bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overview of Enzyme Inhibitors and Anti‐Androgens in Prostatic Cancer
Authors: GELLER JACK
Published: October 2023

Surgical castration and estrogen therapy for prostate cancer were developed in 1941, and have been shown to improve both quality of life and survival. Little change in the therapeutics of prostate cancer has occurred over the subsequent three decades. In the 1970s, the progestational anti‐androgens, ketoconazole and flutamide, were introduced as androgen‐blocking agents, and have been shown to block at least partially both adrenal and testicular androgens. Gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists were shown in the 1980s to produce medical castration without the cardiac and cerebrovascular risks of standard dose estrogen. In the 1980s, large‐scale, multicenter, double‐blind studies were done to compare the effect of combined androgen blockade, using multiple drugs, to single‐drug blockade of gonadal androgen with regard to time to progression and survival in stage D2 cancer. These studies were done to test theories regarding the role of adrenal androgens and their effects on androgen‐sensitive tumor clones in prostate cancer. The theory of clonal heterogeneity, particularly with regard to androgen sensitivity, has led to the continuation of three major controversies about the management of prostate cancer: Is combined blockade of testicular and adrenal androgens in stage D2 prostate cancer more effective than gonadal androgen blockade alone? What is the optimal secondary or tertiary therapy for relapsed prostate cancer? Is there any advantage for combined androgen blockade at the start of therapy in stage D2 prostate cancer as compared to sequential therapy with blockade of testicular androgens first, and then adrenal androgens at the time of relapse?
Standardization and Comparability of CASA Instruments
Authors: DAVIS RUSSELL O. , KATZ DAVID F.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: Thirty human semen specimens were analyzed using a standard manual method, then videotaped and reanalyzed using two different computer‐aided sperm analysis (CASA) instruments (the HTM system, Hamilton‐Thorn Research, Danvers, MA, and the CTS system, Motion Analysis Corp., Santa Rosa, CA). Videotaped specimens were analyzed by CASA for 5 frames for sperm concentration (CON) and percent motility (MOT), and for 15 frames for kinematic variables (straight‐line velocity, VSL; curvilinear velocity, VCL; linearity, LIN; and amplitude of lateral head displacement, ALH). Machine parameter settings for the two instruments were matched as closely as possible. CASA values were compared with each other for all measures and with manual results for sperm count and the percentage of motile sperm. Results show: 1) HTM and CTS average values for CON are not different from manual measures for the 5‐ or 15‐frame analysis, but slight differences are seen between CTS and HTM; 2) average values for MOT for the 5‐frame analysis are higher than the 15‐frame analysis for both instruments, but the average manual measurement for percent motility is much higher than any CASA value; 3) average VSL and LIN are slightly higher for HTM than CTS, but pair‐wise comparison shows a high degree of concordance between the instruments; and 4) the mean values for VCL and ALH are equal for the two instruments, and there is a close concordance for the pair‐wise comparison for VCL; however, pair‐wise comparison of ALH reveals significant differences between the instruments. Overall, the differences seen between these instruments are slight, and are probably not biologically or clinically significant.
Syntheses and characterization of novel antimony (III) and bismuth (III) derivatives containing β‐enamino ester along with antimicrobial evaluation, DFT calculation, and cytotoxic study
Authors: Sangwan Reena , Beniwal Savita , Gaur Seema , Sharma Phulwanti , Mittal Megha , Sharma Priyanka , Sharma Jyoti
Published: October 2023

Four novel antimony (III) and bismuth(III) complexes of the kind Cl–Sb–O–C(OR)–CH(CH3)C–NH–(CH2)2–NH–C(CH3)CH:C(OR)–O [where R = ‐CH3, M = Sb (1a); R = –C2H5, M = Sb (1b); R = –CH3, M = Bi (1c); R = –C2H5, M = Bi (1d)] were successfully prepared by reacting antimony(III)chloride and bismuth(III)chloride with sodium salt of β‐enamino esters in 1:1 stoichiometry, which were further structurally characterized by physicochemical and IR, 1H, 13C NMR spectral and mass spectrometry. Structural analysis revealed that all four derivatives of both antimony and bismuth display octahedarl geometry which has been optimized through computational studies. These derivatives along with their parent ligands were subsequently assayed in vitro for antibacterial (Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antifungal (Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans) activities. Synthesized complexes were more efficacious in terms of biological activities as compared to parent ligands Further synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against lung cancer cell line A549 using MTT method. IC50 value for all four complexes was determined and all of them are found active. Computational studies of the representative complexes have been done using B3LYP/631‐G* basis sets to provide optimized geometry.
Magnetically Recyclable Nanoscale Zero‐Valent Iron‐Mediated PhotoRDRP in Ionic Liquid toward Smart, Functional Polymers
Authors: Sahu Bhanendra , Sinha Priyank , Kumar Devendra , Patel Kundan , Banerjee Sanjib
Published: October 2023

A facile method based on recyclable nanoscale zero‐valent iron (nZVI)‐mediated photoinduced reversible deactivation radical polymerization in ionic liquid (IL) leads to the synthesis of narrow disperse poly(tert‐butyl methacrylate) (PTBMA), amphiphilic PTBMA‐block‐poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate) diblock copolymer and double hydrophilic poly(methacrylic acid)‐block‐poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate) (PMAA‐b‐PPEGMA) diblock copolymers thereof. Stimuli response of the synthesized PMAA‐b‐PPEGMA diblock copolymer against variation in pH and temperature is assessed. Recyclability of the nZVI (catalyst) and IL (solvent) is established. Polymerization may be switched ON or OFF, simply by turning the UVA light irradiation ON or OFF, offering temporal control. The diblock copolymer self‐aggregates into spherical nanoaggregates which are employed for encapsulation of coumarin 102 (C102, a typical hydrophobic dye), describing their potential application in drug delivery applications. The facile synthesis strategy may open up new avenues for the preparation of intelligent functional polymers for engineering and biomedical applications.
Detoxification of Wheat Gluten by Enzymatic Transamidation under Reducing Condition and Its Application in Typical Food Model
Authors: Zhang Yue , Wu Haoyi , Zhang Yan , Fu Linglin
Published: October 2023

Scope

Gluten, the primary network builder of wheat dough, is responsible for celiac disease or wheat allergy. Transamidation of gluten under reduction conditions has been shown to reduce the potential toxicity of celiac disease, but its application in food preparation has not been extensively studied. This work investigates the use of transamidation in food preparation to address this gap in knowledge.

Methods and results

This study investigates the effects of transamidation on the toxicity of commercial wheat flour and the apparent structure, digestive level, and rheological characteristics of resultant dough and steamed bread, as a typical food model. The results show that transamidation starts at the kneading stage, as evaluated by using R5 enzyme‐linked immunoassay and rat basophils. The potential toxicity of celiac disease is reduced by about 83% when 1% microbial transglutaminase (mTG), 2% l‐lysine, and 1% reduced glutathione (GSH) are added, while retaining the original physical and rheological properties of wheat flour. The additional of reduced GSH also improves the in vitro protein digestibility.

Conclusions

Although it cannot be a celiac disease treatment directly, this study suggests that transamidation can serve as an alternative method for reducing the gluten toxicity of wheat flour‐based food products.
One hundred fifty GHz folded dipole antenna‐on‐chip based on artificial magnetic conductor structure
Authors: Jung Ji‐In , Choi Ui‐Gyu , Yang Jong‐Ryul
Published: October 2023

A folded dipole antenna using an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) structure is proposed to improve the frequency bandwidth and reduce the size of the antenna on a chip. To change the distribution of the electromagnetic (EM) field, the proposed AMC structure shaped with square‐in‐square rings (SSRs) is arranged along the radiating metal of the folded dipole antenna and implemented on the lowermost metal layer of the backend oxide layers (BEOLs) between the radiating metal of the top layer of the BEOL and the ground plane of the bottom of the substrate. The SSR of the proposed antenna‐on‐chip (AoC) widens the frequency bandwidth by varying the electrical length to the ground and reduces the physical size of the radiating metal by increasing the effective permittivity. The 3D EM‐wave simulation shows that the proposed AMC structure changes the distribution of EM‐wave in the BEOL and Si substrate such that more EM fields are condensed around the radiating metal and the electrical length to the ground is nonuniform and longer. The AoC with the proposed AMC structure was fabricated using a 65‐nm standard complementary metal‐oxide semiconductor process with one‐poly and nine‐metal. Compared with the conventional 150‐GHz antenna that was implemented on the same die, the proposed differential antenna was measured to be a −10 dB bandwidth of 46 GHz, with a 1.12‐times improvement, and a size reduction of 20.4%. The measured gain of the proposed antenna was −5.99 dBi including the passive balun with an insertion loss of −1.36 dB in simulation.
Insight into numerical characteristics of embedded finite elements for pile‐type structures employing an enhanced formulation
Authors: Granitzer Andreas‐Nizar , Tschuchnigg Franz , Hosseini Saman , Brasile Sandro
Published: October 2023

A number of problems encountered in the field of computational geotechnics requires the modelling of numerous pile‐type structures embedded in a three‐dimensional soil continuum. Traditional modelling approaches to this problem result in computational costs that must be regarded as unbearable for most practical purposes. As an attractive alternative, we propose an enhanced embedded FE model with implicit interaction surface (EB‐I) where coupling between the contacting domains is realized by an implicit surface‐to‐volume (2D‐to‐3D) coupling scheme. As a novelty, the latter implements a non‐linear interface constitutive model that allows for explicit consideration of endpoint interaction, but does not represent a constraint for the solid mesh generation. As the slender structure is discretized employing the Timoshenko beam theory, shear deformability is explicitly considered, as opposed to earlier EB‐I‐type models reassessed in this paper. The credibility of the proposed EB‐I is numerically validated on the basis of comparative studies. It is found that the 2D‐to‐3D coupling scheme generally improves the well‐posedness of the resultant global stiffness matrix, making the proposed EB‐I computationally competitive to geometrically simplified line‐to‐volume coupling schemes. Future lines of research are carefully addressed throughout this work and include the normal stress recovery technique as well as applications to large‐scale simulations.
Algebra preconditionings for 2D Riesz distributed‐order space‐fractional diffusion equations on convex domains
Authors: Mazza Mariarosa , Serra‐Capizzano Stefano , Sormani Rosita Luisa
Published: October 2023

When dealing with the discretization of differential equations on non‐rectangular domains, a careful treatment of the boundary is mandatory and may result in implementation difficulties and in coefficient matrices without a prescribed structure. Here we examine the numerical solution of a two‐dimensional constant coefficient distributed‐order space‐fractional diffusion equation with a nonlinear term on a convex domain. To avoid the aforementioned inconvenience, we resort to the volume‐penalization method, which consists of embedding the domain into a rectangle and in adding a reaction penalization term to the original equation that dominates in the region outside the original domain and annihilates the solution correspondingly. Thanks to the volume‐penalization, methods designed for problems in rectangular domains are available for those in convex domains and by applying an implicit finite difference scheme we obtain coefficient matrices with a 2‐level Toeplitz structure plus a diagonal matrix which arises from the penalty term. As a consequence of the latter, we can describe the asymptotic eigenvalue distribution as the matrix size diverges as well as estimate the intrinsic asymptotic ill‐conditioning of the involved matrices. On these bases, we discuss the performances of the conjugate gradient with circulant and ‐preconditioners and of the generalized minimal residual with split circulant and ‐preconditioners and conduct related numerical experiments.
Advanced structural and multi‐functional sandwich composites with prismatic and foam cores: A review
Authors: Kamble Zunjarrao
Published: October 2023

Advanced sandwich structures have emerged as new multifunctional structures with low density and good mechanical performance. Sandwich composites have high strength to weight and high stiffness to weight ratio. Good thermal and sound insulation can be provided using sandwich composite materials. Sandwich composites have high energy absorbing capacity. Multifunctional sandwich composites exhibit mechanical performance and other functional properties such as energy storage, electrical conductivity, etc. Further, the core can be used for routing wires, foam filling, fluid storage, embedding bars, etc. Thus, the multifunctionality can be introduced to the resuting composite materials. This article reviews current research on innovative sandwich structures with integrally woven corrugated core, honeycomb, foam, and 3D printed core architectures, emphasizing their multifunctionality. Aspects of sandwich structure with types of face and core structure design, material design, mechanical properties, and panel performance and damage, including multifunctional benefits, are reviewed. Examples of engineering and modern uses of sandwich structures are presented, covering hypersonic vehicles, civil and marine engineering, electronics, and biological fields. A list of areas for future study initiatives is also included. This review will serve as a baseline for future studies to do more research in the same direction.

Highlights

A detailed review of various types of core materials and sandwich structures is presented.

Sandwich structures have high energy absorbing capacity.

3D woven sandwich structures, their manufacturing and failure mechanics is discussed.

Modern applications of sandwich structures are detailed.
Modeling of novel circular gait motion through daisy sequence fitting algorithm in a vertical climbing snake robot
Authors: Megalingam Rajesh Kannan , Senthil Aravind Prakash , Raghavan Dhananjay , Manoharan Sakthiprasad Kuttankulangara
Published: October 2023

Snake robots can be used in multiple tasks, like, climbing, surveillance, pipe inspection, welding, and so forth. Current gaits of snake robots do not support rotation on a single horizontal plane in a circular fashion of a pole or tree at a fixed height. This makes snake robot extremely difficult to take the end effector to the desired target position and orientation. In addition, torque requirement of individual actuators or links of snake robot proportionally increases based on the number of links to be lifted while performing any task. In this paper, we propose a new gait called circular gait using the Daisy Sequence Fitting algorithm to solve the problems of circular rotation on a horizontal plane at a certain height with low torque. A sliding mode (SM) controller is implemented to achieve the circular gait's required position dynamically. Simulation results show that using the proposed circular gait, the end effector can be moved to any point on the circumference of the fixed horizontal plane of the pole or tree with a lesser torque. For the 0.5 kg module, circular gait moved the end effector to the target point using only 4.5 N m torque. The SM controller outperforms the proportional, integral, and derivative controllers in terms of response characteristics.
Yolk‐Shell MnSe/ZnSe Heterostructures with Selenium Vacancies Encapsulated in Carbontubes for High‐Efficiency Sodium/Potassium Storage
Authors: Wang Xianchao , Zhao Jing , Chen Ye , Zhang Xuan , Zhu Kai , Wang Qian , Yan Jun , Cao Dianxue , Wang Guiling
Published: October 2023

The pursuit of high‐performance batteries has propelled the investigation into advanced materials and design methodologies. Herein, the yolk‐shell MnSe/ZnSe heterojunction encapsulated in hollow carbontubes (MnSe/ZnSe@HCTs) is prepared as a prospective electrode material for sodium/potassium batteries. The band structure in the heterojunction is methodically adjusted and regulated by intentionally utilizing Mn with unpaired electrons in the 3d orbital. The ZnSe shell confer effectively mitigates volumetric expansion challenges inherent in ions insertion/extraction processes and 1D carbontubular conductive substrate avert the aggregation of MnSe/ZnSe nanoparticles. Concurrently, the heterojunctions implantation induces sublattice distortion and charge redistribution, enriching active sites and regulating band structure. The selenium vacancies within these heterojunctions contribute to the provision of abundant active sites, thereby promoting efficient ions insertion/extraction. In sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs), MnSe/ZnSe@HCTs present a superior capacity of 475 mA hg−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and sustains a capacity of 408.5 mAh g−1 even after 1000 cycles. In potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs), MnSe/ZnSe@HCTs deliver a higher specific capacity of 422 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.1 A g−1 and maintain a high coulombic efficiency of 99% after 1000 cycles. The yolk‐shell structured MnSe/ZnSe heterojunction demonstrates excellent electrode properties for high‐performance sodium/potassium batteries, holding significant promise for future energy storage applications.
Rainwater harvesting and supplemental irrigation for cotton cultivation in Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Adriana Calderan Gregolin , Emmanuel Salgado‐Funes , Jose Tiburcio , Ingrid Zabaleta
Published: October 2023

The North of Minas Gerais, a large inland state in southeastern Brazil, is going through the worst drought of the last 80 years, only compared with the drought that occurred in the 1930s, when there was general devastation in the agricultural and livestock sector. Nevertheless, the cotton crop continues to stand out in the region as one of the few agricultural alternatives capable of generating income and employment due to its characteristic resistance to the effects of drought, which is not the case with other traditional crops. To this end, the Cooperativa dos Produtores Rurais de Catuti Ltda ‐ COOPERCAT (Cooperative of Rural Producers of Catuti) installed eight “Demonstration Units” (DUs) of cotton under supplemental irrigation through rainwater capture in the municipalities of Catuti, Mato Verde, Monte Azul, and Pai Pedro. This study aims to demonstrate that the adaptation of cotton production systems through the “Supplemental Irrigation” method in critical periods provides and guarantees family farmers sustainable cotton production and, on the other hand, to evaluate a production model suitable to the climatic reality of Northern Minas. Since the implementation of this technology, cotton fiber production has increased by 72% from 2015 to date in a 19% smaller area, and total cotton production increased by 58%. As of 2022, cotton producers continue to use this supplemental irrigation methodology, demonstrating that the technology is viable, impacts cotton production, and is effective as a resilience measure to climate change and drought. In addition, this technology proves to be in line with Brazilian public policies, adds value to cotton production, addresses food security, and acts as a model for irrigation initiatives in Minas Gerais and other areas of Brazil.
Octagons Revisited
Authors: Schwarz Michael , Seidl Helmut
Published: October 2023

Weakly relational domains have enjoyed tremendous success in the area of program analysis, since they offer a decent compromise between precision and efficiency. Octagons, in particular, have widely been studied to obtain efficient algorithms which, however, come with intricate correctness arguments. Here, we provide simplified cubic time algorithms for computing the closure of Octagon abstract relations both over the rationals and the integers which avoid introducing auxiliary variables. They are based on a more general formulation by means of 2-projective domains which allows for an elegant short correctness proof. The notion of 2-projectivity also lends itself to efficient algorithms for incremental normalization. For the Octagon domain, we also provide an improved construction for linear programming based best abstract transformers for affine assignments.
Quantum Constant Propagation
Authors: Chen Yanbin , Stade Yannick
Published: October 2023

A quantum circuit is often executed on the initial state where each qubit is in the zero state. Therefore, we propose to perform a symbolic execution of the circuit. Our approach simulates groups of entangled qubits exactly up to a given complexity. Here, the complexity corresponds to the number of basis states expressing the quantum state of one entanglement group. By doing that, the groups need neither be determined upfront nor be bound by the number of involved qubits. Still, we ensure that the simulation runs in polynomial time - opposed to exponential time as required for the simulation of the entire circuit. The information made available at gates is exploited to remove superfluous controls and gates. We implemented our approach in the tool quantum constant propagation (QCP) and evaluated it on the circuits in the benchmark suite MQTBench. By applying our tool, only the work that cannot be carried out efficiently on a classical computer is left for the quantum computer, hence exploiting the strengths of both worlds.
Three conjectures about character sums
Authors: Granville Andrew , Mangerel Alexander P.
Published: October 2023

We establish that three well-known and rather different looking conjectures about Dirichlet characters and their (weighted) sums, (concerning the Pólya–Vinogradov theorem for maximal character sums, the maximal admissible range in Burgess’ estimate for short character sums, and upper bounds for $$L(1,\chi )$$

L
(
1
,
χ
)

and $$L(1+it,\chi )$$

L
(
1
+
i
t
,
χ
)

) are more-or-less “equivalent”. We also obtain a new mean value theorem for logarithmically weighted sums of 1-bounded multiplicative functions.
Impact of right ventricular-to-pulmonary artery coupling on remodeling and outcome in patients undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair
Authors: Koschutnik Matthias , Donà Carolina , Nitsche Christian , Kammerlander Andreas A. , Dannenberg Varius , Brunner Christina , Koschatko Sophia , Mascherbauer Katharina , Heitzinger Gregor , Halavina Kseniya , Spinka Georg , Winter Max-Paul , Hülsmann Martin , Bartko Philipp E. , Hengstenberg Christian , Mascherbauer Julia , Goliasch Georg
Published: October 2023

Background

Right ventricular-to-pulmonary artery (RV–PA) coupling has recently been shown to be associated with outcome in valvular heart disease. However, longitudinal data on RV dysfunction and reverse cardiac remodeling in patients following transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (M-TEER) are scarce.

Methods

Consecutive patients with primary as well as secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) were prospectively enrolled and had comprehensive echocardiographic and invasive hemodynamic assessment at baseline. Kaplan–Meier estimates and multivariable Cox-regression analyses were performed, using a composite endpoint of heart failure hospitalization and death.

Results

Between April 2018 and January 2021, 156 patients (median 78 y/o, 55% female, EuroSCORE II: 6.9%) underwent M-TEER. On presentation, 64% showed impaired RV–PA coupling defined as tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion to pulmonary artery systolic pressure (TAPSE/PASP) ratio < 0.36. Event-free survival rates at 2 years were significantly lower among patients with impaired coupling (57 vs. 82%, p < 0.001), both in patients with primary (64 vs. 91%, p = 0.009) and secondary MR (54 vs. 76%, p = 0.026). On multivariable Cox-regression analyses adjusted for baseline, imaging, hemodynamic, and procedural data, TAPSE/PASP ratio < 0.36 was independently associated with outcome (adj.HR 2.74, 95% CI 1.17–6.43, p = 0.021).

At 1-year follow-up, RV–PA coupling improved (TAPSE: ∆ + 3 mm, PASP: ∆ − 10 mmHg, p for both < 0.001), alongside with a reduction in tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity (grade ≥ II: 77–54%, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

TAPSE/PASP ratio was associated with outcome in patients undergoing M-TEER for primary as well as secondary MR. RV–PA coupling, alongside with TR severity, improved after M-TEER and might thus provide prognostic information in addition to established markers of poor outcome.

Graphical abstract
Intrinsic functional brain connectivity changes following aerobic exercise, computerized cognitive training, and their combination in physically inactive healthy late-middle-aged adults: the Projecte Moviment
Authors: Dimitriadis Stavros I. , Castells-Sánchez Alba , Roig-Coll Francesca , Dacosta-Aguayo Rosalía , Lamonja-Vicente Noemí , Torán-Monserrat Pere , García-Molina Alberto , Monte-Rubio Gemma , Stillman Chelsea , Perera-Lluna Alexandre , Mataró Maria
Published: October 2023

Lifestyle interventions have positive neuroprotective effects in aging. However, there are still open questions about how changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) contribute to cognitive improvements. The Projecte Moviment is a 12-week randomized controlled trial of a multimodal data acquisition protocol that investigated the effects of aerobic exercise (AE), computerized cognitive training (CCT), and their combination (COMB). An initial list of 109 participants was recruited from which a total of 82 participants (62% female; age = 58.38 ± 5.47) finished the intervention with a level of adherence > 80%. Only in the COMB group, we revealed an extended network of 33 connections that involved an increased and decreased rsFC within and between the aDMN/pDMN and a reduced rsFC between the bilateral supplementary motor areas and the right thalamus. No global and especially local rsFC changes due to any intervention mediated the cognitive benefits detected in the AE and COMB groups. Projecte Moviment provides evidence of the clinical relevance of lifestyle interventions and the potential benefits when combining them.
Routine transthoracic echocardiography in ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack of undetermined cause: a prospective multicentre study
Authors: van der Maten Gerlinde , Meijs Matthijs F. L. , Timmer Jorik R. , Brouwers Paul J. A. M. , von Birgelen Clemens , Coutinho Jonathan M. , Bouma Berto J. , Kerkhoff Henk , Helming Anne Mijn , van Tuijl Julia H. , van der Meer Nicolet A. , Saxena Ritu , Ebink Corné , van der Palen Job , den Hertog Heleen M.
Published: October 2023

Background

Guidelines recommend routine transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) after ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack of undetermined cause; yet, only limited scientific evidence exists. Therefore, we aimed to determine in these patients the prevalence of TTE-detected major cardiac sources of embolism (CSE), which are abnormalities leading to therapeutic changes.

Methods

Six Dutch hospitals conducted a prospective observational study that enrolled patients with ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack of undetermined cause. Patients underwent TTE after comprehensive diagnostic evaluation on stroke units, including blood chemistry, 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), ≥ 24 h continuous ECG monitoring, brain imaging and cervical artery imaging. Primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients with TTE-detected major CSE.

Results

From March 2018 to October 2020, 1084 patients, aged 66.6 ± 12.5 years, were enrolled; 456 (42.1%) patients were female and 869 (80.2%) had ischaemic stroke. TTE detected major CSE in only 11 (1.0%) patients. Ten (90.9%) of these patients also had major ECG abnormalities (previous infarction, major repolarisation abnormalities, or previously unknown left bundle branch block) that would have warranted TTE assessment regardless of stroke evaluation. Such ECG abnormalities were present in 11.1% of the total study population. A single patient (0.1%) showed a major CSE despite having no ECG abnormality.

Conclusions

This multicentre cross-sectional study in patients who—after workup on contemporary stroke units—were diagnosed with ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack of undetermined cause found TTE-detected major CSE in only 1% of all patients. Most of these patients also had major ECG abnormalities. These findings question the value of routine TTE assessment in this clinical setting.
Analysis of the Influence of Chilled Water Temperature Setpoint on Thermal Comfort and Energy Consumption
Authors: Kyere Esther Benedicta , Jen Tien-Chien , Tartibu Lagouge
Published: October 2023

This study experimentally analysed the influence of chilled water temperature setpoints on thermal comfort conditions and energy consumption of an office building. Three chilled water temperature setpoints (10 °C, 12.5 °C, and 14 °C) were studied. The indoor environment variables (temperature and relative humidity) which are considered indicators of thermal comfort were recorded with data loggers for three consecutive days for each chilled water temperature setpoint (CWTS). Similarly, energy consumption was used as a metric to determine the system’s efficiency. The predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD) and predicted mean vote (PMV) indicators were computed and analysed using the Thermal Comfort/ASHRAE 55-2020 modelling tool from the centre for the built environment (CBE). Additionally, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling and analysis were performed using ANSYS Fluent to study the indoor environment conditions of the office at the different chilled water temperature setpoints. A comparison between the calculated, measured, and predicted satisfaction of occupants was done. The results obtained when varying the chilled water temperature setpoints reveal that increasing the chilled water temperature setpoint (by 12%) reduces energy consumption per hour by 2% without compromising thermal comfort. The study demonstrated that the CWTS could be reset between 14 and 15 °C to reduce energy consumption and maintain thermal comfort. Moreover, the CFD model can be used to compare the indoor environmental characteristics of chiller systems.
Untargeted metabolomics analysis of four date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars using MS and NMR
Authors: Alsuhaymi Shuruq , Singh Upendra , Al-Younis Inas , Kharbatia Najeh M. , Haneef Ali , Chandra Kousik , Dhahri Manel , Assiri Mohammed A. , Emwas Abdul-Hamid , Jaremko Mariusz
Published: October 2023

Since ancient times, the inhabitants of dry areas have depended on the date palm (PhoenixdactyliferaL.) as a staple food and means of economic security. For example, dates have been a staple diet for the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula and Sahara Desert in North Africa for millennia and the local culture is rich in knowledge and experience with the benefits of dates, suggesting that dates contain many substances essential for the human body. Madinah dates are considered one of the most important types of dates in the Arabian Peninsula, with Ajwa being one of the most famous types and grown only in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Date seeds are traditionally used for animal feed, seed oil production, cosmetics, and as a coffee substitute. Phytochemical compounds that have been detected in date fruits and date seeds include phenolic acids, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Phenolic acids are the most prevalent bioactive constituents that contribute to the antioxidant activity of date fruits. The bioactive properties of these phytochemicals are believed to promote human health by reducing the risk of diseases such as chronic inflammation. Ajwa dates especially are thought to have superior bioactivity properties. To investigate these claims, in this study, we compare the metabolic profiles of Ajwa with different types of dates collected from Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. We show by UHPLC-MS that date seeds contain several classes of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and amino acid derivatives, including citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, and hydroxyadipic acid. Additionally, GC–MS profiling showed that date seeds are richer in metabolite classes, such as hydrocinnamic acids (caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids), than flesh samples. Deglet N fruit extract (minimum inhibitory concentration: 27 MIC/μM) and Sukkari fruit extract (IC50: 479 ± 0.58μg /mL) have higher levels of antibacterial and antioxidative activity than Ajwa fruits. However, the seed analysis showed that seed extracts have better bioactivity effects than fruit extracts. Specifically, Ajwa extract showed the best MIC and strongest ABTS radical-scavenging activity among examined seed extracts (minimum inhibitory concentration: 20 μM; IC50: 54 ± 3.61μg /mL). Our assays are a starting point for more advanced in vitro antibacterial models and investigation into the specific molecules that are responsible for the antioxidative and anti-bacterial activities of dates.

Graphical Abstract
Perspectives on flow biocatalysis: the engine propelling enzymatic reactions
Authors: Benítez-Mateos Ana I. , Paradisi Francesca
Published: October 2023

Flow biocatalysis has emerged as an empowering tool to boost the potential of enzymatic reactions towards more automatized, sustainable, and generally efficient synthetic processes. In the last fifteen years, the increasing number of biocatalytic transformations carried out in continuous flow exemplified the benefits that this technology can bring to incorporate biocatalysis into industrial operations. This perspective aims to capture in a nutshell the available methodologies for flow biocatalysis as well as to discuss the current limitations and the future directions in this field.

Graphical abstract
Improved detection, mealybug transmission and prevalence of grapevine Roditis leaf discoloration-associated virus in Greek vineyards
Authors: Sassalou Chrysoula-Lito , Panailidou Polina , Chiumenti Michela , Reynard Jean-Sebastien , Lotos Leonidas , Minafra Angelantonio , Katis Nikolaos I. , Maliogka Varvara I.
Published: October 2023

Grapevine Roditis leaf discoloration-associated virus (GRLDaV) is a member of the species Badnavirus decoloratiovitis in the genus Badnavirus that was recently identified in grapevine using high throughput sequencing. In this study, a large-scale survey was conducted to monitor the prevalence of the virus in major viticultural areas of Greece. A total of 970 samples were collected from vines and molecularly analysed using PCR assays targeting two regions of the virus genome. GRLDaV was detected in 8 geographic areas of Greece, showing high frequency in southern and central Greece and an overall prevalence of 17.1%. GRLDaV was identified mainly in autochthonous grapevine varieties, and it showed higher frequency in the self-rooted ones, especially in the geographic region of the Cyclades islands. In transmission tests conducted using Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and 48 h acquisition access period (AAP) and inoculation access period (IAP), the virus was transmitted with an efficiency of 14.3% (3/21 grapevines). Finally, electron microscopy revealed the bacilliform morphology of GRLDaV virions, thus further confirming its episomal infection.
Electronic nose versus VITEK 2 system for the rapid diagnosis of bloodstream infections
Authors: Mohamed Ehab I. , Turkey Mohamed S. , Meshref Radwa A. , Ghazal Abeer A. , Shawky Sherine M. , Aboulela Aliaa G.
Published: October 2023

Infectious diseases that spread through the bloodstream, known as bloodstream infections (BSIs), are a major global health problem. Positive outcomes for patients with sepsis are typically the result of prompt treatment started after an early diagnosis of BSIs. In this study, we evaluated the capabilities of a portable electronic nose (E-Nose) to detect BSIs with two commonly isolated Gram-negative bacterial species, E. coli and K. pneumonia. One hundred and five blood samples were randomly collected for blood culture examinations using BACTEC and VITEK 2 system, and headspace analysis by an E-Nose from June to December 2021. Classification accuracy of E. coli, K. pneumonia, and negative controls was measured using principal component analysis, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, and specificity analysis. After incubation for 24 h, cluster plots generated using principal component analysis demonstrated that E-Nose could accurately diagnose the presence of E. coli and K. pneumonia in BACTEC blood culture bottles with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% in just 120 s. The E-Nose method has been shown to be an immediate, precise, and cost-effective alternative to automated blood culture BACTEC and VITEK 2 systems for the fast detection of the causative bacterial pathogens of BSIs in clinical practice. Thus, patients with such Gram-negative bacteremia can have guided empirical antimicrobial therapy on the same day of BSIs diagnosis, which can be lifesaving.
Enhanced removal of estrogens from simulated wastewater by biochar supported nanoscale zero-valent iron: performance and mechanism
Authors: Han Yuping , Xu Huanhuan , Wang Guangzhou , Deng Peiyuan , Feng Lili , Fan Yaoshen , Zhang Jiaxin
Published: October 2023

The intensification of estrogen non-point source pollution has drawn global attention due to their contribution to ecological environment problems worldwide, and it is critical to develop effective, economic and eco-friendly methods for reducing estrogens pollution. To address the agglomeration and oxidation of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI), biochar-nanoscale zero-valent iron composite (nZVI-biochar) could be a feasible choice for estrogens removal. This study summarized biochar and nZVI-biochar preparation, characterization, and unusual applications for estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3) removal. The properties of biochar and nZVI-biochar in characterization, effects of influencing factors on the removal efficiency, adsorption kinetics, isotherm and thermodynamics were investigated. The experiment results showed that nZVI-biochar exhibited the superior removal performance for estrogens pollutants compared to biochar. Based on the quasi-second-order model, estrogens adsorption kinetics were observed, which supported the mechanism that chemical and physical adsorption existed simultaneously on estrogens removal. The adsorption isotherm of estrogens could be well presented by the Freundlich model and thermodynamics studies explained that nZVI-biochar could spontaneously remove estrogens pollutants and the main mechanisms involved π-π interaction, hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonding and degradation through ring rupture. The products analyzed by GC–MS showed that estrogens degradation was primarily attributed to the benzene ring broken, and Fe3+ promoted the production of free radicals, which further proved that nZVI-biochar had the excellent adsorption performances. Generally, nZVI-biochar could be employed as a potential material for removing estrogens from wastewater.

Graphical Abstract
Investigation of slip systems activity and grain boundary sliding in fine-grained superplastic zinc alloy
Authors: Bednarczyk Wiktor , Kawałko Jakub , Wątroba Maria , Szuwarzyński Michał , Bała Piotr
Published: October 2023

Zn alloys are desirable candidates for biodegradable materials due to their great biocompatibility and sufficient mechanical properties. Nevertheless, the most popular strengthening method by grain refinement after cold processing is usually ineffective in Zn alloys. Besides highly anisotropic deformation through a dislocation slip, grain boundary sliding (GBS) plays an important role in total deformation in fine-grained Zn alloys at room temperature (RT). Herein, Zn–0.5Cu (wt. %) alloy is fabricated by RT equal channel angular pressing, and its deformation mechanisms in tension were systematically analyzed at strain rates from 10–4 s−1 to 100 s−1. GBS contribution in total deformation was measured using surface markers and atomic force microscopy. In addition, dislocation slip activity was evaluated via electron-backscattered diffraction-based slip trace analysis. As a result, investigated alloy presents the GBS contribution in a total deformation at RT from 35% at the strain rate 100 s−1 to 70% at 10–4 s−1. Simultaneously, the number of slip-deformed grains decreased from 97.5% to 8%. Moreover, the basal slip system was dominant at all strain rates, while the prismatic and the pyramidal < c + a > slip systems were activated at the higher strain rates. The results presented here for the first time clearly show the complexity of deformation mechanisms in fine-grained Zn–0.5Cu, at significantly different strain rate conditions.
Transcriptomic analysis of wheat reveals possible resistance mechanism mediated by Yr10 to stripe rust
Authors: Wu Zhongyi , Zhang Gaohua , Zhao Ran , Gao Qi , Zhao Jinchen , Zhu Xiaoxu , Wang Fangyan , Kang Zhensheng , Wang Xiaojing
Published: October 2023

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is a catastrophic disease that threatens global wheat yield. Yr10 is a race-specific all-stage disease resistance gene in wheat. However, the resistance mechanism of Yr10 is poorly characterized. Therefore, to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism mediated by Yr10, transcriptomic sequencing was performed at 0, 18, and 48 h post-inoculation (hpi) of compatible wheat Avocet S (AvS) and incompatible near-isogenic line (NIL) AvS + Yr10 inoculated with Pst race CYR32. Respectively, 227, 208, and 4050 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at 0, 18, and 48 hpi between incompatible and compatible interaction. The response of Yr10 to stripe rust involved various processes and activities, as indicated by the results of Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. Specifically, the response included photosynthesis, defense response to fungus, metabolic processes related to salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA), and activities related to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ten candidate genes were selected for qRT-PCR verification and the results showed that the transcriptomic data was reliable. Through the functional analysis of candidate genes by the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system, it was found that the gene TaHPPD (4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase) negatively regulated the resistance of wheat to stripe rust by affecting SA signaling, pathogenesis-related (PR) gene expression, and ROS clearance. Our study provides insight into Yr10-mediated resistance in wheat.
The Challenges of On-Call Neurosurgery
Authors: Mostofi Abteen , Lee Marco , Gurusinghe Nihal
Published: October 2023

On-call neurosurgery concerns practice related to urgent and emergency neurosurgical care including outside of 'normal' working hours. Being on-call involves many competing responsibilities and is regarded as one of the most demanding aspects of a neurosurgical career. The on-call work pattern has evolved over the past decade due to changes in demographics, technology and working practices, each of which have brought new and emerging challenges. These challenges aside, the on-call provides a unique and rewarding environment to make a meaningful difference to patients and to learn the science and art of neurosurgery. Success in on-call work requires not only good technical knowledge and application but also a wide variety of non-technical skills. These skills will help deal with some of the difficult situations neurosurgeons in training face when on-call to make the experience more manageable and educational.
Franz Neumann and Ernst Fraenkel on the Liberal Democratic Constitutional Project
Authors: Dyzenhaus David
Published: October 2023

I want to explore a tension in Anna Saunders's rich argument because it confronts much scholarship critical of what we can think of as the liberal democratic constitutional project (LDCP), and which has its roots in debates in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries sparked by the Marxist critique of capitalism. The tension is between the following two claims that she makes in her article, “Constitution-Making as a Technique of International Law: Reconsidering the Post-war Inheritance.” First, LDCP focuses on the formal dimension of institutional design and thereby fails to pay attention to a significant dimension of a constitutional order: its material basis. In this case, the remedy might seem simple: “Pay attention!” The second claim, however, is that the formal structure of LDCP is formal in name only. It has its own material basis in the ideology of neoliberalism. If, then, one is concerned as Saunders is about a material basis that reproduces social inequality and economic exploitation, the remedy is to abandon LDCP. My exploration is through Saunders's attention to the divergent analyses of the Nazi state set out by Franz Neumann and Ernst Fraenkel in the 1930s as the launching pad for her investigation of the structure of thought that underpins LDCP and her suggestion that Fraenkel is responsible for the juridical turn in LDCP. I start with some biography, in part inspired by the way in which Saunders weaves the personal and the political into her narrative. It helps to show that the turn is not in itself problematic and, as I conclude, that material questions need to be posed and answered within the framework of a well-designed constitutional order.
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Ignore Unwelcome Epistemic Company
Authors: Piovarchy Adam
Published: October 2023

The problem of unwelcome epistemic company refers to the problem of encountering agreement with your beliefs from an unwelcome source, such as someone who is known to form unreliable beliefs or have values you reject. Blanchard (2023) and Levy (2023) argue that when we encounter unwelcome agreement, we may have reason to reduce our confidence in our matching beliefs. I argue that unwelcome epistemic company rarely provides reasons to reduce our confidence, and apparent successes at improving our beliefs using unwelcome company are explained by extraneous factors. Seeing why unwelcome agents are rarely evidence our belief is false requires making a distinction between two kinds of agents who regularly form false beliefs: unreliable agents and anti-reliable agents. While unreliable agents are common, they are uninformative. While anti-reliable agents would be informative, they are incredibly rare. Unwelcome agents are also rarely evidence that we have formed our own beliefs via an unreliable process, unless we have independent evidence that we are relevantly similar to them. This is hard to obtain given that unwelcome agents, by definition, have values and methods of forming beliefs that we do not find appealing. Moreover, attempts to use unwelcome company to improve our beliefs are likely to make our beliefs worse off in a number of ways. I argue we should adopt a policy of ignoring unwelcome company, letting them have little impact on our confidence in our beliefs.