bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of P301S tau seeded organotypic hippocampal slice cultures to study potential therapeutics
Authors: McCarthy James M. , Virdee Jasmeet , Brown Jessica , Ursu Daniel , Ahmed Zeshan , Cavallini Annalisa , Nuthall Hugh N.
Published: May 2021

Intracellular tau inclusions are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration and other sporadic neurodegenerative tauopathies. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that tau aggregates may spread to neighbouring cells and functionally connected brain regions, where they can seed further tau aggregation. This process is referred to as tau propagation. Here we describe an ex vivo system using organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHCs) which recapitulates aspects of this phenomenon. OHCs are explants of hippocampal tissue which may be maintained in culture for months. They maintain their synaptic connections and multicellular 3D architecture whilst also permitting direct control of the environment and direct access for various analysis types. We inoculated OHCs prepared from P301S mouse pups with brain homogenate from terminally ill P301S mice and then examined the slices for viability and the production and localization of insoluble phosphorylated tau. We show that following seeding, phosphorylated insoluble tau accumulate in a time and concentration dependent manner within OHCs. Furthermore, we show the ability of the conformation dependent anti-tau antibody, MC1, to compromise tau accrual in OHCs, thus showcasing the potential of this therapeutic approach and the utility of OHCs as an ex vivo model system for assessing such therapeutics.
Strongly masked content retained in memory made accessible through repetition
Authors: Pang Damian K. F. , Elntib Stamatis
Published: May 2021

A growing body of evidence indicates that information can be stored even in the absence of conscious awareness. Despite these findings, unconscious memory is still poorly understood with limited evidence for unconscious iconic memory storage. Here we show that strongly masked visual data can be stored and accumulate to elicit clear perception. We used a repetition method across a wide range of conditions (Experiment 1) and a more focused follow-up experiment with enhanced masking conditions (Experiment 2). Information was stored despite being masked, demonstrating that masking did not erase or overwrite memory traces but limited perception. We examined the temporal properties and found that stored information followed a gradual but rapid decay. Extraction of meaningful information was severely impaired after 300 ms, and most data was lost after 700 ms. Our findings are congruent with theories of consciousness that are based on an integration of subliminal information and support theoretical predictions based on the global workspace theory of consciousness, especially the existence of an implicit iconic memory buffer store.
Positive effect of timed blue-enriched white light on sleep and cognition in patients with mild and moderate Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Kim Seong Jae , Lee Sun Hee , Suh In Bum , Jang Jae-Won , Jhoo Jin Hyeong , Lee Jung Hie
Published: May 2021

Conflicting results have been reported regarding the effectiveness of light treatment (LT) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We investigated the effectiveness of blue-enriched white LT on sleep, cognition, mood and behavior in patients with mild and moderate AD. The treatment group (n = 14) sat about 60 cm away from a small (136 × 73 × 16 mm) LED light box for 1 h each morning for 2 weeks. The control group (n = 11) wore dark, blue-attenuating sunglasses during the 1 h exposures. The morning light started 9–10 h after each individual’s dim light melatonin onset (DLMO). Assessments were done at baseline (T0), immediate post-treatment (T1), and 4 weeks after the end of the 2 weeks of LT (T2). Sleep was measured by actigraphy. Blue-enriched LT had a significantly better effect on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index at T2 compared to blue-attenuated LT, and a trend of better effectiveness on total sleep time at T2. There was a significant increase in Mini-Mental State Examination score at T2 after blue-enriched LT than that at T0. Our findings suggest that morning blue-enriched LT has a benefit in improving sleep and cognitive function in AD patients.
CMM-Net: Contextual multi-scale multi-level network for efficient biomedical image segmentation
Authors: Al-masni Mohammed A. , Kim Dong-Hyun
Published: May 2021

Medical image segmentation of tissue abnormalities, key organs, or blood vascular system is of great significance for any computerized diagnostic system. However, automatic segmentation in medical image analysis is a challenging task since it requires sophisticated knowledge of the target organ anatomy. This paper develops an end-to-end deep learning segmentation method called Contextual Multi-Scale Multi-Level Network (CMM-Net). The main idea is to fuse the global contextual features of multiple spatial scales at every contracting convolutional network level in the U-Net. Also, we re-exploit the dilated convolution module that enables an expansion of the receptive field with different rates depending on the size of feature maps throughout the networks. In addition, an augmented testing scheme referred to as Inversion Recovery (IR) which uses logical “OR” and “AND” operators is developed. The proposed segmentation network is evaluated on three medical imaging datasets, namely ISIC 2017 for skin lesions segmentation from dermoscopy images, DRIVE for retinal blood vessels segmentation from fundus images, and BraTS 2018 for brain gliomas segmentation from MR scans. The experimental results showed superior state-of-the-art performance with overall dice similarity coefficients of 85.78%, 80.27%, and 88.96% on the segmentation of skin lesions, retinal blood vessels, and brain tumors, respectively. The proposed CMM-Net is inherently general and could be efficiently applied as a robust tool for various medical image segmentations.
Genetic dissection of heterosis of indica–japonica by introgression line, recombinant inbred line and their testcross populations
Authors: Yang Wenqing , Zhang Fan , Zafar Sundus , Wang Junmin , Lu Huajin , Naveed Shahzad , Lou Jue , Xu Jianlong
Published: May 2021

The successful implementation of heterosis in rice has significantly enhanced rice productivity, but the genetic basis of heterosis in rice remains unclear. To understand the genetic basis of heterosis in rice, main-effect and epistatic quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with heterosis for grain yield-related traits in the four related rice mapping populations derived from Xiushui09 (XS09) (japonica) and IR2061 (indica), were dissected using single nucleotide polymorphism bin maps and replicated phenotyping experiments under two locations. Most mid-parent heterosis of testcross F1s (TCF1s) of XS09 background introgression lines (XSILs) with Peiai64S were significantly higher than those of TCF1s of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) with PA64S at two locations, suggesting that the effects of heterosis was influenced by the proportion of introgression of IR2061’s genome into XS09 background. A total of 81 main-effect QTLs (M-QTLs) and 41 epistatic QTLs were identified for the phenotypic variations of four traits of RILs and XSILs, TCF1s and absolute mid-parent heterosis in two locations. Furthermore, overdominance and underdominance were detected to play predominant effects on most traits in this study, suggesting overdominance and underdominance as well as epistasis are the main genetic bases of heterosis in rice. Some M-QTLs exhibiting positive overdominance effects such as qPN1.2, qPN1.5 and qPN4.3 for increased panicle number per plant, qGYP9 and qGYP12.1 for increased grain yield per plant, and qTGW3.4 and qTGW8.2 for enhanced 1000-grain weight would be highly valuable for breeding to enhance grain yield of hybrid rice by marker-assisted selection.
Successful elimination of bilirubin in critically ill patients with acute liver dysfunction using a cytokine adsorber and albumin dialysis: a pilot study
Authors: Scharf Christina , Liebchen Uwe , Paal Michael , Becker-Pennrich Andrea , Irlbeck Michael , Zoller Michael , Schroeder Ines
Published: May 2021

There are different methods of artificial liver support for patients with acute liver dysfunction (ALD). However, CytoSorb (CS) might be a new approved option for those patients. Question of interest is whether the elimination performance of CS was comparable to that of advanced organ support (ADVOS). Patients, treated with CS (integrated into high-flux dialysis) or ADVOS and a total bilirubin > 10 mg/dl were included. Laboratory parameters were evaluated before starting therapy (d0) and 12–24 h thereafter (d1). The Wilcoxon-test with associated samples was used for statistical analysis. Thirty-nine patients (33 CS, 6 ADVOS) were included. The median bilirubin at d0 was 16.9 and 17.7 mg/dl and at d1 was 13.2 and 15.9 mg/dl, in the CS and ADVOS group, respectively. There was a significant bilirubin reduction as well in the CS group (p < 0.001, median relative reduction: 22.5%) as in the ADVOS group (p = 0.028, median relative reduction: 22.8%). There was no significant difference in the relative bilirubin reduction between CS and ADVOS therapies. The use of CytoSorb and ADVOS in patients with ALD led to a significant and comparable decrease in total bilirubin. The easy use of CS might be an advantage compared to other procedures.
Sensitive electrochemical immunosensor using a bienzymatic system consisting of β-galactosidase and glucose dehydrogenase
Authors: Park Seonhwa , Seo Seungah , Lee Nam-Sihk , Yoon Young Ho , Yang Haesik
Published: May 2021

A sensitive electrochemical immunosensor based on a bienzymatic system consisting of β-galactosidase and flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent glucose dehydrogenase was developed.
Correction: Highly penetrative liposome nanomedicine generated by a biomimetic strategy for enhanced cancer chemotherapy
Authors: Jia Yali , Sheng Zonghai , Hu Dehong , Yan Fei , Zhu Mingting , Gao Guanhui , Wang Pan , Liu Xin , Wang Xiaobing , Zheng Hairong
Published: May 2021

Correction for ‘Highly penetrative liposome nanomedicine generated by a biomimetic strategy for enhanced cancer chemotherapy’ by Yali Jia et al., Biomater. Sci., 2018, 6, 1546–1555, DOI: 10.1039/C8BM00256H.
Tadpole-like Janus nanotubes
Authors: Zuo Xiuyuan , Zhang Meng , Wu Qiuhua , Li Yuanyuan , Zhang Guolin , Liang Fuxin , Yang Zhenzhong
Published: May 2021

Tadpole-like Janus nanotubes were fabricated by a one-pot method at the emulsion interface. Tadpole-like Janus Pd-nanotubes or tadpole-like Janus Fe3O4-nanotubes can be driven directionally by a chemical fuel or near-infrared light.
Late-stage ligand functionalization via the Staudinger reaction using phosphine-appended 2,2′-bipyridine
Authors: Taher Deeb , Wilson Jessica R. , Ritch Grayson , Zeller Matthias , Szymczak Nathaniel K.
Published: May 2021

Phosphine-appended-2,2′-bipyridine serves as a platform for late-stage ligand modifications to install a series of functionalized arenes, including those containing Brønsted and Lewis acidic groups.
Narcissistic self-sorting in anion-coordination-driven assemblies
Authors: Zhao Xiaotong , Wang Heng , Li Boyang , Zheng Bo , Yang Dong , Xu Wenhua , Li Xiaopeng , Yang Xiao-Juan , Wu Biao
Published: May 2021

Narcissistic self-sorting was observed in the A3L2 and A4L4 assemblies of three tris-bis(urea) ligands with a sulfate or a phosphate anion.
The structural properties of a ZnCl2–ethylene glycol binary system and the peculiarities at the eutectic composition
Authors: Kalhor Payam , Ghandi Khashayar , Ashraf Hamad , Yu Zhiwu
Published: May 2021

FTIR spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculation were used to investigate a series of ZnCl2–ethylene glycol (EG) mixtures, including the stable ZnCl2–4EG deep-eutectic solvent, to explore the structural heterogeneity and hydrogen bonding properties.
Multiscale modelling of charge transport in P3HT:DIPBI bulk heterojunction organic solar cells
Authors: Koch Tobias , Bachmann Jim , Lettmann Tobias , Doltsinis Nikos L.
Published: May 2021

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations based on Marcus rates yield a minimum resistance charge transport path in a P3HT:DIPBI blend involving 32% intra- and 68% intermolecular hops including 12% across the donor–acceptor interface.
A general QSPR protocol for the prediction of atomic/inter-atomic properties: a fragment based graph convolutional neural network (F-GCN)
Authors: Gao Peng , Zhang Jie , Qiu Hongbo , Zhao Shuaifei
Published: May 2021

This study proposed a fragment-based graph convolutional neural network (F-GCN) that can predict atomic and inter-atomic properties and is suitable for few-shot learning.
Controllable magnetization precession dynamics and damping anisotropy in Co2FeAl Heusler-alloy films
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wu Guanjie , Zhu Weihua , Ji Zhihao , Jin Q. Y. , Zhang Zongzhi
Published: May 2021

A Gilbert damping anisotropy with a maximum–minimum ratio of ∼150% in ordered Co2FeAl has been experimentally demonstrated, which is attributed to the in-plane crystalline anisotropy and can be explained by the anisotropic spin–orbit interaction.
Spectroscopic characterization of neptunium(vi), plutonium(vi), americium(vi) and neptunium(v) encapsulated in uranyl nitrate hexahydrate
Authors: Yu Xiaojuan , Einkauf Jeffrey D. , Bryantsev Vyacheslav S. , Cheshire Michael C. , Reinhart Benjamin J. , Autschbach Jochen , Burns Jonathan D.
Published: May 2021

The solid-state electronic structure of oxidized actinides was probed by co-crystallization of Np(vi), Pu(vi), Am(vi), and Np(v) with UO2(NO3)2·6H2O. XAS measurements and the solid-state absorption spectra were coupled with theoretical calculations.
Accounting for the instantaneous disorder in the enzyme–substrate Michaelis complex to calculate the Gibbs free energy barrier of an enzyme reaction
Authors: Romero-Téllez Sonia , Cruz Alejandro , Masgrau Laura , González-Lafont Àngels , Lluch José M.
Published: May 2021

A protocol based on the free energy perturbation theory justifies the suitable use of the exponential average and provides a practical way to determine the Gibbs free energy barrier of an enzyme reaction.
Extensive evaluation of environment-specific force field for ordered and disordered proteins
Authors: Cui Xiaochen , Liu Hao , Rehman Ashfaq Ur , Chen Hai-Feng
Published: May 2021

The performance of ESFF1 is better than that of ff14SB for reproducing Cα chemical shifts for three typical intrinsically disordered proteins.
Retraction: A series of novel types of immobilized chiral salen Mn(iii) on different organic polymer–inorganic hybrid crystalline zinc phosphonate–phosphate act as catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins
Authors: Huang Jing , Fu Xiangkai , Wang Gang , Ge Yaqin , Miao Qiang
Published: May 2021

Retraction for ‘A series of novel types of immobilized chiral salen Mn(iii) on different organic polymer–inorganic hybrid crystalline zinc phosphonate–phosphate act as catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins’ by Jing Huang et al., Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 1040–1050, DOI: 10.1039/C2CY00502F.
Heterogeneous photoactive antimicrobial coatings based on a fluoroplastic doped with an octahedral molybdenum cluster compound
Authors: Vorotnikova Natalya A. , Bardin Vyacheslav A. , Vorotnikov Yuri A. , Kirakci Kaplan , Adamenko Lyubov S. , Alekseev Alexander Y. , Meyer Hans-Jürgen , Kubát Pavel , Mironov Yuri V. , Lang Kamil , Shestopalov Michael A.
Published: May 2021

A heterogeneous self-sterilizing material based on a highly emissive octahedral molybdenum iodide cluster and fluoroplastic F-32L.
Manganese buffer induced high-performance disordered MnVO cathodes in zinc batteries
Authors: Wei Shiqiang , Chen Shuangming , Su Xiaozhi , Qi Zhenghang , Wang Changda , Ganguli Babu , Zhang Pengjun , Zhu Kefu , Cao Yuyang , He Qun , Cao Dengfeng , Guo Xin , Wen Wen , Wu Xiaojun , Ajayan Pulickel M. , Song Li
Published: May 2021

A significant buffer effect from manganese ions is discovered to tune the atomic structure and valence state of an electrode material, resulting in a high-performance zinc battery.
Food waste valorization to green energy vehicles: sustainability assessment
Authors: Byun Jaewon , Kwon Oseok , Park Hoyoung , Han Jeehoon
Published: May 2021

Our work aims to identify critical factors that could become equally important in a coincident sustainability assessment of new green energy vehicle technologies with utilization of food waste as an alternative renewable resource to fossil fuels.
Design of a self-sufficient hydride-shuttling cascade for concurrent bioproduction of 7,12-dioxolithocholate andl-tert-leucine
Authors: You Zhi-Neng , Zhou Ke , Han Yu , Yang Bing-Yi , Chen Qi , Pan Jiang , Qian Xiao-Long , Li Chun-Xiu , Xu Jian-He
Published: May 2021

A highly atom-economic self-sufficient hydride-shuttling cascade was designed to concurrently obtain 7,12-dioxo-lithocholic acid andl-tert-leucine using only inorganic ammonium as the sacrificial agent and generating water as the by-product.
Mie theory and the dichroic effect for spherical gold nanoparticles: an experimental approach
Authors: Wrigglesworth Emma G. , Johnston James H.
Published: May 2021

The relationship between scattering/absorption and nanoparticle size has been validated via experiment, determining the origin of the dichroic colours displayed.
Electrochemically triggered sensing and recovery of mercury over sodium alginate grafted polyaniline
Authors: Kushwaha Chandra Shekhar , Singh Vinay Kr , Shukla Saroj Kr
Published: May 2021

An efficient potential triggering process has been established over chemically functionalized SA-g-PANI under optimum conditions to enable the sensing and extraction of residual mercury ions present in wastewater and soil samples.
Construction of electrochemical immunosensors based on redox hydrogels for ultrasensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigens
Authors: Huang Xiangrong , Wu Na , Liu Wenxiu , Shang Yazhuo , Liu Honglai , He Yifan , Meng Hong , Dong Yinmao
Published: May 2021

The introduction of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) endows a redox hydrogel with a larger specific surface area and better adhesion to an electrode.
Tartrate-stabilized titanium–oxo clusters containing sulfonate chromophore ligands: synthesis, crystal structures and photochemical properties
Authors: Mou Wen-Yu , Xie Bin , Li Xiao-Long , Lai Chuan , Li Tao , Chen Luo , Feng Jian-Shen , Bai Xiao-Xue , Wu Yu , Wu Wei-Ping , Zhang Dong-Liang , Gu Yun-Tian
Published: May 2021

In tartrate-stabilized TOCs, aniline-sulfonate ligands can extend the absorption edge to the visible light region.
Metal–organic framework derived NiSe2/CeO2 nanocomposite as a high-performance electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER)
Authors: Taherinia D. , Moravvej S. H. , Moazzeni Mohammad , Akbarzadeh E.
Published: May 2021

In this study, we report the synthesis of a series of cerium(iv) oxide and nickel diselenide nanocomposites (NiSe2/CeO2) as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in an alkaline medium.
Shear-induced diffusion in dense granular fluids
Authors: Rognon Pierre , Macaulay Matthew
Published: May 2021

Granular materials are comprised of solid, athermal grains. Whilst immune to thermal motion, these grains move and diffuse when they undergo shear deformation.
Articulatory Correlates of Stress Pattern Disturbances in Talkers With Dysarthria
Authors: Kim Daniel , Kuruvilla-Dugdale Mili , de Riesthal Michael , Jones Robin , Bagnato Francesca , Mefferd Antje
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Reduced stress commonly occurs in talkers with Parkinson's disease (PD), whereas excessive and equal stress is frequently associated with dysarthria of talkers with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS). This study sought to identify articulatory impairment patterns that underlie these two impaired stress patterns. We further aimed to determine if talkers with the same stress pattern disturbance but different diseases (ALS and MS) exhibit disease-specific articulatory deficits.

Method

Fifty-seven talkers participated in the study—33 talkers with dysarthria and 24 controls. Talkers with dysarthria were grouped based on their medical diagnosis: PD (
n
= 15), ALS (
n
= 10), MS (
n
= 8). Participants repeated target words embedded in a carrier phrase. Kinematic data were recorded using electromagnetic articulography. Duration, displacement, peak speed, stiffness, time-to-peak speed, and parameter c were extracted for the initial lower lip opening stroke of each target word, which was either stressed or unstressed.

Results

Stress effects were significant for all kinematic measures across groups except for stiffness and time-to-peak speed, which were nonsignificant in ALS. For comparisons with controls, more kinematic measures significantly differed in the ALS group than in the PD and MS groups. Additionally, ALS and MS showed mostly similar articulatory impairment patterns.

Conclusions

In general, significant stress effects were observed in talkers with dysarthria. However, stress-specific between-group differences in articulatory performance, particularly displacement, may explain the perceptual impression of disturbed stress patterns. Furthermore, similar findings for ALS and MS suggest that articulatory deficits underlying similar stress pattern disturbances are not disease-specific.
Model‐based validation of diagnostic software with application in automotive systems
Authors: Chen Jun , S Ramesh
Published: May 2021

Software validation aims to ensure that a particular software product fulfils its intended purpose, and needs to be performed against both software requirement as well as its implementation (i.e. product). However, for diagnostic software (i.e. a diagnoser) performing online diagnosis against certain fault models and reports diagnosis decision, the underlying fault models are usually not explicitly specified, neither by formal language nor by descriptive language. The lack of formal representation of fault models leaves the intended purpose of the diagnostic software vague, making its validation difficult. To address this issue, the authors propose various model‐based techniques that can generate concrete examples of the diagnoser's key properties. Such examples are represented in an intuitive and possibly visualised way, facilitating the designers/users to approve or disapprove the conformance of the diagnoser to the intended purpose. The proposed techniques work for validation of both the requirement and implementation that can be modelled as finite state machine, and are illustrated through applications on vehicle on‐board diagnostic requirement.
RGB‐D SLAM with moving object tracking in dynamic environments
Authors: Dai Weichen , Zhang Yu , Zheng Yuxin , Sun Donglei , Li Ping
Published: May 2021

Simultaneous localization and mapping methods are fundamental to many robotic applications. In dynamic environments, SLAM methods focus on eliminating the influence of moving objects to construct a static map since they assume a static world. To improve localization robustness in dynamic environments, an RGB‐D SLAM method is proposed to build a complete 3D map containing both static and dynamic maps, the latter of which consists of the trajectories and points of the moving objects. Without any prior knowledge of the moving targets, the proposed method uses only the correlation between map points to discriminate between the static scene and the moving objects. After the static points are determined, camera motion estimation is performed only on reliable static map points to eliminate the influence of moving objects. The motion of the moving objects will then be estimated with the obtained camera motion by tracking their dynamic points in subsequent frames. Moreover, multiple groups of dynamic points that belong to the same moving object are fused by a volume overlap checking step. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the proposed method.
Off‐grid direction‐of‐arrival estimation for nested arrays via uncertainty set extraction
Authors: Chen Zhen , Fan Chongyi , Du Huagui , Huang Xiaotao
Published: May 2021

Here, a novel off‐grid direction‐of‐arrival (DOA) estimation algorithm for nested arrays in the context of sparse recovery is proposed. The framework of existing off‐grid approaches is to correct the on‐grid parameter with a grid mismatch variable. From another perspective, we treat the direction‐of‐arrival deviation as the steering vector deviation equivalently, and the concept of steering vector uncertainty set is introduced to approximate the desired steering vector. Based on this idea, an optimization problem with respect to the uncertainty set for the purpose of steering vector reconstruction is formulated. After that, phase‐ambiguity resolving and phase‐difference approximation are orderly performed on the optimized uncertainty set to extract the off‐grid direction of arrival. Even though a coarse grid is given, simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance advantage of the proposed direction‐of‐arrival estimation algorithm compared with several existing approaches.
Coherence optimised subarray partition for hybrid MIMO phased array radar
Authors: Li Xia , Wang Buhong
Published: May 2021

Hybrid MIMO phased array radar (HMPAR) is widely recognized in the research of radar systems owing to its capacity to provide a balance or trade‐off between transmit coherent gain and waveform diversity gain. The balance or trade‐off between these two gains is closely related to spatial coherence between different arrays, represented by the degree of cross‐correlation between steering vectors over different angles. Proper subarray partitions can provide an extra degree of freedom for optimising the coherence of the array manifold. A coherence optimised subarray partition for HMPAR is proposed with an analysis of connections between coherence and subarray partitions. First, the definition of coherence of array manifold is presented, and its connection between beampattern and the signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) is analysed. Next, the problem of optimising array manifold coherence is transformed into the discrete coherence optimization of the steering vector codebook. By properly selecting different codewords with the proper degree of correlation between each other, coherence between the target and interference steering vectors is optimised. The original combinatorial problem is approximated by a series of subproblems, which is solved in iteratively. Numerical results revealed that the proposed subarray partition provides lower coherence, lower beampattern peak sidelobes and higher SINR compared with` other subarray configurations.
Histopathological Mapping of Meningiomas: A 10-year Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Pant Ishita , Chaturvedi Sujata , Sarma Pragyan , Singh Gurbachan
Published: May 2021

Background Meningiomas are a group of neoplasms showing a spectrum of histopathological variants, mostly corresponding to World Health Organization (WHO) grade I. However, certain histologic variants correspond histologically to WHO grades II and III. In this study, the histopathological spectrum of the meningiomas received in our department over the past 10 years is being revisited, with the aim to analyze the various histopathological variants, in order to assess their grade as per WHO 2016 criteria and also assess their epidemiology and localization.

Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of the histopathology records and clinical case files was done in 302 cases of histopathologically diagnosed cases of intracranial/intraspinal meningiomas (WHO grade I, II and III) received over a period of 10 years in our department. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was done for histological typing and grading of the tumors, and the cases were analyzed as per WHO 2016 criterion. Age and sex distribution along with the localization of the 302 cases was also analyzed.

Results Among these, grade I meningiomas (93.05%) were the most common. According to histopathological type, transitional meningioma (76.50%) was the most common. Maximum cases were located at the cerebral convexities, reported in the fifth decade with a female preponderance.

Conclusion As per WHO 2016, grade I meningiomas are associated with low-risk of recurrence and aggressive behavior, while WHO grade II and III meningiomas are associated with greater likelihood of recurrence and aggressive behavior. This classification itself summarizes the importance of accurate typing and grading of meningiomas on histopathology.
Impact of Body Mass Index and Comorbidities on Outcomes in Upper Extremity Nerve Transfers
Authors: Head Linden K. , Médor Maria C. , Karir Aneesh , Wolff Gerald , Boyd Kirsty U.
Published: May 2021

Background There is a paucity of research investigating the impact of patient comorbidities, such as obesity and smoking, on nerve transfer outcomes. The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) and comorbidities on the clinical outcomes of upper extremity nerve transfers.

Methods A retrospective cohort study was executed. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they had an upper extremity nerve transfer with a minimum of 12-months follow-up. Data was collected regarding demographics, comorbidities, injury etiology, nerve transfer, as well as preoperative and postoperative clinical assessments. The primary outcome measure was strength of the recipient nerve innervated musculature. Statistical analysis used the Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Spearman's rho.

Results Thirty-eight patients undergoing 43 nerve transfers were eligible for inclusion. Patients had a mean age of 48.8 years and a mean BMI of 27.4 kg/m2 (range:19.7–39.0). Injuries involved the brachial plexus (32%) or its terminal branches (68%) with the most common etiologies including trauma (50%) and compression (26%). Anterior interosseous nerve to ulnar motor nerve (35%) was the most common transfer performed. With a mean follow-up of 20.1 months, increased BMI (p = 0.036) and smoking (p = 0.021) were associated with worse postoperative strength.

Conclusion This retrospective cohort study demonstrated that increased BMI and smoking may be associated with worse outcomes in upper extremity nerve transfers—review of the literature yields ambiguity in both regards. To facilitate appropriate patient selection and guide expectations regarding prognosis, further experimental and clinical work is warranted.
Microbial Patterns and Antibiotic Susceptibility in Blood Culture Isolates of Septicemia Suspected Children in the Pediatrics Ward of a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Khan Muhammad Sarfraz , Kareem Arslan , Fatima Kiran , Rauf Saima , Khalid Areeb , Bashir Muhammad Shaheryar
Published: May 2021

Objectives This study aims to determine microbial patterns and antibiotic susceptibility to alert clinicians to the emerging pathogens that may pose a threat to the community, especially children.

Materials and Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from July 2019 to December 2019. Two samples were taken from two different sites of each patient at the time of fever (> 100° F) to avoid chances of contamination. A blood sample of 5 to 10 mL was drawn from each site. In a 50 mL brain heart infusion broth (BHIB), 5 to 10% blood was injected in two different bottles and incubated for 48 hours at 37°C. After 48 hours, subculture was done by streaking the drops of blood samples taken from BHIB on blood and MacConkey agar. Cultures were incubated in aerobic conditions at 37°C for 24 to 48 hours. For testing antibiotic susceptibility, criteria defined by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) were followed. Microbes were identified under a microscope by observing their morphological characteristics after gram staining and applying biochemical tests. Antibiotic sensitivity test was performed using standard aseptic methods.

Statistical Analysis Bacterial isolates and their susceptibility patterns were represented using frequencies and percentage charts.

Results Out of 423 blood cultures, growth was recorded in 92 (21.75%) of the cultures with female to male ratio 2.1:1. The gram-positive bacteria accounted for 43.48% (n = 40), whereas gram-negative bacteria covered the majority 54.36% (n = 50). Among isolates, Staphylococcus aureus (42.39%) was the most common, followed by Acinetobacter spp. (17.39%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.13%). Acinetobacter spp. showed 0% susceptibility to amikacin and cefotaxime. All the isolates were 100% resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. S. aureus showed lower sensitivity for ceftazidime (0%), clindamycin (66.67%), ciprofloxacin (0%), clarithromycin (11.76%), and ceftriaxone (0%). Tigecycline showed 100% sensitivity for all isolates tested.

Conclusion Gram-negative bacteria form the majority of isolates in our setup, with Acinetobacter as the most common species among them. The resistance against cephalosporins, penicillin, and fluoroquinolones shown by Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, and Klebsiella is of grave concern. Among gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus has established resistance against multiple drugs. Limited and objective use of antibiotic therapy is a much-needed strategy under new guidelines.
Colorectal Resection in Transplant Centers Benefits Kidney But Not Pancreas Transplant Recipients
Authors: Weaver Lauren , Parsikia Afshin , Ortiz Jorge
Published: May 2021

As graft and patient survival rates improve, transplant recipients are likely to undergo colorectal surgery in their lifetime. Current literature on the surgical outcomes of colorectal resection in kidney and pancreas transplant recipients is sparse.

This investigation identifies areas of surgical risk for kidney, pancreas, and pancreas–kidney transplant recipients undergoing colorectal resection at transplant and teaching centers.

Multivariate logistic regression and linear regression tests computed odds ratios (OR) and coefficients of the linear regression using National Inpatient Sample data from 2005 to 2014 to identify differences in mortality, morbidity, length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges among people with pancreas transplant alone (PTx), kidney transplant alone (KTx), pancreas and kidney transplant (PKTx), and nontransplant (non-Tx) undergoing colorectal resection in transplant and teaching centers.

Of the 2,737,454 individuals who underwent colorectal resection, 138 PTx, 3,874 KTx, 130 PKTx, and 2,733,312 non-Tx met the inclusion criteria. Overall KTx, PTx, and PKTx were not more likely to suffer a mortality. However, PTx were more likely to suffer a mortality in transplant and teaching centers. Overall, PTx and PKTx had significantly higher morbidity odds ratios (PTx OR: 2.268, p = 0.002; PKTx OR: 2.578, p < 0.001) along with longer LOS and higher total hospital charges. KTx incurred no increased morbidity risk in transplant centers.

Surgeons and transplant recipients should be aware of the increased morbidity and mortality risks when considering colorectal resection at different center types.
Thrombin–Fibrinogen In Vitro Flow Model of Thrombus Growth in Cerebral Aneurysms
Authors: Ngoepe Malebogo N. , Pretorius Etheresia , Tshimanga Ilunga J. , Shaikh Zahra , Ventikos Yiannis , Ho Wei Hua
Published: May 2021

Cerebral aneurysms are balloon-like structures that develop on weakened areas of cerebral artery walls, with a significant risk of rupture. Thrombi formation is closely associated with cerebral aneurysms and has been observed both before and after intervention, leading to a wide variability of outcomes in patients with the condition. The attempt to manage the outcomes has led to the development of various computational models of cerebral aneurysm thrombosis. In the current study, we developed a simplified thrombin–fibrinogen flow system, based on commercially available purified human-derived plasma proteins, which enables thrombus growth and tracking in an idealized cerebral aneurysm geometry. A three-dimensional printed geometry of an idealized cerebral aneurysm and parent vessel configuration was developed. An unexpected outcome was that this phantom-based flow model allowed us to track clot growth over a period of time, by using optical imaging to record the progression of the growing clot into the flow field. Image processing techniques were subsequently used to extract important quantitative metrics from the imaging dataset, such as end point intracranial thrombus volume. The model clearly demonstrates that clot formation, in cerebral aneurysms, is a complex interplay between mechanics and biochemistry. This system is beneficial for verifying computational models of cerebral aneurysm thrombosis, particularly those focusing on initial angiographic occlusion outcomes, and will also assist manufacturers in optimizing interventional device designs.
Simplicial SIRS epidemic models with nonlinear incidence rates
Authors: Wang Dong , Zhao Yi , Luo Jianfeng , Leng Hui
Published: May 2021

Mathematical epidemiology that describes the complex dynamics on social networks has become increasingly popular. However, a few methods have tackled the problem of coupling network topology with complex incidence mechanisms. Here, we propose a simplicial susceptible-infected-recovered-susceptible (SIRS) model to investigate the epidemic spreading via combining the network higher-order structure with a nonlinear incidence rate. A network-based social system is reshaped to a simplicial complex, in which the spreading or infection occurs with nonlinear reinforcement characterized by the simplex dimensions. Compared with the previous simplicial susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) models, the proposed SIRS model can not only capture the discontinuous transition and the bistability of a complex system but also capture the periodic phenomenon of epidemic outbreaks. More significantly, the two thresholds associated with the bistable region and the critical value of the reinforcement factor are derived. We further analyze the stability of equilibrium points of the proposed model and obtain the condition of existence of the bistable states and limit cycles. This work expands the simplicial SIS models to SIRS models and sheds light on a novel perspective of combining the higher-order structure of complex systems with nonlinear incidence rates.
Electron beam chirp dexterity in staging laser wakefield acceleration
Authors: Pathak N. , Zhidkov A. , Hosokai T.
Published: May 2021

Particle energy chirp is shown to be a useful instrument in the staging laser wakefield acceleration directed to generation of high-quality dense electron beams. The chirp is a necessary tool to compensate non-uniformity of acceleration field in longitudinal direction and achieve essential reduction of energy dispersion. This is demonstrated via particle-in-cell simulations exploiting the splitting technique for plasma and beam electrons. Properly chosen beam chirps allow a decrease in the energy dispersion of order of magnitude in every single stage during acceleration to the GeV energy range.
The space–time Talbot effect
Authors: Hall Layton A. , Yessenov Murat , Ponomarenko Sergey A. , Abouraddy Ayman F.
Published: May 2021

The Talbot effect, epitomized by periodic revivals of a freely evolving periodic field structure, has been observed with waves of diverse physical nature in space and separately in time, whereby diffraction underlies the former and dispersion underlies the latter. To date, a combined spatiotemporal Talbot effect has not been realized in any wave field because diffraction and dispersion are independent physical phenomena, typically unfolding at incommensurable length scales. Here, we report the observation of an optical “space–time” Talbot effect, whereby a spatiotemporal optical lattice structure undergoes periodic revivals after suffering the impact of both diffraction and dispersion. The discovered space–time revivals are governed by a single self-imaging length scale, which encompasses both spatial and temporal degrees of freedom. Key to this effect is the identification of a unique pulsed optical field structure, which we refer to as a V-wave, that is endowed with intrinsically equal diffraction and dispersion lengths in free space, thereby enabling self-imaging to proceed in lockstep in space and time.
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors: A perspective on evolution, state-of-the-art, future developments, and applications
Authors: Esmaeil Zadeh Iman , Chang J. , Los Johannes W. N. , Gyger Samuel , Elshaari Ali W. , Steinhauer Stephan , Dorenbos Sander N. , Zwiller Val
Published: May 2021

Two decades after their demonstration, superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have become indispensable tools for quantum photonics as well as for many other photon-starved applications. This invention has not only led to a burgeoning academic field with a wide range of applications but also triggered industrial efforts. Current state-of-the-art SNSPDs combine near-unity detection efficiency over a wide spectral range, low dark counts, short dead times, and picosecond time resolution. The present perspective discusses important milestones and progress of SNSPDs research, emerging applications, and future challenges and gives an outlook on technological developments required to bring SNSPDs to the next level: a photon-counting, fast time-tagging imaging, and multi-pixel technology that is also compatible with quantum photonic integrated circuits.
Nondispersive acoustic manipulation based on gradient curved waveguides
Authors: Xu Lin , Wang Aoxin , Hu Xin , Guo Zilong , Lu Liang , Xiao Meng
Published: May 2021

We propose that the propagation of acoustic waves in two-dimensional space can be controlled by the design of gradient embedded paths, which is inspired by a combination of metasurfaces and the inverse method of transformation optics. The phase variation along each gradient embedded path is smooth so that there is almost no reflection below a critical frequency. More importantly, the functionalities of devices designed by our approach are frequency-independent over a pretty broad band. In our work, gradient embedded paths are realized with gradient curved waveguides. Various potential applications such as acoustic directional emitter and focus lens without chromatic aberration are demonstrated.
Characteristics of 2020 stock market crash: The COVID-19 induced extreme event
Authors: Mahata Ajit , Rai Anish , Nurujjaman Md. , Prakash Om , Prasad Bal Debi
Published: May 2021

A sudden fall of stock prices happens during a pandemic due to the panic sell-off by the investors. Such a sell-off may continue for more than a day, leading to a significant crash in the stock price or, more specifically, an extreme event (EE). In this paper, Hilbert–Huang transformation and a structural break analysis (SBA) have been applied to identify and characterize an EE in the stock market due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hilbert spectrum shows a maximum energy concentration at the time of an EE, and hence, it is useful to identify such an event. The EE’s significant energy concentration is more than four times the standard deviation above the mean energy of the normal fluctuation of stock prices. A statistical significance test for the intrinsic mode functions is applied, and the test found that the signal is not noisy. The degree of nonstationarity test shows that the indices and stock prices are nonstationary. We identify the time of influence of the EE on the stock price by using SBA. Furthermore, we have identified the time scale (τ) of the shock and recovery of the stock price during the EE using the intrinsic mode function obtained from the empirical mode decomposition technique. The quality stocks with V-shape recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic have definite τ of shock and recovery, whereas the stressed stocks with L-shape recovery have no definite τ. The identification of τ of shock and recovery during an EE will help investors to differentiate between quality and stressed stocks. These studies will help investors to make appropriate investment decisions.
Influence of corner angle in streamwise supersonic corner flow
Authors: Yang Rui , Modesti Davide , Zhao Yu-xin , Wang Qian-cheng , Wang Zhen-guo , Pirozzoli Sergio
Published: May 2021

We use the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with a full Reynolds stress model (RSM) to study the effect of the corner angle in supersonic corner flow. RANS data are compared to reference direct numerical simulation of fully developed a square duct flow, which support predictive capability of secondary flows from Stress-ω RSM. We then carry out a parametric study by changing the corner angle in the range θ=45°–135°, focusing on the effect on the mean streamwise and secondary flow. The maximum strength of the secondary flows of about 0.015u∞ occurs for θ=90°, which is similar to what is found in fully developed square ducts. Secondary eddies have approximately unit aspect ratio, and they maintain their shape for different corner angles by translating in the direction parallel to the closest wall. As a result, the position of the vortex center can be described by a simple geometrical transformation of the wall-parallel coordinate. We find that small corner angles are responsible for locally relaminarization flow at the corner, but otherwise the mean streamwise velocity profiles transformed according to van Driest following the canonical law-of-the-wall.
Development of a dose-rate dosimeter for x-ray CT scanner using silicon x-ray diode
Authors: Yamaguchi Satoshi , Sato Eiichi , Ieko Yoshiro , Ariga Hisanori , Yoshioka Kunihiro
Published: May 2021

In an x-ray diagnosis, it is important to evaluate the entrance dose rate, as the dose rate of exposure becomes highest in that position. To investigate the effect of the entrance dose rate of x-ray CT scanners, a dose-rate dosimeter comprising a silicon x-ray diode (Si-XD), a CMOS dual operational amplifier, resistors, capacitors, and a mini-substrate measuring 20 × 17 mm2 were developed. The Si-XD is desirable for measuring the changing entrance dose rate, as it enables the reduction of the response time, dimensions, and cost of the dosimeter. The dosimeter was connected to a microcomputer (mbed), and the output voltages from the dosimeter were measured using an analog–digital converter in the mbed. The output voltages were proportional to the tube currents at a constant tube voltage of 100 kV using an industrial x-ray tube, and the calibrated dose rates corresponded well to those obtained using a commercially available semiconductor dosimeter. However, owing to the energy dependence of the dosimeter, the calibrated dose rate was ∼10% higher than that of a commercially available semiconductor dosimeter at the lower tube voltage. In the angular dependence of the dosimeter, the flatness measured from 60° to 120° was ∼103% in this study. A fundamental study for measuring the dose-rate variations with rotation was performed. The results showed a different profile than the angular dependence due to the distance from the source and the complex factors of the scattered radiation.