bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-invasive fluid biomarkers in the diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI): a systematic review
Authors: Feinberg Charles , Mayes Katherine Dickerson , Portman Ellie , Carr Catherine , Mannix Rebekah
Published: May 2023

Background

Despite approximately 55.9 million annual mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) worldwide, the accurate diagnosis of mTBI continues to challenge clinicians due to symptom ambiguity, reliance on subjective report and presentation variability. Non-invasive fluid biomarkers of mTBI offer a biological measure to diagnose and monitor mTBI without the need for blood draws or neuroimaging. The objective of this study is to systematically review the utility of such biomarkers to diagnose mTBI and predict disease progression.

Methods

A systematic review performed in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane and Web of Science followed by a manual search of references without a specified timeframe. Search strings were generated and run (27 June 2022) by a research librarian. Studies were included if they: (1) included human mTBI subjects, (2) assessed utility of a non-invasive biomarker and (3) published in English. Exclusion criteria were (1) non-mTBI subjects, (2) mTBI not assessed separately from moderate/severe TBI, (3) required intracranial haemorrhage or (4) solely assesses genetic susceptibility to mTBI.

Results

A total of 29 studies from 27 subject populations (1268 mTBI subjects) passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twelve biomarkers were studied. Salivary RNAs, including microRNA, were assessed in 11 studies. Cortisol and melatonin were assessed in four and three studies, respectively. Eight salivary and two urinary biomarkers contained diagnostic or disease monitoring capability.

Discussion

This systematic review identified several salivary and urinary biomarkers that demonstrate the potential to be used as a diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring tool for mTBI. Further research should examine miRNA-based models for diagnostic and predictive utility in patients with mTBI.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022329293.
Long-term stress conditions and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest risk: a nested case–control study
Authors: Eroglu Talip E , Coronel Ruben , Halili Andrim , Kessing Lars Vedel , Arulmurugananthavadivel Anojhaan , Parveen Saaima , Folke Fredrik , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Gislason Gunnar H
Published: May 2023

Objective

Patients with stress-related disorders and anxiety are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, the risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is scarcely investigated. We aimed to establish whether long-term stress (post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder) or anxiety is associated with OHCA in the general population.

Methods

We conducted a nested case–control study in a nationwide cohort of individuals between 1 June 2001 and 31 December 2015 in Denmark. Cases were OHCA patients with presumed cardiac causes. Each case was matched by age, sex and date of OHCA with 10 non-OHCA controls from the general population. HRs for OHCA were derived from Cox models after controlling for common OHCA risk factors. Stratified analyses were performed according to sex, age and pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Results

We included 35 195 OHCAs and 351 950 matched controls (median age 72 years; 66.8% male). Long-term stress conditions were diagnosed in 324 (0.92%) OHCA cases and 1577 (0.45%) non-OHCA controls, and were associated with higher rate of OHCA (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.64). Anxiety was diagnosed in 299 (0.85%) OHCA cases and 1298 (0.37%) controls, and was associated with increased rate of OHCA (HR 1.56, 95% CI1.37 to 1.79). We found no interaction with sex, age or history of cardiovascular diseases.

Conclusion

Patients with stress-related disorders or anxiety have an increased rate of OHCA. This association applies equally to men and women and is independent from the presence of cardiovascular disease. Awareness of the higher risks of OHCA in patients with stress-related disorders and anxiety is important when treating these patients.
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder myeloradiculopathy
Authors: Coradine Tácio Luis Cavalcante , Guida Lucas de Oliveira Cantaruti , Fraiman Pedro , Santos Adrialdo José , Pedroso José Luiz , Barsottini Orlando G P
Published: May 2023

A 56-year-old woman developed progressive subacute lower limb weakness with sensory and autonomic abnormalities. She had received a living-donor kidney transplantation 21 years before for end-stage chronic kidney disease and took mycophenolate mofetil and prednisolone. MR scan of the spinal cord showed bilateral cauda equina gadolinium enhancement and MR scan of the brain showed enhancing nodular hyperintensities in the internal capsule and globus pallidus. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed a pleocytosis with extremely low glucose, and positive DNA-PCR for Epstein-Barr virus. Her condition worsened despite empirically guided antimicrobial treatment. CSF immunophenotyping later identified mature, clonal B lymphocytes of large size, expressing CD19, CD20, CD200 antigens, and kappa light chain immunoglobulin, with absent CD5 and CD10 expression. We diagnosed a myeloradiculopathy from a monomorphic post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. This condition occurs after kidney transplantation and falls on the lymphoma spectrum. We review its clinical features, diagnosis and management.
Effects of dual use of e-cigarette and cannabis during adolescence on cigarette use in young adulthood
Authors: Islam Talat , Eckel Sandrah , Liu Feifei , Barrington-Trimis Jessica , Harlow Alyssa F , Benowitz Neal , Leventhal Adam , McConnell Rob , Cho Junhan
Published: May 2023

Introduction

E-cigarette and cannabis use by adolescents are risk factors for smoking initiation. We hypothesised that increasingly common dual use of e-cigarette and cannabis in adolescence leads to more frequent cigarette smoking in young adulthood.

Methods

Data are from a prospective cohort study in Southern California, where 1164 participants who ever used nicotine products in their lifetime completed surveys in 12th grade (T1:2016), and at 24-month (T2) and 42-month (T3) follow-ups. Past 30-day use (number of days: range=0–30) of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and cannabis, and nicotine dependence, were assessed in each survey. Nicotine dependence for cigarettes and e-cigarettes was assessed using original and modified (for e-cigarette) Hooked on Nicotine Checklists (number of dependent products: range=0–2). Path analysis examined the mediation process via nicotine dependence linking baseline e-cigarette and cannabis use to subsequent increased cigarette use.

Results

Baseline exclusive use of e-cigarettes (baseline prevalence, 2.5%) was associated with 2.61-fold increase in frequency of smoking days at T3 (95% CI 1.04 to 13.1), exclusive cannabis use (26.0%) with 2.58-fold increase (95% CI 1.43 to 4.98), and dual use (7.4%) with 5.84-fold increase (95% CI 3.16 to 12.81), compared with baseline non-users. Nicotine dependence at T2 mediated 10.5% (95% CI 6.3 to 14.7) and 23.2% (95% CI 9.6 to 36.3) of the association of cannabis and dual use, respectively, with increased smoking at T3.

Discussion

Adolescent e-cigarette and cannabis use was associated with more frequent smoking during young adulthood, with larger effects of dual use. Associations were partially mediated through nicotine dependence. Dual use of cannabis and e-cigarettes may contribute to the development of nicotine dependence and increased use of combustible cigarettes.
Impact of tobacco spending on intrahousehold resource allocation in Montenegro
Authors: Mugosa Ana , Cizmovic Mirjana , Vulovic Violeta
Published: May 2023

Background

The main goal of this study is to estimate the crowding out impact of tobacco expenditures on the household budget allocation to other mutually exclusive commodity groups in Montenegro.

Methodology

The analysis uses the Household Budget Survey data from 2005 to 2017 to estimate a system of Engel curves using a three-stage least squares approach. As the tobacco expenditure variable is endogenous to budget shares on other consumption items, instrumental variables were included to obtain consistent estimates.

Results

Overall, the results confirm the existence of the crowding out effect of tobacco spending on various commodities, such as some food items (eg, cereals, fruits and vegetables and dairy products), clothing, housing and utilities, education and recreation while a positive effect of tobacco consumption was estimated on budget shares on bars and restaurants, alcohol, coffee and sugary drinks. These results are consistent throughout the income groups of households. The estimates indicate that an increase in tobacco expenditures leads to reduction in budget shares on essential goods, which is likely to have negative impacts on the household living standard.

Conclusions

Tobacco expenditure crowds out household spending on necessities, especially in case of the poorest households, thus increasing inequality, hampering human capital development and potentially causing long-term adverse effects on the households in Montenegro. Our results are similar to evidence from other low and middle-income countries. This paper contributes to the analysis of the crowding out effect of tobacco consumption, which was conducted for the first time in Montenegro.
Short-term air pollution exposure and exacerbation events in mild to moderate COPD: a case-crossover study within the CanCOLD cohort
Authors: Ross Bryan A , Doiron Dany , Benedetti Andrea , Aaron Shawn D , Chapman Kenneth , Hernandez Paul , Maltais François , Marciniuk Darcy , O'Donnell Denis E , Sin Don D , Walker Brandie L , Tan Wan , Bourbeau Jean
Published: May 2023

Background

Infections are considered as leading causes of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Non-infectious risk factors such as short-term air pollution exposure may play a clinically important role. We sought to estimate the relationship between short-term air pollutant exposure and exacerbations in Canadian adults living with mild to moderate COPD.

Methods

In this case-crossover study, exacerbations (‘symptom based’: ≥48 hours of dyspnoea/sputum volume/purulence; ‘event based’: ‘symptom based’ plus requiring antibiotics/corticosteroids or healthcare use) were collected prospectively from 449 participants with spirometry-confirmed COPD within the Canadian Cohort Obstructive Lung Disease. Daily nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ground-level ozone (O3), composite of NO2and O3(Ox), mean temperature and relative humidity estimates were obtained from national databases. Time-stratified sampling of hazard and control periods on day ‘0’ (day-of-event) and Lags (‘−1’ to ‘−6’) were compared by fitting generalised estimating equation models. All data were dichotomised into ‘warm’ (May–October) and ‘cool’ (November–April) seasons. ORs and 95% CIs were estimated per IQR increase in pollutant concentrations.

Results

Increased warm season ambient concentration of NO2was associated with symptom-based exacerbations on Lag−3 (1.14 (1.01 to 1.29), per IQR), and increased cool season ambient PM2.5was associated with symptom-based exacerbations on Lag−1 (1.11 (1.03 to 1.20), per IQR). There was a negative association between warm season ambient O3and symptom-based events on Lag−3 (0.73 (0.52 to 1.00), per IQR).

Conclusions

Short-term ambient NO2and PM2.5exposure were associated with increased odds of exacerbations in Canadians with mild to moderate COPD, further heightening the awareness of non-infectious triggers of COPD exacerbations.
Synthesis and characterization of tetraphenylethylene-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene-stabilized gold nanoparticles with aggregation-induced emission
Authors: Bélanger-Bouliga Marilyne , Kihal Nadjib , Mahious Hanae , Nguyen Phuong Trang , Bourgault Steve , Nazemi Ali
Published: May 2023

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have found use in broad range of applications such as in catalysis and nanomedicine. Despite the fact that thiol-based AuNPs have been widely studied, they suffer from relative instability in various conditions, such as high and low temperatures, pH variations, and are prone to oxidation. Over the last decade, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been under spotlight as suitable ligands to stabilize metal nanoparticles and surfaces. Although NHC-functionalized AuNPs have been shown to outperform their thiol-based analogs in terms of stability, their applications in nanomedicine have not been realized. Hybrid nanomaterials, such as AuNPs tagged with π-conjugated molecules with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property, are promising candidates to develop fluorescent materials for cellular imaging. The combination of NHC-stabilized AuNPs with AIE to form stable, fluorescent hybrid AuNPs is of significant interest to open the door to develop new NHC-based nanomaterials. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of water-soluble fluorescent NHC-decorated AuNPs for potential applications in nanomedicine. Their stability in biologically relevant conditions is investigated.
Conserved quantities in STEGR and applications
Authors: Emtsova E. D. , Petrov A. N. , Toporensky A. V.
Published: May 2023

We derive conservation laws in Symmetric Teleparallel Equivalent of General Relativity (STEGR) with direct application of Noether’s theorem. This approach allows us to construct covariant conserved currents, corresponding superpotentials and invariant charges. A necessary component of our constructions is the concept of “turning off” gravity, introduced in the framework of STEGR to define the flat and torsionless connection. By calculating currents, one can obtain local characteristics of gravitational field like energy density. Surface integration of superpotentials gives charges which correspond to global quantities of the system like mass, momentum, etc. To test our results for the obtained currents and superpotentials, we calculate the energy density measured by freely falling observer in the simple solutions (Friedman universe, Schwartzchild black hole) and total mass of the Schwartzchild black hole. We find ambiguities in obtaining the connection, which explicitly affect the values of conserved quantities, and discuss possible solutions to this problem.
Inflation driven by non-linear electrodynamics
Authors: Benaoum H. B. , Leon Genly , Övgün A. , Quevedo H.
Published: May 2023

We investigate the inflation driven by a nonlinear electromagnetic field based on an NLED lagrangian density $${\mathscr {L}}_{\text {nled}} = - {F} f \left( {F} \right) $$

L
nled

=
-
F
f

F

, where $$f \left( {F}\right) $$

f

F

is a general function depending on F. We first formulate an f-NLED cosmological model with a more general function $$f \left( {F}\right) $$

f

F

and show that all NLED models can be expressed in this framework; then, we investigate in detail two interesting examples of the function $$f \left( {F}\right) $$

f

F

. We present our phenomenological model based on a new Lagrangian for NLED. Solutions to the field equations with the physical properties of the cosmological parameters are obtained. We show that the early Universe had no Big-Bang singularity, which accelerated in the past. We also investigate the qualitative implications of NLED by studying the inflationary parameters, like the slow-roll parameters, spectral index $$n_s$$

n
s

, and tensor-to-scalar ratio r, and compare our results with observational data. Detailed phase-space analysis of our NLED cosmological model is performed with and without matter source. As a first approach, we consider the motion of a particle of unit mass in an effective potential. Our systems correspond to fast-slow systems for physical values of the electromagnetic field and the energy densities at the end of inflation. We analyze a complementary system using Hubble-normalized variables to investigate the cosmological evolution before the matter-dominated Universe.
Classifying topology of consistent thermodynamics of the four-dimensional neutral Lorentzian NUT-charged spacetimes
Authors: Wu Di
Published: May 2023

In this paper, via employing the uniformly modified form of the generalized off-shell Helmholtz free energy, we investigate the topological numbers for the four-dimensional neutral Lorentzian Taub–NUT, Taub–NUT–AdS and Kerr–NUT spacetimes, and find that these solutions can also be classified into one of three types of those well-known black hole solutions, which implies that these spacetimes should be viewed as generic black holes from the viewpoint of the thermodynamic topological approach.
Hermitian Calabi functional in complexified orbits
Authors: He Jie , Zheng Kai
Published: May 2023

Let [Formula: see text] be a compact symplectic manifold. We denote by [Formula: see text] the space of all almost complex structure compatible with [Formula: see text]. [Formula: see text] has a natural foliation structure with the complexified orbit as leaf. We obtain an explicit formula of the Hessian of Hermitian Calabi functional at an extremal almost Kähler metric in [Formula: see text]. We prove that the Hessian of Hermitian Calabi functional is semi-positive definite at critical point when restricted to a complexified orbit, as corollaries we obtain some results analogy to Kähler case. We also show weak parabolicity of the Hermitian Calabi flow.
Segmentation of tumor region in respiratory disease by extended algorithm
Authors: Khorshidi Abdollah
Published: May 2023

Introduction: The expansion of pulmonary tumors and their alterations take place in a dynamic manner, so that vigorous segmentation of the obtained images is accurately required.

Methods: In this research, an extended algorithm in region growing was executed on CT lung tumors to investigate precise tumor region and edges. First, a new threshold via definition of greater target region around the initial tumor was implemented in MATLAB software. Second, nearby points were settled in an array and then these points were updated established upon the tumor growth to delineate the fresh tumor edges. Here, farthest distance from the center of color intensity point of the initial tumor was selected to grow the region in the algorithm. Third, fresh tumor boundary was determined via an interpolation between these fresh points by sketching lines from the tumor midpoint. Then, the edge correction was implemented and the fresh region was attached to the principal region to attain a segmented tumor exterior.

Results: The proposed technique enhanced the tumor recognition by 96% and 91% maximum and minimum accuracy, respectively, in comparison with basilar method. In inclusive algorithm, the percentage of conformity had a positive effect on realization of the threshold value and renewal of the relative amount by 13% enhancement over accuracy assessment. Also when compared to basilar algorithm, it was found that at least 12% of the percentage differences in conformity segment the tumor area in lung CT images. The proposed algorithm with sufficient accuracy accelerates the segmentation process to delineate and improve the tumor edges by growing multiple selected regions. The algorithm also guarantees the independence of the results from the starting point.

Conclusion: According to the definition of the center of mass of the tumor color intensity, the proposed extended algorithm may be generalized to the 3D images regardless of the matrix size and the image thickness. The combination of techniques such as machine learning is expected to improve segmentation accuracy for different types of nodule and tumor CT images.

Implications for practice: Proposed extended algorithm with sufficient accuracy accelerates the segmentation process to delineate and improve the tumor edges by growing multiple selected regions.
Super-Twisted Sliding Mode Control for Maximum Power Point Tracking of Wind Turbine Based on Neural Network
Authors: Qu Fan , Hu Hui , Xu Ruiting , Chen Ying , Peng Long , Yan Jiande , Xiao Wei , Yuan Junqi
Published: May 2023

Given the difficulties in measuring the effective wind speed of wind turbine during the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) process and the unknown nature of the system, this paper proposes a neural network super-twisted sliding mode control (NNST-SMC) method with echo state network (ESN) wind speed estimation. The rotor speed and electromagnetic power are taken as ESN inputs, and the effective wind speed is estimated through the inverse model of wind turbine dynamics. The super-twisted algorithm (STA) can effectively improve the chattering problem of the traditional sliding mode control (SMC) system. The RBF neural network is introduced to compensate for disturbance and uncertainty characteristics of the wind turbine. Results show that compared with the neural network first-order sliding mode control (NNSMC) and super-twisted sliding mode control (ST-SMC), the proposed method can improve the efficiency of wind energy utilization.
ℋC-subgroups and the p𝔉-hypercenter of finite groups
Authors: Lei Donglin , Gao Yaxin , Guo Yanhui
Published: May 2023

A subgroup [Formula: see text] of a group [Formula: see text] is called an [Formula: see text]-subgroup of [Formula: see text] if there exists a normal subgroup [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] for all [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we obtain new criteria for a normal subgroup to be contained in the [Formula: see text]-hypercenter of a finite group by assuming that some of its subgroups are [Formula: see text]-subgroups. Our results generalize and uniform many known results.
λ-pure derived categories of a Grothendieck category
Authors: Wang Xi , Yao Hailou , Shen Lei
Published: May 2023

Let [Formula: see text] be a Grothendieck category, [Formula: see text] an infinite regular cardinal. We investigate the [Formula: see text]-purity of [Formula: see text], and the [Formula: see text]-pure acyclic complexes in C([Formula: see text]). Using the [Formula: see text]-presentable objects, we verify that the class of [Formula: see text]-pure acyclic complexes is a thick subcategory of homotopy category. Then we construct [Formula: see text]-pure derived category naturally. Through some specific constructions, we get that bounded above [Formula: see text]-pure derived categories coincide with specific homotopy categories.
Annihilator of top local cohomology and Lynch’s conjecture
Authors: Fathi Ali
Published: May 2023

Let [Formula: see text] be a commutative Noetherian ring, [Formula: see text] a proper ideal of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] a nonzero finitely generated [Formula: see text]-module with [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] (respectively, [Formula: see text]) be the smallest (respectively, greatest) non-negative integer [Formula: see text] such that the local cohomology [Formula: see text] is nonzero. In this paper, we provide sharp bounds under inclusion for the annihilators of the local cohomology modules [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and these annihilators are computed in certain cases. Also, we construct a counterexample to Lynch’s conjecture.
Strongly Gorenstein-injective modules over Morita rings
Authors: Asefa Dadi
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we consider Morita rings with zero bimodule homomorphisms. We establish necessary and sufficient conditions for all strongly complete injective resolutions over a Morita ring [Formula: see text]. We also obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for all strongly Gorenstein-injective modules over [Formula: see text].
Detour distance Laplacian matrices for signed networks
Authors: Biju K. , Shahul Hameed K. , Atik Fouzul
Published: May 2023

A signed network [Formula: see text] with the underlying graph [Formula: see text], used as a mathematical model for analyzing social networks, has each edge in [Formula: see text] with a weight [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] assigned by the signature function [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we deal with two types of Detour Distance Laplacian (DDL) matrices for signed networks. We characterize balance in signed social networks using these matrices and we compute the DDL spectrum of certain unbalanced signed networks, as balanced signed networks behave like unsigned ones.
A Soft-Error Mitigation Approach Using Pulse Quenching Enhancement at Detailed Placement for Combinational Circuits
Authors: He Xu , Wang Yao , Liu Chang , Wu Qiang , Luo Juan , Guo Yang
Published: May 2023

As technology continuously shrinks, radiation-induced soft errors have become a great threat to the circuit reliability. Among all the causes, the Single-Event Transient (SET) effect is the dominating one for the radiation-induced soft errors. SET-induced soft errors can be mitigated by multiple methods. In terms of area and power overhead, blocking SET propagation is considered to be the most efficient way for soft error reduction. It is found that the SET pulse width can be shrunk by a pulse quenching effect, which can be utilized to mitigate soft errors without introducing any area and power overhead. In this article, we present an effective detailed placer to exploit the pulse quenching effect for soft error reduction in combinational circuits. In our method, the quenching effect enhancement is globally optimized while the cell displacement is minimized. The experimental results demonstrate that our method reduces the soft error vulnerability of the circuits by 29.53% versus 18.38% of the state-of-the-art solution. Meanwhile, our method has a minimal effect on the displacement and half-perimeter wire length (HPWL) compared with the previous solutions, which means a minimum timing influence to the original design.
Modeling Long-range Dependencies and Epipolar Geometry for Multi-view Stereo
Authors: Zhu Jie , Peng Bo , Li Wanqing , Shen Haifeng , Huang Qingming , Lei Jianjun
Published: May 2023

This article proposes a network, referred to as Multi-View Stereo TRansformer (MVSTR) for depth estimation from multi-view images. By modeling long-range dependencies and epipolar geometry, the proposed MVSTR is capable of extracting dense features with global context and 3D consistency, which are crucial for reliable matching in multi-view stereo (MVS). Specifically, to tackle the problem of the limited receptive field of existing CNN-based MVS methods, a global-context Transformer module is designed to establish intra-view long-range dependencies so that global contextual features of each view are obtained. In addition, to further enable features of each view to be 3D consistent, a 3D-consistency Transformer module with an epipolar feature sampler is built, where epipolar geometry is modeled to effectively facilitate cross-view interaction. Experimental results show that the proposed MVSTR achieves the best overall performance on the DTU dataset and demonstrates strong generalization on the Tanks & Temples benchmark dataset.
Review—Gassing Mechanisms in Lithium-ion Battery
Authors: Salomez Baptiste , Grugeon Sylvie , Armand Michel , Tran-Van Pierre , Laruelle Stephane
Published: May 2023

This paper provides a holistic view of the different studies related to gassing in NMC/graphite lithium-ion batteries over the past couple of decades of scientific development. It underlines the difficulty of predicting the concentration and the proportion of gas released upon cycling and storage and to get a clear mechanistic insight into the reduction and oxidation pathways of electrolyte solvents, the thermal electrolyte degradation, as well as the reactions that involve secondary sources such as water, NMC surface species and cross-talk reactions. Though many relevant experiments such as operando gas analysis using isotope-labeled solvents or two-compartment cells have been conducted, they failed, for instance, to determine the exact mechanism leading to the generation of CO and CO2 gas. Last but not least, this paper discusses different strategies that are currently proposed to reduce or eliminate gassing such as the use of electrolyte additives that enable singlet oxygen quenching or scavenging, NMC coatings that limit the contact with electrolyte and different lithium salts to prevent thermal electrolyte degradation.
Influence of Initial Porosity on the Expansion Behavior of Electrodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Moyassari Erfan , Kücher Simon , Jobst Nicola Michael , Chang Chia-Chin , Hou Shang-Chieh , Spingler Franz B. , Wohlfahrt-Mehrens Margret , Jossen Andreas
Published: May 2023

When charging or discharging a lithium-ion-battery (LIB), lithiation or delithiation of the electrodes takes place. Especially in the case of anode active materials, lithiation often leads to a significant volume increase. The latter can cause a rearrangement of the particles. Although the volumetric changes of state-of-the-art cathode materials have been found to be smaller than for anodes, they remain relevant. The combined volumetric changes of anodes and cathodes are an important factor influencing the lifetime of LIBs. An electrochemical dilatometer was used to measure the thickness change of various electrode active materials under minimal constant pressure (≈ 16 kPa): graphite, silicon-graphite (SiG) composite electrodes, and high-voltage spinel lithium-nickel-manganese-oxide (HVS-LNMO). The influencing factors investigated included the initial porosity of the electrodes, the particle shape of graphite, and the silicon content in the case of the silicon-graphite composite electrodes. Regarding all investigated electrodes, the initial electrode porosity is shown to correlate negatively with the irreversible thickness change during the initial cycles. The thickness change in each electrode was constant over the post-formation cycles, regardless of the initial porosity. Spherical particles in graphite resulted in slightly higher thickness changes than flake-type particles. The thickness change of SiGs increased linearly with silicon content.
State-of-Charge Estimation of Lithium-Rich Manganese-Based Batteries Based on WOA LSTM and Extended Kalman Filter
Authors: Li Zhiwei , Liao Chenglin , Zhang Chengzhong , Wang Liye , Li Yong , Wang Lifang
Published: May 2023

Recent years, electric vehicles gradually become popular, but their cruising range has become one of the main problems that plague car companies and users. The lithium-rich manganese-based cathode material batteries with higher energy density stand out. The state of charge is an important parameter. This paper selects a 19Ah lithium-rich manganese-based cathode material battery for research, using extended Kalman filter based on second-order Equivalent circuit model estimate its state of charge. However, the impedance spectrum of lithium-rich manganese battery is different from that of 18650 lithium-ion battery, and the second-order equivalent circuit model will have errors, resulting in the low accuracy of SOC estimation. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes two schemes: EKF-LSTM and LSTM-EKF. The whale optimization algorithm (WOA) is used to select the preset parameters. The results show that the LSTM-EKF method has the highest estimation accuracy, with a maximum error of 1.46%.
The cardiovascular subtleties of testosterone on gender-affirming hormone therapy
Authors: Santos Jeimison D. , Oliveira-Neto José T. , Tostes Rita C.
Published: May 2023

The growing number of people who identify themselves as transgender has gained increased attention in recent years and will certainly impact personalized clinical practices and healthcare worldwide. Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals frequently undergo gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), i.e., they use sex hormones to align their gender identity with their biological characteristics. Testosterone is the main compound used in GAHT by transmasculine people, leading to the development of male secondary sexual characteristics in these individuals. However, sex hormones, testosterone included, also influence hemodynamic homeostasis, blood pressure, and cardiovascular performance by direct effects in the heart and blood vessels, and by modulating several mechanisms that control cardiovascular function. In pathological conditions and when used in supraphysiological concentrations, testosterone is associated with harmful cardiovascular effects, requiring close attention in its clinical use. The present review summarizes current knowledge on the cardiovascular impact of testosterone in biological females, focusing on aspects of testosterone use by transmasculine people (clinical goals, pharmaceutical formulations, and impact on the cardiovascular system). Potential mechanisms whereby testosterone may increase cardiovascular risk in these individuals are discussed, and the influence of testosterone on the main mechanisms that control blood pressure and that potentially lead to hypertension development and target-organ damage are also reviewed. In addition, current experimental models, which are key to reveal testosterone mechanistic aspects and potential markers of cardiovascular injury, are reviewed. Finally, research limitations and the lack of data on cardiovascular health of transmasculine individuals are considered, and future directions for more appropriate clinical practices are highlighted.
A Deep Learning-Based Algorithm for Energy and Performance Optimization of Computational Offloading in Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Khan Israr , Raza Salman , Rehman Waheed ur , Khan Razaullah , Nahida Kiran , Tao Xiaofeng
Published: May 2023

Mobile edge computing (MEC) has produced incredible outcomes in the context of computationally intensive mobile applications by offloading computation to a neighboring server to limit the energy usage of user equipment (UE). However, choosing a pool of application components to offload in addition to the volume of data transfer along with the latency in communication is an intricate issue. In this article, we introduce a novel energy-efficient offloading scheme based on deep neural networks. The proposed scheme trains an intelligent decision-making model that picks a robust pool of application components. The selection is based on factors such as the remaining UE battery power, network conditions, the volume of data transfer, required energy by the application components, postponements in communication, and computational load. We have designed the cost function taking all the mentioned factors, get the cost for all conceivable combinations of component offloading decisions, pick the robust decisions over an extensive dataset, and train a deep neural network as a substitute for the exhaustive computations associated. Model outcomes illustrate that our proposed scheme is proficient in the context of accuracy, root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and energy usage of UE.
China’s Potential for Trade in Renewable Energy Products in RCEP Countries: A Gravity Model Analysis
Authors: Guo Qing , Mai Zishan
Published: May 2023

China’s renewable energy products have an important place in international trade, and the conclusion of the RCEP agreement can create favourable external conditions for China’s renewable energy product exports. This paper measures the export potential of China’s renewable energy products to other RCEP countries through a trade gravity model. The results show that (1) the GDP of the importing and exporting countries, the energy consumption of the importing countries, and the particulate emissions damage significantly enhance China’s renewable energy product exports; (2) among the RCEP countries, China has a greater potential to export renewable energy products to five countries in 2020, which are mainly located in East and Southeast Asia; and (3) from a dynamic perspective, China’s renewable energy trade potential is increasing, while in the Oceania region it is weakening, while trade links to Southeast Asian countries are developing in a more mature direction. Based on the above research, this paper puts forward corresponding policy recommendations.
Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Patients in North China: Seasonality and the Association between Vitamin D Status and Glycosylated Hemoglobin Levels
Authors: Wang Chang , Li Huan , Huo Lijing , Wang Qing , Zhang Tian , He Xiaoyu , Hao Jianan , Luo Yu , Ren Luping
Published: May 2023

Background and Aims. Previous studies have reported a correlation between vitamin D levels and seasonality in healthy populations. However, there are few studies on the seasonal variation in vitamin D levels and its relationship with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The objective of this study was to investigate seasonal changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and the associations between these vitamin D concentrations and HbA1c levels in T2DM patients in Hebei, China. Methods. A cross-sectional study of 1,074 individuals with T2DM was conducted from May 2018 to September 2021. Levels of 25(OH)D in these patients were assessed based on both sex and season, and relevant clinical or laboratory variables that could impact vitamin D status were also considered. Results. In the T2DM patient cohort, the mean blood 25(OH)D levels were 17.05 ng/mL. A total of 698 patients (65.0%) had insufficient serum 25(OH)D levels. The vitamin D deficiency rates were significantly higher in the winter and spring compared to the autumn (

P
<
0.05

), indicating that seasonal fluctuations can have a significant impact on 25(OH)D levels. The levels of vitamin D inadequacy were highest in the winter (74%), and females were more likely than males to be deficient (73.4% vs. 59.5%,

P
<
0.001

). In comparison to the winter and spring, both males and females showed higher 25(OH)D levels in the summer (

P
<
0.001

). HbA1c levels were 8.9% higher in those with vitamin D deficiencies than in nondeficient patients (

P
<
0.001

). HbA1c and vitamin D levels were negatively correlated (r = −0.119,

P
<
0.001

). Conclusion. Vitamin D deficiencies are particularly prevalent among T2DM patients in Hebei, China, with exceptionally high rates in the winter and spring. Female T2DM patients were at an elevated risk of vitamin D deficiency, and vitamin D levels were negatively correlated with HbA1c.
Effect of the Incorporation of Virgin Coconut Oil Byproduct in the Optimization Process of a Baked Snack
Authors: Fonseca-Bustos Verónica , Madera-Santana Tomás J. , Valenzuela-Melendres Martín , Islas-Rubio Alma Rosa , Montoya-Ballesteros Luz del Carmen
Published: May 2023

Snack consumption contributes to the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases because snacks contain high quantities of fat, sodium, and sugar. It is possible to reformulate these foods to improve their nutritional composition by incorporating coconut byproducts. This study aims to improve the nutritional profile of a snack by adding coconut flour to it. A Box–Behnken design was used to study the effects of coconut flour (40-60%), baking time (15-20 min), and temperature (140-160°C) on the physicochemical properties of the snack. There were considered response variables color aspects (L

∗

, a

∗

, b

∗

, C

∗

, and h

∗

), aw, moisture, BI, and hardness. The

R

2 was over 0.73 for aw, moisture, a

∗

, and b

∗

; meanwhile, as for the rest of the variables, it was lower to 0.71, except for the hardness, for which the model was not significant. For that, the variables considered for the optimization were aw, moisture, a

∗

, and b

∗

. It was found that the moisture content and a

∗

and b

∗

values decreased as the amount of coconut flour increased. Time and temperature reduced the moisture content and the aw and b

∗

values. The optimum conditions of coconut flour amount, time, and temperature were 55.3%, 20 min, and 159°C, respectively. The result was a snack with appropriate physicochemical properties and an increase in the content of protein, fat, and ash compared to the nixtamalized corn flour; also, the principal fatty acid of the snack was the lauric acid, characteristic of the coconut. This study validates the production of a snack made with a virgin coconut oil byproduct.
Accurate Modeling and Wave Propagation Analysis of Cracked Slender Structural Members by the Spectral Element Method
Authors: Liu Fushou , Liu Aobo , Wang Libin , Wei Yang
Published: May 2023

The analysis of elastic wave propagation in cracked structures is very useful in the crack detection by the ultrasonic guided wave method. This study presents an accurate spectral element modeling method for cracked slender structural members by using refined waveguide models and a more realistic crack model. Firstly, a spatial spectral beam element model is established for uncracked slender structural member based on the Love rod theory, the modified Timoshenko beam theory, and the Saint-Venant’s torsion theory. Then, the complete local additional flexibility matrix for crack in the structural member with rectangular cross section is derived from the theory of elastic fracture mechanics, and a two-node condensed spectral element model considering the stiffness coupling effect caused by the crack is established for cracked slender structural member. The wave response in cracked structures is solved by the numerical inverse Laplace transformation method. A thorough comparison of the wave responses in cracked structural member evaluated by the presented spectral element model and the 3D solid finite element model is given in the numerical example, which verifies the accuracy and high efficiency of the presented method.
The Role of Macrophage Autophagy in Asthma: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy
Authors: Wang Lijie , Yuan Xingxing , Li Zhuying , Zhi Fumin
Published: May 2023

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease frequently associated with airway inflammation and remodeling. The development of asthma involves various inflammatory phenotypes that impact therapeutic effects, and macrophages are master innate immune cells in the airway that exert diverse functions including phagocytosis, antigen presentation, and pathogen clearance, playing an important role in the pathogeneses of asthma. Recent studies have indicated that autophagy of macrophages affects polarization of phenotype and regulation of inflammation, which implies that regulating autophagy of macrophages may be a potential strategy for the treatment of asthma. Thus, this review summarizes the signaling pathways and effects of macrophage autophagy in asthma, which will provide a tactic for the development of novel targets for the treatment of this disease.
Supplementary Tables from Influence of Adipose Tissue Distribution, Sarcopenia, and Nutritional Status on Clinical Outcomes After CD19 CAR T-cell Therapy
Authors: Rejeski Kai , Cordas dos Santos David M. , Parker Nathan H. , Bücklein Veit L. , Winkelmann Michael , Jhaveri Khushali S. , Liu Lian , Trinkner Paul , Günther Sophie , Karschnia Philipp , Blumenberg Viktoria , Schmidt Christian , Kunz Wolfgang G. , von Bergwelt-Baildon Michael , Jain Michael D. , Theurich Sebastian , Subklewe Marion
Published: May 2023

Supplementary Tables
Supplementary Figures from Influence of Adipose Tissue Distribution, Sarcopenia, and Nutritional Status on Clinical Outcomes After CD19 CAR T-cell Therapy
Authors: Rejeski Kai , Cordas dos Santos David M. , Parker Nathan H. , Bücklein Veit L. , Winkelmann Michael , Jhaveri Khushali S. , Liu Lian , Trinkner Paul , Günther Sophie , Karschnia Philipp , Blumenberg Viktoria , Schmidt Christian , Kunz Wolfgang G. , von Bergwelt-Baildon Michael , Jain Michael D. , Theurich Sebastian , Subklewe Marion
Published: May 2023

Supplementary Figures
Data from Influence of Adipose Tissue Distribution, Sarcopenia, and Nutritional Status on Clinical Outcomes After CD19 CAR T-cell Therapy
Authors: Rejeski Kai , Cordas dos Santos David M. , Parker Nathan H. , Bücklein Veit L. , Winkelmann Michael , Jhaveri Khushali S. , Liu Lian , Trinkner Paul , Günther Sophie , Karschnia Philipp , Blumenberg Viktoria , Schmidt Christian , Kunz Wolfgang G. , von Bergwelt-Baildon Michael , Jain Michael D. , Theurich Sebastian , Subklewe Marion
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Although CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CD19.CAR-T) has proven clinical efficacy for multiple refractory B-cell malignancies, over 50% of patients ultimately relapse. Recent evidence has underlined the critical role of the host in determining treatment responses. In this retrospective observational study of 106 patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma receiving standard-of-care CD19.CAR-T, we analyzed the impact of immunometabolic host features and detailed body composition measurements on post–CAR T clinical outcomes. We extracted muscle and adipose tissue distributions from prelymphodepletion CT images and assessed laboratory-based immuno-nutritional scores. Early responders displayed increased total abdominal adipose tissue deposits (TAT: 336 mm3 vs. 266 mm3, P = 0.008) and favorable immuno-nutritional scores compared to nonresponding patients. On univariate Cox regression analysis, visceral fat distribution, sarcopenia, and nutritional indices significantly impacted both progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Patients with a low skeletal muscle index (SMI; e.g.<34.5), a sarcopenia indicator, exhibited poor clinical outcomes (mOS 3.0 months vs. 17.6 months, log-rank P = 0.0026). Prognostically adverse immuno-nutritional scores were linked to inferior survival [low PNI: HROS, 6.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.35–11.90; P < 0.001]. In a multivariable analysis adjusting for baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase, increased TAT was independently associated with improved clinical outcomes (adjusted HROS, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.08–0.90; P = 0.03). We noted particularly favorable treatment outcomes in patients with both increased abdominal fat and muscle mass (TAThigh/SMIhigh: 1-year PFS 50%, 1-year OS 83%). These real-world data provide evidence for a role of body composition and immuno-nutritional status in the context of CD19.CAR-T and suggest that the obesity paradox may extend to modern T cell–based immunotherapies.

See related Spotlight by Nawas and Scordo.
Data from p35 is a Crucial Player in NK-cell Cytotoxicity and TGFβ-mediated NK-cell Dysfunction
Authors: Wong Derek P. , Fritz Claire E. , Feinberg Daniel , Huang Alex Y. , Parameswaran Reshmi
Published: May 2023

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes with cytotoxic activity. Understanding the factors regulating cytotoxicity is crucial for improving NK-cell adoptive therapies. Here, we studied a previously unknown role of p35 (CDK5R1), a coactivator of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) in NK-cell function. p35 expression was thought to be neuronal-specific and the majority of studies are still focused on neuronal cells. Here, we show that CDK5 and p35 are expressed in NK cells and are kinase-active. NK cells from p35 knockout mice were analyzed and showed significantly increased cytotoxicity against murine cancer cells, while they did not show any differences in cell numbers or maturation stages. We confirmed this using human NK cells transduced with p35 short hairpin RNA (shRNA), showing similar increase in cytotoxicity against human cancer cells. Overexpression of p35 in NK cells resulted in moderate decrease in cytotoxicity, while expressing a kinase-dead mutant of CDK5 displayed increased cytotoxicity. Together, these data suggest that p35 negatively regulates NK-cell cytotoxicity. Surprisingly, we found that TGFβ, a known negative regulator of NK-cell cytotoxicity, induces p35 expression in NK cells. NK cells cultured with TGFβ exhibit reduced cytotoxicity, while NK cells transduced with p35 shRNA or mutant CDK5 expression exhibited partial reversal of this inhibitory effect pointing to an interesting hypothesis that p35 plays an important role in TGFβ-mediated NK-cell exhaustion.
Significance:
This study reports a role for p35 in NK-cell cytotoxicity and this might help to improve NK-cell adoptive therapy.