bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between serum lactate level during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and survival in adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a multicenter cohort study
Authors: Nishioka Norihiro , Kobayashi Daisuke , Izawa Junichi , Irisawa Taro , Yamada Tomoki , Yoshiya Kazuhisa , Park Changhwi , Nishimura Tetsuro , Ishibe Takuya , Yagi Yoshiki , Kiguchi Takeyuki , Kishimoto Masafumi , Inoue Toshiya , Hayashi Yasuyuki , Sogabe Taku , Morooka Takaya , Sakamoto Haruko , Suzuki Keitaro , Nakamura Fumiko , Matsuyama Tasuku , Okada Yohei , Matsui Satoshi , Hirayama Atsushi , Yoshimura Satoshi , Kimata Shunsuke , Shimazu Takeshi , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Kawamura Takashi , Iwami Taku ,   the CRITICAL Study Group Investigators, Nishioka Norihiro , Kobayashi Daisuke , Izawa Junichi , Irisawa Taro , Yamada Tomoki , Yoshiya Kazuhisa , Park Changhwi , Nishimura Tetsuro , Ishibe Takuya , Yagi Yoshiki , Kiguchi Takeyuki , Kishimoto Masafumi , Inoue Toshiya , Hayashi Yasuyuki , Sogabe Taku , Morooka Takaya , Sakamoto Haruko , Suzuki Keitaro , Nakamura Fumiko , Matsuyama Tasuku , Okada Yohei , Matsui Satoshi , Hirayama Atsushi , Yoshimura Satoshi , Kimata Shunsuke , Shimazu Takeshi , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Kawamura Takashi , Iwami Taku
Published: January 2021

We aimed to investigate the association between serum lactate levels during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and survival in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). From the database of a multicenter registry on OHCA patients, we included adult nontraumatic OHCA patients transported to the hospital with ongoing CPR. Based on the serum lactate levels during CPR, the patients were divided into four quartiles: Q1 (≤ 10.6 mEq/L), Q2 (10.6–14.1 mEq/L), Q3 (14.1–18.0 mEq/L), and Q4 (> 18.0 mEq/L). The primary outcome was 1-month survival. Among 5226 eligible patients, the Q1 group had the highest 1-month survival (5.6% [74/1311]), followed by Q2 (3.6% [47/1316]), Q3 (1.7% [22/1292]), and Q4 (1.0% [13/1307]) groups. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the adjusted odds ratio of Q4 compared with Q1 for 1-month survival was 0.24 (95% CI 0.13–0.46). 1-month survival decreased in a stepwise manner as the quartiles increased (p for trend < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, there was an interaction between initial rhythm and survival (p for interaction < 0.001); 1-month survival of patients with a non-shockable rhythm decreased when the lactate levels increased (p for trend < 0.001), but not in patients with a shockable rhythm (p for trend = 0.72). In conclusion, high serum lactate level during CPR was associated with poor 1-month survival in OHCA patients, especially in patients with non-shockable rhythm.
Correlation between short-time and whole-night obstruction level tests for patients with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Kim Jeong-Whun , Ahn Jae-Cheul , Choi Young-Seok , Rhee Chae-Seo , Jung Hahn Jin
Published: January 2021

Identification of obstructive level is crucial for successful surgical outcomes in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Unfortunately, most of the dynamic airway evaluations are performed for a short duration under drug-induced sleep; therefore, it is uncertain whether they represent airway events that occur during a whole night of sleep. This study was aimed to evaluate the correlation between obstructive levels that were identified by a short-time and a whole-night test in patients with OSA. Total 101 patients with OSA underwent drug-induced sleep fluoroscopy (DISF) and pressure manometry (PM). For DISF, the obstructive pattern was classified into one of three groups: soft palate, tongue-based, and a combined obstruction. PM was used to measure the proportion of retroglossal events out of total whole-night obstructive events in each patient. The mean age of the patients was 43.8 years. The obstructive pattern was identified as soft palate in 56 patients, combined in 38 patients, and tongue-based in 7 patients following DISF. Results from PM showed that the mean percentage of retroglossal obstructive events was 31.2 ± 30.7%. The average proportion of retroglossal obstructive events that were identified by PM in patients with soft palate, combined, and tongue-based obstruction was 27.2%, 32.1%, and 59.0%, respectively (p = 0.033). There are limitations of evaluating obstructive events that occur during a whole night with short-time tests. Surgeons should be aware the possibility of disagreement in the obstructive level between short-time and whole-night tests.
Musculoskeletal anatomy: evaluation and comparison of common teaching and learning modalities
Authors: Zibis Aristeidis , Mitrousias Vasileios , Varitimidis Sokratis , Raoulis Vasileios , Fyllos Apostolos , Arvanitis Dimitrios
Published: January 2021

Anatomy teaching has traditionally been based on dissection. However, alternative teaching modalities constantly emerge, the use of which along with a decrease in teaching hours has brought the anatomy knowledge of students and young doctors into question. In this way, the goal of the present study is to a. compare the efficacy of the most common teaching modalities and b. investigate students’ perceptions on each modality. In total, 313 medical students were taught gross anatomy of the upper limb, using four different learning modalities: dissection (n = 80), prosections (n = 77), plastic models (n = 84) and 3D anatomy software (n = 72). Students’ knowledge was examined by 100 multiple-choice and tag questions followed by an evaluation questionnaire. Regarding performance, the dissection and the 3D group outperformed the prosection and the plastic models group in total and multiple-choice questions. The performance of the 3D group in tag questions was also statistically significantly higher compared to the other three groups. In the evaluation questionnaire, dissection outperformed the rest three modalities in questions assessing students’ satisfaction, but also fear or stress before the laboratory. Moreover, dissection and 3D software were considered more useful when preparing for clinical activities. In conclusion, dissection remains first in students’ preferences and achieves higher knowledge acquisition. Contemporary, 3D anatomy software are considered equally important when preparing for clinical activities and mainly favor spatial knowledge acquisition. Prosections could be a valuable alternative when dissection is unavailable due to limited time or shortage of cadavers. Plastic models are less effective in knowledge acquisition but could be valuable when preparing for cadaveric laboratories. In conclusion, the targeted use of each learning modality is essential for a modern medical curriculum.
A double-blind randomized clinical trial of high frequency rTMS over the DLPFC on nicotine dependence, anxiety and depression
Authors: Abdelrahman Ahmed A. , Noaman Mostafa , Fawzy Mohamed , Moheb Amira , Karim Ahmed A. , Khedr Eman M.
Published: January 2021

High frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) is a widely applied treatment protocol for chronic smoking and major depressive disorder. However, no previous study has measured the effects of rTMS on both nicotine consumption and anxiety/depression in the same volunteers despite the relationship between them. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of 10 daily sessions of HF-rTMS over the L-DLPFC in chronic cigarette smokers’ addiction and investigate the possible beneficial effects of this treatment procedure on symptoms of depression and anxiety in the same subjects. The study included 40 treatment-seeking nicotine-dependent cigarette smokers. Onset/duration of smoking, number of cigarettes/day, Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Tobacco Craving Questionnaire-Short Form (TCQ-SF), Hamilton depression and anxiety scales (HAM-D and HAM-A) were recorded. Participants were randomly assigned to the active or the sham treatment group. Those in the active group received 10 trains of 20 Hz stimulation, at 80% of the resting motor threshold (rMT) for 10 consecutive working days over L-DLPFC. Participants were reassessed immediately after treatment, and then 3 months later using all rating scales. There were no differences between active and sham groups at baseline. The cigarette consumption/day, and scores on FTND, and TCQ decreased significantly in both groups (p = 0.0001 for each) immediately after treatment. However, improvement persisted to 3 months in the active group but not in the sham group. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in HAM-D and HAM-A scores immediately after treatment in the active but not the sham group. Subjects with a longer history of smoking had a lower percent improvement in FTND (p = 0.005). Our findings revealed that HF-rTMS over L-DLPCF for 10 days reduced cigarette consumption, craving, dependence, and improved associated symptoms of anxiety and depression.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03264755 registered at 29/08/2017.
MLIP genotype as a predictor of pharmacological response in primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension
Authors: Canut María I. , Villa Olaya , Kudsieh Bachar , Mattlin Heidi , Banchs Isabel , González Juan R. , Armengol Lluís , Casaroli-Marano Ricardo P.
Published: January 2021

Predicting the therapeutic response to ocular hypotensive drugs is crucial for the clinical treatment and management of glaucoma. Our aim was to identify a possible genetic contribution to the response to current pharmacological treatments of choice in a white Mediterranean population with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or ocular hypertension (OH). We conducted a prospective, controlled, randomized, partial crossover study that included 151 patients of both genders, aged 18 years and older, diagnosed with and requiring pharmacological treatment for POAG or OH in one or both eyes. We sought to identify copy number variants (CNVs) associated with differences in pharmacological response, using a DNA pooling strategy of carefully phenotyped treatment responders and non-responders, treated for a minimum of 6 weeks with a beta-blocker (timolol maleate) and/or prostaglandin analog (latanoprost). Diurnal intraocular pressure reduction and comparative genome wide CNVs were analyzed. Our finding that copy number alleles of an intronic portion of the MLIP gene is a predictor of pharmacological response to beta blockers and prostaglandin analogs could be used as a biomarker to guide first-tier POAG and OH treatment. Our finding improves understanding of the genetic factors modulating pharmacological response in POAG and OH, and represents an important contribution to the establishment of a personalized approach to the treatment of glaucoma.
Mechanism for epeirogenic uplift of the Archean Dharwar craton, southern India as evidenced by orthogonal seismic reflection profiles
Authors: Mandal Biswajit , Vijaya Rao V. , Karuppannan P. , Laxminarayana K.
Published: January 2021

Plateaus, located far away from the plate boundaries, play an important role in understanding the deep-rooted geological processes responsible for the epeirogenic uplift and dynamics of the plate interior. The Karnataka plateau located in the Dharwar craton, southern India, is a classic example for the plateau uplift. It is explored using orthogonal deep crustal seismic reflection studies, and a mechanism for the epeirogenic uplift is suggested. A pseudo three-dimensional crustal structure derived from these studies suggests a regionally extensive 10 km thick magmatic underplating in the region. It is further constrained from active-source refraction and passive-source seismological data. We interpret the Marion and Reunion mantle plume activities during 88 Ma and 65 Ma on the western part of Dharwar craton are responsible for the magmatic underplating, which caused epeirogenic uplift. Flexural isostasy related to the onshore denudational unloading and offshore sediment loading is also responsible for the persisting uplift in the region. Plate boundary forces are found to be contributing to the plateau uplift. The present study provides a relationship between the mantle plumes, rifting, development of continental margins, plateau uplift, and denudational isostasy. Combination of exogenic and endogenic processes are responsible for the plateau uplift in the region.
Structural variability and differentiation of niches in the rhizosphere and endosphere bacterial microbiome of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis)
Authors: Yuan Zong-Sheng , Liu Fang , Liu Zhen-Yu , Huang Qiu-Liang , Zhang Guo-Fang , Pan Hui
Published: January 2021

The plant microbiota play a key role in plant productivity, nutrient uptake, resistance to stress and flowering. The flowering of moso bamboo has been a focus of study. The mechanism of flowering is related to nutrient uptake, temperature, hormone balance and regulation of key genes. However, the connection between microbiota of moso bamboo and its flowering is unknown. In this study, samples of rhizosphere soil, rhizomes, roots and leaves of flowering and nonflowering plants were collected, and 16S rRNA amplicon Illumina sequencing was utilized to separate the bacterial communities associated with different flowering stages of moso bamboo. We identified 5442 OTUs, and the number of rhizosphere soil OTUs was much higher than those of other samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (Bray Curtis dis) analysis revealed that the bacterial microorganisms related to rhizosphere soil and endophytic tissues of moso bamboo differed significantly from those in bulk soil and rhizobacterial and endosphere microbiomes. In addition, the PCA analyses of root and rhizosphere soil revealed different structures of microbial communities between bamboo that is flowering and not flowering. Through the analysis of core microorganisms, it was found that Flavobacterium, Bacillus and Stenotrophomonas played an important role in the absorption of N elements, which may affect the flowering time of moso bamboo. Our results delineate the complex host-microbe interactions of this plant. We also discuss the potential influence of bacterial microbiome in flowering, which can provide a basis for the development and utilization of moso bamboo.
Comprehensive computational target fishing approach to identify Xanthorrhizol putative targets
Authors: Shahid Muhammad , Azfaralariff Ahmad , Law Douglas , Najm Ahmed Abdulkareem , Sanusi Siti Aisyah , Lim Seng Joe , Cheah Yew Hoong , Fazry Shazrul
Published: January 2021

Xanthorrhizol (XNT), is a bioactive compound found inCurcuma xanthorrhizaRoxb. This study aimed to determine the potential targets of the XNT via computational target fishing method. This compound obeyed Lipinski’s and Veber’s rules where it has a molecular weight (MW) of 218.37 gmol-1, TPSA of 20.23, rotatable bonds (RBN) of 4, hydrogen acceptor and donor ability is 1 respectively. Besides, it also has half-life (HL) values 3.5 h, drug-likeness (DL) value of 0.07, oral bioavailability (OB) of 32.10, and blood–brain barrier permeability (BBB) value of 1.64 indicating its potential as therapeutic drug. Further, 20 potential targets were screened out through PharmMapper and DRAR-CPI servers. Co-expression results derived from GeneMANIA revealed that these targets made connection with a total of 40 genes and have 744 different links. Four genes which were RXRA, RBP4, HSD11B1 and AKR1C1 showed remarkable co-expression and predominantly involved in steroid metabolic process. Furthermore, among these 20 genes, 13 highly expressed genes associated with xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, chemical carcinogenesis and steroid metabolic pathways were identified through gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analysis. In conclusion, XNT is targeting multiple proteins and pathways which may be exploited to shape a network that exerts systematic pharmacological effects.
Sarcolipin alters SERCA1a interdomain communication by impairing binding of both calcium and ATP
Authors: Montigny Cédric , Huang Dong Liang , Beswick Veronica , Barbot Thomas , Jaxel Christine , le Maire Marc , Zheng Ji-Shen , Jamin Nadège
Published: January 2021

Sarcolipin (SLN), a single-spanning membrane protein, is a regulator of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA1a). Chemically synthesized SLN, palmitoylated or not (pSLN or SLN), and recombinant wild-type rabbit SERCA1a expressed in S. cerevisiae design experimental conditions that provide a deeper understanding of the functional role of SLN on the regulation of SERCA1a. Our data show that chemically synthesized SLN interacts with recombinant SERCA1a, with calcium-deprived E2 state as well as with calcium-bound E1 state. This interaction hampers the binding of calcium in agreement with published data. Unexpectedly, SLN has also an allosteric effect on SERCA1a transport activity by impairing the binding of ATP. Our results reveal that SLN significantly slows down the E2 to Ca2.E1 transition of SERCA1a while it affects neither phosphorylation nor dephosphorylation. Comparison with chemically synthesized SLN deprived of acylation demonstrates that palmitoylation is not necessary for either inhibition or association with SERCA1a. However, it has a small but statistically significant effect on SERCA1a phosphorylation when various ratios of SLN-SERCA1a or pSLN-SERCA1a are tested.
Prominent luminescence of silicon-vacancy defects created in bulk silicon carbide p–n junction diodes
Authors: Nagasawa Fumiya , Takamura Makoto , Sekiguchi Hiroshi , Miyamae Yoshinori , Oku Yoshiaki , Nakahara Ken
Published: January 2021

We investigate fluorescent defect centers in 4H silicon carbide p–n junction diodes fabricated via aluminum-ion implantation into an n-type bulk substrate without the use of an epitaxial growth process. At room temperature, electron-irradiated p–n junction diodes exhibit electroluminescence originating from silicon-vacancy defects. For a diode exposed to an electron dose of $$1 \times 10^{18}\,{{\mathrm{cm}}}^{-2}$$

1
×

10
18

cm

-
2

at $$800\,{{\mathrm{keV}}}$$

800

keV

, the electroluminescence intensity of these defects is most prominent within a wavelength range of 400–$$1100\,{{\mathrm{nm}}}$$

1100

nm

. The commonly observed $${{\mathrm{D}}}_1$$

D
1

emission was sufficiently suppressed in the electroluminescence spectra of all the fabricated diodes, while it was detected in the photoluminescence measurements. The photoluminescence spectra also displayed emission lines from silicon-vacancy defects.
Multisensory integration involved in the body perception of community-dwelling older adults
Authors: Hide M. , Ito Y. , Kuroda N. , Kanda M. , Teramoto W.
Published: January 2021

This study investigates how the multisensory integration in body perception changes with increasing age, and whether it is associated with older adults’ risk of falling. For this, the rubber hand illusion (RHI) and rubber foot illusion (RFI) were used. Twenty-eight community-dwelling older adults and 25 university students were recruited. They viewed a rubber hand or foot that was stimulated in synchrony or asynchrony with their own hidden hand or foot. The illusion was assessed by using a questionnaire, and measuring the proprioceptive drift and latency. The Timed Up and Go Test was used to classify the older adults into lower and higher fall-risk groups. No difference was observed in the RHI between the younger and older adults. However, several differences were observed in the RFI. Specifically, the older adults with a lower fall-risk hardly experienced the illusion, whereas those with a higher fall-risk experienced it with a shorter latency and no weaker than the younger adults. These results suggest that in older adults, the mechanism of multisensory integration for constructing body perception can change depending on the stimulated body parts, and that the risk of falling is associated with multisensory integration.
Semiconducting polymer nanoparticles for photothermal ablation of colorectal cancer organoids
Authors: McCarthy Bryce , Cudykier Amit , Singh Ravi , Levi-Polyachenko Nicole , Soker Shay
Published: January 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment is currently hindered by micrometastatic relapse that cannot be removed completely during surgery and is often chemotherapy resistant. Targeted theranostic nanoparticles (NPs) that can produce heat for ablation and enable tumor visualization via their fluorescence offer advantages for detection and treatment of disseminated small nodules. A major hurdle in clinical translation of nanoparticles is their interaction with the 3D tumor microenvironment. To address this problem tumor organoid technology was used to evaluate the ablative potential of CD44-targeted polymer nanoparticles using hyaluronic acid (HA) as the targeting agent and coating it onto hybrid donor acceptor polymer particles (HDAPPs) to form HA-HDAPPs. Additionally, nanoparticles composed from only the photothermal polymer, poly[4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-cyclopenta[2,1-b;3,4-b’]dithiophene-2,6-diyl-alt-2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole-4,7-diyl] (PCPDTBSe), were also coated with HA, to form HA-BSe NPs, and evaluated in 3D. Monitoring of nanoparticle transport in 3D organoids revealed uniform diffusion of non-targeted HDAPPs in comparison to attenuated diffusion of HA-HDAPPs due to nanoparticle-matrix interactions. Computational diffusion profiles suggested that HA-HDAPPs transport may not be accounted for by diffusion alone, which is indicative of nanoparticle/cell matrix interactions. Photothermal activation revealed that only HA-BSe NPs were able to significantly reduce tumor cell viability in the organoids. Despite limited transport of the CD44-targeted theranostic nanoparticles, their targeted retention provides increased heat for enhanced photothermal ablation in 3D, which is beneficial for assessing nanoparticle therapies prior to in vivo testing.
Double twist torsion testing to determine the non recrystallization temperature
Authors: Ballard Trevor J. , Speer John G. , Findley Kip O. , De Moor Emmanuel
Published: January 2021

A double-twist torsion testing technique has been developed using a 316 stainless steel as an exemplar material to experimentally assess recrystallization behavior and determine the non-recrystallization temperature (Tnr). This new method was compared to the traditional methods of double-hit compression and multi-step hot torsion testing. The double-twist torsion test allows Tnrto be related to the extent of austenite recrystallization through measurements of fractional softening while accommodating multiple deformation and recrystallization steps with a single specimen. The double-twist torsion test resulted in average Tnrvalues similar to those determined with multi-step hot torsion, and a partially recrystallized microstructure was observed in the vicinity of the calculated Tnrfor all three methods. The ability of the double-twist torsion test to relate the experimental Tnrto the evolution of austenite recrystallization via fractional softening measurements while incorporating effects of multiple deformation steps offers an advantage over traditional methods for quantifying changes in austenite recrystallization during thermomechanical processing.
Leaching and solvent extraction purification of zinc from Mehdiabad complex oxide ore
Authors: Soltani Faraz , Darabi Hossna , Aram Reza , Ghadiri Mahdi
Published: January 2021

An integrated hydrometallurgical process was used for the zinc leaching and purification from a zinc ore containing 9.75 wt% zinc. The zinc minerals in the ore were hemimorphite, willemite, and calcophanite. Main gangue minerals were quartz, goethite, hematite, and calcite. Central composite design (CCD) method was used to design leaching experiments and the optimum conditions were found as follows: 30% of solid fraction, 22.05% sulphuric acid concentration, and the leaching temperature of 45 °C. The PLS containing 35.07 g/L zinc, 3.16 g/L iron, and 4.58 g/L manganese impurities was produced. A special purification process including Fe precipitation and Zn solvent extraction was implemented. The results showed that after precipitation of iron, Zn extraction of 88.5% was obtained with the 2 stages extraction system composed of 30 vol% D2EHPA as extractant. The overall Zn recovery from the ore was 71.44%. Therefore, an appropriate solution containing 16.6 g/L Zn, 0.05 g/L Fe, and 0.11 g/L Mn was prepared for the electro-winning unit without using the roasting and calcination steps (conventional method), which result in environmental pollution.
Metabolomics-based analysis of miniature flask contents identifies tobacco mixture use among the ancient Maya
Authors: Zimmermann Mario , Brownstein Korey J. , Pantoja Díaz Luis , Ancona Aragón Iliana , Hutson Scott , Kidder Barry , Tushingham Shannon , Gang David R.
Published: January 2021

A particular type of miniature ceramic vessel locally known as “veneneras” is occasionally found during archaeological excavations in the Maya Area. To date, only one study of a collection of such containers successfully identified organic residues through coupled chromatography–mass spectrometry methods. That study identified traces of nicotine likely associated with tobacco. Here we present a more complete picture by analyzing a suite of possible complementary ingredients in tobacco mixtures across a collection of 14 miniature vessels. The collection includes four different vessel forms and allows for the comparison of specimens which had previously formed part of museum exhibitions with recently excavated, untreated containers. Archaeological samples were compared with fresh as well as cured reference materials from two different species of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum and N. rustica). In addition, we sampled six more plants which are linked to mind-altering practices through Mesoamerican ethnohistoric or ethnographic records. Analyses were conducted using UPLC-MS metabolomics-based analytical techniques, which significantly expand the possible detection of chemical compounds compared to previous biomarker-focused studies. Results include the detection of more than 9000 residual chemical features. We trace, for the first time, the presence of Mexican marigold (Tagetes lucida) in presumptive polydrug mixtures.
Regional abnormality of functional connectivity is associated with clinical manifestations in individuals with intractable focal epilepsy
Authors: Nakai Yasuo , Nishibayashi Hiroki , Donishi Tomohiro , Terada Masaki , Nakao Naoyuki , Kaneoke Yoshiki
Published: January 2021

We explored regional functional connectivity alterations in intractable focal epilepsy brains using resting-state functional MRI. Distributions of the network parameters (corresponding to degree and eigenvector centrality) measured at each brain region for all 25 patients were significantly different from age- and sex-matched control data that were estimated by a healthy control dataset (n = 582, 18–84 years old). The number of abnormal regions whose parameters exceeded the mean + 2 SD of age- and sex-matched data for each patient were associated with various clinical parameters such as the duration of illness and seizure severity. Furthermore, abnormal regions for each patient tended to have functional connections with each other (mean ± SD = 58.6 ± 20.2%), the magnitude of which was negatively related to the quality of life. The abnormal regions distributed within the default mode network with significantly higher probability (p < 0.05) in 7 of 25 patients. We consider that the detection of abnormal regions by functional connectivity analysis using a large number of control datasets is useful for the numerical assessment of each patient’s clinical conditions, although further study is necessary to elucidate etiology-specific abnormalities.
Microfluidic on-chip production of microgels using combined geometries
Authors: Shieh Hamed , Saadatmand Maryam , Eskandari Mahnaz , Bastani Dariush
Published: January 2021

Microfluidic on-chip production of microgels using external gelation can serve numerous applications that involve encapsulation of sensitive cargos. Nevertheless, on-chip production of microgels in microfluidic devices can be challenging due to problems induced by the rapid increase in precursor solution viscosity like clogging. Here, a novel design incorporating a step, which includes a sudden increase in cross-sectional area, before a flow-focusing nozzle was proposed for microfluidic droplet generators. Besides, a shielding oil phase was utilized to avoid the occurrence of emulsification and gelation stages simultaneously. The step which was located before the flow-focusing nozzle facilitated the full shielding of the dispersed phase due to 3-dimensional fluid flow in this geometry. The results showed that the microfluidic device was capable of generating highly monodispersed spherical droplets (CV < 2% for step and CV < 5% for flow-focusing nozzle) with an average diameter in the range of 90–190 μm, both in step and flow-focusing nozzle. Moreover, it was proved that the device could adequately create a shelter for the dispersed phase regardless of the droplet formation locus. The ability of this microfluidic device in the production of microgels was validated by creating alginate microgels (with an average diameter of ~ 100 μm) through an external gelation process with on-chip calcium chloride emulsion in mineral oil.
Quantitative estimation of track segment yields of water radiolysis species under heavy ions around Bragg peak energies using Geant4-DNA
Authors: Baba Kentaro , Kusumoto Tamon , Okada Shogo , Ogawara Ryo , Kodaira Satoshi , Raffy Quentin , Barillon Rémi , Ludwig Nicolas , Galindo Catherine , Peaupardin Philippe , Ishikawa Masayori
Published: January 2021

We evaluate the track segment yield G′ of typical water radiolysis products (eaq−, ·OH and H2O2) under heavy ions (He, C and Fe ions) using a Monte Carlo simulation code in the Geant4-DNA. Furthermore, we reproduce experimental results of ·OH of He and C ions around the Bragg peak energies (< 6 MeV/u). In the relatively high energy region (e.g., > 10 MeV/u), the simulation results using Geant4-DNA have agreed with experimental results. However, the G-values of water radiolysis species have not been properly evaluated around the Bragg peak energies, at which high ionizing density can be expected. Around the Bragg peak energy, dense continuous secondary products are generated, so that it is necessary to simulate the radical–radical reaction more accurately. To do so, we added the role of secondary products formed by irradiation. Consequently, our simulation results are in good agreement with experimental results and previous simulations not only in the high-energy region but also around the Bragg peak. Several future issues are also discussed regarding the roles of fragmentation and multi-ionization to realize more realistic simulations.
Interfacial reaction during friction stir assisted scribe welding of immiscible Fe and Mg alloy system
Authors: Das Hrishikesh , Upadhyay Piyush , Wang Tianhao , Gwalani Bharat , Ma Xiaolong
Published: January 2021

We report on interfacial characteristics and chemistry of bonded Mg-Fe interfaces welded using friction stir assisted scribe technique (FaST). Two pairs of dissimilar joints: (AZ31-DP590) and (Pure Mg-DP590) were studied to shed light on joining mechanisms responsible for bonding of “immiscible” pairs of Mg and Fe. We present first direct experimental evidence of presence of oxide layer, Al segregation by atom probe tomography and nano steel grains close to interface by transmission electron microscopy study.
Chronic musculoskeletal pain prospectively predicts insomnia in older people, not moderated by age, gender or co-morbid illnesses
Authors: Sit Regina Wing Shan , Yip Benjamin Hon Kei , Wang Bo , Chan Dicken Cheong Chun , Zhang Dexing , Wong Samuel Yeung Shan
Published: January 2021

The study evaluated if chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain predicts the severity of insomnia, and whether the effect is moderated by age, gender, and number of comorbid diseases in older people. An 18-month prospective study was performed within the framework of a community health program in Hong Kong. A total of 498 older people aged ≥ 60 with multimorbidity were recruited. The predictors included the presence of chronic MSK pain, pain measured by the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), insomnia measured by baseline Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and number of co-morbid diseases, age, and gender. The outcome was ISI repeated at 18 months. The moderators included age, gender, and number of comorbid diseases. Multivariate linear regression and moderation analysis were conducted. We found that the presence of chronic MSK pain (β = 1.725; 95% CI, 0.607–2.842; P < 0.01) predicted the severity of ISI, after controlling for age, gender, BMI, and the number of comorbid diseases. Participants with chronic MSK pain throughout the period had worse trend of improvement in ISI compared to those who were “pain-free” (β = 2.597; 95% CI, 1.311–3.882; P < 0.001). Age, gender, and number of comorbid diseases did not moderate the longitudinal relationship. We propose that pain management should prioritized in the prevention of insomnia.
Determination of prohibited lead and cadmium traces in hair dyes and henna samples using ultrasound assisted-deep eutectic solvent-based liquid phase microextraction followed by microsampling-flame atomic absorption spectrometry
Authors: Yahya Maha , Kesekler Sare , Durukan İlknur , Arpa Çiğdem
Published: January 2021

In this study ultrasound assisted-deep eutectic solvent-based liquid phase microextraction followed by microsampling-flame atomic absorption spectrometry was developed to determine prohibited lead and cadmium traces in hair dye and henna samples.
Various machine learning approaches coupled with molecule simulation in the screening of natural compounds with xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity
Authors: Zhou Qian , Yin Jia-Yi , Liang Wei-Yue , Chen Dong-Mei , Yuan Qing , Feng Bao-long , Zhang Ying-Hua , Wang Yu-Tang
Published: January 2021

Gout is a common inflammatory arthritis associated with various comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.
Visible-light-driven cuprous oxide nanomotors with surface-heterojunction-induced propulsion
Authors: Liu Wenjuan , Chen Xiao , Ding Xiaoyong , Long Qiang , Lu Xiaolong , Wang Qiang , Gu Zhongwei
Published: January 2021

This paper reports the first surface-heterojunction-induced propulsion strategy for Cu2O nanomotors. By forming a surface heterojunction between the {100} and {111} facets, charge separation is enhanced, endowing nanomotors with effective movement.
Growth andin situcharacterization of 2D materials by chemical vapour deposition on liquid metal catalysts: a review
Authors: Tsakonas Christos , Dimitropoulos Marinos , Manikas Anastasios C. , Galiotis Costas
Published: January 2021

In this review we highlight the recent progress in 2DM growth on LMCat, which in combination within situcharacterization presents a viable and large-scale sustainable direction that has the prospect of achieving defect-free 2D materials.
A one step method for isolation of genomic DNA using multi-amino modified magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Xu Jia , Chen Dan , Yang Yuan , Gong Hongjian , Gao Wenqi , Xiao Han
Published: January 2021

Schematic procedure of DNA isolation using mAMNPs.
Synthesis of green and pure copper oxide nanoparticles using two plant resources via solid-state route and their phytotoxicity assessment
Authors: Khaldari Iman , Naghavi Mohammad Reza , Motamedi Elaheh
Published: January 2021

Among the conventional methods in synthesizing nanoparticles, the methods that use biological resources, as reducing and stabilizing agents, can be considered eco-friendly methods.
Recent developments and perspectives in the copper-catalyzed multicomponent synthesis of heterocycles
Authors: Fairoosa Jaleel , Neetha Mohan , Anilkumar Gopinathan
Published: January 2021

Heterocycles are abundant in several pharmaceutical and naturally occurring compounds. Copper-catalyzed multicomponent reactions are a convenient method for easy access to heterocycles. In this review, we focus on the advancement in this field for the past two years.
Impact of porous nanomaterials on inhibiting protein aggregation behaviour
Authors: Bardhan Munmun , Dolui Sandip , Chaudhuri Siddhi , Paul Uttam , Bhattacharjee Gaurav , Ghosal Manorama , Maiti Nakul C. , Mukhopadhyay Debashis , Senapati Dulal
Published: January 2021

Aggregation of intrinsically disordered as well as the ordered proteins under certain premises or physiological conditions leads to pathological disorder.
o-Quinone methide with overcrowded olefin component as a dehydridation catalyst under aerobic photoirradiation conditions
Authors: Uraguchi Daisuke , Kato Kohsuke , Ooi Takashi
Published: January 2021

An o-quinone methide (o-QM) featuring an overcrowded olefinic framework is introduced, which exhibits dehydridation activity owing to its enhanced zwitterionic character, particularly through photoexcitation.
Low temperature methanation of CO2 over an amorphous cobalt-based catalyst
Authors: Tu Jinghui , Wu Haihong , Qian Qingli , Han Shitao , Chu Mengen , Jia Shuaiqiang , Feng Ruting , Zhai Jianxin , He Mingyuan , Han Buxing
Published: January 2021

It is discovered that an amorphous transition metal catalyst Co–Zr0.1–B–O could effectively accelerate CO2 methanation, at a rate that is comparable to or even higher than that of some noble metal catalysts under similar conditions.
Developing better ester- and ether-based electrolytes for potassium-ion batteries
Authors: Li Lin , Zhao Shuo , Hu Zhe , Chou Shu-Lei , Chen Jun
Published: January 2021

A comprehensive summary on how to optimize ester- and ether-based electrolytes for high-performance potassium-ion batteries.
Gd-induced electronic structure engineering of a NiFe-layered double hydroxide for efficient oxygen evolution
Authors: Li Meng , Li Hao , Jiang Xuechun , Jiang Mengqi , Zhan Xun , Fu Gengtao , Lee Jong-Min , Tang Yawen
Published: January 2021

A novel rare earth hybrid electrocatalyst, consisting of a gadolinium-doped hierarchal NiFe-layered double hydroxide, is developed for improving the OER activity.
Sol–gel process: the inorganic approach in protein imprinting
Authors: Gutiérrez-Climente Raquel , Clavié Margaux , Dumy Pascal , Mehdi Ahmad , Subra Gilles
Published: January 2021

An overview and critical evaluation of the mechanisms and applications of the inorganic approach in protein imprinting strategies.
PAPR analysis of non‐contiguous duplex multicarrier signals
Authors: Savaux V. , Louët Y.
Published: January 2021

This paper deals with the peak to average power ratio of duplex multicarrier signals. A simple but accurate expression of the complementary cumulative distribution of the peak to average power ratio is suggested, based on both empirical and theoretical analyses of the mean peak to average power ratio of such a continuous duplex signal. To this end, it is shown that the mean peak to average power ratio can be written in function of the frequency distance between the two signals composing the duplex one. The relevance and the accuracy of the suggested analysis are shown through simulations, and a discussion paves the way to further analyses involving general multiplex signals with different powers and subcarriers numbers.
Super‐high‐frequency‐band injection‐locked two‐divider oscillator using thin‐film bulk acoustic resonator
Authors: Hara Motoaki , Yano Yuichiro , Takahashi Yuki , Nishizawa Toshio , Hara Shinsuke , Kasamatsu Akifumi , Ueda Masanori , Ito Hiroyuki , Ido Tetsuya
Published: January 2021

An injection‐locked divider oscillator that converts a 6‐GHz‐band signal into a 3‐GHz‐band signal was developed. The injection‐locked divider oscillator was specifically designed to lock on the clock transition frequency of 87Rb of 6.824 GHz to provide a laser modulation signal at 3.417 GHz for an on‐chip coherent population trapping atomic clock system. To obtain high frequency stability and low‐phase noise with low power consumption in the super‐high‐frequency band, a thin‐film bulk acoustic resonator is used instead of the conventional LC tank circuit. The fabricated oscillator operated well with a power consumption of 4.5 nW. The maximum lock range was 1.5% in fractional frequency. Also, unlike the conventional injection‐locked divider oscillator with an LC tank, the bifurcation of the lock range width was observed when sweeping the injection power of the 6‐GHz‐band signal, and in the down sweep, the locking operation was maintained even at an injection power of −20 dBm.
A new technique for separation of partial discharge sources and electromagnetic noise in radiofrequency measurements using energy ratios of different antennas
Authors: Ardila‐Rey Jorge A. , Cerda‐Luna Matias , Rozas‐Valderrama Rodrigo , Albuquerque de Castro Bruno , Andreoli André Luiz , Cevallos Benjamin
Published: January 2021

One of the main tools for monitoring the condition of high voltage equipment is the measurement of partial discharges (PD). The electromagnetic (EM) radiation originated from this degradation phenomenon can be captured by various types of ultra‐high frequency (UHF) antennas carefully designed and optimised for specific frequency bands. However, the presence of environmental noise may limit the use of this technique. Different types of monopole antennas normally used in UHF PD measurement have been evaluated in order to validate the performance of a novel separation technique of EM sources. Accordingly, a new separation technique based on the energy ratio of the captured signals was developed, considering noise interferences. The results revealed that the new technique allows an adequate separation, even when three sources act simultaneously.
Recurrent learning with clique structures for prostate sparse‐view CT artifacts reduction
Authors: Shen Tiancheng , Yang Yibo , Lin Zhouchen , Zhang Mingbin
Published: January 2021

In recent years, convolutional neural networks have achieved great success in streak artifacts reduction. However, there is no special method designed for the artifacts reduction of the prostate. To solve the problem, the artifacts reduction CliqueNet (ARCliqueNet) to reconstruct dense‐view computed tomography images form sparse‐view computed tomography images is proposed. In detail, first, the proposed ARCliqueNet extracts a set of feature maps from the prostate sparse‐view CT image by Clique Block. Second, the feature maps are sent to ASPP with memory to be refined. Thenanother Clique Block is applied to the output of ASPP with memory and reconstruct the dense‐view CT images. Later on, reconstructed dense‐view CT images are used as new input of the original network. This process is repeated recurrently with memory delivering information between these recurrent stages. The final reconstructed dense‐view CT images are the output of the last recurrent stage. Our proposed ARCliqueNet outperforms the SOTA (state‐of‐the‐art) general artifacts reduction methods on the prostate dataset in terms of PSNR (peak signal‐to‐noise ratio) and SSIM (structural similarity). Therefore, we can draw the conclusion that Clique structures, ASPP with memory and recurrent learning are useful for prostate sparse‐view CT Artifacts here.
Crowd counting with segmentation attention convolutional neural network
Authors: Chen Jiwei , Wang Zengfu
Published: January 2021

Deep learning occupies an undisputed dominance in crowd counting. This paper proposes a novel convolutional neural network architecture called SegCrowdNet. Despite the complex background in crowd scenes, the proposed SegCrowdNet still adaptively highlights the human head region and suppresses the non‐head region by segmentation. With the guidance of an attention mechanism, the proposed SegCrowdNet pays more attention to the human head region and automatically encodes the highly refined density map. The crowd count can be obtained by integrating the density map. To adapt the variation of crowd counts, SegCrowdNet intelligently classifies the crowd count of each image into several groups. In addition, the multi‐scale features are learned and extracted in the proposed SegCrowdNet to overcome the scale variations of the crowd. To verify the effectiveness of this proposed method, extensive experiments are conducted on four challenging datasets. The results demonstrate that the proposed SegCrowdNet achieves excellent performance compared with the state‐of‐the‐art methods.
An SDN empowered location aware routing for energy efficient next generation vehicular networks
Authors: Renuka Kumari , Roy Diptendu Sinha , Reddy K. Hemant Kumar
Published: January 2021

With the ever expanding and all pervasive growth of information and communication technologies, vehicular ad‐hoc networks (VANETs) have been found wanting for sophistication. The fifth generation (5G) communication has brought about uncharted bandwidth capabilities SDN have enabled real time network control while cloud and fog computing have brought unprecedented computation and storage capabilities for leveraging analytics on massive data volumes and bringing down response times. These information and communication technologies can effectively handle the challenges of next generation autonomous vehicular networks including maintaining road disciplines and safety in VANETs. Moreover, energy efficient operations is the key for any upcoming technology. To this end, this paper assumes the use of 5G and fog computing based vehicular network and using SDN controller's cognizance of global vehicular topology, it proposes an SDN enabled location‐aware routing that intelligently manages workload at fog nodes for reduced energy consumption while satisfying bandwidth and delay constraints. The VANET energy minimization has been formulated as an integer linear programming problem and simulations has been carried out to test the efficacy of the proposed model and the results shows the efficacy of the proposed model 15.74% of improvement of energy consumption as compared that of the optimal algorithm.
Reduction‐controlled graphene oxide saturable absorbers and its effect on ultrashort Er‐doped fibre laser
Authors: Ismail Mohd Afiq , Abdul Razak Mohd Zulhakimi , Harun Sulaiman Wadi , Hashim Abdul Manaf
Published: January 2021

The authors controlled the reduction of three graphene oxide (GO) saturable absorber (SA) thin films by controlling the exposure time under a solar simulator and afterwards, incorporated them into an Er‐doped fibre laser in order to investigate their effect on ultrashort pulse. The authors also hypothesized that the controlled reduction would result in a controlled absorption, and ultimately, a controlled modulation depth. A larger modulation depth would lead to stronger pulse shaping and shorter pulse duration. Sample A was left unreduced, whereas samples B and C were exposed for 15 and 30 min, respectively. Afterwards, their modulation depths were measured using twin‐detector method and determined to be 0.69%, 1.2% and 1.94%, respectively. When used as an SA in an Er‐doped fibre laser, the result showed pulse duration shortening; from 670 to 520 fs, as well as spectral broadening; from 4.22 to 6.73 nm. In addition, we also observed changes in repetition rate, output power and time‐bandwidth product (TBP). The result of this paper shows the feasibility of controlling the modulation depth of a GO SA and conclusively shows the effect of modulation depth on ultrashort pulse.