bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dithiol surface treatment towards improved charge transfer dynamic and reduced lead leakage in lead halide perovskite solar cells
Authors: Wang Qingrui , Lin Zhenhua , Su Jie , Xu Yumeng , Guo Xing , Li Yingchun , Zhang Miao , Zhang Jincheng , Chang Jingjing , Hao Yue
Published: January 2022

With efficiency surpassing 25%, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have received much attention because of their excellent potential in photovoltaic field. However, there are some challenging issues still exist which need to be addressed. One issue is that the surface/interface and grain boundaries related defects and traps could work as charge recombination centers during the device operation, compromising the charge transfer as well as the device performance. Another issue is the leakage of toxic Pb, which may cause undesired contamination to water or soil and make devices not appropriate to work outdoors. Herein, the dithiol molecule was introduced to passivate surface defects and traps as well as reduce the Pb leakage. The unsaturated Pb2+ usually acting as recombination centers could coordinate with thiol group to reduce the recombination. Meanwhile, the beneficial band bend was observed, which facilitates the interface charge transfer. Crucially, we confirmed dithiol molecule could help reduce the Pb leakage. Retarded dissolution of PbI2 into water was observed for perovskite films after dithiol treatment, which eventually contributed less Pb leakage. Overall, this study proposes a universal strategy for defects passivation and reduced lead leakage, which is promising for environmental stable optoelectronic applications.

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Low‐cycle fatigue performance of high‐strength steel rebars in concrete bridge columns
Authors: Aldabagh Saif , Rodríguez Jhordy , Alam M. Shahria
Published: January 2022

Design codes often restrict the use of high‐strength steel (HSS) rebars in seismic applications due to their inferior low‐cycle fatigue performance when compared to conventional steel rebars. In this study, previously established low‐cycle fatigue life models of HSS rebars, namely ASTM A706 Grade 550 and ASTM A1035 Grade 690, were incorporated into a new cumulative damage model to identify conditions under which such rebars can achieve seismic performance comparable to that of benchmark ASTM A706 Grade 420 steel bars in concrete bridge columns. An ensemble of well confined flexure‐dominated circular concrete bridge columns located in high seismic regions was considered where the axial load ratio, and longitudinal and spiral reinforcement ratios were varied. The bridge columns were reinforced with ASTM A706 Grade 420, ASTM A706 Grade 550, and ASTM A1035 Grade 690 steel and numerically analyzed under different displacement ductility levels (2, 4, and 6), earthquake types (crustal and subduction), and ratio of hoop spacing to longitudinal bar diameter ratio (4 and 6). Their low‐cycle fatigue performances were compared based on the computed bar fracture and accumulated damage indices. Based on the reported observations, it is concluded that design codes are overly restrictive in not permitting the use of HSS in seismic application on the basis of inadequate low‐cycle fatigue life. As an alternative, this study proposes imposing certain limits on displacement ductility demand and ratio of hoop spacing to longitudinal bar diameter ratio to promote safe and efficient use of HSS rebars in concrete bridge columns.
Efficient deployment of multi‐UAV assisted mobile edge computing: A cost and energy perspective
Authors: Xu Fei , Zhang Zhuoya , Feng Jianqiang , Qin Zengshi , Xie Yue
Published: January 2022

An important issue for service providers to consider before building a mobile edge services network is the limited budget for edge server deployment. In addition, the geographic position of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) edge server will affect its energy consumption. Therefore, we have established a UAV‐assisted mobile edge computing (MEC) system. UAV acts as a mobile edge server to provide computing services for user equipment (UE). This system aim to minimize the total energy consumption and deployment cost required for the UAVs to complete offload tasks and hover. To optimize the total energy consumption and deployment cost of UAVs, we proposed an improved mean shift (IMS) algorithm, which jointly optimizing the location and number of UAV edge servers. Various simulation results show the effectiveness of our proposed scheme in reducing energy consumption compared to other deployment methods. Furthermore, our research is of great significance for service providers in control the trade‐off between investment cost and energy consumption.
Effects of lake‐groundwater interaction on the thermal regime of a sub‐alpine headwater stream
Authors: Roesky Benjamin , Hayashi Masaki
Published: January 2022

Stream thermal regimes are critical to the stability of freshwater habitats. There is growing concern that climate change will result in stream warming due to rising air temperatures, decreased shading in forested areas due to wildfires, and changes in streamflow. Groundwater plays an important role in controlling stream temperatures in mountain headwaters, where it makes up a considerable portion of discharge. This study investigated the controls on the thermal regime of a headwater stream, and the surrounding groundwater processes, in a catchment on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Groundwater discharge to the headwater spring is partially sourced by a seasonal lake. Spring, stream and lake temperature, water level, discharge and chemistry data were used to build a conceptual model of the system. Meteorological data was used to set up a stream temperature model. This study presents a unique example of an indirectly lake‐headed stream, that is, a lake that only has transient subsurface hydrologic connections to the stream and no surface connections. The interaction of groundwater and lake water, and the subsurface connectivity between the lake and the headwater spring determine the resulting stream temperature. Radiation dominated the non‐advective fluxes in the stream energy balance. Sensible and latent heat fluxes play a secondary role, but their effects generally cancel out. During snowfall events, the latent heat associated with melting of direct snowfall onto the water surface was responsible for rapid stream cooling. An increase in advective inputs from groundwater and hillslope pathways did not result in observed cooling of stream water during rainfall events. The results from this study will assist water resource and fisheries managers in adapting to stream temperature changes under a warming climate.
Performance prediction of magnetorheological fluid‐based liquid gating membrane by kriging machine learning method
Authors: Zhang Mengchuang , Jing Yuan , Zhang Jian , Sheng Zhizhi , Hou Yaqi , Xu Jiadai , Chen Baiyi , Liu Jing , Wang Miao , Hou Xu
Published: January 2022

A smart liquid gating membrane is a responsive structural material as a pressure‐driven system that consists of solid membrane and dynamic liquid, responding to the external field. An accurate prediction of rheological and mechanical properties is important for the designs of liquid gating membranes for various applications. However, high predicted accuracy by the traditional sequential method requires a large amount of experimental data, which is not practical in some situations. To conquer these problems, artificial intelligence has promoted the rapid development of material science in recent years, bringing hope to solve these challenges. Here we propose a Kriging machine learning model with an active candidate region, which can be smartly updated by an expected improvement probability method to increase the local accuracy near the most sensitive search region, to predict the mechanical and rheological performance of liquid gating system with an active minimal size of experimental data. Besides this, this new machine learning model can instruct our experiments with optimal size. The methods are then verified by liquid gating membrane with magnetorheological fluids, which would be of wide interest for the design of potential liquid gating applications in drug release, microfluidic logic, dynamic fluid control, and beyond.
Iron anode‐based aqueous electrochemical energy storage devices: Recent advances and future perspectives
Authors: Jiang Jian , Liu Jinping
Published: January 2022

The ever‐growing demands for green and sustainable power sources for applications in grid‐scale energy storage and portable/wearable devices have enabled the continual development of advanced aqueous electrochemical energy storage (EES) systems. Aqueous batteries and supercapacitors made of iron‐based anodes are one of the most promising options due to the remarkable electrochemical features and natural abundance, pretty low cost and good environmental friendliness of ferruginous species. Though impressive advances in developing the state‐of‐the‐art ferruginous anodes and designing various full‐cell aqueous devices have been made, there still remain key issues and challenges on the way to practical applications, which urgently need discussing to put forwards possible solutions. In this review, rather than focusing on the detailed methods to optimize the iron anode, electrolyte, and device performance, we first give a comprehensive review on the charge storage mechanisms for ferruginous anodes in different electrolyte systems, as well as the newly developed iron‐based aqueous EES devices. The deep insights, involving the inherent failure mechanisms and corresponding modification/optimization strategies toward iron anodes for the development of high‐performance aqueous EES devices, will then be discussed. The advances in applying iron‐based aqueous EES devices for emerging fields such as flexible/wearable electronics and functionalized building materials will be further outlined. Last, future research trends and perspectives for maximizing the potential of current iron anodes and devices as well as exploiting brand‐new iron‐based aqueous EES systems are put forward.
A novel software framework for magnetic particle imaging reconstruction
Authors: Shen Yusong , Hu Chaoen , Zhang Peng , Tian Jie , Hui Hui
Published: January 2022

Magnetic particle imaging is a novel tomographic imaging technique that enables noninvasive and highly sensitive imaging of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles distributed in living subjects. Several studies have reported on the development of reconstruction algorithms; however, a unified software framework for magnetic particle imaging reconstruction has yet to be developed. Herein, we propose a high‐performance, flexible, and easy‐to‐use magnetic particle imaging reconstruction framework using the Python programming language. The magnetic particle imaging reconstruction framework consists of the data access, preprocessing, image reconstruction, and postprocessing phases. We used the proposed framework to simulate the x‐space and system matrix‐based reconstruction methods with Cartesian and Lissajous scan trajectories. The reconstruction results of an open magnetic particle imaging dataset and a numerically simulated phantom demonstrated that the magnetic particle imaging reconstruction framework provides a reliable and accessible environment for magnetic particle imaging reconstruction, which can be extended and customized.
An additive manufacturing‐based3Dprinted poly ɛ‐caprolactone/alginate sulfate/extracellular matrix construct for nasal cartilage regeneration
Authors: Zare Pariya , Pezeshki‐Modaress Mohamad , Davachi Seyed Mohammad , Chahsetareh Hadi , Simorgh Sara , Asgari Negin , Haramshahi Mohammad Amin , Alizadeh Rafieh , Bagher Zohreh , Farhadi Mohamad
Published: January 2022

Various composite scaffolds with different fabrication techniques have been applied in cartilage tissue engineering. In this study, poly ɛ‐caprolactone (PCL) was printed by fused deposition modeling method, and the prepared scaffold was filled with Alginate (Alg): Alginate‐Sulfate (Alg‐Sul) hydrogel to provide a better biomimetic environment and emulate the structure of glycosaminoglycans properly. Furthermore, to enhance chondrogenesis, different concentrations of decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) were added to the hydrogel. For cellular analyses, the adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells were seeded on the hydrogel and the results of MTT assay, live/dead staining, and SEM images revealed that the scaffold with 1% dECM had better viscosity, cell viability, and proliferation. The study was conducted on the optimized scaffold (1% dECM) to determine mechanical characteristics, chondrogenic differentiation, and results demonstrated that the scaffold showed mechanical similarity to the native nasal cartilage tissue along with possessing appropriate biochemical features, which makes this new formulation based on PCL/dECM/Alg:Alg‐Sul a promising candidate for further in‐vivo studies.
Combination product of dermal matrix, preconditioned human mesenchymal stem cells and timolol promotes wound healing in the porcine wound model
Authors: Yang Hsin‐ya , Fierro Fernando , Yoon Daniel J. , Gallegos Anthony , Osborn Stephanie L. , Nguyen Alan V. , Peavy Thomas R. , Ferrier William , Talken Linda , Ma Betty W. , Galang Kristopher G. , Medina Lopez Andrea , Fregoso Daniel R. , Stewart Heather , Kurzrock Eric A. , Soulika Athena M. , Nolta Jan A. , Isseroff R. Rivkah
Published: January 2022

A combination product of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) embedded in an extracellular matrix scaffold and preconditioned with hypoxia and the beta‐adrenergic receptor antagonist, timolol, combined with sustained timolol application post implantation, has shown promising results for improving wound healing in a diabetic mouse model. In the present study, we extend those findings to the more translatable large animal porcine wound model and show that the combined treatment promotes wound reepithelialization in these excisional wounds by 40.2% and increases the CD31 immunostaining marker of angiogenesis compared with the matrix control, while maintaining an accumulated timolol plasma concentration below the clinically safe level of 0.3 ng/mL after the 15‐day course of topical application. Human GAPDH was not elevated in the day 15 wounds treated with MSC‐containing device relative to wounds treated with matrix alone, indicating that the xenografted human MSCs in the treatment do not persist in these immune‐competent animals after 15 days. The work demonstrates the efficacy and safety of the combined treatment for improving healing in the clinically relevant porcine wound model.
Inflammatory tissue reactions around aseptically loose cemented hip prostheses: A retrieval study of the Spectron EF stem with Reflection All‐Poly acetabular cup
Authors: Wolf Susann , Johannessen Anne Christine , Ellison Peter , Furnes Ove , Hallan Geir , Rogg Katharina , Skarstein Kathrine , Høl Paul Johan
Published: January 2022

The cemented Spectron EF stem in combination with the cemented non‐crosslinked Reflection All‐Poly cup showed a high rate of mid‐term aseptic loosening. However, the failure mechanisms are not fully known. We assessed the inflammatory tissue reactions and wear particles in periprosthetic tissues, implant wear and blood metal ion levels in 28 patients with failed implants. Histological analysis showed a macrophage pre‐dominant pattern with randomly distributed lymphocytes, with various amounts of neutrophils and giant cells. The number of different cell types in the tissue samples from patients in the cup group and in the stem group was similar. Wear particles, mainly ZrO2, CoCrMo, and polyethylene particles of different sizes and shapes, were associated with macrophages/giant cells, and total particle load/mm2 was higher in cases of stem loosening. The Spectron EF stems were heavily worn, abraded, and polished. Stem abrasion correlated with metal ion concentrations in blood. The median polyethylene wear rate of the Reflection cups was 0.23 mm/year. The high proximal roughness of the Spectron EF stem resulted in excessive cement wear during loosening. The resulting inflammatory tissue responses to the degradation products both from the cup and the stem led to massive osteolysis and subsequent implant loosening.
Multifactorial assessment of neutrophil chemotaxis efficiency from a drop of blood
Authors: Ellett Felix , Marand Anika L , Irimia Daniel
Published: January 2022

Following injury and infection, neutrophils are guided to the affected site by chemoattractants released from injured tissues and invading microbes. During this process (chemotaxis), neutrophils must integrate multiple chemical signals, while also responding to physical constraints and prioritizing their directional decisions to generate an efficient immune response. In some clinical conditions, human neutrophils appear to lose the ability to chemotax efficiently, which may contribute both directly and indirectly to disease pathology. Here, a range of microfluidic designs is utilized to test the sensitivity of chemotaxing neutrophils to various perturbations, including binary decision-making in the context of channels with different chemoattractant gradients, hydraulic resistance, and angle of approach. Neutrophil migration in long narrow channels and planar environments is measured. Conditions in which neutrophils are significantly more likely to choose paths with the steepest chemoattractant gradient and the most direct approach angle, and find that migration efficiency across planar chambers is inversely correlated with chamber diameter. By sequential measurement of neutrophil binary decision-making to different chemoattractant gradients, or chemotactic index in sequential planar environments, data supporting a model of biased random walk for neutrophil chemotaxis are presented.
Interactions of diclazuril enantiomers with serum albumins: Multi‐spectroscopic and molecular docking approaches
Authors: Chen Ran , He Ru‐Jian , Guo Dong , Zhang Zhi‐Feng , Zhang Wei‐Guang , Fan Jun
Published: January 2022

In this work, multi‐spectroscopic and molecular docking methods have been conducted in the investigation of enantioselective interactions between diclazuril enantiomers and human/bovine serum albumins (HSA/BSA). The binding constants between serum albumins (SAs) and diclazuril enantiomers revealed that SAs exhibited stronger binding affinity for (R)‐diclazuril than (S)‐enantiomer. In addition, the fluorescence quenching of SAs induced by diclazuril enantiomers was ascribed to static quenching mechanism, in which hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals forces were the main interactions. According to the thermodynamic study, binding of diclazuril enantiomers and SAs was an exothermic process driven by enthalpy change. Then, circular dichroism spectroscopy of SAs with diclazuril enantiomers revealed that the SAs conformation had changed in the presence of diclazuril. Moreover, molecular docking technology was applied in exploration of interactions between SAs and diclazuril enantiomers. The docking energy between SAs and (R)‐diclazuril was larger than (S)‐diclazuril, which indicated that the affinity of SAs with (R)‐diclazuril was stronger than (S)‐enantiomer. This work may provide valuable information for explaining differences in pharmacokinetics and residue elimination of diclazuril enantiomers in living organisms.
The role of general self‐efficacy in intimate partner violence and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder among women veterans
Authors: Webermann Aliya R. , Dardis Christina M. , Iverson Katherine M.
Published: January 2022

Whereas some prior studies have assessed associations between general self‐efficacy, intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms cross‐sectionally, there is limited research investigating the potential directions of these effects or the longitudinal effects over multiple assessment points. We investigated the role of general self‐efficacy in experiences of IPV and PTSD symptoms across time among 411 women veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Online survey data were collected at baseline (Time 1; T1), 18 months after baseline (Time 2; T2), and 2 years after baseline (Time 3; T3). Structural equation models were used to test hypotheses that T2 general self‐efficacy would mediate reciprocal associations between IPV experiences and PTSD symptoms while controlling for T2 IPV experiences, T1 PTSD symptoms, and demographic and military covariates (i.e., age, military sexual trauma, and combat exposure). Specifically, we hypothesized that T2 general self‐efficacy would mediate the association between (a) T1 IPV experiences and T3 IPV experiences, (b) T1 IPV experiences and T3 PTSD symptoms, (c) T1 PTSD symptoms and T3 IPV experiences, and (d) T1 PTSD symptoms and T3 PTSD symptoms. Findings revealed that T1 PTSD symptoms predicted lower T2 general self‐efficacy, and, in turn, lower T2 general self‐efficacy was associated with higher T3 IPV experiences, 95% CI [0.06, 0.41]; no other hypotheses were supported. The findings speak to the importance of clinical interventions which promote general self‐efficacy as well as assess and treat PTSD symptoms among women who experience IPV.
Nonmagnetic Spoof Plasmonic Isolator Based on Parametric Amplification
Authors: Gao Xinxin , Zhang Jingjing , Ma Qian , Cui Wen Yi , Ren Yi , Luo Yu , Cui Tie Jun
Published: January 2022

Driven by the miniaturization of integrated electronics, research on spoof plasmonic circuits has recently aroused widespread interest. On the other hand, nonreciprocal devices, such as isolators and circulators, are key components of integrated electronic systems. However, bulky magnets required to realize isolation and circulation prevent the application of traditional nonreciprocal technologies to integrated systems. Here, parametric amplification is explored to achieve magnetic‐free plasmonic isolation, and an ultrathin reconfigurable spoof plasmonic isolator is realized experimentally. In this isolation system, the forward signal amplified by a spoof plasmonic parametric amplifier is coupled to a second linear plasmonic waveguide via a spoof localized surface plasmon resonator, whereas the transmission from the inverse direction is prohibited, giving rise to a measured isolation ratio of up to 20 dB. By tuning the nonlinear phase‐matching condition through external bias voltage, multifrequency isolation of spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) signals is also realized experimentally. This work demonstrates the possibility of producing miniaturized and low‐cost nonreciprocal SSPP devices, holding great promise for applications in nonmagnetic information processing and radar detection.
Re‐attainable lubrication films at 500°C converted through the positional polymerisation of DCDPS on the preset Na2S coating
Authors: Bi Chenyang , Guo Qiang , Yang Qixuan
Published: January 2022

Adding solid DCDPS into the high‐temperature system, it would be gasified by the ambient temperature and convert the preset Na2S coating into polyphenylene sulfide sulfone lubrication films through positional polymerisation. During the 10 min ball‐disk tribological test at 500°C, lubrication films would form on the disk surface initially, then attach to the friction points of the balls, producing transfer films that significantly reduce the coefficient of friction (COF) and wear, especially the wear on the steel disk. In the 30 min test, the lubrication could be re‐attained with COF not exceeding 0.2 by simply supplementing DCDPS again at 10 min. This result can be inferred as the re‐polymerisation between the degradation products from the earlier stage and the newly added DCDPS. Thus, the position of the lubrication films formed during the high‐temperature friction could be controlled by preset coating, and the high‐temperature lubrication could be extended or re‐attained by replenishing the other monomer.
Larger = more attractive? Image size on food packages influences purchase likelihood
Authors: Huang Jingya , Wang Liangyan , Chan Eugene Y.
Published: January 2022

The current research demonstrates that larger (vs. smaller) food images on food packages can positively influence consumers' initial product attitudes toward the food (i.e., purchase likelihood). Three studies examine the predictions. Compared with smaller food images, larger ones improve purchase likelihood (Studies 1 and 2). The effect is mediated by mental imagery (Study 2). However, this effect is only observed for vice (vs. virtue) foods (Study 3). Investigating the impact of the food image size on food packages has rarely been explored, but as food packages are likely one of the first stimuli that consumers notice about food on store shelves, its role on initial product attitudes warrants investigation. We discuss how our findings can offer insights into rising obesity rates, thus calling for regulation of food image size on packages amongst policy officials. We discuss the limitations of our work and also offer questions for future research on food consumption, health, and policy.
Methods for quantification of glycopeptides by liquid separation and mass spectrometry
Authors: Yin Haidi , Zhu Jianhui
Published: January 2022

Recent advances in analytical techniques provide the opportunity to quantify even low‐abundance glycopeptides derived from complex biological mixtures, allowing for the identification of glycosylation differences between healthy samples and those derived from disease states. Herein, we discuss the sample preparation procedures and the mass spectrometry (MS) strategies that have facilitated glycopeptide quantification, as well as the standards used for glycopeptide quantification. For sample preparation, various glycopeptide enrichment methods are summarized including the columns used for glycopeptide separation in liquid chromatography separation. For MS analysis strategies, MS1 level‐based quantification and MS2 level‐based quantification are described, either with or without labeling, where we have covered isotope labeling, TMT/iTRAQ labeling, data dependent acquisition, data independent acquisition, multiple reaction monitoring, and parallel reaction monitoring. The strengths and weaknesses of these methods are compared, particularly those associated with the figures of merit that are important for clinical biomarker studies and the pathological and functional studies of glycoproteins in various diseases. Possible future developments for glycopeptide quantification are discussed.
De novo DYNC1H1 mutation causes infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with brain malformations
Authors: Su Tangfeng , Yan Yu , Hu Qingqing , Liu Yan , Xu Sanqing
Published: January 2022

Background

The human dynein cytoplasmic 1 heavy chain 1 (DYNC1H1) gene encodes a large subunit of the cytoplasmic dynein complex. DYNC1H1 mutations are associated with various neurological diseases involving both the peripheral and central nervous systems.

Methods

The clinical characteristics and genetic data of an infant carrying the de novo DYNC1H1 variant identified by trio exome sequencing were analyzed. Patients with epilepsy with DYNC1H1 mutations were summarized by reviewing the literature.

Results

We first identified an infant presenting with epileptic spasms harboring a de novo missense mutation in DYNC1H1 (c.874C>T; p. Arg292Trp), once reported in an adult case, and further summarized another 54 patients with seizures or epilepsy caused by DYNC1H1 pathogenic variants in the literature. Refractory epilepsy, intellectual disability, and cortical developmental malformations are crucial characteristics of patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) caused by DYNC1H1 variants. Notably, epileptic spasms in this case were resistant to multiple anti‐seizure medications, corticosteroids, ketogenic diet, and vagus nerve stimulation treatment. The child also showed cortical gyrus malformation and global developmental delay.

Conclusion

DYNC1H1 variants can cause infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, in which Arg292Trp is a mutation hotspot of the DYNC1H1 gene. Epileptic seizures in this type of DYNC1H1‐related DEE are mostly resistant to multiple antiepileptic strategies and need to explore optimized treatments.
Technical note: Design and initial evaluation of a novel physical breast phantom to monitor image quality in digital breast tomosynthesis
Authors: Fitton Isabelle , Noël Alain , Minassian Jacques , Zerhouni Moustafa , Wojak Julien , Adel Mouloud , Fournier Laure
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To describe the creation process of a new breast phantom specifically designed to monitor quality control (QC) metrics consistency over several months in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT).

Methods

The semi‐anthropomorphic Tomomam® phantom was designed and evaluated twice monthly on a single Hologic Selenia Dimensions® unit over 5 months. The phantom is manufactured in a one‐piece epoxy resin homogeneous material as the basis for manufacturing, simulating breast tissue as 50% equivalent glandular (GL)/50% equivalent adipose (AD) and compressed thickness of 60 mm. The distribution of test objects on different planes inside the phantom should allow the quantification of 10 image quality metrics: reproducibility, signal difference‐to‐noise ratio (SDNR), geometric distortions in the plane, missing or added tissue at chest wall, at the top and bottom of images stack and lateral sides, in‐plane homogeneity, image scoring, artifact spread function (ASF), geometric distortions in the volume. SDNR was quantified according to GL and AD tissues. Tolerance criteria per parameter were described to analyze results over the study time.

Results

Mean scores were equal to 15.4, 15.0, and 11.6 for masses, microcalcifications, and fibers, respectively. A large difference between GL and AD tissues for SDNR metrics was noted over the study time: the best results were obtained from GL tissues. Both geometric distortions and local homogeneity in the plane conformed to expected values. The mean volume value of the triangular prism was 11.3% greater than the expected value due to a reconstruction height equal to 66 mm instead of 60 mm.

Conclusions

In this study, we monitored several QC metrics discriminating GL and AD tissues by using a new breast phantom developed by us. The preliminary clinical tests demonstrated that the Tomomam® phantom could be used to reliably and efficiently track 10 QC metrics with a single acquisition. More data need to be acquired to refine tolerance criteria for some metrics.
Ultrafast water–fat separation using deep learning–based single‐shot MRI
Authors: Chen Xinran , Wang Wei , Huang Jianpan , Wu Jian , Chen Lin , Cai Congbo , Cai Shuhui , Chen Zhong
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To present a deep learning–based reconstruction method for spatiotemporally encoded single‐shot MRI to simultaneously obtain water and fat images.

Methods

Spatiotemporally encoded MRI is an ultrafast branch that can encode chemical shift information due to its special quadratic phase modulation. A deep learning approach using a 2D U‐Net was proposed to reconstruct spatiotemporally encoded signal and obtain water and fat images simultaneously. The training data for U‐Net were generated by MRiLab software (version 1.3) with various synthetic models. Numerical simulations and experiments on ex vivo pork and in vivo rats at a 7.0 T Varian MRI system (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA) were performed, and the deep learning results were compared with those obtained by state‐of‐the‐art algorithms. The structural similarity index and signal‐to‐ghost ratio were used to evaluate the residual artifact of different reconstruction methods.

Results

With a well‐trained neural network, the proposed deep learning approach can accomplish signal reconstruction within 0.46 s on a personal computer, which is comparable with the conjugate gradient method (0.41 s) and much faster than the state‐of‐the‐art super‐resolved water‐fat image reconstruction method (30.31 s). The results of numerical simulations, ex vivo pork experiments, and in vivo rat experiments demonstrate that the deep learning approach can achieve better fidelity and higher spatial resolution compared to the other 2 methods. The deep learning approach also has a great advantage in artifact suppression, as indicated by the signal‐to‐ghost ratio results.

Conclusion

Spatiotemporally encoded MRI with deep learning can provide ultrafast water–fat separation with better performance compared to the state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Effect of magnetic field on the mixed convection in double lid‐driven porous cavities filled with micropolar nanofluids
Authors: Ahmed Sameh E. , Hussein Ahmed Kadhim , Mansour M. A. , Afrand Masoud , Morsy Zeinab , Kolsi Lioua
Published: January 2022

The effect of magnetic field inclination and double lid‐driven on the mixed convection in a square cavity is investigated based on the local thermal non‐equilibrium model. The cavity was filled with a copper–water micropolar nanofluid saturated with a porous medium. The top and bottom walls are considered moving to the left or right directions at a constant velocity. In the current work, the ranges of parameters are as follow: Hartmann number (0 ≤ Ha ≤ 50), length of the heat source (0.2 ≤ ≤ 0.8), Richardson number (0 ≤ ≤ 10), Reynolds number (0 ≤ ≤ 100), location of the heat source (0.3 ≤ D ≤ 0.7), vortex to molecular viscosity ratio (0 ≤ ≤ 2), Nield number (1 ≤ ≤ 100) and solid volume fraction (0 ≤ ≤ 0.1). It was found that the heat transfer decreases as the dimensionless heat source location and the Nield number increase. Also, the growing in the Nield number enhances the rate of the heat transfer for the porous phase and increases the thermal equilibrium state of the system.
Thermal degradation behavior and structures of thermoplastic cassava starch/sisal fiber composites
Authors: Liu Yuxin , Liao Liangyan , Xiong Junmei , Liang Zesheng
Published: January 2022

The thermoplastic cassava starch (TPS)/sisal fiber (SF) composites were prepared by melt blending. The effects of SF content and its surface treated by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and silane coupling agent (KH550) on the thermal degradation behavior and structures of TPS were investigated by thermogravimetric‐mass spectrometry (TG‐MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The thermal decomposition temperatures of TPS/SF composites increase with the SF content. The thermal decomposition products of TPS/SF composites are mainly methane, H2O, acetylene, formaldehyde, methanol and CO2. The thermal stability of composites containing SF treated by NaOH is better than that of KH550. TPS/SF composites show A + V types crystal, and the sample containing SF treated by NaOH has the highest V type crystal. The experimental results reveal that the content and the surface of SF play an important role in the thermal stability and structures changes of TPS/SF composites.
Exploring correlations between MS and NMR for compound identification using essential oils: A pilot study
Authors: Borges Ricardo Moreira , Resende João Victor Mendes , Pinto Açucena Pucu , Garrido Bruno Carius
Published: January 2022

Introduction

In this era of ‘omics’ technology in natural products studies, the complementary aspects of mass spectrometry (MS)‐ and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)‐based techniques must be taken into consideration. The advantages of using both analytical platforms are reflected in a higher confidence of results especially when using replicated samples where correlation approaches can be used to statistically link results from MS to NMR.

Objectives

Demonstrate the use of Statistical Total Correlation (STOCSY) for linking results from MS and NMR data to reach higher confidence in compound identification.

Methodology

Essential oil samples of Melaleuca alternifolia and M. rhaphiophylla (Myrtaceae) were used as test objects. Aliquots of 10 samples were collected for GC–MS and NMR data acquisition [proton (1H)‐NMR, and carbon‐13 (13C)‐NMR as well as two‐dimensional (2D) heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC), heteronuclear multiple‐bond correlation (HMBC), and HSQC‐total correlated spectroscopy (TOCSY) NMR]. The processed data was imported to Matlab where STOCSY was applied.

Results

STOCSY calculations led to the confirmation of the four main constituents of the sample‐set. The identification of each was accomplished using; MS spectra, retention time comparison, 13C‐NMR data, and scalar correlations of the 2D NMR spectra.

Conclusion

This study provides a pipeline for high confidence in compound identification using a set of essential oils samples as test objects for demonstration.
Organic/silicon nanowires hybrid solar cells using isobutyltriethoxysilane incorporated poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) as hole transport layer
Authors: Shen Rongzong , Sun Zongheng , Zhou Yurong , Shi Yanbin , Shang Jiacheng , Chen Hu , Zhou Yuqin , Liu Fengzhen
Published: January 2022

Hybrid heterojunction solar cells (HHSCs) using c‐Si nanowires (SiNWs) as the absorber and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the hole selective transport layer (HTL) have been drawing more and more attention due to low cost process as well as high power conversion efficiencies (PCE). However, strong hygroscopicity of the PEDOT:PSS film causes serious degradation of the HHSCs. To improve the stability of the HHSCs, a kind of silane impregnating agent, isobutyltriethoxysilane (IBTEO), was selected as the additive to be added in the PEDOT:PSS solution. The hydrophobicity of the PEDOT:PSS film is much improved by formation of the hydrophobic silicone. The contact area between PEDOT:PSS and SiNWs is dramatically enlarged and more stable Si‐O‐Si bonds were formed at the PEDOT:PSS/SiNWs interface. As a result, the performance and stability of the HHSCs have been significantly improved. A PCE of 18.2% and a FF of 80.5% were obtained for a champion full solution processed PEDOT:PSS/SiNWs HHSC with 1 vol% IBTEO addition. The PCE remains 78% of the initial value after exposed 300 h in the air for the sample with IBTEO added in the PEDOT:PSS solution, while only 7% left for the control device without IBTEO addition.
Iron deficiency in athletes: A narrative review
Authors: Kuwabara Anne M. , Tenforde Adam S. , Finnoff Jonathan T. , Fredericson Michael
Published: January 2022

Iron deficiency is a concern for athletes due to potential for performance impairments attributed to lower iron status with, or without, accompanying anemia. Despite the high interest in the topic for endurance athletes and medical providers who care for this population, the evaluation and management of athletes with iron deficiency is still evolving, particularly in relation to iron deficiency non‐anemia (IDNA). This narrative review presents causes of iron deficiency in the athlete, clinical presentation, differential diagnoses, diagnostic evaluation, and proposed strategies for treatment.
Development of a nomogram combining multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and PSA‐related parameters to enhance the detection of clinically significant cancer across different region
Authors: Zhou Zhien , Liang Zhen , Zuo Yuzhi , Zhou Yi , Yan Weigang , Wu Xingcheng , Ji Zhigang , Li Hanzhong , Hu Mengyao , Ma Lin
Published: January 2022

Objective

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent cancer among males. This study attempted to develop a clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) risk nomogram including Prostate Imaging‐Reporting and Data System (PI‐RADS) score and other clinical indexes for initial prostate biopsy in light of the different prostate regions, and internal validation was further conducted.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective study was performed including 688 patients who underwent ultrasound‐guided transperineal magnetic resonance imaging fusion prostate biopsy from December 2016 to July 2019. We constructed nomograms combining PI‐RADS score and clinical variables (prostate‐specific antigen [PSA], prostate volume (PV), age, free/total PSA, and PSA density) through univariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify patients eligible for biopsy. The performance of the predictive model was evaluated by bootstrap resampling. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was appointed to quantify the accuracy of the primary nomogram model for csPCa. Calibration curves were used to assess the agreement between the biopsy specimen and the predicted probability of the new nomogram. The χ2 test was also applied to evaluate the heterogeneity between fusion biopsy and systematic biopsy based on different PI‐RADS scores and prostate regions.

Results

A total of 320 of 688 included patients were diagnosed with csPCa. csPCa was defined as Gleason score ≥7. The ROC and concordance‐index both presented good performance. The nomogram reached an AUC of 0.867 for predicting csPCa at the peripheral zone; meanwhile, AUC for transitional and apex zones were 0.889 and 0.757, respectively. Statistical significance was detected between fusion biopsy and systematic biopsy for PI‐RADS score >3 lesions and lesions at the peripheral and transitional zones.

Conclusion

We produced a novel nomogram predicting csPCa in patients with suspected imaging according to different locations. Our results indicated that PI‐RADS score combined with other clinical parameters showed a robust predictive capacity for csPCa before prostate biopsy. The new nomogram, which incorporates prebiopsy data including PSA, PV, age, and PI‐RADS score, can be helpful for clinical decision‐making to avoid unnecessary biopsy.
Association between HLA‐B and HLA‐DRB1 polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus in Han population in China
Authors: Wang Xiangyu , Yang Yifan , Upreti Bibhuti , Liu Shuang , Cui Ruomei , Cheng Yuqi , Tao Li , Dong Jing , Li Luqiong , Xu Jian
Published: January 2022

We explored the association between HLA‐B and HLA‐DRB1 polymorphisms and reviewed clinical characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Han population in Yunnan, China.

Methods

There were 295 patients and 265 healthy control subjects (HCs) enrolled in the study. Clinical data and blood samples were collected from the patients. The HLA‐B and HLA‐DRB1 genotypes were detected in SLE patients and HCs.

Results

A total of 74 genotypes on HLA‐B loci were determined in 288 patients as well as 57 genotypes in 265 HCs. The results showed SLE was associated with the HLA‐B*40:01 and HLA‐DRB1*08:03 alleles, and the HLA‐B*46:01, HLA‐DRB1*12:02, DRB1*04:03, DRB1*14:01, DRB1*04:06, and DRB1*11:01 alleles were less likely to appear in SLE patients. Additionally, HLA‐B*07:02 and B*40:06 were associated with disease activity. HLA‐DRB1*03:01, DRB1*13:02, and DRB1*12:01 were associated with proteinuria. Furthermore, HLA‐B*51:01, B*13:02, B*38:02, B*35:01, HLA‐DRB1*15:02, DRB1*15:04, DRB1*15:01, and DRB1*08:03 were correlated with inflammatory factors and immune dysfunction. HLA‐B*15:25 was related to the production of multiple antibodies. HLA‐DRB1*12:02 might be a protective factor for pancytopenia. The haplotype of HLA‐B*40:01/DRB1*08:03 was linked with SLE.

Conclusion

SLE in Han population in Yunnan province was associated with the HLA‐B*40:01 and HLA‐DRB1*08:03 alleles, and the haplotype HLA‐B*40:01/DRB1*08:03. Several alleles were associated with inflammation, immune disorders, and organ involvement in SLE. Those alleles might be potential genetic markers of SLE.
Multiple importance unscented Kalman filtering with soft spatiotemporal constraint for multi‐passive‐sensor target tracking
Authors: Zhang Hongwei
Published: January 2022

Multi‐passive‐sensor systems are a common means for the target tracking and their bearings processing is a prerequisite for stable control and nonlinear filtering. This study proposes a mathematical methodology that is based on the incorporating deterministic unscented transition rules into stochastic sequential importance sampling frame and makes use of soft spatiotemporal constraint comprise multiview epipolar geometry constraint and numerical regularization to solve the correspondence problem. A prototype measurement‐driven target tracking frame was developed that can work in real time and achieve filtering improvements of 41%–46% and 43%–48% in terms of root‐mean‐square error and root time‐averaged mean square error compared with the state‐of‐the‐art multiple model Rao–Blackwell particle filtering method, as proven by the simulation results.
A control‐based observer approach for estimating energy intake during pregnancy
Authors: Ranghetti Luca , Rivera Daniel E. , Guo Penghong , Visioli Antonio , Savage Williams Jennifer , Symons Downs Danielle
Published: January 2022

Gestational weight gain outside of Institute of Medicine guidelines poses a risk to both the mother and her unborn child. Behavioral interventions such as Healthy Mom Zone (HMZ) that aim to regulate gestational weight gain require self‐monitoring of energy intake, which is often significantly under‐reported by participants. This article describes the use of a control systems approach for energy intake estimation during pregnancy. It relies on an energy balance model that predicts gestational weight based on physical activity and energy intake, the latter treated as an unmeasured disturbance. Two control‐based observer formulations relying on Internal Model Control and Model Predictive Control, respectively, are presented in this article, first for a hypothetical participant, then on data collected from four HMZ participants. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, with generally best results obtained when estimating energy intake over a weekly time period.
Fast and incremental loop closure detection with deep features and proximity graphs
Authors: An Shan , Zhu Haogang , Wei Dong , Tsintotas Konstantinos A. , Gasteratos Antonios
Published: January 2022

In recent years, the robotics community has extensively examined methods concerning the place recognition task within the scope of simultaneous localization and mapping applications. This article proposes an appearance‐based loop closure detection pipeline named “Fast and Incremental Loop closure Detection (FILD++). First, the system is fed by consecutive images and, via passing them twice through a single convolutional neural network, global and local deep features are extracted. Subsequently, a hierarchical navigable small‐world graph incrementally constructs a visual database representing the robot's traversed path based on the computed global features. Finally, a query image, grabbed each time step, is set to retrieve similar locations on the traversed route. An image‐to‐image pairing follows, which exploits local features to evaluate the spatial information. Thus, in the proposed article, we propose a single network for global and local feature extraction in contrast to our previous work (FILD), while an exhaustive search for the verification process is adopted over the generated deep local features avoiding the utilization of hash codes. Exhaustive experiments on eleven publicly available data sets exhibit the system's high performance (achieving the highest recall score on eight of them) and low execution times (22.05 ms on average in New College, which is the largest one containing 52,480 images) compared to other state‐of‐the‐art approaches.