bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overview of Bioactive Delivery Systems
Authors: McClements David Julian
Published: June 2023

There has been great interest in the design, fabrication, and application of edible delivery systems to encapsulate, retain, protect, and release active agents over the past decade or so. A wide variety of different kinds of delivery systems have been assembled from food-grade ingredients, including microemulsions, nanoemulsions, emulsions, multiple emulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanoliposomes, liposomes, biopolymer nanoparticles, and microgels. These delivery systems differ in the composition, dimensions, structural organization, surface chemistry, polarity, and electrical characteristics of the particles they contain, which means that they differ in their functional attributes. Ideally, it is important to be able to select the most appropriate delivery systems for a specific food application. This means that the delivery system should be formed using economic ingredients and processes, that it is robust enough to survive food processing, storage, and utilization, that it protects the encapsulated component, and that it retains/releases the encapsulated component under the desired conditions. One of the major drawbacks of much of the research in this area published in scientific literature is that the delivery systems are assembled from ingredients that are not acceptable in foods, using processing operations that are not economic or cannot easily be scaled up, or that have physicochemical or sensory attributes that are incompatible with food products. In this chapter, the “delivery by design” (DbD) concept is outlined as a rational approach to design and fabricate edible delivery systems that are more suitable for applications in commercial products.
Materials for Bioactive Compound Delivery Systems
Authors: Aguiar A. C. , Gomes A. , Costa A. L. R. , Cunha R. L.
Published: June 2023

A significant number of processes focused on obtaining and stabilizing nutraceuticals have been developed due to the increased consumer awareness about the consumption of products with naturally-derived active ingredients. However, the potential health benefits of many nutraceuticals are not fully realized for many different reasons. For instance, some nutraceuticals may present instabilities when subjected to variations in temperature, pH and ionic strength, presence of light, and oxygen. Therefore, different strategies and notable advances have been achieved in designing delivery systems to protect and increase the bioavailability of nutraceuticals. An essential step in this process is the appropriate selection of the carrier material to compose the delivery system since it will strongly influence the encapsulation efficiency and stability of the nutraceuticals. Thus, this chapter focuses on the different types of carrier materials, namely proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and surfactants, presenting their main properties and most recent applications in stabilizing lipophilic nutraceuticals. Additionally, the existing challenges and prospects of the development of carrier materials and systems are discussed.
Liposomes
Authors: Chaves Matheus A. , Esposto Bruno S. , Martelli-Tosi Milena , Pinho Samantha C.
Published: June 2023

Liposomes are spherical-shaped vesicles with great potential for food applications due to the feasibility of encapsulating both hydrophilic and hydrophobic bioactives into their amphipathic structure. An outstanding characteristic of liposomes is the possibility of encapsulating lipophilic substances in water-dispersible systems, similar to most of the existent food formulations. Over the past few years, an increasing number of publications regarding the production and characterization of liposomal systems showed that this subject can still be considered a hot topic but few studies are available on their achievable applications in foods. Also, more research is needed regarding the evaluation of the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of encapsulated bioactives in the human body, which can be also achieved using in vitro digestion analysis. Moreover, liposomes can be produced in accordance to industrial needs using easily scalable methods. Innovative methods have also been developed for this purpose, allowing a larger scale production of liposomes. Therefore, this chapter focuses on providing an overview of the main physicochemical characteristics, food applications, production methods, and characterization of liposomes. Future trends and perspectives regarding the use of liposomes in the food industry are also presented.
Nanocrystal-based Systems
Authors: Peng Shengfeng , McClements David Julian , Chen Long
Published: June 2023

Many food-derived phytochemicals are highly hydrophobic materials that are in a crystalline state. Rather than dissolving them in organic fluids, it is possible to deliver these phytochemicals in the form of nanocrystals. Reducing the size of crystals increases their surface area and reactivity, which can lead to an appreciable increase in their bioaccessibility. Moreover, the crystalline forms of phytochemicals are typically more chemically stable than the soluble forms, which can lead to a higher amount being available in a bioactive form after ingestion. This chapter mainly discusses the formation, properties, and applications of nanocrystals as delivery systems for nutraceuticals and other bioactive molecules, and highlights their advantages and disadvantages.
Hydrogel-based Systems
Authors: Chen Long , Yang Zhongyu , McClements David Julian , Zhang Zipei , Xu Zhenlin , Meng Man , Peng Xinwen , Jin Zhengyu
Published: June 2023

Hydrogels are formed by physical or chemical cross-linking of biopolymer molecules (such as proteins and polysaccharides) to form a three-dimensional network structure that retains relatively high amounts of water. Hydrogels are commonly used to construct food-grade delivery systems because of their unique properties, such as encapsulation, protection, and controlled/triggered release. This chapter discusses the composition, structure, and interactions of hydrogels, as well as their physicochemical properties and formation. Finally, the pros and cons and application range of hydrogel-based delivery systems are discussed and forecasted. In particular, examples of their application for the encapsulation and protection of nutraceuticals, such as curcumin and carotenoids, are given.
A smartphone-integrated low-cost, reagent-free, non-destructive dried blood spot-based paper sensor for hematocrit measurement
Authors: Sinha Smriti , Basu Akashlina , Shukla Jai , Dasgupta Shirin , Dutta Gorachand , Das Soumen
Published: June 2023

Schematic illustration of paper sensor integrated with a smartphone application for estimating blood hematocrit from a drop of blood. Accurate, sensitive, and eco-friendly approach suitable for point-of-care diagnostic in resource-poor settings.
Cell surface glycoproteomics: deciphering glycoproteins through a unique analytical capture approach
Authors: Huang Shan , Wang Xiaotong , Zhang Peng , Yang Shuang
Published: June 2023

Cell surface proteins (CSPs) are often glycosylated and involved in various biological processes such as cell–cell interactions, immune responses, and molecular transport.
Plexcitonics: plasmon–exciton coupling for enhancing spectroscopy, optical chirality, and nonlinearity
Authors: Chen Yichuan , Sun Mengtao
Published: June 2023

Plexcitonics is a rapidly developing interdisciplinary field that holds immense potential for the creation of innovative optical technologies and devices.
Synthesis and luminescence properties of two silver cluster-assembled materials for selective Fe3+ sensing
Authors: Sakai Jin , Biswas Sourav , Irie Tsukasa , Mabuchi Haruna , Sekine Taishu , Niihori Yoshiki , Das Saikat , Negishi Yuichi
Published: June 2023

We herein report the designed synthesis of two new unprecedented (4.6)-connected three-dimensional luminescent silver cluster-assembled materials that exhibit remarkable sensing ability for Fe3+ in aqueous medium.
Giant magnetic anisotropy of adatoms on the graphane surface
Authors: Hao Kuan-Rong , Song Yang , Zhang Lizhi
Published: June 2023

Remarkable magnetic anisotropy provides more possibilities in electronic devices such as quantum information storage and processing.
Correction: From micro/nano structured isotactic polypropylene to a multifunctional low-density nanoporous medium
Authors: Saniei Mehdi , Tran Minh-Phuong , Bae Seong-Soo , Buahom Piyapong , Gong Pengjian , Park Chul B.
Published: June 2023

Correction for ‘From micro/nano structured isotactic polypropylene to a multifunctional low-density nanoporous medium’ by Mehdi Saniei et al., RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 108056–108066, https://doi.org/10.1039/C6RA22607H.
Review on food waste valorisation for bioplastic production towards a circular economy: sustainable approaches and biodegradability assessment
Authors: Banu J Rajesh , Sharmila V Godvin
Published: June 2023

To implement circular production and consumption practices, tackling key societal concerns such as resource depletion, climate change, and environmental pollution is necessary.
Computational design of a mixed A-site cation halide solid electrolyte for all-solid-state lithium batteries
Authors: Tham Bui Thi , Park Min-Sik , Kim Jung Ho , Moon Janghyuk
Published: June 2023

All-solid-state Li-ion batteries (ASSBs) are considered as ideal next-generation energy storage devices owing to their safe operation and high energy densities.
Unprecedented urea oxidation on Zn@Ni-MOF with an ultra-high current density: understanding the competition between UOR and OER, catalytic activity limitation and reaction selectivity
Authors: Shrestha Nabeen K. , Patil Supriya A. , Salunke Amol S. , Inamdar Akbar I. , Im Hyunsik
Published: June 2023

Zn-doping populates the catalytically active Ni3+-OOH sites, and subsequently prevents the detrimental competition between the UOR and OER. Consequently, Zn@Ni-MOF demonstrates an outstanding ultra-high UOR current density.
Glucose oxidation assisted hydrogen and gluconic/glucaric acid production using NiVP/Pi bifunctional electrocatalyst
Authors: Thakur Neha , Mehta Daisy , Chaturvedi Akansha , Mandal Debaprasad , Nagaiah Tharamani C.
Published: June 2023

Hydrogen is an efficient green energy source. Herein, we report nickel vanadium phosphide/phosphate–Vulcan carbon (NiVP/Pi–VC) as an effective bifunctional electrocatalyst for HER coupled with glucose oxidation, which shows lower cell voltage compared to water electrolysis.
Atomistic design of two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks with high thermoelectric performance
Authors: Zhou Tingxia , Wu Xiaomei , Deng Tianqi , Li Haoyuan , Gao Zhibin , Shi Wen
Published: June 2023

Ab initioinvestigations reveal that the ratio of contributions of linker and knot parts to the valence bands is a strong predictor to assess the p-type thermoelectric power factor of two-dimensional COFs.
Amplified spontaneous emission from waveguides based on hybrid quasi-2D perovskites of Dion–Jacobson and Ruddlesden–Popper phases
Authors: Tang Yang , Guo Junhan , Liu Bin , Qin Liang , Deng Zhenbo , Hu Yufeng , Teng Feng , Lou Zhidong , Hou Yanbing
Published: June 2023

Morphology optimized quasi-2D perovskite films are fabricated through a strategy of hybrid Dion–Jacobson and Ruddlesden–Popper phases, resulting in good amplified spontaneous emission performance with a low threshold and high gain coefficient.
Relationship between air pollutant distribution and large-scale circulation
Authors: Mbululo Yassin , Jun Qin , Nyihirani Fatuma , Yuan Zhengxuan , Huang Sijing , Wang Yajuan
Published: June 2023

The leading mode of the singular value decomposition (SVD) of geopotential height (GPH) and boundary layer structure index (BLSI).
Volumetric interferometry for sparse 3D synthetic aperture radar with bistatic geometries
Authors: Welsh Richard , Andre Daniel , Finnis Mark
Published: June 2023

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) renderings in 3D provide additional target information when compared to 2D by separating out features overlaid in height. However, the required 2D SAR aperture, when Nyquist sampled, necessitates large scanning times that would be impractical for most realistic collections. This research has developed a novel volumetric approach to sparse aperture 3D SAR imaging, which is applicable to bistatic SAR near‐field geometries, a generalization of far‐field cases. This approach is first demonstrated in simulation and then applied to a measured scene containing a model vehicle target, producing sub‐Nyquist sampled 3D SAR renderings.
Security design for integrated communication and computation networks through cooperative cognitive radios
Authors: Hu Changjie , Li Quanzhong , Zhang Qi
Published: June 2023

In this letter, a novel integrated communication and computation framework is proposed through cooperative cognitive radios, which includes a communication primary network (PN) and a computing secondary network. Specifically, two primary communication users intend to exchange their confidential information with the relay assistance of cognitive access point (CAP), meanwhile, multiple sensors share the spectrum of PN to transmit their concurrent sensing data to CAP. The CAP is assumed to be a potential eavesdropper and to ensure the secure communication of primary users (PUs) and computational performance of the CAP, it is proposed to maximize the sum achievable secrecy rate of PUs by jointly designing the transmit precoding, relay beamforming matrix, transmit scaling factors and aggregation beamforming vector, while satisfying the constraint of the computational mean square error of the CAP. A weighted minimum mean square error (WMMSE)‐based block coordinate descent (BCD) algorithm is developed to solve the formulated problem, and simulation results are provided to validate the effectiveness of our proposed schemes.
Low‐light image enhancement for infrared and visible image fusion
Authors: Zhou Yiqiao , Xie Lisiqi , He Kangjian , Xu Dan , Tao Dapeng , Lin Xu
Published: June 2023

Infrared and visible image fusion (IVIF) is an essential branch of image fusion, and enhancing the visible image of IVIF can significantly improve the fusion performance. However, many existing low‐light enhancement methods are unsuitable for the visible image enhancement of IVIF. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes a new visible image enhancement method for IVIF. Firstly, the colour balance and contrast enhancement‐based self‐calibrated illumination estimation (CCSCE) is proposed to improve the input image's brightness, contrast, and colour information. Then, the method based on Mutually Guided Image Filtering (muGIF) is adopted to design a strategy to extract details adaptively from the original visible image, which can keep details without introducing additional noise effectively. Finally, the proposed visible image enhancement technique is used for IVIF tasks. In addition, the proposed method can be used for the visible image enhancement of IVIF and other low‐light images. Experiment results on different public datasets and IVIF demonstrate the authors’ method's superiority from both qualitative and quantitative comparisons. The authors’ code will be publicly available at https://github.com/yiqiao666/low‐light‐enhancement‐for‐IVIF/tree/master.
Dynamics analysis for DC transformers integration in hybrid AC‐DC power distribution networks
Authors: Mace Jules , Pillon Barcelos Renan , Dupont Max , Cervone Andrea , Dujic Drazen
Published: June 2023

In AC/DC power distributions networks, power converters are interfacing buses to ensure DC voltage regulation and power distribution. Active front ends are used between AC and DC buses and two typical control schemes that can be implemented are voltage regulation or power regulation. On the DC side, open‐loop operated DC transformers could be used between two DC buses to provide voltage adaptation, isolation and natural power flow. In this context, power flows and DC bus voltages in the power distribution network are dependent on the combined operation of the active front ends and the DC transformer. Mainly studied from a stability perspective, this interdependency between active front ends and DC transformers has lacked investigations in terms of dynamics. Fast dynamics is nevertheless important to operate optimally a network. In this paper, the assessment of the dynamic performance for distribution systems with DC transformers is performed for different mixes of voltage regulating and power regulating active front ends. The influence of DC line length and DC transformer power reversal method on the system is further investigated. A model of the system is proposed, validated experimentally and can be used to aid system level design and analysis of future DC systems.
Revisiting equilibrium condensation and rocky planet compositions
Authors: Timmermann Anina , Shan Yutong , Reiners Ansgar , Pack Andreas
Published: June 2023

Context. The bulk composition of exoplanets cannot yet be directly observed. Equilibrium condensation simulations help us better understand the composition of the planets’ building blocks and their relation to the composition of their host star.

Aims. We introduce ECCOPLANETS, an open-source Python code that simulates condensation in the protoplanetary disk. Our aim is to analyse how well a simplistic model can reproduce the main characteristics of rocky planet formation. For this purpose, we revisited condensation temperatures (Tc) as a means to study disk chemistry, and explored their sensitivity to variations in pressure (p) and elemental abundance pattern. We also examined the bulk compositions of rocky planets around chemically diverse stars.

Methods. Our T-p-dependent chemical equilibrium model is based on a Gibbs free energy minimisation. We derived condensation temperatures for Solar System parameters with a simulation limited to the most common chemical species. We assessed their change (∆Tc) as a result of p-variation between 10−6 and 0.1 bar. To analyse the influence of the abundance pattern, key element ratios were varied, and the results were validated using solar neighbourhood stars. To derive the bulk compositions of planets, we explored three different planetary feeding-zone (FZ) models and compared their output to an external n-body simulation.

Results. Our model reproduces the external results well in all tests. For common planet-building elements, we derive a Tc that is within ±5 K of literature values, taking a wider spectrum of components into account. The Tc is sensitive to variations in p and the abundance pattern. For most elements, it rises with p and metallicity. The tested pressure range (10−6 − 0.1 bar) corresponds to ∆Tc ≈ +350 K, and for −0.3 ≤ [M/H] ≤ 0.4 we find ∆Tc ≈ +100 K. An increase in C/O from 0.1 to 0.7 results in a decrease of ∆Tc ≈ −100 K. Other element ratios are less influential. Dynamic planetary accretion can be emulated well with any FZ model. Their width can be adapted to reproduce gradual changes in planetary composition.
Overview of desorption parameters of volatile and complex organic molecules
Authors: Ligterink N. F. W. , Minissale M.
Published: June 2023

Context. Many molecules observed in the interstellar medium are thought to result from the thermal desorption of ices. Parameters such as the desorption energy and pre-exponential frequency factor are essential in describing the desorption of molecules. Experimental determinations of these parameters are missing for many molecules, including those found in the interstellar medium.

Aims. The objective of this work is to expand the number of molecules for which desorption parameters are available, by collecting and re-analysing experimental temperature programmed desorption data that are present in the literature.

Methods. We used transition state theory (TST) in combination with the Redhead equation to determine the desorption parameters. Experimental data and molecular constants (e.g. mass, moment of inertia, etc.) were collected and given as input.

Results. Using the Redhead-TST method, the desorption parameters for 133 molecules were determined. The Redhead-TST method is found to provide reliable results that agree well with desorption parameters determined on the basis of more rigorous experimental methods. The importance of using accurately determined pre-exponential frequency factors to simulate desorption profiles is highlighted here. The large amount of data allows us to look for trends, with the most important being the relationship log10(v) = 2.65ln(m) + 8.07, where ν is the pre-exponential frequency factor and m is the mass of the molecule.

Conclusions. The data collected in this work allow for the thermal desorption of molecules to be modeled, with the aim of helping improve our understanding of changes in the chemical and elemental composition of interstellar environments.
Numerical study of beam shape adaptation by anisotropic disk covering transducer or metamaterial
Authors: Declercq Nico F.
Published: June 2023

Metamaterials are intensely explored for their capabilities to modify sound beams. In addition to frequency filtering, acoustic lenses offer intriguing possibilities for shaping sound beams. For the time being, the versatility of metamaterials remains limitless. In beam-shape adaptation, however, their complexity suggests that manufacturers of transducers could benefit from combining metamaterials with more conventional materials. This paper investigates the transmission of a circumscribed beam through a stratum of anisotropic material to examine the change in beam shape after transmission. The incident sound is presumed to originate from a conventional transducer, possibly coated with a metamaterial to modify the sound field, before being transmitted through the anisotropic layer. Different incident beam shapes, such as conical-like, Gaussian, and pillar beams, are investigated. While the results are not exhaustive, they demonstrate the beam shape’s adaptability.
Study on the sealing test method of hydraulic solenoid valve in nuclear power station
Authors: Wang Haibao , Tan Xudong , Xiao Qunxiong , Chang Xincai
Published: June 2023

In order to improve the reliability of tripping solenoid valve and switching solenoid valve of steam turbine valve in nuclear power plant and reduce abnormal valve closing. According to the working principle of valves in nuclear power plant, this paper designs a kind of electromagnetic valve sealing test system, including test base, measurement and control system and hydraulic system. The detection system is an offline system. By simulating the real load condition of the steam turbine system, the tightness of the tripping solenoid valve and the switching solenoid valve is tested to improve the reliability of the solenoid valve. The actual application results show that the system operates stably and reliably, is simple to operate, has high detection efficiency and accuracy, and has good use effect.
Simulation analysis of internal and external faults in transformer area
Authors: Bai Peixian , Jia Yixuan
Published: June 2023

Under different types of internal and external faults of transformers, electrical quantities such as voltage, differential current and transformer oil flow rate change accordingly. In this paper, the variation law is studied, and the variation law of differential current and other electrical quantities under different types of faults and abnormal conditions inside and outside the transformer area is verified by simulation. The characteristics of faults inside and outside the area are different, and the faults inside and outside the transformer area are judged. At the same time, ANSYS Maxwell 3D, ANSYS Fluent and other software are used to model and simulate the transformer, and the oil flow rate changes under different operating conditions such as normal operation, external fault and internal fault of the transformer are analyzed.
Der biodynamische Behandlungsansatz in der osteopathischen Praxis
– eine qualitative Interviewstudie
Authors: Grasmück Jürgen , Müller Fabian , Kienzler Pia
Published: June 2023

Bislang wurde die biodynamische
Osteopathie wissenschaftlich kaum untersucht. Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit zielt
darauf ab, diesem Thema nachzugehen. Hierzu dienen Experteninterviews, in denen
sowohl die zugrundeliegenden Prinzipien als auch praktische Anwendungen und
Besonderheiten dieses Ansatzes erläutert werden. Des Weiteren soll
erörtert werden, inwiefern strukturell arbeitende Osteopathen Teilaspekte
der Biodynamik in ihre Behandlungen integrieren können und welche
Veränderungen damit einhergehen.
diabinfo.de: Das Informationsportal, wenn es um Diabetes geht
Authors: Ochel Pia , Dauben Laura , Jones Emely , Vogt Kristina , Weber Katrin
Published: June 2023

Das nationale Diabetesinformationsportal diabinfo.de stellt Menschen mit Diabetes, sowie Menschen mit einem erhöhten Diabetes-Risiko, Angehörigen, Fachkreisen und allen Interessierten allgemeinverständliche Informationen zur Erkrankung Diabetes mellitus und diabetesbedingten Begleit- und Folgeerkrankungen zur Verfügung.

diabinfo.de ist ein gemeinsames Portal von Helmholtz Munich, dem Deutschen Diabetes-Zentrum (DDZ) und dem Deutschen Zentrum für Diabetesforschung (DZD). In seinen 3 Unterportalen „Diabetes vorbeugen“, „Leben mit Diabetes“ und „Informationen für Fachkreise“ erhalten alle Interessierten aktuelle, neutrale und wissenschaftlich geprüfte Informationen zu allen Formen des Diabetes mellitus sowie zur Prävention von Typ-2-Diabetes.
Tubularization of the gastric pouch helps sustain weight loss after transoral outlet reduction for post-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass weight recurrence
Authors: Abboud Donna Maria , Ghazi Rabih , Brunaldi Vitor , Gala Khushboo , Baroud Serge , Kerbage Anthony , AbdulRazzak Farah , Al Annan Karim , Rapaka Babusai , Yao Rebecca , Vargas Eric J. , Storm Andrew C , Abu Dayyeh Barham K.
Published: June 2023

Background and study aims Traditional transoral outlet reduction (TORe) is a minimally invasive endoscopic approach focused on reducing the aperture of the gastrojejunal (GJ) anastomosis, while the tubular transoral outlet reduction (tTORe) consists of tabularization of the distal pouch utilizing an O-shape gastroplasty suturing pattern. The primary aim of this study was to compare short-term weight loss between TORe and tTORe.

Patients and methods Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database was conducted at a tertiary care bariatric center of excellence. The study included patients with history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) who had an endoscopic revision by TORe or tTORe and had follow-up data in their electronic medical record. The primary outcome was percent total body weight loss (%TBWL).

Results A total of 128 patients were included (tTORe=85, TORe=43). At 3 and 6 months, the tTORe and TORe cohorts presented similar %TBWL (3 months: 8.5±4.9 vs. 7.3±6.0, P = 0.27 and 6 months: 8.1±7.4 vs. 6.8±5.6, P = 0.44). At 9 months, there was a trend toward greater weight loss in the tTORe cohort (9.7±8.6% vs. 5.1±6.8%, P = 0.053). At 12 months, the %TBWL was significantly higher in the tubularization group compared to the standard group (8.2±10.8 vs. 2.3±7.3%, P = 0.01). Procedure time was significantly different between both groups (60.5 vs. 53.4 minutes, P = 0.03). The adverse events rate was similar between groups (8.2% vs. 7.0% for tTORe and TORe, respectively, P = 0.61).

Conclusions The tTORe enhances efficacy and durability of the standard procedure without adding significant procedure-related risks.
Comparison of Balloon-Occluded Thrombolysis with Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis in Patients of Budd-Chiari Syndrome with Occluded Direct Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt
Authors: Mukund Amar , Yadav Tanya , Singh Satender Pal , Shasthry Saggere Muralikrishna , Maiwall Rakhi , Patidar Yashwant , Sarin Shiv Kumar
Published: June 2023

Objectives Direct intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (DIPS) stent placement is an effective treatment for patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS); however, thrombotic occlusion of DIPS stent remains a cause of concern. The purpose of this study is to describe a novel technique of balloon-occluded-thrombolysis (BOT) for occluded DIPS stent, and compare it with the conventional catheter-directed-thrombolysis (CDT).

Methods In this retrospective study, the hospital database was searched for BCS patients who underwent DIPS revision for thrombotic stent occlusion between January 2015 and February 2021. Patients were divided into CDT group and BOT group. The groups were compared for technical success, total dose of thrombolytic agent administered, duration of hospital stay, and primary assisted stent patency rates at 1- and 6-month follow-up.

Results CDT was performed in 12 patients, whereas 21 patients underwent BOT. Complete recanalization was achieved in 66.7% (8 of 12) patients of CDT group as compared to 81% (17 of 21) patients of BOT group (nonsignificant difference, p = 0.420). BOT group had a short hospital stay (1.8 ± 0.7 vs. 3.5 ± 1.0 days) and required less dose of thrombolytic agent ([2.2 ± 0.4]x105 IU versus [8.3 ± 2.9]x105 IU of urokinase) as compared to the CDT group and both differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Further, 6-month patency rate was higher in BOT group as compared to CDT group (p = 0.024).

Conclusion The novel BOT technique of DIPS revision allows longer contact time of thrombolytic agent with the thrombi within the occluded stent. This helps in achieving fast recanalization of thrombosed DIPS stent with a significantly less dose of thrombolytic agent required, thus reducing the risk of systemic complications associated with thrombolytic administration.
Safety and Tolerability of COVID-19 Vaccination in Adolescents and Young Adults with Epilepsy: A Multicenter Questionnaire Study
Authors: Kobayashi Yoshiyuki , Ishikawa Nobutsune , Tateishi Yuichi , Izumo Hiroki , Eguchi Yuta , Fujii Yuji , Ono Hiroaki , Okada Satoshi
Published: June 2023

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and was first recorded in December 2019. COVID-19 became a pandemic involving almost all countries, including Japan. We evaluated the tolerability and safety of coronavirus vaccines in terms of seizures in adolescents and young adults with epilepsy (AYAWE).

Methods We administered a questionnaire to AYAWE who visited the pediatrics departments of Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital, and Hiroshima City Funairi Citizens Hospital in January and February 2022. Tolerability and safety after immunization were assessed.

Results In total, 114 vaccinations were delivered to 57 AYAWE aged 12 to 25 years (mean, 15 ± 3.1 years). Fifty-two (91.2%) experienced more than or equal to 1 adverse event postvaccination. The most commonly reported adverse events were fever (dose 1, 33.3%; dose 2, 73.7%) and fatigue (dose 1, 24.6%; dose 2, 50.9%). The incidences of headache (5.2 vs. 21.0%, p = 0.024), fever (33.3 vs. 73.7%, p < 0.001), and fatigue (24.6 vs. 50.9%, p = 0.004) differed significantly between the first and second doses. Only 5.2% of patients experienced transient seizure worsening, and only one patient reported a change in seizure semiology.

Conclusion COVID-19 vaccines were well-tolerated in our cohort. The vaccines did not affect the number or manifestations of seizures. Similar to other illnesses, vaccination for COVID-19 can be administered to AYAWE without worsening their seizures.
Noisy airplanes no more
Authors: Shapiro Maura
Published: June 2023

Aircraft speed and configuration significantly contribute to descent sound level, which can be dangerous noise pollution for surrounding communities.
Confined water–encapsulated activated carbon for capturing short-chain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances from drinking water
Authors: Shi Yuanji , Mu Hongxin , You Jiaqian , Han Chenglong , Cheng Huazai , Wang Jinfeng , Hu Haidong , Ren Hongqiang
Published: June 2023

The global ecological crisis of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in drinking water has gradually shifted from long-chain to short-chain PFASs; however, the widespread established PFAS adsorption technology cannot cope with the impact of such hydrophilic pollutants given the inherent defects of solid–liquid mass transfer. Herein, we describe a reagent-free and low-cost strategy to reduce the energy state of short-chain PFASs in hydrophobic nanopores by employing an in situ constructed confined water structure in activated carbon (AC). Through direct (driving force) and indirect (assisted slip) effects, the confined water introduced a dual-drive mode in the confined water–encapsulated activated carbon (CW-AC) and completely eliminated the mass transfer barrier (3.27 to 5.66 kcal/mol), which caused the CW-AC to exhibit the highest adsorption capacity for various short-chain PFASs (C-F number: 3-6) among parent AC and other adsorbents reported. Meanwhile, benefiting from the chain length– and functional group–dependent confined water–binding pattern, the affinity of the CW-AC surpassed the traditional hydrophobicity dominance and shifted toward hydrophilic short-chain PFASs that easily escaped treatment. Importantly, the ability of CW-AC functionality to directly transfer to existing adsorption devices was verified, which could treat 21,000 bed volumes of environment-related high-load (~350 ng/L short-chain PFAS each) real drinking water to below the World Health Organization’s standard. Overall, our results provide a green and cost-effective in situ upgrade scheme for existing adsorption devices to address the short-chain PFAS crisis.
Promoted hydrogen and acetaldehyde production from alcohol dehydrogenation enabled by electrochemical hydrogen pumps
Authors: Wu Yujie , Zhu Xiaorong , Du Shiqian , Huang Gen , Zhou Bo , Lu Yuxuan , Li Yafei , Jiang San Ping , Tao Li , Wang Shuangyin
Published: June 2023

The dehydrogenation reaction of bioderived ethanol is of particular interest for the synthesis of fuels and value-added chemicals. However, this reaction historically suffered from high energy consumption (>260 °C or >0.8 V) and low efficiency. Herein, the efficient conversion of alcohol to hydrogen and aldehyde is achieved by integrating the thermal dehydrogenation reaction with electrochemical hydrogen transfer at low temperature (120 °C) and low voltage (0.06 V), utilizing a bifunctional catalyst (Ru/C) with both thermal-catalytic and electrocatalytic activities. Specifically, the coupled electrochemical hydrogen separation procedure can serve as electrochemical hydrogen pumps, which effectively promote the equilibrium of ethanol dehydrogenation toward hydrogen and acetaldehyde production and simultaneously purifies hydrogen at the cathode. By utilizing this strategy, we achieved boosted hydrogen and acetaldehyde yields of 1,020 mmol g
–1
h
–1
and 1,185 mmol g
–1
h
–1
, respectively, which are threefold higher than the exclusive ethanol thermal dehydrogenation. This work opens up a prospective route for the high-efficiency production of hydrogen and acetaldehyde via coupled thermal-electrocatalysis.
Ultrahigh toughness zirconia ceramics
Authors: Matsui Koji , Hosoi Kohei , Feng Bin , Yoshida Hidehiro , Ikuhara Yuichi
Published: June 2023

The attainment of both high strength and toughness is the ultimate goal for most structural materials. Although ceramic material has been considered for use as a structural material due to its high strength and good chemical stability, it suffers from the limitation of low toughness. For instance, although Y
2
O
3
-stabilized tetragonal ZrO
2
polycrystals (Y-TZPs) exhibit remarkable toughness among ceramics due to their phase transformation toughening mechanism, this toughness is still much weaker than that of metals. Here, we report Y-TZP-based ceramic materials with toughnesses exceeding 20 MPa m
1/2
, which is comparable to those of metals, while maintaining strengths over 1,200 MPa. The superior mechanical properties are realized by reducing the phase stability of tetragonal zirconia by tailoring the microstructure and chemistry of the Y-TZP. The proposed ceramic materials can further advance the design and application of ceramic-based structural materials.
Pseudacysta perseae (Heidemann). [Distribution map].
Authors: CABI  , EPPO
Published: June 2023

A new distribution map is provided for Pseudacysta perseae (Heidemann). Hemiptera: Tingidae. Main host: avocado (
Persea americana
).
Idioscopus nitidulus (Walker). [Distribution map].
Authors: CABI  , EPPO
Published: June 2023

A new distribution map is provided for Idioscopus nitidulus (Walker). Hemiptera: Cicadellidae. Host: mango (
Mangifera indica
).
Powder metallurgy processing of Nb-modified near β titanium alloys prepared with elemental powders
Authors: Opini Victor Carvalho , Fogagnolo João Batista , Borrás Vicente Amigó , Caram Rubens , Soyama Juliano
Published: June 2023

Near β Ti alloys typically show high specific strength and provide a wide spectrum of mechanical properties with different heat treatments. In this work, a commercial near β Ti alloy Ti-5553 (Ti-5Al-5V-5Mo-3Cr-0.5Fe) was prepared through powder metallurgy using the blended elemental powder approach. Additionally, alloy modifications with 6 wt.% Nb (Ti-6Nb-5Al-2.5V-5Mo-3Cr-0.5Fe) and 12 wt.% Nb (Ti-12Nb-5Al-5Mo-3Cr-0.5Fe) were investigated. Specimens were prepared by uniaxial cold compaction of blended powders at room temperature with sintering conducted at 1300°C for 2 h under Ar atmosphere. Microstructure investigation revealed reasonable homogenisation of alloying elements and colony sizes in the order of 80-100 μm with porosity below 10%. Moreover, the bending strength of as-sintered Ti-12Nb-5Al-5Mo-3Cr-0.5Fe was about 850 MPa and the micro-Vickers hardness was approximately 370 HV. The alloy modifications with Nb increased strength without loss in flexural strain.
High-frequency crossover from vortex-mass enhancement to pinning
Authors: Lipavský Pavel , Lin Pei-Jen
Published: June 2023

Starting from lattice dynamics, Ginzburg Landau Theory is used to study phonon contributions to the effective vortex mass of a moving Abrikosov lattice driven by a small driving force, in this case circularly polarized light. A general expression is obtained of dynamical additional mass, which is capable of including both acoustic and optical phonon contributions. At the level of linear response, this frequency-dependent mass increases with driving frequency. After reaching a maximum at the frequency corresponding to the eigenvalue of the wave vector matching the coherence length, the mass begins to decrease, and eventually changes sign crossing to an effective pinning regime at high frequency. These calculations are applied to experimental results of YBCO (Teasř et al 2021 Sci. Rep.
11 21708).
Reassessing lead protective garment assessment using ICRP 103 tissue weighting factors
Authors: Brewer Joan M , Hammerstrom Kevin , Bjarnason Thorarin A
Published: June 2023

Lead protective garments worn by medical staff in the presence of x-rays develop defects over time. This work proposes a novel method of assessing the protective efficacy of the garments as defects develop. The proposed method applies updated radiobiology data from ICRP 103. This work applied the as low as reasonably achievable principle to devise a formula through which a maximum allowed defect area in lead protective garments can be calculated. This formula depends on the cross-sectional areas (

A

) and ICRP 103 tissue weighting factors (

w

t

) of the most radiosensitive and overlapping organs protected by the garment, the maximum allowed additional effective dose to the garment wearer due to the defects (

d

), and the unattenuated absorbed dose at the surface of the garment (

D

). The maximum allowed defect areas are separated into three regions: above the waist, below the waist, and thyroid. To be conservative, it was assumed that

D

= 50 mGy yr−1, and

d

= 0.3 mSv yr−1. Also conservatively, transmission was assumed to be 0%, as employing a non-zero transmission factor would increase the maximum allowed defect area. Maximum allowed defect areas were as follows: 370 mm2 for above the waist, 37 mm2 for below the waist, and 279 mm2 for the thyroid. These values can be compared to commonly published values which are 670 mm2 for an apron, 15 mm2 over the gonads, and 11–20 mm2 for the thyroid. The proposed method for lead protective garment assessment is highly adaptable as values can be adjusted as radiobiology data are updated, and as values such as radiation dose limits vary across jurisdictions. Future works will include collection of data for unattenuated dose to apron (

D

) as it varies across professions, so that garments may be allowed different defect areas if relegated to individuals of specific professions.
Designing a 1D extended logistic map for a secure image encryption
Authors: Ren Qiying , Wang Zhipeng
Published: June 2023

The performance of the keystream is an important index for determining the security of a cryptosystem. However, the parameter range of the classical one-dimensional chaotic map is limited, and the distribution of the generated chaotic sequence is aggregated. Using the keystream generated by such chaotic systems can lead to a small secret key space and low security of the cryptosystem. To address this, this paper proposes a 1D Extended Logistic Map (1D-ELM), which combines the Sin and Logistic maps. The 1D-ELM has the same control parameters as the Logistic map, but the parameter range in which 1D-ELM exhibits chaotic behavior is larger than that of the Logistic map. The performance of 1D-ELM is evaluated using the Lyapunov exponent, bifurcation diagram, and 0-1 test. Additionally, 1D-ELM is applied in image encryption. In the secret key generation stage, the designed cryptosystem employs a combination of public and private keys, ensuring the algorithm’s security. An attacker needs to find two secret keys to crack the algorithm. Furthermore, in the diffusion stage, most ciphertext values are related to the three adjacent ciphertext values, reducing the correlation of adjacent ciphertext pixels. The experiment verifies that 1D-ELM has good application in image encryption and plays an important role. The designed cryptographic system has high security.
Magnetically enhanced THz generation by self-focusing laser in VA-MCNTs
Authors: Kumar Sandeep , Thakur Vishal , Kant Niti
Published: June 2023

Magnetically enhanced terahertz (THz) radiations are generated on account of the self-focusing of the laser beam in the bunch of anharmonic Vertically Aligned Metallic Carbon Nanotubes (VA-MCNTs) embedded on the non-conductive sapphire or silicon on sapphire (SOS) substrate. The high-power Gaussian laser beam gets self-focused in the bunch of VA-MCNTs as the initial power of the propagating beam is greater than its critical power. The resulting laser beam interacts with the bunch of VA-MCNTs and as a result, the electrons of MCNTs experience a nonlinear ponderomotive force to show oscillatory behavior with resonant nonlinear transverse velocity. It produces the nonlinear current which drives the THz radiation generation. Enhanced THz generation is noticed in the regions where self-focusing becomes stronger. We have observed that an applied magnetic field, anharmonic behavior of MCNTs, self-focusing, and dimensions of MCNTs also pave the way for the enhancement of the normalized THz amplitude. The anisotropic behavior of the dielectric tensor in the presence of an externally applied static magnetic field also helps to enhance the THz amplitude. The results shown (by the beautiful graphs and well supported by the numerical simulation) in the present scheme indicate that the bunch of VA-MCNTs can play a diverse and significant role in the important applications of THz medical photonics by varying the values of various parameters. The emitted THz radiation has the ability to detect changes in the DNA of human beings because the frequency of the emitted radiation is observed to lie in the frequency region of molecular spectra of DNA and the corresponding energy of THz radiation is not high enough to damage the DNA by ionization.
Essential Fierz identities for a fermionic field
Authors: Dale Roberto , Herrero Alicia , Morales-Lladosa Juan Antonio
Published: June 2023

For a single fermionic field, an interpretation of the Fierz identities (which establish relations between the bilinear field observables) is given. They appear closely related to the algebraic class (regular or singular) of the spin 2-form S associated to the spinor field. If S ≠ 0, the Fierz identities follow from the 3 + 1 decomposition of the eigenvector equations for S with respect to an inertial laboratory, which makes this interpretation suitable for fermionic particle physics models. When S = 0, the Fierz identities reduce to three constraints on the current densities associated with the spinor field, saying that they are orthogonal, equimodular, the vector current being time-like and the axial one being space-like.
Correlation, response and entropy approaches to allosteric behaviors: a critical comparison on the ubiquitin case
Authors: Cecconi Fabio , Costantini Giulio , Guardiani Carlo , Baldovin Marco , Vulpiani Angelo
Published: June 2023

Correlation analysis and its close variant principal component analysis are tools widely applied to predict the biological functions of macromolecules in terms of the relationship between fluctuation dynamics and structural properties. However, since this kind of analysis does not necessarily imply causation links among the elements of the system, its results run the risk of being biologically misinterpreted. By using as a benchmark the structure of ubiquitin, we report a critical comparison of correlation-based analysis with the analysis performed using two other indicators, response function and transfer entropy, that quantify the causal dependence. The use of ubiquitin stems from its simple structure and from recent experimental evidence of an allosteric control of its binding to target substrates. We discuss the ability of correlation, response and transfer-entropy analysis in detecting the role of the residues involved in the allosteric mechanism of ubiquitin as deduced by experiments. To maintain the comparison as much as free from the complexity of the modeling approach and the quality of time series, we describe the fluctuations of ubiquitin native state by the Gaussian network model which, being fully solvable, allows one to derive analytical expressions of the observables of interest. Our comparison suggests that a good strategy consists in combining correlation, response and transfer entropy, such that the preliminary information extracted from correlation analysis is validated by the two other indicators in order to discard those spurious correlations not associated with true causal dependencies.
On modelling of artefact instability in interlaboratory comparisons
Authors: Marschall Manuel , Wübbeler Gerd , Borys Michael , Elster Clemens
Published: June 2023

Key comparisons are at the core of metrology and support the international equivalence of measurement standards. Typical key comparison setups involve travelling artefacts which are transferred between the participants of a study. After each participating laboratory performs its measurements of the artefacts, a subsequent analysis reveals the degree of equivalence between the participants. For this analysis stage, the stability of the artefacts plays a crucial role, and violations of the stability need to be taken into account to allow for a meaningful comparison. In this work, we present several mathematical models for a treatment of non-negligible artefact instability effects in bilateral comparisons. We highlight the underlying model assumptions and derive analytical formulae for the estimate and standard uncertainty of the instability effect. Moreover, we derive the bilateral degree of equivalence by applying the models in a treatment essentially based on the GUM (JCGM-100). Our considerations conclude with numerical experiments using data from a bilateral comparison on illuminance and from a recent CCM key comparison of kilogram realisations.