bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep learning‐based motion compensation for four‐dimensional cone‐beam computed tomography (4D‐CBCT) reconstruction
Authors: Zhang Zhehao , Liu Jiaming , Yang Deshan , Kamilov Ulugbek S. , Hugo Geoffrey D.
Published: November 2022

Background

Motion‐compensated (MoCo) reconstruction shows great promise in improving four‐dimensional cone‐beam computed tomography (4D‐CBCT) image quality. MoCo reconstruction for a 4D‐CBCT could be more accurate using motion information at the CBCT imaging time than that obtained from previous 4D‐CT scans. However, such data‐driven approaches are hampered by the quality of initial 4D‐CBCT images used for motion modeling.

Purpose

This study aims to develop a deep‐learning method to generate high‐quality motion models for MoCo reconstruction to improve the quality of final 4D‐CBCT images.

Methods

A 3D artifact‐reduction convolutional neural network (CNN) was proposed to improve conventional phase‐correlated Feldkamp–Davis–Kress (PCF) reconstructions by reducing undersampling‐induced streaking artifacts while maintaining motion information. The CNN‐generated artifact‐mitigated 4D‐CBCT images (CNN enhanced) were then used to build a motion model which was used by MoCo reconstruction (CNN+MoCo). The proposed procedure was evaluated using in‐vivo patient datasets, an extended cardiac‐torso (XCAT) phantom, and the public SPARE challenge datasets. The quality of reconstructed images for XCAT phantom and SPARE datasets was quantitatively assessed using root‐mean‐square‐error (RMSE) and normalized cross‐correlation (NCC).

Results

The trained CNN effectively reduced the streaking artifacts of PCF CBCT images for all datasets. More detailed structures can be recovered using the proposed CNN+MoCo reconstruction procedure. XCAT phantom experiments showed that the accuracy of estimated motion model using CNN enhanced images was greatly improved over PCF. CNN+MoCo showed lower RMSE and higher NCC compared to PCF, CNN enhanced and conventional MoCo. For the SPARE datasets, the average (± standard deviation) RMSE in mm−1 for body region of PCF, CNN enhanced, conventional MoCo and CNN+MoCo were 0.0040 ± 0.0009, 0.0029 ± 0.0002, 0.0024 ± 0.0003 and 0.0021 ± 0.0003. Corresponding NCC were 0.84 ± 0.05, 0.91 ± 0.05, 0.91 ± 0.05 and 0.93 ± 0.04.

Conclusions

CNN‐based artifact reduction can substantially reduce the artifacts in the initial 4D‐CBCT images. The improved images could be used to enhance the motion modeling and ultimately improve the quality of the final 4D‐CBCT images reconstructed using MoCo.
Technical note: A method to evaluate the effect of scanning beam delivery error on 3D dose and its utilization on carbon ion radiotherapy for prostate cancer
Authors: Zhao Jun , Wu Xianwei , Xing Ying , Li Yongqiang , Chen Zhi
Published: November 2022

Purpose

To establish a method for evaluating the effect of scanning ion beam delivery error on three‐dimensional (3D) dose reconstructed on patients’ CT based on log file.

Materials and Methods

This study used the MATLAB program to reconstruct the 3D dose on the patient's CT based on the log file (Doselog) for treatment delivery accuracy check. In addition, differences between the parameters in the log file and the treatment plan, such as the spot position, spot size, and particle number, were analyzed, as well as their effects on the dose distribution. The accuracy of the dose reconstruction algorithm was verified by comparing dose from TPS (DoseTPS) and the dose recalculated based on the treatment plan (Doserec). Twenty treatment plans of ten prostate cancer patients received carbon ion therapy, and their corresponding 160 log files were selected for analysis and treatment delivery accuracy check. The regions with dose higher than 10% of the maximum dose were selected and 2 mm/2% criteria were used for global gamma analysis. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the relation between dose deviation and delivery errors.

Results

For the algorithm accuracy verification, the mean relative dose difference is 1.02% ± 0.12%. For prostate cancer patients treated in our facility using carbon ion radiotherapy, the average passing rate of the gamma analysis between the Doselog and the DoseTPS was 95.3%. The dose deviation caused by the difference in the spot position and the number of particles was smaller than that caused by the spot size deviation.

Conclusion

This study established a 3D dose verification method based on log files to evaluate the accuracy of daily delivered treatment doses. In our facility, the daily delivered dose accuracy of carbon ion therapy for prostate cancer was mainly affected by the spot size deviation in terms of the machine delivery part.
Backward error analysis of specified eigenpairs for sparse matrix polynomials
Authors: Ahmad Sk Safique , Kanhya Prince
Published: November 2022

This article studies the unstructured and structured backward error analysis of specified eigenpairs for matrix polynomials. The structures we discuss include ‐symmetric, ‐skew‐symmetric, Hermitian, skew Hermitian, ‐even, ‐odd, ‐even, ‐odd, ‐palindromic, ‐anti‐palindromic, ‐palindromic, and ‐anti‐palindromic
matrix polynomials. Minimally structured perturbations are constructed with respect to Frobenius norm such that specified eigenpairs become exact eigenpairs of an appropriately perturbed matrix polynomial that also preserves sparsity. Further, we have used our results to solve various quadratic inverse eigenvalue problems that arise from real‐life applications.
Nonprofits' external stakeholder engagement and collaboration for innovation: A typology and comparative analysis
Authors: Woo DaJung , Actis Kiara , Fu Jiawei Sophia
Published: November 2022

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) increasingly consider how to engage external stakeholders, such as clients and partners, in their efforts to adapt to the fast‐changing and highly competitive environment through innovation. Although the existing literature offers evidence that stakeholder engagement can help promote organizational innovation, much of the discussion focuses on top‐down strategies of stakeholder identification and management. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with executive directors from 38 different NPOs, we developed a typology of stakeholder engagement to capture the repertoire of approaches grounded in data including: targeted feedback seeking, intentional exploration, engineered empowerment, and emergent engagement. Findings demonstrate how these four approaches contributed to NPO innovation and were related to NPO leaders' beliefs. This typology's inclusion of the emergent engagement approach suggests that external stakeholders can drive NPO innovation not only by participating in organizationally planned top‐down processes but also by offering unsolicited inputs proactively when they recognize the need or opportunity for new services or collaborative partnerships. Other conceptual implications and practical suggestions are discussed.
A theoretical study on blue‐green phosphorescent iridium (III) complexes with low‐efficiency roll‐off properties
Authors: Chi Hao‐Yuan , Xi Guo‐Qing , Liu Xiang , Zhang Hai‐Han , Ji Ye , Liu Xu‐Hui , Song Ming‐Xing , Zhang Yong‐Ling , Qin Zheng‐Kun , Zhang Hong‐Jie
Published: November 2022

Here, eight phosphorescent heteroleptic cyclometalated Ir (III) complexes were theoretically designed to identify some suitable organic light‐emitting diode materials. (F2‐PYBPY)2Ir (acac) (marked 1), (F2‐PYBPY)2Ir (tpip) (marked 2), (PYBPY)2Ir (acac) (marked 3), (PYBPY)2Ir (tpip) (marked 4), (F2‐PYPY)2Ir (acac) (marked 5), (F2‐PYPY)2Ir (tpip) (marked 6), (PYPY)2Ir (acac) (marked 7), and (PYPY)2Ir (tpip) (marked 8) were studied via density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) methods. Here, acac denotes acetylacetonate, tpip denotes tetraphenylimido‐diphosphinate, F2‐PYBPY denotes 3‐(4‐tert‐butylpyridin‐2‐yl)‐2,6‐difluoropyridine, PYBPY denotes 4‐tert‐butyl‐2‐(pyridin‐3‐yl) pyridine, F2‐PYPY denotes 2,6‐difluoro‐3‐(pyridin‐2‐yl) pyridine, and PYPY denotes 2‐(pyridin‐3‐yl) pyridine. Further, we discuss the value of these materials from the electronic structure, spectral properties, ionization potentials, electron affinities, and application prospects of the complexes. We hope that these light‐emitting materials contribute to the organic light‐emitting diode sector. This theoretical study included the energy transfer mechanism of the complexes with acac and tpip substituents as auxiliary ligands: We analyzed the possibilities and inevitability of the results in the experiments as well as evaluated the underlying mechanism for these materials' low‐efficiency roll‐off.
Lutein inhibits tumor progression through the ATR/Chk1/p53 signaling pathway in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhang Si‐yu , Lu You‐yi , He Xin‐liang , Su Yuan , Hu Fen , Wei Xiao‐shan , Pan Min‐jie , Zhou Qiong , Yang Wei‐bing
Published: November 2022

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related death. In particular, non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. Due to tumor resistance and the toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents, it is increasingly critical to discover novel, potent antitumorigenic drugs for treating NSCLC. Lutein, a carotenoid, has been reported to exert toxic effects on cells in several tumor types. However, the detailed functions and underlying mechanisms of lutein in NSCLC remain elusive. The present study showed that lutein significantly and dose‐dependently inhibited cell proliferation, arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. RNA‐sequencing analysis revealed that the p53 signaling pathway was the most significantly upregulated in lutein‐treated A549 cells. Mechanistically, lutein exerted antitumorigenic effects by inducing DNA damage and subsequently activating the ATR/Chk1/p53 signaling pathway in A549 cells. In vivo, lutein impeded tumor growth in mice and prolonged their survival. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the antitumorigenic potential of lutein and reveal its molecular mechanism of action, suggesting that lutein is a promising candidate for clinical NSCLC treatment.
Reliability analysis on systems with self‐healing and self‐repairing under different environments and shock models
Authors: Li Yan , Xing Mengxue , Cai Xia
Published: November 2022

Inspired by the process of self‐healing of biological damage, high technology materials with self‐healing and self‐repairing mechanisms have been developed for high reliability and long lifetime. Therefore, the reliability modeling on intelligent systems with healing performance has become a research hotspot. Based on the diversity of healing mechanisms, this paper proposes a two‐phase reliability model method on self‐healing and self‐repairing systems. Impacts of environments, shock loads, self‐healing, and self‐repairing mechanisms are taken into account in this novel model. Besides, system lifetime and some reliability indexes under two shock models are derived, respectively. Moreover, Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to verify the accuracy of reliability under two models. Finally, an engineering case of metallized film capacitor is provided to illustrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed models by comparing numerical results and simulation results.
The characterization and quantification of structures of Cajanus scarabaeoides phytochemicals and their seasonal variation analysis using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Rawat Priyanka , Singh Yatendra , Tiwari Swati , Mishra Dipak K. , Kanojiya Sanjeev
Published: November 2022

Rationale

Cajanus scarabaeoides, belonging to the Fabaceae family, is an underutilized herb and traditionally used to treat several ailments. However, it is not well explored phytochemically. Therefore, mass spectrometry (MS)–based phytochemical analysis was carried out to investigate the bioactive ingredients of the herb.

Methods

A ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to photodiode array detection (PDA) and electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐PDA‐ESI–MS/MS) system was used for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of phytochemicals. The chromatographic separation was achieved on the Acquity BEH C18 column (150 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) using a gradient system consisting of three solvents, acetonitrile, methanol, and 0.1% formic acid, used at a flow rate of 0.300 ml/min.

Results

Sixteen bioactive ingredients (gallic acid, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin, procyanidin dimer, epicatechin, procyanidin trimer, isoorientin, orientin, vitexin, isovitexin, quercetin‐mono‐O‐glycoside, isoquercitrin, luteolin‐7‐O‐glucoside, quercetin, and luteolin) were identified and structurally characterized. Consequently, 12 compounds were reported for the first time from C. scarabaeoides, and 13 were quantitatively determined in different seasons. Isoorientin (10.2–7.1% w/w) and orientin (5.78–5.17% w/w) were the most abundant constituents in the dry weight of plant material, followed by vitexin and isovitexin in the rainy season.

Conclusions

The phytochemical investigation has revealed that C. scarabaeoides could be a potential alternate source of bioactive ingredients, namely, isoorientin, orientin, vitexin, and isovitexin, contributing to further exploration of its biological activity. In addition, analytical methods can be used for the rapid identification and quantification of bioactive ingredients in C. scarabaeoides.
Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in a screening program for under‐30‐year‐old pregnant women with a high participation rate in northern Spain (2016–2020)
Authors: Piñeiro Luis , Zubikarai Maitane , Manzanal Ayla , Ginto Leire , Ansa Iñigo , Lekuona Arantxa , Cilla Gustavo
Published: November 2022

Objective

To assess a screening program for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in under‐30‐year‐old pregnant women, focusing on Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Mycoplasma genitalium infections, which though often asymptomatic, may significantly affect women's health and can be vertically transmitted.

Design

Prospective, descriptive, observational study.

Setting

Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain).

Population

Under‐30‐year‐old pregnant women.

Methods

Between 2016 and 2020, cervical samples were taken at first prenatal appointments from 3051 women. STIs were detected by multiplex nucleic acid amplification.

Main Outcome Measures

Prevalence of infections by age and geographical origin groups, and screening coverage.

Results

The coverage rate was 86% between 2017 and 2020. At least one STI was detected in 5.2% of the under‐30‐year‐olds screened (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.5%, 6.1%): C. trachomatis in 4%, M. genitalium in 1.3% and N. gonorrhoeae in 0.1%. C. trachomatis and M. genitalium prevalence rates were higher among younger women (7.2% and 2.8%, respectively in under‐25‐year‐olds), while C. trachomatis prevalence in 25‐ to 30‐year‐olds was 2.5%. C. trachomatis was more common among Latin American women (9.7% [95% CI: 7.4%, 12.3%] vs. 2.5% [95% CI: 2.0%, 3.2%] in other women). Additionally, analysing samples from 708 pregnant over‐30‐year‐old women with STI risk factors, 1.6% had at least one of the STIs studied. Notably, 20% of all cases had STI‐related symptoms or complications during pregnancy.

Conclusions

The high coverage achieved, and prevalence, clinical and epidemiological results support the view that the implementation of a screening program across Spain for C. trachomatis in under‐30‐year‐old pregnant women would be both feasible and appropriate.

Tweetable abstract

High Chlamydia trachomatis infection prevalence (4%) and coverage (>80%) in local program support pregnancy screening across Spain.
Periodic switching control under quantized state feedback based on spherical polar coordinate quantizer
Authors: Wang Jian , Yu Jiafeng
Published: November 2022

This article studies periodic switching control under quantized state feedback for discrete‐time linear systems. First, a novel necessary and sufficient condition is presented for the existence of stabilizing periodic switching law for the systems, by which the periodic switching law with shorter period is obtained. Second, based on this condition and by spherical polar coordinate quantizer, we give quantized state feedback control with infinite data rate for periodic switching law. From a practical point of view, we are more concerned with quantized feedback control with finite data rate, so a quantization method with finite data rate is designed for stabilizing periodic switching law under quantized state feedback. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the approach.
Adaptive nonlinear control for 4‐DOF ship‐mounted rotary cranes
Authors: Wu Qiangying , Ouyang Huimin , Xi Huan
Published: November 2022

The swing characteristics of the load of ship‐mounted rotary cranes is very complicated, due to the rotation of the boom. Especially, when the crane is operating at sea, it is subject to some disturbances caused by waves, which makes the precise control of the load more difficult. We study the control problem of a four degree of freedom ship‐mounted rotary crane with continuous yaw and roll disturbances in this paper. Specifically, we propose an adaptive controller and the adaptive laws can be updated in real‐time depending on the state of the system and the disturbance. This method does not require linearization of the crane dynamic equations, therefore, the crane can get great control performance even if it is far from the equilibrium point. Comparative experiments demonstrate that the proposed method has excellent anti‐disturbance ability.
Thermodynamic and Kinetic Features of Bi3+ Complexes with the Azamacrocycles H4BATA and H4DOTA
Authors: Matazova Ekaterina V. , Egorova Bayirta V. , Zubenko Anastasia D. , Pashanova Anna V. , Fedorova Olga A. , Kalmykov Stepan N.
Published: November 2022

In current research, we determined the stability constants and kinetic properties of Bi3+ complexes with the benzoazacrown ligand H4BATA along with the H4DOTA ligand. Correct determination of the stability constants is possible when equilibrium with the free forms of the cation is observed. Unlike potentiometric titration, it is possible to apply the free‐ion selective radiotracer extraction (FISRE) method with highly stable complexes at low pH values, where the true equilibrium with the free cation forms in the solution is achieved. FISRE clarified the stability constants of Bi3+ complexes with H4BATA towards higher values. According to the UV spectroscopy data, the H4BATA ligand binds Bi3+ at room temperature within a few minutes at pH 1. We also defined the acid‐assisted mechanism of complex dissociation, where monoprotonated and deprotonated forms of the complex were found to be inert. In summary, the H4BATA ligand is highly suitable for use as a component of bismuth‐based radiopharmaceuticals.
Synthesis of Amorphous/Crystalline Hetero‐Phase Nanozymes With Peroxidase‐Like Activity by Coordination‐Driven Self‐Assembly for Biosensors
Authors: Yang Wenping , Zhu Longjiao , Yang Min , Xu Wentao
Published: November 2022

Nanozymes and amorphous nanomaterials attract great attention owing to their extraordinary properties. However, the requirements for special synthesis conditions become the bottleneck of their development. Herein, a new strategy involving the DNA‐based coordination‐driven self‐assembly is reported for the synthesis of a novel amorphous/crystalline hetero‐phase nanozyme (Fe‐DNA). For the synthesis of both nanozymes and amorphous materials, this strategy is simple and controllable, avoiding the traditionally employed harsh conditions. Benefitting from the amorphous structure and the superior physicochemical properties, the synthesized Fe‐DNA nanozyme is subsequently found to exhibit a smaller Michaelis constant value for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (0.81 mm) than that of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) (3.70 mm), demonstrating the stronger affinity of the Fe‐DNA nanozyme toward H2O2. The Fe‐DNA nanozyme also shows significant peroxidase‐like activity but only negligible oxidase‐like activity, a characteristic which releases the corresponding assay system from oxygen interference, thereby improving the performance of the nanozyme‐based sensing platform. In addition, compared with other nanozymes, the novel Fe‐DNA nanozyme is degradable via phosphate; thus, mitigating potential environmental threat. This work provides novel amorphous/crystalline hetero‐phase nanozymes and opens a new avenue for the design of amorphous nanomaterials and nanozymes.
Functional Rhythmic Chemical Systems Governed by pH‐Driven Kinetic Feedback
Authors: Dúzs Brigitta , Lagzi István , Szalai István
Published: November 2022

Hydrogen ion autocatalytic reactions, especially in combination with an appropriate negative feedback process, show a wide range of dynamical phenomena, like clock behavior, bistability, oscillations, waves, and stationary patterns. The temporal or spatial variation of pH caused by these reactions is often significant enough to control the actual state (geometry, conformation, reactivity) or drive the mechanical motion of coupled pH‐sensitive physico‐chemical systems. These autonomous operating systems provide nonlinear chemistry's most reliable applications, where the hydrogen ion autocatalytic reactions act as engines. This review briefly summarizes the nonlinear dynamics of these reactions and the different approaches developed to properly couple the pH‐sensitive units (e. g., pH‐sensitive equilibria, gels, molecular machines, colloids). We also emphasize the feedback of the coupled processes on the dynamics of the hydrogen ion autocatalytic reactions since the way of coupling is a critical operational issue.
Development of molecular inversion probes for soybean progeny genomic selection genotyping
Authors: Wang Haichuan , Campbell Benjamin , Happ Mary , McConaughy Samantha , Lorenz Aaron , Amundsen Keenan , Song Qijian , Pantalone Vincent , Hyten David
Published: November 2022

Increasing rate of genetic gain for key agronomic traits through genomic selection requires the development of new molecular methods to run genome‐wide single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The main limitation of current methods is the cost is too high to screen breeding populations. Molecular inversion probes (MIPs) are a targeted genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) method that could be used for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] that is both cost‐effective, high‐throughput, and provides high data quality to screen breeder's germplasm for genomic selection. A 1K MIP SNP set was developed for soybean with uniformly distributed markers across the genome. The SNPs were selected to maximize the number of informative markers in germplasm being tested in soybean breeding programs located in the northern‐central and middle‐southern regions of the United States. The 1K SNP MIP set was tested on diverse germplasm and a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. Targeted sequencing with MIPs obtained an 85% enrichment for the targeted SNPs. The MIP genotyping accuracy was 93% overall, whereas homozygous call accuracy was 98% with <10% missing data. The accuracy of MIPs combined with its low per‐sample cost makes it a powerful tool to enable genomic selection within soybean breeding programs.
Pregnancy and perinatal outcomes of early vs late selective termination in dichorionic twin pregnancy: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Sorrenti S. , Di Mascio D. , Khalil A. , Persico N. , D'Antonio F. , Zullo F. , D'Ambrosio V. , Greenberg G. , Hasson J. , Vena F. , Muzii L. , Brunelli R. , Giancotti A.
Published: November 2022

Objective

To evaluate outcomes of dichorionic twin pregnancies undergoing early vs late selective termination of pregnancy (ST).

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Web of Science databases were searched electronically up to March 2022. The primary outcome of this study was pregnancy loss prior to 24 weeks' gestation. The secondary outcomes included preterm birth (PTB) before 37, 34, and 32 weeks, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM), gestational age (GA) at delivery, Cesarean delivery, mean birth weight, 5‐min Apgar score < 7, overall neonatal morbidity and neonatal survival. Only prospective or retrospective studies reporting data on the outcome of early (before 18 weeks) vs late (at or after 18 weeks) ST in dichorionic twin pregnancies were considered suitable for inclusion. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale for cohort studies. Random‐effects head‐to‐head meta‐analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results

Seven studies reporting on 649 dichorionic twin pregnancies were included in this systematic review. The risk of pregnancy loss prior to 24 weeks was significantly lower in dichorionic twin pregnancies undergoing early compared with late ST (1% vs 8%; odds ratio (OR), 0.25 (95% CI, 0.10–0.65); P = 0.004). The risk of PTB was significantly lower in dichorionic twin pregnancies undergoing early compared with late ST when considering PTB before 37 weeks (19% vs 45%; OR, 0.36 (95% CI, 0.23–0.57); P < 0.00001), before 34 weeks (4% vs 19%; OR, 0.24 (95% CI, 0.11–0.54); P = 0.0005) and before 32 weeks (4% vs 20%; OR, 0.21 (95% CI, 0.05–0.85); P = 0.03). The mean birth weight was significantly greater in the early‐ST group (mean difference (MD), 392.2 g (95% CI, 59.1–726.7 g); P = 0.02), as was the mean GA at delivery (MD, 2.47 weeks (95% CI, 0.04–4.91 weeks); P = 0.049). There was no significant difference between dichorionic twin pregnancies undergoing early compared with late ST in terms of PPROM (P = 0.27), Cesarean delivery (P = 0.38), 5‐min Apgar score < 7 (P = 0.35) and neonatal survival of the non‐reduced twin (P = 0.54).

Conclusions

The risk of pregnancy loss prior to 24 weeks and the rate of PTB before 37, 34 and 32 weeks were significantly higher in dichorionic twin pregnancies undergoing late vs early ST, thus highlighting the importance of early diagnosis of fetal anomalies in twin pregnancies. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
EMC Design Guidelines
Authors: Keller Reto B.
Published: November 2022

These EMC design guidelines are here to help you understand the basics of a good design of PCBs and cabling. Good in this context means with low electromagnetic interference (EMI). The guidelines presented in this chapter are the personal guidelines of the author and helped him to pass EMC testing of several products. However, be aware that guidelines alone cannot do magical things to your design and they cannot be universally applied. Be wary! However, getting the basics right will reduce the pain of EMC testing and increase the chances of right-first-time. And that is all that we want, right?
Regulations and Standards
Authors: Keller Reto B.
Published: November 2022

This chapter presents the principles of EMC regulations and standards and their implications on the launch of an EMC compliant product. In addition, a way is presented on how to test EMC for global market access. The landscape of regulations, directives, and standards is constantly changing. Therefore, please check if the references made in this chapter are still valid before applying the information presented here.
Chinese Lecturers’ Pedagogical Position and Instructional Practice in EMI Teaching
Authors: Han Jinghe
Published: November 2022

This Chapter reports the pedagogical alignment and instructional practices contributing to the Chinese lecturers’ EMI implementation as evidenced in this research data. It counters a predominance in the current literature highlighting EMI research on language with less concern on pedagogy. Evidence of the EMI lecturers’ actual classroom instructions and their pedagogical positions were collected and analyzed. Their instruction was identified as being on the continuum between expository and constructivist teaching, with more leaning towards an expository approach in their teaching. The data disclose that the reasons for this prevalence of expository teaching are based on the lecturers’ rational choice rather than any overall attribution to their educational culture. Perceiving undergraduate education as the foundational stage of tertiary education and their self-assessment of their role as the main knowledge resource contributed to their distinctive pedagogical view and instructional practices in EMI teaching.
Chinese EMI Lecturers’ Engagement Strategies
Authors: Han Jinghe
Published: November 2022

In Chap. 3, the pedagogical positions and instructional practices of the EMI lecturers were analyzed. This Chapter continues the examination of actual teaching practice in EMI classes by focusing on the Chinese EMI lecturers’ specific engagement strategies. Examining engagement allows this research to respond to two concerns raised in current literature: (i) that expository pedagogy and its aligned instruction will generate less classroom engagement compared to constructivist teaching; and (ii) there is less engagement and interaction in a class when teaching is conducted in EMI. The aim of this Chapter is not to measure the effectiveness of learning in relation to engagement, but rather to capture the characteristics of the engagement strategies implemented by the participants. Data reveal a general pattern in the EMI lecturers’ implementation of engagement strategies: cognitive engagement was the dominant, most frequently used engagement strategy, and conversely, emotional, managerial and behavioral engagement was observed with very limited frequency. The arguments being proposed are that the characteristics of these Chinese EMI lecturers’ engagement strategies are shaped by their pedagogical, educational and cultural ideologies; and that English as the medium plays a secondary role in patterns of engagement observed in this research.
Application of methylene blue combined with ropivacaine intercostal nerve block in postoperative analgesia of autologous costal cartilage augmentation rhinoplasty
Authors: Guoyu Jiang , Tao Wang , Xi You
Published: November 2022

Objective

To observe the effect of methylene blue combined with ropivacaine intercostal nerve block on postoperative analgesia after autologous costal cartilage augmentation rhinoplasty.

Methods

In this study 100 female patients who underwent autologous costal cartilage comprehensive augmentation rhinoplasty in Chongqing Huamei Plastic Surgery Hospital from April to November 2021 were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 50 cases in each group. In the experimental group methylene blue was combined with ropivacaine intercostal nerve block as patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA), and the control group was ropivacaine intercostal nerve block combined with PCIA. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of resting and coughing at 6 h (T1), 24 h (T2), 48 h (T3), 72 h (T4) after surgery were recorded and evaluated. At the same time, the number and times of oral analgesics were recorded as well as nausea, vomiting, burning pain and paresthesia.

Results

The VAS scores of the experimental group were lower than those of the control group at all time points. At 6 h, 24 h and 48 h after surgery, the VAS score of the experimental group was lower than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The VAS score of calm 72 h after surgery in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The analgesic effect of the two groups was better when they coughed after surgery. At 6 h after surgery, the VAS score of coughing in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05); At 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after surgery, the VAS score of the coughing state in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Intercostal nerve block with methylene blue combined with ropivacaine can achieve good postoperative analgesic effects in augmentation rhinoplasty with autologous costal cartilage
History of pharmacology: 1—the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Tartu (Dorpat): genealogy and biographies
Authors: Philippu Athineos , Seifert Roland
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this article is the historical survey of the foundation and development of pharmacology in Tartu (Dorpat), Estonia. Pharmacology was founded in Tartu by Naunyn, Buchheim, and Schmiedeberg. Genealogy and biographies including selected references of pharmacologists and pupils, who acted from the very beginning to today as directors of the Department of Pharmacology, as well as its successor, the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, are presented and commented. This history also illustrates the conditions that are important for the development of new scientific areas. It is not a central geographical location or a formal “center of excellence” with lots of financial resources but rather brilliant researchers with the right spirit and vision and academic freedom. The implications of the early history of pharmacology for the future of science are discussed.
Distributional preferences in adolescent peer networks
Authors: Alem Yonas , Kocher Martin G. , Schürz Simon , Carlsson Fredrik , Lindahl Mikael
Published: November 2022

We study distributional preferences in adolescent peer networks. Using incentivized choices between allocations for themselves and a passive agent, children are classified into efficiency-loving, inequality-loving, inequality-averse, and spiteful types. We find that pairs of students who report a friendship link are more likely to exhibit the same preference type than other students who attend the same school. The relation between types is almost completely driven by inequality-loving and spiteful types. The role of peer networks in explaining distributional preferences goes beyond network composition effects. A low rank in academic performance and a central position within the network relate positively to a higher likelihood of being classified as spiteful. Hence, social hierarchies seem to be correlated with distributional preference types.
Respiratory issues in patients with multiple sclerosis as a risk factor during SARS-CoV-2 infection: a potential role for exercise
Authors: Razi Omid , Teixeira Ana Maria , Tartibian Bakhtyar , Zamani Nastaran , Knechtle Beat
Published: November 2022

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is associated with cytokine storm and is characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and pneumonia problems. The respiratory system is a place of inappropriate activation of the immune system in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and this may cause damage to the lung and worsen both MS and infections.

The concerns for patients with multiple sclerosis are because of an enhance risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The MS patients pose challenges in this pandemic situation, because of the regulatory defect of autoreactivity of the immune system and neurological and respiratory tract symptoms. In this review, we first indicate respiratory issues associated with both diseases. Then, the main mechanisms inducing lung damages and also impairing the respiratory muscles in individuals with both diseases is discussed. At the end, the leading role of physical exercise on mitigating respiratory issues inducing mechanisms is meticulously evaluated.
Comments for the book symposium “The Palgrave Handbook of Russian Thought”
Authors: Steiner Lina
Published: November 2022

These are my comments and responses to questions and comments by my colleagues at the Handbook symposium that took place last fall.
Depression and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Epidemiology, Mechanism, and Treatment
Authors: Zhu Chunyan , Zhang Ting , Li Qianqian , Chen Xingui , Wang Kai
Published: November 2022

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an adverse impact on the physical and mental health of the public worldwide. In addition to illness in patients with COVID-19, isolated people and the general population have experienced mental health problems due to social distancing policies, mandatory lockdown, and other psychosocial factors, and the prevalence of depression and anxiety significantly increased during the pandemic. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the epidemiology, contributing factors, and pathogenesis of depression and anxiety. during the pandemic. These findings indicate that physicians and psychiatrists should pay more attention to and identify those with a high risk for mental problems, such as females, younger people, unmarried people, and those with a low educational level. In addition, researchers should focus on identifying the neural and neuroimmune mechanisms involved in depression and anxiety, and assess the intestinal microbiome to identify effective biomarkers. We also provide an overview of various intervention methods, including pharmacological treatment, psychological therapy, and physiotherapy, to provide a reference for different populations to guide the development of optimized intervention methods.
Analysis of Gaps Yield and Resource use Efficiency of Cold-Region Japonica Rice
Authors: Jia Yan , Liu Hualong , Mei Yingwen , Wang Hao , Zou Detang , Wang Jingguo , Zheng Hongliang , Wang Jin , Zhang Hao , Zhao Hongwei
Published: November 2022

Rice is the primary staple food for more than 50% of the world’s population. Narrowing the gap between the maximum potential food crop yield and actual yield is critical for improving the current yield, resource use efficiency, and global food security. Here, we examined the fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), radiation use efficiency (RUE), and temperature production efficiency (TPE) of four management treatments (super high yield [SH], high yield and high efficiency [HH], farmer level [FP], and basic production level [CK]). SH and HH treatments significantly reduced the yield gap by 22.4 and 9.5%, respectively. The large yield gap between HH and FP was mainly attributed to high specific leaf weight at the jointing stage (7.5–7.7 mg·cm−2), and the high leaf area maintained during tillering–jointing stages (35.4–37.6 m2·m−2·per day). Compared with FP, HH increased the specific leaf weight in the heading stage (8.2–8.4 mg·cm−2), relative crop growth rate, net assimilation rate (NAR), and mean leaf area index (> 2.6). Moreover, compared with FP, HH significantly increased partial factor productivity (PFP) of nitrogen, FUE, TPE, and RUE owing to greater yield and NAR after the full heading stage. Although the HH yield was 93.32% that of SH, HH increased PFP of fertilizer (12.5%), fertilizer nitrogen (9.07%), and fertilizer K2O (36.34%), and required 26% less fertilizer than SH. The findings of this study could facilitate high-efficiency rice production and bridging of yield gaps.
To wear or not to wear? Unpacking the #NoMask discourses and conversations on Twitter
Authors: Lavorgna Anita , Carr Les , Kingdon Ashton
Published: November 2022

In the context of the COVID-19 health crisis, the use of face masks has been a topic broadly debated. In many Western countries, especially at the heights of the pandemic, discussions on the use of protective facemasks were often linked to what were mainly political considerations, often fueled by health-related misinformation. Our study brings together social sciences and computer science expertise to retrospectively unpack the #NoMask discourses and conversations using both network analysis approaches on big data retrieved from Twitter and qualitative analyses on sub-sets of relevant social media data. By looking comparatively at two dataset gathered at different stages of the health crisis (2020 and 2022), we aim to better understand the role of Twitter in that interesting area where the dissemination of health misinformation became capitalized by the political narrative linking the social discontent caused by the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic to specific political ideologies. Our analyses show that there has never been a unique ‘NoMask movement,’ nor a defined online community. Rather, we can identify a range of relatively niche, loosely connected, and heterogeneous actors that, in the course of the pandemic, independently pushed diverse (but converging and compatible) discourses. Conversations directly linked to the #NoMask relevant hashtags are overall limited, as twitters using them are not talking to each other; nonetheless, they successfully engaged a larger audience.
Algorithmic decision-making in financial services: economic and normative outcomes in consumer credit
Authors: Sargeant Holli
Published: November 2022

Consider how much data is created and used based on our online behaviours and choices. Converging foundational technologies now enable analytics of the vast data required for machine learning. As a result, businesses now use algorithmic technologies to inform their processes, pricing and decisions. This article examines the implications of algorithmic decision-making in consumer credit markets from economic and normative perspectives. This article fills a gap in the literature to explore a multi-disciplinary approach to framing economic and normative issues for algorithmic decision-making in the private sector. This article identifies optimal and suboptimal outcomes in the relationships between companies and consumers. The economic approach of this article demonstrates that more data allows for more information which may result in better contracting outcomes. However, it also identifies potential risks of inaccuracy, bias and discrimination, and ‘gaming’ of algorithmic systems for personal benefit. Then, this article argues that these economic costs have normative implications. Connecting economic outcomes to a normative analysis contextualises the challenges in designing and regulating ML fairly. In particular, it identifies the normative implications of the process, as much as the outcome, concerning trust, privacy and autonomy and potential bias and discrimination in ML systems. Credit scoring, as a case study, elucidates the issues relating to private companies. Legal norms tend to mirror economic theory. Therefore, this article frames the critical economic and normative issues required for further regulatory work.
Planar random-cluster model: scaling relations
Authors: Duminil-Copin Hugo , Manolescu Ioan
Published: November 2022

This paper studies the critical and near-critical regimes of the planar random-cluster model on

$\mathbb Z^2$

with cluster-weight

$q\in [1,4]$

using novel coupling techniques. More precisely, we derive the scaling relations between the critical exponents

$\beta $

,

$\gamma $

,

$\delta $

,

$\eta $

,

$\nu $

,

$\zeta $

as well as

$\alpha $

(when

$\alpha \ge 0$

). As a key input, we show the stability of crossing probabilities in the near-critical regime using new interpretations of the notion of the influence of an edge in terms of the rate of mixing. As a byproduct, we derive a generalisation of Kesten’s classical scaling relation for Bernoulli percolation involving the ‘mixing rate’ critical exponent

$\iota $

replacing the four-arm event exponent

$\xi _4$

.
Dietary zinc restriction affects the expression of genes related to immunity and stress response in the small intestine of pigs
Authors: Medida Ramya Lekha , Sharma Ashok Kumar , Guo Yue , Johnston Lee , Urriola Pedro E. , Gomez Andres , Saqui-Salces Milena
Published: November 2022

Zinc (Zn) is an essential mineral and its deficiency manifests in non-specific clinical signs that require long time to develop. The response of swine intestine to Zn restriction was evaluated to identify early changes that can be indicative of Zn deficiency. Twenty-seven pigs (body weight = 77⋅5 ± 2⋅5 kg) were assigned to one of three diets: diet without added Zn (Zn-restricted diet, ZnR), and ZnR-supplemented with either 50 (Zn50) or 100 mg of Zn/kg of diet (Zn100) of Zn supplied by ZnCl2. After 32 d consuming the diets, serum Zn concentration in ZnR pigs was below the range of 0⋅59–1⋅37 μg/ml considered sufficient, thereby confirming subclinical Zn deficiency. Pigs showed no obvious health or growth changes. RNA-seq analysis followed by qPCR showed decreased expression of metallothionein-1 (MT1) (P < 0⋅05) and increased expression of Zn transporter ZIP4 (P < 0⋅05) in jejunum and ileum of ZnR pigs compared with Zn-supplemented pigs. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed that Zn50 and Zn100 induced changes in genes related to nucleotide excision repair and integrin signalling pathways. The top gene network in the ZnR group compared with Zn100 was related to lipid and drug metabolism; and compared with Zn50, was related to cellular proliferation, assembly and organisation. Dietary Zn concentrations resulted in differences in genes related to immune pathways. Our analysis showed that small intestine presents changes associated with Zn deficiency after 32 d of Zn restriction, suggesting that the intestine could be a sentinel organ for Zn deficiency.
Iterates of meromorphic functions on escaping Fatou components
Authors: Zheng Jian-Hua , Wu Cheng-Fa
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we prove that the ratio of the modulus of the iterates of two points in an escaping Fatou component could be bounded even if the orbit of the component contains a sequence of annuli whose moduli tend to infinity, and this cannot happen when the maximal modulus of the meromorphic function is uniformly large enough. In this way we extend certain related results for entire functions to meromorphic functions with infinitely many poles.
Skotomorphogenesis exploits threonine to promote hypocotyl elongation
Authors: Tabeta Hiromitsu , Higashi Yasuhiro , Okazaki Yozo , Toyooka Kiminori , Wakazaki Mayumi , Sato Mayuko , Saito Kazuki , Hirai Masami Y , Ferjani Ali
Published: November 2022

Mobilisation of seed storage reserves is important for seedling establishment in Arabidopsis. In this process, sucrose is synthesised from triacylglycerol via core metabolic processes. Mutants with defects in triacylglycerol-to-sucrose conversion display short etiolated seedlings. We found that whereas sucrose content in the indole-3-butyric acid response 10 (ibr10) mutant was significantly reduced, hypocotyl elongation in the dark was unaffected, questioning the role of IBR10 in this process. To dissect the metabolic complexity behind cell elongation, a quantitative-based phenotypic analysis combined with a multi-platform metabolomics approach was applied. We revealed that triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol breakdown were disrupted in ibr10, resulting in low sugar content and poor photosynthetic ability. Importantly, batch-learning self-organised map clustering revealed that threonine level was correlated with hypocotyl length. Consistently, exogenous threonine supply stimulated hypocotyl elongation, indicating that sucrose levels are not always correlated with etiolated seedling length, suggesting the contribution of amino acids in this process.