bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Das komplexe regionale Schmerzsyndrom (CRPS) in der
TCM
Authors: Agarwal Kamayni
Published: November 2023

Die nachstehende Fallvorstellung zeigt die Interventionsmöglichkeit
mittels TCM bei einer Jugendlichen mit einem komplexen regionalen Schmerzsyndrom
(CRPS) auf. Dabei handelt es sich um ein noch unzureichend erforschtes,
vielschichtiges, mit neuropathischen Schmerzen behaftetes Syndrom, das
vornehmlich von einer vegetativen Symptomatik begleitet wird. In der Regel wird
die Behandlung multimodal und interdisziplinär durchgeführt,
sodass auch der komplementäre Einsatz der TCM erwogen werden kann.
Ophthalmologische und interdisziplinäre chirurgische Zugänge zur Orbita
Authors: Bertelmann Eckart
Published: November 2023

Die Behandlung orbitaler Raumforderungen erfordert oft einen interdisziplinären Ansatz. Zu den ophthalmologischen chirurgischen Ansätzen gehört der vordere transkutane Zugang zur Entfernung von Dermoiden oder zur Gewinnung von Biopsien. Die anteriore transkonjunktivale Orbitotomie eignet sich für Raumforderungen der unteren Orbita oder des intrakonalen Kompartiments, nicht jedoch für Raumforderungen der Orbitaspitze. Die laterale transossäre Orbitotomie eignet sich häufig am besten für Raumforderungen des lateralen oder intrakonalen Kompartiments, insbesondere für Neoplasien der Tränendrüse, z. B. pleomorphes Adenom. Bei kavernösen Hämangiomen aller Lokalisationen kann die Kryoextraktion ein geeignetes technisches Hilfsmittel sein. Transfrontale Zugänge sind zur Resektion von Tumoren des N. opticus und der Orbitaspitze geeignet.
Mobilität und StadtGesundheit
Authors: Kahlmeier Sonja , Wittowsky Dirk , Fehr Rainer
Published: November 2023

Städte und Gemeinden bilden komplexe Mikrokosmen, in denen Menschen mit
sehr unterschiedlichen Bedürfnissen und Möglichkeiten leben. Die
bauliche Gestalt und die Funktionalität städtischer
Räume haben einen signifikanten Einfluss auf die individuelle
Mobilität und damit auf die Gesundheit und Lebensqualität der
gesamten Bevölkerung. In den letzten Jahrzehnten haben Politik und
Kommunen durch primär autogerechte Strukturen negative Effekte auf
Menschen (besonders bei vulnerablen Gruppen) und Ökosysteme in Kauf
genommen. Die Verzahnung von Gesundheits- und Nachhaltigkeitsaspekten wird in
der integrierten Stadt- und Verkehrsplanung ein zentraler Prozessbaustein
für die notwendige Transformation urbaner Strukturen sein. Obwohl es
viele positive Rahmenbedingungen und Lösungsmöglichkeiten im
internationalen und nationalen Kontext gibt, sind zahlreiche Prozesse zu
optimieren und Maßnahmen großflächig umzusetzen. Zudem
müssen die bestehenden Werkzeuge in der Stadt- und Verkehrsplanung
konsequenter um Gesundheitsaspekte erweitert werden. Dabei sind sowohl
Neujustierungen in der Wissenschaft, in der kommunalen Praxisplanung, in der
Bildung sowie in interdisziplinären Förderprogrammen
notwendig.
Minimalinvasive Resektion zystischer Pankreasneoplasien
Authors: Brunner Maximilian , Krautz Christian , Grützmann Robert , Weber Georg F.
Published: November 2023

Zystische Pankreasneoplasien haben aufgrund ihrer hohen Prävalenz einen relevanten
Stellenwert im klinischen Alltag eingenommen. Nur ein kleiner Teil der diagnostizierten
Pankreaszysten erfordert eine chirurgische Therapie. Ist eine Resektion indiziert, so
hängt die Wahl des passenden Operationsverfahrens von der Art, dem Ausmaß und der Lage
der zystischen Pankreasneoplasie ab.

Zystische Pankreasneoplasien: Fall 1: Seitengang-IPMN im Pankreaskopf; Fall 2:
muzinös-zystische Neoplasie (MCN) im Pankreasschwanz; Fall 3: solide pseudopapilläre
Neoplasie (SPN) im Pankreasschwanz; Fall 4: Mixed-Type-IPMN im Pankreaskorpus.

Minimalinvasive Resektionstechniken bei zystischen Pankreasneoplasien: Fall 1:
roboterassistierte Enukleation; Fall 2: laparoskopische Pankreaslinksresektion; Fall 3:
roboterassistierte milzerhaltende Pankreasschwanzresektion; Fall 4: roboterassistierte
Pankreassegmentresektion.

Die Heterogenität zystischer Pankreasneoplasien erfordert eine individualisierte Wahl
des Operationsverfahrens, das bevorzugt minimalinvasiv und organerhaltend durchgeführt
werden sollte.
Predictors of Breastfeeding among Patients Admitted with Preterm Prelabor Rupture of Membranes
Authors: Santoli Carmen M.A. , Taylor-Cho Ian A. , Darling Alice J. , Montoya Melissa N. , Gilner Jennifer B. , Wheeler Sarahn M. , Dotters-Katz Sarah K.
Published: November 2023

Objective We sought to describe rates of breastmilk feeding (BF) at hospital discharge and 6 weeks postpartum and to identify risk factors for noninitiation or cessation among pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM).

Study Design Retrospective cohort study of pregnant persons with PPROM admitted to a single tertiary center (2013–2019). Patients with deliveries complicated by intrauterine or neonatal demise or with incomplete BF data were excluded. Demographic, antepartum, and delivery characteristics were evaluated. Primary analysis identified rate of BF initiation at maternal discharge and factors associated with noninitiation. Secondary analysis evaluated BF continuation and factors associated with cessation at 6 weeks postpartum. Bivariate statistics were used to compare characteristics and logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR).

Results Of 397 patients with PPROM, 342(86%) initiated BF prior to discharge. Those reporting tobacco use in pregnancy were less likely to initiate BF (aOR: 0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16, 0.64). In contrast, private insurance (aOR: 2.53; 95% CI: 1.19, 5.37) and pregnancy latency ≥ 14 days (aOR: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.09, 8.38) were associated with BF initiation at hospital discharge. Of the 293 patients with postpartum follow-up, only 214 (73%) had BF continuation at 6 weeks postpartum. Maternal age <20 years (aOR: 0.07; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.68) and multiparity (aOR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.29, 0.99) were associated with BF cessation. Patients with private insurance were observed to have increased odds of BF continuation (aOR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.07, 4.12).

Conclusion Among patients with PPROM, tobacco use may be associated with noninitiation of BF prior to discharge, whereas age < 20 years and multiparity were associated with cessation by 6 weeks postpartum. Longer pregnancy latency ≥ 14 days was associated with BF initiation prior to discharge. Private insurance was associated with increased rates of BF initiation and continuation postpartum. BF education and support should be offered to all patients admitted for PPROM.

Key Points
Thrombotic Markers in Pregnant Patients with and without SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Bruno Ann M. , Allshouse Amanda A. , Benson Ashley E. , Yost Christian Con , Metz Torri D. , Varner Michael W. , Silver Robert M. , Branch D. Ware
Published: November 2023

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with coagulation abnormalities and increased risk for venous and arterial thrombi. This study aimed to evaluate D-dimer levels and lupus anticoagulant (LAC) positivity in pregnant individuals with and without Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Study Design This was a prospective cohort study of pregnant individuals delivering at a single academic institution from April 2020 to March 2022. Individuals with a positive SARS-CoV-2 result during pregnancy were compared with a convenience sample of those without a positive SARS-CoV-2 result. For individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection, severity was assessed based on the National Institutes of Health classification system. The primary outcome was D-dimer level measured during delivery admission. The secondary outcomes were LAC positivity and thromboembolic events. Outcomes were compared between individuals with and without a positive SARS-CoV-2 result, and further by disease severity.

Results Of 98 participants, 77 (78.6%) were SARS-CoV-2 positive during pregnancy. Among individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection, severity was asymptomatic in 20 (26.0%), mild in 13 (16.9%), moderate in 4 (5.2%), severe in 38 (49.4%), and critical in 2 (2.6%). The D-dimer concentration at delivery did not significantly differ between those with a SARS-CoV-2 positive result compared with those without (mean 2.03 µg/mL [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.72–2.40] vs. 2.37 µg/mL [95% CI 1.65–3.40]; p = 0.43). Three individuals (4%) with SARS-CoV-2 infection and none (0%) without infection were LAC positive (p = 0.59). There were no clinically apparent thromboses in either group. D-dimer concentrations and LAC positive results did not differ by COVID-19 severity.

Conclusion Thrombotic markers did not differ in pregnant individuals by SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, high rates of LAC positivity were detected.

Key Points
Generating Evidence Through Meta-Analysis on Awareness among Parents Regarding Pit and Fissure Sealant as a Preventive Dental Treatment
Authors: Dash Kabir S. , Mathur Anmol , Rajpurohit Ladusingh , Kale Sonal , Kalpe Sneha , Kharat Priyanka
Published: November 2023

Dental caries is a global burden for oral health. Pit and fissure sealants applied in childhood can help prevent caries; however, knowledge and awareness among parents regarding the prophylactic benefit of dental sealants are uncertain. This review was conducted with an aim to assess the awareness of parents toward pit and fissure sealants globally. A bibliographic search in the biomedical databases was conducted from inception till December 2022 with no restrictions on the language. The quality assessment of the studies was performed using the quality assessment checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies. The search found 12 eligible publications that were included in the review. Intraexaminer reliability Cohen's kappa (κ = 0.96) was assessed between two reviewers who independently screened, extracted data from included studies, and assessed risk of bias. Ten studies were found to have high risk while two had low risk of bias. The knowledge and awareness among parents regarding dental sealants ranged from 10.4 to 71%. The pooled data of 12 studies showed the overall knowledge of parents toward pit and fissure sealant to be 29%. Parents are found to be aware and supportive toward the usage of dental sealant as a caries preventive agent for their children. However, the level of awareness regarding pit and fissure sealant in this review varied from low to high which was not dependent on the parent's level of education, and overall awareness was found to be poor. Moreover, majority of the studies had high risk of bias. Future studies should strive for better methodological standards to avoid bias.
Unraveling FOXO3a and USP18 Functions in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis through Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Mouse and Human Lungs
Authors: Wang Ban , Pan Jichun , Liu Zhonghui
Published: November 2023

Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is identified as a chronic, progressive lung disease, predominantly marked by enhanced fibroblast proliferation and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. The intricate interactions between diverse molecular pathways in fibroblasts play a crucial role in driving the pathogenesis of IPF.

Methods This research is focused on elucidating the roles of FOXO3a, a transcription factor, and USP18, a ubiquitin-specific protease, in modulating fibroblast functionality in the context of IPF. FOXO3a is well-known for its regulatory effects on cellular responses, including apoptosis and oxidative stress, while USP18 is generally associated with protein deubiquitination.

Results Our findings highlight that FOXO3a acts as a critical regulator in controlling fibroblast activation and differentiation, illustrating its vital role in the pathology of IPF. Conversely, USP18 seems to promote fibroblast proliferation and imparts resistance to apoptosis, thereby contributing to the exacerbation of fibrotic processes. The synergistic dysregulation of both FOXO3a and USP18 in fibroblasts was found to significantly contribute to the fibrotic alterations characteristic of IPF.

Conclusion Deciphering the complex molecular interactions between FOXO3a and USP18 in fibroblasts provides a deeper understanding of IPF pathogenesis and unveils novel therapeutic avenues, offering a promising potential for not just halting but potentially reversing the progression of this debilitating disease.
Computed Tomography Topographical Analysis of Incomplete Humeral Intracondylar Fissures in English Springer Spaniel Dogs
Authors: Payne Dylan J.L. , Sparks Tim H. , Smith Matthew A.J. , Macdonald Nicholas J.
Published: November 2023

Objective The aim of this study was to use computed tomography (CT) images obtained from English springer spaniels (ESS) with different sizes of humeral intracondylar fissure (HIF) to describe the typical shape, origin and a possible propagation pattern of HIF in this breed.

Study Design It is a retrospective analysis of 32 elbow CT from 27 ESS with incomplete HIF. Measurements included HIF articular surface length, centre of HIF at articular surface relative to the caudal edge of the supratrochlear foramen (CHIF), HIF depth and sagittal area of fissure. Measurement of isthmus area and diameter was obtained for each elbow. Humeral intracondylar fissure measurements were analysed as proportions of the isthmus. For parts of analysis, elbows were grouped by HIF area as a percentage of isthmus area (%HIF) into less than 20% (n = 10), 20 to less than 40% (n = 8), 40 to less than 60% (n = 9) and 60 to less than 90% (n = 5).

Results The mean isthmus diameter was 12.31 mm (range: 10.96–13.69 mm). Mean CHIF for %HIF groups less than 20%, 20 to less than 40%, 40 to less than 60% and 60 to less than 90% were 57, 74, 86 and 96 degrees, respectively. The less than 20% group was significantly lower than 20 to less than 40% group (p = 0.035) and 40 to less than 60% and 60 to less than 90% groups (p < 0.001); the 20 to less than 40% group was significantly lower than the 60 to less than 90% group (p = 0.015). Humeral intracondylar fissure articular surface length increased in a sigmoidal fashion relative to %HIF, corresponding to segmental enlargement of the fissure as %HIF increases.

Conclusion In ESS, HIF typically originates approximately 57 degrees caudal to the supratrochlear foramen in the sagittal plane and may propagate in a segmental fashion with lesser propagation through the proximal intracondylar region.
COVID-19 and Long-COVID Thrombosis: From Clinical and Basic Science to Therapeutics
Authors: Violi Francesco , Harenberg Job , Pignatelli Pasquale , Cammisotto Vittoria
Published: November 2023

Coronavirus infectious disease-19 (COVID-19) is a pandemic characterized by serious lung disease and thrombotic events in the venous and circulation trees, which represent a harmful clinical sign of poor outcome. Thrombotic events are more frequent in patients with severe disease requiring intensive care units and are associated with platelet and clotting activation. However, after resolution of acute infection, patients may still have clinical sequelae, the so-called long-COVID-19, including thrombotic events again in the venous and arterial circulation. The mechanisms accounting for thrombosis in acute and long COVID-19 have not been fully clarified; interactions of COVID-19 with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 or toll-like receptor family or infection-induced cytokine storm have been suggested to be implicated in endothelial cells, leucocytes, and platelets to elicit clotting activation in acute as well in chronic phase of the disease. In acute COVID-19, prophylactic or full doses of anticoagulants exert beneficial effects even if the dosage choice is still under investigation; however, a residual risk still remains suggesting a need for a more appropriate therapeutic approach. In long COVID-19 preliminary data provided useful information in terms of antiplatelet treatment but definition of candidates for thrombotic prophylaxis is still undefined.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors influencing continuance intention of participants in crowdsourcing
Authors: Jo Hyeon , Bang Youngsok
Published: November 2023

In a dynamic business environment, the roles of contests and crowd-sourcing are increasingly acknowledged. However, the factors driving sustained participation in these arenas remain incompletely understood. To address this gap, our study investigates the factors that influence the ongoing engagement intentions of users on contest collection portals. We focus on the interplay between goal-congruent outcomes (GCO), search intention, and various motivational elements. We collected responses from 291 individuals between March 18 and 27, 2022, and conducted an analysis based on partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Our analysis indicates that utilitarian motivation positively impacts both GCO and search intention. Career promotion specifically influences GCO, while rewards serve as key determinants of both GCO and search intention. Importantly, our findings underscore the role of GCO and search intention in shaping users’ intentions to continue participating. These insights offer significant implications for businesses and platform designers, emphasising the need to understand and cater to the diverse motivations of users to sustain their interest and engagement.
Understanding the stress effect of TiN top electrode on ferroelectricity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films
Authors: Han Runhao , Hong Peizhen , Zhang Bao , Bai Mingkai , Hou Jingwen , Yang Jinchuan , Xiong Wenjuan , Yang Shuai , Gao Jianfeng , Lu Yihong , Liu Fei , Luo Feng , Huo Zongliang
Published: November 2023

We conducted a comprehensive investigation on the influence of TiN thickness and stress on the ferroelectric properties of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films. TiN top electrode layers with varying thicknesses of 2, 5, 10, 30, 50, 75, and 100 nm were deposited and analyzed. It was observed that the in-plane tensile stress in TiN films increased with the thickness of the TiN top electrode. This is expected to elevate the tensile stress in the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 film, consequently leading to an enhancement in ferroelectric polarization. However, the effect of stress on the ferroelectric behavior of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films exhibited distinct stages: improvement, saturation, and degradation. Our study presents novel findings revealing a saturation and degradation phenomenon of in-plane tensile stress on the ferroelectric properties of polycrystalline Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films, thereby partially resolving the discrepancies between experimental observations and theoretical predictions. The observed phase transformation induced by tensile stress in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films played a crucial role in these effects. Furthermore, we found that the impact of the TiN top electrode thickness on other factors influencing ferroelectricity, such as grain size and oxygen vacancies, was negligible. These comprehensive results offer valuable insights into the influence of stress and TiN top electrode thickness on the ferroelectric behavior of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films.
Development of buffalo embryo derived from ICSI: effects of various somatic-cell co-culture
Authors: Jintana Ratree , Tasripoo Kriengsak , Srisakwattana Kitiya , Nualchuen Wisut , Usawang Sungworn , Sophon Sunpetch
Published: November 2023

Context Somatic-cell co-culture of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) buffalo embryos has not been reported earlier. Aim This study aimed to determine the effects of buffalo oviductal epithelial-cell, granulosa-cell, and cumulus-cell co-culture on in vitro culture of early embryo development as ICSI and post-activation. Methods Selected oocyte–cumulus complexes were cultured for 19–20 h in 50-μL drop of tissue culture medium (TCM199 + 10% buffalo follicular fluid, hCG 50 IU/mL, 0.02% arbitrary units (AU)/mL follicle-stimulating hormone and 1 μg/mL estradiol-17βE2). Oocytes reaching Metaphase II were subjected to ICSI with immobilised spermatozoa. All ICSI oocytes were activated with calcium ionophore for 5 min, followed by cycloheximide for 5 h. The embryos at 6–8-cell stages were co-cultured. Key results The morula, blastocyst, and hatched blastocyst rates when co-cultured with oviductal epithelial cells were 68.18%, 48.18%, and 30.00% respectively. The morula, blastocyst, and hatched blastocyst rates when co-cultured with cumulus cells were 51.49%, 34.33%, and 16.42% respectively. The morula, blastocyst, and hatched blastocyst rates when co-cultured with granulosa cells were 52.14%, 32.48%, and 13.68% respectively. Conclusions In vitro maturation buffalo oocytes can be fertilised in vitro with ICSI and co-cultured with different types of cells. Oviductal epithelial cell co-culture was shown to be superior in supporting in vitro embryo development in this study. Implications The oviductal epithelial cells are easy to prepare and may be used for co-culture to increase the efficiency of in vitro production of buffalo embryos.
Corrigendum: Generation of a coherent squeezed-like state defined with the Lie–Trotter product formula using a nonlinear photonic crystal (2023 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.
56 475101)
Authors: Azuma Hiroo
Published: November 2023

Corrections of mistakes in the published paper (2023 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.
56 475101) are given.
Radiofrequency transmission through rectangular apertures in perimetrally uncoated low emissivity windows
Authors: Chueca Rocio , Alcain Raul , Heras Carlos , Salinas Iñigo
Published: November 2023

Perimetrally uncoated windows can be a simple and low cost solution to the problem of radio frequency (RF) transmission in low-e glass when the requirements are not too demanding. However, this kind of non-uniform and relatively large structures are difficult to characterize experimentally. The aim of this work is to develop and experimentally verify a method for the simulation of the RF transmission of perimetrally uncoated windows. We propose to study these windows as a composition of four rectangular apertures in a metallic sheet. Using numerical simulations, we are able to obtain the transmission coefficient of these apertures. Then, a multilayer model based on transmission line theory is used to consider the effect of the different glazings and cameras which can be part of a window. Finally, the results of this study are compared to the measurements of complete windows in the 1000 MHz–6000 MHz frequency range.
Electrical transport behavior of the oxygen vacancies-rich LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterogeneous interface at high temperature
Authors: Luo Dianbing , Chen Yunhai , Wang Yifei , Cao Xinyu , Aung Phyo , Jin Kexin , Wang Shuanhu
Published: November 2023

Oxygen vacancy is one of the original mechanisms of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the LaAlO3 (LAO) and SrTiO3 (STO) heterogeneous interface, and it has an important impact on the electrical properties of LAO/STO heterojunction. In this work, the LAO thin films were grown on the STO substrates by pulsed laser deposition, and the electrical transport behavior of the LAO/STO interface at high temperature and high vacuum were systematically studied. It was found that at high temperature and high vacuum, the oxygen vacancies-rich LAO/STO heterojunction would undergo a metal–insulator transition, and return to metal conductivity when the temperature is further increased. At this time, the conduction mechanism of the sample is drift mode and the thermal activation energy is 0.87 eV. While during the temperature decreasing, the conduction mechanism would transfer to hopping conduction with the thermal activation energy of 0.014 eV and the resistance would increase dramatically and present a completely insulated state. However, when the oxygen vacancies-rich sample is exposed to air, the resistance would gradually decrease and recover.
Fast detection of geometric errors for three-axis machine tools with combined double-ball bars based on spatial circle detection
Authors: Wang Wen , Yue Shuqing , Yang He , Xu Kaifei , Sun Tao , Lu Keqing , Chen Zhanfeng , Wang Chuanyong , Cui Xueguang , Ju Bingfeng
Published: November 2023

The geometric accuracy of the CNC machine tools determines the quality of the sculptured mechanical parts. Measuring and compensating the geometric errors of machine tools can effectively improve the machining accuracy. However, traditional measurement methods using a double-ball bar (DBB) can only detect the error along the rod length direction and thus require multiple measurements in three orthogonal planes of the machine tool. This work proposes a fast error detection method for the three-axis machine tools using combined double-ball bars (C-DBBs) based on the spatially circular detection (SCD) path. The test path of this method requires the simultaneous linkage of three linear axes of the machine tools and thus could identify 21 geometric errors of three-axis machine tool. Firstly, the measuring principle of the SCD method is introduced, and the mathematical model for detecting 21 geometric errors of the machine tool based on the SCD method is established. Then, the detection experiment based on the SCD method is carried out, and it is shown that 21 geometric errors of the three-axis machine tool are obtained. Finally, the verification experiment using a traditional DBB is conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed SCD method. The radial errors in three orthogonal planes measured by traditional DBB exhibit a good agreement with those predicted using 21 geometric errors obtained by the SCD method. Compared with the traditional DBB method, the proposed SCD method could detect 21 geometric errors of three-axis machine tools in a single measurement. This work provides an effective and efficient methodology for detecting all geometric errors of the three-axis machine tool.
LiDAR point cloud quality optimization method based on BIM and affine transformation
Authors: Liu Jinyue , Gao Chao , Li Tiejun , Wang Xin , Jia Xiaohui
Published: November 2023

Laser Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems possess the capability to generate high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) data of indoor environments. The inherent uncertainties pertaining to relative spatial positioning and the centimeter-level precision of LiDAR ranging, however, contribute to discernible constraints within contexts requiring elevated degrees of precision, particularly in the domain of high-precision sensing applications. In response to this concern, this paper introduces an approach designed to mitigate and appraise the uncertainty associated with plane positioning through the utilization of point cloud fitting methodologies, concurrently integrating principles of building information modeling (BIM) and anisotropic affine transformations (AAT). Primarily, the methodology involves the extraction of precise plane characteristics employing the tenets of robustly weighted total least squares theory within the context of point cloud fitting. Subsequently, the method synergistically incorporates geometric information emanating from the Building Information Model alongside the accurately determined plane positioning data derived from LiDAR point clouds via AAT. This integration markedly enhances the precision of the ranging system’s datasets. Ultimately, the assessment of ranging uncertainty is conducted by quantifying the deviations of individual points from the conforming plane and employing a probability approximative scheme grounded in higher-order moments. Experimental results demonstrate the method’s precision and efficacy, offering a solution to the challenge of achieving higher perception precision in LiDAR-based ranging systems.
A simple strategy to obtain graphitic carbon nitride modified TiO2 layer for efficient perovskite solar cells
Authors: Guo Yanru , Zhao Dandan , Yu Man , Liu Manying , Zhang Yange , Zheng Zhi
Published: November 2023

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) can be improved through the concurrent strategies of enhancing charge transfer and passivating defects. Graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been demonstrated as a promising modifier for optimizing energy level alignment and reducing defect density in PSCs. However, its preparation process can be complicated. A simple one-step calcination approach was used in this study to prepare g-C3N4-modified TiO2 via the incorporation of urea into the TiO2 precursor. This modification simultaneously tunes the energy level alignment and passivates interface defects. The comprehensive research confirms that the addition of moderate amounts of g-C3N4 to TiO2 results in an ideal alignment of energy levels with perovskite, thereby enhancing the ability to separate and transfer charges. Additionally, the g-C3N4-modified perovskite films exhibit an increase in grain size and crystallinity, which reduces intrinsic defects density and extends charge recombination time. Therefore, the g-C3N4-modified PSC achieves a champion PCE of 20.00%, higher than that of the control PSC (17.15%). Our study provides a systematic comprehension of the interfacial engineering strategy and offers new insights into the development of high-performance PSCs.
TiCl4 precursor affecting the performance of HTM-free carbon-based perovskite solar cell
Authors: Yang Yuanbo , Wang Shuo , Ji Wenjie , Li Tiantian , Li Simiao , Zhao Qian , Li Guoran
Published: November 2023

The presence of TiO2 used as an efficient electron transport layer is crucial to achieving high-performance solar cells, especially for a hole transport material (HTM)-free carbon-based perovskite solar cell (PSC). The hydrolysis of TiCl4 is one of the most widely used routes for forming TiO2 layer in solar cells, which includes the stock solution preparation from TiCl4 initial precursor and the thermal hydrolysis of the stock solution. The second thermal hydrolysis step has been extensively studied, while the initial hydrolysis reaction in the first step is not receiving sufficient attention, especially for its influence on the photovoltaic performance of HTM-free carbon-based devices. In this study, the role of TiCl4 stock solution in the growth process of TiO2 layer is examined. Based on the analysis of the Ti(IV) intermediate states for different TiCl4 concentrations from Raman spectra, 2 M TiCl4 precursor exhibits moderate nucleation and growth kinetics without generating too many intermediates which occurs in 3 M TiCl4 precursor, yielding ∼300 nm size spherical TiO2 agglomerates with a rutile phase. In the aspect of devices, the HTM-free carbon-based PSCs fabricated using 2 M TiCl4 precursor deliver a conversion efficiency beyond 17%, which may be attributed to the reduced defect in compact TiO2 layer.
Controllable interface-tailored strategy to reduce the nanotribological properties of Ti3C2T
x
by depositing MoS2 using atomic layer deposition
Authors: Fan Xiaojian , Xing Youqiang , Wu Ze , Li Bingjue , Huang Peng , Liu Lei
Published: November 2023

Ti3C2T
x
MXene has attracted widespread attention in lubrication owing to its unique structure and surface properties. However, the inferior nanotribological properties of Ti3C2T
x
still limit its applications in nano lubricants. Herein, we propose a controllable interface-tailored strategy to reduce the nanotribological properties of Ti3C2Tx by depositing MoS2 nano-sheet on its surface using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The nanotribological properties of the MoS2/Ti3C2T
x
nanocomposites synthesized by ALD are studied by atomic force microscope for the first time. At the optimal 20 ALD MoS2 cycles, the nanofriction of MoS2/Ti3C2T
x
has been reduced by 57%, 46%, and 44% (at 5, 10, and 15 nN load, respectively), while the adhesion has been reduced by 59%, compared to the original Ti3C2T
x
. The results can contribute to understanding of the nanotribological mechanisms of Ti3C2T
x
composites and provide the potential prospects for Ti3C2T
x
as a nanoscale adjustable lubricant.
Hippocampus substructure segmentation using morphological vision transformer learning
Authors: Lei Yang , Ding Yifu , Qiu Richard L J , Wang Tonghe , Roper Justin , Fu Yabo , Shu Hui-Kuo , Mao Hui , Yang Xiaofeng
Published: November 2023

The hippocampus plays a crucial role in memory and cognition. Because of the associated toxicity from whole brain radiotherapy, more advanced treatment planning techniques prioritize hippocampal avoidance, which depends on an accurate segmentation of the small and complexly shaped hippocampus. To achieve accurate segmentation of the anterior and posterior regions of the hippocampus from T1 weighted (T1w) MR images, we developed a novel model, Hippo-Net, which uses a cascaded model strategy. The proposed model consists of two major parts: (1) a localization model is used to detect the volume-of-interest (VOI) of hippocampus. (2) An end-to-end morphological vision transformer network (Franchi et
al 2020 Pattern Recognit. 102 107246, Ranem et
al 2022 IEEE/CVF Conf. on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Workshops (CVPRW) pp 3710–3719) is used to perform substructures segmentation within the hippocampus VOI. The substructures include the anterior and posterior regions of the hippocampus, which are defined as the hippocampus proper and parts of the subiculum. The vision transformer incorporates the dominant features extracted from MR images, which are further improved by learning-based morphological operators. The integration of these morphological operators into the vision transformer increases the accuracy and ability to separate hippocampus structure into its two distinct substructures. A total of 260 T1w MRI datasets from medical segmentation decathlon dataset were used in this study. We conducted a five-fold cross-validation on the first 200 T1w MR images and then performed a hold-out test on the remaining 60 T1w MR images with the model trained on the first 200 images. In five-fold cross-validation, the Dice similarity coefficients were 0.900 ± 0.029 and 0.886 ± 0.031 for the hippocampus proper and parts of the subiculum, respectively. The mean surface distances (MSDs) were 0.426 ± 0.115 mm and 0.401 ± 0.100 mm for the hippocampus proper and parts of the subiculum, respectively. The proposed method showed great promise in automatically delineating hippocampus substructures on T1w MR images. It may facilitate the current clinical workflow and reduce the physicians’ effort.
Vertical stray field measurements using an electron beam in the MEPhIST-0 tokamak
Authors: Vinitskiy E A , Efimov N E , Prishvitsyn A S , Sorokin I A , Krat S A
Published: November 2023

In the MEPhIST-0 tokamak, toroidal magnetic coil system is implemented as a single continuous toroidal solenoid. This design ensures synchronized operation of each segment of the solenoid and requires only one power supply line to operate. However, this configuration has the downside of introducing stray vertical and radial magnetic field components, which result from the inclination of the solenoid segments. Such stray fields can be measured using an electron beam, as previously demonstrated in experiments on T-15, TEXTOR, KSTAR, and SST-1. This paper describes the parameters of the experiment and presents the main results obtained from the MEPhIST-0 tokamak. Two experimental techniques for measuring the vertical magnetic field are discussed: one with a change in the current direction in the toroidal solenoid and one without. The ratio of the stray vertical field to the toroidal field was found to be approximately 0.5%. The conducted experiments highlight the necessity of compensating for the stray vertical field using additional poloidal coils.
Numerical and experimental study of ion energy distribution function in a dual-frequency capacitively coupled oxygen discharge
Authors: Luo Han , Kenney Jason , Rauf Shahid , Korolov Ihor , Schulze Julian
Published: November 2023

The plasma dynamics of a low pressure oxygen capacitively coupled plasma driven by dual frequencies (27.12 MHz and 271.2 kHz) is studied experimentally and numerically in this work. A retarding field energy analyzer system is employed in the experiment to measure the ion energy distribution function (IEDF) at the grounded electrode for different combinations of low-frequency voltages and pressures. One-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of the oxygen plasma are conducted at the experimental conditions. A typical bimodal IEDF is observed and good agreement is obtained between experiments and simulations. A semi-analytical model based on the Child law sheath and fitted sheath voltage is constructed to study the structure of the IEDF. It is found that for the investigated conditions the low-energy peak of the IEDF is independent of the low frequency (LF) voltage but determined by the minimum sheath voltage during the sheath collapse; the energy spread of IEDF scales linearly with the LF voltage; both an increase of LF voltage and pressure create more low-energy ions.
MetaVision: enabling independent wavefront control for diverse/oblique illumination angles
Authors: Satti Azhar Javed , Javed Isma , Naveed Muhammad Asher , Aldaghri Osamah , Cabrera Humberto , Ibnaouf Khalid H , Madkhali Nawal , Mehmood Muhammad Qasim
Published: November 2023

The potential of metasurface holography holds significant promise for revolutionary breakthroughs and groundbreaking advancements in imaging, chip-integrated AR/VR technology, and flat optical displays. Traditional diffractive systems, including metasurfaces, display fixed angular behavior due to the grating period defining incidence angles and diffraction limited response. To break this limit, we offer spin-encoded spatially multiplexed metaholograms designing technique facilitating efficient modulation of geometric phases. The proposed technique gives independent control over polarization states, permitting separate optical modifications for different oblique incident angles. Our suggested metasurface illustrates a multifunctional design method using traditional single-resonator geometry, effectively generating three high-fidelity far-field holographic images. Due to simple geometry and dense information multiplexing proposed approach holds potential for different applications, such as holographic optical elements (HOEs), enhanced optical storage, and anti-counterfeiting techniques.
Comparison of log-derivative and renormalized Numerov methods in low-energy two-body collisions
Authors: Xie Ting , Li Lihang , Sun Zhigang
Published: November 2023

The log-derivative (LOGD) and renormalized Numerov (RN) methods are popularly used in inelastic and reactive scattering calculations. The computational precision of two methods and their improved versions are compared in two-body diatomic and bimolecular collisions at low temperatures. In diatomic 40K-133Cs collision example the single-channel calculations show the solution-improved RN method has the advantage over others when large fixed propagating interval used. The relative error of local scattering length in different propagating sectors are explored. In multi-channel 40K-133Cs collisions the predicted positions of Feshbach resonances by using mapping grid points indicate strong potential-following character in LOGD methods, which is consistent with the analysis on local scattering length in single-channel calculations. In multiple open-channel calculations the elastic and inelastic scatterings and their dependence on collision energy are compared as well. In bimolecular 23Na87Rb-23Na87Rb long-range reactive scattering example the elastic and reactive rate coefficients are investigated. The original LOGD method displays surprisingly relatively high accuracy with less mapping grid points and a wide range of mapping parameters. By increasing the number of mapping grid points the improved LOGD exhibits definitely superiority on precision with proper mapping parameters. We demonstrate our consequent is applicable in other colliding systems.
Diffusion mediated growth of superconducting Nb-Ti composite films by high temperature annealing
Authors: Sawle Deepika , Awana V P S , Sahoo Sangeeta
Published: November 2023

The fabrication of superconducting Nb-Ti alloy by high temperature annealing of Nb/Ti bilayer thin films is reported here. During the annealing process, Nb and Ti diffuse into each other and Nb-Ti composite film formation occurs at the interface of the bilayer. Two types of substrates, namely, SiO2/Si and Si3N4/Si are used to grow the bilayers of Nb/Ti by using dc magnetron sputtering. Annealing at temperature about 820 °C leads the substrates to take part into the diffusion process. The alloying of Nb-Ti and the effect of substrates on the structural properties are studied by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Ti-rich Nb-Ti phases are present in the XRD while interface studies through XPS confirms the interdiffusion of the two elements Nb and Ti along with the presence of the decomposed elements from the substrates. Appearance of nitride phases in case of Si3N4/Si substrate confirms the substrate’s involvement in the diffusion process. Further low temperature transport measurements are carried out to study the superconducting properties of the Nb-Ti composite films grown on both oxide (SiO2/Si) and nitride (Si3N4/Si) substrates. Nb-Ti composite films offer higher transition temperature (T

C
) compared to that of pure Nb with similar thickness used in Nb/Ti bilayer films. Higher normal state resistance (R

N
) with wider transition width for Nb-Ti on nitride substrate in comparison with the oxide substrate indicates a possible role of N atoms in tuning the disorder and hence controlling the transport properties. Finally, the presented method can be used to fabricate superconducting stoichiometric NbTi and NbTiN thin films for future phase slip and superconducting single photon detector-based applications.
Development of some novel resistance distance based topological indices for certain special types of graph networks
Authors: Zaman Shahid , Kamboh Aisha , Ullah Asad , Liu Jia-Bao
Published: November 2023

A graph network consisting of nodes and edges, forms an electrical network if its edges are replaced by a unit resistor. The resistance distance between any two nodes of a connected network is defined as the net effective resistance between them. This work derives mathematical closed form expressions for the resistance distance based topological indices of four families of graph networks such as

S

n

,

S

n

+

,

S

n

2

and

S

n

*

.

Firstly, we compute the multiplicative eccentricity resistance-distance sum index, multiplicative degree-Kirchhoff index and the reciprocal degree resistance-distance index for the four families of graphs. Secondly, we introduce some new versions of resistance distance based topological indices viz. the additive reciprocal degree-Kirchhoff index, the additive reciprocal eccentric resistance-distance index, the reciprocal eccentric resistance distance index, modified eccentric resistance distance index and the modified degree resistance distance index for the above four families of graph networks. These resistance distance based topological indices are introduced for the first time in the literature, which can surely be useful to investigate the electrical networks.
An unsupervised real-time spike sorting system based on optimized OSort
Authors: Wu Yingjiang , Li Ben-Zheng , Wang Liyang , Fan Shaocan , Chen Changhao , Li Anan , Lin Qin , Wang Panke
Published: November 2023

Objective. The OSort algorithm, a pivotal unsupervised spike sorting method, has been implemented in dedicated hardware devices for real-time spike sorting. However, due to the inherent complexity of neural recording environments, OSort still grapples with numerous transient cluster occurrences during the practical sorting process. This leads to substantial memory usage, heavy computational load, and complex hardware architectures, especially in noisy recordings and multi-channel systems. Approach. This study introduces an optimized OSort algorithm (opt-OSort) which utilizes correlation coefficient (CC), instead of Euclidean distance as classification criterion. The CC method not only bolsters the robustness of spike classification amidst the diverse and ever-changing conditions of physiological and recording noise environments, but also can finish the entire sorting procedure within a fixed number of cluster slots, thus preventing a large number of transient clusters. Moreover, the opt-OSort incorporates two configurable validation loops to efficiently reject cluster outliers and track recording variations caused by electrode drifting in real-time. Main results. The opt-OSort significantly reduces transient cluster occurrences by two orders of magnitude and decreases memory usage by 2.5–80 times in the number of pre-allocated transient clusters compared with other hardware implementations of OSort. The opt-OSort maintains an accuracy comparable to offline OSort and other commonly-used algorithms, with a sorting time of 0.68 µs as measured by the hardware-implemented system in both simulated datasets and experimental data. The opt-OSort’s ability to handle variations in neural activity caused by electrode drifting is also demonstrated. Significance. These results present a rapid, precise, and robust spike sorting solution suitable for integration into low-power, portable, closed-loop neural control systems and brain–computer interfaces.
A leptin-loaded poly-ϵ-caprolactone 3D printing scaffold for odontoblastic differentiation in human dental pulp cells
Authors: Cho Eun-Hyo , Kim Ye-Seul , Kim Young-Ran , Kang Jin-Ho , Park Sang-Won , Lim Hyun-Pil , Yun Kwi-Dug , Jang Woo-Hyung , Koh Jeong-Tea , Park Chan , Lee Bin-Na
Published: November 2023

This study investigated the effects on odontoblast differentiation of a 3D-printed poly-ϵ-caprolactone (PCL) scaffold that incorporated leptin. Material extrusion-type 3D printing with a 43 000-molecular weight PCL material was used to fabricate a PCL scaffold with a 6 mm diameter, 1 mm height, and 270–340 µm pore size. The experimental groups were PCL scaffolds (control group), PCL scaffolds with aminated surfaces (group A), and PCL scaffolds with leptin on the aminated surface (group L). The aminated surface was treated with 1,6-hexanediamine and verified by ninhydrin analysis. Leptin loading was performed using Traut’s reagent and 4-(N-Maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid 3-sulfo-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester sodium salt (Sulfo-SMCC). Groups A and L showed significantly higher surface wettability, pulp cell adhesion, and proliferation than the control group. Group L exhibited increased alkaline phosphatase, calcification deposits, and mRNA and protein expression of dentin sialophosphoprotein and dentin matrix acidic phosphoprotein 1 compared with the control group. In this study, a 3D-printed PCL scaffold containing leptin was enhanced odontoblast differentiation and dental pulp cells adhesion and proliferation.