bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical model of ultimate shear capacity and flexural capacity design method of boundary elements for reinforced concrete frames with steel plate shear walls
Authors: An Yonghui , Lin Shentong , Ou Jinping
Published: September 2024

The steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) have been proven effective in reinforced concrete frames (RCFs) as a lateral force‐resistant structure. Despite of advancements, accurately predicting the ultimate shear capacity of RCFs with SPSWs remains challenging using current simplified models. Additionally, the flexural capacity design procedure for the boundary elements (beams and columns) in previous studies of RCF‐SPSWs involved intricate iterative procedures, hindering its widespread implementation. To address the two issues, this paper investigates the pushover responses and the plate‐frame interaction (PFI) of an RCF‐SPSWs system using theoretical and numerical methods. There are three main contributions. First, a theoretical model of ultimate shear capacity for RCF‐SPSWs is proposed, which can also be used to predict shear contributions of boundary frames in RCF‐SPSWs. Calculation errors for ultimate shear capacity of RCF‐SPSWs and shear contribution from the boundary frame are only 3.7% and 6.7% respectively, which are reduced dramatically compared with the traditional model. A simplified schematic diagram for the global collapse mechanism (uniform distribution of plastic hinges within a structure) of RCF‐SPSWs is developed to facilitate the calculation of internal work and reaction forces. Secondly, a flexural capacity design method for the boundary elements to avoid in‐span plastic hinges is proposed. The proposed method enables the achievement of direct estimation of the flexural demands that could trigger a global collapse mechanism, all without intricate iterative procedures. The applicability of current assumptions for the design of steel boundary frame in RCF‐SPSWs system is discussed, and engineering suggestions are provided to ensure safer and more economic designs. Comparison results confirmed the applicability of the proposed design method, which can be adopted to achieve the global collapse mechanism for RCF‐SPSW system. Thirdly, impacts of yielding panel actions on the flexural capacity of boundary elements of RCF‐SPSWs are clarified. Comparison results demonstrated that adding SPSWs to an RCF alters the axial force on boundary elements and significantly impacts the flexural capacity. A design suggestion is made to emphasize the importance of avoiding the balanced failure of boundary elements. The proposed theoretical model can be used to economize the cross‐section of boundary elements in RCF‐SPSWs system under seismic loads due to accurate prediction of their shear contribution; the proposed flexural capacity design method can achieve a global collapse mechanism, and thus the structural safety and energy dissipation capacity are improved; moreover, the building design efficiency is also improved due to avoidance of intricate iterative procedures.
Preliminary biogas production assessment on insect frass and leachates of the organic wastes fed to larvae: A Johannesburg‐based factory case study
Authors: Rashama Charles , Motsetsi Elijah M. , Christian Riann , Matambo Tonderayi S.
Published: September 2024

The biomethane potential of insect frass and leachates from waste (larvae feedstock) stockpile was evaluated. Frass was derived from a black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) operation that uses a fruit and vegetable waste diet. The two waste streams were characterized and the results of their compositional, proximate, and ultimate analysis were used in estimating methane yields from these materials. The estimated biomethane potential (BMP) of the frass ranged 149–275 L/kgVS depending on the calculation method used. This result compares well with that of empirical studies for cow manure whose BMP ranges 110–275 L/kgVS. Cow manure is the most popular biogas feedstock globally. Leachates reported an estimated BMP of 150 L/kgCOD. We conclude that it may be technically feasible to produce biogas from BSFL frass and from fruit and vegetable waste leachates. However, standard BMP experiments and semicontinuous pilot studies are still necessary before commercialization of these findings. These extra tests are executed to validate these findings and ascertain the life cycle attribute and long‐term process stability and hence determine the economics of using these potential substrates for biogas production as a strategy to implementing circularity in the fruit and vegetable industry.
Delay sensitive and energy adaptive clustering hierarchy protocol using enhanced agglomerative hierarchy algorithm with time‐controlled jellyfish optimization
Authors: Agnihotri Atul Kumar , Awasthi Vishal
Published: September 2024

Wireless sensor networks have sensing functions which made up of small sensor nodes that are processing and communication capabilities. However, the traditional approach of designating a single sensor node as the cluster head often leads to a faster depletion of its energy resources than another node. So, periodic reassignment of the cluster head role among different sensor nodes is crucial to extend operational lifetime and ensure sustained performance. Therefore, this research proposes an Enhanced Agglomerative Hierarchy Algorithm based on the Low Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (EAHALEACH) protocol, coupled with an enhanced time‐controlled optimization algorithm, to enhance energy efficiency by selecting the optimal cluster head from a candidate pool. The proposed method enhances energy efficiency by optimally selecting cluster heads, which reduces energy consumption and extends the lifespan of the network. Additionally, a lightweight energy‐aware cluster head rotation algorithm is introduced to efficiently rotate the cluster head role within the sensor node network, minimizing unnecessary data transmissions and extending the network lifetime. A hybrid approach combining Carrier Sense and Time Division Multiple Access (CSTDMA) optimizes packet forwarding by dynamically allocating time slots, reducing collisions and contention to improve packet forwarding efficiency. Comparative analysis with existing techniques demonstrates that the hybrid clustering‐based LEACH protocol achieves superior performance in terms of throughput 4600 bps by 2000 rounds, energy consumption 50 J, latency as 1 ms and network lifetime in 1000th node attains 3500 s. These advancements contribute to prolonged operational efficiency and sustained performance in wireless sensor network deployments.
Spatial accessibility of home visiting nursing: An exploratory ecological study
Authors: Ohashi Kazuki , Sato Miho , Fujiwara Kensuke , Tanikawa Takumi , Morii Yasuhiro , Ogasawara Katsuhiko
Published: September 2024

Background and Aims

Japan is one of the oldest societies worldwide and manages a system of care for older adults in the community. In the 2000s, a community‐based integrated care system was introduced to enable older adults to live in their neighborhoods. Home visiting nursing (HVN) is a crucial component of this system; however, the current and future shortage of home visiting nurses is a concern. Thus, HVN services may not be available in some areas; however, no indicators of the accessibility of HVN services have been developed. Developing accessibility indicators will serve as a standard for considering the allocation of health care resources and supporting future nursing policies that improve regional disparities.

Methods

We estimated the population‐weighted spatial accessibility index (PWSAI) of HVN services in Hokkaido, using the two‐step floating catchment area method (2SFCA). The 2SFCA comprised population, location of HVN agencies, number of home visiting nurses, and travel time. A multivariate regression model was run for the number of HVN users in each municipality as the objective variable to test the validity of the PWSAI; the number of home care support clinics, home care support hospitals, HVN agencies, home visiting nurses, home visiting nurses (24/7), total beds in health care facilities for older adults, and nursing homes for older adults were included as other explanatory variables.

Results

The PWSAI was median 9.0 [interquartile range: 6.2−11.8]. The distribution of the PWSAI was mapped to visualize the existence of regional differences. As a result of the conditional autoregressive model, PWSAI and home visiting nurses (24/7) were significant, Exp(β) and 95% credible interval were 1.043 [1.015−1.076] and 1.021 [1.006−1.036], respectively.

Conclusion

The PWSAI was positively correlated with the number of HVN users in each municipality and can serve as an indicator for assessing the accessibility of HVN.
Application of the mesh bridging technique in the excision of abdominal endometriosis lesions: Case report and literature review
Authors: Chen Yingying , Wu Lifang , Qian Cheng , Wu Wenting , Chu Boliang , Dong Jie
Published: September 2024

Abdominal wall scar endometriosis (AWE) is a rare endometriosis that usually occurs after gynecological or obstetric surgery and for which surgical resection is the standard treatment. For large tissue defects after resection, abdominal wall reconstruction is needed. Here, we describe a mesh bridging technique using biological and polypropylene meshes for abdominal wall reconstruction. A 34‐year‐old woman visited the center with complaints of low abdominal wall pain during menstruation for more than 5 years. Her surgical history included undergoing a cesarean section delivery twice. A mass measuring 6 cm × 5 cm × 3 cm was found above the symphysis pubis in the lower part of the abdominal incision. Endometriosis lesion was considered based on abdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging findings. After a multidisciplinary discussion that included surgical experts and gynecologists, the decision was made to perform abdominal endometrial focus excision plus abdominal wall reconstruction. Two kinds of mesh were skillfully used in the operation of this patient. Biological mesh was used close to the peritoneal side and covered with polypropylene mesh to reduce the stimulation by the polypropylene mesh of the peritoneum, enhance the strength of the biological mesh, and reduce the incidence of abdominal wall hernia. Our case demonstrates that accurate diagnosis of AWE followed by complete resection and reconstruction of the abdominal wall using a combination of biological and polypropylene mesh bridging can achieve good therapeutic results and patient satisfaction.
Ru catalyzed Ar–H activation as a key step for polycondensation
Authors: Bhattacharjee S. , Heitz W.
Published: September 2024

Ar‐H in ortho position in acetophenone can undergo oxidative addition to metals. With Ru catalysts this reaction can be used catalytically for the addition of olefins. The regioselectivity (1.2 vs. 1.1 addition) depends on the olefin. The difference in the reactivity of the two ortho positions can be quite high but is strongly dependent on the olefin. Norbornene shows a strong affinity towards both ortho positions, which might be a result of the steric requirements of the catalytic intermediate.
The influence of different inhibitors and ethylenes of different origin on the location of cloud points due to thermal polymerization of ethylene
Authors: Müller C. , Oellrich L.R.
Published: September 2024

During phase‐equilibrium measurements with ethylene as solvent in a temperature range between 150 and 250 °C and pressures around 2000 bar, thermal polymerization of the solvent was observed despite the presence of inhibitor. To suppress the polymerization as far as possible the influence of three different ethylene‐qualities as well as three different inhibitors on the formation of polyethylene were investigated as follows: initially pure ethylene/inhibitor‐mixtures were exposed to 250 °C, 2000 bar for two hours. Then cloud‐point‐measurements were performed. The reason for observed demixing was traced back to the presence of polyethylene. In order to quantify the degree of polyethylene formation elementary analysis of the solid residues were performed. Hydroquinone with a concentration of 0.5 wt.% turned out to be the most effective inhibitor, without, however suppressing polymerization completely.
Single‐Dose Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Onradivir in Chinese Patients with Hepatic Impairment and Healthy Matched Controls
Authors: Li Cuiyun , Li Haijun , Mai Jiajia , Zhang Hong , Wu Min , Ding Yanhua , Huang Jufang
Published: September 2024

This study compared the safety and pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of onradivir, an inhibitor of polymerase basic protein 2 in influenza A virus, in patients with hepatic impairment and healthy participants with normal hepatic function. Eight participants with mild hepatic impairment (Child‐Pugh A), eight participants with moderate hepatic impairment (Child‐Pugh B), and eight healthy matched controls were enrolled in this open‐label, parallel‐group clinical trial. After the administration of 600 mg of onradivir, pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated for each cohort and compared. Onradivir was generally well tolerated by all participants. No serious adverse events (AEs) and no deaths were reported during the study. Six patients with moderate hepatic impairment and three patients with mild hepatic impairment reported AEs, all of which were mild and quickly resolved. Compared with the normal liver function group, the maximum concentration, area under the curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration, and area under the curve from time zero to infinity were 103%, 68.5%, and 69.2% higher, respectively, in the mild hepatic impairment group. In the moderate hepatic impairment group, these increases were 101%, 197%, and 204%, respectively. Overall, there were clinically relevant differences in onradivir exposure between patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment and normal controls. These data imply that onradivir dose adjustment is warranted in patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (CT.gov identifier: NCT05856513).
Study on ultrasound diagnosis and pathological anatomy of fetal complex congenital heart disease in the first trimester
Authors: Yang Shuihua , Li Jizeng , Qin Guican , Liang Mengfeng , Liang Yan , Luo Suli , Yang Zuojian , Pang Yulan , Long Feiwen , Tang Yanni , Kong Lin
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To assess the feasibility of using the stereo‐microscope to identify the pathological anatomy of the congenital heart diseases in the first trimester.

Methods

Fifteen fetuses of 8–12 weeks aborted due to prevent miscarriage failure and 42 fetuses of 11–14 weeks with congenital heart diseases were included in the study, we dissected their hearts through a stereo‐microscope, then compared with the prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis.

Results

Using stereomicroscopy, the positive view of the heart and the great arteries, the long axis view of the aortic arch, the inflow tract view of the bottom heart, the semilunar valve view of the bottom heart, and the transverse section of the ventricle were showed contented and obtained satisfactory images, but the structure of atrioventricular valve and venous system had a lower rate of display.

Conclusion

The characteristic pathological changes of cardiac inflow and outflow tract can be obtained by dissecting the heart sequential under the stereo‐microscopy. However it is often difficult to obtain satisfactory pathological sections for pulmonary venous abnormalities and Ebstein anomaly.
Ultrasound is helpful to diagnose and identify aggressive angiomyxoma: A case report
Authors: Wan Min , Luo Hong
Published: September 2024

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AAM) is a rare kind of neoplasm derived from mesenchyma, which is easily confused with other superficial masses. Here, we present a 21‐year‐old young female with a 2‐year history of a mass in the right vulva. The patient's laboratory analysis yielded unremarkable results. Ultrasound examination revealed the presence of a heterogeneous solid mass in the right vulva with blood flow. Enhanced computed tomography imagines showed a capsular neoplasm in the posterior the perineal region without obvious enhancement. The patient received surgery. Biopsy after surgery revealed that the tumor was AAM. The patient was followed up regularly. In this article, we will describe sonographic and computed tomography imagines, histologic features of AAM, and review the related literature.
Biochanin A feed supplementation alters dynamics of trace gas emissions from lamb urine‐amended soil
Authors: Jacobs Alayna A. , Flythe Michael D. , Ely Donald G. , Munoz Leah , May John B. , Nelson Jim A. , Stanton Victoria , McGrail Rebecca K. , Pham Kent , McCulley Rebecca L.
Published: September 2024

Sustainable growth in livestock production requires reductions in trace gas emissions on grazing lands. Urine excreta patches are hot spots for accelerated emissions of carbon and nitrogen. Ruminant dietary supplementation with the isoflavone biochanin A (BCA) has been shown to improve cattle weight gain. To determine if BCA supplementation affects urine N excretion and soil trace gas emissions, soil in microcosms was amended with urine from lambs fed 0, 0.45, or 0.90 g BCA day−1. Soil gas emissions were measured over 60 days and analyzed with a linear mixed‐effects model with repeated measures. On 2 days during the incubation, BCA addition across doses significantly reduced nitrous oxide emissions by 73% and methane by 98% compared to urine from non‐dosed lambs. Cumulative ammonia volatilization was significantly reduced by 33% but cumulative nitrous oxide and methane emissions were not. Alterations in trace gas emissions occurred despite no change in urine N content with BCA feed supplementation. A separate laboratory incubation using urine from a non‐supplemented lamb that was exogenously spiked with varying BCA concentrations supported these results: BCA significantly altered ammonia and methane emission dynamics and reduced cumulative nitrous oxide emissions by up to 41%. BCA did not change soil microbial community structure, suggesting alterations to other processes, such as soil enzyme activity, were affecting soil trace gas emissions. Overall, lamb BCA supplementation did not affect urine N but reduced ammonia volatilization, which may contribute to greater sustainability in livestock production systems.
The current landscape of clinical exome and genome reanalysis in the U.S.
Authors: Frees Michelle , Carter Jennefer N. , Wheeler Matthew T. , Reuter Chloe
Published: September 2024

The majority of patients undergoing exome or genome sequencing receive a nondiagnostic result. Periodic reanalysis is known to increase diagnostic yield from exome sequencing, yet laboratory reanalysis practices are obscure. We sought to define the landscape of exome and genome reanalysis across clinical laboratories. Genetic testing registries were queried to identify eligible clinical genetic laboratories offering exome and/or genome sequencing in the United States. A survey administered to lab representatives investigated reanalysis offerings, policies, perceived uptake, bioinformatic steps, and billing options. The analysis consisted of descriptive statistics. Survey data were collected from 30 of 32 eligible laboratories (93%), comprising 28 exome products and 13 genome products. Reanalysis was widely available for both exomes (n = 27/28, 96%) and genomes (n = 12/13, 92%). Most participating laboratories required ordering providers to initiate reanalysis (n = 24/28, 86%). Most respondents estimated providers initiated reanalysis in less than 10% of all exomes (n = 12/22) or genomes (n = 6/9) sequenced. The approach to reanalysis varied greatly by laboratory. Laboratory approaches to exome and genome reanalysis are highly variable and typically require provider initiation. This could contribute to low reanalysis uptake and increased administrative burden on providers. Further work should emphasize development of clinical exome and genome reanalysis standards.
Compatible powers of Hamilton cycles in dense graphs
Authors: Cheng Xiaohan , Hu Jie , Yang Donglei
Published: September 2024

The notion of incompatibility system was first proposed by Krivelevich, Lee and Sudakov to formulate the robustness of Hamiltonicity of Dirac graphs. Given a graph , an incompatibility system over is a family such that for every , is a family of edge pairs with . Moreover, for an integer , we say is ‐bounded if for every vertex and its incident edge , there are at most pairs in containing . Krivelevich, Lee and Sudakov proved that there is an universal constant such that for every Dirac graph and every ‐bounded incompatibility system over , there exists a Hamilton cycle where every pair of adjacent edges of satisfies for . This resolves a conjecture posed by Häggkvist in 1988 and such a Hamilton cycle is called compatible (with respect to ). We study high powers of Hamilton cycles in this context and show that for every and , there exists a constant such that for sufficiently large and every ‐bounded incompatibility system over an ‐vertex graph with , there exists a compatible th power of a Hamilton cycle in . Moreover, we give a ‐bounded construction which has minimum degree and contains no compatible th power of a Hamilton cycle.
Can we define global collective action problems away?
Authors: Hagen Rune Jansen
Published: September 2024

The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals has rejuvenated an old debate: Can foreign aid be used to finance global public goods (GPGs)? There are those who see aid exclusively as a source of development funding for poor countries. And there are others who are open to answering the question in the affirmative. I put forward five arguments why the latter position is reasonable. Firstly, the formal definition of official development assistance (ODA) cannot be said to exclude its use in financing GPGs as these goods by definition benefit developing countries. Secondly, the amount of ODA provided has never been the gold standard of rich country effort envisaged by some. In particular, the level is boosted by the self‐interests of donors. Thirdly, there is ample precedent for following the benefit principle when it comes to multilateral organisations, which are often seen as GPGs. Fourthly, distinguishing between national public goods and GPGs is not always straightforward as the former are in many cases inputs into the production of the latter, and in such cases, the dividing line between ‘traditional aid’ and ‘funding for GPGs’ is blurred. Finally, it is not obvious in practice that aid as country finance always generates greater welfare gains for developing countries than the provision of GPGs. In sum, being overly normative with respect to what ODA is distracts us from the real problem, namely, that collective action problems result in too little spending on all international public goods, including poverty alleviation in poor countries.
Investigation of the effect of the alignment of the eye and the virtual image of virtual reality on fatigue in viewing VR device
Authors: Hong Hyungki , Kang Hyungoo
Published: September 2024

Cybersickness is a major problem hindering the use of fully immersive virtual reality (VR) systems. A mismatch between the interpupillary distance (IPD) and the inter‐optical system distance (IOSD) can cause discomfort when using VR devices. To solve this, the IOSD must be aligned according to the user's IPD. Herein, we investigated the effects of the optimum alignment of IPD and IOSD on eye fatigue when using VR systems. A method was used such that the IPD and IOSD for each participant were initially aligned under the condition that binocular fusion did not occur by displaying different left and right images. Fifteen university students aged 20–26 years were included. In the alignment and misalignment states, a symptom questionnaire was used to evaluate changes in the symptoms of participants after viewing a short movie using the VR device. We found that the obtained results in the eye strain category were statistically improved in the aligned state compared with those in the misaligned state. However, there were no significant differences in the general discomfort, nausea, focusing difficulty, or headache categories. Consequently, we confirmed that the alignment of the VR device using the proposed method can reduce eye fatigue when viewing VR content.
ChatGPT and Tourist Decision‐Making: An Accessibility–Diagnosticity Theory Perspective
Authors: Stergiou Dimitrios P. , Nella Athina
Published: September 2024

This paper investigates the role of ChatGPT in informing tourist decision‐making across different destination contexts, focusing particularly on the accessibility and diagnosticity of its recommendations. Specifically, we inform our analysis with the tenets of the Accessibility–Diagnosticity Theory (ADT), to draw insights into ChatGPT's capabilities to produce contextually relevant and personalised travel content. Our findings reveal a sophisticated and multi‐dimensional advisory approach characterised by three themes: ‘Tailored Engagement and Accessibility’, ‘Diagnosticity of Information’ and ‘Contextual Variation in Criteria Prioritisation.’ These themes and their intersections highlight ChatGPT's potential to improve tourist decision‐making by offering comprehensive and user‐centric guidance. Based on these findings, we develop a model of ChatGPT's advisory dynamics in tourism decision‐making, which illustrates how ChatGPT integrates personalised insights, diagnostic relevance and contextual adaptation, offering a blueprint for leveraging artificial intelligence in enhancing the travel experience. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and practical contributions of the study.
Context‐driven implementation strategies: Exploring three approaches to implement a lean capability framework within a global production company
Authors: Linderson Sara
Published: September 2024

This paper explores global implementation of capability building projects as part of an corporate lean programme. The aim is to identify the core parameters in global implementation of complex knowledge in various contexts within the corporation. The empirical research investigates the global implementation of a lean capability project in three regional clusters within a large pharmaceutical multinational production company. The findings indicate that contextual situations in regional clusters, for example, maturity levels, national culture, and previous experiences, influence the design of the implementation approaches embedding knowledge management principles in various ways. Three types of implementation approaches (horizontal, parallel, and delegated) are identified, which highlights the strategically different pathways to realise new frameworks for knowledge management. This study shows how adjustments to contextual situations influence the implementation process and identifies various hallenges with various approaches that may hinder the execution of lean strategy. This paper puts forward five identified implementation parameters that could guide future research and knowledge management practitioners in opex, HR, and learning and development functions.
Partial weight‐bearing and range of motion limitation significantly reduce the loads at medial meniscus posterior root repair sutures in a cadaveric biomechanical model
Authors: Sukopp Matthias , Schwab Nina , Schwer Jonas , Frey Julian , Metzger Jonas Walter , Ignatius Anita , Perl Mario , Salami Firooz , Vogele Daniel , Kappe Thomas , Seitz Andreas Martin
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of medial meniscus posterior root avulsion (MMPRA) before and after surgical treatment on the biomechanics of the knee joint, including suture repair forces during daily and crutch‐assisted gait movements.

Methods

MMPRA were investigated in eight human cadaver knee joint specimens by a dynamic knee joint simulator with daily (normal gait, gait with additional rotational movement, standing up, sitting down) and rehabilitation‐associated movements (crutch‐assisted gait with limited flexion range of motion [30°] and 30% [toe‐touch weight‐bearing, TTWB] and 50% of body weight [partial weight‐bearing, PWB]) with simulated physiologic muscle forces. Each specimen was tested in intact, torn and repaired (transtibial suture) state. The biomechanical parameters were: medial mean contact pressure and area, knee joint kinematics, medial displacement of the posterior meniscus horn and loading on the anchoring suture.

Results

Significant reduction of the contact area due to the avulsion was observed in all movements except for PWB and sitting down. MMPRA repair significantly increased the contact areas during all movements, bringing them to levels statistically indistinguishable from the initial state. MMPRA resulted in a medial displacement up to 12.8 mm (sitting down) and could be reattached with a residual displacement ranging from 0.7 mm (PWB) to 5.7 mm (standing up), all significantly (p < 0.001) reduced compared to the torn state. The mean peak anchoring suture load increased from TTWB (77 N), PWB (91 N) to normal gait (194 N), gait rotation (207 N), sitting (201 N; p < 0.01) and to standing up (232 N; p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Surgical treatment of MMPRA allows restoration of physiological knee joint biomechanics. Crutch‐assisted movements reduce the loading of the repair suture, thus likewise the risk for failure. From a biomechanical point of view, crutch‐assisted movements are recommended for the early rehabilitation phase after MMPRA repair.

Level of Evidence

Level V.
Harmonic‐Assisted Super‐Resolution Rotational Measurement
Authors: Guo Zhenyu , Wang Jiawei , Zhao Weihua , Gao Hong , Chang Zehong , Wang Yunlong , Zhang Pei
Published: September 2024

Enhancing rotational measurement resolution and broadening the detectable spectral range are two critical and unresolved matters within the realm of motion perception. The rotational Doppler effect (RDE) is combined with the harmonic generation process to create a rotational measurement scheme that offers flexible detection wavelength conversion, exponential improvement of measurement resolution, and real‐time display of detection results. In the experiments, a cascaded second harmonic generation process is employed to attain a fourfold enhancement in rotational resolution and demonstrate how low‐cost silicon‐based detectors can be used for real‐time detection of infrared objects. This scheme employs a Gaussian beam within the nonlinear process to achieve high conversion efficiency, thereby enabling potential for subsequent cascade amplification. Additionally, it is fully compatible with existing RDE schemes, allowing for co‐amplification of rotational resolution at both the front‐end and back‐end. This research could offer a more precise and cost‐effective method for remote sensing detection.
High serum magnesium level is associated with increased mortality in patients with sepsis: an international, multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Li Le , Li Li , Zhao Qiuyue , Liu Xiao , Liu Yaohui , Guo Kailin , Zhang Dongsu , Hu Chang , Hu Bo
Published: September 2024

Magnesium imbalances commonly exist in septic patients. However, the association of serum magnesium levels with mortality in septic patients remains uncertain. Herein, we elucidated the association between serum magnesium and all‐cause mortality in septic patients from American and Chinese cohorts by analyzing data from 9099 patients in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care‐IV (MIMIC‐IV) database and 1727 patients from a university‐affiliated hospital’ intensive care unit in China. Patients in both cohorts were categorized into five groups based on serum magnesium quintiles from the MIMIC‐IV dataset. Patients with higher serum magnesium levels exhibited an increased risk of 28‐day mortality in both cohorts. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) curves revealed a progressively elevated risk of 28‐day mortality with increasing serum magnesium in MIMIC‐IV cohort, while a J‐shaped correlation was observed in institutional cohort. Our findings have validated the association between high serum magnesium and high mortality in sepsis across different races and medical conditions. Serum magnesium levels might be useful in identifying septic patients at higher mortality risk.
Copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in health and disease
Authors: Yang Yunuo , Wu Jiaxuan , Wang Lisheng , Ji Guang , Dang Yanqi
Published: September 2024

Copper is a vital trace element in human physiology, essential for the synthesis of numerous crucial metabolic enzymes and facilitation of various biological processes. Regulation of copper levels within a narrow range is imperative for maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Numerous studies have demonstrated the significant roles of copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in health and disease pathogenesis. However, a comprehensive and up‐to‐date systematic review in this domain remains absent. This review aims to consolidate recent advancements in understanding the roles of cuproptosis and copper homeostasis in health and disease, focusing on the underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions. Dysregulation of copper homeostasis, manifesting as either copper excess or deficiency, is implicated in the etiology of various diseases. Cuproptosis, a recently identified form of cell death, is characterized by intracellular copper overload. This phenomenon mediates a diverse array of evolutionary processes in organisms, spanning from health to disease, and is implicated in genetic disorders, liver diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and various cancers. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying cuproptosis and copper homeostasis, along with associated targeted therapeutic agents. Furthermore, it explores future research directions with the potential to yield significant advancements in disease treatment, health management, and disease prevention.
Benchmarking deep learning‐based low‐dose CT image denoising algorithms
Authors: Eulig Elias , Ommer Björn , Kachelrieß Marc
Published: September 2024

Background

Long‐lasting efforts have been made to reduce radiation dose and thus the potential radiation risk to the patient for computed tomography (CT) acquisitions without severe deterioration of image quality. To this end, various techniques have been employed over the years including iterative reconstruction methods and noise reduction algorithms.

Purpose

Recently, deep learning‐based methods for noise reduction became increasingly popular and a multitude of papers claim ever improving performance both quantitatively and qualitatively. However, the lack of a standardized benchmark setup and inconsistencies in experimental design across studies hinder the verifiability and reproducibility of reported results.

Methods

In this study, we propose a benchmark setup to overcome those flaws and improve reproducibility and verifiability of experimental results in the field. We perform a comprehensive and fair evaluation of several state‐of‐the‐art methods using this standardized setup.

Results

Our evaluation reveals that most deep learning‐based methods show statistically similar performance, and improvements over the past years have been marginal at best.

Conclusions

This study highlights the need for a more rigorous and fair evaluation of novel deep learning‐based methods for low‐dose CT image denoising. Our benchmark setup is a first and important step towards this direction and can be used by future researchers to evaluate their algorithms.
Structural tensor and frequency guided semi‐supervised segmentation for medical images
Authors: Leng Xuesong , Wang Xiaxia , Yue Wenbo , Jin Jianxiu , Xu Guoping
Published: September 2024

Background

The method of semi‐supervised semantic segmentation entails training with a limited number of labeled samples alongside many unlabeled samples, aiming to reduce dependence on pixel‐level annotations. Most semi‐supervised semantic segmentation methods primarily focus on sample augmentation in spatial dimensions to reduce the shortage of labeled samples. These methods tend to ignore the structural information of objects. In addition, frequency‐domain information also supplies another perspective to evaluate information from images, which includes different properties compared to the spatial domain.

Purpose

In this study, we attempt to answer these two questions: (1) is it helpful to provide structural information of objects in semi‐supervised semantic segmentation tasks for medical images? (2) is it more effective to evaluate the segmentation performance in the frequency domain compared to the spatial domain for semi‐supervised medical image segmentation? Therefore, we seek to introduce structural and frequency information to improve the performance of semi‐supervised semantic segmentation for medical images.

Methods

We present a novel structural tensor loss (STL) to guide feature learning on the spatial domain for semi‐supervised semantic segmentation. Specifically, STL utilizes the structural information encoded in the tensors to enforce the consistency of objects across spatial regions, thereby promoting more robust and accurate feature extraction. Additionally, we proposed a frequency‐domain alignment loss (FAL) to enable the neural networks to learn frequency‐domain information across different augmented samples. It leverages the inherent patterns present in frequency‐domain representations to guide the network in capturing and aligning features across diverse augmentation variations, thereby enhancing the model's robustness for the inputting variations.

Results

We conduct our experiments on three benchmark datasets, which include MRI (ACDC) for cardiac, CT (Synapse) for abdomen organs, and ultrasound image (BUSI) for breast lesion segmentation. The experimental results demonstrate that our method outperforms state‐of‐the‐art semi‐supervised approaches regarding the Dice similarity coefficient.

Conclusions

We find the proposed approach could improve the final performance of the semi‐supervised medical image segmentation task. It will help reduce the need for medical image labels. Our code will are available at https://github.com/apple1986/STLFAL.
Biophysical modeling of low‐energy ion irradiations with NanOx
Authors: Alcocer‐Ávila Mario , Levrague Victor , Delorme Rachel , Testa Étienne , Beuve Michaël
Published: September 2024

Background

Targeted radiotherapies with low‐energy ions show interesting possibilities for the selective irradiation of tumor cells, a strategy particularly appropriate for the treatment of disseminated cancer. Two promising examples are boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and targeted radionuclide therapy with ‐particle emitters (TAT). The successful clinical translation of these radiotherapies requires the implementation of accurate radiation dosimetry approaches able to take into account the impact on treatments of the biological effectiveness of ions and the heterogeneity in the therapeutic agent distribution inside the tumor cells. To this end, biophysical models can be applied to translate the interactions of radiations with matter into biological endpoints, such as cell survival.

Purpose

The NanOx model was initially developed for predicting the cell survival fractions resulting from irradiations with the high‐energy ion beams encountered in hadrontherapy. We present in this work a new implementation of the model that extends its application to irradiations with low‐energy ions, as the ones found in TAT and BNCT.

Methods

The NanOx model was adapted to consider the energy loss of primary ions within the sensitive volume (i.e., the cell nucleus). Additional assumptions were introduced to simplify the practical implementation of the model and reduce computation time. In particular, for low‐energy ions the narrow‐track approximation allowed to neglect the energy deposited by secondary electrons outside the sensitive volume, increasing significantly the performance of simulations. Calculations were performed to compare the original hadrontherapy implementation of the NanOx model with the present one in terms of the inactivation cross sections of human salivary gland cells as a function of the kinetic energy of incident ‐particles.

Results

The predictions of the previous and current versions of NanOx agreed for incident energies higher than 1 MeV/n. For lower energies, the new NanOx implementation predicted a decrease in the inactivation cross sections that depended on the length of the sensitive volume.

Conclusions

We reported in this work an extension of the NanOx biophysical model to consider irradiations with low‐energy ions, such as the ones found in TAT and BNCT. The excellent agreement observed at intermediate and high energies between the original hadrontherapy implementation and the present one showed that NanOx offers a consistent, self‐integrated framework for describing the biological effects induced by ion irradiations. Future work will focus on the application of the latest version of NanOx to cases closer to the clinical setting.
Retrospective motion correction for cardiac multi‐parametric mapping with dictionary matching‐based image synthesis and a low‐rank constraint
Authors: Chen Haiyang , Emu Yixin , Gao Juan , Chen Zhuo , Aburas Ahmed , Hu Chenxi
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To develop a model‐based motion correction (MoCo) method that does not need an analytical signal model to improve the quality of cardiac multi‐parametric mapping.

Methods

The proposed method constructs a hybrid loss that includes a dictionary‐matching loss and a signal low‐rankness loss, where the former registers the multi‐contrast original images to a set of motion‐free synthetic images and the latter forces the deformed images to be spatiotemporally coherent. We compared the proposed method with non‐MoCo, a pairwise registration method (Pairwise‐MI), and a groupwise registration method (pTVreg) via a free‐breathing Multimapping dataset of 15 healthy subjects, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Results

The proposed method achieved the lowest contour tracking errors (epicardium: 2.00 ± 0.39 mm vs 4.93 ± 2.29 mm, 3.50 ± 1.26 mm, and 2.61 ± 1.00 mm, and endocardium: 1.84 ± 0.34 mm vs 4.93 ± 2.40 mm, 3.43 ± 1.27 mm, and 2.55 ± 1.09 mm for the proposed method, non‐MoCo, Pairwise‐MI, and pTVreg, respectively; all p < 0.01) and the lowest dictionary matching errors among all methods. The proposed method also achieved the highest scores on the visual quality of mapping (T1: 4.74 ± 0.33 vs 2.91 ± 0.82, 3.58 ± 0.87, and 3.97 ± 1.05, and T2: 4.48 ± 0.56 vs 2.59 ± 0.81, 3.56 ± 0.93, and 4.14 ± 0.80 for the proposed method, non‐MoCo, Pairwise‐MI, and pTVreg, respectively; all p < 0.01). Finally, the proposed method had similar T1 and T2 mean values and SDs relative to the breath‐hold reference in nearly all myocardial segments, whereas all other methods led to significantly different T1 and T2 measures and increases of SDs in multiple segments.

Conclusion

The proposed method significantly improves the motion correction accuracy and mapping quality compared with non‐MoCo and alternative image‐based methods.
Comparison of 3D UTE free‐breathing lung MRI with hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI in pediatric cystic fibrosis
Authors: Munidasa Samal , Zanette Brandon , Dumas Marie‐Pier , Wee Wallace , Braganza Sharon , Li Daniel , Ratjen Felix , Santyr Giles
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To compare phase‐resolved functional lung (PREFUL) regional ventilation derived from a free breathing 3D UTE radial MRI acquisition to hyperpolarized 129Xe‐MRI (Xe‐MRI), conventional 2D multi‐slice PREFUL MRI, and pulmonary function tests in pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease.

Methods

Free‐breathing 3D UTE and 2D multi‐slice 1H MRI as well as Xe‐MRI were acquired in 12 stable pediatric CF patients. Using PREFUL, regional ventilation (RVent) maps were calculated from the free‐breathing data. Ventilation defect percentage (VDP) was determined from 3D and 2D RVent maps (2D VDPRVent and 3D VDPRVent, respectively) and Xe‐MRI ventilation (VDPXe). VDP was calculated for the whole lung and for eight regions based on left/right, anterior/posterior, and superior/inferior divisions of the lung. Global and regional VDP was compared between the three methods using Bland–Altman analysis, linear mixed model‐based correlation, and one‐way analysis of variance and multiple comparisons tests.

Results

Global 3D VDPRVent, VDPXe, and 2D VDPRVent were all strongly correlated (all R2 > 0.62, p < 0.0001) and showed minimal, non‐significant bias (all <2%, p > 0.05). Three dimensional and 2D VDPRVent significantly correlated to VDPXe in most of the separate lung regions (R2 = 0.18–0.74, p < 0.04), but showed lower inter‐agreement. The superior/anterior lung regions showed the least agreement between all three methods (all p > 0.12).

Conclusion

Absolute VDP assessed by 3D UTE PREFUL MRI showed good global agreement with Xe‐MRI and 2D multi‐slice PREFUL MRI in pediatric CF lung disease. Therefore, 3D UTE PREFUL MRI offers a sensitive and potentially more accessible alternative to Xe‐MRI for regional volumetric evaluation of ventilation.
Investigation on the Instability Mechanism of Expansive Soil Slope With Weak Interlayer Based on Strain Softening
Authors: Xu Shuai , Jiang Hanjing , Xu Yongfu , Wang Aoxun , Qi Shunchao
Published: September 2024

Expansive soils are widespread in the world and coincide with areas of high human activity. The main cause of deep instability of expansive soil slopes is due to their softening caused by excavation and seepage. By developing a comprehensive numerical model based on the theory of unsaturated soil, this study examines the characteristics of stress and displacement distribution of expansive soil slopes through hydraulic‐mechanical coupled numerical simulation. This study analyzes the evolution patterns of slopes with excavation unloading and seepage of water storage to reveal the mechanisms of deep‐seated instability of expansive soil slopes. The findings demonstrate that: The instability of expansive soil slopes begins at the foot of the slope and propagates along the interlayer, affecting the entire slope. Excavation leads to the softening of the expansive soil interlayer and the transfer of shear stress. During water storage, the weakening of the soil strength results in slope instability along the weak interlayer slip. Softening of the expansive soil interlayer facilitates the redistribution of shear forces in the slope and alters the distribution law of the plastic zone in the deep layer. Overly slowing down the slope leads to significant excavation unloading, which is detrimental to the slope's stability.
A comparison of work characteristics and health status between Korean and US hospital nurses
Authors: Han Kihye , Trinkoff Alison M. , Baek Hyang , Kim Yeonhee
Published: September 2024

Aim

A rigorous examination of the occupational features across cultures helps draw policy recommendations for nurses' quality care practices and good health. This study aimed to explore the differences in work characteristics and health status between Korean and US hospital nurses.

Design

For this comparative secondary data analysis study, we constructed a dataset with 304 pairs of nurses from Korea and the United States, matched by age and gender.

Methods

We used the data from the 2020 Korean Hospital Nurses Health Behaviors and Health Status study, collected from May to July 2020, and the Nurse Worklife and Wellness Study (NWWS), conducted between November 2020 and February 2021.

Results

Compared to nurses in the United States, Korean nurses rated their job‐related conditions much lower, had lower intentions to stay in their current workplace and were less satisfied with their jobs. Korean nurses reported that organizational support and employee health resources were less prevalent and their levels of healthy behaviour practice and health status were lower than their US counterparts. Nurses in Korea require better practice environments and employee health support. Adequate workload and staffing levels are needed to improve job conditions for Korean nurses. Organizational support and employee health resources should always be accessible at nurses' workplaces.