bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental study of precast concrete walls with replaceable corner components
Authors: Cheng Xiaowei , Dong Xiaowei , Li Yi , Lu Xinzheng , Du Xiuli
Published: July 2023

To improve the seismic resiliency of precast concrete (PC) wall, a type of emulative PC wall with replaceable corner components (RCCs) was developed in this study. The damage of the PC wall was deliberately concentrated in the RCCs, which can be replaced after an earthquake. Four large‐aspect‐ratio specimens (including three PC walls with different tensile strength RCCs, and one monolithic cast‐in‐place reinforced concrete (RC) wall) were tested to investigate the seismic behavior of the PC wall, the replaceability of the RCCs, and comparability of the PC wall with the RC wall. Although flexural failure occurred for the three PC walls, the locations of damage were different. For PC walls with low and moderate tensile strength RCCs, the damage was successfully concentrated in RCCs, while for PC wall with high tensile strength RCCs, the damage was expanded from RCCs to the non‐replaced part of the PC wall. When RCCs had approximately identical tensile strength to the boundary element of RC wall, the performance of the PC wall emulated that of the RC wall. The ultimate drift ratio of the PC walls ranged from 1.7% to 2.2% which is lower than that of 2.7% for the RC wall. The PC wall, before and after replacing RCCs, exhibited approximately identical lateral load, while slight lower initial stiffness. The vertical displacement profiles of wall bottom section were almost linear, and the yielding and peak strength of the PC walls could be reasonably estimated by assuming the wall bottom section remain plane after deformation.
Satisfying strict deadlines for cellular Internet of Things through hybrid multiple access
Authors: Gamgam Onur Berkay , Karasan Ezhan
Published: July 2023

Latency‐constrained aspects of cellular Internet of Things (IoT) applications rely on Ultra‐Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC), which highlight research on satisfying strict deadlines. In this study, we address the problem of latency‐constrained communications with strict deadlines under average power constraint using Hybrid Multiple Access (MA), which consists of both Orthogonal MA (OMA) and power domain Non‐Orthogonal MA (NOMA) as transmission scheme options. We aim to maximize the timely throughput, which represents the average number of successfully transmitted packets before deadline expiration, where expired packets are dropped from the buffer. We use Lyapunov stochastic optimization methods to develop a dynamic power assignment algorithm for minimizing the packet drop rate while satisfying time average power constraints. Moreover, we propose a flexible packet dropping mechanism called Early Packet Dropping (EPD) to detect likely to become expired packets and drop them immediately. Numerical results show that Hybrid MA improves the timely throughput compared to conventional OMA by up to and on average by more than . With EPD, these timely throughput gains improve to and , respectively.
Comparison of micronutrients in adult enteral formulas widely used in clinical practice
Authors: Yang Hong , Hou Ling , Sun Hong Mei , Ye Shu Hong
Published: July 2023

In recent decades, great progress in the area of enteral nutrition has provided a large variety and commercial availability of enteral formulas, usually produced by the nutrition divisions of several pharmaceutical or dairy manufacturers, with specific compositions for each type of disease or patient condition. Despite the widespread use of enteral formulas, both in hospitals and at home, studies performed on the micronutrient compositions of adult enteral formulas are few in China. The content of micronutrients in 31 commercially available adult enteral formulas in the Chinese market was compared with the Chinese dietary reference intakes (DRIs), the tolerable upper limits (UL), the limit requirements in Food Safety National Standards General Rules of Foods for Special Medical Purposes (GB 29922‐2013), and the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) micronutrient guideline (2022). The micronutrient content was calculated by multiplying the value provided on the nutrition label for each product by the daily energy dose of 1500 and 1800 Kcal/day. The research results showed that most adult enteral formulas were generally suitable for patients on long‐term total enteral nutrition support in the Chinese market, and foods for special medical purpose (FSMP) formulas were more suitable than enteral nutrition preparation (ENP) formulas. However, the vitamin D, vitamin K, and iron content in these formulas should be appropriately increased to the limit recommended by the ESPEN micronutrient guideline. The results could provide a basis for manufacturers to research and develop more suitable enteral formulas and help clinical dietitians administer more effective enteral nutrition support for patients on long‐term total enteral nutrition in clinical practice, especially individualized treatment.
The True Cost of Climate Change
Authors: Cartwright Echo D.
Published: July 2023

This Editor's Corner has frequently brought to the forefront the social and monetary costs associated with the impacts of a changing climate. More frequent and volatile hurricanes and tornadoes, massive flooding, extreme heat conditions impacting farming, and reduced availability of potable water—leading to premature deaths—are undeniable. Alongside these issues, the increasing risk of forest fires due to severe, long‐term drought conditions and human behavior (ignoring fire bans), fire hazards from downed power lines, and more lighting strikes from increasingly volatile storms place our communities and our health in danger.
Transmission Necessary to Scale Clean Energy
Authors: DeCotis Paul A.
Published: July 2023

It is imperative to invest concurrently and quickly in electric transmission infrastructure if the United States has any chance of meeting its decarbonization goals. More renewable energy, distributed resources located far from load centers, grid hardening, and faster grid recovery after severe weather events depend on it.
An interdisciplinary approach to Late/Final Neolithic coastal gallery graves in Brittany, Western France: The 3D structure, origin of stone material, and paleoenvironmental setting of the Kernic and Lerret monuments
Authors: Gorczyńska Aneta , Le Gall Bernard , Stéphan Pierre , Pailler Yvan
Published: July 2023

This article presents an interdisciplinary study of two Late/Final Neolithic gallery graves (Kernic and Lerret) located on the orthwestern coast of Brittany (Western France). These monuments show striking similarities in terms of architectural style and geographical position. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the construction strategy of these monuments by (i) determining the origin of the megalithic blocks using comparative petro‐structural analyses of blocks and surrounding rocks, (ii) reconstructing the coastal environment from sediment core analyses and (iii) defining the significance of these monuments in the territories from an intervisibility analysis. The study reveals marked differences between the two monuments studied. The Lerret gallery grave was erected close to a unique source of stone material on the margins of a marshland zone. In contrast, the Kernic monument, erected on the edge of an estuary, seems to have been built using a deliberate diversification of stone extraction sites. An intervisibility analysis shows a dense network of visual interconnections between a number of megalithic tombs present in the study area, where the two monuments occupy very distinct sites. The social implications of stone selection and the geographical location of Late/Final Neolithic funerary monuments are also discussed in an enlarged regional context.
Complete pathological response after chemotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors in deficient MMR metastatic colorectal cancer: Results of a retrospective multicenter study
Authors: Marolleau Pauline , Tougeron David , Allignet Benoit , Cohen Romain , Sefrioui David , Gallet Blandine , Dumont Frédéric , Guimbaud Rosine , Alouani Emily , Passot Guillaume , Desolneux Grégoire , Ghiringhelli François , Marchal Frédéric , Mourthadhoi Farouk , Coriat Romain , Desgrippes Romain , Locher Christophe , Goujon Gaël , Des Guetz Gaëtan , Aparicio Thomas , Paubelle Etienne , Dupré Aurélien , de la Fouchardière Christelle
Published: July 2023

About 5% of the patients with metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRC) present microsatellite instability (MSI)/deficient mismatch repair system (dMMR). While metastasectomy is known to improve overall and progression‐free survival in mCRC, specific results in selected patients with dMMR/MSI mCRC are lacking. Our study aimed to describe metastasectomy results, characterize histological response and evaluate pathological complete response (pCR) rate in patients with dMMR/MSI mCRC. We retrospectively reviewed data from all consecutive patients with dMMR/MSI mCRC who underwent surgical metastasectomy between January 2010 and June 2021 in 17 French centers. Primary outcome was to assess the pCR rate defined by tumor regression grade (TRG) 0. Secondary endpoints included relapse‐free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS), and explored TRG as predictive factor for RFS and OS. Among the 88 patients operated, 109 metastasectomies were performed in 81 patients after neoadjuvant treatment [chemotherapy ± targeted therapy (CTT): 69, 85.2%; immunotherapy (ICI): 12, 14.8%], and pCR was achieved in 13 (16.1%) patients. Among the latter, pCR rate were 10.2% in the patients having received CTT (N = 7) and 50.0% in the patients treated with ICI (N = 6). Radiological response did not predict TRG. With a median follow‐up of 57.9 (IQR 34.2‐81.6) months, median RFS was 20.2 (15.4‐not reached) months, median OS was not reached. Major pathological responses (TRG0 + TRG1) were significantly associated with longer RFS (HR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03‐0.55; P = .006). The pCR rate of 16.1% achieved with neoadjuvant treatment in patients with dMMR/MSI mCRC is consistent with previously reported rates in pMMR/MSS mCRC. Immunotherapy showed better pCR rate than chemotherapy ± targeted therapy. Further prospective trials are needed to validate immunotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment in resectable/potentially resectable dMMR/MSI mCRC and identify predictive factors for pCR.
Patterns of PrEP continuation and coverage in the first year of use: a latent class analysis of a programmatic PrEP trial in Kenya
Authors: Mugwanya Kenneth K. , Palayew Adam , Schaafsma Torin , Irungu Elizabeth M. , Bukusi Elizabeth , Mugo Nelly , Morton Jennifer , Odoyo Josephine , Ngure Kenneth , Baeten Jared M. ,   for the Partners Scale‐Up Project
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Effective PrEP use is critical for impact, but data are limited on common patterns of continuation and coverage among persons using PrEP in real‐world settings.

Methods

Data are from the Partners Scale‐Up Project, a programmatic stepped‐wedge cluster‐randomized trial to integrate PrEP delivery in 25 Kenyan public health facilities conducted between February 2017 and December 2021. We evaluated PrEP continuation using visit attendance and pharmacy refill records, and computed medication possession ratio to define coverage during the first year of use. Latent class mixture models were used to identify and characterize membership to different PrEP continuation patterns. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the association between group trajectories and demographic and behaviour characteristics.

Results

Overall, 4898 persons initiated PrEP, 54% (2640) were female, mean age was 33 years (standard deviation 11) and 84% (4092) had partners living with HIV. PrEP continuation was 57%, 44%, and 34% at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. Four unique trajectories of PrEP coverage were identified: (1) one‐fourth (1154) exhibited consistent high coverage throughout the year with 93%, 94%, 96%, and 67% continuing PrEP at months 1, 3, 6, and 12, respectively; (2) 13% (682) showed high coverage trajectory throughout 6 months but coverage rapidly declined thereafter (94%, 93%, 63%, and 10% continued at months 1, 3, 6, and 12, respectively); (3) 18.9% (918) exhibited moderate coverage trajectory with 91% of clients refilling PrEP at month 1 but nearly all dropped‐off thereafter (37%, 5%, and 4% continued at months 3, 6, and 12, respectively); and (4) 43.8% (2144) exhibited immediate discontinuation trajectory, in which nearly all did not have any subsequent PrEP refill. Overall, being female, older age, having partners living with HIV or of unknown HIV status were statistically associated with better PrEP continuation trajectories compared to the immediate discontinuation trajectory (p<0.05 for all).

Conclusions

In this analysis of a real‐world PrEP implementation programme in Kenya, we found four distinct patterns of PrEP continuation, with one‐third of users exhibiting consistent high continuation throughout 12 months and two‐fifths with immediate discontinuation patterns. These data may help guide tailored interventions to support PrEP continuation in this setting.
Antibody‐dependent NK‐cell and neutralizing antibody responses against the Spike protein of Wuhan‐Hu‐1 and Omicron BA.1 SARS‐CoV‐2 variants in vaccinated experienced and vaccinated naïve individuals
Authors: Albert Eliseo , Fernández‐Soto Daniel , Giménez Estela , Casanovas José María , Zulaica Joao , Álvarez‐Rodríguez Beatriz , Rusu Luciana , Geller Ron , Reyburn Hugh T. , Navarro David
Published: July 2023

Antibodies triggering Fc‐mediated NK cell activity may contribute to protection against disease caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in humans. However, how these Fc‐mediated humoral responses compare between individuals displaying hybrid immunity (Vac‐ex) and those fully vaccinated with no history of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (Vac‐n) and whether they correlate with neutralizing antibody (NtAb) responses remains largely undetermined. In this retrospective study serum samples from 50 individuals (median age, 44.5 years; range, 11–85; 25 males), 25 Vac‐ex and 25 Vac‐n were studied. A flow‐cytometry‐based antibody‐mediated NK‐cell activation assay was used to quantitate effector NK‐cells stimulated to express LAMP1 (lysosomal associated membrane protein 1), MIP1 (Macrophage inflammatory protein 1), and interferon‐γ (IFNγ); NK cells isolated from two donors (D1 and D2) were used. NtAb levels targeting the Spike protein of Wuhan‐Hu‐1 and Omicron BA.1 SARS‐CoV‐2 variants were quantitated using a SARS‐CoV‐2 S pseudotyped neutralization assay. Regardless of the SARS‐CoV‐2 variant S antigen used in the NK‐cell activation assay, the frequency of NK cells stimulated to express LAMP‐1, MIP1β, and IFNγ was higher in Vac‐ex compared with Vac‐n (p values ranging from 0.07 to 0.006) for D1; this was only seen for BA.1 when NK cells from D2 were employed. The frequency of functional NK cells activated by antibody binding to either Wuhan‐Hu‐1 or Omicron BA.1 S protein was not significantly different for both VAC‐ex and VAC‐n. In contrast, NtAb titers against BA.1 were around 10‐fold lower than that against Wuhan‐Hu‐1. Vac‐ex displayed higher NtAb titers against both (sub)variants than Vac‐n. NK‐cell responses correlated poorly with NtAb titers (ρ ≤ 0.30). The data demonstrate higher cross‐reactivity across variants of concern for antibodies triggering Fc‐mediated NK cell than for NtAb. Moreover, Vac‐Ex seemed to display more robust functional antibody responses as compared with Vac‐n.
Serum neutralization of SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron BA.2, BA.2.75, BA.2.76, BA.5, BF.7, BQ.1.1 and XBB.1.5 in individuals receiving Evusheld
Authors: Zhao Qianqian , Wang Xin , Zhang Ze , Liu Xuefei , Wang Ping , Cao Jin , Liang Qiming , Qu Jieming , Zhou Min
Published: July 2023

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) Omicron variant is undergoing continuous evolution and convergent mutation. These new subvariants are raising concerns that they may evade neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We investigated the serum neutralization efficacy of Evusheld (cilgavimab and tixagevimab) against SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron BA.2, BA.2.75, BA.2.76, BA.5, BF.7, BQ.1.1, and XBB.1.5. A total of 90 serum samples from healthy individuals were collected in Shanghai. Anti‐RBD antibodies were measured and symptoms of infection with COVID‐19 were compared among those individuals. The neutralizing activity of serum against Omicron variants was analyzed by pseudovirus neutralization assays in 22 samples. Evusheld retained neutralizing activity against BA.2, BA.2.75, and BA.5, albeit with somewhat reduced titers. However, the neutralizing activity of Evusheld against BA.2.76, BF.7, BQ.1.1, and XBB.1.5 significantly decreased, with XBB.1.5 showing the greatest escape activity among the subvariants. We also observed that Evusheld recipients displayed elevated antibody levels in their serum, which efficiently neutralized the original variant, and exhibited different characteristics of infection than those who did not receive Evusheld. The mAb has partial neutralization activity against Omicron sublineages. However, the increasing doses of mAb and a larger size of population should be further investigated.
Assessment of the potential value of plasma Torque Teno virus DNA load monitoring to predict cytomegalovirus DNAemia in patients with hematological malignancies treated with small molecule inhibitors: A proof‐of‐concept study
Authors: de la Asunción Carlos Solano , Giménez Estela , Hernández‐Boluda Juan Carlos , Terol María José , Albert Eliseo , López Javier , García‐Gutiérrez Valentín , Andreu Rafael , Malo María Dolores García , Fox María Laura , Remigia María José , Amat Paula , Solano Carlos , Navarro David
Published: July 2023

It is unknown whether Torque Teno virus (TTV) DNA load monitoring could anticipate the development of infectious events in hematological patients undergoing treatment with small molecular targeting agents. We characterized the kinetics of plasma TTV DNA in patients treated with ibrutinib or ruxolitinib and assessed whether TTV DNA load monitoring could predict the occurrence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia or the magnitude of CMV‐specific T‐cell responses. Multicenter, retrospective, observational study, recruiting 20 patients treated with ibrutinib and 21 with ruxolitinib. Plasma TTV and CMV DNA loads were quantified by real‐time PCR at baseline and days +15, +30, +45, +60, +75, +90, +120, +150, and +180 after treatment inception. Enumeration of CMV‐specific interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ)‐producing CD8+ and CD4+ T‐cells in whole blood was performed by flow cytometry. Median TTV DNA load in ibrutinib‐treated patients increased significantly (p = 0.025) from baseline (median: 5.76 log10 copies/mL) to day +120 (median: 7.83 log10 copies/mL). A moderate inverse correlation (Rho = −0.46; p < 0.001) was found between TTV DNA load and absolute lymphocyte count. In ruxolitinib‐treated patients, TTV DNA load quantified at baseline was not significantly different from that measured after treatment inception (p ≥ 0.12). TTV DNA load was not predictive of the subsequent occurrence of CMV DNAemia in either patient group. No correlation was observed between TTV DNA loads and CMV‐specific IFN‐γ‐producing CD8+ and CD4+ T‐cell counts in either patient group. The data did not support the hypothesis that TTV DNA load monitoring in hematological patients treated with ibrutinib or ruxolitinib could be useful to predict either the occurrence of CMV DNAemia or the level of CMV‐specific T‐cell reconstitution; nevertheless, due to the small sample size, further studies involving larger cohorts are warranted to elucidate this issue.
Torque teno virus viral load predicts SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine response in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Solis Morgane , Benotmane Ilies , Gallais Floriane , Caillard Sophie , Fafi‐Kremer Samira
Published: July 2023

Transplant recipients display poor responses to SARS‐CoV‐2 mRNA vaccines. In this retrospective study, we investigate torque teno virus (TTV) viral load (VL), a ubiquitous virus reflecting global immune response levels, as a predictive factor of vaccine response in kidney transplant recipients (KTR). Four hundred and fifty‐nine KTR having received two SARS‐CoV‐2 mRNA vaccine doses were enrolled, and 241 of them subsequently received a third vaccine dose. Antireceptor‐binding domain (RBD) IgG response was assessed after each vaccine dose and TTV VL was measured in pre‐vaccine samples. Prevaccine TTV VL > 6.2 log10 copies (cp)/mL was independently associated with nonresponse to two doses (odds ratio (OR) = 6.17, 95% confidence interval (CI95) = 2.42–15.78) as well as to three doses (OR = 3.62, 95% CI95 = 1.55–8.49). In nonresponders to the second dose, high TTV VL in prevaccine samples or measured before the third dose were equally predictive of lower seroconversion rates and antibody titers. High TTV VL before and during SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination schedules are predictive of poor vaccine response in KTR. This biomarker should be further evaluated regarding other vaccine responses.
Regional features of future warming using high‐resolution downscaled multimodel climate scenarios in mainland China
Authors: Zhang Lei , Xu Yinlong , Zhao Yuncheng , Meng Chunchun , Wang Changgui , Lin Yihua
Published: July 2023

The frequency and magnitude of global warming events varies greatly across different regions and countries. The climatic diversity for China and future warming features are projected across 12 climatic zones based on the ensemble of the five well‐performing high‐resolution downscaled climate models for each zone. There are warming patterns for the mean near‐surface air temperature (Tm), maximum near‐surface air temperature (Tmax), minimum near‐surface air temperature (Tmin) as well as heatwave and frost events. Under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, the three indices (i.e., Tm, Tmax and Tmin) countrywide are likely to increase at respective rates of 0.30–0.31 and 0.64–0.67°C·decade−1. The extent of frost event (FE) are projected to decrease at a rate of −1912 and −4442 day·km−2·decade−1 while the extent of heatwave event (HE) increase at a rate of 1116 and 3557 day·km−2·decade−1 under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively. A higher increment in temperatures, a decreasing trend in diurnal temperature range (DTR), frost days and FE are highlighted in the western and northern zones, while these trends are opposite in southern zones. The warming is likely to get faster in the current colder zones (western and northern zones) while heatwave is more intense and severe in Jianghuai, Jianghan, the south Yangzi River, South China and Xinjiang. These potential changes indicate that adaption and mitigation strategies are necessary in response to future warming.
Reclaimed saline‐alkali paddy field may be a hotspot of methane and ammonia emissions
Authors: Wang Xinyi , Lyu Jiao , Zhu Hui , Shutes Brian , Xu Yingying , Zhang Fuman
Published: July 2023

Salinization and alkalization are global environmental issues, and a growing area of saline‐alkali land has been developed as paddy fields. However, the information on the characteristics and driving mechanisms of greenhouse gas (i.e., methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O)) and ammonia (NH3) emissions from paddy fields with different saline‐alkali levels is limited. We conducted a 137‐day mesocosm experiment to investigate these issues using light (L), moderate (M), and heavy (H) saline‐alkali soils with a history of reclamation of 20, 4 and 2 years, respectively. The results demonstrated that both the cumulative CH4 and NH3 fluxes in H treatment were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than L. While, the increasing saline‐alkali levels reduced the cumulative CO2 and N2O fluxes, respectively. With the increasing saline‐alkali levels, the species richness and diversity of microbial communities decreased. High saline‐alkali level inhibited the growth of ammonia‐oxidizing archaea, resulting in less N2O produced by nitrification, thus reducing N2O emission. Cumulative CH4 flux and the mcrA gene copy numbers showed a significant (p < 0.05) negative correlation. The gene copy number in H treatment was lower than M and L, respectively. The highest global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity were observed in H treatment. Overall, recently reclaimed saline‐alkali paddy field with an initial heavy saline‐alkali level may be a hotspot of farmland CH4 and NH3 emissions, highlighting the necessity of optimizing water and fertilizer management for controlling these gas emissions at the initial stage of developing saline‐alkali lands into paddy fields.
A study on source dependent batch to batch variations in silk fibroin films for potential applications in corneal tissue engineering
Authors: R. Dan Febin , S. H. Varsha , M. S. Anju , R. K. Athira , Kasoju Naresh
Published: July 2023

The demand‐to‐supply gap, rejection rates, and the chances of infection associated with organ/tissue transplantation prompted researchers to find alternative solutions such as tissue engineering. Here, healthy cells are cultured over a biomaterial framework supplemented with growth factors to create bioartificial tissues. As a scaffolding biomaterial, silk fibroin (SF), a biopolymer obtained from Bombyx mori silk cocoons, offers unique properties. However, natural polymers, including SF, were criticized for preconceived source‐dependent batch‐to‐batch variations. Therefore, this study aims to prepare B. mori SF‐based films and investigate source‐dependent variations, if any. For this purpose, we have sourced silk cocoons from three geographical locations in India and processed them into films with a solvent‐casting approach. As a whole, our results indicate that there were slight variations in the morphological features in the raw cocoon stage; however, once processed, there were no significant differences in their topological, physical, chemical, optical, mechanical, or degradable properties with respect to the source. Further, all the films were found to be noncytotoxic and cytocompatible with corneal cells in vitro. Therefore, the study indicates no source‐dependent variations in biopolymers and suggested that SF from any source can be processed into biomaterials for potential biomedical applications.
Localized wave solutions to the vector nonlinear Schrödinger equation with nonzero backgrounds
Authors: Zhai Yunyun , Hu Xinghua , Ji Ting , Wei Jiao , Li Yihao
Published: July 2023

The vector nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) system is studied through the generalized Darboux transformation (DT). We begin with the nonzero seed solution in the exponential form of evolution variable
and explore the eigenfunction of the
‐component NLS equation. With the formulae of the eigenfunction, localized wave solutions of the two‐component and three‐component NLS equations are studied. By choosing different free parameters, some special solutions and the dynamic evolutions are presented, including breather–rogue wave, breather fission, breather fusion, and breather–soliton.
A hierarchical self‐attention‐guided deep learning framework to predict breast cancer response to chemotherapy using pre‑treatment tumor biopsies
Authors: Saednia Khadijeh , Tran William T. , Sadeghi‑Naini Ali
Published: July 2023

Background

Pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has demonstrated a strong correlation to improved survival in breast cancer (BC) patients. However, pCR rates to NAC are less than 30%, depending on the BC subtype. Early prediction of NAC response would facilitate therapeutic modifications for individual patients, potentially improving overall treatment outcomes and patient survival.

Purpose

This study, for the first time, proposes a hierarchical self‐attention‐guided deep learning framework to predict NAC response in breast cancer patients using digital histopathological images of pre‐treatment biopsy specimens.

Methods

Digitized hematoxylin and eosin‐stained slides of BC core needle biopsies were obtained from 207 patients treated with NAC, followed by surgery. The response to NAC for each patient was determined using the standard clinical and pathological criteria after surgery. The digital pathology images were processed through the proposed hierarchical framework consisting of patch‐level and tumor‐level processing modules followed by a patient‐level response prediction component. A combination of convolutional layers and transformer self‐attention blocks were utilized in the patch‐level processing architecture to generate optimized feature maps. The feature maps were analyzed through two vision transformer architectures adapted for the tumor‐level processing and the patient‐level response prediction components. The feature map sequences for these transformer architectures were defined based on the patch positions within the tumor beds and the bed positions within the biopsy slide, respectively. A five‐fold cross‐validation at the patient level was applied on the training set (144 patients with 9430 annotated tumor beds and 1,559,784 patches) to train the models and optimize the hyperparameters. An unseen independent test set (63 patients with 3574 annotated tumor beds and 173,637 patches) was used to evaluate the framework.

Results

The obtained results on the test set showed an AUC of 0.89 and an F1‐score of 90% for predicting pCR to NAC a priori by the proposed hierarchical framework. Similar frameworks with the patch‐level, patch‐level + tumor‐level, and patch‐level + patient‐level processing components resulted in AUCs of 0.79, 0.81, and 0.84 and F1‐scores of 86%, 87%, and 89%, respectively.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate a high potential of the proposed hierarchical deep‐learning methodology for analyzing digital pathology images of pre‐treatment tumor biopsies to predict the pathological response of breast cancer to NAC.
A new MILP formulation for the flying sidekick traveling salesman problem
Authors: Boccia Maurizio , Mancuso Andrea , Masone Adriano , Sterle Claudio
Published: July 2023

Nowadays, truck‐and‐drone problems represent one of the most studied classes of vehicle routing problems. The Flying Sidekick Traveling Salesman Problem (FS‐TSP) is the first optimization problem defined in this class. Since its definition, several variants have been proposed differing for the side constraints related to the operating conditions and for the structure of the hybrid truck‐and‐drone delivery system. However, regardless the specific problem under investigation, determining the optimal solution of most of these routing problems is a very challenging task, due to the vehicle synchronization issue. On this basis, this work provides a new arc‐based integer linear programming formulation for the FS‐TSP. The solution of such formulation required the development of a branch‐and‐cut solution approach based on new families of valid inequalities and variable fixing strategies. We tested the proposed approach on different sets of benchmark instances. The experimentation shows that the proposed method is competitive or outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art approaches, providing either the optimal solution or improved bounds for several instances unsolved before.
A dysregulated bile acids pool is associated with metabolic syndrome and gut microbial dysbiosis in early adolescence
Authors: Mancera‐Hurtado Yesenia , Lopez‐Contreras Blanca E. , Flores‐Lopez Regina , Villamil‐Ramirez Hugo , del Rio‐Navarro Blanca E. , Canizales‐Quinteros Samuel , Moran‐Ramos Sofia
Published: July 2023

Objective

The increased prevalence of childhood metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a public health issue. It has been shown that a dysregulated bile acid (BA) profile could be involved in the development of MetS, in which the gut microbiota could have a significant role in BA levels. This study aimed to evaluate differences in serum BA levels in children with and without MetS and whether these levels were associated with gut microbial composition.

Methods

A total of 100 children aged 10 to 12 years were enrolled in this study, 42 children with MetS (cases) and 58 control participants. Serum BAs were measured by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry and gut microbiota was determined by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing.

Results

Children with MetS showed higher levels of total, secondary, and 12α‐hydroxylated BAs, as well as deoxycholic acid, and these were associated with dyslipidemia and insulin resistance markers. Interestingly, total BAs were negatively correlated with gut bacterial diversity (Shannon index: rho = −0.218, p = 0.035), whereas total, 12α‐hydroxylated, and secondary BAs, as well as deoxycholic acid, showed negative correlations with genera known for their potential health effects, including Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia, and Faecalibacterium.

Conclusions

This study suggests that childhood MetS is associated with a dysregulated BA pool and that these alterations could influence the abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria, thus contributing to gut microbial dysbiosis.
Watson‐Crick Base Pairing ofN‐Methoxy‐1,3‐Oxazinane (MOANA) Nucleoside Analogues within Double‐Helical DNA
Authors: Afari Mark N. K. , Nurmi Kasper , Virta Pasi , Lönnberg Tuomas
Published: July 2023

Hairpin oligodeoxynucleotides incorporating a (2R,3S)‐4‐(methoxyamino)butane‐1,2,3‐triol residue in the middle of the double‐helical stem and opposite to either one of the canonical nucleobases or an abasic 2‐(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran‐3‐ol spacer were synthesized. Under mildly acidic conditions, aromatic aldehydes reacted reversibly with these oligonucleotides, converting the (2R,3S)‐4‐(methoxyamino)butane‐1,2,3‐triol unit into a 2‐aryl‐N‐methoxy‐1,3‐oxazinane nucleoside analogue. The equilibrium of this reaction was found to be dependent on both the aldehyde and the nucleobase opposite to the modified residue. 9‐Formyl‐9‐deazaadenine, combining a large stacking surface with an array of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, showed the highest affinity as well as selectivity consistent with the rules of Watson‐Crick base pairing. 5‐Formyluracil or indole‐3‐carbaldehyde, lacking in either stacking or hydrogen bonding ability, were incorporated with a much lower affinity and selectivity.
Highly thermally conductive and insulating PET nonwoven fabric/PDMS sandwich composite film by synergism of boron nitride nanosheets and alumina particles
Authors: Song Mu‐yuan , Ma Chuan‐guo , Li Xiao‐lei , Chi Hong‐tao , Zhang Ping , Dai Pei‐bang
Published: July 2023

The accumulation of heat in electronic devices puts forward an urgent demand for thermal interface materials. It is still a great challenge to achieve the good comprehensive performance of high thermal conductivity (TC), insulation, flexibility and tensile strength. In this work, polyester‐based nonwoven fabric (NWF) was coated with boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) by dispersion and interfacial reinforcement of cellulose nanofibers to obtain a three‐dimensional thermally conductive network skeleton (BNNS@NWF). The sandwich‐structured composite film was assembled by introducing alumina (Al2O3)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers on the top and bottom surfaces of BNNS@NWF using scratch coating and hot pressing processes. The composite film has a high TC of 6.42 W/mK at 45.8 wt% BNNS content, and has excellent insulation with a volume resistivity of 1.06 × 1015 Ω cm. This is due to the long‐range effective thermal conduction path constructed by BNNS, the bridging effect of Al2O3 and the synergistic effect of the two fillers. PDMS helps the composite film maintain good flexibility and good TC stability after 30 bending cycles. The PET nonwoven interlayer gives the composite film good mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 17.5 MPa. This work provides a strategy for the efficient preparation of flexible composite films with high TC and insulation properties, which is of great importance for the development of innovative thermal interface materials.

Highlights

A sandwich‐structured composite film was prepared by a simple scale‐up method.

Al2O3 and BNNS achieves synergistic enhancement of thermal conductivity.

The film has a high thermal conductivity of 6.42 W/mK and electrical insulation.

The film shows good flexibility, high tensile and thermal management properties.
Teacher identity in work with students' psychosocial environment: A systematic review of quantitative research
Authors: Denfeld Annette‐Pascale , Canrinus Esther T. , Dalehefte Inger Marie
Published: July 2023

This article is a contribution to understanding teacher identity related to working with students' psychosocial environment (PSE). A systematic review of quantitative studies (n = 10) analyzing the relations between components of teacher identity and teachers' work with the PSE is presented. Findings indicate significant relations between the identity components task‐related self‐efficacy and job satisfaction along with likelihood or frequency of intervention in bullying situations. However, results regarding relations between general teaching efficacy or task perception and teachers' approach to bullying were inconclusive. Findings suggest that teachers' self‐efficacy and job satisfaction as identity domains play an important role in students' PSE. This information has implications for teacher education, professional development, and policymakers.
Forgiveness, rumination, and self‐control as the predictors of adolescent life satisfaction: A comparison of two serial mediational models
Authors: Liu Siyi , Lu Aitao
Published: July 2023

Research has documented a bidirectional relationship between forgiveness and self‐control, influencing adolescent satisfaction with life. However, the potential psychosocial mechanisms underpinning this association remain nebulous. In that study, two hypothetical models were compared to disentangle the unique role of forgiveness and self‐control independently on life satisfaction. Four hundred and forty‐eight adolescents completed a multisection questionnaire. After controlling for age and gender, results showed: (a) Forgiveness, rumination, and self‐control are significantly associated with life satisfaction among Chinese adolescents; (b) Rumination and self‐control played serial mediating roles in the association between forgiveness and life satisfaction in Model A; (c) Rumination and forgiveness serially mediated the relationship between self‐control and life satisfaction in Model B; (d) Furthermore, the total effect of self‐control on life satisfaction was stronger than that of forgiveness on life satisfaction. This study provides a new entry point for the unique mechanisms between self‐control/forgiveness and life satisfaction, which has important practical implications for developing effective interventions to improve life satisfaction among adolescents.
Energy‐saving glass‐melting‐furnace with semi‐dry plasma‐chemical hybrid process
Authors: Yamasaki Haruhiko , Nishioka Ryosuke , Fukuda Yuta , Kuroki Tomoyuki , Yamamoto Hashira , Okubo Masaaki
Published: July 2023

A low‐cost plasma‐chemical hybrid process (PCHP) is proposed for simultaneous NOx and SOx treatment. PCHP can be integrated into existing desulfurization reactors by combining plasma oxidation and chemical reduction. PCHP is applied to glass melting furnace emissions with limited denitration technology, achieving higher removal efficiencies of NO, NOx, and SO2 (43%, 38%, and 28%, respectively) by optimizing reductant spray and installation angles. PCHP also improves fuel consumption, with a 0.04 increase in air ratio reducing energy consumption by 3.6 kL/day (equivalent to 6.6 t(CO2)/day reduction). In addition, PCHP allows for the collection and reuse of treated SO2 as sodium sulfate particles, making it a suitable aftertreatment technology for glass manufacturing exhaust.
Composite predictive models for asthma exacerbations or asthma deterioration in pediatric asthmatic patients: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Rodríguez‐Martínez Carlos E. , Sossa‐Briceño Monica P. , Forno Erick
Published: July 2023

A variety of factors have shown to be useful in predicting which children are at high risk for future asthma exacerbations, some of them combined into composite predictive models. The objective of the present review was to systematically identify all the available published composite predictive models developed for predicting which children are at high risk for future asthma exacerbations or asthma deterioration. A systematic search of the literature was performed to identify studies in which a composite predictive model developed for predicting which children are at high risk for future asthma exacerbations or asthma deterioration was described. Methodological quality assessment was performed using accepted criteria for prediction rules and prognostic models. A total of 18 articles, describing a total of 17 composite predictive models were identified and included in the review. The number of predictors included in the models ranged from 2–149. Upon analyzing the content of the models, use of healthcare services for asthma and prescribed or dispensed asthma medications were the most frequently used items (in 8/17, 47.0% of the models). Seven (41.2%) models fulfilled all the quality criteria considered in our evaluation. The identified models may help clinicians dealing with asthmatic children to identify which children are at a higher risk for future asthma exacerbations or asthma deterioration, therefore targeting and/or reinforcing specific interventions for these children in an attempt to prevent exacerbations or deterioration of the disease.
Chemical synthesis of insulin‐like peptide 1 and its potential role in vitellogenesis of the kuruma prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus
Authors: El‐Desoky Marwa Said , Takeuchi Rino , Katayama Hidekazu , Tsutsui Naoaki
Published: July 2023

The insulin superfamily comprises a group of peptides with diverse physiological functions and is conserved across the animal kingdom. Insulin‐like peptides (ILPs) of crustaceans are classified into four major types: insulin, relaxin, gonadulin, and androgenic gland hormone (AGH)/insulin‐like androgenic gland factor (IAG). Of these, the physiological functions of AGH/IAG have been clarified to be the regulation of male sex differentiation, but those of the other types have not been uncovered. In this study, we chemically synthesized Maj‐ILP1, an ILP identified in the ovary of the kuruma prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus, using a combination of solid‐phase peptide synthesis and regioselective disulfide bond formation reactions. As the circular dichroism spectral pattern of synthetic Maj‐ILP1 is typical of other ILPs reported thus far, the synthetic peptide likely possessed the proper conformation. Functional analysis using ex vivo tissue incubation revealed that Maj‐ILP1 significantly increased the expression of the yolk protein genes Maj‐Vg1 and Maj‐Vg2 in the hepatopancreas and Maj‐Vg1 in the ovary of adolescent prawns. This is the first report on the synthesis of a crustacean ILP other than IAGs and also shows the positive relationship between the reproductive process and female‐dominant ILP.
Optimizing Data Processing for Nanodiamond Based Relaxometry
Authors: Vedelaar Thea A. , Hamoh Thamir H. , Martinez Felipe P. Perona , Chipaux Mayeul , Schirhagl Romana
Published: July 2023

The nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) center in diamond is a powerful and versatile quantum sensor for diverse quantities. In particular, relaxometry (or T1), can be used to detect magnetic noise at the nanoscale. For experiments with single NV centers the analysis of the data is well established. However, due to relatively low brightness and reproducibility it is beneficial for biological experiments to use ensembles. While increasing the number of NV centers in a nanodiamond leads to more signal, a standardized method to extract information from relaxometry experiments is still missing. This article uses T1 relaxation curves acquired at different concentrations of gadolinium ions to calibrate and optimize the entire data processing flow, from the acquired raw data to the extracted T1. In particular, a bootstrap is used to derive a signal to noise ratio (SNR) that can be quantitatively compared from one method to another. At first, T1 curves are extracted from photoluminescence pulses. This work compares integrating their signal through an optimized window as performed conventionally, to fitting a known function on it. Fitting the decaying T1 curves leads to the relevant T1 value. This work compares here the three most commonly used fit models that are, single, bi, and stretched exponential. This work finally investigates the effect of the bootstrap itself on the precision of the result as well as the use of a rolling window to increase time resolution.
Spatiotemporal relationships in science lessons: Building learning opportunities over time
Authors: Cappelle Vanessa , Franco Luiz Gustavo , Munford Danusa
Published: July 2023

In this study, we investigated the construction of science learning opportunities focusing on space−time relationships. Guided by ethnography in education, we followed the everyday life of a classroom over their three first years at elementary school. Based on macroanalysis, we examined discursive interactions in temporally distant events and how participants built relationships between these events. Verbal tense, agents in narratives, and relations between texts/contexts guided microanalyses. Results indicate that teacher and students evoked space−time relationships that become an epistemic tool for this class. These relationships structured narratives which the actor in scientific inquiry was the class as a group. Moreover, space−time connections provided articulations between the conceptual, epistemic, and social domains of scientific knowledge in science lessons over time. We discuss methodological contributions of the study, in addition to implications for positioning students as epistemic agents in science learning.
Mycelium Composite with Hierarchical Porous Structure for Thermal Management
Authors: Zhang Mingchang , Xue Jing , Zhang Runhua , Zhang Wenliang , Peng Yao , Wang Mingzhi , Cao Jinzhen
Published: July 2023

High‐performance porous materials with a low carbon footprint provide sustainable alternatives to petroleum‐based lightweight foams and can help meet carbon neutrality goals. However, these materials generally face a trade‐off between thermal management capabilities and structural strength. Here, a mycelium composite with a hierarchical porous structure, including both macro‐ and microscale pores, produced from multiple and advanced mycelial networks (elastic modulus of 1.2 GPa) binding loosely distributed sawdust is demonstrated. The morphological, biological, and physicochemical properties of the filamentous mycelium and composites are discussed in terms of how they are influenced by the mycelial system of the fungi and the way they interact with the substrate. The composite shows a porosity of 0.94, a noise reduction coefficient of 0.55 at a frequency range of 250–3000 Hz (for a 15 mm thick sample), a thermal conductivity of 0.042 W m−1 K−1, and an energy absorption of 18 kJ m−3 at 50% strain. It is also hydrophobic, repairable, and recyclable. It is expected that the hierarchical porous structural composite with excellent thermal and mechanical properties can make a significant impact on the future development of highly sustainable alternatives to lightweight plastic foams.