bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Past, present and future of glycolipids from Ustilaginaceae – A review on cellobiose lipids and mannosylerythritol lipids
Authors: Münßinger Sini , Beck Alexander , Oraby Amira , Zibek Susanne
Published: May 2024

The glycolipids cellobiose lipids (CL) and mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL) are biosurfactants mainly synthesized by microorganisms of the Ustilaginaceae family. They have a large structural diversity, varying in their sugar moieties and the attached fatty acids, resulting in a prospectively broad range of applications. This literature review provides a detailed overview of known microbial producers of CL and MEL, and their respective metabolic pathways that result in different molecular structures. Further, current advances in the aerobic fermentative synthesis of the glycolipids and their purification methods are illustrated. All influencing factors identified to date with regard to the fermentation are highlighted in detail: For CL synthesis usually hydrophilic carbon sources are used as substrate, whereas hydrophobic carbon sources are usually metabolized to MEL. Nitrogen limitation was described as a major trigger for glycolipid synthesis and an acidic pH range was favored for increased CL production. An overview of applied fermentation parameters in recent publications (e.g., substrate‐concentrations, feeding approaches) demonstrates the future potential of CL and MEL production optimization. Foaming during fermentation is either combated or exploited by foam fractionation as the first purification step. The current purification processes focus on solvent extractions and chromatography in the laboratory scale and a need for development was identified for future scale‐up. Finally, environmental hotspots during CL and MEL production are presented and future optimization potentials are highlighted.
Dual ligand exchange of Cd‐free quantum dots and optimal control of ink formulation for improving the performance of all‐inkjet‐printed quantum dot light‐emitting diodes
Authors: Ha Jaekook , Lee Sooho , Park Myoungjin , Kim Heunggyu , Jung Yun Ku , Han Changyeol , Hwang Jaekwon , Park Gyehyun , Lee Hak June , Bae Wan Ki , Noh Seunguk , Kwak Donghoon , Kim Sehun , Yoon Yeo‐geon , Lee Changhee
Published: May 2024

Quantum dot light‐emitting diodes (QD‐LEDs) have received significant attention as a next‐generation display technology aimed at large‐size panel production with lower manufacturing costs and excellent picture quality. Here, we demonstrated all‐inkjet‐printed 12.4‐in. full‐color QD‐LED display with the 182‐ppi resolution. The efficiency and lifetime of inkjet‐printed QD‐LEDs were improved through the ligand exchange of Cd‐free quantum dots (QDs), red and green InP and blue ZnSeTe QDs, and optimal control of ink formulation. Dual ligands enhanced colloidal stability and carrier transport properties. The introduction of appropriate additives in the mixed solvent system improved the inkjet processibility and the morphology of inkjet‐printed layers.
Predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastasis using deep learning on prechemotherapy cross‐sectional imaging
Authors: Davis Joshua M. K. , Niazi Muhammad Khalid Khan , Ricker Ansley B. , Tavolara Thomas E. , Robinson Jordan N. , Annanurov Bayram , Smith Kaylee , Mantha Rohit , Hwang Jimmy , Shrestha Ruchi , Iannitti David A. , Martinie John B. , Baker Erin H. , Gurcan Metin N. , Vrochides Dionisios
Published: May 2024

Background and Objectives

Deep learning models (DLMs) are applied across domains of health sciences to generate meaningful predictions. DLMs make use of neural networks to generate predictions from discrete data inputs. This study employs DLM on prechemotherapy cross‐sectional imaging to predict patients' response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods

Adult patients with colorectal liver metastasis who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included. A DLM was trained on computed tomography images using attention‐based multiple‐instance learning. A logistic regression model incorporating clinical parameters of the Fong clinical risk score was used for comparison. Both model performances were benchmarked against the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria. A receiver operating curve was created and resulting area under the curve (AUC) was determined.

Results

Ninety‐five patients were included, with 33,619 images available for study inclusion. Ninety‐five percent of patients underwent 5‐fluorouracil‐based chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and/or irinotecan. Sixty percent of the patients were categorized as chemotherapy responders (30% reduction in tumor diameter). The DLM had an AUC of 0.77. The AUC for the clinical model was 0.41.

Conclusions

Image‐based DLM for prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases was superior to a clinical‐based model. These results demonstrate potential to identify nonresponders to chemotherapy and guide select patients toward earlier curative resection.
No significant change of tibiofemoral rotation after femoral rotational osteotomy in patients with patellofemoral instability
Authors: Jud Lukas , Klenecky Vanessa , Neopoulos Georgios , Ackermann Jakob , Fucentese Sandro F. , Vlachopoulos Lazaros
Published: May 2024

Purpose

An increased value of tibiofemoral rotation is frequently observed in patients with patellofemoral instability or maltracking. Nevertheless, the appropriate approach for addressing this parameter remains unclear so far. One potential approach for correcting tibiofemoral rotation is femoral rotational osteotomy. We hypothesized that femoral rotational osteotomy affects tibiofemoral rotation.

Methods

All patients who underwent femoral rotational osteotomy between January 2018 and May 2022 were included in this study. Pre‐ and postoperative tibiofemoral rotation and the degree of femoral rotation were measured using two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) measurements. The effect of femoral rotation on tibiofemoral rotation was assessed.

Results

Forty knees (18 right and 22 left) of 36 patients (28 females and 8 males) were included. Mean preoperative femoral torsion was 32.1 ± 10.1° in 2D and 30.8 ± 10.1° in 3D. Femoral rotation was performed by −14.1 ± 8.3° using 2D measurements and −15.0 ± 8.0° using 3D measurements. Tibiofemoral rotation changed from 9.9 ± 6.2° to 9.7 ± 6.0° (p = n.s.) in 2D, and from 10.2 ± 5.5° to 9.4 ± 5.4° (p = n.s.) in 3D.

Conclusion

Tibiofemoral rotation showed no significant changes after femoral rotational osteotomy. Hence, femoral rotational osteotomy cannot be used to correct tibiofemoral rotation in addition to correcting the femoral version. Other surgical techniques need to be evaluated if correction of tibiofemoral rotation is required.

Level of Evidence

Level III.
Energy Dissipation Engineering for Widely Tunable (1.2–2.1 µm) Optical Parametric Oscillation in Integrated Chalcogenide Microresonators
Authors: Xia Di , Zhao Jiaxin , Cheng Huanjie , Wang Zifu , Huang Jianteng , Luo Liyang , Liu Dong , Yang Shuixian , Zhang Bin , Li Zhaohui
Published: May 2024

Widely separated optical parametric oscillation (OPO) in an integrated Kerr microresonator offers a compact, highly coherent, and low‐power laser source, accessing previously inaccessible frequencies. Yet, extending the sideband of OPO from telecom to beyond 2 µm is still challenged by competing nonlinear effects and reduced Q factors at these extended wavelengths. In this work, efficient signal‐idler separations reaching 99 THz (1250–2130 nm) are demonstrated with a modest 8.1 mW threshold power, leveraging the heightened nonlinearity of GeSbS chalcogenide glass in the integrated microresonators. By pioneering energy dissipation control via pulley couplers, competing nonlinear phenomena are effectively suppressed, enabling the first demonstration of a widely separated OPO (wOPO) in the anomalous dispersion regime. Moreover, the wOPO features a robust existence region across a variety of device geometries, resilient to microresonator width alterations of up to 300 nm. These findings underscore the potential of integrated microresonators to adeptly bridge the telecom band to the MIR spectrum, achieving this transition with minimal power and controlled nonlinearities, a promising avenue for contemporary integrated photonics platforms utilizing heterogeneously integrated pump lasers.
Single‐Pulse‐Driven Frame Printing of Chromatic Pixels in Lithium Niobate Crystal
Authors: Zhang Jie , Wang Zhuo , Zhang Bo , Qiu Jianrong
Published: May 2024

Highly efficient and programmable writing of multidimensional optical data is of great value for next‐generation high‐throughput information technologies but has been rarely achieved. Here, a one‐step frame printing of chromatic pixels in lithium niobate crystal by using a single ultrafast laser pulse is reported. In this strategy, a phase superposition‐based spatial light modulation strategy is applied to split a single ultrafast laser pulse into multiple son pulses with designated optical properties and spatial distribution patterns. It is demonstrated that these son pulses allow for massively creating micro‐amorphous phase transition zones with on‐demand structural features that can modulate the intrinsic birefringence of the crystal matrix and generate wavelength‐selective interference in the visible band to form pixel‐level chromatic patterns, namely, single‐pulse‐driven frame color printing. The created chromatic pixels can be encoded into computer‐recognizable data arrays to play a role in high‐efficiency multidimensional information recording. The presented approach enables fast and programmable information batch writing in 3D space and can serve as a versatile tool boosting next‐generation information optics.
Customers' political ideology and Self‐Service Technologies: Do political leanings predict usage of Self‐Service Technologies?
Authors: Malekshah Nasim N. , Kamran‐Disfani Omid , Mousavi Javad , Aghaie Sina
Published: May 2024

Self‐service technologies are widely used in business, and retailers and service firms invest significant resources to obtain and improve their Self‐Service Technology capabilities. To allocate resources efficiently, it is crucial for firms to predict Self‐Service Technology usage by their customers. However, predictors in the extant literature (e.g., customers' perceptions and personality traits) are not easy to objectively measure or obtain secondary data about. This research proposes and examines political ideology, for which fairly accurate and objective data can be obtained, as a novel predictor of customer Self‐Service Technology usage. In four studies in different contexts, the authors consistently find that political ideology is significantly related to customers' intention to use and actual use of Self‐Service Technologies; Liberals, on average, are found to be significantly more likely to use Self‐Service Technologies compared to conservatives. Moreover, process complexity is identified as a moderator of this effect. In addition, two mediators, customers' need for interaction and customers' perceived control, through which political ideology affects intention to use Self‐Service Technologies are uncovered. The manuscript concludes with a discussion of contributions and practical implications for managers and practitioners as well as avenues for future research.
Reactivation of methylation‐silenced PAX1 inhibits cervical cancer proliferation and migration via the WNT/TIMELESS pathway
Authors: Zhang Wenfan , Wang Huixi , Chen Shuang , Fan Xueting , Liu Yuqing , Shi Shujuan , Wang Rong
Published: May 2024

Although aberrant methylation of PAX1 is closely associated with cervical cancer (CC), PAX1 methylation (PAX1m) and its role in CC remain to be elucidated. Here, we clarified the biological function of PAX1 in CC. First, PAX1m in ThinPrep cytologic test samples was measured via quantitative methylation‐specific PCR. The results showed that PAX1 promoter methylation levels were significantly increased in CC patients (p < 0.001). We also found that PAX1 promoter methylation levels were positively correlated with tumor purity but negatively correlated with immune‐infiltration via public databases. Then, CRISPR‐based methylation perturbation tools (dCas9‐Tet1) were constructed to further demonstrate that DNA methylation participates in the regulation of PAX1 expression directly. Gain‐ and loss‐of‐function experiments were used to show that PAX1 overexpression restrained proliferation, migration and improved cisplatin sensitivity by interfering with the WNT/TIMELESS axis in CC cells. Additionally, Co‐immunoprecipitation assays further confirmed the interaction between PAX1 and TCF7L2. Taken together, our results suggested that a tumor suppressor role of PAX1 in CC and that CRISPR‐based PAX1 demethylation editing might be a promising therapeutic strategy for CC.
Categorization of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis population via the clinical determinant of post‐onset ΔFS for study design and medical practice
Authors: Ludolph Albert C. , Corcia Philippe , Desnuelle Claude , Heiman‐Patterson Terry , Mora Jesus S. , Mansfield Colin D. , Couratier Philippe
Published: May 2024

The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) functional rating scale‐revised (ALSFRS‐R) has become the most widely utilized measure of disease severity in patients with ALS, with change in ALSFRS‐R from baseline being a trusted primary outcome measure in ALS clinical trials. This is despite the scale having several established limitations, and although alternative scales have been proposed, it is unlikely that these will displace ALSFRS‐R in the foreseeable future. Here, we discuss the merits of delta FS (ΔFS), the slope or rate of ALSFRS‐R decline over time, as a relevant tool for innovative ALS study design, with an as yet untapped potential for optimization of drug effectiveness and patient management. In our view, categorization of the ALS population via the clinical determinant of post‐onset ΔFS is an important study design consideration. It serves not only as a critical stratification factor and basis for patient enrichment but also as a tool to explore differences in treatment response across the overall population; thereby, facilitating identification of responder subgroups. Moreover, because post‐onset ΔFS is derived from information routinely collected as part of standard patient care and monitoring, it provides a suitable patient selection tool for treating physicians. Overall, post‐onset ΔFS is a very attractive enrichment tool that is, can and should be regularly incorporated into ALS trial design.
A sampling greedy average regularized Kaczmarz method for tensor recovery
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqing , Guo Xiaofeng , Pan Jianyu
Published: May 2024

Recently, a regularized Kaczmarz method has been proposed to solve tensor recovery problems. In this article, we propose a sampling greedy average regularized Kaczmarz method. This method can be viewed as a block or mini‐batch version of the regularized Kaczmarz method, which is based on averaging several regularized Kaczmarz steps with a constant or adaptive extrapolated step size. Also, it is equipped with a sampling greedy strategy to select the working tensor slices from the sensing tensor. We prove that our new method converges linearly in expectation and show that the sampling greedy strategy can exhibit an accelerated convergence rate compared to the random sampling strategy. Numerical experiments are carried out to show the feasibility and efficiency of our new method on various signal/image recovery problems, including sparse signal recovery, image inpainting, and image deconvolution.
Optimal control results for second‐order semilinear integro‐differential systems via resolvent operators
Authors: Singh Anugrah Pratap , Singh Udaya Pratap , Shukla Anurag
Published: May 2024

In the framework of a second‐order semilinear integro‐differential control system in Hilbert spaces, the paper provides sufficient conditions for proving the existence of optimal control. The Banach fixed point theorem is used to investigate the existence and uniqueness of mild solutions for the proposed problem. Additionally, it is shown that, under specific assumptions, there exists at least one optimal control pair for the Lagrange's problem as presented in the article. An example for validation is included in the paper to further support the theoretical findings.
The long‐run effects of temporary protection from deportation
Authors: Harris Jorgen M. , Jerch Rhiannon
Published: May 2024

This paper estimates the effect of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a temporary legalization policy, on the incomes and property ownership of Salvadoran recipients over 20 years. We compare likely undocumented Salvadoran immigrants eligible for TPS to a control group of likely undocumented immigrants ineligible for TPS in an event study design that allows us to observe the policy's effects over 2 decades. We find that earnings, homeownership, and use of a car increased considerably for at least 15 years following the granting of TPS. This suggests that even temporary and limited legal status can have substantial and sustained benefits for recipients.
A study on antibacterial and anti‐inflammatory activity of xylitol‐based polymeric nano‐bioactive glass nanocomposites
Authors: Shalini A. , Deepa K. , Meenakshi S. , Al‐Ansari Mysoon M. , Alhumaid Latifah , Rajendran K. , Dixit Saurav , Lo Huang‐Mu
Published: May 2024

Bioactive glasses have been shown effective in promoting bone healing by interacting with the body, gradual degradation, and supporting new bone growth. They present a promising option for therapies aimed at regenerating bone tissue. In this study, we developed a novel material, PXMA/n‐BG, by combining xylitol, maleic acid, and adipic acid, and incorporating nano‐bioactive glass, all synthesized without the use of a catalyst. The sol–gel method was used to fabricate the n‐BG (SiO2–CaO–P2O5). The incorporation of n‐BG into the polymer was found to enhance its biocompatibility and effectiveness for orthopedic applications. The synthesized polymer and its nanocomposite were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, DSC, GPC, UTM, XRD and HR‐SEM. X‐ray diffraction and high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy are utilized to investigate the structure and surface of the n‐BG and polymeric composite material. The strength and flexibility of a plastic material with tiny particles mixed in were tested using a universal testing machine. We examined the elemental composition and thermal stability of n‐BG through specialized testing like energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The research focused on the potential of xylitol‐based polymer and its nanocomposite to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in food. We conducted experiments to determine the efficacy of the antibacterial substance against various bacteria strains. The antibacterial potential of the extracts was assessed by the agar diffusion method using MHA plate. Furthermore, we investigated the ability of the material and its nanoparticles to reduce inflammation.
Ring‐opening (co)polymerization strategies of selected oxacyclic monomers to control and provide tailored polymers with desired properties
Authors: Trzebicka Barbara , Wałach Wojciech , Kurcok Piotr , Kowalczuk Marek
Published: May 2024

Ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) is a versatile synthetic method used to produce polymers from cyclic monomers, particularly oxacyclic monomers such as lactones and cyclic ethers. Oxacyclic monomers polymerize with anionic or cationic initiators. For selected monomers, such as glycidol, β‐butyrolactone and higher lactones, methods, and mechanisms of polymerization are presented, the understanding of which has allowed control of these processes. The use of appropriate polymerization techniques and methods, as well as conducting the copolymerization, mainly block copolymerization, makes it possible to control the architecture, molar mass, and end groups of the resulting polymers. These parameters determine the properties of macromolecules, such as solubility, ability to aggregate in aqueous solutions, thermoresponsiveness, and degradability. By carefully selecting monomers, catalysts, and polymerization conditions, ROP strategies can be tailored to produce polymers with precise molecular structures and desired properties for a wide range of applications. This review mainly focuses on precisely controlled syntheses that lead to well‐defined macromolecules consisting mostly of polyether and/or polyester chains.
Synergistic surface modification of anhydrous calcium sulfate by polydopamine/oleylamine and its application in reinforced HDPE composites
Authors: Xu Weicheng , Fang Keneng , Chen Qianlin
Published: May 2024

In the study, polydopamine and oleylamine cooperated to modify the surface of anhydrous calcium sulfate prepared from phosphogypsum, and HDPE matrix composites with different filler content were prepared by filling HDPE before and after modification. The results show that when the filler content is 5 wt%, the elongation at break of mCSA/HDPE composite is 31.7% and 89% higher than that of HDPE and CSA/HDPE. Respectively, when the filler content is as high as 25 wt%, the flexural strength is still 16.8% higher than that of HDPE. After modification, the compatibility and dispersibility of anhydrous calcium sulfate in HDPE were improved, and the crystal structure of anhydrous calcium sulfate was not significantly changed, thus the mechanical properties and thermal stability of mCSA/HDPE composites were improved. Overall, after modification, not only the mechanical properties of the composites are improved, but also the content of inorganic powder as filler added to HDPE is increased, which can be regarded as a method for effective utilization of phosphogypsum.

Highlights

Calcium sulfate was modified by polydopamine and oleylamine

The mechanical and thermal properties of the modified calcium sulfate/HDPE composites are good.

The resource utilization of phosphogypsum was carried out
Assistive technologies for visual impairments: Development and validation of self‐efficacy scale for preservice teachers
Authors: Baser Derya , Kamali‐Arslantas Tugba
Published: May 2024

This article describes the development and validation process of a scale designed to assess the assistive technology (AT) knowledge of preservice special education teachers related to visual impairment (VI). The scale was administered to two groups of preservice special education teachers, and data from the first group (N = 291) were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The results of the EFA revealed that the scale had a five‐factor structure, which included “braille technologies,” “accessibility for documents and software,” “AT for diverse needs,” “AT for accessing print,” and “AT for transforming content into accessible digital format.” Based on the findings of the EFA, the researchers revised the scale and applied it to the second group of preservice teachers (N = 119) to confirm the five‐factor structure through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The fit indices calculated during the CFA indicated a good model fit. By following a systematic approach, a valid 23‐item scale for assessing AT knowledge related to VI was developed. This study offers a useful assessment tool and knowledge constructs for designing AT courses.
Species Scale and Primordial Gravitational Waves
Authors: Scalisi Marco
Published: May 2024

The species scale is a field‐dependent UV cut‐off for any effective field theory weakly coupled to gravity. In this letter, it is shown that in the context of inflationary cosmology, a detection of primordial gravitational waves will set an upper bound on the decay rate of the species scale. Specifically, this is derived in terms of the tensor‐to‐scalar ratio of power spectra of primordial perturbations. Given the targets of current and next generation experiments, it is shown that any successful detection would signify that this upper limit is of the order of unity, which is consistent with recent discussions in the literature.
Possibilities of population thinking: Histories and futures of Population Geography through reflections on 50 years of the Royal Geographical Society (with Institute of British Geographers) Population Geography Research Group
Authors: Finney Nissa , Botterill Kate , Cranston Sophie , Darlington‐Pollock Fran , McCollum David , Shubin Sergei
Published: May 2024

Reflecting critically on 50 years of the Royal Geographical Society (with Institute of British Geographers) (RGS‐IBG) Population Geography Research Group (PopGRG), and drawing on interviews with leading population geographers of the British Isles, this paper identifies defining features of Population Geography that attest to its longevity: personal connections and material production; fluidity and adaptability over time and through interdisciplinary contexts; and utility, vitality and relevance of the subdiscipline. We argue that continuation of care, material production and nimbleness can sustain the subdiscipline in the context of ongoing neoliberalisation across Higher Education. To remain vital, Population Geography must also decolonise and promote ‘population thinking’ to more boldly and critically attend to contemporary global challenges.
A new era for African health systems: Market shaping and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Authors: Kamara Jonta , Essien Ukeme , Labrique Alain
Published: May 2024

The COVID‐19 pandemic has forced a reflection on the origins of supplies in African healthcare market and underscored the need for an increase in local manufacturing of medical supplies. Several African countries’ health markets have been heavily reliant on imports. First, this article demonstrates how the African healthcare market has had a high import dependency and the role that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could play to reverse this. It is estimated that African countries import between 80% and 94% of medical supplies, 75% of testing kits, between 70% and 95% of pharmaceuticals, and 99% of vaccines. Second, during the COVID‐19 pandemic, countries imposed export restrictions which impacted the flow of medical supplies to African countries. This finding highlighted the limited production capabilities on the African continent and reiterated the need to strengthen continental value chains and local manufacturing capacity to establish the continent's New Public Health Order. Third, there was the emergence of local innovations seeking to minimize the impact of these supply chain disruptions. Using case studies on the local production of COVID‐19 testing kits and personal protective equipment, the article highlights progress made toward health market reform. It calls attention to the implementation of the AfCFTA to strengthen the supply, manufacturing, and trade of medical resources. Fourth, this article highlights countries that have African‐made pharmaceuticals and vaccinations and the importance of regional hubs to expand these products in African healthcare markets. It concludes by discussing investments made to expand local manufacturing of health products.
Acceleration model considering multi‐stress coupling effect and reliability modeling method based on nonlinear Wiener process
Authors: Yi Xiaojian , Wang Zhezhe , Liu Shulin , Tang Qing
Published: May 2024

Establishing an accurate accelerated degradation model is paramount for ensuring precise reliability evaluation results. Unfortunately, current accelerated degradation tests often lack test groups for investigating multi‐stress coupled phenomena. Consequently, existing multi‐stress accelerated models fail to adequately consider the impact of stress coupling when data with stress coupling information is absent. This limitation leads to the development of inaccurate models, ultimately affecting the precision of reliability assessment. To address this challenge, this paper introduces a new modeling method for multi‐stress accelerated degradation models that takes into account stress coupling effects. The proposed modeling method aims to improve the accuracy of reliability assessment under multi‐stress conditions. In the proposed model, the main effect function of stress is determined based on existing single‐stress accelerated models. The coupling effect is first examined through the Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), and then the functional form of the coupling effect function is determined from the given candidate functions through correlation analysis. Next, the coupling effect is incorporated into a Wiener process to establish a multi‐stress accelerated degradation model, and the two‐step estimation method combining Least Squares Method (LSM) and Differential Evolution Algorithm (DEA) is proposed. The accuracy and effectiveness of the coupling effect test method, model establishment, and parameter estimation method were validated using two Monte Carlo simulation experimental data sets. Finally, the superiority of the proposed model is demonstrated through examples, providing feasible ideas and technical support for the research on multi‐stress accelerated degradation modeling considering stress coupling.
Control chart for detecting the scale parameter of the zero‐inflated Poisson model
Authors: Zhao Aijun , Liu Liu , Lai Xin , Chong Ka Chun
Published: May 2024

When monitoring risk in public health, count data commonly exhibit an excessive number of zero, and the zero‐inflated Poisson (ZIP) model is often used to fit this type of data. Most previous methods for monitoring of the ZIP model have focused on the changes in the location parameter and the existence of the scale parameter and usually assumed that the scale parameter is zero in the H0 stage. However, in an objective environment, data often have certain fluctuations, meaning that the scale parameter always exists. Therefore, it is more meaningful to monitor the changes in the scale parameter on top of the predefined baseline than to monitor its existence. In this study, we derive a score test statistic based on the generalized Henderson's joint likelihood function, construct a risk‐adjusted exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart to monitor the variability of the random effects variance component in the ZIP mixed‐effects model. And the convergence property of the score test statistic is proved through derivation, which shows that the new method has theoretical reliability. The simulation results Indicate that when the scale parameter has different predefined baselines and different variation amplitudes, the proposed method is more effective than the existing RA‐ZIP and PR‐ZIP control charts. In addition, the proposed method is applied to real data from a Hong Kong hospital for online influenza surveillance to demonstrate its practicability.
The influence of environmental cues on behavioral response: An assessment of the Protective Action Decision Model in the context of COVID‐19
Authors: Silver Amber , Koyratty Nadia , Penta Samantha , Clay Lauren
Published: May 2024

The Protective Action Decision Model has emerged within the literature as a theoretical model with promising predictive ability, particularly in the context of short‐term behavioral response and longer‐term hazard adjustments. However, the applicability of the model in the context of public health hazards is less certain. Accordingly, this research utilizes an online questionnaire instrument disseminated via Qualtrics to residents of New York State at three points in the COVID‐19 pandemic (October 2020, January 2021, and May–June 2021) to examine whether changes to the built environment (i.e., signs requiring masking, signs requiring social distancing, and presence of hand sanitizing stations) influenced threat perceptions (i.e., perception of severity and likelihood of infection), and in turn, behavioral responses (i.e., masking, social distancing, and hand sanitizing) at different points in time. The results demonstrate that changes in the built environment were positively associated with behavioral responses at different points in the pandemic, rather than being mediated through threat perception, as predicted by the Protective Action Decision Model (PADM). The paper concludes with a brief discussion of how these findings may guide future research on environmental cues, threat perceptions, and behavioral response to better understand protective action decision‐making in the context of an ongoing public health hazard.
Fault‐tolerant control for multi‐agent systems: Addressing actuator and sensor faults in leaderless/leader‐follower architectures
Authors: Ye Zhengyu , Jiang Bin , Yu Ziquan , Cheng Yuehua
Published: May 2024

This paper addresses the issue of actuator and sensor faults causing instability in leaderless/follower multi‐agent systems (MASs) and investigates adaptive fault‐tolerant control (FTC) algorithms to secure stability. Sensor faults can disrupt conventional observers by interfering with system state measurements. To address this issue, the descriptor approach is introduced to construct an augmented system from the original system, which converts the faults into components of the augmented system state. Next, by utilizing a sliding‐mode term to compensate for the lumped uncertainty's impact, an observer is designed to realize state estimation for the augmented system. Then, based on the estimations, adaptive FTC protocols are investigated for leaderless/leader‐follower MASs to retain stability against concurrent faults and uncertainties. To enhance control efficiency, the control gains are updated with the estimations from neighbors and proved to be ultimately upper bounded. Finally, the proposed method is validated through numerical simulations of multiple quadrotors.
Adaptive backstepping sliding mode compensation control for electro‐hydraulic load simulator with backlash links
Authors: Li Jianying , Li Weidong , Du Xiaoyan
Published: May 2024

When a mechanical backlash between the loading piston rod and the steering gear piston rod connection of the electro‐hydraulic load simulator (EHLS), it will lead to poor loading accuracy. To solve this problem, an adaptive backstepping sliding mode controller based on the backlash feedforward compensation and state observer is proposed. First, the mechanism of surplus force generation in the EHLS is analyzed, and a mathematical model containing position disturbance and backlash nonlinearity is established based on the analysis results. Second, a state observer is designed to estimate the system state and the parameter adaptive law is designed to estimate the system parameters. Third, the adaptive backstepping method is combined with the non‐singular terminal sliding mode control (NTSMC) strategy to deal with the position disturbance and parameter uncertainty and to enhance the system's dynamic performance. Finally, a backlash feed‐forward compensator is engineered to restrain the detrimental effects caused by the backlash nonlinearity, and the simulation experimental results show that the designed new method can realize the precise loading of the EHLS under different working conditions, and the surplus force is suppressed better at the same time.
Implementation of hand‐object pose estimation using SSD and YOLOV5 model for object grasping by SCARA robot
Authors: Sivabalakrishnan Ramasamy , Senthil Kumar Angappamudaliar Palanisamy , Saminathan Janaki
Published: May 2024

Enforcement of advanced deep learning methods in hand‐object pose estimation is an imperative method for grasping the objects safely during the human–robot collaborative tasks. The position and orientation of a hand‐object from a two‐dimensional image is still a crucial problem under various circumstances like occlusion, critical lighting, and salient region detection and blur images. In this paper, the proposed method uses an enhanced MobileNetV3 with single shot detection (SSD) and YOLOv5 to ensure the improvement in accuracy and without compromising the latency in the detection of hand‐object pose and its orientation. To overcome the limitations of higher computation cost, latency and accuracy, the Network Architecture Search and NetAdapt Algorithm is used in MobileNetV3 that perform the network search for parameter tuning and adaptive learning for multiscale feature extraction and anchor box offset adjustment due to auto‐variance of weight in the level of each layers. The squeeze‐and‐excitation block reduces the computation and latency of the model. Hard‐swish activation function and feature pyramid networks are used to prevent over fitting the data and stabilizing the training. Based on the comparative analysis of MobileNetV3 with its predecessor and YOLOV5 are carried out, the obtained results are 92.8% and 89.7% of precision value, recall value of 93.1% and 90.2%, mAP value of 93.3% and 89.2%, respectively. The proposed methods ensure better grasping for robots by providing the pose estimation and orientation of hand‐objects with tolerance of −1.9 to 2.15 mm alongx, −1.55 to 2.21 mm alongy, −0.833 to 1.51 mm alongzaxis and −0.233° to 0.273° alongz‐axis.
A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Tiktok’s Most Popular Dermal Filler Videos
Authors: Baun Heloise , Cerri-Droz Patricia , Khan Samavia , Alper David , Rao Babar
Published: May 2024

Background

Dermal filler injections pose serious risks when administered by untrained individuals or when food and drug administration (FDA) guidelines are not adhered to. This issue may potentially be compounded by a growing reliance on social media platforms for health information.

Objective

Our objective was to analyze the quality of health information in videos published on dermal filler on TikTok.

Methods

We searched three hashtags, #filler (2.4 billion views), #dermalfiller (132.8 million views), and #fillersinjection (137.0 million views) and assessed the top videos returned by TikTok’s algorithm that met inclusion criteria. The quality of health information was evaluated using the DISCERN instrument, a validated tool that uses a 1 to 5 scale to assess consumer health information.

Results

Videos received a mean DISCERN score of 1.64 (SD 0.33), indicating significantly low quality. 7% of the videos promoted non-FDA-approved uses of filler. Notably, videos posted by physician assistants or physicians received the highest mean scores (1.92 and 1.72) as well as videos categorized as educational (1.99).

Conclusion

Dermatologists should be aware of the high viewership of low-quality TikTok videos on dermal filler. Dermatologists shall, therefore, understand the importance of their role in providing education to patients on this topic.
2,3,5‐Trisubstituted Thiazolidinone Derivatives as Potential Antimicrobial and Antitubercular Agents and In Silico Studies
Authors: Nefisath P. , Kumar Vasantha , Shashiprabha  , Patil Shashank M. , Ramu Ramith , S Shradha , Dasappa Jagadeesh Prasad
Published: May 2024

A series of novel 2,3,5‐trisubstituted thiazolidinone derivatives was designed and synthesized. Compounds were tested for their antimicrobial and antitubercular activities. Compounds 3‐(2,4‐difluorobenzyl)‐5‐[(5‐methylfuran‐2‐yl)methylidene]‐2‐(phenylimino)‐1,3‐thiazolidin‐4‐one (5 c) and 3‐(2,4‐difluorobenzyl)‐2‐((3‐fluorophenyl)imino)‐5‐((Z)‐4‐hydroxybenzylidene) thiazolidin‐4‐one (6 f) exhibited remarkable antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli respectively. All compounds except 3‐(2,4‐difluorobenzyl)‐5‐((3‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)methylene)‐2‐(phenylimino)thiazolidin‐4‐one (5 a) and (6 f) exposed excellent antitubercular activity in comparison with the standard drugs against H37RV strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (ATCC No‐ 27294). In addition, molecular docking and dynamic simulations studies were performed with E. coli Mur B (EMB) (PDB ID: 2Q85), Aspergillus fumigatus sterol 14‐alpha demethylase (ASD) (PDB ID: 4UYM) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis pantothenate synthetase (MPS) (PDB ID: 3IVX) proteins against all compounds and the most potent compound (5 c) displayed higher binding proficiency. These compounds may serve as lead compounds for further optimization to achieve promising therapeutic properties.
DFT and TD‐DFT Study of Many‐Body and Hydrogen Bonding Interactions: Nitrosamine Oligomers
Authors: Kaluva Sumalya , Kharat Bhagwat , Wadnerkar Nitin , Naganathappa Mahadevappa
Published: May 2024

This study focuses on the properties and intermolecular interactions of nitrosamine oligomers, which are important in both semiconductor manufacturing and nuclear waste management. The study explores various configurations of nitrosamine oligomers, ranging from monomers to pentamers in linear, ladder, and cyclic clusters, with the finding that dimer cyclic forms and hexamers and above are unstable. Many‐body analysis revealed that two‐body interaction energies made remarkable contributions to the binding energy, while the sum of 3‐, 4‐, and 5‐body energy contributed less, indicating the decrease in stability of nitrosamine from dimer to pentamer clusters. Using advanced computational techniques, such as dispersion‐corrected B3LYP‐D3 and TD‐DFT, the study investigates the vibrational modes and electronic absorption spectra of nitrosamine oligomers. The results reveal that different configurations can significantly affect the vibrational modes and electronic properties of nitrosamine oligomers. The NH2 symmetric and asymmetric modes were particularly intense in various forms of nitrosamine oligomers. The wavelengths of electronic transition, oscillator strength, and HOMO to LUMO gap were reported. Additionally, the study reports on nitrosamine oligomers’ hydrogen‐bonded cooperativity and binding energy contributions. Overall, these findings offer valuable insights into the stability and properties of nitrosamine oligomers, with potential applications in materials science and chemical engineering.
Alternative Approaches for the Treatment of Chagas Disease
Authors: Chaudhary Jitendra , Rajge Rahul R. , Khandale Nikhil , Kumari Yogita , Singh Iqubal
Published: May 2024

Chagas disease (CD), or American trypanosomiasis, caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi, is a substantial global health burden. This comprehensive review explored the multifaceted landscape of CD treatment, providing a historical perspective on the development and discontinuation of benznidazole (BNZ) and nifurtimox (NF), the primary medications. Efforts towards a pediatric version of BZN in Brazil address demographic‐specific treatments, while concerns over drug resistance prompt the exploration of alternative medications like Amiodarone, Allopurinol, Posaconazole, Ravuconazole, and Fexinidazole, which were clinically tested as antichagasic drugs. In recent years, some of the synthesized derivative (1,3‐thiazoles, 4‐thiazolidinones, 2‐styrylquinolines, imidazole‐containing nitrophthalazine, and some others) were found to better activity as compared to standard drug. Traditional herbal alternatives (Resveratrol, curcumin, 1,8‐cineole, β‐pinene, and some others) rooted in traditional practices show promise, with various plant extracts exhibiting anti‐parasitic properties. The frontier of nanomedicine unfolds with studies on solid nanomedicines, PLA‐nanoparticles, ZIF‐8, BNZ carriers, and PLGA nanoparticles, showcasing improved drug delivery systems and controlled release mechanisms. The absence of a definitive vaccine accentuates ongoing research in recombinant antigens, peptide‐based vaccines, and nanoparticle formulations, with notable candidates like TcG1, TcG2, TcG4, MASPpep‐KLH, adenovirus vectors, Tc24 protein, and integrin activators. A novel strategy combining a recombinant protein vaccine with low dose BZN treatment presents promising results in a mouse model, emphasizing the urgency for further research and potential advancements in CD therapeutics.
Adsorption of Diclofenac Sodium and Tetracycline From Aqueous Solution Using PVA Films Prepared with Modal/Cotton Fiber Wastes
Authors: Kaplica Zeynep , Şafak Şerife , Çifçi Deniz İzlen
Published: May 2024

In this study, fiber‐polymer composite films were prepared by adding 0.5 g, 1.0 g, and 1.5 g of modal/cotton (50 : 50) waste to 10 % PVA film, and the properties of the films were revealed by SEM, FTIR analyzes and swelling percentage. It is observed that the strength of the bonds in the FTIR analysis decreases when modal/cotton fibers are added to the PVA film. While a 406 % swelling is achieved in the PVA film, the swelling percentages of the films decrease when modal/cotton fibers are added to the PVA film, and a greater swelling is observed at pH 9 compared to pH 5. The adsorption efficiency of tetracycline and diclofenac sodium on the films was researched at different pH levels and film doses. Tetracycline removal reached its highest value at pH 9, while diclofenac sodium removal reached its highest value at pH 5. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were determined for tetracycline and diclofenac sodium adsorption. Tetracycline removal is better described by the Freundlich isotherm model, whereas diclofenac sodium removal fits the Langmuir isotherm model better. As a result, films prepared with modal/cotton waste not only provide tetracycline and diclofenac sodium removal but also contribute to waste recycling by utilizing waste fiber materials.
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Tartaric Acid Functionalized Amino Acid CQD for Sensing of Hg2+ and Fe3+ Ions in Aqueous Medium
Authors: Zalmi Geeta A. , Khobrekar Pritesh , Jadhav Ratan W. , Naik Ronita R. , Sinari Shreya , Bugde Sandesh T. , Bhosale Sheshanath V.
Published: May 2024

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are a type of carbon‐based nanoparticles that are typically smaller than 10 nanometres in size. In this study, L‐tryptophan‐mediated CQDs were synthesized using the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) technique, which is known for its non‐toxic, environmentally friendly, and cost‐effective nature. The synthesized carbon quntum dot was successfully characterized. The HR‐TEM analysis clearly revealed the formation of specific aggregates with a size distribution ranging from 3.0 to 5.1 nm. These L‐tryptophan‐mediated CQDs exhibited remarkable emission behaviour, displaying strong and stable blue fluorescence. Moreover, they were utilized as a sensor for the sensitive detection of Fe3+ and Hg2+ ions in an aqueous solution, employing a fluorescence quenching mechanism. The limit of detection for Fe3+ sensing was determined to be 1.2×10−5 M, while for Hg2+ sensing, it was found to be 1.9×10−5 M. The sensing of Fe3+ and Hg2+ ions was also confirmed through visual eye detection, as a significant color change of the CQDs was observed. Additionally, a competitive study was conducted to verify the selectivity of the L‐tryptophan‐mediated CQDs towards Fe3+ and Hg2+ metal ions.
Cu(I)‐Catalyzed Coupling Reactions of β‐Nitrostyrene, 1,3‐Dicarbonyl compound & Aryl amine: An Efficient Method For the Synthesis of Polysubstituted Pyrroles
Authors: Samal Kanyanjali , Pati Anita
Published: May 2024

A convenient Cu(I) Catalyzed three‐component coupling strategy for the synthesis of polysubstituted pyrroles is developed using simple and readily available building blocks like, 1, 3‐dicarbonyl compound, aryl amine, and β‐nitrostyrene. CuI has been rarely explored for the pyrrole ring synthesis and a comparative analysis of our current catalyst with a range of previously reported catalysts suggested that, CuI is one of the best catalysts for the multicomponent synthesis of polysubstituted pyrrole derivatives. Notably, this process has several advantages, including a simple and practical set‐up with hassle free reaction conditions, extensive substrate scope, short reaction time, high atom economy and environmentally favorable approach. This methodology provides an alternative approach to the highly substituted pyrroles and under optimized reaction conditions, polysubstituted pyrroles were formed in good to excellent yields. Cu(I) catalyzed Mannich reactions followed by Michael addition reactions along with subsequent intramolecular cyclization are believed to be the key steps of this reaction process.