bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization and stability evaluation of Egyptian propolis extract nano-capsules and their application
Authors: Amin Azza A. , Mahmoud Khaled F. , Salama Manal F. , Longo Vincenzo , Pozzo Luisa , Seliem Effat I. , Ibrahim Mona A.
Published: September 2023

The increasing demand for natural products and biotechnological activities from bees facilitate their widespread use in food preservation and beneficial effects on humans. This study aimed to prepare and characterize the nano-capsules of Qaluiobia (PQG) governorates propolis extracted with water, ethanol and supercritical fluid-carbon dioxide at 50 °C with co-solvent. Propolis bioavailability was analyzed and introduced to prepare crackers to extend their shelf life. Nano-encapsulation was examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and antioxidant activity. Ethanol and supercritical fluid-carbon dioxide (SCF-CO2) at 50 °C with ethanol as co-solvent recorded higher yield, antioxidant activities, total phenolics and total flavonoids. SCF-CO2 extracts had a higher flavonoid concentration. It was revealed that propolis nano-capsules had high-temperature stability and cytotoxic effects against the three tested human cancer cell lines (i.e. PC3, MCF7 and HePG2). The higher overall acceptability of crackers fortified with PQG was achieved with SCF-CO2 at 50 °C and ethanol extract nano-capsules, i.e. 86.57% and 86.29% respectively. The higher ability to retain antioxidant activity reduces the increase of peroxide value (PV), preventing rancidity and increasing the shelf life of crackers during the storage period. Practical application: This study can provide a suitable method for extracting bioactive compounds from propolis, and improve the biological properties and activities by nano-encapsulation, also reveals the extent of its use as a natural antioxidant and anticancer and its application in bakery products as a functional food.
Identification and verification of microtubule associated genes in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wei YuHui , Yang CaiZhen , Wei JinMei , Li WenTao , Qin YuanWen , Liu GuangNan
Published: September 2023

Associated with high morbidity and mortality, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is lacking in effective prognostic prediction and treatment. As chemotherapy drugs commonly used in clinics, microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) are limited by high toxicity and drug resistance. This research aimed to analyze the expression profile of microtubule-associated genes (MAGs) in LUAD and explore their therapy efficiency and impact on prognosis. Key MAGs were identified as novel molecular targets for targeting microtubules. The LUAD project in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to identify differently expressed MAGs. On the one hand, a microtubule-related prognostic signature was constructed and validated, and its links with clinical characteristics and the immune microenvironment were analyzed. On the other hand, hub MAGs were obtained by a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. Following the expression of hub MAGs, patients with LUAD were classified into two molecular subtypes. A comparison was made of the differences in half-maximal drug inhibitory concentration (IC50) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) between groups. In addition, the influence of MAGs on the anticancer efficacy of different therapies was explored. MAGs, which were included in both the prognosis signature and hub genes, were considered to have great value in prognosis and targeted therapy. They were identified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A total of 154 differently expressed MAGs were discovered. For one thing, a microtubule-related prognostic signature based on 14 MAGs was created and identified in an external validation cohort. The prognostic signature was used as an independent prognostic factor. For another, 45 hub MAGs were obtained. In accordance with the expression profile of 45 MAGs, patients with LUAD were divided into two subtypes. Distinct differences were observed in TMB and IC50 values of popular chemotherapy and targeted drugs between subtypes. Finally, five genes were included in both the prognosis signature and hub genes, and identified by qRT-PCR. A microtubule-related prognosis signature that can serve as an independent prognostic factor was constructed. Microtubule subtype influenced the efficacy of different treatments and could be used to guide therapy selection. In this research, five key MAGs, including MYB proto-oncogene like 2 (MYBL2), nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1), kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A), KIF15 and KIF20A, were verified and identified. They are promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets in LUAD.
Benchmarking data-driven filtering for denoising of TCRpMHC single-cell data
Authors: Montemurro Alessandro , Povlsen Helle Rus , Jessen Leon Eyrich , Nielsen Morten
Published: September 2023

Pairing of the T cell receptor (TCR) with its cognate peptide-MHC (pMHC) is a cornerstone in T cell-mediated immunity. Recently, single-cell sequencing coupled with DNA-barcoded MHC multimer staining has enabled high-throughput studies of T cell specificities. However, the immense variability of TCR-pMHC interactions combined with the relatively low signal-to-noise ratio in the data generated using current technologies are complicating these studies. Several approaches have been proposed for denoising single-cell TCR-pMHC specificity data. Here, we present a benchmark evaluating two such denoising methods, ICON and ITRAP. We applied and evaluated the methods on publicly available immune profiling data provided by 10x Genomics. We find that both methods identified approximately 75% of the raw data as noise. We analyzed both internal metrics developed for the purpose and performance on independent data using machine learning methods trained on the raw and denoised 10x data. We find an increased signal-to-noise ratio comparing the denoised to the raw data for both methods, and demonstrate an overall superior performance of the ITRAP method in terms of both data consistency and performance. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Improving the data quality from high throughput studies of TCRpMHC-specificity by denoising is paramount in increasing our understanding of T cell-mediated immunity.
The diversity of isofrequency surface topologies in a hypercrystal composed of ferrite- and semiconductor-based metamaterials
Authors: Fedorin Illia
Published: September 2023

Recent studies have centered on the potential for effectively controlling the topology state of iso-frequency surfaces in artificial photonic structures using external fields. This paper delves into the topological transitions and singularity states of the isofrequency surface of a highly anisotropic superlattice. This superlattice is composed of alternating layers of ferrite-dielectric and semiconductor-dielectric metamaterials. The superlattice is placed in an external magnetic field in the Voigt geometry that is parallel to the boundaries of the structure layers and perpendicular to the periodicity axis. Material properties of both constituent metamaterials are described in terms of effective components of permittivity and permeability in the long-wave approximation. An external magnetic field influences the properties of transverse electric (TE) waves in the ferrite-dielectric metamaterial, and the properties of transverse magnetic (TM) waves in the semiconductor-dielectric metamaterial. This results in the iso-frequency surface transition from a closed ellipsoid to an open hyperboloid for both TE and TM waves in various configurations. Furthermore, the superlattice can be identified as a hypercrystal under certain conditions, specifically when the constituent metamaterials possess a hyperbolic isofrequency surface state. This research demonstrates that the isofrequency surface properties of the studied hypercrystal can be effectively controlled by altering the external magnetic field, the fill factors of metamaterials, and frequency. Special attention is devoted to investigating the topological singularities that take place when iso-frequency surfaces of TE and TM polarized waves intersect. This intersection leads to the degeneracy of the hypercrystal’s isofrequency surface and the potential observation of unique phenomena such as conical refraction or the existence of surface states.
A lightweight weak semantic framework for cinematographic shot classification
Authors: Li Yuzhi , Lu Tianfeng , Tian Feng
Published: September 2023

Shotis one of the fundamental unit in the content structure of a film, which can provide insights into the film-director’s ideas. By analyzing the properties and types of shots, we can gain a better understanding of a film’s visual language. In this paper, we delve deeply into the task of shot type classification, proposing that utilizing multimodal video inputs can effectively improve the accuracy of the task, and that shot type classification is closely related to low-level spatiotemporal semantic features. To this end, we propose a Lightweight Weak Semantic Relevance Framework (LWSRNet) for classifying cinematographic shot types. Our framework comprises two modules: a Linear Modalities Fusion module (LMF Module) capable of fusing an arbitrary number of video modalities, and a Weak Semantic 3D-CNN based Feature Extraction Backbone (WSFE Module) for classifying shot movement and scale, respectively. Moreover, to support practical cinematographic analysis, we collect FullShots, a large film shot dataset containing 27K shots from 19 movies with professionally annotations for movement and scale information. Following experimental results validate the correctness of our proposed hypotheses, while our framework also outperforms previous methods in terms of accuracy with fewer parameters and computations, on both FullShots and MovieShots datasets. Our code is available at (https://github.com/litchiar/ShotClassification).
Qualitative, energy and environmental aspects of microwave drying of pre-treated apple slices
Authors: Taghinezhad Ebrahim , Kaveh Mohammad , Szumny Antoni , Figiel Adam , Blasco José
Published: September 2023

In the present research, response parameters such as specific energy consumption (SEC), thermal efficiency (TE), energy efficiency (EF), drying time (DT), greenhouse gas (GHG) emission (such as CO2 and NOx), and quality features (color variation and shrinkage) were modeled by response surface methodology (RSM) for apple slices dried in a microwave dryer under ultrasonication (30 ℃—10 min) and blanching (80 °C—2 min) pretreatments. Also, RSM was applied to optimize two independent parameters including microwave power and sample thickness in the levels 100, 200, and 300 W and 2, 4, and 6 mm, respectively. The results indicated the significant influence (P < 0.01) of the independent parameters on the response parameters. The vales of SEC, DT, GHG emission, shrinkage, and color difference were linearly decreased with the declining sample thickness and increasing microwave power, while the energy and thermal efficiencies were increased by a quadratic equation. The use of ultrasonication and blanching pretreatments decreased the SEC, GHG emissions, and DT; while improving the quality of the samples as compared to the non-treated slices. The optimization results showed the optimal drying times (31.55, 82.19, and 50.55 min), SEC (3.42, 10.07, and 4.37 MJ/kg), CO2 with natural gas (1539.75, 1518.75, and 4585 g), CO2 with gas oil (3662.53, 2099.25, 2721.25 g), NOx with natural gas (10.094, 9.956, and 12.906 g), and NOx with gas oil (12.934, 12.758, and 16.538 g) at a microwave power of 300 W and sample thickness of 2 mm with desirability of 0.921, 0.935, and 0.916 for control samples, ultrasonicated, and blanched, respectively.
Lightweight image steganalysis with block-wise pruning
Authors: Hong Eungi , Lim KyungTae , Oh Tae-Woo , Jang Haneol
Published: September 2023

Image steganalysis is the task of detecting a secret message hidden in an image. Deep steganalysis using end-to-end deep learning has been successful in recent years, but previous studies focused on improving detection performance rather than designing a lightweight model for practical applications. This caused a deep steganalysis model to be heavy and computationally costly, making the model infeasible to deploy in real-world applications. To address this issue, we study an effective model design strategy for lightweight image steganalysis. Considering the domain-specific characteristics of steganalysis, we propose a simple yet effective block removal strategy that progressively removes a sequence of blocks from deep classification networks. This method involves the gradual removal of convolutional neural network blocks, starting from deeper ones. By doing so, the number of parameters and FLOPs are decreased without compromising the detection performance. Experimental results show that our removal strategy makes the EfficientNet-B0 variants 9.58 $$\times$$
×
smaller and has 2.16 $$\times$$
×
fewer FLOPs than the baseline while retaining detection accuracy of 90.73% and 82.40% that are on par with the baseline on BOSSBase and ALASKA#2 datasets, respectively. Backed by our in-depth analyses, the results indicate that only a few early layers are sufficient for effective image steganalysis.
Impact of compact TiO2 interface modification on the crystallinity of perovskite solar cells
Authors: Takahashi Saemi , Uchida Satoshi , Jayaweera Piyankarage V. V. , Kaneko Shoji , Segawa Hiroshi
Published: September 2023

The effect of TiO2 interfacial morphology on perovskite crystallinity was investigated by modifying the micro and nanoscale surface roughness of compact TiO2. While surface treatments of the compact TiO2 layer are recognized as effective strategies to enhance the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells, the discussion regarding the crystallinity of perovskite atop TiO2 has been limited. In this study, we explored the impact of micro and nano scale interface morphology on perovskite crystal formation and its subsequent effects on device performance. Surprisingly, despite the absence of noticeable voids at the interface between the compact TiO2 and perovskite layers, the perovskite crystal morphology exhibited significant improvement following either micro or nanoscale interfacial modification. This enhancement ultimately led to improved photoconversion efficiency and reduced I–V hysteresis. These results emphasize the importance of underlayer surface morphology in the perovskite crystallization and suggest that the presence of grain boundaries within the perovskite layer may also contribute to I–V hysteresis in perovskite solar cells.
Quantum formalism for the dynamics of cognitive psychology
Authors: Brody Dorje C.
Published: September 2023

The cognitive state of mind concerning a range of choices to be made can be modelled efficiently by use of an element of a high-dimensional Hilbert space. The dynamics of the state of mind resulting from information acquisition can be characterised by the von Neumann–Lüders projection postulate of quantum theory. This is shown to give rise to an uncertainty-minimising dynamical behaviour equivalent to Bayesian updating, hence providing an alternative approach to representing the dynamics of a cognitive state, consistent with the free energy principle in brain science. The quantum formalism, however, goes beyond the range of applicability of classical reasoning in explaining cognitive behaviour, thus opening up new and intriguing possibilities.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Analysis of fractured soft rock characteristics in fault rupture zones and laneway shoring
Authors: Zhang Xiangdong , Zhang Yu , Yang Jianjun , Su Lijuan , Li Wenliang , Geng Jie , Li Zong , Zhang Xuefeng , Fei E.
Published: September 2023

Fault rupture is a common phenomenon in geotechnical engineering. To prevent rupture, laneway shoring is performed, prior to which, convergence deformation, failure criteria, and fracture development in soft rocks in the fault rupture zone are carefully analyzed. Then, a supporting structure corresponding to the actual situation of the soft rock in the rupture zone is created. Herein, the water-rich laneway shoring through the fault rupture zone of the Hongqingliang coal mine located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is taken as the research object. Then, the fracture development and characteristics of argillaceous siltstones and laneway shoring cross-fault rupture zone are studied. Site inspection, indoor and field tests, theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and field monitoring were used for systematic fracture analysis. Results indicated that laneway shoring through the fault fracture zone in the Hongqingliang coal mine could help prevent disasters. This method was extended to laneway supports built through the fault rupture zones in mines in other areas of China.
Removal of carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH) from the environment by Trametes versicolor: a simple, cost-effective, and eco-friendly method
Authors: Asefi Shaqayeq , Moghimi Hamid
Published: September 2023

Nanotechnology has increased the release of nanoparticles into the environment, which poses a risk to human health and the ecosystem. Therefore, finding ways to eliminate these hazardous particles from the environment is crucial. This research studied the ability ofTrametes versicolorfungi to remove carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The study analyzed the impact of pH, MWCNT-COOH concentration, and initial fungal growth time on the removal process. The properties of the adsorbent were measured before and after the biosorption process using SEM, FTIR, and EDS techniques. The results showed that the live biomass ofT. versicolorwas more effective in removing nanoparticles than dead biomass at 30 °C and pH 7. An increase in carbon nanotube concentration from 5 to 20 mg. mL−1decreased biosorption potential from 100% to 28.55 ± 1.7%. The study also found that an increase in initial fungal growth time led to higher biomass production and adsorption capacity, increasing biosorption ability for concentrations > 5mg. ml−1. The biosorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model and corresponded most closely to the Freundlich isotherm model. The adsorption capacity of live fungal biomass to remove multi-walled carbon nanotubes was 945.17 mg. g−1, indicating thatT. versicolorfungi have significant potential for removing carbon nanostructures from the environment.
The succession of epiphytic microalgae conditions fungal community composition: how chytrids respond to blooms of dinoflagellates
Authors: Fernández-Valero Alan Denis , Reñé Albert , Timoneda Natàlia , Pou-Solà Núria , Gordi Jordina , Sampedro Nagore , Garcés Esther
Published: September 2023

This study aims to investigate the temporal dynamics of the epiphytic protist community on macroalgae, during the summer months, with a specific focus on fungi, and the interactions between zoosporic chytrid parasites and the proliferation of the dinoflagellates. We employed a combination of environmental sequencing techniques, incubation of natural samples, isolation of target organisms and laboratory experiments. Metabarcoding sequencing revealed changes in the dominant members of the epiphytic fungal community. Initially, fungi comprised < 1% of the protist community, mostly accounted for by Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, but with the emergence of Chytridiomycota during the mature phase of the biofilm, the fungal contribution increased to almost 30%. Chytridiomycota became dominant in parallel with an increase in the relative abundance of dinoflagellates in the community. Microscopy observations showed a general presence of chytrids following the peak proliferation of the dinoflagellate Ostreopsis sp., with the parasite, D. arenysensis as the dominant chytrid. The maximum infection prevalence was 2% indicating host-parasite coexistence. To further understand the in-situ prevalence of chytrids, we characterised the dynamics of the host abundance and prevalence of chytrids through co-culture. These laboratory experiments revealed intraspecific variability of D. arenysensis in its interaction with Ostreopsis, exhibiting a range from stable coexistence to the near-extinction of the host population. Moreover, while chytrids preferentially parasitized dinoflagellate cells, one of the strains examined displayed the ability to utilize pollen as a resource to maintain its viability, thus illustrating a facultative parasitic lifestyle. Our findings not only enrich our understanding of the diversity, ecology, and progression of epiphytic microalgal and fungal communities on Mediterranean coastal macroalgae, but they also shed light on the presence of zoosporic parasites in less-explored benthic habitats.
Effect of pre-analytical variables on Raman and FTIR spectral content of lymphocytes
Authors: Monaghan Jade F. , Cullen Daniel , Wynne Claire , Lyng Fiona M. , Meade Aidan D.
Published: September 2023

This work describes how pre-analytical variables such as sample handling, storage and processing can influence the biochemical signature of lymphocytes.
Parahydrogen hyperpolarized NMR detection of underivatized short oligopeptides
Authors: Reimets Nele , Ausmees Kerti , Vija Sirje , Trummal Aleksander , Uudsemaa Merle , Reile Indrek
Published: September 2023

Underivatized oligopeptides can be detected by parahydrogen hyperpolarized NMR in a biofluid sample. The method is supported by an experimental and DFT study of the underlying oligopeptide complexes with the iridium-based hyperpolarization catalyst.
The polymer and materials science of the bacterial fimbriae Caf1
Authors: Fulton David A. , Dura Gema , Peters Daniel T.
Published: September 2023

Progress in revealing the rich polymer and materials science of Capsular antigen fragment 1 (Caf1), a bacterial fimbriae expressed by the bacterium Yersina pestis, is described.
Ab-initio calculations of temperature dependent electronic structures of inorganic halide perovskite materials
Authors: Jocić Milan , Vukmirović Nenad
Published: September 2023

We performed ab initio calculations of temperature dependent electronic structure of inorganic halide perovskite materials. The band gaps obtained for cubic structure of these materials are in good agreement with available experimental results.
Efficiency enhancement mechanism of piezoelectric effect in long wavelength InGaN-based LED
Authors: Liu Li , Feng Qingqing , Zhang Yu , Zhu Xiaolu , Chen Lanli , Xiong Zhihua
Published: September 2023

The valence band offset of the InGaN/GaN heterointerface grown on Si substrate is the smallest when compared to that of sapphire and SiC. Electrical property analyses revealed the physical mechanism of the efficiency enhancement of InGaN-based LEDs.
Full theoretical protocol for the design of metal-free organic electron donor–spacer–acceptor systems
Authors: Duque-Prata Amílcar , Serpa Carlos , Caridade Pedro J. S. B.
Published: September 2023

A user-friendly (time-dependent) density functional theory based algorithm is proposed to design new donor–spacer–acceptor systems for electron transfer reactions.
Selective reactivity of glycosyl cation stereoisomers: the role of intramolecular hydrogen bonding
Authors: Dvores M. P. , Çarçabal P. , Gerber R. B.
Published: September 2023

Proton transfer pathways are indicated by arrows, ‘X’ denotes sites not suitable for proton transfer.
Comparing the structures and photophysical properties of two charge transfer co-crystals
Authors: Abou Taka Ali , Reynolds Joseph E. , Cole-Filipiak Neil C. , Shivanna Mohana , Yu Christine J. , Feng Patrick , Allendorf Mark D. , Ramasesha Krupa , Stavila Vitalie , McCaslin Laura M.
Published: September 2023

The HOMO (H) of the Npe donor and the LUMO (L) of the acceptor (TCNB, TCNQ) resemble the H and L of the donor:acceptor complexes, respectively (Npe:TCNB, Npe:TCNQ). These orbital similarities correlate to a large degree of charge transfer in the H to L electronic transition.
Dual-functional photocatalyst of CoSx/Cd0.7Zn0.3S without noble metals for efficient selective benzaldehyde synthesis coupled with H2 production
Authors: Chen Xinan , Yu Jiaqi , Zhang Zifan , Zhang Zizhong , Ji Tao , Su Wenyue
Published: September 2023

Dual-functional photocatalyst of CoSx/Cd0.7Zn0.3S without noble metals for efficient selective benzaldehyde synthesis coupled with H2 production.
Singlet fission is incoherent in pristine orthorhombic single crystals of rubrene: no evidence of triplet-pair emission
Authors: Bossanyi David G. , Matthiesen Maik , Jayaprakash Rahul , Bhattacharya Sayantan , Zaumseil Jana , Clark Jenny
Published: September 2023

Our results suggest that singlet fission occurs incoherently on a relatively slow (picosecond) timescale in rubrene orthorhombic single crystals, directly generating weakly-coupled triplets. We see no evidence of triplet-pair emission from 1(TT).
Electro Fenton's reaction coupled Zn-air battery for in situ pollutant degradation
Authors: Christudas Dargily Neethu , Kuntoji Giddaerappa , Mendhe Rahul Mahadeo , Haridas Akshay , Thimmappa Ravikumar , Sharma Surbhi , Thotiyl Musthafa Ottakam
Published: September 2023

A metal air battery chemistry wherein the delivery of electric power is coupled with in situ pollutant degradation via Fenton's reaction which degrades the pollutant to value added products.
Laser-induced plasma on the boundary of two matrices
Authors: Mohan Megha , Buday Jakub , Prochazka David , Gejdoš Pavel , Pořízka Pavel , Kaiser Jozef
Published: September 2023

Plasma plume morphology on the matrix boundaries from different radiation collection angles.
Performing parameter optimization and variable selection simultaneously in Fourier transform infrared and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy data fusion
Authors: Yan Chunhua , Su Yuemei , Liu Yijiang , Zhang Tianlong , Li Hua
Published: September 2023

Performing parameter optimization and variable selection simultaneously in Fourier transform infrared and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy data fusion.
Growth pathways of Cu shells on Au and AuCu seeds: interdiffusion, shape transformations, strained shells and patchy surfaces
Authors: El koraychy El yakout , Ferrando Riccardo
Published: September 2023

AuCu nanoparticles with uncommon surface atom arrangements are produced by depositing Cu atoms on preformed seeds using computer simulations.
A high-performance long-wave infrared photodetector based on a WSe2/PdSe2 broken-gap heterodiode
Authors: Wang Suofu , Bai Yajie , Liu Mingli , Zong Xiaolan , Wang Wenhui , Mu Qingge , Han Tao , Li Feng , Wang Shaoliang , Shan Lei , Long Mingsheng
Published: September 2023

We designed a broken-gap WSe2/PdSe2 heterodiode demonstrating competitive performance in uncooled long-wave infrared photodetection with a low noise equivalence power of 4.5 × 10−11 W Hz−1/2 and a high specific detectivity of 1.8 × 108 cm Hz1/2 W−1.
Facile synthesis of sulfide Bi13S18I2 as a promising anode material for a lithium-ion battery
Authors: Yang Cheng-Lu , Liang Chen , Gao Chao , Guo Jun , Chen Bu-Ming , Huang Hui
Published: September 2023

In situ XRD was performed to analyze the origin of the high discharge capacity and stability of the new sulfide B13S18I2.
Au nanoparticle sensitized blue TiO2 nanorod arrays for efficient Gatifloxacin photodegradation
Authors: Guo Jun , Gan Wei , Chen Ruixin , Zhang Miao , Sun Zhaoqi
Published: September 2023

Au nanoparticle sensitized blue TiO2 nanorod arrays as high-performance photocatalysts for efficient Gatifloxacin removal.
Correction: Influence of time dependent laser-irradiation for tuning the linear–nonlinear optical response of quaternary Ag10In15S15Se60 films for optoelectronic applications
Authors: Parida Abinash , Alagarasan D. , Ganesan R. , Bisoyi Sagar , Naik R.
Published: September 2023

Correction for ‘Influence of time dependent laser-irradiation for tuning the linear–nonlinear optical response of quaternary Ag10In15S15Se60 films for optoelectronic applications’ by Abinash Parida et al., RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 4236–4248, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2RA07981J.
A palladium catalyzed asymmetric desymmetrization approach to enantioenriched 1,3-disubstituted isoindolines
Authors: Dethe Dattatraya H. , Kumar Vimlesh , Shukla Manmohan
Published: September 2023

Herein, we report the first palladium/MPAA catalyzed enantioselective C–H activation/[4 + 1] annulation of diarylmethyltriflamide and olefins to construct chiral cis-1,3-disubstituted isoindoline derivatives.
Aza-dicyclopenta[a,g]naphthalenes: controllable seesaw-like emissive behavior and narrowband AIEgens
Authors: Li Jinbiao , Lao Jiaxin , Zou Hongbin
Published: September 2023

An aza-dicyclopenta[a,g]naphthalene scaffold was discovered as a controllable luminogenic structure, and precise balance of molecular motions unlocks the remarkable narrowband AIEgens.
Facile one-pot multicomponent synthesis of peptoid based gelators as novel scaffolds for drug incorporation and pH-sensitive release
Authors: Sebastian Sharol , Yadav Eqvinshi , Bhardwaj Priya , Maruthi Mulaka , Kumar Deepak , Gupta Manoj K.
Published: September 2023

Highly efficient, biocompatible low molecular mass organo/hydrogelators were designed and synthesized by one-pot Ugi multicomponent reactions as potential drug delivery carriers for metronidazole.
Organ bioprinting: progress, challenges and outlook
Authors: Wu Yang , Qin Minghao , Yang Xue
Published: September 2023

This review deliberates the current progress in organ bioprinting, including the heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and lungs. Challenges and future trends related to the biomanufacturing of living organs are discussed.
Ni–Co Prussian blue analogue/graphene aerogel: a green synthesis approach for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption and radar stealth applications
Authors: Liang Weijie , Wang Ying , Gao Feng , Hou Shikun , Wu Qiong , Yang Hua , Jin Fei , Bai Gongxun , Wang Yahui , Li Zhenbao , Ge Hongliang
Published: September 2023

A superlight Ni–Co Prussian blue analogue microcube/graphene aerogel is synthesized through a sustainable and ecofriendly route for highly efficient electromagnetic wave absorption.
Dual functional phosphate-ester BODIPY regulation achieved stable CsPbBr3 nanocrystals for optical anti-counterfeiting
Authors: Feng Xiaoxia , Li Ruicong , Liu Jinli , Ma Qian , Yang Yixin , Zhang Wenyuan , Liu Jiacheng
Published: September 2023

A proton-free phosphate-ester BDPPO was used as a substitute for commonly used oleic acid ligands for the enhanced binding of ligands onto the surface of CsPbBr3 to synthesize stable CsPbBr3 for encryption and decryption of information.
Optimization for UAV-assisted simultaneous transmission and reception communications in the existence of malicious jammers
Authors: Huang Zhiyu , Liu Shuzhen , Sheng Zhichao , Yu Hongwen , Masaracchia Antonino
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we study an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-assisted communication system, where the UAV is dispatched to implement simultaneous transmission and reception (STR) in the existence of multiple malicious jammers. Two schemes are investigated, namely frequency band-division-duplex (FDD) and time-fraction (TF). Based on the FDD scheme, the UAV can transmit information by using the portion of the bandwidth and receive information within the remaining portion of the bandwidth simultaneously. To perform the STR within the whole bandwidth, the TF-based scheme is considered by using a fraction of a time slot for the downlink, while the remaining fraction of the time slot is allocated for the uplink. We aim to maximize the worst-case throughput by optimizing the UAV three-dimensional (3D) trajectory and resource allocation for each scheme. The optimization problem is non-convex and thus computationally intractable. To handle the nonlinear problem, we use the block coordinate decomposition method to disaggregate the optimization problem into four subproblems and adopt the successive convex approximation technique to tackle non-convex problems. The simulation results demonstrate the performance of the TF-based scheme over the benchmark schemes.
Generalized gamma distribution based on the Bayesian approach with application to investment modelling
Authors: Sayed Amani Idris A. , Sabri Shamsul Rijal Muhammad
Published: September 2023

The Generalized Gamma Distribution (GGD) is one of the most popular distributions in analyzing real lifetime datasets. Estimating the parameters of a high dimensional probability distribution is challenging due to the complexities associated with the resulting objectives function. When traditional estimation techniques fail due to complexity in the model objectives function, other powerful computational approaches are employed. In this study, a Bayesian approach to Generalized Gamma Distribution (GGD) based on Markov Chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) has been employed to estimate model parameters. This study considers the Bayesian approach to GGD parameters using the Adaptive Rejection Metropolis Sampling (ARMS) technique of random variable generation within the Gibbs sampler. The MCMC approach has been used for estimating the multi-dimensional objectives function distribution. The results of the ARMS were compared to the existing Simulated annealing (SA) algorithm and Method of Moment (MM) based on modified internal rate of return data (MIRR). The performances of various derived estimators were recorded using the Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation technique for different sample sizes. The study reveals that ARMS's performance is marginally better than the existing SA and MA approaches. The efficiency of ARMS does not require a larger sample size as the SA does, in the case of simulated data. The performances of ARMS and SA are similar comparing them to the MM as an initial assumption in the case of real MIRR data. However, ARMS gives an acceptable estimated parameter for the different sample sizes due to its ability to evaluate the conditional distributions easily and sample from them exactly.
Assoziationen eines leicht verständlichen Patientenbriefs zur
Gesundheitskompetenz nachstationärer Patienten. Ergebnisse einer
randomisiert kontrollierten Interventionsstudie
Authors: Hoffmann Henriette , Jonietz Ansgar , Gräfe Willy , Zenker Ronny , Voigt Karen , Riemenschneider Henna
Published: September 2023

Hintergrund 54% der deutschen Bevölkerung verfügt
über eine eingeschränkte Gesundheitskompetenz.
Eingeschränkte Gesundheitskompetenz ist assoziiert mit schlechteren
Gesundheitsoutcomes und höherer Inanspruchnahme des
Gesundheitssystems.

Ziel der Arbeit In der Pilotstudie wurden Effekte eines Patientenbriefs
auf die Gesundheitskompetenz nachstationärer Patienten einer Inneren
Klink mittels HLS-EU-Q47 untersucht. Zudem wurde der Bedarf an schriftlichen,
leicht verständlichen Informationen analysiert.

Methodik In einer randomisiert kontrollierten Studie (2016–2018)
wurden die Effekte des Patientenbriefs auf die Gesundheitskompetenz
nachstationärer Patienten mittels eines Fragebogens geprüft. Die
Interventionsgruppe (IG, n=242) erhielt 3 Tage nach Entlassung einen
Patientenbrief, die Kontrollgruppe (KG, n=175) nur den üblichen
ärztlichen Entlassbrief.

Ergebnisse 60% der Patienten wiesen eine eingeschränkte
Gesundheitskompetenz auf. Die Studie konnte keinen Einfluss der Patientenbriefe
auf das Gesamtkonzept Gesundheitskompetenz nachweisen. Die Analyse von
Einzelitems der Gesundheitskompetenz zeigte, dass das Verständnis von
ärztlichen Anweisungen sowie das Verstehen und Anwenden von
Informationen und Einnahmehinweisen zu Medikamenten stieg (Cohens
d≥0,20). Zudem berichteten Patienten einen hohen Bedarf an Informationen
nach Krankenhausaufenthalt (99%) und bewerteten den Patientenbrief als
informativ, verständlich und hilfreich.

Schlussfolgerungen Ein leicht verständlicher Patientenbrief
befähigt Patienten zum besseren Verstehen und Anwenden medizinischer
Informationen und Anweisungen. Patientenseitig besteht ein hoher Bedarf an
verständlichen Informationen nach Krankenhausaufenthalt.
Unter welchen Bedingungen können Menschen mit schwerer Demenz
im Pflegeheim von einer psychosozialen Mehrkomponenten-Intervention profitieren?
Authors: Diehl Kristina , Kratzer André , Gräßel Elmar
Published: September 2023

Hintergrund Psychosoziale Interventionen gelten mehrheitlich als wirksame
Mittel zur Behandlung von Demenzsymptomen. Allerdings gibt es kaum evaluierte
Konzepte für Menschen mit schwerer Demenz. Für die neu
entwickelte Mehrkomponenten-Intervention MAKS-s (Motorisch, Alltagspraktisch,
Kognitiv, Sozial, Versions für Menschen mit schwerer Demenz) konnte in
einer RCT-Studie in Pflegeheimen während der Covid-19 Pandemie keine,
mit den verwendeten Verfahren objektivierbare Wirksamkeit auf die
Lebensqualität oder psychische und Verhaltenssymptome nachgewiesen
werden.

Material und Methoden Am Ende der kontrollierten Phase (6 Monate nach
Studienbeginn) wurden auch die Pflege- und Betreuungskräfte der
Kontrollgruppe in der Durchführung von MAKS-s geschult. Alle geschulten
Therapeut*innen waren danach frei, zu entscheiden ob und in welcher
Intensität sie MAKS-s anwenden wollten (offene Phase). Mit Hilfe einer
schriftlichen Nachbefragung der Therapeut*innen nach weiteren 6 Monaten
sollten Prädiktoren für positive Auswirkungen der Intervention
auf Menschen mit schwerer Demenz identifiziert werden. Ebenso sollten Faktoren
bestimmt werden, die die Manualtreue, d. h. die in der Schulung
curricular vermittelte, standardisierte Vorgehensweise, vorhersagen
können. Grundlage der Datenerhebung war ein selbst entwickelter
Fragebogen, der die subjektive Einschätzung der MAKS-s
Therapeut*innen zu den drei Bereichen Struktur-, Prozess- und
Ergebnisqualität der MAKS-s Intervention erhob. Neben deskriptiven
Auswertungen wurden die Prädiktoren der Ergebnisqualität mit
Hilfe eines multiplen, linearen Regressionsmodells die der
Prozessqualität mittels binär-logistischer Regression
analysiert.

Ergebnisse 56% der geschulten MAKS-s Therapeut*innen
beantworteten den Fragebogen, 82% davon wendeten die Intervention
weiterhin an. Je ausgeprägter die normativen Einschränkungen
durch die Covid-19 Pandemie waren, desto häufiger waren
Manual-Abweichungen zu beobachten. Weniger Manual-Abweichungen wiederum standen
in signifikantem Zusammenhang mit mehr von den Therapeut*innen
wahrgenommenen positiven Auswirkungen der MAKS-s Intervention auf die Menschen
mit schwerer Demenz.

Schlussfolgerung Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die
„manualtreue“ Durchführung der psychosozialen MAKS-s
Intervention maßgeblich ist, für das Ausmaß der von den
Therapeut*innen erlebten positiven Wirkungen von MAKS-s.
Außerdem belegen die Befragungsergebnisse, dass
aktivitäts-einschränkende Pandemiemaßnahmen in
Pflegeheimen die wahrgenommene Wirksamkeit negativ beeinflussten.
Metastase oder Sarkoidose – eine diagnostische Herausforderung beim metastasierten Rektumkarzinom
Authors: Adler Marius , Ammer-Herrmenau Christoph , Biggemann Lorenz , Ströbel Philipp , König Alexander , Ellenrieder Volker , Petzold Golo
Published: September 2023

Hintergrund Granulomatöse Erkrankungen wie Sarkoidose können die Diagnostik bei onkologischen Erkrankungen erschweren, da Metastasen bildmorphologisch häufig nicht von Granulomen zu unterscheiden sind. Die vorliegende Kasuistik beschreibt Diagnostik und Therapie eines Patienten mit fortgeschrittener Sarkoidose und einem hepatisch metastasierten Rektumkarzinom mit schlussendlichem Erreichen eines kurativen Stadiums.

Fallbeschreibung Bei einem 71-jährigen Patienten wurde im Rahmen der Abklärung ungewollten Gewichtsverlustes sowie einer Anämie ein Adenokarzinom des Rektums diagnostiziert. Die weitere Umfelddiagnostik ergab bildmorphologisch den hochgradigen Verdacht auf multiple rechtshepatische, pulmonale und splenische Metastasen. Histologisch zeigten sich nach bronchoskopischer Biopsie der mediastinalen Lymphknoten jedoch nichtverkäsende Epitheloidzellgranulome als Manifestation einer bis dato nicht bekannten Sarkoidose. Aufgrund des stenosierenden Tumors erfolgte eine Rektumresektion mit Milzextirpation bei intraoperativ hochgradigem Verdacht auf Milzmetastasen. Histologisch zeigten sich in der Milz eine Beteiligung im Rahmen der Sarkoidose. Bei bildmorphologisch weiterhin suspekten rechtshepatischen Leberläsionen erfolgte postoperativ eine Stanzbiopsie einer Läsion, die histologisch sowohl eine Metastase des bekannten Rektumkarzinoms als auch eine Sarkoidose ergab. Es erfolgte eine pseudo(neo)adjuvante Therapie mit 5-Fluorouracil, Leukovorin und Oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) und Panitumumab (Anti-EGF-Antikörper). Bildmorphologisch zeigten sich posttherapeutisch 2 Leberläsionen regredient, mehrere weitere größenstabil. Es erfolgte eine erweiterte Hemihepatektomie rechts mit histologischem Nachweis von sowohl Metastasen als auch Sarkoidose-Herden. Der zu diesem Zeitpunkt tumorfreie Patient wurde in die engmaschige Nachsorge entlassen, die sich im weiteren Verlauf (13 Monate) bildmorphologisch ohne Rezidivhinweis zeigte.

Diskussion Das gleichzeitige Auftreten von metastasierten Tumorerkrankungen und Sarkoidoseherden führt zu einem diagnostischen Dilemma, da die Manifestationen bildmorphologisch kaum unterschieden werden können. Dieser Fallbereich zeigt, dass eine umfassende histologische Aufarbeitung der unterschiedlichen betroffenen Organe mit konsekutiven Resektionen schlussendlich zu einer Tumorfreiheit des Patienten führen kann.
An unusual case of severe gastrointestinal bleeding
Authors: Purg Darinka , Hanžel Jurij , Strniša Luka , Plut Samo , Finderle Sanjo , Ocepek Andreja , Sever Nejc
Published: September 2023

We present the case of a 58-year-old female with a history of a bleeding duodenal peptic ulcer. Endoscopic hemostasis was unsuccessful; therefore, a transcatheter arterial embolization of a culprit vessel was performed. She was admitted to the hospital two months later because of obstruction of the common bile duct with cholangitis. Attempts to endoscopically place a biliary stent failed. The treating medical team opted for a surgical choledocho-jejunostomy. After 20 months, she presented with a melena and a severe anemia. Diagnostic work-up revealed portal vein thrombosis with portal cavernoma and bleeding choledocho-jejunostomy varices. The case presents and discusses rare complications of duodenal ulcer disease, as well as possible causes and treatment options.
Investigating the Association Between Diet-Induced “Leaky
Gut” and the Development of Prediabetes
Authors: Dimba Nosipho R. , Mzimela Nhlakanipho , Mosili Palesa , Ngubane Phikelelani S. , Khathi Andile
Published: September 2023

Introduction Chronic consumption of a high-calorie diet compromises the
gut microbiota and the integrity of the intestinal wall, which causes
translocation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the blood. This
elicits the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in inflammation.
However, how a high-fat high carbohydrate diet affects intestinal permeability
and its possible role in the development of prediabetes have not been
investigated. This study investigated the effects of HFHC diet-induced
prediabetes on gut microbiota and intestinal permeability in male Sprague Dawley
rats.

Methods The animals were randomly assigned into the non-prediabetic (NPD)
and diet-induced prediabetic (PD) groups (n=6) for 20 weeks. Then, the
fecal samples were analyzed to measure the gut microbiota level of
Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria in both animal
groups. Blood glucose, plasma insulin, serum zonulin, plasma LPS, soluble CD14,
tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive
protein (CRP), and intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (IFABP) concentrations
were measured.

Results The PD group had a reduction in the Firmicutes and an
increase in Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria levels compared to
those in the NPD group. Blood glucose, insulin concentration, serum zonulin, and
plasma sCD14 concentrations in the PD group increased significantly, while
plasma LPS concentrations were similar to the NPD group. Concentrations of
plasma TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, and IFABP, an intracellular protein expressed
in the intestine, increased in PD compared to the NPD group.

Conclusions the study results cumulatively suggest that chronic
consumption of the HFHC diet may be associated with the dysregulation of gut
microbiota, leading to increased intestinal permeability.
Assessing the Quality of Recruitment Information on Skull Base Surgical Fellowship Program Websites
Authors: Sung Hana , Ton Emily , Brown Nolan J. , Pennington Zach , Chakravarti Sachiv , Douse Dontre M. , Gendreau Julian , Agazzi Siviero , Carlson Matthew L. , Link Michael J. , Gompel Jamie J. Van
Published: September 2023

Introduction The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), North American Skull Base Society (NASBS), American Rhinologic Society (ARS), and American Neurotology Society (ANS) fellowship directories are important information repositories for skull base surgical fellowship programs. However, there is limited research on the amount and depth of information available through these resources. The objective of the present study is to assess Web site accessibility and information availability for individual fellowship programs listed within the AANS, NASBS, ARS, and ANS fellowship directories.

Methods Lists of all accredited skull base surgical programs were obtained from the AANS and NASBS fellowship directories. Duplications in listed programs were removed, and systematic queries via an online search engine were conducted to identify fellowship Web sites. From each available Web site, information pertaining to 24 different variables was collected and organized into two categories—recruitment and education. Differences in the availability of information on recruitment and education were then compared across Web sites and contextualized relative to other surgical specialties.

Results After excluding duplicates, 113 fellowship programs were identified, of which 99 (87.6%) had accessible Web sites. Of the 48 listed by the NASBS, direct Web site links were available for 33 (68.8%), email contacts were accessible for 32 (66.7%), and phone numbers were listed for 6 (12.5%). Of the 39 programs listed by the AANS, none included Web site links, 38 (97.4%) provided an email contact, and 39 (100%) listed a departmental contact telephone number. All 28 (100%) programs listed by the ANS provided a phone and email contact in addition to a Web site link to each institutional Web site. Of the 33 programs listed by the ARS, 29 (88%) had a departmental contact telephone number, 31 (94%) had an email contact available, and 4 (12%) had a program Web site link directly available from the database Web site. Of the 99 total programs, fellowship Web sites displayed an average of 5.46 (42.0%) of the 13 recruitment features and 4.80 (42.6%) of the 11 education features. Programs in the geographic Northeast were significantly less likely to present information pertaining to recruitment (p = 0.023). Furthermore, programs in geographic Northeast and West were significantly less likely to present information focused on surgical training and/or education (p = 0.006).

Conclusion Although many skull base fellowship programs have maintained comprehensive program Web sites, certain critical aspects remain deficient, and some programs provide little to no information. Providing more detailed information about programs can prove mutually beneficial for fellowship program directors and candidates.