bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Join point trends of instrumental vaginal deliveries and cesarean sections at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria (2002–2017)
Authors: Olamijulo Joseph Ayodeji , Aliyu Zubaida , Olorunfemi Gbenga , Adeyinka Ayotunde Tanimola , Ubom Akaninyene Eseme , Abikoye Olabisi
Published: June 2024

Objective

To determine the trends of instrumental vaginal delivery (IVD) and cesarean section (CS) at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigeria, over 16 years, from 2002 to 2017.

Methods

A retrospective cross‐sectional study. The case records of all women who had IVD and CS during the study period were reviewed. The trends in the IVD and CS rates were evaluated using join point regression modeling. The average annual percent change (AAPC) and annual percent change (APC) with associated 95% confidence interval of segmental trends were calculated.

Results

The overall IVD rate was 1.36%. Vacuum delivery rate was higher than forceps (0.79% vs 0.57%). The CS rate was 44.9 per 100 deliveries; the rate increased by about 3.7% per annum. CS rates were 7.1–89.9 times the IVD rates within the study period. The number of IVDs performed in the hospital declined by about 83.02%, from 53 cases in 2002 to nine cases in 2017. Forceps delivery declined at a faster rate than vacuum delivery between 2002 and 2017 (AAPC for forceps: −12.6% [−17.5 to −7.5], P < 0.001 vs AAPC for vacuum: −6.2% [−14.3 to 2.7], P = 0.200). The commonest indication for IVD was prolonged second stage of labor (47/162, 29.01%) and shortening of the second stage of labor for maternal conditions (47/162, 29.01%).

Conclusion

IVD rates are low and declining at LUTH. There is need to train accoucheurs on the safe use of IVDs to potentially reduce the CS rate.
The cellular and molecular properties of capsule surrounding silicone implants in humans vary uniquely according to the tissue type adjacent to the implant
Authors: Nepon Hillary , Julien Cedric , Petrecca Sarah , Kalashnikov Nikita , Safran Tyler , Murphy Amanda , Dionisopoulos Tassos , Davison Peter , Vorstenbosch Joshua
Published: June 2024

The foreign body reaction (FBR) to biomaterials results in fibrous encapsulation. Excessive capsule fibrosis (capsular contracture) is a major challenge to the long‐term stability of implants. Clinical data suggests that the tissue type in contact with silicone breast implants alters susceptibility to developing capsular contracture; however, the tissue‐specific inflammatory and fibrotic characteristics of capsule have not been well characterized at the cellular and molecular level. In this study, 60 breast implant capsule samples are collected from patients and stratified by the adjacent tissue type including subcutaneous tissue, glandular breast tissue, or muscle tissue. Capsule thickness, collagen organization, immune and fibrotic cellular populations, and expression of inflammatory and fibrotic markers is quantified with histological staining, immunohistochemistry, and real‐time PCR. The findings suggest there are significant differences in M1‐like macrophages, CD4+ T cells, CD26+ fibroblasts, and expression of IL‐1β, IL‐6, TGF‐β, and collagen type 1 depending on the tissue type abutting the implant. Subglandular breast implant capsule displays a significant increase in inflammatory and fibrotic markers. These findings suggest that the tissue microenvironment contributes uniquely to the FBR. This data could provide new avenues for research and clinical applications to improve the site‐specific biocompatibility and longevity of implantable devices.
Causal relationship between blood traits and severe influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection in East Asian: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wang Fuxiang , Bian Shengzhe , Zhou Wudi , Liu Siyang , Shu Yuelong , Chen Yongkun
Published: June 2024

Although a range of blood traits have been reported to be associated with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (H1N1pdm09) disease severity, their underlying causal relationships and biological mechanisms have remained unclear. This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between blood traits and H1N1pdm09 using a two‐sample Mendelian randomization analysis. Based on the data from our in‐house genome‐wide association study (GWAS) on H1N1pdm09 disease severity (Ncase [severe] = 70, Ncontrol [mild] = 95) and GWAS summaries of 44 blood traits from Biobank Japan (N = 12 303–143 658), we identified the potential causal effect of blood traits on severe H1N1pdm09. The inverse variance weighted method analysis revealed significant causal effects of lower aspartate aminotransferase (AST, β = −3.212, p = 0.019), low‐density‐lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C, β = −1.372, p = 0.045), and basophil counts (Baso, β = −1.638, p = 0.047) on severe H1N1pdm09 disease. Additionally, polygenic risk score analysis further confirmed genetic overlap between these blood traits and severe H1N1pdm09 disease. This study provided evidence linking the lower level of AST, LDL‐C, and lower count of Baso with severe H1N1pdm09 disease, potentially identifying new therapeutic targets for patients with severe influenza.
Exploring Creativity in Marginalized Voices: The New Ecuadorian Dramaturgy Project
Authors: de la Torre Carmen Elena Jijón
Published: June 2024

This article presents the artistic process employed by a group of young women in an academic setting at the Central University of Ecuador, as they wrote four documentary plays. These students, belonging to the first generation to have access to a dramaturgy class in a public university in the country, utilized an innovative to develop their proposal. Despite the prevalence of collective playwriting in the region, the students delved deep into the writing process for the stage and studied important references in the field. The resulting plays underwent analysis by proficient readers from the Univèrsitat Politècnica de Valencia, who acknowledged their profound artistic content, unexplored until then within the country. Within this study, a focal point is placed on exploring the concept of creativity among university scholars who belong to marginalized groups. The research highlights the inherent duality present in their cosmovision, aiming to showcase their distinctive perspective and the continuous redefinition of identity and creativity within non‐harmonic societies. By doing so, the article underlines the significance of providing opportunities for young artists from marginalized communities to express themselves and contribute to the artistic landscape of their country. Also, it outlines a constant interrogation over the concept of creativity.
Outcomes of non‐angiosarcoma radiation‐associated soft tissue sarcomas of the chest
Authors: Garayua‐Cruz Leilani , Broida Samuel E. , Okuno Scott H. , Robinson Steven I. , Siontis Brittany L. , Welliver Meng Xu , Wilke Benjamin K. , Goulding Krista A. , Rose Peter S. , Houdek Matthew T.
Published: June 2024

Background

Radiation‐associated soft tissue sarcomas (RA‐STS) are rare complications of patients receiving radiation therapy (RT) and are generally associated with a poor prognosis. Most of the literature surrounding RA‐STS of the chest is centered on angiosarcoma. Therefore, we aim to document the management and outcome of patients with non‐angiosarcoma RA‐STS of the chest.

Methods

We reviewed 17 patients (all female, median age 65 years) diagnosed with RA‐STS. The most common primary malignancy was breast carcinoma (n = 15), with a median RT dose of 57.9 Gy. All patients underwent surgical resection; five patients (29%) received radiotherapy; and five patients (29%) received peri‐operative chemotherapy.

Results

The 5‐year local recurrence and metastatic‐free survival were 61% and 60%, while the 5‐year disease‐specific survival was 53%. Local recurrence was associated with death due to disease (HR 9.06, p = 0.01). Complications occurred in nine of patients, most commonly due to a wound complication (n = 7). At the most recent follow‐up, the median Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Score was 63%.

Conclusion

RA‐STS involving the chest wall are aggressive tumors with a high risk of local relapse and death due to disease. Local recurrence was associated with death due to disease; as such, we recommend aggressive surgical management with evaluation for adjuvant therapies.
Preoperative cognitive function as a risk factor of postoperative delirium in cancer surgeries: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Varpaei Hesam A. , Robbins Lorraine B. , Farhadi Kousha , Bender Catherine M.
Published: June 2024

Postoperative delirium (POD) after cancer surgeries can be a result of chemo brain, anesthesia, surgery duration, and preoperative cognitive impairment. Although older age and preoperative cognitive dysfunction were reported to increase the risk of POD in noncardiac surgery, the role of preoperative cognitive function and age in the development of POD after all types of cancer surgeries is not clear. This study aimed to determine the relationship between preoperative cognitive function and likelihood of POD after cancer surgeries. This study used three main online databases and followed PRISMA guidelines. English language original articles that examined preoperative cognitive function before solid tumor cancer surgery and assessed patients for postoperative delirium were included. We employed the random effect meta‐analysis method. The overall incidence of POD ranged from 8.7% to 50.9%. The confusion assessment method was the most common tool used to assess delirium. Mini‐mental state evaluation (MMSE), Mini‐cog, and Montreal cognitive assessment were the most common tools to assess cognitive function. The pooled (total observation = 4676) random effects SMD was estimated at −0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.30 to −0.31), indicating that lower MMSE scores before surgery are associated with a higher risk of POD. The pooled (total observation = 2668) random effects OR was estimated at 5.17 (95% CI: 2.51 to −10.63), indicating preoperative cognitive dysfunction can significantly predict the occurrence of POD after cancer surgeries. In conclusion, preoperative cognitive function is an independent and significant predictor of POD after solid tumor cancer surgeries.
Recent advances in microscale separation techniques for glycome analysis
Authors: Liu Chenchen , Otsuka Koji , Kawai Takayuki
Published: June 2024

The glycomic analysis holds significant appeal due to the diverse roles that glycans and glycoconjugates play, acting as modulators and mediators in cellular interactions, cell/organism structure, drugs, energy sources, glyconanomaterials, and more. The glycomic analysis relies on liquid‐phase separation technologies for molecular purification, separation, and identification. As a miniaturized form of liquid‐phase separation technology, microscale separation technologies offer various advantages such as environmental friendliness, high resolution, sensitivity, fast speed, and integration capabilities. For glycan analysis, microscale separation technologies are continuously evolving to address the increasing challenges in their unique manners. This review discusses the fundamentals and applications of microscale separation technologies for glycomic analysis. It covers liquid‐phase separation technologies operating at scales generally less than 100 µm, including capillary electrophoresis, nanoflow liquid chromatography, and microchip electrophoresis. We will provide a brief overview of glycomic analysis and describe new strategies in microscale separation and their applications in glycan analysis from 2014 to 2023.
Comparison of Testicular Sonography and Elastography Findings With Semen Parameters in Cases Investigated for Infertility
Authors: Aliyev Ramil , Hekimsoy İlhan , Tamsel İpek , Ekizalioğlu Duygu Doğa , Kalemci Mustafa Serdar , Altay Barış
Published: June 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between testicular shear wave elastography (SWE) values and semen analysis results in men with infertility.

Methods

This was a retrospective case–control study. Patients were categorized as normal, abnormal, or azoospermic based on sperm analysis results. Testicular volume was measured using B‐mode ultrasonography using the Lambert formula. Subsequently, 40–80 regions of interest measuring 1.5 × 1.5 mm were manually positioned in both testicles based on their size, and two‐dimensional SWE was applied through virtual touch imaging quantification software.

Results

The patients had a mean age of 33.79 ± 6.3 years, with semen analysis revealing normal results in 15 patients (22.4%), pathological findings in 35 patients (52.2%), and azoospermia in 17 patients (25.4%). Right, left, total, and mean testicular volumes were significantly lower in patients with azoospermia compared to those in both normal and impaired semen parameters (P < .05). Conversely, testicular elastography scores were higher in patients with azoospermia than in the other groups (P < .05). The significant negative correlation between volume and elastographic findings remained independent of age (r = 0.4, P < .001). The accuracy rates for detecting impaired semen parameters and azoospermia were 94.3% and 94.1%, respectively, after considering factors such as age, testicular volume (right/left/total), and elastography (right/left/total). Notably, the total mean elastography score ranked first, with 100% in the independent normalized importance distribution of these variables.

Conclusion

SWE can be used effectively alone or in combination with other diagnostic tools to evaluate histopathological changes in the testicles of male patients with infertility.
Adaptable Polyurethane Networks Containing Tertiary Amines as Intrinsic Bond Exchange Catalyst
Authors: Schwarzer Lars , Agarwal Seema
Published: June 2024

Vitrimers exhibit unique properties, such as thermal recyclability akin to thermoplastics, while structurally mirroring thermosets in terms of strength, durability, and chemical resistance. However, a significant limitation of these materials is their dependence on an external catalyst. Consequently, this research aims to develop vitrimer materials that incorporate an intrinsic catalyst, thus maintaining excellent thermomechanical properties and recyclability. Polyaddition polymerization is employed to synthesize the desired polymer, incorporating a self‐synthesized tertiary amine unit, (bis(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐3,3′‐((2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl)azanediyl)dipropanoate) (N‐diol), as an internal catalyst for transcarbamoylation and potential transesterification reactions. The resulting polymer, with a gel content of 97% and a glass transition temperature of 29 °C, is fabricated into test samples for comprehensive thermal and mechanical evaluations. The material demonstrates an initial Young's modulus of 555 MPa, retaining 81% of this value after two recycling processes. Additionally, using stress relaxation analysis (SRA), a topology freezing temperature of 82 °C, indicative of the characteristic Arrhenius‐like relaxation behavior, is identified with a bond exchange activation energy of 163 kJ mol−1.
Does cuteness enhance luxury brand equity? Exploring the effect of perceived uniqueness
Authors: Li Yuan , Eastman Jacqueline
Published: June 2024

Cuteness is a feature of a variety of products and is common in marketing communications. Despite its popularity among mainstream brands, there is limited academic attention to cuteness in the context of luxury brands. While cuteness and luxury may appeal to different customers, luxury brands sometimes incorporate cuteness in their product design or brand communication. The potential impact of cuteness on luxury brand equity warrants investigation. Across four experiments with 662 participants, this research examines the effect of cuteness on luxury brand equity. Results show that cuteness enhances luxury brand equity through perceived uniqueness, as cuteness is less commonly associated with luxury brands. However, this positive effect only exists for traditional luxury brands, not for masstige or mass consumer brands. This research advances the literature on cuteness, particularly regarding its implications for luxury brands, and offers insights for luxury brand managers.
Myricanol prevents aging‐related sarcopenia by rescuing mitochondrial dysfunction via targeting peroxiredoxin 5
Authors: Shen Shengnan , Liao Qiwen , Lyu Peng , Wang Jigang , Lin Ligen
Published: June 2024

Aging is a process that represents the accumulation of changes in organism overtime. In biological level, accumulations of molecular and cellular damage in aging lead to an increasing risk of diseases like sarcopenia. Sarcopenia reduces mobility, leads to fall‐related injuries, and diminishes life quality. Thus, it is meaningful to find out novel therapeutic strategies for sarcopenia intervention that may help the elderly maintain their functional ability. Oxidative damage‐induced dysfunctional mitochondria are considered as a culprit of muscle wasting during aging. Herein, we aimed to demonstrate whether myricanol (MY) protects aged mice against muscle wasting through alleviating oxidative damage in mitochondria and identify the direct protein target and its underlying mechanism. We discovered that MY protects aged mice against the loss of muscle mass and strength through scavenging reactive oxygen species accumulation to rebuild the redox homeostasis. Taking advantage of biophysical assays, peroxiredoxin 5 was discovered and validated as the direct target of MY. Through activating peroxiredoxin 5, MY reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation and damaged mitochondrial DNA in C2C12 myotubes. Our findings provide an insight for therapy against sarcopenia through alleviating oxidative damage‐induced dysfunctional mitochondria by targeting peroxiredoxin 5, which may contribute an insight for healthy aging.
Multi‐omics analysis reveals a crosstalk between ferroptosis and peroxisomes on steatotic graft failure after liver transplantation
Authors: Liu Zhengtao , Zhu Hai , Zhao Junsheng , Yu Lu , Que Shuping , Xu Jun , Geng Lei , Zhou Lin , Valenti Luca , Zheng Shusen
Published: June 2024

To identify the mechanism underlying macrosteatosis (MaS)‐related graft failure (GF) in liver transplantation (LT) by multi‐omics network analysis. The transcriptome and metabolome were assayed in graft and recipient plasma in discovery (n = 68) and validation (n = 89) cohorts. Differentially expressed molecules were identified by MaS and GF status. Transcriptional regulatory networks were generated to explore the mechanism for MaS‐related inferior post‐transplant prognosis. The differentially expressed molecules associated with MaS and GF were enriched in ferroptosis and peroxisome‐related pathways. Core features of MaS‐related GF were presented on decreased transferrin and impaired anti‐oxidative capacity dependent upon dysregulation of transcription factors hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A (HNF4A) and hypoxia‐inducible factor 1A (HIF1A). Furthermore, miR‐362‐3p and miR‐299‐5p inhibited transferrin and HIF1A expression, respectively. Lower M2 macrophages but higher memory CD4 T cells were observed in MaS‐related GF cases. These results were validated in clinical specimens and cellular models. Systemic analysis of multi‐omics data depicted a panorama of biological pathways deregulated in MaS‐related GF. Transcriptional regulatory networks centered on transferrin and anti‐oxidant responses were associated with poor MaS graft quality, qualifying as potential targets to improve prognosis of patients after LT.
Stability analysis of an atherosclerotic plaque formation model with time delay
Authors: Chen Yonglin , Liu Wenjun , Zhao Yongqing
Published: June 2024

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that poses a serious threat to human health. It starts with the buildup of plaque in the artery wall, which results from the accumulation of pro‐inflammatory factors and other substances. In this paper, we propose a mathematical model of early atherosclerosis with a free boundary and time delay. The time delay represents the time required for macrophages to transit to foam cells through cholesterol accumulation. We obtain an explicit solution and analyze the stability of the model and the effect of the time delay on plaque size. We show that in the form of perturbation
(where
represents the mode of angle), when
or 1, the steady‐state solution
is linearly stable; when
, there exists a critical parameter
such that the steady‐state solution is linearly stable for
and unstable for
. Moreover, we find that smaller plaque are associated with the presence of time delay.
Cardio‐respiratory motion compensation for coronary roadmapping in fluoroscopic imaging
Authors: Chen Ying , Ai Danni , Yu Yang , Fan Jingfan , Yu Wenyuan , Xiao Deqiang , Lin Yucong , Yang Jian
Published: June 2024

Background

Inferring the shape and position of coronary artery poses challenges when using fluoroscopic image guidance during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedure. Although angiography enables coronary artery visualization, the use of injected contrast agent raises concerns about radiation exposure and the risk of contrast‐induced nephropathy. To address these issues, dynamic coronary roadmapping overlaid on fluoroscopic images can provide coronary visual feedback without contrast injection.

Purpose

This paper proposes a novel cardio‐respiratory motion compensation method that utilizes cardiac state synchronization and catheter motion estimation to achieve coronary roadmapping in fluoroscopic images.

Methods

For more accurate cardiac state synchronization, video frame interpolation is applied to increase the frame rate of the original limited angiographic images, resulting in higher framerate and more adequate roadmaps. The proposed method also incorporates a multi‐length cross‐correlation based adaptive electrocardiogram (ECG) matching to address irregular cardiac motion situation. Furthermore, a shape‐constrained path searching method is proposed to extract catheter structure from both fluoroscopic and angiographic image. Then catheter motion is estimated using a cascaded matching approach with an outlier removal strategy, leading to a final corrected roadmap.

Results

Evaluation of the proposed method on clinical x‐ray images demonstrates its effectiveness, achieving a 92.8% F1 score for catheter extraction on 589 fluoroscopic and angiographic images. Additionally, the method achieves a 5.6‐pixel distance error of the coronary roadmap on 164 intraoperative fluoroscopic images.

Conclusions

Overall, the proposed method achieves accurate coronary roadmapping in fluoroscopic images and shows potential to overlay accurate coronary roadmap on fluoroscopic image in assisting PCI.
Factors influencing imaging clinical decision‐making in low back pain management. A scoping review
Authors: Tanner Luke , Saywell Nicola L. , Adams Thomas , Niazi Imran Khan , Hill Julia
Published: June 2024

Background

The use of diagnostic imaging in low back pain (LBP) management is often inappropriate, despite recommendations from clinical practice guidelines. There is a limited understanding of factors that influence the imaging clinical decision‐making (CDM) process.

Aim

Explore the literature on factors influencing imaging CDM for people with LBP and consider how these findings could be used to reduce inappropriate use of imaging in LBP management.

Design

Scoping review.

Method

This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review extension for scoping reviews. A digital search was conducted in Medline, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for eligible studies published between January 2010–2023. Data reporting influences on imaging CDM were extracted. Data were then analysed through an inductive process to group the influencing factors into categories.

Results

After screening, 35 studies (5 qualitative and 30 quantitative) were included in the review, which reported factors influencing imaging CDM. Three categories were developed: clinical features (such as red flags, pain, and neurological deficit), non‐modifiable factors (such as age, sex, and ethnicity) and modifiable factors (such as beliefs about consequences and clinical practice). Most studies reported non‐modifiable factors.

Conclusions

The results of this scoping review challenge the perception that imaging CDM is purely based on clinical history and objective findings. There is a complex interplay between clinical features, patient and clinician characteristics, beliefs, and environment. These findings should be considered when designing strategies to address inappropriate imaging behaviour.
Prevalence, predictive factors, and outcomes of refeeding syndrome among medically critically ill patients: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Tongyoo Surat , Rawangban Pratya , Naorungroj Thummaporn
Published: June 2024

Background

Refeeding syndrome (RFS) is a life‐threatening metabolic derangement occurring when nutrition is reintroduced after prolonged starvation. Limited data exist regarding RFS prevalence, risk factors, and outcome, particularly in critically ill patients.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a medical intensive care unit from June 2018 to August 2020. RFS diagnostic criteria from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) were used. The primary outcome was 30‐day mortality.

Results

Among 216 patients, RFS was diagnosed in 22.7% and 27.3% of patients per the NICE and ASPEN criteria, respectively. There was no significant difference in 30‐day mortality between patients with and without RFS (22/59 [37.3%] vs 53/157 [33.8%]; P = 0.627). Independent predictors of RFS were malignancy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.09; 95% CI = 1.06–4.15; P = 0.035), septic shock (OR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.17–4.39; P = 0.016), and high NICE RFS risk classification (OR = 2.52; 95% CI = 1.20–5.31; P = 0.015). Factors associated with reduced RFS risk were Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores >12 (OR = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.23–0.88; P = 0.020) and high‐dose vasopressor treatment (OR = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.14–0.79; P = 0.012).

Conclusion

RFS affected one‐fourth of the critically ill patients but did not significantly impact 30‐day mortality. Malignancy, septic shock, and high NICE RFS risk classification were positively associated with RFS, whereas high SOFA scores and extensive vasopressor use were linked to decreased risk.
Malnutrition prevalence in hospitalized pediatric patients: A comparison of national and World Health Organization growth standards
Authors: Göktaş Özben Akıncı , Tutar Engin , Büyükeren Melek , Akın Yasemin
Published: June 2024

Background

The aim of the study was to investigate the frequency of malnutrition in hospitalized children and compare national growth standards with World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

Methods

After obtaining height, weight, and mid‐upper arm circumference values for 250 children aged 1 month to 5 years, nutrition status was assessed separately according to Neyzi and WHO standards. Weight‐for‐age z score (WAZ), weight‐for‐height z score (WHZ), height‐for‐age z score (HAZ), and mid‐upper arm circumference z score (MUACz) were calculated based on age. Patients with WHZ < −2 were considered to have acute malnutrition, while those with HAZ < −2 were considered to have chronic malnutrition per WHO's definition.

Results

According to the WHO and Neyzi standards, the z scores were as follows: WAZ (−0.53 ± 1.54/−0.61 ± 1.52), HAZ (−0.42 ± 1.61/−0.45 ± 1.38), WHZ (−0.33 ± 1.26/none), MUACz (−0.58 ± 1.31/none). The difference between WAZ scores for the two standards was highly significant (P = 0.0001), whereas the difference between HAZ scores didn't reach statistical significance (P = 0.052). In our study when evaluated according to WHO standards, the prevalence of acute and chronic malnutrition was 9.6% and 13.6%, respectively. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition in those aged <2 years was higher than in the 2–5 years age group (16.8% and 4.5%, respectively; P = 0.012).

Conclusion

There were highly significant differences in the assessment of malnutrition between the WHO and national Neyzi according to WAZ standards, contradicting the claim that WHO curves can be universally applicable. The high rates of acute and chronic malnutrition in our study indicate that malnutrition remains a significant nutrition problem in our country.
Exploring the properties of gelatin/chitosan bioaerogel scaffolds: Toward ultra‐light and highly porous materials
Authors: Saleh Wafa Mustafa , Yahya Esam Bashir , Ahmad Mardiana Idayu , Khalil H. P. S. Abdul
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the development and characterization of chitosan, gelatin, and chitosan/gelatin (Chi/Gel) bioaerogel composites through a facile and eco‐friendly approach. The goal is to optimize their structural and functional properties for potential environmental and biomedical applications. Direct freezing and lyophilization approach were used to prepare the aerogels, the focus was on investigating the effects of blending ratios on the density, porosity, surface area, and water absorption capabilities of the aerogels. The results show that Chi/Gel 60/40 composition achieved an optimal balance of structural robustness and functional performance, characterized by a moderate density of 74.2 mg/cm3, the highest porosity among the samples at 93.5%, an impressive surface area of 184.8 m2/g, and a water absorption capacity of 28.8 g/g. These results suggest that the synergistic effect of chitosan and gelatin at specific ratios significantly enhances the overall properties of the material. Our findings suggest that Chi/Gel bioaerogels, especially the 60/40 composite, hold great promise for diverse applications.

Highlights

All Gelatin/Chitosan bioaerogels exhibited high porosity and low density.

The Chi/Gel 60/40 mix achieved the highest porosity and surface area.

Highest water adsorption was observed in the Chi/Gel 60/40 composite.

Synergistic effects enhanced properties of the Gelatin/Chitosan scaffolds.
Incidence and management of the main serious adverse events reported after COVID‐19 vaccination
Authors: Padilla‐Flores Teresa , Sampieri Alicia , Vaca Luis
Published: June 2024

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2n first appeared in Wuhan, China in 2019. Soon after, it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The health crisis imposed by a new virus and its rapid spread worldwide prompted the fast development of vaccines. For the first time in human history, two vaccines based on recombinant genetic material technology were approved for human use. These mRNA vaccines were applied in massive immunization programs around the world, followed by other vaccines based on more traditional approaches. Even though all vaccines were tested in clinical trials prior to their general administration, serious adverse events, usually of very low incidence, were mostly identified after application of millions of doses. Establishing a direct correlation (the cause‐effect paradigm) between vaccination and the appearance of adverse effects has proven challenging. This review focuses on the main adverse effects observed after vaccination, including anaphylaxis, myocarditis, vaccine‐induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia, Guillain–Barré syndrome, and transverse myelitis reported in the context of COVID‐19 vaccination. We highlight the symptoms, laboratory tests required for an adequate diagnosis, and briefly outline the recommended treatments for these adverse effects. The aim of this work is to increase awareness among healthcare personnel about the serious adverse events that may arise post‐vaccination. Regardless of the ongoing discussion about the safety of COVID‐19 vaccination, these adverse effects must be identified promptly and treated effectively to reduce the risk of complications.
A bootstrapping method to optimize go/no‐go decisions from single‐arm, signal‐finding studies in oncology
Authors: Dutta Raunak , Mohan Aparna , Buros‐Novik Jacqueline , Goldmacher Gregory , Akala Omobolaji O. , Topp Brian
Published: June 2024

Phase Ib trials are common in oncology development but often are not powered for statistical significance. Go/no‐go decisions are largely driven by observed trends in response data. We applied a bootstrapping method to systematically compare tumor dynamic end points to historical control data to identify drugs with clinically meaningful efficacy. A proprietary mathematical model calibrated to phase Ib anti–PD‐1 therapy trial data (KEYNOTE‐001) was used to simulate thousands of phase Ib trials (n = 30) with a combination of anti–PD‐1 therapy and four novel agents with varying efficacy. A redacted bootstrapping method compared these results to a simulated phase III control arm (N = 511) while adjusting for differences in trial duration and cohort size to determine the probability that the novel agent provides clinically meaningful efficacy. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed strong ability to separate drugs with modest (area under ROC [AUROC] = 83%), moderate (AUROC = 96%), and considerable efficacy (AUROC = 99%) from placebo in early‐phase trials (n = 30). The method was shown to effectively move drugs with a range of efficacy through an in silico pipeline with an overall success rate of 93% and false‐positive rate of 7.5% from phase I to phase III. This model allows for effective comparisons of tumor dynamics from early clinical trials with more mature historical control data and provides a framework to predict drug efficacy in early‐phase trials. We suggest this method should be employed to improve decision making in early oncology trials.
A Quantum Technology for Reinforcement Learning on Channel Assignment
Authors: Chen Zengjing , Wang Lu , Xing Chengzhi
Published: June 2024

Prospective application of quantum technologies for reinforcement learning (RL) is an exciting surge in quantum fields. Quantum random number generators (QRNGs) produce high‐frequency random bits, with advantages of true randomness and device independence over pseudo‐random numbers. This work explores a new approach, called the quantum random numbers for multi‐armed bandit (QRN‐MAB) algorithm, for multi‐user access in wireless communication system upon random bits. The primary objective of the algorithm is to attain a stable assignment state without further exchange. QRN‐MAB utilizes random bits to learn channel features and conducts concurrent exchange to attain stability. This work finds that the intrinsic randomness property used in QRN‐MAB enables arrangement to maintain high accuracy and outperforms other classical algorithms. Additionally, the algorithm exhibits strong adaptability when the environment changes over time and quantum random numbers are advantageous over other pseudo‐random methods in achieving the target. This work provides an effective way for quantum technologies applications in RL and unfolds a promising avenue to stabilize assignment among multiple users.
Measurement‐Device‐Independent Quantum Secret Sharing
Authors: Cai Xiao‐Qiu , Li Shuang , Liu Zi‐Fan , Wang Tian‐Yin
Published: June 2024

Quantum secret sharing has many important applications in quantum communication and secure multiparty computing. In this work, a novel measurement‐device‐independent protocol for three‐party quantum secret sharing is put forward, in which the dealer and two sharers are required to prepare Greenberger‐Horne‐Zeilinger states and single particles, respectively, but they only need to perform single‐particle measurement. As a result, this protocol is feasible in experiments by using current technologies. More importantly, it can extend the spatial distance among three participants for quantum state transmissions at least 15.47% compared to the previous protocols.
Command filter‐based adaptive fixed‐time control for uncertain nonlinear systems with prescribed performance and actuator fault
Authors: Yu Guo , Liu Wenhui
Published: June 2024

This article proposes a tracking control strategy based on fixed‐time for uncertain nonlinear systems with prescribed performance and actuator faults. Fuzzy logic systems are used to model unknown functions with uncertainties or fuzzy parameter features. The improvement of the conventional backstepping method through the introduction of command filtering technology has effectively addressed the challenge of a sharp increase in computational complexity during controller design. Additionally, a mechanism for error compensation has been established to mitigate the potential impact of errors that may arise during the filtering process on the system. Then, a new fixed‐time performance function is introduced into the adaptive backstepping method to ensure that the tracking signal with output error converges to an arbitrarily small neighborhood within a fixed time. Additionally, in order to enhance the tracking performance of the control method, the controller algorithm incorporates fault‐tolerant control based on the fixed‐time performance function. Finally, a numerical simulation of a power system with a static reactive power compensation device is presented, and demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed control algorithm.
Decentralized periodic event‐triggered control for smart water distribution systems via digital twin approach
Authors: Fu Anqi , Qiao Renlu , Wu Zhiqiang
Published: June 2024

Decentralized periodic event‐triggered control can reduce the working time and data transmissions in the sensor nodes for feedback control loops, making it suitable for wireless networked control systems, especially those with large physical scales, such as smart water distribution systems. However, the design of this control approach requires accurate system model, which is normally difficult to obtain. In this work, we assume a digital twin of the original system can be obtained by some modeling and simulation tools, for example, Simscape in MATLAB/Simulink for water distribution systems, and thus present an event‐triggered controller design approach. We first present the design of such an event‐triggered controller for the digital twin; and then analyze the condition under which if both the original system and its digital twin can be satisfied, the same controller can work for the original system and some type of stability can be guaranteed at the same time. The proposed approach is applied in a smart water distribution system to show the feasibility.
Geometric tracking on 𝒮3 based on sliding mode control
Authors: Espíndola Eduardo , Tang Yu
Published: June 2024

Attitude tracking on the unit sphere of dimension 3 based on sliding mode is considered in this article. The tangent bundle of Lagrangian dynamics that describes the rotational motion of a rigid body is first equipped with the structure of a Lie group, then a sliding subgroup emerged on it is defined. Next, a sliding‐mode controller is designed for attitude tracking that relies on an intrinsic error defined on the Lie group. Almost global asymptotic stability of the closed loop is demonstrated using the Lyapunov analysis. Comparisons of the proposed geometric sliding mode controller designed on the nonlinear manifold with one designed in the Euclidean space showed that under the same working conditions the former is more energy efficient, more robust to measurement noises, and has a shorter and smoother transient response.
Mountain search and recovery: An unmanned aerial vehicle deployment case study and analysis
Authors: Schomer Nathan L. , Adams Julie A.
Published: June 2024

Mountain search and rescue (MSAR) seeks to assist people in extreme remote environments. This method of emergency response often relies on crewed aircraft to perform aerial visual search. Many MSAR teams use low‐cost, consumer‐grade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to augment the crewed aircraft operations. These UAVs are primarily developed for aerial photography and lack many features critical (e.g., probability‐prioritized coverage path planning) to support MSAR operations. As a result, UAVs are underutilized in MSAR. A case study of a recent mountain search and recovery scenario that did not use, but may have benefited from, UAVs is provided. An overview of the mission is augmented with a subject matter expert‐informed analysis of how the mission may have benefited from current UAV technology. Lastly, mission relevant requirements are presented along with a discussion of how future UAV development can seek to bridge the gap between state‐of‐the‐art robotics and MSAR.
Permanently Charged Cationic Lipids—Evolution from Excipients to Therapeutic Lipids
Authors: S Pushpa Ragini , Banerjee Rajkumar , Drummond Calum J. , Conn Charlotte E.
Published: June 2024

Cationic lipids are crucial in medical and biotechnological applications including cellular transfection and gene delivery. Ionizable cationic lipids are critical components of the mRNA‐based COVID vaccines while permanently charged cationic lipids have shown promise in cancer treatment. Despite significant research progress over the past few decades in designing improved, biocompatible cationic lipids, their transfection efficiency remains lower than that of viral vectors. Cationic lipids with additional functionalities like fusogenicity, stimuli‐responsiveness, targeting capabilities, and therapeutic activity have been engineered to improve their performance. This review highlights the importance of molecular hybridization toward the design of biocompatible cationic lipids having fusogenic, stimuli‐responsive, targeting, or therapeutic properties. This review mainly focuses on cationic lipids, having a permanent positive charge in the headgroup region, as these are typically employed to both increase cellular interactions and for improved loading, particularly for anionic nucleic acid‐based therapeutics and vaccines. Structure–activity relationships between the lipid chemical structure (headgroup, spacer, hydrocarbon chain) and, to a lesser extent, the self‐assembled nanostructure and the intrinsic biological activity of the multi‐functional cationic lipids are described. Finally, the challenges involved in developing smart lipids without affecting their inherent capacity to self‐assemble into structured nano‐carriers are discussed.
Phase‐Pure α‐Sn Quantum Material on Si Seeded by a 2 nm‐Thick Ge Layer
Authors: Liu Shang , Li Shangda , Gardener Jules A. , Akey Austin , Gao Xiaoxue , Wang Xiaoxin , Liu Jifeng
Published: June 2024

α‐Sn, a new elemental topological quantum material, has drawn substantial attention lately. Unique transport properties and intriguing spintronics applications of α‐Sn are demonstrated, resurrecting this material from its notorious “tin pest” infamy. With a diamond cubic crystal structure, group‐IV α‐Sn holds the potential for integrated topological quantum devices on Si. However, directly growing α‐Sn on Si is still challenging due to the ≈20% lattice mismatch. Here, a new method is demonstrated to grow 200 nm‐thick α‐Sn microstructures on a 2 nm‐thick Ge seed layer on Si substrate by physical vapor deposition. In situ Raman spectroscopy reveals that the as‐deposited β‐Sn melts upon rapid thermal annealing at 350–450 °C and solidifies to α‐Sn after cooling back to room temperature, seeded by heterogeneous nucleation on the Ge layer. Cooling condition and HCl etching are tuned to achieve phase‐pure α‐Sn microstructures toward quantum devices. Approximately 1 at.% Ge is alloyed into α‐Sn due to diffusion from the Ge seed layer, which helps stabilize α‐Sn thermodynamically to facilitate device processing. A compressive strain is incorporated into these α‐Sn microstructures, making them 3D topological Dirac semimetals for integrated quantum devices on Si.
Effects of Photon Recycling and Luminescent Coupling in All‐Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells Assessed by Full Opto‐electronic Simulation
Authors: Aeberhard Urs , Zeder Simon J. , Ruhstaller Beat
Published: June 2024

The impact of photon recycling (PR) and of luminescent coupling (LC) on the photovoltaic performance of all‐perovskite tandem solar cells is analyzed by the means of optical and full opto‐electronic device simulation. Optical processes are assessed using a comprehensive Green function formalism that considers wave optical effects also in emission. Starting from a consistent fit of experimental sub‐cell and tandem characteristics, the effects of re‐absorption are propagated from the optical limit to a situation with consideration of realistic charge transport across the entire tandem device. This also provides insight into the origin of performance losses due to sub‐cell and interconnection quality.
Nearest‐neighbor, BERT‐based, scalable clone detection: A practical approach for large‐scale industrial code bases
Authors: Ahmed Gul Aftab , Patten James Vincent , Han Yuanhua , Lu Guoxian , Hou Wei , Gregg David , Buckley Jim , Chochlov Muslim
Published: June 2024

Hidden code clones negatively impact software maintenance, but manually detecting them in large codebases is impractical. Additionally, automated approaches find detection of syntactically‐divergent clones very challenging. While recent deep neural networks (for example BERT‐based artificial neural networks) seem more effective in detecting such clones, their pairwise comparison of every code pair in the target system(s) is inefficient and scales poorly on large codebases. We present SSCD, a BERT‐based clone detection approach that targets high recall of Type 3 and Type 4 clones at a very large scale (in line with our industrial partner's requirements). It computes a representative embedding for each code fragment and finds similar fragments using a nearest neighbor search. Thus, SSCD avoids the pairwise‐comparison bottleneck of other neural network approaches, while also using a parallel, GPU‐accelerated search to tackle scalability. This article describes the approach, proposing and evaluating several refinements to improve Type 3/4 clone detection at scale. It provides a substantial empirical evaluation of the technique, including a speed/efficacy comparison of the approach against SourcererCC and Oreo, the only other neural‐network approach currently capable of scaling to hundreds of millions of LOC. It also includes a large in‐situ evaluation on our industrial collaborator's code base that assesses the original technique, the impact of the proposed refinements and illustrates the impact of incremental, active learning on its efficacy. We find that SSCD is significantly faster and more accurate than SourcererCC and Oreo. SAGA, a GPU‐accelerated traditional clone detection approach, is a little better than SSCD for T1/T2 clones, but substantially worse for T3/T4 clones. Thus, SSCD is both scalable to industrial code sizes, and comparatively more accurate than existing approaches for difficult T3/T4 clone searching. In‐situ evaluation on company datasets shows that SSCD outperforms the baseline approach (CCFinderX) for T3/T4 clones. Whitespace removal and active learning further improve SSCD effectiveness.
Functional Failure Behavior of Submerged Entry Nozzle during the Continuous Casting Process of the Bearing Steel GCr15
Authors: Tian Chen , Zhang Siyuan , Liu Xiaoming , Gao Shan , Xie Xingjun , Zhu Xiaowei , Mu Wangzhong , Yuan Yi , Wang Qiang
Published: June 2024

The submerged entry nozzle (SEN) is an indispensable functional structural ceramic in the current continuous casting production. The stability and safety of the SEN is very important during the casting process. In this article, the functional failure of the SEN during the continuous casting process of the bearing steel GCr15 is studied. The results show that the functional failure of the SEN during the bearing steel GCr15 casting process is caused by the clogging inside the SEN which is led by the low cleanliness and the high impurities n the molten steel. The clogging in the SEN can be divided into solidified steel area, loose area, dense area, and surface area. To improve the castability of bearing steel or other high‐cleanliness steel, it is necessary to strengthen the refining process and treatment effect, strengthen the sealing and the effect of the protective casting of the molten steel, and moderate optimization of nozzle materials or the application of external fields on the SEN.