to study the sequence of skeletal maturation in the various anteroposterior and vertical skeletal growth patterns and to detect whether differences existed between them.

Methods

Cephalograms of 861 growing and adolescent female patients were traced to categorize the subjects into 9 skeletal patterns. Each subject was assigned a skeletal maturational stage. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Bonferroni test were used to detect differences in the onset of the three growth stages (prepubertal, pubertal and postpubertal) between the 9 groups. The same statistical methods were used to detect differences between the mean ages at the three growth stages within each group.

Results

No statistically significant differences were found between the mean ages of pubertal and postpubertal growth stages between the 9 skeletal patterns. However, class III growers had a significantly earlier onset of prepubertal growth (10.25 ± 1.56 years) when compared to that of class II high angle cases (11.11 ± 1.67 years; P < 0.01). Also, significant differences were found between the mean ages at the three growth stages within the groups.

Conclusion

A map was created defining the sequence of skeletal maturation for each skeletal growth pattern. This map defines clinically relevant differences in the starting time points and the optimum intervals of growth modification for each skeletal growth pattern.
The biharmonic Alt–Caffarelli problem in 2D
Authors: Müller Marius
Published: April 2022

We examine a variational free boundary problem of Alt–Caffarelli type for the biharmonic operator with Navier boundary conditions in two dimensions. We show interior$$C^2$$C2-regularity of minimizers and that the free boundary consists of finitely many$$C^2$$C2-hypersurfaces. With the aid of these results, we can prove that minimizers are in general not unique. We investigate radial symmetry of minimizers and compute radial solutions explicitly.
An efficient implementation of a phase field model for fatigue crack growth
Authors: Yan Sikang , Schreiber Christoph , Müller Ralf
Published: April 2022

Recently, phase field modeling of fatigue fracture has gained a lot of attention from many researches and studies, since the fatigue damage of structures is a crucial issue in mechanical design. Differing from traditional phase field fracture models, our approach considers not only the elastic strain energy and crack surface energy, additionally, we introduce a fatigue energy contribution into the regularized energy density function caused by cyclic load. Comparing to other type of fracture phenomenon, fatigue damage occurs only after a large number of load cycles. It requires a large computing effort in a computer simulation. Furthermore, the choice of the cycle number increment is usually determined by a compromise between simulation time and accuracy. In this work, we propose an efficient phase field method for cyclic fatigue propagation that only requires moderate computational cost without sacrificing accuracy. We divide the entire fatigue fracture simulation into three stages and apply different cycle number increments in each damage stage. The basic concept of the algorithm is to associate the cycle number increment with the damage increment of each simulation iteration. Numerical examples show that our method can effectively predict the phenomenon of fatigue crack growth and reproduce fracture patterns.
Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Mercaptophenol Functionalized-Gold Nanorods Against a Clinical Isolate of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Eltai Nahla O. , Mahmoud Nouf N. , Zakaria Zain Z. , Abdelrahman Hana , Moustafa Ala-Eddin Al , Al-Asmakh Maha
Published: April 2022

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) were synthesized by the seed-mediated wet chemical method using a binary surfactant system. AuNRs were stabilized with polyethylene glycol, then functionalized with 4-mercaptophenol (4-MPH) ligand by surface ligand exchange. The surface-functionalized AuNRs (4-MPH-AuNRs) exhibited a typical UV–vis spectrum of AuNRs with a slightly shifted longitudinal peak. Furthermore, 4-MPH-AuNRs demonstrated a similar Fourier-Transformed Infrared spectrum to 4-MPH and a fading of the thiol band, which suggests a successful functionalization through thiol-gold binding. The antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of 4-MPH-AuNRs were evaluated against a clinical isolate of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The results indicate that 4-MPH-AuNRs exhibit a bactericidal activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ~ 6.25 $$\upmu$$
μ
g/mL against a planktonic suspension of MRSA. Furthermore, 4-MPH-AuNRs resulted in a 1.8–2.9 log-cycle reduction of MRSA biofilm viable count over a concentration range of 100–6.0 $$\upmu$$
μ
g/mL. The bacterial uptake of the surface-modified nanorods was investigated by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging; the results reveal that the nanorods were internalized into the bacterial cells after 6 h (h) of exposure. SEM imaging revealed a significant accumulation of the nanorods at the bacterial cell wall and a possible cellular internalization. Thus, 4-MPH-AuNRs can be considered a potential antibacterial agent, particularly against MRSA strain biofilms.
A review of plant-based coagulants for turbidity and cyanobacteria blooms removal
Authors: El Bouaidi Widad , Libralato Giovanni , Douma Mountasser , Ounas Abdelaziz , Yaacoubi Abdelrani , Lofrano Giusy , Albarano Luisa , Guida Marco , Loudiki Mohammed
Published: April 2022

In recent years, the proliferation of Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (CyanoHABs) has increased with water eutrophication and climate change, impairing human health and the environment in relation to water supply. In drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), the bio-coagulation based on natural coagulants has been studied as an eco-friendly alternative technology to conventional coagulants for both turbidity and CyanoHABs removal. Plant-based coagulants have demonstrated their coagulation efficiency in turbidity removal, as reported in several papers but its ability in cyanobacterial removal is still limited. This paper mainly reviewed the application of plant-based coagulants in DWTPs, with focus on turbidity removal, including cyanobacterial cells. The future potential uses of these green coagulants to reduce noxious effects of cyanobacterial proliferation are presented. Green coagulants advantages and limitations in DWTPs are reviewed and discussed summarizing more than 10 years of knowledge.
Intuition in Mathematics: from Racism to Pluralism
Authors: Franchella Miriam
Published: April 2022

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries many mathematicians referred to intuition as the indispensable research tool for obtaining new results. In this essay we will analyse a group of mathematicians (Felix Klein, Henri Poincaré, Ludwig Bieberbach, Arend Heyting) who interacted with Luitzen Egbertus Jan Brouwer (the father of the intuitionist foundational school) in order to compare their conceptions of intuition. We will see how to the same word “intuition” (in GermanAnschauung) very different meanings corresponded: they varied from geometrical vision, to a unitary view of a demonstration, to the perception of time, to the faculty (shared by everybody) of considering concepts that habitually occur in our thinking separately. Furthermore, we will discover that these different meanings had a philosophical, very relevant counterside: they passed from a racial characterization of mathematics to a pluralistic view of it.