bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing photocathodic protection with Bi quantum dots and ZIF-8 nanoparticle co-sensitized TiO2 nanotubes
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Zhu Jinke , Yang Zhanyuan , Li Yanhui , Zhang Pengfei , Li Hong
Published: October 2023

Since hole trapping agents do not persist in the marine environment, it is more practical to test metal protection in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution so that the photocathodic protection (PCP) technique can be effectively applied in an actual marine environment. In this paper, Bi quantum dots (QDs) and ZIF-8 nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully deposited on TiO2 by hydrothermal and impregnation methods. The PCP performances of ZIF-8/Bi/TiO2 composites in the marine environment without hole trapping agents were evaluated, and compared with the performances of pure TiO2, Bi/TiO2 and ZIF-8/TiO2. The electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS) fitting results demonstrate that the R
ct value of the ZIF-8/Bi/TiO2 composite coupled with 316 stainless steel (SS) decreased from 7678 Ω cm2 to 519.3 Ω cm2 in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, which is a decrease of about 14.8-fold compared with TiO2 under the same conditions. This indicates that the deposition of Bi QDs and ZIF-8 NPs on TiO2 nanotubes can improve the electron transport efficiency, which in turn slows down the rate of corrosion of 316 SS and significantly improves the PCP performance. This is not only attributable to the Schottky junction and heterojunction structures formed by Bi QDs and ZIF-8 NPs with TiO2, but also to the surface plasmon resonance effect of Bi QDs and the N–Ti–O bond structure formed between ZIF-8 and TiO2, leading to a lower electron–hole recombination efficiency and a higher electron transfer efficiency.
Theory for anisotropic local ferroelectric switching
Authors: Fomichov Y M , Yudin P V , Tyunina M , Dejneka A
Published: October 2023

Theoretical modeling of polarization switching around a biased tip contact is important for fundamental understanding and advanced applications of ferroelectrics. Here we propose a simple in-plane two-dimensional model that considers surface charge transport and the associated evolution of the electric field driving domain growth. The model reproduces peculiar domain shapes ranging from round to faceted in KTiOPO4 (C2v symmetry) and LiNbO3 (C3v symmetry). This is done through modulation of dielectric permittivity, which mimics domain wall pinning on the lattice. In contrast to previous works, which attempted to justify domain anisotropy by means of point symmetry invariants, here we illustrate the necessity of taking translational symmetry into account. The results are pertinent to ferroelectric racetrack memories and other applications requiring domain tailoring.
Heterogeneous anomalous transport in cellular and molecular biology
Authors: Waigh Thomas Andrew , Korabel Nickolay
Published: October 2023

It is well established that a wide variety of phenomena in cellular and molecular biology involve anomalous transport e.g. the statistics for the motility of cells and molecules are fractional and do not conform to the archetypes of simple diffusion or ballistic transport. Recent research demonstrates that anomalous transport is in many cases heterogeneous in both time and space. Thus single anomalous exponents and single generalised diffusion coefficients are unable to satisfactorily describe many crucial phenomena in cellular and molecular biology. We consider advances in the field of heterogeneous anomalous transport (HAT) highlighting: experimental techniques (single molecule methods, microscopy, image analysis, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, inelastic neutron scattering, and nuclear magnetic resonance), theoretical tools for data analysis (robust statistical methods such as first passage probabilities, survival analysis, different varieties of mean square displacements, etc), analytic theory and generative theoretical models based on simulations. Special emphasis is made on high throughput analysis techniques based on machine learning and neural networks. Furthermore, we consider anomalous transport in the context of microrheology and the heterogeneous viscoelasticity of complex fluids. HAT in the wavefronts of reaction–diffusion systems is also considered since it plays an important role in morphogenesis and signalling. In addition, we present specific examples from cellular biology including embryonic cells, leucocytes, cancer cells, bacterial cells, bacterial biofilms, and eukaryotic microorganisms. Case studies from molecular biology include DNA, membranes, endosomal transport, endoplasmic reticula, mucins, globular proteins, and amyloids.
Quantum nonlinear ac transport theory at low frequency
Authors: Zhang Lei , Xu Fuming , Chen Jian , Xing Yanxia , Wang Jian
Published: October 2023

Based on the nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF), we develop a quantum nonlinear theory to study time-dependent ac transport properties in the low frequency and nonlinear bias voltage regimes. By expanding NEGF in terms of time to the linear order in Wigner representation, we can explicitly include the time-dependent self-consistent Coulomb interaction induced by external ac bias. Hence this theory automatically satisfies two basic requirements, i.e. current conservation and gauge invariance. Within this theory, the nonlinear ac current can be evaluated at arbitrarily large bias voltages under the low frequency limit. In addition, we obtain the expression of time-dependent current under the wide band limit and derive the relation between the nonlinear electrochemical capacitance and the bias voltage, which are very useful in predicting the dynamical properties of nanoelectronic devices. This quantum theory can be directly combined with density functional theory to investigate time-dependent ac transport from first-principles calculation.
Generation of hierarchical wetting microstructures by the ultrasonic vibration-assisted mechanical ruling
Authors: Yao Dong , Shi Guangfeng , Meng Siwei
Published: October 2023

This paper presents an innovative method that combines ultrasonic vibration and mechanical ruling to fabricate hierarchical wetting microstructures with controllable adhesion properties on widely used 304 stainless steel. These hierarchical microstructures, obtained through the ultrasonic-assisted mechanical ruling process, enable both hydrophobicity and controllable adhesion by adjusting the vibration amplitude and ruling speed. When the amplitude increased from 2 μm to 4 μm, there was a 5% rise in the contact angle in the parallel direction, ranging from 132.1° to 138.9°, while in the perpendicular direction, it increased by 3.9%, from 121.1° to 125.8°. Similarly, as the ruling speed increased from 6 mm s−1 to 8 mm s−1, the contact angle in the parallel direction increased by 3.3%, from 134.4° to 138.8°. In the perpendicular direction, the contact angle increased by 3.6%, from 127.8° to 132.5°. Notably, with an amplitude of 4 μm and a ruling speed of 10 mm s−1, the resulting hierarchical microstructured surface exhibited significantly reduced adhesion. This paper effectively demonstrates the one-step production of hydrophobic structures with adjustable adhesion using ultrasonic-assisted mechanical ruling. This approach enhances processing efficiency and showcases the advantages of ultrasonic-assisted mechanical ruling in fabricating hierarchical microstructures.
Photonic spin Hall effect in uniaxially strained graphene
Authors: Shah Muzamil , Hayat Aamir , Sajid Muhammad , Khan Niaz Ali , Jan Munsif
Published: October 2023

Graphene is one of the thinnest conductive materials which possesses unique mechanical, electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. Owing to its inherent unique mechanical flexibility and strength, it has potential applications in various flexible nanophotonic devices. In this paper, we present theoretical investigations of the spin Hall effect of a light beam reflected from the surface of the strained graphene substrate system subjected to uniaxial strain. Using appropriate boundary conditions for the incident and reflected beams based on the angular spectrum analysis, we derive mathematical expressions for the transverse photonic spin Hall effect (PSHE) for the strained graphene. By tuning the applied strain along zigzag and armchair orientations, we explore the giant PSHE in the graphene substrate system. We show the impact of chemical potential, incident photon energy, and applied strain on the photonic spin Hall shifts. We believe that the PSHE may thus serve as a versatile tool to probe the applied strain in novel 2D materials.
High-order SUSY-QM, the quantum XP model and zeroes of the Riemann Zeta function
Authors: García-Muñoz Juan D , Raya A , Concha-Sánchez Y
Published: October 2023

Making use of the first- and second-order algorithms of supersymmetric quantum mechanics (SUSY-QM), we construct quantum mechanical Hamiltonians whose spectra are related to the zeroes of the Riemann Zeta function ζ(s). Inspired by the model of Das and Kalauni (DK) A Das and P Kalauni (2019 Physics Letters B
791, 265-269) which corresponds to this function in the strip

0
<
Re
[
s
]
<
1

, and taking the factorization energy equal to zero, we use the wave function ∣x∣−S
,

S
∈
C

, as a seed solution for our algorithms, obtaining XP-like operators. Thus, we construct SUSY-QM partner Hamiltonians whose zero energy mode locates exactly the nontrivial zeroes of ζ(s) along the critical line

Re
[
s
]
=
1

/

2

in the complex plane. We further find that unlike the DK case, where the SUSY-QM partner potentials correspond to free particles, our partner potentials belong to the family of inverse squared distance potentials with complex couplings.
Controllable high Curie temperature through 5d transition metal atom doping in CrI3
Authors: Peng 彭 Xuebing 雪兵 , Si 司 Mingsu 明苏 , Gao 高 Daqiang 大强
Published: October 2023

Two-dimensional (2D) CrI3 is a ferromagnetic semiconductor with potential for applications in spintronics. However, its low Curie temperature (T
c) hinders realistic applications of CrI3. Based on first-principles calculations, 5d transition metal (TM) atom doping of CrI3 (TM@CrI3) is a universally effective way to increase T
c, which stems from the increased magnetic moment induced by doping with TM atoms. T
c of W@CrI3 reaches 254 K, nearly six times higher than that of the host CrI3. When the doping concentration of W atoms is increased to above 5.9%, W@CrI3 shows room-temperature ferromagnetism. Intriguingly, the large magnetic anisotropy energy of W@CrI3 can stabilize the long-range ferromagnetic order. Moreover, TM@CrI3 has a strong ferromagnetic stability. All TM@CrI3 change from a semiconductor to a half-metal, except doping with Au atom. These results provide information relevant to potential applications of CrI3 monolayers in spintronics.
How fluctuation intensity flux drives SOL expansion
Authors: Li Nami , Xu X.Q. , Diamond P.H. , Zhang T. , Liu X. , Wang Y.F. , Yan N. , Xu G.S.
Published: October 2023

Predictions of heat load widths

λ
q

based on particle orbits alone are very pessimistic. This paper shows that pedestal peeling-ballooning (P-B) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence broadens the stable scrape-off layer (SOL) by the transport, or spreading, of fluctuation energy from the pedestal.

λ
q

is seen to increase with

Γ
ε

, the fluctuation energy density flux. We elucidate the fundamental physics of the spreading process.

Γ
ε

increases with pressure fluctuation correlation length. P-B turbulence is seen to be especially effective at spreading, on account of its large effective mixing length. Spreading is shown to be a multiscale process, which is enhanced by the synergy of large and small-scale modes. Pressure fluctuation skewness correlates well with the spreading flux–with the zero crossing of skewness and

Γ
ε

spatially coincident–suggesting the role of coherent fluctuation structures and the presence of intermittency in

λ
q

broadening.

λ
q

∼

B

p

−
1

scaling persists for the broadened SOL. We show that the spreading flux increases for increasing pedestal pressure gradient

∇

P
0

and for decreasing pedestal collisionality

υ

ped

∗

. This trend is due to the dominance of peeling modes for large

∇

P
0

and low

υ

ped

∗

. Ultimately, we see that a state of weak MHD turbulence, as for small ELMs, is very attractive for heat load management. Our findings have transformative implications for future fusion reactor designs and call for experimental investigations to validate the observed trends.
Synthesis and synergistic effect of cuprous(I) oxide nanoparticles and polyethyleneimine modified ammonium polyphosphate on enhancing the flame resistance of epoxy resin
Authors: Thi Doan Hai , Thi Nguyen Nhiem , Thi Hac Nhung , Thi Lan Huong Pham , Hoang Mai Ha , Ngo Quoc Anh , Nguyen Van Tuyen , Tran Vinh Quang
Published: October 2023

In this study, cuprous(I) oxide nanoparticles (Cu2ONPs) and APP@PEI (polyethyleneimine-modified ammonium polyphosphate) materials were successfully synthesized and combined to create a flame-retardant system for the fabrication of epoxy (EP) resin with high flame resistance. The characteristic results revealed that the synthesized Cu2ONPs exhibited a particle shape with a size below 200 nm. The synthesized APP@PEI material possessed dimensions ranging from 10–20 micrometers, featuring a core–shell structure. The combination of Cu2ONPs and APP@PEI has proven to be an effective flame-retardant system, significantly enhancing the flame resistance of EP resin. The epoxy-based composite prepared with 2 wt% Cu2ONPs and 18 wt% APP@PEI demonstrated high flame resistance, achieving a V-0 rating (the highest rating according to the UL-94 method for evaluating the flame retardancy of materials) and a limiting oxygen index value of 36% (indicating the material’s self-extinguishing ability). This limiting oxygen index value was significantly higher than that of neat EP resin, which only reached 19%. The characteristic results of the flame-retardant epoxy-based composite demonstrated that both APP@PEI and Cu2ONPs were well dispersed in the EP resin and did not undergo structural transformation during the material preparation process. APP@PEI and Cu2ONPs enhanced the thermal degradation of EP-based composite materials at lower temperatures, exhibiting a faster degradation rate compared to EP resin. This augmentation facilitates the formation of a protective char layer on the surface of composite, thereby shielding it from direct flame exposure during combustion. Cu2ONPs played a role as oxidative catalysts, acting as Lewis acids. In addition to enhancing fire resistance, APP@PEI and Cu2ONPs have increased thermal conductivity, reduced impact strength, maintained tensile strength, and improved flexural strength of the composite material based on EP compared to neat EP resin.
A fault-tolerant variational quantum algorithm with limited T-depth
Authors: Sayginel Hasan , Jamet Francois , Agarwal Abhishek , Browne Dan E , Rungger Ivan
Published: October 2023

We propose a variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) algorithm that uses a fault-tolerant (FT) gate-set, and is hence suitable for implementation on a future error-corrected quantum computer. VQE quantum circuits are typically designed for near-term, noisy quantum devices and have continuously parameterized rotation gates as the central building block. On the other hand, an FT quantum computer (FTQC) can only implement a discrete set of logical gates, such as the so-called Clifford+T gates. We show that the energy minimization of VQE can be performed with such an FT discrete gate-set, where we use the Ross–Selinger algorithm to transpile the continuous rotation gates to the error-correctable Clifford+T gate-set. We find that there is no loss of convergence when compared to the one of parameterized circuits if an adaptive accuracy of the transpilation is used in the VQE optimization. State preparation with VQE requires only a moderate number of T-gates, depending on the system size and transpilation accuracy. We demonstrate these properties on emulators for two prototypical spin models with up to 16 qubits. This is a promising result for the integration of VQE and more generally variational algorithms in the emerging FT setting, where they can form building blocks of the general quantum algorithms that will become accessible in an FTQC.
Analysis of spatial and temporal evolution and drivers of cropland in the economic zone of the northern slope of Tianshan mountain
Authors: Qiao Xiang , Liu Hongguang , Liu Yang , Gong Ping , Li Pengfei , Li Ling
Published: October 2023

The rapid population growth has intensified the need for increased food production, making cropland resources crucial for ensuring food security. Comprehending the evolutionary trends of cropland resources can aid in making well-informed decisions concerning their judicious utilization and contribute to the enhancement of ecological stability. In this investigation, the focus was directed towards the economic zone of the northern slope of Tianshan Mountain, situated in the arid expanse of northwest China. By analyzing land use data from 2000 to 2020, a range of methodologies, including Lorenz curves, local spatial autocorrelation, and Geodetector were employed to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution patterns, evolution, driving forces, heterogeneity, and driving mechanisms of cropland in this region. The findings revealed that the cropland in research area underwent three distinct stages: steady expansion, rapid expansion, and relative stability. The overall annual increase rate was 11.993%, primarily driven by the conversion of grassland and unused land. The spatial distribution of cropland resources was uneven, with concentrations in the central oasis plains in the form of strips and patches. The center of gravity of cropland exhibited a circular movement pattern of ‘northwest-southeast-northwest’. The migration speed followed a sequence of ‘slow-fast-slow’, and the spatial distribution appeared scattered. The main driving forces influencing cropland change included mean annual temperature, elevation, total grain output and agricultural output value. Among these, socioeconomic factors (0.403, 0.430) exerted a greater influence on the spatial distribution of cropland compared to natural factors (0.167). Most interactions between the factors demonstrated non-linear enhancement and two-factor enhancement. The discoveries of this study can assist decision-makers in formulating conservation strategies for cropland based on the current status of cropland resources and drivers in different regions. Furthermore, these findings can stimulate the coordinated development of cropland, water resources, population, and industries, facilitating informed decision-making across various domains.
Effect of hybridization on camphor soot-embedded palmyra fiber-reinforced nylon nanocomposites
Authors: Raghavendra T , C A Niranjan , Shilpa M , K Panneerselvam , Singh Akriti
Published: October 2023

In the present study, camphor soot-filled palmyra fiber-reinforced nylon-6 hybrid nanocomposites (CPFNnC) were prepared using a twin-screw extruder with different wt% of CPFNnC (0, 3, 6 or 9 wt%). These composites were characterized to study their thermal, mechanical and rheological properties. Thermogravimetric analysis showed a marginal increase in thermal stability with 6 wt% CPFNnC. Differential scanning calorimetry curves showed a slight increment in the melting point in CPFNnC, while degradation temperature decreased with fiber content. Dynamic mechanical analysis indicated a maximum storage modulus for 6 wt% CPFNnC at 803 MPa compared with fiber-free nylon-6 (696 MPa at 25 °C). Tan δ for 3 wt% CPFNnC showed a better damping effect due to the existence of palmyra fibers. Creep results indicated that CPFNnC containing 6 wt% fibers has a minimum depth impression of 0.124 mm compared with fiber-free nylon with 0.146 mm. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a uniform distribution of modified palmyra fibers in the matrix and brittle fracture was observed in the CPFNnC. Compared with fiber-free nylon-6, the tensile strength, flexural strength and density of the CPFNnC increased with increase in fiber content; however, the impact strength was reduced and a lower melt flow index was found.
CAD system for epileptic seizure detection from EEG through image processing and SURF-BOF technique
Authors: Alshayeji Mohammad H
Published: October 2023

Epilepsy is one of the most debilitating neurological diseases that abruptly alters a person’s way of life. Manual diagnosis is a laborious and time-consuming task prone to human error. Therefore, automating this task by developing an intelligent system is necessary. Existing deep learning (DL) models require high training time, large datasets, and machines with more memory and processing power. In addition, owing to the black-box nature of DL models, no one can determine the features that the network prefers for classification decisions. To overcome these challenges, this study proposes an accurate, automatic, and fast-intelligent system for epilepsy detection using a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) -two-dimensional machine learning (ML) framework. Existing ML models struggle to produce reliable and acceptable diagnostic results owing to the low amplitude and nonstationary nature of electroencephalograms (EEGs), particularly in clinical situations where environmental influences are almost impossible to eliminate. The proposed model was built using the Children’s Hospital Boston and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology dataset, and represents the first study that employs the speeded-up robust feature (SURF) bag of features technique for this application, which generates local features from spectrogram images of the respective one-dimensional EEG signal inputs. In addition, DL features were extracted from the spectrogram images for model performance comparison. Both features were used separately to train the ML classifiers. Implementing SURF offers fast computation and makes the model invariant to distortions, noise, scaling, and so on. Therefore, the proposed model is more suitable for real-time applications, and this ML framework provides an enhanced accuracy of 99.78% compared to the support vector machine-RBF classifier, along with 99.56% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and an error rate of 0.22%. The higher detection accuracy demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed framework for medical disease diagnosis applications.
N-Acetylcysteine Alleviates Phenylephrine-Induced Cardiomyocyte Dysfunction via Engaging PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway
Authors: Chao Sheng-ping , Cheng Wen-Lin , Yi Wenjuan , Cai Huan-Huan , Deng Keqiong , Cao Jian-Lei , Zeng Ziyue , Wang Hairong , Wu Xiaoyan
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND

Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress response lead to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and apoptosis, which play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of heart failure. The purpose of current research was to explore the role of antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on cardiomyocyte dysfunction and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Compared with control group without NAC treatment, NAC dramatically inhibited the cell size of primary cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) tested by immunofluorescence staining and reduced the expression of representative markers associated with hypertrophic, fibrosis and apoptosis subjected to phenylephrine administration examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot. Moreover, enhanced ROS expression was attenuated, whereas activities of makers related to oxidative stress response examined by individual assay Kits, including total antioxidation capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and primary antioxidant enzyme Superoxide dismutase (SOD) were induced by NAC treatment in NRCMs previously treated with phenylephrine. Mechanistically, we noticed that the protein expression levels of phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and AKT were increased by NAC stimulation. More importantly, we identified that the negative regulation of NAC in cardiomyocyte dysfunction was contributed by PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through further utilization of PI3K/AKT inhibitor (LY294002) or agonist (SC79).

CONCLUSIONS

Collected, NAC could attenuate cardiomyocyte dysfunction subjected to phenylephrine, partially by regulating the ROS-induced PI3K/AKT-dependent signaling pathway.
Cosmetic Injection of Illicit Foreign Materials: Imaging Features and Patterns of Migration in 413 Cases
Authors: Kushida-Contreras Beatriz Hatsue , Gómez-Calva Brenda , Gaxiola-García Miguel Angel
Published: October 2023

Background

The injection of illicit, nonregulated foreign materials is increasingly common and has negative consequences relative to the inflammatory process that ensues.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to identify anatomical and imaging characteristics after the cosmetic injection of illicit foreign materials.

Methods

A retrospective review of clinical and imaging records was performed. The issues analyzed were the anatomical site, type of injected substance, imaging method for diagnosis, and patterns of migration.

Results

Data on 413 patients were collected. Most patients were female, with a mean age of 44 years. The most commonly infiltrated region was the buttocks (n = 284; 53.58%) followed by the breast (n = 99; 18.67%). Magnetic resonance imaging was the most common method of diagnosis in those patients who had an imaging study (159 out of 168). The most frequent depth of foreign material detected by imaging was the muscular plane (n = 103; 61.30%). Migration was detected in 56.55% of patients who had an imaging study. Most infiltrated substances were unknown; biopolymers were the most commonly identified substances. Depending on the type of substance, migration rates varied from 13% to 29%; rate differences were not statistically significant (P = .712). Migration was more common when the depth of infiltration was in muscle (77.66%) than in subcutaneous tissue (23.4%); this difference was statistically significant (P < .0001).

Conclusions

Deep infiltration is related to greater migration rates, apparently regardless of the substance injected.

Level of Evidence: 3
Silk Bioprotein as a Novel Surgical-Site Wound Dressing: A Prospective, Randomized, Single-Blinded, Superiority Clinical Trial
Authors: Rouhani Daniel S , Singh Navin K , Chao James J , Almutairi Adah , Badowski-Platz Rebecca , Seradj Mehran H , Mofid Mehrdad Mark
Published: October 2023

Background

Medical adhesive-related skin injuries (MARSIs) affect about 1.5 million patients annually in the United States. Complications include allergic contact dermatitis, skin blistering, skin tears, and surgical-site infections (SSIs). The authors hypothesize that a natural hypoallergenic silk bioprotein wound dressing will decrease the incidence of MARSI in comparison to a synthetic alternative.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a silk bioprotein wound dressing compared to the Dermabond Prineo (Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ) skin closure system.

Methods

This prospective, randomized, single-blinded trial studied 25 patients who were dressed with Dermabond Prineo on one side of their body and on the contralateral side with the silk bioprotein dressing after undergoing abdominoplasty or reduction mammaplasty procedures. Data were collected over 5 postoperative visits using photographs and an investigator administered questionnaire to track rash, itch, discomfort, erythema, edema, SSIs, need for pharmaceutical intervention, mechanical injury, removal time, and bathing routines.

Results

Sixty-four percent (16/25) of patients characterized the severity of discomfort as a score of 4 out of 10 or greater on the Dermabond Prineo control side and only 4% (1/25) for the silk-dressing side (P < .001). Fifty-two percent (13/25) had a visible rash of 4 or higher on the Dermabond Prineo side of their incision and 0% (0/25) had a rash on the silk side (P < .001). Fifty-two percent (13/25) required steroids or antibiotics to treat MARSI to Dermabond Prineo and 0% (0/25) required pharmaceutical intervention on the silk side (P < .001).

Conclusions

The use of a silk bioprotein wound dressing significantly reduces the incidence of MARSI throughout the postoperative period.

Level of Evidence: 2
Evolution of the Push-2-Spin Fat Graft Processing Device: Enhancing Efficiency and Reducing Risk of Contamination
Authors: Loder Shawn J , Bengur Fuat Baris , Lee Phoebe L , Kokai Lauren
Published: October 2023

Background

Small-volume fat graft efficiency is a critical determinant of the cost and material effectiveness of aesthetic fat grafting in the clinical space. Recent development of devices, such as the Push-2-Spin (P2S) system (Pittsburgh, PA), has improved upon the process by yielding a rapid, handheld, multi-use system to minimize operative time and mess.

Objectives

In this study, the authors describe further technical innovations on the P2S prototype that improve operative ease of use, time, and safety.

Methods

Abdominoplasty samples were obtained as discarded tissue. Lipoaspirate was collected utilizing a 3.0 mm liposuction cannula and processed through centrifugation (Coleman technique), gauze (telfa) rolling, mesh straining, the tabletop P2S device (prototype), or the P2S handheld (P2S-H) device. Operative processing time, spin time, oil fraction, stromal vascular fraction (SVF) yield and viability, and adipocyte viability were assessed to compare the efficacy and viability of each device/technique. Blood agar smears of lipoaspirate were performed to assess for risk of contamination.

Results

The P2S-H device outperformed its prior iteration in rotary and processing speed and was significantly faster than each other technique assessed. Furthermore, the use of an inline system offered significant advantages over open-air techniques in terms of resistance to contamination. Serial use characteristics were assessed; under these conditions, oil yield as well as adipocyte and SVF number and viability was similar between all techniques.

Conclusions

The technical advancements to the P2S system which enable single-unit, handheld operation significantly improve operative time and minimize space requirements. This operative quality of life improvement comes at no cost to the efficacy of oil extraction, cellular yield, or cell viability.

Level of Evidence: 3
A safety framework for flow decomposition problems via integer linear programming
Authors: Dias Fernando H C , Cáceres Manuel , Williams Lucia , Mumey Brendan , Tomescu Alexandru I
Published: October 2023

Motivation

Many important problems in Bioinformatics (e.g. assembly or multiassembly) admit multiple solutions, while the final objective is to report only one. A common approach to deal with this uncertainty is finding “safe” partial solutions (e.g. contigs) which are common to all solutions. Previous research on safety has focused on polynomially time solvable problems, whereas many successful and natural models are NP-hard to solve, leaving a lack of “safety tools” for such problems. We propose the first method for computing all safe solutions for an NP-hard problem, “minimum flow decomposition” (MFD). We obtain our results by developing a “safety test” for paths based on a general integer linear programming (ILP) formulation. Moreover, we provide implementations with practical optimizations aimed to reduce the total ILP time, the most efficient of these being based on a recursive group-testing procedure.

Results

Experimental results on transcriptome datasets show that all safe paths for MFDs correctly recover up to 90% of the full RNA transcripts, which is at least 25% more than previously known safe paths. Moreover, despite the NP-hardness of the problem, we can report all safe paths for 99.8% of the over 27 000 non-trivial graphs of this dataset in only 1.5 h. Our results suggest that, on perfect data, there is less ambiguity than thought in the notoriously hard RNA assembly problem.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/algbio/mfd-safety.
Inference of differential key regulatory networks and mechanistic drug repurposing candidates from scRNA-seq data with SCANet
Authors: Oubounyt Mhaned , Adlung Lorenz , Patroni Fabio , Wenke Nina Kerstin , Maier Andreas , Hartung Michael , Baumbach Jan , Elkjaer Maria L
Published: October 2023

Motivation

The reconstruction of small key regulatory networks that explain the differences in the development of cell (sub)types from single-cell RNA sequencing is a yet unresolved computational problem.

Results

To this end, we have developed SCANet, an all-in-one package for single-cell profiling that covers the whole differential mechanotyping workflow, from inference of trait/cell-type-specific gene co-expression modules, driver gene detection, and transcriptional gene regulatory network reconstruction to mechanistic drug repurposing candidate prediction. To illustrate the power of SCANet, we examined data from two studies. First, we identify the drivers of the mechanotype of a cytokine storm associated with increased mortality in patients with acute respiratory illness. Secondly, we find 20 drugs for eight potential pharmacological targets in cellular driver mechanisms in the intestinal stem cells of obese mice.

Availability and implementation

SCANet is a free, open-source, and user-friendly Python package that can be seamlessly integrated into single-cell-based systems medicine research and mechanistic drug discovery.
DELFOS—drug efficacy leveraging forked and specialized networks—benchmarking scRNA-seq data in multi-omics-based prediction of cancer sensitivity
Authors: Piochi Luiz Felipe , Preto António J , Moreira Irina S
Published: October 2023

Motivation

Cancer is currently one of the most notorious diseases, with over 1 million deaths in the European Union alone in 2022. As each tumor can be composed of diverse cell types with distinct genotypes, cancer cells can acquire resistance to different compounds. Moreover, anticancer drugs can display severe side effects, compromising patient well-being. Therefore, novel strategies for identifying the optimal set of compounds to treat each tumor have become an important research topic in recent decades.

Results

To address this challenge, we developed a novel drug response prediction algorithm called Drug Efficacy Leveraging Forked and Specialized networks (DELFOS). Our model learns from multi-omics data from over 65 cancer cell lines, as well as structural data from over 200 compounds, for the prediction of drug sensitivity. We also evaluated the benefits of incorporating single-cell expression data to predict drug response. DELFOS was validated using datasets with unseen cell lines or drugs and compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms, achieving a high prediction performance on several correlation and error metrics. Overall, DELFOS can effectively leverage multi-omics data for the prediction of drug responses in thousands of drug–cell line pairs.

Availability and implementation

The DELFOS pipeline and associated data are available at github.com/MoreiraLAB/delfos.
Imaging in patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices: part 2—imaging after device implantation. A clinical consensus statement of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the ESC
Authors: Stankovic Ivan , Voigt Jens-Uwe , Burri Haran , Muraru Denisa , Sade Leyla Elif , Haugaa Kristina Hermann , Lumens Joost , Biffi Mauro , Dacher Jean-Nicolas , Marsan Nina Ajmone , Bakelants Elise , Manisty Charlotte , Dweck Marc R , Smiseth Otto A , Donal Erwan ,   Reviewers: This document was reviewed by members of the 2020–2022 EACVI Scientific Documents Committee:, Andreini Daniele , Bäck Magnus , Bertrand Philippe B , Keenan Niall , Neglia Danilo ,   by the 2020–2022 EACVI President:, Cosyns Bernard
Published: October 2023

Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) improve quality of life and prolong survival, but there are additional considerations for cardiovascular imaging after implantation—both for standard indications and for diagnosing and guiding management of device-related complications. This clinical consensus statement (part 2) from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging, in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association, provides comprehensive, up-to-date, and evidence-based guidance to cardiologists, cardiac imagers, and pacing specialists regarding the use of imaging in patients after implantation of conventional pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices. The document summarizes the existing evidence regarding the role and optimal use of various cardiac imaging modalities in patients with suspected CIED-related complications and also discusses CRT optimization, the safety of magnetic resonance imaging in CIED carriers, and describes the role of chest radiography in assessing CIED type, position, and complications. The role of imaging before and during CIED implantation is discussed in a companion document (part 1).
Antiarrhythmic effects of baroreceptor activation therapy in chronic heart failure: a case report
Authors: Wang Dong , Veltmann Christian , Bauersachs Johann , Duncker David
Published: October 2023

Background

Autonomic imbalance represents a keystone of chronic heart failure (HF) with substantial clinical and prognostic implications. Baroreceptor activation therapy (BAT) is a new therapeutic strategy to target the autonomic dysbalance by electrical stimulation of carotid baroreceptors. Besides its known beneficial effects on HF parameters, BAT is also supposed to trigger potential antiarrhythmic effects, which may additionally contribute to HF improvement.

Case summary

We report on a 70-year-old male with progredient shortness of breath and advanced HF in the context of an extensive cardiovascular history. After optimization of pharmacologic and device-related therapy, the decision was made to implant a BAT system (Barostim Neo, CVRx) to improve functional cardiac parameters and support symptomatic improvement. Implantation was associated with an overall clinical improvement assessed during outpatient visits every 6 months. Frequency of ventricular arrhythmic events declined, and atrial fibrillation ceased spontaneously. Echocardiography revealed an amelioration in left ventricular systolic function. Numbers of HF hospitalization decreased after Barostim implantation.

Discussion

We present a patient with an extensive cardiovascular history and fully exploited pharmacologic and device-related therapy, who showed improvement in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, left ventricular systolic function, and reduction of arrhythmic events following implantation of the BAT device. This case presents an additional positive potential of BAT for HF patients in terms of reduction of arrhythmia burden. These results should be confirmed by further clinical trials.
Healthy sleep score changes and incident cardiovascular disease in European prospective community-based cohorts
Authors: Nambiema Aboubakari , Lisan Quentin , Vaucher Julien , Perier Marie-Cecile , Boutouyrie Pierre , Danchin Nicolas , Thomas Frédérique , Guibout Catherine , Solelhac Geoffroy , Heinzer Raphael , Jouven Xavier , Marques-Vidal Pedro , Empana Jean-Philippe
Published: October 2023

Background and Aims

Evidence on the link between sleep patterns and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the community essentially relies on studies that investigated one single sleep pattern at one point in time. This study examined the joint effect of five sleep patterns at two time points with incident CVD events.

Methods

By combining the data from two prospective studies, the Paris Prospective Study III (Paris, France) and the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus study (Lausanne, Switzerland), a healthy sleep score (HSS, range 0–5) combining five sleep patterns (early chronotype, sleep duration of 7–8 h/day, never/rarely insomnia, no sleep apnoea, and no excessive daytime sleepiness) was calculated at baseline and follow-up.

Results

The study sample included 11 347 CVD-free participants aged 53–64 years (44.6% women). During a median follow-up of 8.9 years [interquartile range (IQR): 8.0–10.0], 499 first CVD events occurred (339 coronary heart disease (CHD) and 175 stroke). In multivariate Cox analysis, the risk of CVD decreased by 18% [hazard ratio (HR) 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76–0.89] per one-point increment in the HSS. After a median follow-up of 6.0 years (IQR: 4.0–8.0) after the second follow-up, 262 first CVD events occurred including 194 CHD and 72 stroke. After adjusting for baseline HSS and covariates, the risk of CVD decreased by 16% (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.73–0.97) per unit higher in the follow-up HSS over 2–5 years.

Conclusions

Higher HSS and HSS improvement over time are associated with a lower risk of CHD and stroke in the community.
Animal Behaviour
Authors: Nordell Shawn E. , Valone Thomas J.
Published: October 2023

Animal Behavior uses broad organizing concepts to provide a framework for understanding the science of animal behavior. Featured studies illustrate each concept and emphasize the experimental designs and the hypothesis testing methods scientists use to address research questions. Concepts are related to real life to help with the understanding of the broader significance of animal behavior research, including applications to human behavior and conservation. Topics covered include behavioral genetics, sensory systems, communication, learning, and cognition. There are also chapters on antipredator behavior, dispersal and migration, habitat, mating, parental care, and sociality.
Sensory Systems and Behaviour
Authors: Nordell Shawn E. , Valone Thomas J.
Published: October 2023

This chapter explores sensory systems and behaviors animals use to perceive their environment. Most animals rely on chemosensory systems to look into the environment as they allow them to detect chemical stimuli via gustation and olfaction. On the other hand, photoreceptions allow species to detect light and perceive objects as images, while mechanoreceptors detect vibrations travelling through the air, water, or substrates. Additionally, only animals like sharks use electroreception. This allows them to detect electric or magnetic fields. However, species vary in their sensor capabilities and their ways in perceiving their respective environments. The chapter also notes how co-evolution is triggered between predator-preys and male-female.
Foraging Behaviour
Authors: Nordell Shawn E. , Valone Thomas J.
Published: October 2023

This chapter explores foraging behavior. Animals selectively choose where, on what, and how long to forage. They eat to acquire energy and nutrients for survival and reproduction. Animals find food using a variety of sensory modalities. Natural selection favors modalities that efficiently give information, but a modality's efficiency can vary with environmental conditions. On the other hand, predators learn to how to locate difficult prey. The chapter explains optimal foraging theory (OFT), which assumes that natural selection favors feeding behaviors that maximize fitness. The chapter also includes the optimal diet model wherein the profitability of a food item is assessed. Additionally, the optimal patch-use model predicts how long a foraging animal should exploit a food patch.
Antipredator Behaviour
Authors: Nordell Shawn E. , Valone Thomas J.
Published: October 2023

This chapter looks into antipredator behavior and how animals reduce their predation risk. Altering habitat use levels and increasing vigilance are two common antipredator adaptations which involve changing behavior. Since group size affects the predation scanning rates, animals also lessen predation risk by living in groups. Recent studies have found that environmental factors impact the formation and geometry of compact groups. Additionally, cryptic coloration is a common morphological adaptation wherein an animal can blend and match the color of the environment. Some species interact directly with predators by harassing them as this encourages the predator to leave for another victim.
Cooperative Behaviour
Authors: Nordell Shawn E. , Valone Thomas J.
Published: October 2023

This chapter tackles the cooperative behavior of animals. Cooperation occurs when an individual's behavior benefits the fitness of another individual and evolves in part because of the benefit. Many cooperative behaviors reduce the fitness of the individual performing the behavior. Thus, the inclusive fitness theory expounds on the evolution of cooperation among related individuals. According to Hamilton's rule, the degree of relatedness is the probability that two individuals have inherited the same allele at a particular locus from a common ancestor. The chapter discusses kin discrimination in terms of Hamilton's rule, direct familiarization, and indirect familiarization. Moreover, kinship and ecological limitations favor cooperative reproduction.
Physical Principles Underlying Cell Structure and Function
Authors: Cooper Geoffrey M. , Adams Kenneth W.
Published: October 2023

2.1 Chemical Bonds, Thermodynamics, and ATP

2.2 Organic Molecules of Cells

2.3 Enzymes as Biological Catalysts

2.4 Cell Membranes

KEY EXPERIMENT

The Folding of Polypeptide Chains

KEY EXPERIMENT

The Structure of Cell Membranes

Cells are incredibly complex and diverse structures, capable not only of self-replication—the...
Cell Walls, the Extracellular Matrix, and Cell Interactions
Authors: Cooper Geoffrey M. , Adams Kenneth W.
Published: October 2023

15.1 Cell Walls

15.2 The Extracellular Matrix and Cell–Matrix Interactions

15.3 Cell–Cell Interactions

KEY EXPERIMENT

The Characterization of Integrin

MOLECULAR MEDICINE

Gap Junction Diseases

Although cell boundaries are defined by the plasma membrane, many cells are surrounded by an insoluble array of secreted macromolecules. Cells...
Evolutionary Biology
Authors: Futuyma Douglas J. , Kirkpatrick Mark
Published: October 2023

A brilliant caterpillar, the larva of the Old World swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes). Although the larvae of some butterflies eat a wide variety of plants, this species eats the leaves only of plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae). This animal poses many questions:...
The Tree of Life
Authors: Futuyma Douglas J. , Kirkpatrick Mark
Published: October 2023

A mammal that lays eggs. Monotreme mammals—spiny anteaters and this Australian platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)—are one of the two oldest branches of the phylogeny of mammals. Monotremes lay eggs, while all other mammals have live birth.
The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection
Authors: Futuyma Douglas J. , Kirkpatrick Mark
Published: October 2023

A mating pair of the tropical butterfly Heliconius melpomene. They have evolved bright colors by natural selection that warn predators they are distasteful.
Cooperation and Conflict
Authors: Futuyma Douglas J. , Kirkpatrick Mark
Published: October 2023

Like many ants, leafcutter ants (Atta species) have extraordinarily cooperative behavior. Thousands of nonreproductive female workers march up trees, cut pieces of leaves, and bring them to the underground nest, where other workers make the leaf fragments suitable for a fungus that they...
The Evolution of Biological Diversity
Authors: Futuyma Douglas J. , Kirkpatrick Mark
Published: October 2023

Beetles are the largest order of insects, with more than 350,000 described species, and untold numbers yet to be described or discovered. In contrast, there are only about 6,400 species of mammals in the world. What accounts for such great differences in diversity?