bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parallel recovery of chromatin accessibility and gene expression dynamics from frozen human regulatory T cells
Authors: Wong Ying Y. , Harbison Jessica E. , Hope Christopher M. , Gundsambuu Batjargal , Brown Katherine A. , Wong Soon W. , Brown Cheryl Y , Couper Jennifer J. , Breen Jimmy , Liu Ning , Pederson Stephen M. , Köhne Maren , Klee Kathrin , Schultze Joachim , Beyer Marc , Sadlon Timothy , Barry Simon C.
Published: April 2023

Epigenetic features such as DNA accessibility dictate transcriptional regulation in a cell type- and cell state- specific manner, and mapping this in health vs. disease in clinically relevant material is opening the door to new mechanistic insights and new targets for therapy. Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin Sequencing (ATAC-seq) allows chromatin accessibility profiling from low cell input, making it tractable on rare cell populations, such as regulatory T (Treg) cells. However, little is known about the compatibility of the assay with cryopreserved rare cell populations. Here we demonstrate the robustness of an ATAC-seq protocol comparing primary Treg cells recovered from fresh or cryopreserved PBMC samples, in the steady state and in response to stimulation. We extend this method to explore the feasibility of conducting simultaneous quantitation of chromatin accessibility and transcriptome from a single aliquot of 50,000 cryopreserved Treg cells. Profiling of chromatin accessibility and gene expression in parallel within the same pool of cells controls for cellular heterogeneity and is particularly beneficial when constrained by limited input material. Overall, we observed a high correlation of accessibility patterns and transcription factor dynamics between fresh and cryopreserved samples. Furthermore, highly similar transcriptomic profiles were obtained from whole cells and from the supernatants recovered from ATAC-seq reactions. We highlight the feasibility of applying these techniques to profile the epigenomic landscape of cells recovered from cryopreservation biorepositories.
Combined use of CRP with neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in differentiating between infectious and noninfectious inflammation in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Beberashvili Ilia , Omar Muhammad Abu , Nizri Elad , Stav Kobi , Efrati Shai
Published: April 2023

We tested whether CRP combined with the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) optimizes the prediction of infectious inflammation in hemodialysis patients. We conducted a retrospective study of 774 (mean age 71.1 ± 12.8 years, 35% women) hemodialysis patients from our institution, hospitalized between 2007 and 2021 for various reasons, with CRP levels available at admission. Infection was defined according to the International Sepsis Definition Conference criteria. An algorithm for the optimal CRP and NLR cutoff points for predicting infection was developed based on a decision tree analysis in the training cohort (n = 620) and then tested in the validation cohort (n = 154). A CRP level above 40 mg/L (obtained as the cutoff point in predicting infections in the training group, using ROC curve analysis) predicted an infection diagnosis with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 76% with an odds ratio (OR) of 9.37 (95% CI: 5.36–16.39), according to a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Whereas, CRP levels above 23 mg/L together with an NLR above 9.7 predicted an infection diagnosis with a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 84% with an OR of 25.59 (95% CI: 9.73–67.31). All these results were reproduced in the validation set. Combined use of CRP with NLR may lower the CRP cutoff point in distinguishing between infectious and noninfectious inflammation in hemodialysis patients.
A sophisticated design of copper core to converge rotating eddy current control for detecting cracks in conductive materials
Authors: Trung Le Quang , Kasai Naoya , Sekino Kouichi , Miyazaki Seishu
Published: April 2023

Eddy current (EC) testing has been selected as a standard candidate for detecting defects in conductive materials in the past few decades. Nevertheless, inventing EC probes capable of detecting minor defects has always been challenging for researchers due to the tradeoff between the probe dimensions and the strength of the EC generated on the surface of the test piece. Here, we use a copper core with a sophisticated design to converge the rotating EC at the tip of the copper core to detect small cracks in all directions in conductive materials. In this method, we can arbitrarily accommodate a large excitation coil so that a larger rotating uniform EC is generated in a small area of the test piece. Hence, the probe can detect cracks in all directions in conductive materials.
Refining the time–frequency characteristic of non-stationary signal for improving time–frequency representation under variable speeds
Authors: Liu Yi , Xiang Hang , Jiang Zhansi , Xiang Jiawei
Published: April 2023

Time–frequency ridge not only exhibits the variable process of non-stationary signal with time changing but also provides the information of signal synchronous or non-synchronous components for subsequent detection research. Consequently, the key is to decrease the error between real and estimated ridge in the time–frequency domain for accurate detection. In this article, an adaptive weighted smooth model is presented as a post-processing tool to refine the time–frequency ridge which is based on the coarse estimated time–frequency ridge using newly emerging time–frequency methods. Firstly, the coarse ridge is estimated by using multi-synchrosqueezing transform for vibration signal under variable speed conditions. Secondly, an adaptive weighted method is applied to enhance the large time–frequency energy value location of the estimated ridge. Then, the reasonable smooth regularization parameter associated with the vibration signal is constructed. Thirdly, the majorization–minimization method is developed for solving the adaptive weighted smooth model. Finally, the refined time–frequency characteristic is obtained by utilizing the stop criterion of the optimization model. Simulation and experimental signals are given to validate the performance of the proposed method by average absolute errors. Compared with other methods, the proposed method has the highest performance in refinement accuracy.
Metallurgical investigation of early failure of heater pipes in a gas complex
Authors: Khalifa Waleed , El-Hadad Shimaa
Published: April 2023

An early corrosion failure of the piping system of a gas heater was reported by a gas complex company. Local corrosion rates of 0.90 and 0.66 mm/year were observed in the heater piping system. An investigation including visual examination, macrostructure, microstructure (SEM, EDS and XRD), thickness gauging, chemical analysis, and mechanical testing, was performed. The results showed that corrosion damage occurred on the external surface of the pipes. Corrosion occurred at the cold sides of the pipes and elbows. The corrosion pattern is broad and shallow pitting. Some elbows showed an early stage of carbide spheroidization and pearlite decomposition. The EDS microanalysis revealed that the level of sulfur, chlorine, and nitrogen was substantially high in the rust samples. The XRD of the corrosion products showed that the main oxyhydroxide was Akaganeite. The analysis of results showed that the flue gas dew point corrosion was the mechanism of damage, and the root cause was the operation of the heater at low temperatures and the frequent outings of service, combined with evident material drawbacks including low levels of Si, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Mo. These elements should be at their maximum allowable limits of the SA 105 and SA 106 to improve the corrosion resistance of the steel piping components.
An ultra-high-throughput screen for the evaluation of peptide HLA-Binder interactions
Authors: Krämer Stefan , Moritz Andreas , Stehl Luca , Hutt Meike , Hofmann Martin , Wagner Claudia , Bunk Sebastian , Maurer Dominik , Roth Günter , Wöhrle Johannes
Published: April 2023

Peptide human leukocyte antigen (pHLA) targeting therapeutics like T-cell receptor based adoptive cell therapy or bispecific T cell engaging receptor molecules hold great promise for the treatment of cancer. Comprehensive pre-clinical screening of therapeutic candidates is important to ensure patient safety but is challenging because of the size of the potential off-target space. By combining stabilized peptide-receptive HLA molecules with microarray printing and screening, we have developed an ultra-high-throughput screening platform named ValidaTe that enables large scale evaluation of pHLA-binder interactions. We demonstrate its potential by measuring and analyzing over 30.000 binding curves for a high-affinity T cell Engaging Receptor towards a large pHLA library. Compared to a dataset obtained by conventional bio-layer interferometry measurements, we illustrate that a massively increased throughput (over 650 fold) is obtained by our microarray screening, paving the way for use in pre-clinical safety screening of pHLA-targeting drugs.
Recursive computed ABC (cABC) analysis as a precise method for reducing machine learning based feature sets to their minimum informative size
Authors: Lötsch Jörn , Ultsch Alfred
Published: April 2023

Selecting the k best features is a common task in machine learning. Typically, a few features have high importance, but many have low importance (right-skewed distribution). This report proposes a numerically precise method to address this skewed feature importance distribution in order to reduce a feature set to the informative minimum of items. Computed ABC analysis (cABC) is an item categorization method that aims to identify the most important items by partitioning a set of non-negative numerical items into subsets "A", "B", and "C" such that subset "A" contains the "few important" items based on specific properties of ABC curves defined by their relationship to Lorenz curves. In its recursive form, the cABC analysis can be applied again to subset "A". A generic image dataset and three biomedical datasets (lipidomics and two genomics datasets) with a large number of variables were used to perform the experiments. The experimental results show that the recursive cABC analysis limits the dimensions of the data projection to a minimum where the relevant information is still preserved and directs the feature selection in machine learning to the most important class-relevant information, including filtering feature sets for nonsense variables. Feature sets were reduced to 10% or less of the original variables and still provided accurate classification in data not used for feature selection. cABC analysis, in its recursive variant, provides a computationally precise means of reducing information to a minimum. The minimum is the result of a computation of the number of k most relevant items, rather than a decision to select the k best items from a list. In addition, there are precise criteria for stopping the reduction process. The reduction to the most important features can improve the human understanding of the properties of the data set. The cABC method is implemented in the Python package "cABCanalysis" available athttps://pypi.org/project/cABCanalysis/.
Discovery of novel cardiac troponin activators using fluorescence polarization-based high throughput screening assays
Authors: Parijat Priyanka , Ponnam Saraswathi , Attili Seetharamaiah , Campbell Kenneth S. , El-Mezgueldi Mohammed , Pfuhl Mark , Kampourakis Thomas
Published: April 2023

The large unmet demand for new heart failure therapeutics is widely acknowledged. Over the last decades the contractile myofilaments themselves have emerged as an attractive target for the development of new therapeutics for both systolic and diastolic heart failure. However, the clinical use of myofilament-directed drugs has been limited, and further progress has been hampered by incomplete understanding of myofilament function on the molecular level and screening technologies for small molecules that accurately reproduce this function in vitro. In this study we have designed, validated and characterized new high throughput screening platforms for small molecule effectors targeting the interactions between the troponin C and troponin I subunits of the cardiac troponin complex. Fluorescence polarization-based assays were used to screen commercially available compound libraries, and hits were validated using secondary screens and orthogonal assays. Hit compound-troponin interactions were characterized using isothermal titration calorimetry and NMR spectroscopy. We identified NS5806 as novel calcium sensitizer that stabilizes active troponin. In good agreement, NS5806 greatly increased the calcium sensitivity and maximal isometric force of demembranated human donor myocardium. Our results suggest that sarcomeric protein-directed screening platforms are suitable for the development of compounds that modulate cardiac myofilament function.
Grafting red clay with Bi2O3 nanoparticles into epoxy resin for gamma-ray shielding applications
Authors: Elsafi Mohamed. , Almuqrin Aljawhara H. , Almutairi Haifa M. , Al-Saleh Wafa M. , Sayyed M. I.
Published: April 2023

We developed new composites for photons shielding applications. The composite were prepared with epoxy resin, red clay and bismuth oxide nanoparticles (Bi2O3 NPs). In order to establish which ratio of red clay to Bi2O3 NPs provides the best shielding capabilities, several different ratios of red clay to Bi2O3 NPs were tested. The transmission factor (TF) was calculated for two different thicknesses of each sample. From the TF data, we found that epoxy resin materials have a high attenuation capacity at low energy. For ERB-10 sample (40%Epoxy + 50% Red clay + 10% Bi2O3 NPs), the TF values are 52.3% and 14.3% for thicknesses of 0.5 and 1.5 cm (at 0.06 MeV). The composite which contains the maximum amount of Bi2O3 nanoparticles (40%Epoxy + 50% Red clay + 10% Bi2O3 NPs, coded as ERB-30) has lower TF than the other composites. The TF data demonstrated that ERB-30 is capable of producing more effective attenuation from gamma rays. We also determined the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) for the prepared composites and we found that the LAC increases for a given energy in proportion to the Bi2O3 NPs ratio. For the ERB-0 (free Bi2O3 NPs), the LAC at 0.662 MeV is 0.143 cm−1, and it increases to 0.805 cm−1 when 10% of Bi2O3 NPs is added to the epoxy resin composite. The half value layer (HVL) results showed that the thickness necessary to shield that photons to its half intensity can be significantly lowered by increasing the weight fraction of the Bi2O3 NPs in the epoxy resin composite from 0 to 30%. The HVL for ERB-20 and ERB-30 were compared with other materials such as (Epoxy as a matrix material and Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO and ZrO2 as filler oxides in the matrix at 0.662 MeV. The HVL values for ERB-20 and ERB-30 are 4.385 and 3.988 cm and this is lower than all the selected epoxy polymers.
New U–Pb geochronology for the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, critical reevaluation of high-precision ages and their impact on the end-Triassic extinction event
Authors: Oliveira Alisson L. , Schmitz Mark D. , Wall Corey J. , Crowley James L. , Macêdo Filho Antomat A. , Hollanda Maria Helena B. M.
Published: April 2023

The end-Triassic extinction (ETE) event represents one of the ‘big five’ episodes of mass extinction. The leading hypothesis for the cause of the ETE is the intrusion of voluminous magmas of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) into carbon-rich sediments of two South American sedimentary basins, around 201.5 Ma. The timing of dikes and sills emplacement, however, must be considered in light of age models from CAMP rocks occurring in North America. In this work, we present new high-precision ages for critical samples in NE Brazil (201.579 ± 0.057 Ma) and Canada (201.464 ± 0.017 Ma), in order to evaluate how the South and North American magmatic events compare at the 100-ka level, and to the ETE timing. We also discuss inter-laboratory reproducibility of high-precision CAMP ages, including the 230Th disequilibrium corrections that are made to zircon U–Pb dates. Our findings in this newly discovered extension of the CAMP large igneous province in NE Brazil support the hypothesis that the CAMP may be responsible for the ETE through the triggering of greenhouse gas release from magma-evaporite interactions (contact metamorphism) in the South American basins.
The systematic comparison between Gaussian mirror and Model-X knockoff models
Authors: Chen Shuai , Li Ziqi , Liu Long , Wen Yalu
Published: April 2023

While the high-dimensional biological data have provided unprecedented data resources for the identification of biomarkers, consensus is still lacking on how to best analyze them. The recently developed Gaussian mirror (GM) and Model-X (MX) knockoff-based methods have much related model assumptions, which makes them appealing for the detection of new biomarkers. However, there are no guidelines for their practical use. In this research, we systematically compared the performance of MX-based and GM methods, where the impacts of the distribution of explanatory variables, their relatedness and the signal-to-noise ratio were evaluated. MX with knockoff generated using the second-order approximates (MX-SO) has the best performance as compared to other MX-based methods. MX-SO and GM have similar levels of power and computational speed under most of the simulations, but GM is more robust in the control of false discovery rate (FDR). In particular, MX-SO can only control the FDR well when there are weak correlations among explanatory variables and the sample size is at least moderate. On the contrary, GM can have the desired FDR as long as explanatory variables are not highly correlated. We further used GM and MX-based methods to detect biomarkers that are associated with the Alzheimer’s disease-related PET-imaging trait and the Parkinson’s disease-related T-tau of cerebrospinal fluid. We found that MX-based and GM methods are both powerful for the analysis of big biological data. Although genes selected from MX-based methods are more similar as compared to those from the GM method, both MX-based and GM methods can identify the well-known disease-associated genes for each disease. While MX-based methods can have a slightly higher power than that of the GM method, it is less robust, especially for data with small sample sizes, unknown distributions, and high correlations.
Development and application of rTMS device to murine model
Authors: Choung Jin Seung , Bhattacharjee Sohom , Son Jeong Pyo , Kim Jong Moon , Cho Dong Sik , Cho Choon Sik , Kim MinYoung
Published: April 2023

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is attracting attention as a new treatment technique for brain lesions, and many animal studies showing its effects have been reported. However, the findings of animal application researches cannot directly represent the effects of rTMS in human, mainly due to size difference and mechanistic characteristics of rTMS. Therefore, the authors purposed to develop a mouse rTMS to simulate clinical application and to confirm. Firstly, a virtual head model was created according to magnetic resonance images of murine head. Then, simulations of rTMS stimulation with different coils were performed on the murine head phantom, and an rTMS device for mice was fabricated based on the optimal voltage conditions. Lastly, strengths of magnetic fields generated by the two rTMS devices, for human (conventional clinical use) and mouse (newly fabricated), were measured in air and on mouse head and compared. Resultantly, the magnetic field intensity generated by coil of mouse was lower than human’s (p < 0.01), and no differences were found between the predicted simulation values and the measured intensity in vivo (p > 0.05). Further in vivo researches using miniaturized rTMS devices for murine head should be followed to be more meaningful for human.
Two-dimensional nanofluid flow impinging on a porous stretching sheet with nonlinear thermal radiation and slip effect at the boundary enclosing energy perspective
Authors: Zeeshan  , Khan Ilyas , Eldin Syed M. , Islam Saeed , Khan M. Uzair
Published: April 2023

In the current analysis, we examine the heat transmission analysis of nanofluid (NF) movement impinging on a porous extending sheet. The influence of nonlinear thermal radiation (TR), buoyancy force, and slip at the boundary are also examined. The leading partial differential equations (PDEs) are altered to convectional differential equation (ODEs) by suitable transformation. The ODEs are then transformed to first order by introducing the innovative variables and elucidated numerically using bvph2. The Skin Friction (SF) and Nusselt number (NN) are elaborated in detail for Al2O3, Cu, and TiO2 nanoparticles. For validation of the code, ND-solve approach is also applied. The novelty of the current effort is inspect NF flow with heat transfer over extending sheet enclosing thermal and slip effect at the boundary numerically. The thickness of boundary layer increases as the temperature and radiation factors are increased. It is perceived that the fluid velocity decays with the growing values of volume fraction parameter. When permeability and velocity slip parameters are improved the velocity outline enhances. It is investigated that the temperature inside the fluid enhances as the values of velocity slip factor, permeability factor and Biot number are augmented. For the growing values of temperature ratio, volume friction, and thermophoresis factor the temperature is enhances. It is detected that the slip factor causes the friction factor to decrease. Furthermore, the existent study is associated with the preceding.
Long-term myopia control effect and safety in children wearing DIMS spectacle lenses for 6 years
Authors: Lam Carly Siu Yin , Tang Wing Chun , Zhang Han Yu , Lee Paul H. , Tse Dennis Yan Yin , Qi Hua , Vlasak Natalia , To Chi Ho
Published: April 2023

This study evaluated the long-term myopia control effect and safety in children wearing Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses. Participants who completed the 2-year RCT were followed for a total of 6 years; their cycloplegic refractions and axial length were measured. Group 1 (n = 36) wore DIMS spectacles for 6 years; Group 2 (n = 14) wore DIMS lens for the first 3.5 years and SV spectacles afterwards; Group 3 (n = 22) wore SV spectacles in the first 2 years and switched to DIMS; Group 4 (n = 18) wore SV spectacles in the first 2 years, switched to DIMS for 1.5 years and then SV spectacles again. Group 1 showed no significant differences in myopia progression (− 0.52 ± 0.66 vs. − 0.40 ± 0.72D) and axial elongation (0.32 ± 0.26 vs. 0.28 ± 0.28 mm, bothp > 0.05) between the first and the later 3 years. In the last 2.5 years, DIMS lens groups (Groups 1 and 3) had less myopia progression and axial elongation than the single vision groups (Groups 2 and 4). There was no evidence of rebound after stopping the treatment. Post-wear visual functions in all groups were within norms. The results supported that DIMS lenses provided sustained myopia control without adverse effects over the 6-year study period.

Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov; NCT02206217.
Fossil and non-fossil sources of the carbonaceous component of PM2.5 in forest and urban areas
Authors: Cha Ji-Yeon , Lee Kyuyeon , Lee Seung-Cheol , Lee Eun-Ju , Yim Kwang-Jin , Ryoo Ilhan , Kim Minhye , Ahn Jinho , Yi Seung-Muk , Park Chan-Ryul , Oh Neung-Hwan
Published: April 2023

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) can damage human health. Biogenic organic compounds emitted from trees may increase the concentration of PM2.5 via formation of secondary aerosols. Therefore, the role of biogenic emissions in PM2.5 formation and the sources of PM2.5 need to be investigated. Dual carbon isotope and levoglucosan analyses are powerful tools to track the sources of total carbon (TC) in PM2.5. We collected a total of 47 PM2.5 samples from 2019 to 2020 inside a pine forest and in urban areas in South Korea. The average δ13C and Δ14C of TC in PM2.5 at the Taehwa Research Forest (TRF) were − 25.7 and − 380.7‰, respectively, which were not significantly different from those collected at Seoul National University (SNU) in urban areas. Contribution of fossil fuel, C3-, and C4- plants to carbonaceous component of PM2.5 were 52, 27, and 21% at SNU, whereas those were 46, 35, and 19% at TRF, respectively. The biomass burning tracer, levoglucosan, was most abundant in winter and correlated with the contribution of C4 plants derived carbon. Results indicate that biogenic aerosols emitted from trees is less likely to be an important source of PM2.5 and that trees can act as a bio-filter to reduce PM2.5.
A new pyridoxal-derived gelator for selective recognition of CN− and F− under different conditions
Authors: Ghosh Subhasis , Baildya Nabajyoti , Ghosh Kumaresh
Published: April 2023

A new pyridoxal-based gelator is designed and synthesized. The gel is responsive to CN− and F− with distinguishable features. Resin beads show a response to CN− and F−.
2D/2D nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon nitride/cobalt sulfide nanostructures for fast photodegradation of methylene blue dye and real industrial sewage effluents
Authors: Vuggili Sai Bhargava , Gaur Umesh Kumar , Tyagi Tushar , Sharma Manu
Published: April 2023

Nitrogen-doped g-C3N4/CoS nanocomposites have been synthesized using a facile polycondensation-hydrothermal method and showed improved photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MB dye and industrial real samples with good photostability.
Solute transport in the brain tissue: what are the key biophysical parameters tying in vivo and in vitro studies together?
Authors: Alcaide Daniel , Cacheux Jean , Bancaud Aurélien , Muramatsu Rieko , Matsunaga Yukiko T.
Published: April 2023

Overview of the output and limitations of modern brain solute transport studies to search for key parameters comparable across experimental setups on both in vivo and in vitro studies.
Ratiometric detection of I− using a dysprosium-based metal–organic framework with a single emission center
Authors: Guo Qing-Zhong , Yi Feng-Ying , Zhang Meng-Yao , Guo Jun-Fang , Luo Fa-Liang
Published: April 2023

A dysprosium-based MOF sensor for the ratiometric detection of I− based on yellow-to-blue intensity ratio of Dy3+.
Weakened d–p orbital hybridization inin situreconstructed Ru/β-Co(OH)2heterointerfaces for accelerated ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrates
Authors: Zhu Weijie , Yao Fen , Wu Qiongfei , Jiang Qiu , Wang Jinxian , Wang Zhoucheng , Liang Hanfeng
Published: April 2023

Electron-deficient Ru sites at Ru/Co(OH)2heterointerfaces weaken the d–p orbital hybridization ability and further facilitate the desorption of ammonia intermediates, thereby achieving ultrahigh nitrate electroreduction activity towards ammonia.
Nickel-catalyzed divergent formylation and carboxylation of aryl halides with isocyanides
Authors: Mao Haoying , Qian Hongwei , He Zhichang , Zhang Zhiguo , Jin Hongwei , Liu Yunkui , Zhou Bingwei
Published: April 2023

We present a nickel-catalyzed divergent formylation and carboxylation reaction of aryl halides with isocyanides, affording aldehydes and carboxylic acids, respectively.
Recent progress and applications enabled via electrochemically triggered and controlled chain-growth polymerizations
Authors: Zhao Boyu , Wilson Paul
Published: April 2023

Electrochemical chain-growth polymerization has emerged as a powerful tool in polymer chemistry. Recent progress made in radical, ionic and ring-opening polymerizations and the applications enabled by use of an electric field to perform such reactions is reported.
Ring forming transformations of ynamides via cycloaddition
Authors: Iftikhar Ramsha , Mazhar Aqsa , Iqbal Muhammad Saqlain , Khan Faiza Zahid , Askary Syed Hassan , Sibtain Hifza
Published: April 2023

Synthetic potential of ynamides and ynamide-derived advanced intermediates in cycloaddition reactions with different reaction partners to yield versatile heterocyclic adducts.
Effects of throat sizing and gasification agents in a biomass downdraft gasifier: towards CO2-free syngas production
Authors: Salem Ahmed M. , Paul Manosh C.
Published: April 2023

The influence of throat diameter and gasifying medium on gasifier performance is investigated using a CFD model. Lower throat ratios favour higher gasification efficiency, carbon conversion, and producer gas yield, with potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 50%.
Catalytic tandem dehydrochlorination–hydrogenation of PVC towards valorisation of chlorinated plastic waste
Authors: O'Rourke Galahad , Hennebel Tess , Stalpaert Maxime , Skorynina Alina , Bugaev Aram , Janssens Kwinten , Van Emelen Lisa , Lemmens Vincent , De Oliveira Silva Rodrigo , Colemonts Christel , Gabriels Philippe , Sakellariou Dimitrios , De Vos Dirk
Published: April 2023

Solvent-based tandem conversion of PVC to PE-like material using hydrogen as atom economic reagent.
Reliability of a Linguistic Segmentation Procedure Specified by Systemic Functional Linguistics to Examine Extemporaneous Speech
Authors: Gravelin Anna C. , Archer Brent , Oddo Mary , Whitfield Jason A.
Published: April 2023

Purpose:

Extemporaneous speech tasks provide an ecologically valid sample to examine speech acoustics, but differing methodologies exist in the literature for segmentation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the utility and reliability of a segmentation approach for extemporaneous speech specified by systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and its potential research and clinical applications.

Method:

Ten speakers without communication disorders served as participants in this study, and they responded to self-selected extemporaneous speaking prompts. Two expert analysts and one clinician analyst utilized a segmentation procedure specified by SFL to segment the extemporaneous speech samples into clauses and clause complexes. Intra- and interrater reliability were calculated for each analyst and pair of analysts. Acoustic measures of duration, speech rate, and intercomplex pause durations were calculated for each clause complex.

Results:

Analyses for both intra- and interrater reliability revealed high percent agreement that was significantly greater than chance for expert and clinician analysts and between each pair of analysts (
p
< .001). Acoustic analyses revealed expected variation in number and duration of spoken syllables of clause complexes between and within speakers.

Conclusions:

The segmentation approach for extemporaneous speech specified by SFL is a reliable method for trained analysts that is informed by lexico-grammar and allows for acoustic measurement of speech production. It is also a reliable method for clinician analysts for speakers without communication disorders, and future work will investigate its utility for speakers with motor speech disorders.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.22357138
A Case of Primary EAC Cholesteatoma Extending into Antrum with Normal Middle Ear
Authors: Shrivastava Siddhartha , Kalra Rishita , Somyagupta Somyagupta , Pathak Vivek Kumar , Nayak Pradeepti , Shukla Stuti
Published: April 2023

A cholesteatoma is a three-dimensional sac lined by keratinized squamous epithelium containing desquamated keratinized epithelial cell which secretes enzymes that have the tendency to expand and erode the bony structure underlying it and cause intracranial and extracranial complications. This cystic mass is in an abnormal location such as the middle ear, the petrous apex, or the external auditory canal (EAC). It is mostly found in the middle ear and rarely in the EAC. Here we have reported a rare case of unilateral primary EAC cholesteatoma with mild hearing loss in a middle-aged male.

We have reported a case of a 34-year-old male with complaints of right-sided ear discharge and right-sided decreased hearing for the last 5 to 6 years. On examination, right ear EAC was found to be dry, and a sac was observed in posterior wall extending to mastoid present with clear attic, and intact retracted tympanic membrane that was then followed by radiological evaluation to establish the diagnosis of EAC cholesteatoma. This was surgically treated and ear was cleared of all disease. Patient’s symptoms improved postoperatively.

Primary EAC cholesteatoma with disease-free middle ear is a rare finding and there is very less definitive literature available on the pathogenesis of the same.
Evaluation of Antibiotic Sensitivity in Deep Neck Space Infections
Authors: Singhal Gaurang , Nayak Pradeepti , Padiyar Vageesh , Sen Kanwar , Shrivastava Siddhartha Santosh
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Deep neck space infections (DNIs) are a major medical concern in the Indian community. Owing to the complex anatomy of the neck spaces and their communication with each other, accurate diagnosis becomes challenging. A thorough knowledge of the anatomy as well as the microbiological profile and antibiotic sensitivity is imperative to institute the appropriate surgical and medical management to the patient. Due to the advent of broad-spectrum antibiotics, the incidence of these infections have declined considerably over the last couple of decades. However, due to the extensive and unregulated use, the incidence of antibiotic resistance has also been increasing at an alarming pace.

Material and Methods

This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at a tertiary care government hospital in an urban area. All patients who presented to the OPD or emergency over a period of 18 months and who fulfilled the eligibility criteria were included in the study. Pus was collected from the abscess, aseptically by needle aspiration using wide bore (18G) needle and transported under all aseptic measures within 24 hours for culture and sensitivity, KOH mount, and detection of AFB. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done using the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method and E-test.

Results

Staphylococcus aureus as the most common infective organism followed by MRSA in the pediatric age group and Klebsiella pneumoniae in adults.

Conclusion

Primary knowledge of individual antibiotic sensitivity is imperative to ensure prompt and adequate treatment of the patient with higher chances of complete resolution, concomitantly minimizing the risk of resistance. Inadequate and delayed treatment may lead to swift progression of the disease with significant morbidity and mortality.
Diagnoses and Outcomes of Patients with Suspicion of Acute Coronary Syndrome and Raised High Sensitive Troponin I: A Single Center Study from Pakistan
Authors: Kanani Fatima , Maqsood Sidra , Wadhwani Vandana , Zubairy Maliha , Iftikhar Imran , Zubairi Adnan Mustafa
Published: April 2023

Objectives Troponins are classically raised in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) although other cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes are recognized. We aimed to see the association of high sensitivity (Hs) Troponin I values exceeding the sex-specific 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL) with diagnoses, emergency department (ED) outcomes, 30-day outcomes of admitted patients and predictors of ACS in both genders.

Materials and Methods A retrospective study of all patients presenting to the emergency department from January 2019 to April 2021 with suspicion of ACS and Hs-Troponin I values greater than the sex-specific 99th percentile URL.

Statistical Analysis SPSS version 24 was used, Pearson's chi-square tests, Fisher's exact test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U test, and odds ratios, including the 95% confidence intervals, for each characteristic were used for analysis. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results There were a total of 5,982 patients (3,031 males, 2,951 females), out of which 878 patients were admitted under the cardiology specialty. In patients who were admitted to the ward, mortality was higher in females (8.2%) with less than a 10-fold rise in Hs-Troponin I while similar in both genders (7.6%) in patients with Hs-troponin I greater than 10-fold of sex-specific 99th percentile URL. Raised low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was a significant factor associated with 2.4 times higher odds of ACS.

Conclusion Women with Hs-Troponin values up to 10 times the URL, i.e., 15.6–160 ng/L have higher mortality than their male counterparts. LDL-cholesterol is a significant risk factor for ACS which should be controlled for its prevention.
Difficult Bronchoscopy and Foreign Body Removal: Our Experience
Authors: S. Prabakaran , R.B. Namasivaya Navin , K. Gowthame , S.R. Karthika , S. Rajasekaran
Published: April 2023

Foreign body in the airway is the most life-threatening situation. Most foreign bodies present as acute emergency and can be removed by endoscopy/bronchoscopy, while a few causes complication of a retained foreign body which requires emergency tracheostomy to secure airway followed by foreign body removal.

We report our experience in the management of three children who required tracheostomy through which bronchoscope was introduced and foreign body removed. All patients with unrecognized retained foreign body presented with respiratory distress with desaturation. Imaging was suggestive of atelectasis. After foreign body removal patients recovered well and decannulated by day 5.

Subglottis is the narrowest part of pediatric airway. As these foreign bodies were vegetative they are hygroscopic in nature and hence would not be able to remove the foreign body by bronchoscopic guidance. Hence, tracheostomy was done to provide access followed by bronchoscopic removal.

Aspirated foreign body present challenges to the ear, nose, and throat surgeon. Newer techniques enable removal of foreign body easier. Tracheostomy combined with bronchoscopy can be a life-saving and easy to perform procedure which involves removal of foreign body at the same time.
Antifungal Resistance Profile of Fungal Isolates from Fungal Rhinosinusitis Patients: A Study from Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Sriramajayam Lavanya , Kaur Ravinder , Dhakad Megh Singh , Gulati Achal
Published: April 2023

Objective Fungal rhinosinusitis is on the rise worldwide and it is endemic especially in North India. The main purpose of this study was to determine the antifungal resistance profile of fungal isolates from the cases of fungal rhinosinusitis.

Methods Antifungal susceptibility testing of isolated fungi to fluconazole, amphotericin B, itraconazole, and voriconazole was determined by standard CLSI broth microdilution method.

Results Sixty-eight fungal isolates of Aspergillus spp. (n = 49), Rhizopus spp. (n = 9), Candida spp. (n = 4), Penicillium spp. (n = 2), Mucor spp. (n = 2), Bipolaris spp. (n = 1), and Alternaria spp. (n = 1) were obtained from 60 different clinical samples as exudate from nasal mucosa (n = 28), allergic mucin (n = 8), nasal lavage (n = 2), tissue biopsy from nasal polyps (n = 14), and intraoperative nasal mucosa (n = 8). Of the 68 isolates, 75% were resistant to fluconazole, 13.23% were resistant to itraconazole, 2.94% to amphotericin B, and none were resistant to voriconazole. Aspergillus flavus (5%) was the only fungi found resistant to amphotericin B, while against itraconazole, A. flavus (7.5%) and A. niger (100%) were found resistant. All the isolates of A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, and Penicillium spp. were resistant to fluconazole.

Conclusion Although amphotericin B stills remains to be the most effective drug, more prospective studies are needed for the requirement of knowledge of the sensitivity pattern for optimal treatment and reduction in morbidity in the long run.
The technology, management, and culture of water in ancient Iran from prehistoric times to the Islamic Golden Age
Authors: Saatsaz Masoud , Rezaei Abolfazl
Published: April 2023

Despite Iran’s longstanding reputation for sustainable water management, the country currently faces mounting water-related challenges caused by population growth, industrial development, urban sprawl, lifestyle changes, climate change, territorial conflicts, poor management, and insufficient public participation. Since past and present water-related challenges share similar origins and patterns, addressing the past is imperative. After gathering, contextualizing, verifying, clustering, coding, and corroborating sources, we conducted a historical study to examine the relationship between water and Iranians from prehistoric times to the Islamic Golden Age (1219 AD). According to the findings, in prehistoric Iran, drought, flooding, river course changes, and the absence of a central government severely impacted water development. Despite doubts about the qanat’s origin, archaeological investigations indicate in the proto-historical period, qanat systems existed in Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. In 550 BC, the Achaemenids initiated a fundamental transformation in Iran’s water history by building dams, qanats, and water canals under a centralized administration. After a slump during the Seleucids (312–63 BC) and the Parthians (247 BC–224 AD), Iranians practiced water governance reborn under the Sassanids (224–651 AD). The Sassanids, like the Achaemenids, formed a powerful statement of unity, cooperation, and support among people for implementing their major water-related plans after enhancing institutions, laws, and communications. Chaotic Iran, however, endured severe water-related weaknesses in the Late Sassanids. Throughout the Islamic Golden Age, Iranians successfully traded water knowledge with other nations. As seen today in Iran, the Iranians have been unable to thrive on their resources since the Mongol invasion due to weak water governance, political tensions, and poor public support. The water sectors face more severe challenges when ancient water systems are ignored, applied without enhancement, or blindly adopted from other nations. Therefore, before current problems worsen, it is essential to integrate traditional and modern water cultures, technology, and management techniques.
A dynamically tunable discrete-element transmission line pulse generator
Authors: Bhamidipati J. K. P. , Durbhakula K. C. , Caruso A. N.
Published: April 2023

The Frozen Wave Generator (FWG) is a megawatt-class radio frequency pulse forming network that converts DC input up to ones-of-GHz center frequency (fc) by superposing an ensemble of alternately charged reactive storage elements. In this work, we demonstrate an all-solid-state, dynamically tunable, and chirp-capable FWG using the lumped-element transmission line (LETL) topology. A 12-segment LETL-FWG switched using a MOSFET is demonstrated and directly compared with a literature standard coaxial-based system. Comparison metrics for pulse width (tpulse) are studied as a function of the transmission line length and respective LC parameters. The chirp- and dynamic-tuning-capability as well as the high volumetric power density of the system are demonstrated by comparing the predicted and measured bandwidth, rise-time, pulse width, and delay-time from a 7.5 × 30 × 3 cm3 printed circuit board. The experiment resulted in dynamically tunable pulse trains with 15–24 ns pulse widths (40–80 MHz) and >35% conversion efficiency and an ∼80% reduction in volume compared to vacuum-relativistic pulsers in the same peak power class.
Design and fabrication of a magnetic filter source to produce ionospheric-like plasma
Authors: Li Minchi , Liu Yu , Lei Jiuhou
Published: April 2023

Generation of ionospheric-like plasma is important for laboratory investigations of ionospheric physics. In this work, the design and fabrication of a magnetic filter source for the ground simulation of ionospheric-like low density plasma are presented. Four groups of permanent magnets were placed at different regions to form a magnetic filter configuration, and filaments were used to produce the low-density plasmas. Operating with adjustable plasma source conditions can generate plasmas with variable density and energy similar to those of the ionosphere, which were measured using tailor-made plasma diagnostic tools. The results indicate that homogeneous distributed low-density plasmas on the order of 105 cm−3 were produced using the plasma source. In addition, ion and electron energies that are similar to those of the actual ionosphere were also achieved. Based on the plasma source, ionospheric plasma physics can be investigated in a controlled manner in the laboratory. In addition, it can also be extended to the calibration and testing of payloads for ionospheric plasma measurement before launching.
Study on the scattered sound modulation with a programmable chessboard device
Authors: Ge Lili , Peng Zilong , Zan Hao , Lyu Shijin , Zhou Fulin , Liang Youzhi
Published: April 2023

Metasurfaces open up unprecedented potential for applications in acoustic deflection. Achieving adaptive control of a scattered sound field (SSF) using a flexible metasurface structure is of great scientific interest. However, as the conventional finite element method (FEM) is limited by computational efficiency, it is necessary to develop a fast and accurate method to predict the SSF. In this work, we design a chessboard device with an array of square grooves for the modulation of SSF and develop a fast calculation method for 3D SSF using a Kirchhoff approximation phase correction. Several SSF spatial modulations obtained using the chessboard model are computed with a fast algorithm. In addition, an experimental test-case in a semi-anechoic chamber, contrasted and analyzed scattered acoustic pressure using FEM, is designed to regulate the SSF performance of the chessboard device. Field measurements obtained show that the spatial directivity of chessboard device can be modified by artificially programming the phase or depth distribution of the groove array. The chessboard device and associated fast calculation method lend themselves to applications in the acoustic stealth of targets in air or water.
Design accuracy and magnetic field analysis of a dual-armature bearingless flux reversal motor
Authors: Yang YiFei , Jiang GuanJiang , Li Xian , Wang RenZhong
Published: April 2023

A dual-armature bearingless flux reversal motor (DBFRM) is proposed. The permanent magnet in the motor is located on the stator side, the armature winding is located on the stator side and the rotor side, the suspension winding is located at the stator side, the rotor teeth are embedded in the slotted non-magnetic material rotor barrel, and the stator and rotor cores are made of laminated silicon steel. The DBFRM demonstrates the characteristics of high speed, long life, and fast dynamic response and has unique advantages in power energy saving and energy storage. Compared with the traditional bearingless flux reversal motor, the DBFRM shows better fault tolerance. Based on the theory of air-gap magnetic field modulation, the torque and the levitation mechanism of the motor are expounded from four perspectives—permanent magnetic field, armature reaction magnetic field, electromagnetic torque, and levitation force—which lays the foundation for the establishment of an accurate mathematical model of levitation force and torque.