bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Existence of Seed Resource Management Unit and Seed Grower to Support the Sustainable Certified Rice Seed in North Sumatera Province
Authors: Romulo Siagian Deddy , Chairuman Novia , Aryati Vivi , Fatimah Batubara Siti , Atrisiandy Khasril
Published: November 2022

The usage of qualified seed is one of practices in intensification strategy to minimize the rice yield gap. Unfortunately, its availability in North Sumatera Province is difficult to find. One of the measures to solve the scarcity is by maintaining the existence of the Seed Resources Management Unit (SRMU) and Seed Grower. This study has specific objectives, to inform the total potential production, the kind of varieties and the distribution of certified rice seed from SRMU and Seed Grower and to estimate the opportunity to enhance the certified rice seed sustainability. A descriptive method was used for this study by using observation and comparative analysis techniques. The results show that there are 4,693.5 ton of certified rice seed generated from SRMU and Seed Grower, which is Inpari 32, Mekongga and Inpari 42 are the dominated varieties. This study also found that the majority of certified rice seeds were distributed to Deli Serdang, Serdang Bedagai and Labuhan Batu Regency. By comparing the necessity of certified rice seed which is resulting from the total raw rice land area with the existing production, the existence of SRMU and Seed Grower is significantly needed to support the sustainable certified rice seed in North Sumatera Province.
A double integration method for generating exact tolerance limit factors for normal populations
Authors: Kang Pilsang
Published: November 2022

This article introduces a new method for generating the exact one-sided and two-sided tolerance limit factors for normal populations. This method does not need to handle the noncentral t-distribution at all, but only needs to do a double integration of a joint probability density function with respect to the two independent variables “s” (standard deviation) and “x” (sample mean). The factors generated by this method are investigated through Monte Carlo simulations and compared with the existing factors. As a result, it is identified that the two-sided tolerance limit factors being currently used in practical applications are inaccurate. For the right understanding, some factors generated by this method are presented in Tables along with a guidance for correct use of them. The AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) is a good, common measure about quality of a product lot which was already produced or will be produced. Therefore, when performing sampling inspection on a given lot using a tolerance limit factor, there is a necessity to know the AQL assigned to the factor. This new double integration method even makes it possible to generate the AQLs corresponding to the one-sided and two-sided tolerance limit factors.
A Convenient, Efficient, and Inexpensive Copper(I) Complex Catalyzed Sonogashira Cross-Coupling of o-Iodoanilines with Terminal Alkynes
Authors: Zhou Xiao-Yu , Chen Xia
Published: November 2022

Using (PPh3)2CuBH4 as catalyst, a convenient, efficient, and inexpensive palladium-free catalytic system has been developed to catalyze Sonogashira cross-coupling of o-iodoanilines with terminal alkynes under an air atmosphere to give a range of 2-ethynylaniline derivatives with up to 99% yield. This protocol is amenable to scale up. Notable features of the approach include good functional group tolerance, air atmosphere, and excellent yields.
Base-Mediated Direct Carboxylation of Heteroarenes with CO2
Authors: Zhang Cheng Y. , Chen Yan J. , Peng Xin H. , Wang Ya Y.
Published: November 2022

A base medium system, generated from a synergistic reaction between Cs2CO3 and t-BuOK, has been used for the direct carboxylation of imidazoles with CO2 in good yield. Oxygen- and thia-heterocyclic arenes also undergo the carboxylation with CO2 with the same reactivity. Density functional theory calculations show that construction of t-BuOCs in situ is an endothermic process of 38.31 kJ/mol. t-BuOCs can promote the deprotonation of substrates by forming an active C–Cs bond via a rather low HOMO (t-BuOCs)–LUMO (imidazole) gap of 0.28 eV, which favors the electrophilic insertion of CO2 by releasing 94.13 kJ/mol of heat.
Double Infection in a Patient with Chronic GVHD Post Allogeneic Transplant: “Hickam's Dictum” Trumps “Occam's Razor”!—A Case Report with Review of Literature
Authors: Saj Fen , Reddy Vendoti Nitheesha , Kayal Smita , Dubashi Biswajit , Singh Rakesh , Joseph Noyal Mariya , Ganesan Prasanth
Published: November 2022

Double pneumonia with Pneumocystis jirovecii (PCP) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) has been reported in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. A similar immune-suppressed state exists in allogeneic transplant survivors treated for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The clinical features and imaging findings could be quite similar in both the etiologies. Reaching a timely diagnosis and initiation of appropriate therapy is essential to prevent complications. We report a patient who had concurrent PCP and MTB pneumonia while on treatment for chronic GVHD. We describe the diagnostic challenge, the treatment, and outcome of this patient. We intend to sensitize physicians to consider more than one etiology in this subset of patients.
Pattern of Expression of CDX2 in Colorectal Cancer and its Role in Prognosis: An Ambispective Observational Study
Authors: Singh Jagdeep , Rajesh N G. , Dubashi Biswajit , Maroju Nanda K. , Ganesan Prasanth , Matta Kiran K. , Charles I , Kayal Smita
Published: November 2022

Introduction Caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2), a nuclear protein, is essential for the proliferation and development of intestinal epithelial cells and is frequently downregulated during tumorigenesis. CDX2 inhibits cell growth as well as stimulates differentiation by activating intestinal specific genes, thus lack of CDX2 favors tumor growth and aggressiveness.

Objectives We aimed to evaluate the pattern of CDX2 expression in all stages of colorectal cancer (CRC) and study its association with baseline characteristics and prognosis.

Materials and Methods Study was conducted as an ambispective observational study, enrolling cases of CRC retrospectively from January 2014 to July 2016 (30 months), and prospectively during next 18-month period till January 2018. We performed CDX2 staining by immunohistochemistry on the available biopsy blocks of CRC patients during the study period. Total 286 patients were registered during the study period, of which only 110 biopsy blocks were available for staining. CDX2 scoring was done by a semiquantitative method on whole tissue section for the intensity and percentage of the cells showing positivity. Correlation of CDX2 expression was done with baseline clinical and histopathologic characteristics, and survival.

Results Of 110 patients, 77 (70%) constituted colon cancer and 33 (30%) were rectal cancer. The median age was 54.2 years, 62 (56.4%) being male and 48 (43.6%) female with male-to-female ratio 1.3:1. In the study cohort, 33 (30%) patients had stage II disease, 30 (27.3%) stage III, and 47 (42.7%) were stage IV. Seventy-three (66.4%) were positive for CDX2 and 37 (33.4%) were negative. Loss of CDX2 expression was significantly associated with advanced stage, rectal site, poor grade of differentiation, and presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVSI). With median follow-up of 16 months, progression-free survival (PFS) at 2 years was 30% for CDX2 negative patients compared with 67% for CDX2 positive (p = 0.009), while overall survival (OS) at 2 years was 46% for CDX2 negative versus 77% for positive patients (p = 0.01).

Conclusion Loss of CDX2 expression is associated with advanced stage, higher tumor grade, presence of LVSI, and worse PFS and OS and thereby functions as a poor prognostic factor in CRC.
Copper(I)-Catalysed Reaction of Hydrazonyl Chlorides with Homopropargylic Alcohols: Regioselective Synthesis of 5-Substituted Pyrazoles
Authors: Molteni Giorgio , Silvani Alessandra , Manenti Marco
Published: November 2022

Fully regioselective synthesis of 5-hydroxyethylpyrazoles was exploited by reacting hydrazonoyl chlorides with homopropargylic alcohols in the presence of catalytic amounts of copper(I) chloride. Good yields of pyrazolic products and mild reaction conditions were experienced notwithstanding the known, poor reactivity of homopropargylic alcohols towards hydrazonoyl chlorides. The role of copper(I) ion and some mechanistic insights for the formation of reaction products are also discussed.
Non-invasive focalized stimulation in deep brain using the spatially symmetric array
Authors: Fang Xiao , Yun Chen , Zeng Chaoxu , Ding Hongfa , Huang Yongheng , Liu Wei , Luo Yaoyao
Published: November 2022

As a non-invasive neuromodulation technology, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) shows great potential in the treatment of mental diseases. Using TMS to stimulate deep brain targets has significant scientific research value for the exploration of the causes of psychiatric diseases. However, the focalized induced electrical field (E-field) generated by traditional TMS coils or coil arrays is largely restricted to superficial cortical targets. To achieve focalized stimulation in the deep brain, a novel spatially symmetric array based on curved θ-type coils (the θ-SSA) is proposed in this paper. Four θ-type coils in the array are symmetrical to the YZ and XZ planes. Each θ-type coil is placed tangent to the human scalp and bent away from the human head to reduce the non-longitudinal component accumulation of the induced E-field and enhance the stimulation focalization. The finite-element method is used to obtain the 3D spatial distributions of the intracranial induced E-field generated by the proposed array. Results show that the θ-SSA can form an obvious focusing area in the deep brain 11 cm below the scalp. Under identical stimulation current excitation, the θ-SSA can increase the intracranial longitudinal attenuation ratio by 77% compared to the traditional TMS coil. In addition, when generating the same focusing area, the stimulation depth of the θ-SSA is 1.67 times deeper than that of the traditional TMS coil. Meanwhile, the proposed array can dynamically steer the intracranial stimulated area, and the spatial coordinates of the intracranial stimulation target point can be flexibly and continuously adjusted when changing the stimulation current parameters applied to the array. An anatomically realistic human head model with gray matter is employed in this paper to verify our method.
How to print high-mobility metal oxide transistors—Recent advances in ink design, processing, and device engineering
Authors: Scheideler William J. , Subramanian Vivek
Published: November 2022

High-throughput printing-based fabrication has emerged as a key enabler of flexible electronics given its unique capability for low-cost integration of circuits based on printed thin film transistors (TFTs). Research in printing inorganic metal oxides has revealed the potential for fabricating oxide TFTs with an unmatched combination of high electron mobility and optical transparency. Here, we highlight recent developments in ink chemistry, printing physics, and material design for high-mobility metal oxide transistors. We consider ongoing challenges for this field that include lowering process temperatures, achieving high speed and high resolution printing, and balancing device performance with the need for high mechanical flexibility. Finally, we provide a roadmap for overcoming these challenges with emerging synthetic strategies for fabricating 2D oxides and complementary TFT circuits for flexible electronics.
Multilayered allosteric modulation of coupled folding and binding by phosphorylation, peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerization, and diversity of interaction partners
Authors: Buholzer Karin J. , McIvor Jordan , Zosel Franziska , Teppich Christian , Nettels Daniel , Mercadante Davide , Schuler Benjamin
Published: November 2022

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) play key roles in cellular regulation, including signal transduction, transcription, and cell-cycle control. Accordingly, IDPs can commonly interact with numerous different target proteins, and their interaction networks are expected to be highly regulated. However, many of the underlying regulatory mechanisms have remained unclear. Here, we examine the representative case of the nuclear coactivator binding domain (NCBD) of the large multidomain protein CBP, a hub in transcriptional regulation, and the interaction with several of its binding partners. Single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer measurements show that phosphorylation of NCBD reduces its binding affinity, with effects that vary depending on the binding partner and the site and number of modifications. The complexity of the interaction is further increased by the dependence of the affinities on peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerization in NCBD. Overall, our results reveal the potential for allosteric regulation on at least three levels: the different affinities of NCBD for its different binding partners, the differential modulation of these affinities by phosphorylation, and the effect of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerization on binding.
Comparing two methods to measure oxidative pyrolysis gases in a wind tunnel and in prescribed burns
Authors: Weise David R. , Johnson Timothy J. , Myers Tanya L. , Hao Wei Min , Baker Stephen , Palarea-Albaladejo Javier , Scharko Nicole K. , Bradley Ashley M. , Banach Catherine A. , Tonkyn Russell G.
Published: November 2022

Background Fire models use pyrolysis data from ground samples and environments that differ from wildland conditions. Two analytical methods successfully measured oxidative pyrolysis gases in wind tunnel and field fires: Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography with flame-ionisation detector (GC-FID). Compositional data require appropriate statistical analysis. Aims To determine if oxidative pyrolysis gas composition differed between analytical methods and locations (wind tunnel and field). Methods Oxidative pyrolysis gas sample composition collected in wind tunnel and prescribed fires was determined by FTIR and GC/FID. Proportionality between gases was tested. Analytical method and location effects on composition were tested using permutational multivariate analysis of variance and the Kruskal–Wallis test. Key results Gases proportional to each other were identified. The FTIR composition differed between locations. The subcomposition of common gases differed between analytical methods but not between locations. Relative amount of the primary fuel gases (CO, CH4) was not significantly affected by location. Conclusions Composition of trace gases differed between the analytical methods; however, each method yielded a comparable description of the primary fuel gases. Implications Both FTIR and GC/FID methods can be used to quantify primary pyrolysis fuel gases for physically-based fire models. Importance of the trace gases in combustion models remains to be determined.
Communication by means of modulated Johnson noise
Authors: Kapetanovic Zerina , Morales Miguel , Smith Joshua R.
Published: November 2022

We present the design of a passive wireless communication method that does not rely on ambient or generated RF sources. Instead, the method modulates the Johnson (thermal) noise of a resistor to transmit information bits wirelessly. By selectively connecting or disconnecting a matched resistor to an antenna, the system can achieve data rates of up to 26 bps and distances of up to 7.3 m. This communication method operates at very low power, similar to that of an RFID tag, with the advantage of not requiring a preexisting RF signal to reflect.
Neurocomputational evidence that conflicting prosocial motives guide distributive justice
Authors: Li Yue , Hu Jie , Ruff Christian C. , Zhou Xiaolin
Published: November 2022

In the history of humanity, most conflicts within and between societies have originated from perceived inequality in resource distribution. How humans achieve and maintain distributive justice has therefore been an intensely studied issue. However, most research on the corresponding psychological processes has focused on inequality aversion and has been largely agnostic of other motives that may either align or oppose this behavioral tendency. Here we provide behavioral, computational, and neuroimaging evidence that distribution decisions are guided by three distinct motives—inequality aversion, harm aversion, and rank reversal aversion—that interact with each other and can also deter individuals from pursuing equality. At the neural level, we show that these three motives are encoded by separate neural systems, compete for representation in various brain areas processing equality and harm signals, and are integrated in the striatum, which functions as a crucial hub for translating the motives to behavior. Our findings provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the cognitive and biological processes by which multiple prosocial motives are coordinated in the brain to guide redistribution behaviors. This framework enhances our understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying equality-related behavior, suggests possible neural origins of individual differences in social preferences, and provides a new pathway to understand the cognitive and neural basis of clinical disorders with impaired social functions.
The
Caenorhabditis elegans
ARIP-4 DNA helicase couples mitochondrial surveillance to immune, detoxification, and antiviral pathways
Authors: Mao Kai , Breen Peter , Ruvkun Gary
Published: November 2022

Surveillance of
Caenorhabditis elegans
mitochondrial status is coupled to defense responses such as drug detoxification, immunity, antiviral RNA interference (RNAi), and regulation of life span. A cytochrome p540 detoxification gene,
cyp-14A4
, is specifically activated by mitochondrial dysfunction. The nuclear hormone receptor NHR-45 and the transcriptional Mediator component MDT-15/MED15 are required for the transcriptional activation of
cyp-14A4
by mitochondrial mutations, gene inactivations, or toxins. A genetic screen for mutations that fail to activate this cytochrome p450 gene upon drug or mutation-induced mitochondrial dysfunction identified a DNA helicase ARIP-4 that functions in concert with the NHR-45 transcriptional regulatory cascade. In response to mitochondrial dysfunction, ARIP-4 and NHR-45 protein interaction is enhanced, and they relocalize from the nuclear periphery to the interior of intestinal nuclei. NHR-45/ARIP-4 also regulates the transcriptional activation of the
eol-1
gene that encodes a decapping enzyme required for enhanced RNAi and transgene silencing of mitochondrial mutants. In the absence of
arip-4
, animals were more susceptible to the mitochondrial inhibitor antimycin. Thus, ARIP-4 serves as a transcriptional coactivator of NHR-45 to promote this defense response. A null mutation in
arip-4
extends the life span and health span of both wild type and a mitochondrial mutant, suggesting that the activation of detoxification pathways is deleterious to health when the mitochondrial dysfunction is caused by mutation that cannot be cytochrome p450-detoxified. Thus,
arip-4
acts in a pathway that couples mitochondrial surveillance to the activation of downstream immunity, detoxification, and RNAi responses.
Expressing the existence of an event with ‘you(to have) + VP’ in Taiwan Mandarin
Authors: Collart Aymeric , Su Hung-Kuan
Published: November 2022

The verbyou‘to have’ in standard Mandarin is typically followed by a noun.Youcan also take a VP as its complement (‘you+ VP’) in several varieties of Mandarin. However, the function associated with it is still under debate: ‘you+ VP’ has been analyzed as expressing past tense, perfective aspect, perfect aspect, or realis mood. This paper assesses these analyses by conducting a corpus-based investigation of ‘you+ VP’ on the PTT platform and by looking at different morphosyntactic environments in which it is used. The data favor analyzing ‘you+ VP’ as expressing an assertive modality meaning (the situation is considered true in the real world by the speaker). This analysis corroborates with the high frequency of ‘you+ VP’ in assertive environments (e.g., after factual verbs in embedded clauses, with attitudinal adverbs of truth value, among others). Conversely, taking ‘you+ VP’ as indicating past tense or perfective aspect is challenged by the present data, and the perfect aspect analysis cannot explain all the environments in which ‘you+ VP’ is used. This paper provides new insights regarding the morphosyntactic use of ‘you+ VP’ and sheds light on the meaning this construction encodes.
(Re)chronotopizing the pandemic
Authors: Catedral Lydia
Published: November 2022

In this article I apply the notions of chronotope and (re)chronotopization to
the case of grassroots, migrant domestic worker (MDW) led activism during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. I compare the
chronotopes that are produced by the Hong Kong government with those produced by migrant-led organizations to understand how
migrants are marginalized and how they resist this marginalization. More specifically, I show how the spatiotemporal
configurations of “home,” “days off,” and “the time of COVID-19 in Hong Kong” are rechronotopized – that is, reimagined,
remoralized and rematerialized – through the discourses and actions of these grassroots organizations. I use this data and
analysis to reflect on how the notion of rechronotopization can account for the social processes involved in activism more
broadly; and to draw attention to the dialectic relationship between differently scaled chronotopic materialities and morally
loaded chronotopic imaginaries.
GSK3α phosphorylates dynamin-2 to promote GLUT4 endocytosis in muscle cells
Authors: Laiman Jessica , Hsu Yen-Jung , Loh Julie , Tang Wei-Chun , Chuang Mei-Chun , Liu Hui-Kang , Yang Wei-Shun , Chen Bi-Chang , Chuang Lee-Ming , Chang Yi-Cheng , Liu Ya-Wen
Published: November 2022

Insulin-stimulated translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to plasma membrane of skeletal muscle is critical for postprandial glucose uptake; however, whether the internalization of GLUT4 is also regulated by insulin signaling remains unclear. Here, we discover that the activity of dynamin-2 (Dyn2) in catalyzing GLUT4 endocytosis is negatively regulated by insulin signaling in muscle cells. Mechanistically, the fission activity of Dyn2 is inhibited by binding with the SH3 domain of Bin1. In the absence of insulin, GSK3α phosphorylates Dyn2 to relieve the inhibition of Bin1 and promotes endocytosis. Conversely, insulin signaling inactivates GSK3α and leads to attenuated GLUT4 internalization. Furthermore, the isoform-specific pharmacological inhibition of GSK3α significantly improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in diet-induced insulin-resistant mice. Together, we identify a new role of GSK3α in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal by regulating Dyn2-mediated GLUT4 endocytosis in muscle cells. These results highlight the isoform-specific function of GSK3α on membrane trafficking and its potential as a therapeutic target for metabolic disorders.
A precise measurement method for tube endpoints based on spatial geometry and perspective projection model
Authors: Zhao Hao , Xia Renbo , Chen Yueling , Zou Hangbo , Zhang Tao
Published: November 2022

Tubes are widely used in the aerospace field for such things as engines, fuel pipelines, cooling systems, etc. To improve manufacturing efficiency and accuracy, researchers develop multi-camera vision methods for measuring tube geometry parameters. However, these methods cannot measure the exact position of the endpoints of the tube, because the projection points of the tube endpoints have no obvious texture features in the image. To solve the above problem, a precise measurement method for tube endpoints based on spatial geometry and perspective projection model is proposed in this paper. First, we establish a Plücker coordinate system, which treats the end of the tube as a cylinder. Then, several line equations parallel to the center line are calculated on the surface of the cylinder and their intersections with the end face are obtained on these lines, which refers to the optical center of the camera, the radius of the tube, and etc. These intersections are projected onto the centerline and optimized to get the endpoint. Finally, we build a multi-camera vision measurement system consisting of ten industrial cameras to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Extensive experiments have shown that the average error of this method is within 0.1 mm, and the standard deviation is within 0.08 mm, which proves the superiority of our proposed method.
Generalized Hardy operators
Authors: Bui The Anh , D’Ancona Piero
Published: November 2022

Consider the operator on

L

2

(

R

d

)

L

a

=

(

−
Δ

)

α
/
2

+
a
|
x

|

−
α

with

0
<
α
<
m
i
n

{

2
,
d

}

. Under the condition

a
⩾
−

2

α

Γ

(

(

d
+
α

)

/
4

)

2

Γ

(

(

d
−
α

)

/
4

)

2

the operator is non negative and selfadjoint. We prove that fractional powers

L

a

s
/
2

for s ∈ (0, 2] satisfy the estimates

L

a

s
/
2

f

L

p

≲

(

−
Δ

)

α
s
/
4

f

L

p

,

(

−
Δ

)

s
/
2

f

L

p

≲

L

a

α
s
/
4

f

L

p

for suitable ranges of p. Our result fills the remaining gap in earlier results from Killip et al (2018 Math. Z.
288 1273–98); Merz (2021 Math. Z.
299 101–21); Frank et al (Int. Math. Res. Not.
2021 2284–303). The method of proof is based on square function estimates for operators whose heat kernel has a weak decay.
Wearable ultraviolet sensing fibers embedded with carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanowires
Authors: Yang Jonguk , Jeong Sang-Mi , Seo Keumyoung , Lim Taekyung , Ju Sanghyun
Published: November 2022

Owing to the increasing interest in personal health, the real-time measurement of the exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays during outdoor activities is a key technology that could be widely applied in the field of smart healthcare. Although wearable sensors that respond to UV intensity are being investigated, the development of sensors with stable durability and excellent sensing characteristics, despite movements, such as bending and exposure to external factors, including sweat and rain, is insufficient. In this study, we fabricated a wearable UV fiber sensor by embedding conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and UV-sensitive zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs) into highly elastic spandex fiber via a simple dipping-drying procedure. The ZnO NWs and CNTs coated in the form of a network inside the strands that constitute the spandex fiber enhanced the stability of the UV sensing measurements despite external changes, such as bending. In addition, by coating hydrophobic (3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-heptadecafluorodecyl)phosphonic acid onto the ZnO NWs, the current distortion of the UV sensing channel due to contact with liquid could be prevented. It was confirmed that the fiber-based UV sensor, in which ZnO NWs and CNTs are networked, responds sensitively to UV in an environment with exposure to water or sweat.
3D printed flexible wearable sensors based on triply periodic minimal surface structures for biomonitoring applications
Authors: Imanian Mohammad Ebrahim , Kardan-Halvaei Mostafa , Nasrollahi Fatemeh , Imanian Ali , Montazerian Hossein , Nasrollahi Vahid
Published: November 2022

Soft piezoresistive wearable conductors have led to a paradigm shift in the monitoring of human bodily motions. Cellular additively manufactured conductors are promising piezoresistive components as they offer mechanical tunability and provide controllable percolation pathways. In the present study, we engineer high surface-area cellular structures with the triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS)-based architectures to tailor their piezoresistive response for use in wearable devices. A simple and economical fabrication process is proposed, wherein a fused deposition modeling 3D printing technique is utilized to fabricate flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) cellular structures. Interconnectivity of TPMS designs enables the coating of a continuous graphene layer over the TPU internal surfaces via a facile dip-coating process. The effects of pore shape on piezoresistivity are studied in four different TPMS structures (i.e. Primitive, Diamond, Gyroid, and I-WP). Mechanical properties of sensors are evaluated through experimental procedures and computation methods using finite element analysis of the Mooney–Rivlin hyperelastic model. The piezoresistive performance of sensors exhibits durability under cyclic compression loading. Finally, we conclude that the Primitive structure offers suitable piezoresistive characteristics for sensing of walking, whereas the Diamond structure presents favorable results for respiration monitoring.
A robust method for performance evaluation of the vapor cell for magnetometry
Authors: Liu Zhi , Zou Sheng , Yin Kaifeng , Shi Tao , Tang Junjian , Yuan Heng
Published: November 2022

A robust performance evaluation method for vapor cells used in magnetometers is proposed in this work. The performance of the vapor cell determines the sensitivity of the magnetic measurement, which is the core parameter of a magnetometer. After establishing the relationship between intrinsic sensitivity and the total relaxation rate, the total relaxation rate of the vapor cell can be obtained to represent the intrinsic sensitivity of the magnetometer by fitting the parameters of the magnetic resonance experiments. The method for measurement of the total relaxation rate based on the magnetic resonance experiment proposed in this work is robust and insensitive to ambient noise. Experiments show that, compared with conventional sensitivity measurement, the total relaxation rate affected by magnetic noise below 0.9 nT, pump light frequency noise below 1.5 GHz, pump light power noise below 9%, probe light power noise below 3% and temperature fluctuation of 150 ± 3 °C deviates by less than 2% from the noise-free situation. This robust performance evaluation method for vapor cells is conducive to the construction of a multi-channel high-spatial-resolution cardio-encephalography system.
Traceability for nuclear medicine: the status of primary radioactivity standards
Authors: Judge S M , Coulon R M , Cox M G , Karam L , Knoll P , Michotte C , Msimang Z , Zimmerman B E
Published: November 2022

The medical use of radionuclides depends on the accurate measurement of activity (Bq) for regulatory compliance, patient safety, and effective treatment or image quality. In turn, these measurements rely on the realization of primary standards of activity by national metrology institutes, with uncertainties that are fit for purpose. This article reviews the current status of primary standards of activity for radionuclides used in medical imaging and therapy applications. Results from international key comparisons carried out through the International Bureau of Weights and Measures transfer instruments (SIR and SIRTI) are used to verify that standards for a variety of radionuclides are consistent and conform with practitioners’ expectations.
Dual energy-based quantification method for determination of breast microcalcification types
Authors: Kim H. , Lee M. , Kim H.-J.
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study is to distinguish and characterize breast microcalcification types (benign and malignant) non-invasively using photon-counting spectral mammography. In this study, a photon-counting spectral mammography system was simulated using Geant4 application for tomographic emission (GATE) tool. Based on the photon-counting detector, dual-energy images were obtained using two energy bins. Calcium oxalate and calcium hydroxyapatite were used for benign and malignant microcalcifications, respectively. As a quantitative characteristic evaluation for two types of microcalcification related to etiology, an analytical model was implemented for the determination of the calcium/phosphorus mass ratio (mCa/mP) based on the dual-energy method. In the chemical composition of each microcalcification, the calcium hydroxyapatite has a phosphate substance, and calcium oxalate has an oxalate substance. The thicknesses of the calcium oxalate corresponding to calcium hydroxyapatite were calculated to preserve equal photon beam attenuation. The results indicate a higher mass ratio value in the case of malignant microcalcifications when compared with that in the case of benign ones. Even when the breast thickness increased up to 5 cm, the difference in the mass ratio exhibited a constant tendency. By excluding the effect on x-ray attenuation properties, we confirmed that malignant and benign microcalcifications were quantitatively distinguished based only on the mineral properties of the chemical composition. In conclusion, this study provides quantitative and objective indicators, a non-invasive discrimination method of two types of microcalcifications associated with pathology. We also expect to reduce the frequency of biopsies by improving the accuracy of early diagnosis in mammography.
The MERLINO project:characterization of LaBr3:Ce detectors for stopping power monitoring in proton therapy
Authors: Ferrero V. , Werner J. , Aglietta M. , Cerello P. , Fiorina E. , Gorgi A. , Vignati A. , Rafecas M. , Pennazio F.
Published: November 2022

The MERLINO project is developing a multi-detector setup with the goal of evaluating the beam stopping power from Prompt-Gamma-Timing measurements in proton therapy. The detectors are based on the cerium-doped lanthanum bromide crystal, LaBr3:Ce, coupled to photo-multiplier tubes. The system characterization is ongoing and the first calibration measurements with two detectors showed 124 ps σ and σ
E/E = 3% for the timing and energy resolution, respectively. The measured experimental parameters were then used to carry out a preliminary estimation of the stopping power. Results from the simulation of a 189 MeV proton beam impinging on an homogeneous phantom are presented for the optimisation of the MERLINO detector setup.
Impacts of climate change on global food trade networks
Authors: Hedlund Johanna , Carlsen Henrik , Croft Simon , West Chris , Bodin Örjan , Stokeld Emilie , Jägermeyr Jonas , Müller Christoph
Published: November 2022

Countries’ reliance on global food trade networks implies that regionally different climate change impacts on crop yields will be transmitted across borders. This redistribution constitutes a significant challenge for climate adaptation planning and may affect how countries engage in cooperative action. This paper investigates the long-term (2070–2099) potential impacts of climate change on global food trade networks of three key crops: wheat, rice and maize. We propose a simple network model to project how climate change impacts on crop yields may be translated into changes in trade. Combining trade and climate impact data, our analysis proceeds in three steps. First, we use network community detection to analyse how the concentration of global production in present-day trade communities may become disrupted with climate change impacts. Second, we study how countries may change their network position following climate change impacts. Third, we study the total climate-induced change in production plus import within trade communities. Results indicate that the stability of food trade network structures compared to today differs between crops, and that countries’ maize trade is least stable under climate change impacts. Results also project that threats to global food security may depend on production change in a few major global producers, and whether trade communities can balance production and import loss in some vulnerable countries. Overall, our model contributes a baseline analysis of cross-border climate impacts on food trade networks.
Tree rings reveal changes in the temperature pattern in eastern China before and during the Anthropocene
Authors: Sun Changfeng , Li Qiang , Liu Yu , Song Huiming , Fang Congxi , Cai Qiufang , Ren Meng , Ye Yuanda , Liu Ruoshi , Sun Junyan
Published: November 2022

A comprehensive understanding of the spatial characteristics of warming trends and temperature variability is important given global warming. Paleoclimate reconstruction has played an important role in evaluating warming and extreme climactic events in recent decades. Using the ring width of Pinus tabulaeformis, we reconstructed the ground surface temperature changes at Mengshan Mountain, in the central part of eastern China (EC), from 1667 to 2019. There were 3 extremely low-temperature years, 42 low-temperature years, 256 normal years, 37 high-temperature years and 15 extremely high-temperature years over the past 353 years. High and extremely high temperatures mainly occurred in the first half of the 19th century, the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century; low and extremely low temperatures occurred in almost all periods except for the last 50 years. By combining the past temperature reconstructions from the Great Xing’an Mountains in northern EC and Taiwan in southern EC, we also found that after the start of the Anthropocene, there were strong positive correlations among the temperatures of the northern, central and southern parts of EC. However, before the Anthropocene, these correlations were weak, and there was even a significant negative correlation during some periods. Additionally, the temperature in EC exhibited different change patterns before and during the Anthropocene. Before the Anthropocene, the temperature in southern EC showed an upward trend; in central EC, the temperature first rose and then began to decline in the 1820s; there was no obvious trend in the temperature changes in northern EC. The spatial consistency of temperature changes during the Anthropocene might be related to the fact that greenhouse gases emitted by human activities diffuse evenly withatmospheric circulation and absorb longwave radiation to directly heat the atmosphere.
Breast cancer detection using volatile compound profiles in exhaled breath via selected ion-flow tube mass spectrometry
Authors: Nakayama Yoshie , Hanada Mariko , Koda Hiroshi , Sugimoto Masahiro , Takada Masahiro , Toi Masakazu
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to evaluate volatile compounds in exhaled breath as a non-invasive screening method to detect breast neoplasms. Exhaled breath samples were collected from patients with breast cancer (BC; n = 45) and non-breast cancer (NBC; n = 51) controls. Selected ion-flow tube mass spectrometry was used to quantify the volatile compounds. A multiple logistic regression (MLR) model was developed by combining multiple compounds to discriminate between BC and NBC samples. Amongst the 672 quantified peaks, 17 showed significant differences between BC and NBC samples (P < 0.05 corrected by false discovery rate). Pathway analysis revealed a significant difference in glycerophospholipid metabolism. The MLR model showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.719 (95% confidence interval: 0.615–0.822, P < 0.0002). Cross-validation under various conditions resulted in a slight fluctuation in the AUC values, indicating the high generalizability of the MLR model. The model showed a higher BC probability for advanced-stage subjects and higher Ki67 (⩾30) for BC subjects. This study suggests the potential of volatile compounds in exhaled breath as a noninvasive screening method for BC.
Characterization of Disposable Facemasks for COVID-19 Through Colorimetric Analysis
Authors: Fraschetti E. , Puglisi D. , Domènech-Gil G. , Buzzin A. , Mastrandrea A. , Mazzetta I. , de Cesare G. , Casalinuovo S. , Quaranta S. , Caputo D.
Published: November 2022

Many aspects of the world population’s daily life have been recently changed by the events following the SARS-COV-2 pandemic outbreak. Among all the consequences, wearing face masks has become a common routine to protect from virus transmission risks. This work presents a simple colorimetric system able to detect the carbon dioxide (CO2) saturation inside a disposable face mask, which is useful to determine the level of wear and degradation and to visually provide indications on its disposal time. The experiments were carried out by wearing a FFP2 face mask externally treated with a phenolphthalein solution and including in its breathing zone a CO2 sensor. Changes in face mask color were recorded by a camera and analyzed with ImageJ. A strong correspondence was found between the high values of CO2 detected by the sensor and the analyzed data. The results are promising and suggest further efforts in developing easy-to-use colorimetric methods as a visual indicator of the life cycle of a disposable face mask.
Waste valorization by nanotechnology approaches for sustainable crop protection: a mini review
Authors: Schiavi D , Di Lorenzo V , Francesconi S , Giovagnoli S , Camaioni E , Balestra G M
Published: November 2022

Agri-food waste management represent for several supply-chains a pending issue, since most of the lignocellulosic biomasses produced by the agricultural practices are often intended for energy production, due to their high disposal costs. Nanotechnology could represent a sustainable way to valorise agricultural waste by extracting highly performing nanomaterials and reusing them as nanocarriers or nanopesticides to protect crops. Cellulose and lignin, which are the main component of plant residues display antimicrobial properties when reduced to their nanosized forms, being able to act as innovative tools to counteract plant pathogens, both bacterial and fungal ones. In particularly cellulose can be extracted from different matrices to obtain cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), while lignin is often reduced in nanoparticles (LNP). In this mini review the current and most recent results in terms of antimicrobial activities against plant pathogens by waste-based lignocellulosic nanomaterial are showed.
Pharmacologic venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in obese trauma patients
Authors: Erstad Brian L , Barletta Jeffrey F
Published: November 2022

Purpose

To review the evidence cited in recent consensus documents providing recommendations for drug dosing for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in obese trauma patients

Recent publications from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the American College of Surgeons provide recommendations for VTE prophylaxis in trauma. These documents address key aspects of pharmacologic prophylaxis, one of which is drug dosing in obesity. Both documents provide recommendations for obese patients, but they were not formulated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology, which has become the standard approach for guideline development. We reviewed and critiqued the literature cited in recently published consensus documents along with identifying additional studies retrieved from a PubMed search pertaining to drug dosing for VTE prophylaxis in obesity. The overall body of evidence was reviewed, and caveats for application in the clinical setting are provided. Dosing strategies for obese trauma patients are largely extrapolated from studies conducted in nonobese patients. Studies evaluating clinical outcomes are limited as most rely on anti–factor Xa concentrations versus VTE occurrence.

Conclusion

The strength of the evidence surrounding dosing recommendations for VTE prophylaxis in obese trauma patients is low. Further research efforts should be directed towards this subset of trauma patients.
BacARscan: an in silico resource to discern diversity in antibiotic resistance genes
Authors: Pandey Deeksha , Kumari Bandana , Singhal Neelja , Kumar Manish
Published: November 2022

Antibiotic resistance has escalated as a significant problem of broad public health significance. Regular surveillance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in microbes and metagenomes from human, animal and environmental sources is vital to understanding ARGs’ epidemiology and foreseeing the emergence of new antibiotic resistance determinants. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS)-based identification of the microbial ARGs using antibiotic resistance databases and in silico prediction tools can significantly expedite the monitoring and characterization of ARGs in various niches. The major hindrance to the annotation of ARGs from WGS data is that most genome databases contain fragmented genes/genomes (due to incomplete assembly). Herein, we describe an insilicoBacterial Antibiotic Resistance scan (BacARscan) (http://proteininformatics.org/mkumar/bacarscan/) that can detect, predict and characterize ARGs in -omics datasets, including short sequencing, reads, and fragmented contigs. Benchmarking on an independent non-redundant dataset revealed that the performance of BacARscan was better than other existing methods, with nearly 92% Precision and 95% F-measure on a combined dataset of ARG and non-ARG proteins. One of the most notable improvements of BacARscan over other ARG annotation methods is its ability to work on genomes and short-reads sequence libraries with equal efficiency and without any requirement for assembly of short reads. Thus, BacARscan can help monitor the prevalence and diversity of ARGs in microbial populations and metagenomic samples from animal, human, and environmental settings. The authors intend to constantly update the current version of BacARscan as and when new ARGs are discovered. Executable versions, source codes, sequences used for development and usage instructions are available at (http://www.proteininformatics.org/mkumar/bacarscan/downloads.html) and GitHub repository (https://github.com/mkubiophysics/BacARscan).
Predictors of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Hospitalization After Sotrovimab in Patients With Hematologic Malignancy During the BA.1 Omicron Surge
Authors: Yan Judy , Steiger Samantha N , Kodama Rich , Fender Jerome , Tan Carrie , Laracy Justin , Cohen Nina , McMillen Tracy , Jani Krupa , Robilotti Elizabeth V , Babady N Esther , Seo Susan K , Kamboj Mini
Published: November 2022

Background

Sotrovimab is an anti-spike neutralization monoclonal antibody developed to reduce the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progression and advancement to hospitalization in high-risk patients. Currently, there is limited research describing the association of sotrovimab treatment in patients with hematologic malignancy and the predictive factors of hospitalization.

Methods

We performed an observational study of 156 consecutive cancer patients who received sotrovimab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City during the BA.1 Omicron surge. We evaluated the demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the patients who had subsequent COVID-19–related hospitalization(s) compared to those who did not.

Results

Among the 156 study patients, 17 (11%) were hospitalized, of whom 4 were readmitted for COVID-19–related complications; 3 deaths were attributed to COVID-19. Results from multivariable logistic regression show that significant factors associated with hospitalization include patients on anti-CD20 therapy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.59 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.73–18.12]; P = .004) and with relapse/refractory disease (aOR, 5.69 [95% CI, 1.69–19.16]; P = .005). Additionally, whole genome sequencing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 detected high occurrences of mutations in the spike gene associated with treatment-related resistance longitudinal samples from 11 patients treated with sotrovimab.

Conclusions

While sotrovimab is effective at reducing COVID-19 hospitalization and disease severity in patients with hematologic malignancy when administered early, patients who received anti-CD20 antibodies showed substantial morbidity. Due to the high potential for resistance mutation to sotrovimab and increased morbidity in patients on anti-CD20 therapy, combination treatment should be explored to determine whether it provides added benefits compared to monotherapy.