bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical Sealant with Integrated Shape‐Morphing Dual Modality Ultrasound and Computed Tomography Sensors for Gastric Leak Detection
Authors: Suter Benjamin , Anthis Alexandre H. C. , Zehnder Anna‐Katharina , Mergen Victor , Rosendorf Jachym , Gerken Lukas R. H. , Schlegel Andrea A. , Korcakova Eva , Liska Vaclav , Herrmann Inge K.
Published: June 2023

Postoperative anastomotic leaks are the most feared complications after gastric surgery. For diagnostics clinicians mostly rely on clinical symptoms such as fever and tachycardia, often developing as a result of an already fully developed, i.e., symptomatic, surgical leak. A gastric fluid responsive, dual modality, electronic‐free, leak sensor system integrable into surgical adhesive suture support materials is introduced. Leak sensors contain high atomic number carbonates embedded in a polyacrylamide matrix, that upon exposure to gastric fluid convert into gaseous carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 bubbles remain entrapped in the hydrogel matrix, leading to a distinctly increased echogenic contrast detectable by a low‐cost and portable ultrasound transducer, while the dissolution of the carbonate species and the resulting diffusion of the cation produces a markedly reduced contrast in computed tomography imaging. The sensing elements can be patterned into a variety of characteristic shapes and can be combined with nonreactive tantalum oxide reference elements, allowing the design of shape‐morphing sensing elements visible to the naked eye as well as artificial intelligence‐assisted automated detection. In summary, shape‐morphing dual modality sensors for the early and robust detection of postoperative complications at deep tissue sites, opening new routes for postoperative patient surveillance using existing hospital infrastructure is reported.
Quantification of Surface Tension Effects and Nucleation‐and‐Growth Rates during Self‐Assembly of Biological Condensates
Authors: Sárkány Zsuzsa , Rocha Fernando , Bratek‐Skicki Anna , Tompa Peter , Macedo‐Ribeiro Sandra , Martins Pedro M.
Published: June 2023

Liquid‐solid and liquid‐liquid phase separation (PS) drives the formation of functional and disease‐associated biological assemblies. Principles of phase equilibrium are here employed to derive a general kinetic solution that predicts the evolution of the mass and size of biological assemblies. Thermodynamically, protein PS is determined by two measurable concentration limits: the saturation concentration and the critical solubility. Due to surface tension effects, the critical solubility can be higher than the saturation concentration for small, curved nuclei. Kinetically, PS is characterized by the primary nucleation rate constant and a combined rate constant accounting for growth and secondary nucleation. It is demonstrated that the formation of a limited number of large condensates is possible without active mechanisms of size control and in the absence of coalescence phenomena. The exact analytical solution can be used to interrogate how the elementary steps of PS are affected by candidate drugs.
Contrast‐Enhanced Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography for Functional Assessment of the Gastrointestinal Tract
Authors: Paulus Lars‐Philip , Buehler Adrian , Wagner Alexandra L. , Raming Roman , Jüngert Jörg , Simon David , Tascilar Koray , Schnell Alexander , Rother Ulrich , Eckstein Markus , Lang Werner , Hoerning André , Schett Georg , Neurath Markus F. , Waldner Maximilian J. , Trollmann Regina , Woelfle Joachim , Bohndiek Sarah E , Regensburger Adrian P. , Knieling Ferdinand
Published: June 2023

Real‐time imaging and functional assessment of the intestinal tract and its transit pose a significant challenge to conventional clinical diagnostic methods. Multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT), a molecular‐sensitive imaging technology, offers the potential to visualize endogenous and exogenous chromophores in deep tissue. Herein, a novel approach using the orally administered clinical‐approved fluorescent dye indocyanine green (ICG) for bedside, non‐ionizing evaluation of gastrointestinal passage is presented. The authors are able to show the detectability and stability of ICG in phantom experiments. Furthermore, ten healthy subjects underwent MSOT imaging at multiple time points over eight hours after ingestion of a standardized meal with and without ICG. ICG signals can be visualized and quantified in different intestinal segments, while its excretion is confirmed by fluorescent imaging of stool samples. These findings indicate that contrast‐enhanced MSOT (CE‐MSOT) provides a translatable real‐time imaging approach for functional assessment of the gastrointestinal tract.
Impact of cattle grazing corn residue in spring on soil and subsequent soybean yield
Authors: Grabau Morgan T. , MacDonald Jim C. , Carlson Zach E. , Drewnoski Mary E.
Published: June 2023

The effects of spring corn (Zea mays) residue grazing and stocking density on soil physical properties and subsequent soybean (Glycine max) yield were evaluated in an experiment with three treatments: no grazing (NG), normal stocking density (NSD), and high stocking density (HSD). The study was conducted over 2 years with four replicates per treatment each year. Steers (277 ± 4.4 kg) were stocked at 7.5 steers/ha for NSD with a target grazing of 45 days starting in mid‐February, and 22.5 steers/ha for HSD with a target grazing of 15 days in mid‐March, such that the stocking rate was equal. Bulk density, penetration resistance, and surface roughness were measured pre‐ and post‐planting. At 0‐to‐5‐ and 5‐to‐10‐cm depths, bulk density and penetration resistance were greater (p < 0.01) for NSD than NG. There was no difference in bulk density (p ≥ 0.45) between grazed treatments. At 0–5 cm, penetration resistance was not different (p = 0.29) between grazed treatments. For 5–10 cm, penetration resistance was greater (p = 0.02) for HSD compared to NSD. Surface roughness was greater (p < 0.01) for NSD than NG, and greater (p < 0.01) for HSD than NSD. There was no difference (p ≥ 0.34) in soybean emergence among treatments. Soybean yield was less (p < 0.01) for NG than NSD, but did not differ (p = 0.06) between NSD and HSD. The results indicate that spring grazing may cause minor compaction without reducing subsequent soybean yield.
Self‐reporting fluorescence deciphers the antibacterial nature of cationic amphiphiles: Monomer or aggregate?
Authors: Zhou Chengcheng , Ding Zeyu , Guan Weijiang , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: June 2023

Cationic amphiphile aggregates exhibit superior antibacterial activity than monomers. However, the antimicrobial mechanism of aggregates has not been well understood because it is difficult to distinguish and monitor aggregate and monomer in antimicrobial process. Herein, three bola‐type cationic amphiphiles with aggregation‐induced emission property have been developed to show distinguishable fluorescence in their monomer and aggregate. The hydrophilicity of monomer and the stability of aggregate are finely tuned by tailoring the linkers between two quaternary ammonium end groups and tetraphenylethylene skeleton. The sensitive fluorescence switching of monomer and aggregate achieves the quantitative monitoring of dynamic interaction of three amphiphiles with bacteria. The aggregates with cationic charges first attach to bacterial surface, and the monomers subsequently dissociate from aggregates to penetrate bacterial membrane. Further, our results reveal the vital role of stability of aggregates during antimicrobial process, shedding light on the rational design of high‐efficient antimicrobials.
Acidic protic ionic liquid‐based deep eutectic solvents capturing SO2 with low enthalpy changes
Authors: Zhang Ping , Tu Zhuoheng , Zhang Xiaomin , Hu Xingbang , Wu Youting
Published: June 2023

With the aim of lowering energy consumption for gas regeneration, rational design of absorbents with low absorption enthalpy changes while retaining good gas solubility is of both scientific and practical significance. Herein, we demonstrated that acidic protic ionic liquid (APIL)‐based deep eutectic solvents (DESs), which comprise N‐ethylimidazole hydrochloride ([EimH]Cl) and ethylene glycol (EG), were able to reversibly absorb SO2 with high solubility (11.60 mol kg−1) and SO2/CO2 selectivity (655) at 293.2 K and 101.3 kPa. Meanwhile, [EimH]Cl/EG DESs exhibit very low enthalpy changes (ΔrHm) ranging from −27.1 to −25.6 kJ mol−1, and thus ease of desorption at very mild temperature conditions (303.2 K) with desorption ratios up to 99.6%. Recycling experiments showed that no obvious loss in capacity was found after six absorption–desorption cycles, suggesting good regeneration performance of [EimH]Cl/EG DESs. Moreover, spectroscopic analysis revealed the charge‐transfer interaction between [EimH]Cl/EG and SO2.
A comparative study of robusticity indices of long bones among hunter‐gatherers and early agro‐pastoral groups of India
Authors: Sikdar Asmita , Mushrif‐Tripathy Veena
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Diaphyseal robusticity and cross‐sectional shapes of the bone tissues are influenced by mechanical loading history. It changes according to work demand on the body. It is the objective of this study to identify the shifts in the modes of subsistence, activities and mobility patterns through the comparison of the shape and strength of bone diaphyses among the Mesolithic, Chalcolithic and Harappan populations of India.

Materials and Methods

For the analysis, 7 sites including 2 from Mesolithic (8000–4000 bc), 2 from Chalcolithic (2000–700 bc) and 3 from Harappan (3500–1800 bc) contexts are considered. The ratio obtained from the maximum length of the bones to their girth (at 50% or 35% from the distal end) and that from anterior‐posterior and medio‐lateral diameters were calculated (following Martin and Saller codes, 1957) to understand certain functional adaptations and stress markers on preserved long bones. Independent‐sample T‐tests and ANOVA were applied to detect mean differences of statistical significance within and between cultures.

Results

The robusticity indices obtained from the humeri increase from the hunting‐gathering phase (M/F; 19.39/18.45) to the Chalcolithic phase (M/F; 21.99/19.39) showing a slight drop in the Harappan phase (M/F; 18.58/18.37). The right humeri of Mesolithic females show a directional asymmetry of length (4.08%–5.13%) while that in males reach up to 26.09% indicating right‐dominant lateralization. In the Harappan phase, females show a greater value for the right ranging from 0.31% to 3.07%. The femoral robusticity of females increases from 11.42 in hunting‐gathering societies to 13.28 in Harappan times while mid‐shaft of the Mesolithic population clearly shows greater loading along the anterior–posterior (A–P) plane as the index in most cases exceeds 100. There are significant differences among males and females within each group in terms of the indices but significant differences could be discerned between the Mesolithic, Chalcolithic and Harappan populations in case of tibiae, radii and ulnae only.

Conclusion

The occupation patterns certainly changed as humans became a food‐producer from a hunter‐gatherer. Occupations involving the extensive flexion and extension of upper limbs in the Chalcolithic period increase particularly in the Harappan phase. Sedentism gave rise to roundness of the femur and reduced the magnitude of lateralization. While equal level of mobility can be traced in case of both the sexes before the advent of agriculture, this distinction increases between the males and females in the agro‐pastoral phases.
Limits on Dark Photons, Scalars, and Axion‐Electromagnetodynamics with the ORGAN Experiment
Authors: McAllister Ben T. , Quiskamp Aaron , O'Hare Ciaran A. J. , Altin Paul , Ivanov Eugene N. , Goryachev Maxim , Tobar Michael E.
Published: June 2023

Axions are a well‐motivated dark matter candidate, with a host of experiments around the world searching for direct evidence of their existence. The ORGAN Experiment is a type of axion detector known as an axion haloscope, which takes the form of a cryogenic resonant cavity embedded in a strong magnetic field. ORGAN recently completed Phase 1a, a scan for axions ≈65 µeV, and placed the most stringent limits to date on the dark matter axion–photon coupling in this region, . It has been shown that axion haloscopes such as ORGAN are automatically sensitive to other kinds of dark matter candidates, such as dark photons, scalar field/dilaton dark matter, and exotic axion–electromagnetic couplings motivated by quantum electromagnetodynamics. The exclusion limits placed on these various dark matter candidates are computed by ORGAN 1a, and sensitivity for some future ORGAN phases are projected. In particular, the dark photon limits are the most sensitive to date in some regions of the parameter space.
Balancing read length and sequencing depth: Optimizing Nanopore long‐read sequencing for monocots with an emphasis on the Liliales
Authors: De La Cerda Gisel Y. , Landis Jacob B. , Eifler Evan , Hernandez Adriana I. , Li Fay‐Wei , Zhang Jing , Tribble Carrie M. , Karimi Nisa , Chan Patricia , Givnish Thomas , Strickler Susan R. , Specht Chelsea D.
Published: June 2023

Premise

We present approaches used to generate long‐read Nanopore sequencing reads for the Liliales and demonstrate how modifications to standard protocols directly impact read length and total output. The goal is to help those interested in generating long‐read sequencing data determine which steps may be necessary for optimizing output and results.

Methods

Four species of Calochortus (Liliaceae) were sequenced. Modifications made to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) extractions and cleanup protocols included grinding with a mortar and pestle, using cut or wide‐bore tips, chloroform cleaning, bead cleaning, eliminating short fragments, and using highly purified DNA.

Results

Steps taken to maximize read length can decrease overall output. Notably, the number of pores in a flow cell is correlated with the overall output, yet we did not see an association between the pore number and the read length or the number of reads produced.

Discussion

Many factors contribute to the overall success of a Nanopore sequencing run. We showed the direct impact that several modifications to the DNA extraction and cleaning steps have on the total sequencing output, read size, and number of reads generated. We show a tradeoff between read length and the number of reads and, to a lesser extent, the total sequencing output, all of which are important factors for successful de novo genome assembly.
Lizards and amphisbaenians (Reptilia, Squamata) from the middle Eocene of Mazaterón (Soria, Spain)
Authors: Bolet Arnau
Published: June 2023

The assemblage of lizards and amphisbaenians (Reptilia, Squamata) from the middle Eocene locality of Mazaterón (Spain) is described. Considering the rather limited material available for the study, the assemblage shows a moderate diversity with eight taxa corresponding to five different families. In most cases the scarcity and fragmentary nature of squamate specimens precludes a precise identification, but provides insights on identity of the groups represented. Mazaterón fills the gap between early and late Eocene Iberian localities, showing the persistence of iguanids (possibly Geiseltaliellus), lacertids (possibly Dormaalisaurus), and glyptosaur (tribes glyptosaurini and “melanosaurini”) and anguine anguids through most of the Iberian Eocene. It also records the return of amphisbaenians (Blanidae) after their temporary retrieval from Europe during most of the middle Eocene, and the presence of two scincids, one of them possibly corresponding to a new taxon. The information provided by squamates complements what is already known from mammals, crocodylians, and turtles in what is arguably one of the most important vertebrate Paleogene localities of the Iberian Peninsula.
Is googling risky? A study on risk perception and experiences of adverse consequences in web search
Authors: Häußler Helena , Schultheiß Sebastian , Lewandowski Dirk
Published: June 2023

Search engines, such as Google, have a considerable impact on society. Therefore, undesirable consequences, such as retrieving incorrect search results, pose a risk to users. Although previous research has reported the adverse outcomes of web search, little is known about how search engine users evaluate those outcomes. In this study, we show which aspects of web search are perceived as risky using a sample (N = 3884) representative of the German Internet population. We found that many participants are often concerned with adverse consequences immediately appearing on the search engine result page. For example, 45.2% of respondents are concerned about retrieving incorrect information. In contrast, consequences with a delayed impact are rarely perceived as a risk. Moreover, participants' experiences with adverse consequences are directly related to their risk perception. Our results demonstrate that people perceive risks related to web search. In addition to our study, there is a need for more independent research on the possible detrimental outcomes of web search to monitor and mitigate risks. Apart from risks for individuals, search engines with a massive number of users have an extraordinary impact on society; therefore, the acceptable risks of web search should be discussed.
Emerging nonoxide dielectrics for next‐generation electronics
Authors: Kim Ga Hye , Shin Seung Beom , Kim Myung‐Gil
Published: June 2023

As electronic devices continue to develop, there is a growing demand for materials capable of supporting new physical properties, such as flexibility, stretchability, low‐temperature processability, applicability to large areas or ultra‐thin films, and operation at extremely low voltages. Metal oxide dielectrics, such as silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, and hafnium oxide, offer excellent dielectric properties, but their ability to meet these new properties and the choice of substrate is limited. Therefore, a new dielectric material capable of providing stable dielectric properties with new functionalities is required. In this review, we briefly introduce the physical principles of dielectric materials and the recent trends of nonoxide dielectrics which satisfy requirements of new functionalities. We discussed various nonoxide dielectric materials of organic, self‐assembled mono/multilayers, electrolytes, two‐dimensional (2D) materials, and metal halides. Finally, we conclude with an outlook and challenges on dielectric materials for next‐generation micro‐ and macro‐electronics.
White matter abnormalities are associated with the declined ability of reasoning and problem‐solving in major depressive disorder
Authors: Ma Ruihua , Luo Yang , Liu Sijia , Wang Xuan , Guo Hua , Zhao Meng , Chen Nan , Liu Panqi , Shi Jing , Li Yingna , Tan Yunlong , Tan Shuping , Yang Fude , Tian Li , Wang Zhiren
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Executive function in people with depression is linked to the integrity of white matter fibers in the brain. We hypothesized that the maze tests in neuropsychological tests assessed reasoning and problem‐solving abilities dependent on the integrity of brain white matter fibers, and assessed this relationship using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in depressed patients and healthy controls.

Methods

Participants aged from 18 to 50 years were recruited from Zhumadian Second People's Hospital from July 2018 to August 2019. The sample included 33 clinically diagnosed individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 24 healthy volunteers (HVs). All subjects underwent Neuropsychological assessment battery (NAB) maze tests and DTI. Tract‐based spatial statistics technology in FSL software was used to process DTI data, and threshold‐free cluster enhancement (TFCE) was used to perform multiple comparison corrections. The fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter fibers in the MDD group and HVs group were compared and extracted. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationship between FA and NAB scores and HAMD scores.

Results

The mean NAB maze test score for the MDD group was lower than the HVs group, and the difference was statistically significant (F = 11.265, p = .037). The FA value of the body of corpus callosum and cerebral peduncle right in the depression group was lower than that in the healthy control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < .05). FA value of the body of corpus callosum was positively correlated with NAB score (r = 0.400, p = .036), but not with the HAMD score (r = 0.065, p = .723).

Conclusions

The decreased ability of reasoning and problem‐solving in MDD may be due to the decreased integrity of the white matter fibers of the body of the corpus callosum.
Development of software for measuring brain amyloid accumulation using 18F‐florbetapir PET and calculating global Centiloid scale and regional Z‐score values
Authors: Matsuda Hiroshi , Soma Tsutomu , Okita Kyoji , Shigemoto Yoko , Sato Noriko
Published: June 2023

Background and purpose

Quantitative measures have been proposed to aid the visual interpretation of amyloid PET. Our objective was to develop and validate quantitative software that enables calculation of the Centiloid (CL) scale and Z‐score for amyloid PET with 18F‐florbetapir.

Methods

This software was developed as a toolbox in statistical parametric mapping 12 running on MATLAB Runtime. For each participant's amyloid PET, this software calculates the CL scale using the standard MRI‐guided pipeline proposed by the Global Alzheimer's Association Interactive Network (GAAIN) and generates a Z‐score map for comparison with a new amyloid‐negative database constructed from 20 healthy controls. In 23 cognitively impaired patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease, Z‐score values for a target cortical area from the new database were compared with those from the GAAIN database constructed from 13 healthy controls. The CL values obtained using low‐dose CT of PET/CT equipment were then compared with those obtained using MRI.

Results

The CL calculation was validated with the 18F‐florbetapir dataset in the GAAIN repository. Z‐score values obtained from the new database were significantly higher (mean ± standard deviation, 1.05 ± 0.77; p < .0001) than those obtained from the GAAIN database. The use of low‐dose CT provided CL scales that were highly correlated with those obtained with MRI (R2 = .992) but showed a slight yet significant underestimation (−2.1 ± 4.2; p = .013).

Conclusions

Our quantification software provides the CL scale and Z‐score for measuring overall and local amyloid accumulation with the use of MRI or low‐dose CT.
Development and psychometric evaluation of the family intensive care units syndrome inventory
Authors: Saeid Yaser , Ebadi Abbas , Salaree Mohammad Mahdi , Moradian Seyed Tayeb
Published: June 2023

Background

Family members of patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) experience a set of problems which are entitled Family Intensive Care Units Syndrome (FICUS).

Objectives

The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate the FICUS Inventory (FICUSI) in Iran.

Methods

This sequential exploratory mixed method study was conducted in 2020 in two main phases. In the first phase, FICUSI was developed based on the results of an integrative review and a qualitative study. In the second phase, the psychometric properties of FICUSI, namely, face, content, and construct validity, reliability, responsiveness, interpretability, and scoring, were evaluated. The sample for the construct validity evaluation consisted of 283 ICU family members.

Results

The primary item pool of FICUSI had 144 items and was reduced to 65 items or omitting overlapping and similar items. The scale‐level content validity index of FICUSI was 0.89. In the construct validity evaluation through exploratory factor analysis, 31 items with factor loading values more than 0.3 were loaded on two factors (namely psychological symptoms and nonpsychological symptoms) which explained 68.45% of the total variance. The Cronbach's alpha and the test‐retest intraclass correlation coefficient of FICUSI were 0.95 and 0.97, respectively.

Conclusion

FICUSI is a valid and reliable instrument which can be used in clinical settings and studies for FICUS assessment. Further studies for the cross‐cultural adaptation of FICUSI in other contexts are recommended.

Relevance to clinical practice

Health care providers in clinical settings can use FICUSI to assess FICUS among the family caregivers of patients in ICU. Health care providers’ better understanding of FICUS helps them understand the quality of their own services for the family members of patients in ICU.
Lesion patterns and mechanism analysis of acute contralateral ischemic stroke accompanying stenosis of unilateral extracranial internal carotid artery
Authors: Li Mengxin , Pang Meng , Cui Xiaomei , Wang Yuge , Jia Shuai , Lu Zhengqi , Wang Yanqiang
Published: June 2023

Background

Previous studies on unilateral internal carotid artery occlusive disease have focused on the mechanisms of ipsilateral hemispheric stroke, and contralateral stroke is considered to be an accidental phenomenon. Little is known about the relationship between severe stenosis (including occlusion) of the unilateral extracranial segment of the internal carotid artery and contralateral cerebral stroke, and the infarct patterns and pathogenesis require further study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and pathogenesis of contralateral acute stroke with unilateral extracranial internal carotid artery stenosis (including occlusion).

Methods

Thirty‐four patients were enrolled in this study, and all patients underwent routine clinical evaluation, including medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and various imaging evaluations. The morphological characteristics of diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging were applied to determine infarct patterns. The etiological classification was confirmed according to the TOAST classification.

Results

There were six distinctive lesion patterns: small subcortical infarcts (six patients), large subcortical infarcts (one patient), diffuse infarcts (eight patients), multiple anterior circulation infarcts (eight patients), multiple posterior circulation infarcts (two patients), and multiple anterior and posterior circulation infarcts (nine patients).

Conclusion

Diffuse and multiple infarcts were the most common topographic patterns in ischemic stroke contralateral to internal carotid artery stenosis or occlusion. Hemodynamic impairment of the contralateral hemisphere due to hypoperfusion and blood theft is regarded as the basis of stroke occurrence. Low ischemic tolerance and embolism are the main causes of acute ischemic stroke.
Salivary micro RNAs as biomarkers for oropharyngeal cancer
Authors: Ekanayake Weeramange Chameera , Tang Kai Dun , Barrero Roberto A. , Hartel Gunter , Liu Zhen , Ladwa Rahul , Langton‐Lockton Julian , Frazer Ian , Kenny Lizbeth , Vasani Sarju , Punyadeera Chamindie
Published: June 2023

Background

Despite the rising incidence, particularly of the human papillomavirus (HPV)‐associated fraction of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC), there are no early detection methods for OPC. Considering the close association between saliva and head and neck cancers, this study was designed to investigate salivary micro RNA (miRNAs) associated with OPC, especially focusing on HPV‐positive OPC.

Methods

Saliva was collected from OPC patients at diagnosis and patients were clinically followed up ≤5 years. Salivary small RNA isolated from HPV‐positive OPC patients (N = 6), and HPV‐positive (N = 4) and negative controls (N = 6) were analysed by next‐generation sequencing to identify dysregulated miRNAs. Discovered miRNAs were validated by quantitative PCR using two different assays in a separate cohort of patients (OPC = 91, controls = 92). The relative expression was calculated considering SNORD‐96A as the normalizer. Candidate miRNAs with diagnostic and prognostic potential were evaluated by generalized logistic regression.

Results

A panel consisting of nine miRNAs was identified to have the best diagnostic performance to discriminate HPV‐positive OPC from HPV‐positive controls (AUC‐ validation‐1 = 94.8%, validation‐2 = 98%). Further, a panel consisting of six miRNAs were identified to discriminate OPC from controls regardless of the HPV status (AUC‐ validation‐1 = 77.2%, validation‐2 = 86.7%). In addition, the downregulation of hsa‐miR‐7‐5p was significantly associated with poor overall survival of OPC patients (HR = 0.638). A panel consisting of nine miRNAs were identified for the prediction of the overall survival of the OPC patients (log‐rank test‐p = 0.0008).

Conclusion

This study highlights that salivary miRNAs can play an essential role in the detection and prognostication of OPC.
Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of brain metastases in small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhu Dan , Shao Yongjia , Yang Zhangwei , Cheng Ailan , Xi Qian , Liang Xiaohua , Chu Shuguang
Published: June 2023

Background

Lung is the most common primary site of brain metastases (BMs). For different pathological types of BMs have some similar characteristics, it is still a challenge to confirm the origin based on their characteristics directly. BMs of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have favorable therapeutic expectations due to their high sensitivity to radiotherapy. This study sought to identify unique characteristics of BMs in SCLC, aiming to assist in clinical decision‐making.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with BMs of lung cancer who received radiotherapy from January 2017 to January 2022 were reviewed (N = 284). Definitive diagnosis of BMs of SCLC was reached for 36 patients. All patients underwent head examination using magnetic resonance imaging. The number, size, location, and signal characteristics of lesions were analyzed.

Results

There were 7 and 29 patients with single focus and non‐single focus, respectively. Ten patients had diffuse lesions, and the remaining 26 patients had a total of 90 lesions. These lesions were divided into three groups according to size: <1, 1–3, and >3 cm (43.33%, 53.34%, and 3.33%, respectively). Sixty‐six lesions were located in the supratentorial area, primarily including cortical and subcortical lesions (55.56%) and deep brain lesions (20%). Moreover, 22 lesions were located in the infratentorial area. According to diffusion‐weighted imaging and T1‐weighted contrast enhancement, the imaging characteristics were classified into six patterns. Hyperintensity in diffusion‐weighted imaging and homogeneous enhancement was the most common pattern of BMs in SCLC (46.67%), while partial lesions showed hyperintensity in diffusion‐weighted imaging without enhancement (7.78%).

Conclusions

The manifestations of BMs in SCLC were multiple lesions (diameter: 1–3 cm), hyperintensity in diffusion‐weighted imaging, and homogeneous enhancement. Interestingly, hyperintensity in diffusion‐weighted imaging without enhancement was also one of the characteristics.
Customer experience in coffee stores: A multidisciplinary Neuromarketing approach
Authors: Rancati Gaia , Nguyen Thi Thu Thao , Fowler Danae , Mauri Maurizio , Schultz Carsten D.
Published: June 2023

Companies in the service retailing industry are constantly looking for strategies to provide a customer experience that improves brand perception and increases customer loyalty. This study provides a deeper understanding of customer experience in two coffee stores in Vietnam by providing a multidisciplinary approach, including a quantitative and a neuromarketing approach. Two‐hundred participants participated in the study, combining mystery shopping visits with the Brand Association Reaction Time Test (BARTT). Results from the mystery shopping visits confirm the holistic concept of customer experience. Store atmosphere, employee service, drink quality, price, and previous visits significantly impact customer experience. Empirical results also confirm the impact of customer experience on loyalty. Furthermore, the BARTT analysis shows that in‐store customer experience can influence customers' short‐term brand perceptions. The national brand is associated with friendly, expensive, globalized, and unique, whereas the local brand revealed significant associations with clean, smells good, welcoming, and unique. From the mystery shopping results and the BARTT, we can infer that customer experience needs multi‐methodological capturing of its multifaceted aspects. Our findings are relevant to researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and bolster customer experiences, justifying a multidisciplinary approach and the application of new insightful tools.
Control Strategies for Enhanced Biogas Production from Chicken Manure
Authors: Siyal Ahmer Ali , Shamsuddin Rashid , Komiyama Masaharu , Manogaran M. Devendran , Soehartanto Totok
Published: June 2023

The control strategies adopted in formulation and anaerobic digestion (AD) process of chicken manure (CM) for the control and enhancement of biogas production are reviewed. The existing limitations and future challenges in the production of biogas from AD of CM are briefly discussed. The control strategy adopted for formulation is pretreatment of CM (physical, chemical, biological, and thermal) while strategies for AD include selection of optimal parameters (pH, C/N ratio, organic loading rate (OLR), and temperature), co‐AD with other substrates, and addition of supporting materials. The pretreatment of CM, selection of optimal parameters, Co‐AD of CM with other substrates, and addition of supporting materials overall enhance biogas and methane production due to increase of hydrolysis and C/N and decrease of ammonia inhibition, CO2 and H2S contents. The implementation of developed control strategies in continuous plants, development of new strategies, and use of supporting materials in combinations of two or three for better performance are the future challenges in the AD of CM. The control strategies had a significant impact on the efficient use of CM and improved biogas and methane production.
Efficient determination of pesticides in rice by QuEChERS and UV spectroscopy in combination with chemometrics
Authors: Wan Yuhang , Yuan Xinyu , Liu Jia , Zhang Ding , Zhang Zhengyong , Sha Min
Published: June 2023

Background and Objectives

Targeting the problems, like various residual pesticides, the high interference of sample matrix and the slow detection speed, this work studied the rapid screening method of multipesticide residues in rice by taking bensulfuron‐methyl, propanil and cypermethrin as examples.

Findings

Rice matrix solution was obtained by using the improved QuEChERS method, matrix standard solution, and solvent standard solution were prepared to obtain the linear range and matrix effect of each pesticide. QuEChERS method could rapidly pretreat samples, and the matrix effect was soft, with matrix effect values lower than 16%. Mixed solutions of the three pesticides in four combinations were prepared within the linear range. The type of pesticides in rice was determined by support vector machine (SVM), and the pesticide concentration was predicted by partial least square regression (PLSR). SVM provided a supervised identification method for pesticide residues, making the recognition accuracy higher than 90%. The error of PLSR in predicting pesticide concentration was lower than 5.36%.

Conclusions

UV spectroscopy had fast test speed, so the combination of QuEChERS and UV spectroscopy could improve the efficiency of analysis. SVM combined with PLSR could preliminarily determine the type of pesticides in rice sample, and then accurately predict the concentration of pesticides.

Significance and Novelty

The QuEChERS sample pretreatment technology and UV spectroscopy in combination with chemometrics was expected to be a new technology for rapid detection of pesticide residues in samples.
Visual impairment following aluminum phosphide poisoning: A rare case
Authors: Kargar Alireza , Noroozian Maryam , Ramezani Mahtab , Shadnia Shahin , Mostafazadeh Babak , Erfan Talab Evini Peyman , Rahimi Mitra
Published: June 2023

Key Clinical Message

Aluminum phosphide poisoning may cause rare visual impairment. In a case, a 31‐year‐old female, visual loss was linked to shock‐induced hypoperfusion, causing oxygen lack and cerebral atrophy, emphasizing the need for identifying atypical symptoms.

This case report describes the multidisciplinary evaluation of a 31‐year‐old female patient who suffered from visual impairment as a result of aluminum phosphide (AlP) poisoning. Phosphine, which is formed in the body when AlP reacts with water, cannot cross the blood–brain barrier; therefore, visual impairment seems unlikely to be the direct result of phosphine. To our knowledge, it is the first documented report of such impairment due to AlP.
Remission of chronic blastocystosis using ciprofloxacin
Authors: Rojas‐Jaimes Jesús , Vesco‐Monteagudo Eduardo
Published: June 2023

Blastocystis hominis is a controversial parasite because of its taxonomy and its treatment. In this report, an immunocompetent person with chronic blastocystosis, in whom a series of treatments were used without success, except for the use of ciprofloxaci. Ciprofloxacin could be an antibiotic of choice in chronic blastocystosis.
Cytomegalovirus‐induced oral ulcers: A case report and literature review
Authors: Pinana Margaux , Rapoport Camille , Champtiaux Nicolas , Lescaille Géraldine , Allenbach Yves , Rochefort Juliette
Published: June 2023

Key Clinical Message

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) ulcerations are rare clinical entities, but their occurrence is favored in immunocompromised patients who present a favorable environment for opportunistic infections. We describe the case of a patient treated for a systemic lupus erythematosus suffering from deep oral ulcerations. The case illustrates the complexity of establishing a precise etiological diagnosis of CMV lesions, as the diagnostic hypothesis can be varied: related to an immunodeficiency disorder or drug‐induced toxidermia.
Long‐standing laryngeal rhinoscleroma with rare Mikulicz cells
Authors: Peerani Raheem , Shah Manish , Minnema Brian , Ghaffar Hasan , Chetty Runjan , Delabie Jan , Perez‐Ordonez Bayardo , Xia Daniel
Published: June 2023

Key Clinical Message

Rhinoscleroma is an infectious granulomatous disease. It is important to identify pathognomonic Mikulicz cells on microscopy, as these can be rare and the chronic inflammatory infiltrate can appear otherwise nonspecific on biopsies.
Mass Transfer Behavior of a Rotating Packed Bed of Raschig Rings Suitable for Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Soliman Mohamed S. , Nosier Shaaban A. , Hussein Mohamed , Abdel-Aziz Mohamed H. , Sedahmed Gomaa H. , El-Naggar Mohamed A.
Published: June 2023

The mass transfer behavior of a rotating packed bed of Raschig rings was examined to increase the rate of liquid‐solid diffusion‐controlled reactions common in the production of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and wastewater treatment. The aim was to measure the enhancing effect of the centrifugal force and the high area per unit volume of the bed, using diffusion‐controlled copper dissolution in acidified dichromate as the experimental approach and the bed rotation speed, the Raschig ring diameter, and the bed height as variables. A dimensionless mass transfer equation suited for scaling up and reactor design was used to correlate the data. Measurement of the specific mechanical power consumption ε of the rotating bed under different conditions revealed that the energy utilization efficiency increases with decreasing bed rotation speed.
Assignment of the absolute configuration of molecules that are chiral by virtue of deuterium substitution using chiral tag molecular rotational resonance spectroscopy
Authors: Vang Zoua Pa , Sonstrom Reilly E. , Scolati Haley N. , Clark Joseph R. , Pate Brooks H.
Published: June 2023

Chiral tag molecular rotational resonance (MRR) spectroscopy is used to assign the absolute configuration of molecules that are chiral by virtue of deuterium substitution. Interest in the improved performance of deuterated active pharmaceutical ingredients has led to the development of precision deuteration reactions. These reactions often generate enantioisotopomer reaction products that pose challenges for chiral analysis. Chiral tag rotational spectroscopy uses noncovalent derivatization of the enantioisotopomer to create the diastereomers of the 1:1 molecular complexes of the analyte and a small, chiral molecule. Assignment of the absolute configuration requires high‐confidence determinations of the structures of these weakly bound complexes. A general search method, CREST, is used to identify candidate geometries. Subsequent geometry optimization using dispersion corrected density functional theory gives equilibrium geometries with sufficient accuracy to identify the isomers of the chiral tag complexes produced in the pulsed jet expansion used to introduce the sample into the MRR spectrometer. Rotational constant scaling based on the fact that the diastereomers have the same equilibrium geometry gives accurate predictions allowing identification of the homochiral and heterochiral tag complexes and, therefore, assignment of absolute configuration. The method is successfully applied to three oxygenated substrates from enantioselective Cu‐catalyzed alkene transfer hydrodeuteration reaction chemistry.
The firm is dead; long live the firm: Classifying firm survival after mergers and acquisitions
Authors: Madden Timothy M. , Madden Laura T. , Smith Anne D. , Strickling Jason A.
Published: June 2023

Identifying the surviving firms following mergers and acquisitions (M&A) presents challenges in organizational research. The paper offers a solution to this issue by examining prior research on M&A and firm survival to identify three empirically‐relevant criteria—strategic intent, corporate name retention, and top management team composition—and integrate them into a process‐driven typology of firm survival following M&A. To demonstrate the utility of this method, we apply this typology to an industry rich with M&A activity: the United States telecommunications industry.
Water hyacinth as a green and sustainable material for carbon aerogel electrodes utilized in membrane capacitive deionization
Authors: Nguyen Ngan Tuan , Duong Thu Thuy T. , Phan Thuy Van T. , Truong Cong Chien , Nguyen Van Vien , Tran Thanh Nhut , Nguyen Thanh Tung , Anh Tuan Huynh , Hoang Sy Minh Tuan , Ngo Hoang Long , Chung Nguyen Thi Kim
Published: June 2023

Water hyacinth is a substantial and quick‐growing plant that can strongly invade and negatively affect the aquatic ecosystem, causing many problems to the water environment by consuming nutrients and oxygen from surface water. However, the hierarchical porous carbon derived from water hyacinth can be employed for the removal of oil spills, heavy metals, or wastewater nutrients. Recently, water‐hyacinth‐derived carbon aerogel has been utilized as electrode for the desalination of brackish water using membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) technology. In this research, lignocellulose aerogels were synthesized from water hyacinth, which were then pyrolyzed to obtain carbon aerogel and then treated with KOH to acquire activated carbon aerogel, with the corresponding surface area of 51 and 100 m2 g−1. The desalination capacity of the MCDI device was also evaluated using a 200 ppm NaCl feed water solution with an applied potential of 1.2 V. A high salt adsorption capacity value of 14.69 mg g−1 was achieved after 3000 s. These results will lead a new research area of biomass and bio‐waste conversion to fabricate CDI‐utilized carbon aerogel electrodes.
Groundwater constituents and the incidence of kidney cancer
Authors: Soerensen Simon John Christoph , Montez‐Rath Maria E. , Cheng Iona , Gomez Scarlett Lin , Oh Debora L. , Jackson Christian , Li Jinhui , Rehkopf David , Chertow Glenn M. , Langston Marvin E. , Ganesan Calyani , Pao Alan C. , Chung Benjamin I. , Leppert John T.
Published: June 2023

Background

Kidney cancer incidence demonstrates significant geographic variation suggesting a role for environmental risk factors. This study sought to evaluate associations between groundwater exposures and kidney cancer incidence.

Methods

The authors identified constituents from 18,506 public groundwater wells in all 58 California counties measured in 1996–2010, and obtained county‐level kidney cancer incidence data from the California Cancer Registry for 2003–2017. The authors developed a water‐wide association study (WWAS) platform using XWAS methodology. Three cohorts were created with 5 years of groundwater measurements and 5‐year kidney cancer incidence data. The authors fit Poisson regression models in each cohort to estimate the association between county‐level average constituent concentrations and kidney cancer, adjusting for known risk factors: sex, obesity, smoking prevalence, and socioeconomic status at the county level.

Results

Thirteen groundwater constituents met stringent WWAS criteria (a false discovery rate <0.10 in the first cohort, followed by p values <.05 in subsequent cohorts) and were associated with kidney cancer incidence. The seven constituents directly related to kidney cancer incidence (and corresponding standardized incidence ratios) were chlordane (1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.10), dieldrin (1.04; 95% CI, 1.01–1.07), 1,2‐dichloropropane (1.04; 95% CI, 1.02–1.05), 2,4,5‐TP (1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.05), glyphosate (1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.04), endothall (1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03), and carbaryl (1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03). Among the six constituents inversely related to kidney cancer incidence, the standardized incidence ratio furthest from the null was for bromide (0.97; 95% CI, 0.94–0.99).

Conclusions

This study identified several groundwater constituents associated with kidney cancer. Public health efforts to reduce the burden of kidney cancer should consider groundwater constituents as environmental exposures that may be associated with the incidence of kidney cancer.
Flexible system software scheduling for asymmetric multicore systems with PMCSched: A case for Intel Alder Lake
Authors: Bilbao Carlos , Saez Juan Carlos , Prieto‐Matias Manuel
Published: June 2023

Asymmetric multicore processors (AMPs) couple high‐performance big cores and power‐efficient small ones, all exposing a shared instruction set architecture to software, but with different microarchitectural features. The energy efficiency benefits of AMPs, together with the general‐purpose nature of the various cores, have led hardware manufacturers to build commercial AMP‐based products, first for the mobile and embedded domains, and more recently, for the desktop market segment, as with the Intel Alder Lake processor family. This trend indicates that AMPs may become a solid and more energy efficient replacement for symmetric multicores in a wide range of application domains. Previous research has demonstrated that the system software can substantially improve scheduling—critical to get the most out of heterogeneous cores—by leveraging hardware facilities that are directly managed by the OS, such as performance monitoring counters, or the recently introduced Intel Thread Director technology. Unfortunately, the OS‐level support enabling access to these hardware facilities may often take a long time to be adopted in operating systems, or may come in forms that make its utilization challenging from specific levels of the system software stack, especially in production systems. To fill this gap, we propose PMCSched, an open‐source framework enabling rapid development and evaluation of custom scheduling‐related support in the Linux kernel. PMCSched greatly simplifies the design and implementation of a wide range of scheduling policies for multicore systems that operate at different system software layers without requiring to patch the kernel. To demonstrate the potential of our framework, we conduct a set of experimental case studies on asymmetry‐aware scheduling for Intel Alder Lake processors.