bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Model‐based reconstruction for looping‐star MRI
Authors: Xiang Haowei , Fessler Jeffrey A. , Noll Douglas C.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The aim of this study was to develop a reconstruction method that more fully models the signals and reconstructs gradient echo (GRE) images without sacrificing the signal to noise ratio and spatial resolution, compared to conventional gridding and model‐based image reconstruction method.

Methods

By modeling the trajectories for every spoke and simplifying the scenario to only echo‐in and echo‐out mixture, the approach explicitly models the overlapping echoes. After modeling the overlapping echoes with two system matrices, we use the conjugate gradient algorithm (CG‐SENSE) with the nonuniform FFT (NUFFT) to optimize the image reconstruction cost function.

Results

The proposed method is demonstrated in phantoms and in‐vivo volunteer experiments for three‐dimensional, high‐resolution T2*‐weighted imaging and functional MRI tasks. Compared to the gridding method, the high resolution protocol exhibits improved spatial resolution and reduced signal loss as a result of less intra‐voxel dephasing. The fMRI task shows that the proposed model‐based method produced images with reduced artifacts and blurring as well as more stable and prominent time courses.

Conclusion

The proposed model‐based reconstruction results shows improved spatial resolution and reduced artifacts. The fMRI task shows improved time series and activation map due to the reduced overlapping echoes and under‐sampling artifacts.
The role of patient treatment specific expectations on the outcomes of musculoskeletal physical therapy treatment: A scoping review
Authors: Wassinger Craig A. , Bourassa Michael , Rheault Ian , Carroll Anthony , Waldecker Christa , Weyant‐Blevins Emily , Sole Gisela , Wright Alexis A.
Published: January 2024

Background

It is unknown how well patient treatment expectations are related to outcomes within musculoskeletal physical therapy. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the association between patient treatment expectations and outcomes following physical therapy care for musculoskeletal injury and to identify gaps in the literature on this topic.

Data Sources

PubMed, CINAHL Complete, PEDro, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and PsycINFO were searched from January 2005. Concepts represented in the search included physical therapy, patient expectations, and patient outcomes, as well as their relevant synonyms.

Data Extraction and Summary

A custom spreadsheet was used to chart demographic details, study design, and key findings from eligible studies. The critical appraisal skills programme (CASP) for cohort studies was used to determine reporting comprehensiveness and fit for inclusion into the review.

Results

Twelve (12) studies were included in this review representing 1855 patients across a variety of patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Studies were most commonly secondary analyses of controlled trials (n = 10) or controlled trials (n = 2) and yielded high CASP scores. A wide range of methods were used to determine patient expectations. The impact of patient treatment expectations was mixed, with some studies indicating a positive relationship between expectation fulfilment and improved outcomes, while others indicate no such relationship.

Conclusion

The relationship between treatment expectations and outcomes within musculoskeletal physical therapy practice is not clear. Future studies with planned comparisons are needed to define appropriate methods to seek patient expectations and measure outcome differences between groups based on expectation fulfilment.
Preparation and physical properties of CeO2 doped and modified epoxy resin composites
Authors: Liang Dayu , Yang Jundong , Li Xiang , Wang Wenzhi , Qi Jianlei , Lu Zhimin
Published: January 2024

Epoxy resin is a widely used polymer material, while its low mechanical properties and thermal stability limit its use in extreme environments such as high temperature and high pressure. In order to improve the performance of EP, this study assessed the enhancement of mechanical properties and thermal stability of EP by stearic acid‐modified n‐CeO2 and its mechanism. Laser particle size analyzers, transmission electron microscopes, and other instruments were used to characterize n‐CeO2. Universal testing machines, thermogravimetric analyzers, and other instruments were used to test n‐CeO2/EP nanocomposites. The results show that fatty acids effectively coated the surface of n‐CeO2, reducing its central particle size from 0.248 μm to 0.193 μm and improving its dispersion and compatibility. The tensile, flexural, impact strength, maximum decomposition temperature, and glass transition temperature (Tg) increased by 382%, 554%, 698%, 5%, and 10%, respectively with 2 wt% filler content. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the addition of n‐CeO2 induced plastic deformation and crack formation in the EP matrix, which enhanced the toughness of the composite material. This study provided the effective methods and basis for the preparation of high‐performance n‐CeO2/EP nanocomposites.

Highlights

Nano cerium dioxide was modified to improve its dispersion by using stearic acid.

High‐performance nanocomposites were prepared by using modified nanoparticles.

The stiffness and toughness of the epoxy resin were enhanced by adding n‐CeO2.

Thermal stability and heat resistance of the epoxy resin were improved by doping n‐CeO2.

SEM images of the impact section showed that n‐CeO2 can prevent crack propagation.
Strategies for the quality control of Chrysanthemi Flos: Rapid quantification and end‐to‐end fingerprint conversion based on FT‐NIR spectroscopy
Authors: Cui Tongcan , Ying Zehua , Zhang Jianyu , Guo Shubo , Chen Wei , Zhou Guifang , Li Wenlong
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Chrysanthemi Flos (CF) is widely used as a natural medicine or tea. Due to its diverse cultivation regions, CF exhibits varying quality. Therefore, the quality and swiftness in evaluation holds paramount significance for CF.

Objective

The aim of the study was to construct a comprehensive evaluation strategy for assessing CF quality using HPLC, near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and chemometrics, which included the rapid quantification analyses of chemical components and the Fourier transform (FT)‐NIR to HPLC conversion of fingerprints.

Materials and methods

A total of 145 CF samples were utilised for data collection via NIR spectroscopy and HPLC. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were optimised using various spectral preprocessing and variable selection methods to predict the chemical composition content in CF. Both direct standardisation (DS) and PLSR algorithms were employed to establish the fingerprint conversion model from the FT‐NIR spectrum to HPLC, and the model's performance was assessed through similarity and cluster analysis.

Results

The optimised PLSR quantitative models can effectively predict the content of eight chemical components in CF. Both DS and PLSR algorithms achieve the calibration conversion of CF fingerprints from FT‐NIR to HPLC, and the predicted and measured HPLC fingerprints are highly similar. Notably, the best model relies on CF powder FT‐NIR spectra and DS algorithm [root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) = 2.7590, R2 = 0.8558]. A high average similarity (0.9184) prevails between predicted and measured fingerprints of test set samples, and the results of the clustering analysis exhibit a high level of consistency.

Conclusion

This comprehensive strategy provides a novel and dependable approach for the rapid quality evaluation of CF.
Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling of cortical dopamine concentrations after quetiapine lipid core nanocapsules administration to schizophrenia phenotyped rats
Authors: Dias Bruna Bernar , Carreño Fernando , Helfer Victória Etges , Olivo Laura Ben , Staudt Keli Jaqueline , Paese Karina , Barreto Fabiano , Meyer Fabíola Schons , Herrmann Ana Paula , Guterres Sílvia Stanisçuaski , Rates Stela Maris Kuze , de Araújo Bibiana Verlindo , Trocóniz Iñaki F. , Dalla Costa Teresa
Published: January 2024

Schizophrenia (SCZ) response to pharmacological treatment is highly variable. Quetiapine (QTP) administered as QTP lipid core nanocapsules (QLNC) has been shown to modulate drug delivery to the brain of SCZ phenotyped rats (SPR). In the present study, we describe the brain concentration–effect relationship after administrations of QTP as a solution or QLNC to SPR and naïve animals. A semimechanistic pharmacokinetic (PK) model describing free QTP concentrations in the brain was linked to a pharmacodynamic (PD) model to correlate the drug kinetics to changes in dopamine (DA) medial prefrontal cortex extracellular concentrations determined by intracerebral microdialysis. Different structural models were investigated to fit DA concentrations after QTP dosing, and the final model describes the synthesis, release, and elimination of DA using a pool compartment. The results show that nanoparticles increase QTP brain concentrations and DA peak after drug dosing to SPR. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that combines microdialysis and PK/PD modeling in a neurodevelopmental model of SCZ to investigate how a nanocarrier can modulate drug PK and PD, contributing to the development of new treatment strategies for SCZ.
On local ISS of nonlinear second‐order time‐delay systems without damping
Authors: Aleksandrov Alexander , Efimov Denis , Fridman Emilia
Published: January 2024

For a second‐order system with vector position, either constant or time‐varying delays, and a power nonlinearity of the degree higher than one, which does not contain a velocity‐proportional damping term, the conditions of local input‐to‐state stability are proposed. The result is based on application of Lyapunov‐Razumikhin approach, for which new time estimates on decay of solutions are obtained. The approach is extended to attitude stabilization of a rigid body, and it is illustrated by simulations.
Design and Motion Principle Analysis of new parallel mechanisms with fewer active inputs than the degrees of freedom
Authors: Wang Yu , Qiu Can , Wu Jiabin , Xu Yundou , Xi Fengfeng , Nie Shenglong , Zhao Yongsheng
Published: January 2024

In this paper, two new parallel mechanisms (PMs) with fewer active inputs than the degrees of freedom (DOFs)are proposed: (i) an nSPS (n = 7, 8, 9) six‐DOF PM with n‐6 active inputs and six lockable joints. and (ii) a 3RPS‐SPS 3‐DOF PM with one active input and three lockable joints. Compared with the traditional PMs, the difference is that the proposed PMs can achieve the same mobility by using a minimal number of active joints. Moreover, the load‐carrying capacity is also improved compared with the original standard mechanisms, since the new PMs become statically redundant when all the branches are locked. For this purpose, a sequential motion control principle is introduced that requires both inverse and forward kinematics of PMs. Kinematic modeling, dimensional optimization, and structural design are carried out for the 7SPS and 3RPS‐SPS mechanisms, and the two prototypes are constructed for experimental validation. Both simulation and experiment results have shown that the proposed hybrid PM can achieve the original mobility while significantly reducing the number of actuators.
A novel method for satellite prediction of VDE‐TER service traffic information based on multilayers bidirectional LSTM
Authors: Wu Ruiwen , Li Zongwang , Xie Zhuochen , Liang Xuwen
Published: January 2024

Satellite prediction of very high frequency (VHF) Data Exchange (VDE)‐Terrestrial (VDE‐TER) ship‐to‐ship Self‐Organized Networks (SON) service traffic information is crucial for wireless resource allocation of VHF Data Exchange System (VDES). Due to the VDE‐TER, channel load observed by the satellite changes rapidly and the historical information cached on the satellite is limited; the prediction of VDE‐TER service traffic is difficult. This paper proposes a multilayer bidirectional long short‐term memory (LSTM) neural network model (MLB‐LSTM), which controls the amount of forgetting of historical information and the amount of memory of current information through the LSTM unit, so that the model can better learn the nonlinear changes of service traffic. The bidirectional LSTM module combines forward and backward time series data, reducing the amount of data required for prediction and enhancing the prediction accuracy of the model. Numerical results show that the proposed prediction model significantly outperforms traditional methods and is able to adapt to rapidly changing VDE‐TER data.
Chemo‐Enzymatic Synthesis of Navarixin by Using Aqueous Micellar Media: A Greener Approach
Authors: Rajendra Gaikwad , Ganesh Krithika , Ravikumar Shashank C. , Rajulu Govinda G. , Sambasivam Ganesh , Shivashankarappa Nagashree
Published: January 2024

A mild and scalable chemo‐enzymatic procedure for the synthesis of the anticancer drug navarixin was developed in aqueous micellar media. We herein, report a greener methodology for the synthesis of a key chiral amine intermediate in the synthesis of navarixin using transaminases. This was obtained in high yields with an enantiomeric excess of >99.9 %. The current synthetic method represents a mild and sustainable procedure to afford the chiral amine intermediate in a single step without the use of expensive chiral ligands and auxiliaries. Furthermore, the chiral amine was used in the synthesis of navarixin which was obtained in high yield and an enantiomeric excess of >97.7 %.
Carbon Dots as New Effective Catalysts for Knoevenagel Condensation Reaction and Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates under Solvent‐free Conditions
Authors: Yu Jinfa , Luo Zhaoqin , Sun Xiangying
Published: January 2024

Carbon dots (CDs) as new efficient catalysts have been developed for the Knoevenagel condensation reaction and the synthesis of cyclic carbonates under solvent‐free conditions. Six kinds of carbon dots with different numbers of amino groups were synthesized. The amine‐terminated carbon dot (NCDs‐1) was synthesized using arginine and ethylenediamine by a microwave technique, and its catalytic action was studied. NCDs‐1 with the highest numbers of amino groups was used as new metal‐free and effective heterogeneous catalysts to perform essential Knoevenagel condensation and cycloaddition reactions in solvent‐free conditions. 1H NMR was used to demonstrate the Knoevenagel condensation mechanism, in situ Fourier infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate CO2 cycloaddition and a catalytic mechanism was postulated. NCDs‐1 showed a yield of 96.3±1.5 % for Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde and malononitrile. In addition, NCDs‐1/TBAB showed a yield of (97.0±1.0 %) of 4‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxolan‐2‐one for styrene oxide at 100 °C and 0.1 MPa in 1.5 h. A simple and convenient method for catalytic reactions with amine‐terminated carbon dots was developed.
Ionic Liquid Immobilized Fe‐MIL‐101‐NH2 Efficiently Catalyzes the Chemical Fixation of CO2 with Epoxides to Form Cyclic Carbonates
Authors: Niu Junping , Zhang Daqing , Gao Xuechuan , Gao Yuanyuan , Wu Jiakai , Han Limin , Zhu Ning
Published: January 2024

In this work, two ionic liquids (ILs) immobilized metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), Fe‐MIL‐101‐3N(BuBr) and Fe‐MIL‐101‐N(Bnme2)Br, were obtained by modifying amino groups in Fe‐MIL‐101‐NH2 with bromobutane and quaternary ammonium salt. The ionic liquid immobilized MOFs have Lewis acid sites (Fe3+) and nucleophilic sites (Br−), which can synergistically catalyze the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 and epoxides. Various cyclic carbonate derivatives were obtained in excellent yields under the optimal conditions. Additionally, we found that Fe‐MIL‐101‐N(Bnme2)Br exhibited the highest catalytic activity and it can be easily recovered and reused for at least 5 times without loss of catalytic activity. Our method of preparing bifunctional catalysts provides a new approach to design catalysts for the chemical conversion of CO2.
Utilizing Self‐Floating Cu3BiS3 Polydopamine Polyurethane Sponges for Enhanced Water Purification: Harnessing the free radical and non‐radical in persulfate system
Authors: Xiao Yi , Zhou Yi , He Wanhong , Huang Guihua , Feng Dujie , Xiang Minghui , Dang Mingming , Zhang Jin
Published: January 2024

The advanced oxidation process based on persulfate group is a promising technology for water purification. However, the synergistic effect of free radical and non‐free radical degradation is still not feasible in the persulfate activation process, which consumes a large amount of external energy. The self‐floating Cu3BiS3/polydopamine/polyurethane sponge was prepared using a simple method, resulting in high catalytic performance when activated by peroxydisulfate (PDS). The experiments conducted to identify free radicals showed that the degradation process of tetracycline (TC) involved the synergistic action of non‐radical 1O2 and free radicals (SO4⋅− and • OH) and the conversion of Cu+/Cu2+. The addition of Cl−, HCO3−, PO43−, and SO42− to the solution did not significantly affect the high degradation rate of TC. Furthermore, the interfacial evaporation process achieved a remarkable evaporation rate of 1.53 kg m−2 h−1 and produced reclaimed water without any detectable TC contaminants. The sponge also exhibited excellent salt resistance and chemical stability. This study provides valuable insights into the degradation of antibiotics and the desalination of seawater.
Integrated Catalyst‐Substrate Electrodes for Electrochemical Water Splitting: A Review on Dimensional Engineering Strategy
Authors: Meng Weixue , Pang Rui , Li Meng , Han Lei , Kong Xiaobing , Zhang Ding , Zhang Shipeng , Zhang Yingjiu , Shang Yuanyuan , Cao Anyuan
Published: January 2024

Water splitting (or, water electrolysis) is considered as a promising approach to produce green hydrogen and relieve the ever‐increasing energy consumption as well as the accompanied environmental impact. Development of high‐efficiency, low‐cost practical water‐splitting systems demands elegant design and fabrication of catalyst‐loaded electrodes with both high activity and long‐life time. To this end, dimensional engineering strategies, which effectively tune the microstructure and activity of electrodes as well as the electrochemical kinetics, play an important role and have been extensively reported over the past years. Here, a type of most investigated electrode configurations is reviewed, combining particulate catalysts with 3D porous substrates (aerogels, metal foams, hydrogels, etc.), which offer special advantages in the field of water splitting. It is analyzed the design principles, structural and interfacial characteristics, and performance of particle‐3D substrate electrode systems including overpotential, cycle life, and the underlying mechanism toward improved catalytic properties. In particular, it is also categorized the catalysts as different dimensional particles, and show the importance of building hybrid composite electrodes by dimensional control and engineering. Finally, present challenges and possible research directions toward low‐cost high‐efficiency water splitting and hydrogen production is discussed.
Understanding vehicle demand dynamics in Indian road transport: A qualitative framework
Authors: Santran Ram , Singh Rhythm
Published: January 2024

The demand for vehicles in India is on a continuous rise, primarily attributed to increasing income levels. The Indian government has initiated steps to decarbonize the transport sector, offering incentives for alternate vehicles' adoption. This study introduces a qualitative framework, employing a causal structure to comprehend the dynamics of vehicle demand. The framework takes into account critical feedback loops that influence the demand for alternate vehicles and, consequently, the overall vehicle demand. The causal loop diagram for vehicle demand encompasses five key domains: socio‐economic development, infrastructure development, environmental awareness, fuel supply market and alternate vehicle technology. Notably, economic activity, urban sprawl, vehicle demand, alternate vehicle technology improvement, and the sustainability and fuel constraints linked with internal combustion engine vehicles emerge as the critical aspects governing the dynamics of the model. The leverage and intervention points influencing the vehicle demand are also identified. Further, based on the evolving interaction of the various reinforcing and balancing loops, this work identifies three distinct phases of the evolution of vehicle demand dynamics in India, namely, the emerging phase (2020–2040), the growth phase (2040–2060) and the stagnation phase (2060–2080). The paper discusses the crucial features of these phases.
Less is more: vegetation changes coincide with white‐tailed deer suppression over thirty years
Authors: Pickering Joshua K. , Bradstreet Michael S. W. , Norris D. Ryan
Published: January 2024

Although ecological impacts of overabundant white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are well documented in eastern North America, few studies have evaluated the long‐term effects of adaptive deer population suppression after a period of overabundance. We examined vegetation community changes over a period of 30 years (1992–2021) on the Long Point Peninsula, Ontario, Canada following a >85% reduction of a previously overabundant white‐tailed deer population. We documented a significant increase in species diversity and shifts in the species composition of understory plants and woody vegetation. We then evaluated several hypotheses to explain these patterns. Our results provide support for the all‐you‐can‐browse hypothesis, in which the abundance of woody stems above the browse layer did not increase within the first 3 years of sampling but, consistent within an expected period of recruitment, increased by >1,500% from 1995–2021. We also found support for both the lawn maintenance hypothesis, with a significant decline in the proportional abundance of non‐preferred species relative to preferred species, and for the seed bank hypothesis, with native species accounting for nearly 80% of new species observed over the sampling period. We conclude that the effective, long‐term management and continued suppression of an previously overabundant white‐tailed deer population can lead to increased vegetation community heterogeneity and diversity, which is likely one of the most important steps for the regeneration of woody stems and native vegetation communities.
A comprehensive checklist of computational resources and methodologies for noncoding RNAs in systems medicine
Authors: Li Ruijiang , Zhao Caiyun , Wang Ruiqi , Wang Jing , Jin Yiguang , He Song , Bo Xiaochen
Published: January 2024

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), previously referred to as “dark matter” and now recognized as “bright star,” fulfill a variety of biological functions and are also emerging as potential biomarkers and therapies in oncology‐focused clinical trials. Systems medicine has become a holist paradigm to study the human body, which organically integrates data from basic research and clinical practice to improve our understanding and treatment of complex diseases. It is an interdisciplinary approach that brings systems biology and bioinformatics closer to clinical medicine. The development of high‐throughput techniques and the increasing adoption of computational methods across healthcare domains have accelerated and aided the tangible clinical applications of ncRNAs. Various resources and methodologies for ncRNAs enable a comprehensive analysis of heterogeneous and interlinked data, thereby providing new insights into systems medicine. In this review, we summarize the resources and models for ncRNA medical research, aiming to provide a technical manual for personalized and precision medicine at the system level.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Methods > RNA Analyses In Vitro and In Silico
The effects of preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoid supplementation on tadpoles of the poison frog Phyllobates vittatus
Authors: Arkin Rachel , Márquez Roberto
Published: January 2024

Understanding the nutritional requirements of captive animals is necessary for proper animal husbandry, however, the specific dietary requirements for many amphibian species commonly kept in captivity are unknown. Like most vertebrates, frogs cannot synthesize carotenoids and must therefore obtain these essential nutrients through diet. It is unclear if amphibians can cleave provitamin A carotenoids to form vitamin A metabolically within the body, so common practice is to supplement their captive diets with both preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids. We carried out a feeding experiment in tadpoles of Phyllobates vittatus, a commonly kept poison frog species, to test the effects of supplementing a fish flake diet with a provitamin A carotenoid (2.5 mg/g β‐carotene) and vitamin A (0.033–0.066 µg/mL retinyl acetate), both individually and in combination. Contrary to our expectations, supplementation had either no effect or adverse effects on tadpole growth and survivorship. Tadpoles reared under supplemented diets with vitamin A showed higher mortality rates, coupled with symptoms of hypervitaminosis A. Survivors had a smaller body size and mass at metamorphosis. β‐carotene supplementation alone had no detectable effect. The vitamin A and β‐carotene levels in our supplemented diet have been shown to be harmless or benefit tadpoles of other species, yet our results indicate that adding these amounts to what is found in a generalist fish flake mix can have detrimental effects on P. vittatus tadpoles. More broadly, this study highlights the importance of creating husbandry guidelines based on the specific physiological needs of the species (or species groups) being kept in captivity, rather than general ones for all amphibians, as is often done.
AI-artifacts in engineering change management – a systematic literature review
Authors: Burggräf Peter , Wagner Johannes , Saßmannshausen Till , Weißer Tim , Radisic-Aberger Ognjen
Published: January 2024

Changes and modifications to existing products, known as engineering changes (EC), are common in complex product development. They require appropriate implementation planning and supervision to mitigate the economic downsides due to complexity. These tasks, however, take a high administrative toll on the organization. In response, automation by computer tools has been suggested. Due to the underlying process complexity, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) is advised. To support research and development of new AI-artifacts for EC management (ECM), a knowledge base is required. Thus, this paper aims to gather insights from existing approaches and discover literature gaps by conducting a systematic literature review. 39 publications applying AI methods and algorithms in ECM were identified and subsequently discussed. The analysis shows that the methods vary and are mostly utilized for predicting change propagation and knowledge retrieval. The review’s results suggest that AI in EC requires developing distributed AI systems to manage the ensuing complexity. Additionally, five concrete suggestions are presented as future research needs: Research on metaheuristics for optimizing EC schedules, testing of stacked machine learning methods for process outcome prediction, establishment of process supervision, development of the mentioned distributed AI systems for automation, and validation with industry partners.
Periods, power series, and integrated algebraic numbers
Authors: Kaiser Tobias
Published: January 2024

Periods are defined as integrals of semialgebraic functions defined over the rationals. Periods form a countable ring not much is known about. Examples are given by taking the antiderivative of a power series which is algebraic over the polynomial ring over the rationals and evaluate it at a rational number. We follow this path and close these algebraic power series under taking iterated antiderivatives and nearby algebraic and geometric operations. We obtain a system of rings of power series whose coefficients form a countable real closed field. Using techniques from o-minimality we are able to show that every period belongs to this field. In the setting of o-minimality we define exponential integrated algebraic numbers and show that exponential periods and the Euler constant is an exponential integrated algebraic number. Hence they are a good candiate for a natural number system extending the period ring and containing important mathematical constants.
Recombinant therapeutic proteins degradation and overcoming strategies in CHO cells
Authors: Geng Shao-Lei , Zhao Xiao-Jie , Zhang Xi , Zhang Ji-Hong , Mi Chun-Liu , Wang Tian-Yun
Published: January 2024

Mammalian cell lines are frequently used as the preferred host cells for producing recombinant therapeutic proteins (RTPs) having post-translational modified modification similar to those observed in proteins produced by human cells. Nowadays, most RTPs approved for marketing are produced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Recombinant therapeutic antibodies are among the most important and promising RTPs for biomedical applications. One of the issues that occurs during development of RTPs is their degradation, which caused by a variety of factors and reducing quality of RTPs. RTP degradation is especially concerning as they could result in reduced biological functions (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity) and generate potentially immunogenic species. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying RTP degradation and strategies for avoiding degradation have regained an interest from academia and industry. In this review, we outline recent progress in this field, with a focus on factors that cause degradation during RTP production and the development of strategies for overcoming RTP degradation.

Key points

• The recombinant therapeutic protein degradation in CHO cell systems is reviewed.

• Enzymatic factors and non-enzymatic methods influence recombinant therapeutic protein degradation.

• Reducing the degradation can improve the quality of recombinant therapeutic proteins.
Applications of Nijenhuis Geometry V: Geodesic Equivalence and Finite-Dimensional Reductions of Integrable Quasilinear Systems
Authors: Bolsinov Alexey V. , Konyaev Andrey Yu. , Matveev Vladimir S.
Published: January 2024

We describe all metrics geodesically compatible with a$$\textrm{gl}$$gl-regular Nijenhuis operatorL. The set of such metrics is large enough so that a generic local curve$$\gamma $$γis a geodesic for a suitable metricgfrom this set. Next, we show that a certain evolutionary PDE system of hydrodynamic type constructed fromLpreserves the property of$$\gamma $$γto be ag-geodesic. This implies that every metricggeodesically compatible withLgives us a finite-dimensional reduction of this PDE system. We show that its restriction onto the set ofg-geodesics is naturally equivalent to the Poisson action of$$\mathbb {R}^n$$Rnon the cotangent bundle generated by the integrals coming from geodesic compatibility.
Deep learning based computer vision under the prism of 3D point clouds: a systematic review
Authors: Tychola Kyriaki A. , Vrochidou Eleni , Papakostas George A.
Published: January 2024

Point clouds consist of 3D data points and are among the most considerable data formats for 3D representations. Their popularity is due to their broad application areas, such as robotics and autonomous driving, and their employment in basic 3D vision tasks such as segmentation, classification, and detection. However, processing point clouds is challenging compared to other visual forms such as images, mainly due to their unstructured nature. Deep learning (DL) has been established as a powerful tool for data processing, reporting remarkable performance enhancements compared to traditional methods for all basic 2D vision tasks. However new challenges are emerging when it comes to processing unstructured 3D point clouds. This work aims to guide future research by providing a systematic review of DL on 3D point clouds, holistically covering all 3D vision tasks. 3D technologies of point cloud formation are reviewed and compared to each other. The application of DL methods for point cloud processing is discussed, and state-of-the-art models’ performances are compared focusing on challenges and solutions. Moreover, in this work the most popular 3D point cloud benchmark datasets are summarized based on their task-oriented applications, aiming to highlight existing constraints and to comparatively evaluate them. Future research directions and upcoming trends are also highlighted.
CT-based peritumoral radiomics nomogram on prediction of response and survival to induction chemotherapy in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Zeng Fanyuan , Ye Zhuomiao , Zhou Qin
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The study aims to harness the value of radiomics models combining intratumoral and peritumoral features obtained from pretreatment CT to predict treatment response as well as the survival of LA-NPC(locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma) patients receiving multiple types of induction chemotherapies, including immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

Methods

276 LA-NPC patients (221 in the training and 55 in the testing cohort) were retrospectively enrolled. Various statistical analyses and feature selection techniques were applied to identify the most relevant radiomics features. Multiple machine learning models were trained and compared to build signatures for the intratumoral and each peritumoral region, along with a clinical signature. The performance of each model was evaluated using different metrics. Subsequently, a nomogram model was constructed by combining the best-performing radiomics and clinical models.

Results

In the testing cohort, the nomogram model exhibited an AUC of 0.816, outperforming the other models. The nomogram model’s calibration curve showed good agreement between predicted and observed outcomes in both the training and testing sets. When predicting survival, the model’s concordance index (C-index) was 0.888 in the training cohort and 0.899 in the testing cohort, indicating its robust predictive ability.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the combined nomogram model, incorporating radiomics and clinical features, outperformed other models in predicting treatment response and survival outcomes for LA-NPC patients receiving induction chemotherapies. These findings highlight the potential clinical utility of the model, suggesting its value in individualized treatment planning and decision-making.
Spatial variability in herbaceous plant phenology is mostly explained by variability in temperature but also by photoperiod and functional traits
Authors: Rauschkolb Robert , Bucher Solveig Franziska , Hensen Isabell , Ahrends Antje , Fernández-Pascual Eduardo , Heubach Katja , Jakubka Desiree , Jiménez-Alfaro Borja , König Andreas , Koubek Tomáš , Kehl Alexandra , Khuroo Anzar A. , Lindstädter Anja , Shafee Faizan , Mašková Tereza , Platonova Elena , Panico Patrizia , Plos Carolin , Primack Richard , Rosche Christoph , Shah Manzoor A. , Sporbert Maria , Stevens Albert-Dieter , Tarquini Flavio , Tielbörger Katja , Träger Sabrina , Vange Vibekke , Weigelt Patrick , Bonn Aletta , Freiberg Martin , Knickmann Barbara , Nordt Birgit , Wirth Christian , Römermann Christine
Published: January 2024

Whereas temporal variability of plant phenology in response to climate change has already been well studied, the spatial variability of phenology is not well understood. Given that phenological shifts may affect biotic interactions, there is a need to investigate how the variability in environmental factors relates to the spatial variability in herbaceous species’ phenology by at the same time considering their functional traits to predict their general and species-specific responses to future climate change. In this project, we analysed phenology records of 148 herbaceous species, which were observed for a single year by the PhenObs network in 15 botanical gardens. For each species, we characterised the spatial variability in six different phenological stages across gardens. We used boosted regression trees to link these variabilities in phenology to the variability in environmental parameters (temperature, latitude and local habitat conditions) as well as species traits (seed mass, vegetative height, specific leaf area and temporal niche) hypothesised to be related to phenology variability. We found that spatial variability in the phenology of herbaceous species was mainly driven by the variability in temperature but also photoperiod was an important driving factor for some phenological stages. In addition, we found that early-flowering and less competitive species characterised by small specific leaf area and vegetative height were more variable in their phenology. Our findings contribute to the field of phenology by showing that besides temperature, photoperiod and functional traits are important to be included when spatial variability of herbaceous species is investigated.
25th anniversary of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University Medical Center Maribor: advancing hearts, changing lives
Authors: Antonic Miha , Djordjevic Anze
Published: January 2024

In 1996, Slovenia witnessed a profound transformation in its cardiac care landscape with the establishment of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University Medical Centre Maribor. This momentous milestone heralded the birth of the nation’s second heart surgery center revolutionizing cardiovascular care accessibility. Today, the Department of Cardiac Surgery stands as a regional hub, delivering specialized cardiac surgical services to Slovenia’s northeastern region and beyond. Its unwavering commitment to excellence, patient-centered care, and adherence to international guidelines reflects its dedication to providing top-tier cardiac care. As the department commemorates its 25th anniversary, this article offers a reflective overview of its establishment, development, growth and future trajectory for further development in an ever-changing era of cardiovascular medicine. The article also highlights the department’s active involvement in international collaborations, scientific research, medical education, and innovations in minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
Solutions to the Magnetic Ginzburg–Landau Equations Concentrating on Codimension-2 Minimal Submanifolds
Authors: Badran Marco , del Pino Manuel
Published: January 2024

We consider the magnetic Ginzburg–Landau equations in a compact manifold N$$\begin{aligned} \left\{ \begin{array}{l} -\varepsilon ^2{\varDelta }^Au = \frac{1}{2}(1-|u|^{2})u,\\ \varepsilon ^2d^*dA=\langle \nabla ^Au,iu\rangle . \end{array}\right. \end{aligned}$$

-

ε
2

Δ

A

u
=

1
2

(
1
-
|
u
|

2

)
u
,

ε
2

d
∗

d
A
=

⟨

∇
A

u
,
i
u
⟩

.

Here $$u:N\rightarrow \mathbb {C}$$

u
:
N
→
C

and A is a 1-form on N. We discuss some recent results on the construction of solutions exhibiting concentration phenomena near prescribed minimal, codimension 2 submanifolds corresponding to the vortex set of the solution. Given a codimension-2 minimal submanifold $$M\subset N$$

M
⊂
N

which is also oriented and non-degenerate, we construct a solution $$(u_{\varepsilon },A_{\varepsilon })$$

(

u
ε

,

A
ε

)

such that $$u_\varepsilon $$

u
ε

has a zero set consisting of a smooth surface close to M. Away from M we have $$\begin{aligned} u_\varepsilon (x)\rightarrow \frac{z}{|z|},\quad A_\varepsilon (x)\rightarrow \frac{1}{|z|^2}(-z_2dz^1+z_1dz^2),\quad x=\exp _y(z^\beta \nu _\beta (y)) \end{aligned}$$

u
ε

(
x
)

→

z

|
z
|

,

A
ε

(
x
)

→

1

|
z
|

2

(
-

z
2

d

z
1

+

z
1

d

z
2

)

,

x
=

exp
y

(

z
β

ν
β

(
y
)

)

as $$\varepsilon \rightarrow 0$$

ε
→
0

, for all sufficiently small $$z\ne 0$$

z
≠
0

and $$y\in M$$

y
∈
M

. Here, $$\{\nu _1,\nu _2\}$$

{

ν
1

,

ν
2

}

is a normal frame for M in N. These results improve, by giving precise quantitative information, a recent construction by De Philippis and Pigati (arXiv:2205.12389, 2022) who built solutions for which the concentration phenomenon holds in an energy, measure-theoretical sense. In addition, we consider the non-compact case $$N=\mathbb {R}^4$$

N
=

R

4

and the special case of a two-dimensional minimal surface in $$\mathbb {R}^3$$

R

3

, regarded as a codimension 2 minimal submanifold in $$\mathbb {R}^4$$

R

4

, with finite total curvature and non-degenerate. We construct a solution $$(u_\varepsilon ,A_\varepsilon )$$

(

u
ε

,

A
ε

)

which has a zero set consisting of a smooth 2-dimensional surface close to $$M\times \{0\}\subset \mathbb {R}^4$$

M
×

{
0
}

⊂

R

4

. Away from the latter surface we have $$|u_\varepsilon | \rightarrow 1$$

|

u
ε

|
→
1

and asymptotic behavior as in (1).
The effects of anastomoses between anterior and posterior circulation on postoperative prognosis of patients with moyamoya disease
Authors: Yuan Yuan , He Xuchao , Li Yin , Jin Lingji , Zhu Yuhan , Lin Gaojun , Hu Libin , Zhou Hang , Cao Yang , Hu Junwen , Chen Gao , Wang Lin
Published: January 2024

Background

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Collateral circulation in MMD has emerged as a research focus. Our aims were to assess the impact of anastomoses between the anterior and posterior circulations on the prognosis of MMD patients.

Methods

We reviewed the preoperative digital subtraction angiography images of patients with MMD who underwent revascularization surgery at our hospital between March 2014 and May 2020 and divided the patients into two groups: those with anastomoses (PtoA group) and those without anastomoses (non-PtoA group). The differences in follow-up (more than 6 months) collateral vessel establishment (Matsushima grade) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were compared between the two groups as well as between the patients with different degrees of anastomoses. The early complications following revascularization were also compared between the two groups.

Results

This study included 104 patients with MMD, of which 38 were non-PtoA and 66 were PtoA. There were no significant differences in Matsushima score (P = 0.252) and mRS score (P = 0.066) between the two groups. In addition, Matsushima score (P = 0.243) and mRS score (P = 0.360) did not differ significantly between patients with different degrees of anastomoses. However, the non-PtoA group had a significantly higher rate of cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) than the PtoA group (34.2% vs 16.7%, P = 0.041).

Conclusion

MMD patients without anastomoses between anterior and posterior circulations preoperatively should be vigilant of the occurrence of CHS in the early stages after revascularization.
Embedded complex curves in the affine plane
Authors: Alarcón Antonio , Forstnerič Franc
Published: January 2024

This paper brings several contributions to the classical Forster–Bell–Narasimhan conjecture and the Yang problem concerning the existence of proper, almost proper, and complete injective holomorphic immersions of open Riemann surfaces in the affine plane $$\mathbb {C}^2$$

C

2

satisfying interpolation and hitting conditions. We also show that every compact Riemann surface contains a Cantor set whose complement admits a proper holomorphic embedding in $$\mathbb {C}^2$$

C

2

, and every connected domain in $$\mathbb {C}^2$$

C

2

admits complete, everywhere dense, injectively immersed complex discs. The focal point of the paper is a lemma saying for every compact bordered Riemann surface, M, closed discrete subset E of $$\mathring{M}=M\setminus bM$$

M
˚

=
M
\
b
M

, and compact subset $$K\subset \mathring{M}\setminus E$$

K
⊂

M
˚

\
E

without holes in $$\mathring{M}$$

M
˚

, any $$\mathscr {C}^1$$

C
1

embedding $$f:M\hookrightarrow \mathbb {C}^2$$

f
:
M
↪

C

2

which is holomorphic in $$\mathring{M}$$

M
˚

can be approximated uniformly on K by holomorphic embeddings $$F:M\hookrightarrow \mathbb {C}^2$$

F
:
M
↪

C

2

which map $$E\cup bM$$

E
∪
b
M

out of a given ball and satisfy some interpolation conditions.
Biomaterials technology and policies in the building sector: a review
Authors: Chen Lin , Zhang Yubing , Chen Zhonghao , Dong Yitong , Jiang Yushan , Hua Jianmin , Liu Yunfei , Osman Ahmed I. , Farghali Mohamed , Huang Lepeng , Rooney David W. , Yap Pow-Seng
Published: January 2024

Traditional building materials have some drawbacks in the construction industry, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. Biomaterials derived from renewable sources are a promising alternative, significantly reducing the greenhouse effect and enhancing energy efficiency. However, traditional materials still dominate the construction sector, and there is a lack of understanding among some policymakers and developers regarding biomaterials. Here, we review building biomaterials and their policies and life cycle assessment through case studies. Bio-based materials have the potential to reduce over 320,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. They also exhibit advantages like decreasing water absorption by 40%, reducing energy consumption by 8.7%, enhancing acoustic absorption by 6.7%, and improving mechanical properties. We summarize recent advancements in mycelial materials, bioconcrete, natural fibers, and fiber-reinforced composites. We also explore the contributions of nanotechnology and microalgae technology in enhancing biomaterials' thermal insulation and eco-friendliness.
The Association Between HIV-Related Stigma and the Uptake of HIV Testing and ART Among Older Adults in Rural South Africa: Findings from the HAALSI Cohort Study
Authors: Mahlalela Nomsa B. , Manne-Goehler Jennifer , Ohene-Kwofie Daniel , B. Adams Leslie , Montana Livia , Kahn Kathleen , Rohr Julia K. , Bärnighausen Till , Gómez-Olivé Francesc X.
Published: January 2024

HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain critical for curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS, but stigma can impede access to these services. Using data from the Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI), we used a multivariable logistic regression to examine the correlation between HIV-related stigma, HIV testing and ART uptake in older adults. We used four questions to measure stigma, with three assessing social stigma (reflecting social distancing preferences) and one assessing anticipated stigma (disclosure concern). We combined the three social stigma questions to generate a social stigma score ranging from 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating higher stigma. Anticipated stigma was prevalent 85% (95% CI 0.84–0.86), and social stigma was also frequent 25% (95% CI 0.24–0.27). Higher social stigma scores correlated with decreased HIV testing for all participants with social stigma. Compared to those with a score of 0, odds of testing decreased with higher stigma scores (OR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.53–0.81, p = 0.000) for a score of 1 and (OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.38–0.83, p = 0.004) for a score of 3. ART uptake also decreased with higher social stigma scores among people living with HIV (PLWH), although it was significant for those with a score of 2 (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.19–0.87, p = 0.020). These findings emphasize that HIV-related stigma hampers testing and ART uptake among older adults in rural South Africa. Addressing stigma is crucial for improving testing rates, early diagnosis, and treatment initiation among the older population and achieving UNAIDS 95–95–95 targets.