bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Point‐of‐critical‐care diagnostics for sepsis enabled by multiplexed micro and nanosensing technologies
Authors: Ashley Brandon K. , Hassan Umer
Published: March 2021

Sepsis is responsible for the highest economic and mortality burden in critical care settings around the world, prompting the World Health Organization in 2018 to designate it as a global health priority. Despite its high universal prevalence and mortality rate, a disproportionately low amount of sponsored research funding is directed toward diagnosis and treatment of sepsis, when early treatment has been shown to significantly improve survival. Additionally, current technologies and methods are inadequate to provide an accurate and timely diagnosis of septic patients in multiple clinical environments. For improved patient outcomes, a comprehensive immunological evaluation is critical which is comprised of both traditional testing and quantifying recently proposed biomarkers for sepsis. There is an urgent need to develop novel point‐of‐care, low‐cost systems which can accurately stratify patients. These point‐of‐critical‐care sensors should adopt a multiplexed approach utilizing multimodal sensing for heterogenous biomarker detection. For effective multiplexing, the sensors must satisfy criteria including rapid sample to result delivery, low sample volumes for clinical sample sparring, and reduced costs per test. A compendium of currently developed multiplexed micro and nano (M/N)‐based diagnostic technologies for potential applications toward sepsis are presented. We have also explored the various biomarkers targeted for sepsis including immune cell morphology changes, circulating proteins, small molecules, and presence of infectious pathogens. An overview of different M/N detection mechanisms are also provided, along with recent advances in related nanotechnologies which have shown improved patient outcomes and perspectives on what future successful technologies may encompass.

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing
Non-local approximation of the Griffith functional
Authors: Scilla Giovanni , Solombrino Francesco
Published: March 2021

An approximation, in the sense of$$\Gamma $$Γ-convergence and in any dimension$$d\ge 1$$d≥1, of Griffith-type functionals, withp-growth ($$p>1$$p>1) in the symmetrized gradient, is provided by means of a sequence of non-local integral functionals depending on the average of the symmetrized gradients on small balls.
Stationary characters on lattices of semisimple Lie groups
Authors: Boutonnet Rémi , Houdayer Cyril
Published: March 2021

We show that stationary characters on irreducible lattices$\Gamma < G$Γ<Gof higher-rank connected semisimple Lie groups are conjugation invariant, that is, they are genuine characters. This result has several applications in representation theory, operator algebras, ergodic theory and topological dynamics. In particular, we show that for any such irreducible lattice$\Gamma < G$Γ<G, the left regular representation$\lambda _{\Gamma }$λΓis weakly contained in any weakly mixing representation$\pi $π. We prove that for any such irreducible lattice$\Gamma < G$Γ<G, any Uniformly Recurrent Subgroup (URS) of$\Gamma $Γis finite, answering a question of Glasner–Weiss. We also obtain a new proof of Peterson’s character rigidity result for irreducible lattices$\Gamma < G$Γ<G. The main novelty of our paper is a structure theorem for stationary actions of lattices on von Neumann algebras.
Mechanical model of steel frames with reinforced concrete infill walls
Authors: Morelli Francesco , Panzera Ivan , Salvatore Walter
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a mechanical model developed for the simulation of the monotonic behaviour of Steel frames with Reinforced Concrete infill Walls (SRCW). In particular, it deals with a specific typology of SRCW, obtained from the classical one through the interposition of dissipative elements in the columns and by stiffening and shaping the steel frame’s corners in a way to prevent the brittle failure of the concrete in compression. This system has demonstrated in past researches to be able to overcome the typical problems of SRCWs and to assure, through a capacity design approach, a global ductile behavior. The selection of the main components to be included in the model is carried out on the base of the analysis of the available experimental tests and of the results of accurate 3D Finite Element model analyses. The behaviour of each component is represented though consolidated models present in the current state-of-the-art and, where necessary, calibrated using the results of the experimental and numerical analyses. The capacity of the proposed mechanical model in representing the global behaviour of the SRCWs is finally demonstrated comparing the results in terms of force–displacement curves with the ones obtained through the refined 3D Finite Element models.
Excavating FAIR Data: the Case of the Multicenter Animal Spinal Cord Injury Study (MASCIS), Blood Pressure, and Neuro-Recovery
Authors: Almeida Carlos A. , Torres-Espin Abel , Huie J. Russell , Sun Dongming , Noble-Haeusslein Linda J. , Young Wise , Beattie Michael S. , Bresnahan Jacqueline C. , Nielson Jessica L. , Ferguson Adam R.
Published: March 2021

Meta-analyses suggest that the published literature represents only a small minority of the total data collected in biomedical research, with most becoming ‘dark data’ unreported in the literature. Dark data is due to publication bias toward novel results that confirm investigator hypotheses and omission of data that do not. Publication bias contributes to scientific irreproducibility and failures in bench-to-bedside translation. Sharing dark data by making it Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) may reduce the burden of irreproducible science by increasing transparency and support data-driven discoveries beyond the lifecycle of the original study. We illustrate feasibility of dark data sharing by recovering original raw data from the Multicenter Animal Spinal Cord Injury Study (MASCIS), an NIH-funded multi-site preclinical drug trial conducted in the 1990s that tested efficacy of several therapies after a spinal cord injury (SCI). The original drug treatments did not produce clear positive results and MASCIS data were stored in boxes for more than two decades. The goal of the present study was to independently confirm published machine learning findings that perioperative blood pressure is a major predictor of SCI neuromotor outcome (Nielson et al., 2015). We recovered, digitized, and curated the data from 1125 rats from MASCIS. Analyses indicated that high perioperative blood pressure at the time of SCI is associated with poorer health and worse neuromotor outcomes in more severe SCI, whereas low perioperative blood pressure is associated with poorer health and worse neuromotor outcome in moderate SCI. These findings confirm and expand prior results that a narrow window of blood-pressure control optimizes outcome, and demonstrate the value of recovering dark data for assessing reproducibility of findings with implications for precision therapeutic approaches.
The Social Use and Value of Blue-Green Stone Mosaics at Sites within Canal System 2, Phoenix Basin, Hohokam Regional System
Authors: Shepard Lindsay M. , Russell Will G. , Schwartz Christopher W. , Weiner Robert S. , Nelson Ben A.
Published: March 2021

The occurrence of nonlocal objects, raw materials, and ideas in the southwestern United States (U.S. SW) has long been recognized as evidence of interaction between prehispanic peoples of this region and those of greater Mesoamerica. Although many archaeologists have analyzed the directionality and potential means by which these objects and concepts moved across the landscape, few have assessed the degree to which Mesoamerican practices and traditional assemblages remained intact as the artifacts and ideas moved farther from their places of origin. The current study analyzes the distribution and deposition of blue-green stone mosaics, a craft technology that was well established in Mesoamerica by the Late Preclassic period (300 BC–AD 250) and spread to the U.S. SW by the start of the Hohokam Pioneer period (AD 475). We assess the spatial distribution, contextual deposition, and morphology of mosaics at sites within Hohokam Canal System 2, located in the Phoenix Basin of Arizona. We use these data to infer mosaics’ social value and function within Hohokam social structure. Analyses suggest that, although the technology of mosaic making may have originated in Mesoamerica, the contexts and ways in which mosaics were used in the Hohokam regional system were decidedly Hohokam.
How the Rockefeller Laws Hit the Streets: Drug Policing and the Politics of State Competence in New York City, 1973–1989
Authors: Williams Mason B.
Published: March 2021

Recent studies have shown that the punitive drug laws enacted in the mid-1970s led to a sharp increase in incarceration only in the mid-1980s, when city police departments started policing street-level drug markets much more intensively. The case study of New York City in the wake of the Rockefeller Drug Laws of 1973 presents an explanation. Only when new policing ideas, popular dissatisfaction with street crime, and the revival of the city's fiscal capacity coalesced as part of a larger project to rebuild urban governance in the aftermath of the fiscal crisis of the 1970s did New York turn toward street-level drug enforcement. An examination of the political history of street-level drug enforcement offers a better understanding of the history of New York's war on drugs, as well as a new chronology of the political dynamics of state rebuilding in the 1980s.
Estimation of thermal time model parameters for seed germination in 15 species: the importance of distribution function
Authors: Chen Dali , Chen Xianglai , Wang Jingjing , Zhang Zuxin , Wang Yan , Jia Cunzhi , Hu Xiaowen
Published: March 2021

Thermal time models have been widely applied to predict temperature requirements for seed germination. Generally, a log-normal distribution for thermal time [θT(g)] is used in such models at suboptimal temperatures to examine the variation in time to germination arising from variation in θT(g) within a seed population. Recently, additional distribution functions have been used in thermal time models to predict seed germination dynamics. However, the most suitable kind of the distribution function to use in thermal time models, especially at suboptimal temperatures, has not been determined. Five distributions (log-normal, Gumbel, logistic, Weibull and log-logistic) were used in thermal time models over a range of temperatures to fit the germination data for 15 species. The results showed that a more flexible model with the log-logistic distribution, rather than the log-normal distribution, provided the best explanation of θT(g) variation in 13 species at suboptimal temperatures. Thus, at least at suboptimal temperatures, the log-logistic distribution is an appropriate candidate among the five distributions used in this study. Therefore, the distribution of parameters [θT(g)] should be considered when using thermal time models to prevent large deviations; furthermore, an appropriate equation should be selected before using such a model to make predictions.
Left ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate measurements in paediatric patients in long-term treatment for Chagas disease
Authors: Goldsman Alejandro , Vazquez Haydee , Quilindro Alberto , Sicurello María , Cazalas Mariana , Altcheh Jaime , González Nicolás , Moros Claudio , Grippo María
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

Previous echocardiographic studies failed to show residual alterations of heart function in paediatric patients that have received treatment for Chagas disease. While the echocardiogram is the fundamental front-line tool for evaluating heart function, the appearance of new techniques allows a more detailed analysis. We aimed to evaluate systolic and diastolic function with new techniques in a paediatric population with Chagas disease several years after treatment completion.

Material and methods:

Echocardiograms were obtained from 84 Chagas disease patients (48 female) and 27 healthy controls. All patients had received treatment concluding on average 10 years prior to the study. The prospective analysis considered cardiac dimensions and cardiac function using two-dimensional, M-mode, Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging with emphasis on measuring longitudinal strain in the left ventricle by speckle tracking. Ejection fraction was measured with three-dimensional echocardiography.

Results:

Patients had an age of 14.2 ± 5.7 years (6–33) at the time of evaluation. Global and segmental motility of the left ventricle was normal in all patients. Ejection fraction was 59.2 ± 6.5 and 57.4 ± 6.5% (p = 0.31) in patients and controls respectively. Left ventricular global longitudinal systolic strain was −19 ± 2.4% in patients and −19 ± 3.6% (p = 0.91) in controls. No significant differences were found in remaining systolic and diastolic function measurements.

Conclusions:

Paediatric patients that have received treatment for Chagas disease, evaluated with either conventional techniques or new tools, do not show significant long-term alterations of ventricular function.
Navigating the terrain of moral distress: Experiences of pediatric end-of-life care and bereavement during COVID-19
Authors: Wiener Lori , Rosenberg Abby R. , Pennarola Brian , Fry Abigail , Weaver Meaghann
Published: March 2021

Objective

Parents of seriously ill children worry about their vulnerable child contracting COVID-19, whether their child's palliative care providers will be able to continue to provide the same quality of care to their child, and who can be with the child to provide comfort. For providers, shifts in healthcare provision, communication formats, and support offerings for families facing distress or loss during the pandemic may promote providers’ moral distress. This study aimed to define the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted end-of-life care and approach to bereavement care in pediatric palliative care (PPC).

Method

The Palliative Assessment of Needed DEvelopments and Modifications In the Era of Coronavirus (PANDEMIC) survey was developed to learn about the PPC experience during COVID-19 in the United States. The survey was posted with permission on seven nationally focused Listservs.

Results

A total of 207 PPC team members from 80 cities within 39 states and the District of Columbia participated. In the majority of hospitals, admitted pediatric patients were only allowed one parent as a visitor with the exception of both parents or nuclear family at end of life. Creative alternatives to grief support and traditional funeral services were described. The high incidence of respondents’ depicted moral distress was often focused on an inability to provide a desired level of care due to existing rules and policies and bearing witness to patient and family suffering enhanced by the pandemic.

Significance of results

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the provision of end-of-life care and bereavement for children, family caregivers, and PPC providers. Our results identify tangible limitations of restricted personal contact and the pain of watching families stumble through a stunted grieving process. It is imperative that we find solutions for future global challenges and to foster solidarity in PPC.
Prenatal and pubertal exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol disrupts folliculogenesis and promotes morphophysiological changes in ovaries of old gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)
Authors: de Souza Vinícius Gonçalves , Bandeira Laura Borges , Souza Nátaly Caroline Silva e , Taboga Sebastião Roberto , Martins Tracy Martina Marques , Silva Perez Ana Paula
Published: March 2021

17α-Ethinylestradiol is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that make up most contraceptive pills and can be found in the environment. Exposure to ethinylestradiol in different development periods may promote changes in morphophysiological parameters of reproductive and endocrine organs. Considering that the effects of low doses (15 µg/kg/day) of ethinylestradiol in ovaries from 12-month-old female gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were investigated. Four experimental groups used were control (without treatment), EE/PRE (treated from the 18th to the 22nd gestational day), EE/PUB (treated from the 42nd to the 49th day of life), and EE/PRE-PUB (treated in the both periods). The animals were euthanized at 12 months. Testosterone and 17β-estradiol levels were measured. The ovaries were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin, Periodic Acid Schiff, and Gomori’s Trichome. The follicles, corpus luteum, interstitial gland, lipofuscin, ovarian epithelium, and tunica albuginea were analyzed. Estradiol was higher in EE/PRE and EE/PUB groups, while testosterone was higher only in EE/PUB group. The main changes in follicle count occurred in EE/PUB and EE/PRE-PUB groups, with higher primordial follicle count and lower maturation of follicles. The corpus luteum was more evident in EE/PRE group. No differences were found in atretic follicles count. A higher area occupied by interstitial gland cells and lipofuscin deposit in these cells was noted in EE/PUB and EE/PRE-PUB groups. Higher epithelium height and thicker tunic albuginea were showed in treated groups. These results suggest that exposure to doses of EE2 in prenatal and pubertal periods of the development leads to morphological changes in senile ovaries.
The Effects of Cognitive Load on Strategy Utilization in a	Forced-Choice Recognition Memory Performance Validity Test
Authors: Omer Elad , Braw Yoram
Published: March 2021

Abstract. Despite the importance of detecting feigned cognitive impairment, we have a limited understanding of the theoretical foundation of the phenomenon and the factors that affect it. Studies regarding the formation and implementation of feigning strategies during neuropsychological assessments are numbered, though there are indications that they tax cognitive resources. The current study assessed the effect of cognitive load manipulation on feigning strategies. To achieve this aim, we utilized a 2 × 2 experimental design; condition (simulators/honest responders) and cognitive load (load/no load) were manipulated while participants ( N = 154) performed a well-established performance validity test (PVT). The cognitive load manipulation reduced the quantity of feigning strategies, while also affecting their composition (i.e., strategies tended to be more intuitive). This suggests that reduced cognitive resources among those feigning cognitive impairment may impact the use of in-vivo feigning strategies. These findings, though preliminary, will hopefully encourage further research that will uncover the cognitive factors involved in the utilization of feigning strategies in neuropsychological assessments.
Clinical significance of increased arterial stiffness associated with atrial fibrillation, according to Framingham risk score
Authors: Chung Goh Eun , Park Hyo Eun , Lee Heesun , Choi Su-Yeon
Published: March 2021

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in the elderly. Arterial stiffness may predict the risk of AF, but this relationship has not been fully evaluated. We assessed the association between arterial stiffness and prevalent AF. All subjects who had electrocardiography performed and a cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) calculated during a screening examination between 2010 and 2019 were enrolled. To evaluate the association between increased arterial stiffness and AF, we divided the population according to their Framingham risk score (FRS) into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups. A total of 8048 subjects were evaluated. The multivariate analysis revealed that increased arterial stiffness was significantly associated with AF prevalence, even after adjusting cardiovascular risk factors [odds ratio (OR) 1.685, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.908–2.588, p = 0.017]. When we subcategorized the subjects according to their FRS, increased arterial stiffness was significantly associated with AF in the intermediate- and high-risk groups (OR 3.062, 95% CI 1.39-6.740 and OR3.877, 95% CI 1.142-13.167, respectively, BMI adjusted. High arterial stiffness shows a significant association with AF in those with intermediate or high cardiovascular risk, and can be used for further risk stratification of patients.
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy promotes recovery from stroke by enhancing angio-neurogenesis in mice in vivo
Authors: Ichijo Sadamitsu , Shindo Tomohiko , Eguchi Kumiko , Monma Yuto , Nakata Takashi , Morisue Yoshihiko , Kanai Hiroshi , Osumi Noriko , Yasuda Satoshi , Shimokawa Hiroaki
Published: March 2021

Since the treatment window of thrombolytic therapy for stroke is limited, new therapy remains to be developed. We have recently developed low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy to improve cognitive dysfunction in mouse models of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Here, we further aimed to examine whether our LIPUS therapy improves neurological recovery from ischemic stroke, and if so, to elucidate the mechanisms involved. In a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), we applied LIPUS (32 cycles, 193 mW/cm2) to the whole brain 3 times in the first week (days 1, 3, and 5) after MCAO. We evaluated neurological functions using behavioral tests and performed histological analyses. Furthermore, to elucidate how LIPUS works within the injured brain, we also tested the effects of LIPUS in endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-deficient (eNOS−/−) mice. In wild-type mice, the LIPUS therapy markedly improved neurological functions in the tightrope and rotarod tests at 28 days after MCAO. Histological analyses showed that the LIPUS therapy significantly increased the numbers of CD31-positive blood vessels in the perifocal lesion and doublecortin (DCX)-positive neurons in the ischemic striatum, indicating the angio-neurogenesis effects of the therapy. Importantly, these beneficial effects of the LIPUS therapy were totally absent in eNOS−/− mice. No adverse effects of the LIPUS therapy were noted. These results indicate that the LIPUS therapy improves neurological functions after stroke through enhanced neuro-angiogenesis in mice in vivo in an eNOS-dependent manner, suggesting that it could a novel and non-invasive therapeutic option for stroke.
Socioeconomic inequalities in children’s weight, height and BMI trajectories in Norway
Authors: Mekonnen Teferi , Papadopoulou Eleni , Arah Onyebuchi A. , Brantsæter Anne Lise , Lien Nanna , Gebremariam Mekdes K.
Published: March 2021

Studies exploring when social inequalities in body mass index (BMI) and its composites emerge and how these evolve with age are limited. Thus, this study explored parental income and education related inequalities in children’s weight, height, weight velocity and body mass index among Norwegian children from 1 month to 8 years. The study population included 59,927 family/children pairs participating in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study. Growth was modelled using the Jenss–Bayley model and linear mixed effects analyses were conducted. Maternal and paternal educational differences in children’s weight and BMI trajectories emerged during infancy, continuing to age 8 years. Parental income-related inequalities in children’s weight were observed from the age of 1 month to 4 years for maternal and up to 1 year for paternal income-related differences but then disappeared. Parental income-related inequalities in child’s BMI were observed from 18 months to 8 years for maternal income, and from 9 months to 8 years for paternal income-related differences. These results suggest that social inequalities in children’s BMI present early in infancy and continue to 8 years of age. The inequalities sometimes differed by indicator of socioeconomic position used. Interventions to combat these inequalities early in life are, thus needed.
Supplementation of tuna hydrolysate and insect larvae improves fishmeal replacement efficacy of poultry by-product in Lates calcarifer (Bloch, 1790) juveniles
Authors: Chaklader Md Reaz , Howieson Janet , Siddik Muhhammad A. B. , Foysal Md Javed , Fotedar Ravi
Published: March 2021

The effects of feeding different levels of poultry by-product meal (PBM) replacing fishmeal (FM) protein, supplemented with tuna hydrolysate (TH) and Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae, on the growth, fillet quality, histological traits, immune status, oxidative biomarker levels and gut microbiota of juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer were investigated for six weeks. Barramundi were fed four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets in which a FM based diet was used as the Control diet (Diet1) and compared with other non-FM diets containing 80%, 85% and 90% PBM along with the concurrent supplementation of 5% and/or 10% TH and HI larvae meal. These treatment diets were designated as 80PBM10TH+10HI (Diet2), 85PBM5TH+10HI (Diet3) and 90PBM5TH+5HI (Diet4). The growth and condition factor of fish fed 80PBM10TH+10HI and 85PBM5TH+10HI were significantly higher than the Control. Total saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid retention in the fish muscle increased in fish fed PBM-based diets, supplemented with TH and HI larvae meal, with no adverse effect on post-harvest characteristics such as texture and colour of fish fillets. Improvement in serum total bilirubin and total protein content was found in all fish fed TH and HI larvae supplemented PBM. Similarly, immune response showed a significant increase in fish fed non-FM test diets than the Control. In the distal intestine, supplementation of any quantities of TH and HI larvae to PBM led to an increase in the microvilli density and neutral mucins while the number of goblet cells in the skin were unchanged. Liver, kidney, and spleen histology demonstrated a normal structure with no obvious changes in response to all test diets. Bacterial diversity increased in fish fed Diets 2 and 3 with a high abundance of Proteobacteria in Diets 1 and 4 and Firmicutes in Diets 2 and 3. The fish on test diets showed a lower abundance of genus Vibrio. Fish fed TH and HI larvae supplemented PBM diets showed lower infection rate to V. harveyi than the Control. Collectively, concurrent supplementation of TH and HI larvae could improve the quality of PBM diets with positive effects on growth, fillet quality, intestinal health, immunity, and disease resistance.
Targeted biologic inhibition of both tumor cell-intrinsic and intercellular CLPTM1L/CRR9-mediated chemotherapeutic drug resistance
Authors: Parashar Deepak , Geethadevi Anjali , McAllister Donna , Ebben Johnathan , Peterson Francis C. , Jensen Davin R. , Bishop Erin , Pradeep Sunila , Volkman Brian F. , Dwinell Michael B. , Chaluvally-Raghavan Pradeep , James Michael A.
Published: March 2021

Recurrence of therapy-resistant tumors is a principal problem in solid tumor oncology, particularly in ovarian cancer. Despite common complete responses to first line, platinum-based therapies, most women with ovarian cancer recur, and eventually, nearly all with recurrent disease develop platinum resistance. Likewise, both intrinsic and acquired resistance contribute to the dismal prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Our previous work and that of others has established CLPTM1L (cleft lip and palate transmembrane protein 1-like)/CRR9 (cisplatin resistance related protein 9) as a cytoprotective oncofetal protein that is present on the tumor cell surface. We show that CLPTM1L is broadly overexpressed and accumulated on the plasma membrane of ovarian tumor cells, while weakly or not expressed in normal tissues. High expression of CLPTM1L is associated with poor outcome in ovarian serous adenocarcinoma. Robust re-sensitization of resistant ovarian cancer cells to platinum-based therapy was achieved using human monoclonal biologics inhibiting CLPTM1L in both orthotopic isografts and patient-derived cisplatin resistant xenograft models. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in addition to cell-autonomous cytoprotection by CLPTM1L, extracellular CLPTM1L confers resistance to chemotherapeutic killing in an ectodomain-dependent fashion, and that this intercellular resistance mechanism is inhibited by anti-CLPTM1L biologics. Specifically, exosomal CLPTM1L from cisplatin-resistant ovarian carcinoma cell lines conferred resistance to cisplatin in drug-sensitive parental cell lines. CLPTM1L is present in extracellular vesicle fractions of tumor culture supernatants and in patients’ serum with increasing abundance upon chemotherapy treatment. These findings have encouraging implications for the use of anti-CLPTM1L targeted biologics in the treatment of therapy-resistant tumors.
In situ assembly of bimetallic MOF composites on IF as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Zhang Yeqing , Wang Jinlei , Ye Lei , Zhang Meilin , Gong Yaqiong
Published: March 2021

The obtained NiFe-MOF/IF electrode with a unique 2D nanosheet structure exhibited distinguished OER performance and extraordinary durability under alkaline conditions compared with other catalysts synthesized under the same conditions.
Sorting of capsules according to their stiffness: from principle to application
Authors: Häner Edgar , Vesperini Doriane , Salsac Anne-Virginie , Le Goff Anne , Juel Anne
Published: March 2021

We assess experimentally the ability of a simple flow-based sorting device, recently proposed numerically by [Zhu et al., Soft Matter, 2014, 10, 7705–7711], to separate capsules according to their stiffness.
Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of TiO2 nanofiber arrays decorated with CdS nanoparticles via SILAR method
Authors: Ben Naceur Jamila , Ouertani Rachid , Jrad Fatma , Khamlich Saleh , Dimassi Wissem , Chtourou Radhouane
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we report the photoelectrochemical performances of CdS nanoparticles (NPs) decorated TiO2 photoanodes. The TiO2 nanofiber arrays (NFAs) were fabricated into Titanium substrate by a hydrothermal method. Afterwards, the deposited TiO2 NFAs were decorated with CdS NPs by employing a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The obtained samples of CdS covered and uncovered TiO2 NFAs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy and UV-visible Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy. The size of the CdS nanoparticles increases with the number of SILAR cycles and leads to an additional broad absorption peak in the visible part of the spectrum. Consequently, the photo-electrochemical performance of the CdS decorated TiO2 was enhanced substantially resulting in a better electron-hole separation and transport. This enhancement has been discussed and assigned to a better sun light harvesting and an efficient charge transfer between the CdS nanoparticles and the TiO2 NFAs.
Von der KI-Ethik zur Bewusstseinsethik: Ethische Aspekte der Computational Psychiatry
Authors: Wiese Wanja
Published: March 2021

Ziel Ermittlung ethischer Probleme, die sich aus KI-Forschung und Computational Psychiatry für die psychiatrische Forschung und Praxis ergeben.

Methode Begriffliche Analyse und Diskussion ethisch relevanter Projekte innerhalb der Computational Psychiatry.

Ergebnisse Die Computational Psychiatry verspricht v. a. einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung von Diagnostik und Therapie(-prognosen). Ethische Probleme betreffen u. a. den Umgang mit Datenschutz, Folgen für unser Selbstverständnis sowie das Risiko der Biologisierung und der Vernachlässigung des bewussten Erlebens.

Schlussfolgerung Es ist erforderlich, sich jetzt mit möglichen Anwendungen der KI und Computational Psychiatry zu befassen, um die Voraussetzungen für einen verantwortungsvollen Umgang in der Zukunft zu schaffen. Dies setzt Grundkenntnisse der Funktionsweise von KI-Anwendungen und der damit zusammenhängenden ethischen Probleme voraus.
Decay and numerical results in nonsimple viscoelasticity
Authors: Aouadi Moncef , Mahfoudhi Imed , Moulahi Taoufik
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we give some mathematical and numerical results on the behavior of a nonsimple viscoelastic plate corresponding to anti-plane shear deformations. First, we derive briefly the equations of the considered plate, and then, we study the well-posedness problem. Second, we prove that the solutions decay exponentially at a rate proportional to the total mass of the second order. Finally, we give some numerical experiments based on the spectral method developed for multi-dimensional problems with implementation in MATLAB for one and two-dimensional spaces.
Experimental realization of phonon demultiplexing in three-dimensions
Authors: Bilal Osama R. , Yee Chern Hwee , Rys Jan , Schumacher Christian , Daraio Chiara
Published: March 2021

Phononic metamaterials enabled the realization of many acoustic components analogous to their electronic counterparts, such as transistors, logic gates, and calculators. A key component among these is the demultiplexer, a device that receives multiple signals and sorts them based on their frequencies into separate channels. Previous experimental realizations of acoustic and elastic multiplexers have employed plates with pillars or holes to demultiplex frequencies. However, existing realizations are confined to two dimensions, which can limit potential acoustic or elastic circuit design. Here, we show an experimental realization of a three-dimensional, four channel phononic demultiplexer. Our design methodology is based on bundles of pass-bands within a large bandgap that can easily be tuned for multi-channel frequency demultiplexing. The proposed design can be utilized in acoustic and elastic information processing, nondestructive evaluation, and communication applications, among others.
A simplified discrete unified gas–kinetic scheme for compressible flow
Authors: Zhong Mingliang , Zou Sen , Pan Dongxin , Zhuo Congshan , Zhong Chengwen
Published: March 2021

In this paper, the simplified discrete unified gas-kinetic scheme presented in the former paper is extended from incompressible flow to compressible flow at a high Mach number. In our earlier work, a simplified discrete unified gas–kinetic scheme was developed for low-speed flow in which the Mach number is small for keeping the incompressible property. To simulate compressible flow, the governing equation of the internal energy distribution function presented as potential energy including the Prandtl number effect is introduced to the present method. The velocity field is coupled with density and internal energy by the evolution of distribution functions related to mass, momentum, and temperature. For simplification and computational efficiency, the D2Q13 circular distribution function is applied as the equilibrium model. Compared to our earlier work, higher Mach number flows can be simulated by the proposed method, which is of the ability to simulate compressible flow. A number of numerical test cases from incompressible to compressible flows have been conducted, including incompressible lid-driven cavity flow, Taylor vortex flow, transonic flow past NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) 0012 airfoil, Sod shock tube, supersonic flow past a circular cylinder, and isentropic vortex convection. All simulation results agree well with the reference data.
Acoustic pulsation for heat transfer abatement in supersonic channel flow
Authors: Rahbari Iman , Cukurel Beni , Paniagua Guillermo
Published: March 2021

The impact of periodic pulsation normal to the flow passage on the heat and momentum transport is studied using direct numerical simulations. The selected test case is the fully developed supersonic turbulent flow at Reynolds numbers Reb=ρ¯bU¯bδ/μ¯wall=3000 and 6000 and Mach number Mcl=U¯cl/c¯cl≈1.5, bounded by isothermal walls. The pulsation is introduced by imposing a time-periodic uniform body-force in the spanwise directions, mimicking two acoustic drivers placed on the side-walls that are operating with a 180° phase difference. Results indicate that the spanwise pulsation at a moderate forcing amplitude, with the spanwise velocity oscillation amplitude W̃cl≈12% of bulk streamwise velocity or W̃cl+=W̃cl/uτ≈2, can create about 8% reduction in the Nusselt number (Nu), as well as in the skin friction coefficient (Cf), if applied at the optimal pulsation period T+=Tuτ2/ν¯wall within [173, 346], where T=2π/ωf. The excitation outside this band fails to achieve such high levels of modulations in heat and momentum transport processes near the walls. Visualizing the instantaneous temperature field reveals a periodic tilting of the near-wall turbulent structures that is translated into a decay in the energy of the streamwise vortices and an increase in the mean spanwise distance of such structures. The effect of the excitation on reducing the turbulent heat flux and Reynolds shear stress is studied, and the resulting streaming temperature and velocity profiles are discussed.
Canonical analysis of E6(6)(R) invariant five dimensional (super-)gravity
Authors: Kreutzer Lars T.
Published: March 2021

We investigate the canonical structure of the bosonic sector of the unique maximal supergravity theory in five dimensions that is manifestly invariant under the global action of E6(6)(R). Starting from the Lagrangian formulation of the theory, we construct the Hamiltonian formulation and the full set of canonical constraints. We determine all gauge transformations and compute the algebra formed by the canonical constraints under the Poisson bracket. We re-derive the number of physical degrees of freedom and construct the extended Hamiltonian, describing the most general time evolution of the theory, where the full gauge freedom is manifest.
Dipolar coupling of nanoparticle-molecule assemblies: An efficient approach for studying strong coupling
Authors: Fojt Jakub , Rossi Tuomas P. , Antosiewicz Tomasz J. , Kuisma Mikael , Erhart Paul
Published: March 2021

Strong light–matter interactions facilitate not only emerging applications in quantum and non-linear optics but also modifications of properties of materials. In particular, the latter possibility has spurred the development of advanced theoretical techniques that can accurately capture both quantum optical and quantum chemical degrees of freedom. These methods are, however, computationally very demanding, which limits their application range. Here, we demonstrate that the optical spectra of nanoparticle-molecule assemblies, including strong coupling effects, can be predicted with good accuracy using a subsystem approach, in which the response functions of different units are coupled only at the dipolar level. We demonstrate this approach by comparison with previous time-dependent density functional theory calculations for fully coupled systems of Al nanoparticles and benzene molecules. While the present study only considers few-particle systems, the approach can be readily extended to much larger systems and to include explicit optical-cavity modes.
Air bubble propagation mechanism in a rectangular elasto-rigid channel
Authors: Rojas N. O.
Published: March 2021

A peeling bubble of air propagates when a newborn breathes for the first time. In experimental conditions, peeling fingers are unstable depending on the cross-sectional area and capillary thresholds. In this work, the deformation of a thin elastic membrane on top of a channel and its interaction with the boundary layer/solid plate yields interface wavenumbers in agreement with K41 theory defining inertial, turbulent, and dissipative regimes. Three-dimensional solutions of the minimal set of equations at the low stiffness and low capillary ranges yield symmetric round-type bubbles in numerical simulations. The mechanism responsible for the increase/decrease in the air bubble speed at large time scales is related to the wetting ridge gradient developed around the finger that defines two sorts of propagation: (i) the speed of the bubble decreases transferring energy to the membrane–fluid interface and (ii) the air finger increases its speed as it obtains energy from the elastic membrane and fluid layer, decreasing their temperature. The menisci at the bubble–liquid–shell interface are triggered by elastic and capillary forces that deform the interface around the finger, and the scale of these ridges is of the order of the elastocapillary length.
Strange attractors in discrete slow power-law models of bone remodeling
Authors: Jerez Silvia , Pliego Emilene , Solis Francisco J.
Published: March 2021

Recently, a family of nonlinear mathematical discrete systems to describe biological interactions was considered. Such interactions are modeled by power-law functions where the exponents involve regulation processes. Considering exponent values giving rise to hyperbolic equilibria, we show that the systems exhibit irregular behavior characterized by strange attractors. The systems are numerically analyzed for different parameter values. Depending on the initial conditions, the orbits of each system either diverge to infinity or approach a periodic orbit or a strange attractor. Such dynamical behavior is identified by their Lyapunov exponents and local dimension. Finally, an application to the biochemical process of bone remodeling is presented. The existence of deterministic chaos in this process reveals a possible explanation of reproducibility failure and variation of effects in clinical experiments.
On the interpretation of Dirac δ pulses in differential equations for phase oscillators
Authors: Klinshov Vladimir , Lücken Leonhard , Feketa Petro
Published: March 2021

In this note, we discuss the usage of the Dirac δ function in models of phase oscillators with pulsatile inputs. Many authors use a product of the delta function and the phase response curve in the right-hand side of an ordinary differential equation to describe the discontinuous phase dynamics in such systems. We point out that this notation has to be treated with care as it is ambiguous. We argue that the presumably most canonical interpretation does not lead to the intended behavior in many cases.
Information-theoretic characterization of eye-tracking signals with relation to cognitive tasks
Authors: Iaconis F. R. , Jiménez Gandica A. A. , Del Punta J. A. , Delrieux C. A. , Gasaneo G.
Published: March 2021

Eye tracking is being increasingly used as a more powerful diagnosis instrument when compared with traditional pen-and-paper tests in psychopedagogy and psychology. This technology may significantly improve neurocognitive assessments in gathering indirect latent information about the subjects’ performance. However, the meaning and implications of these data are far from being fully understood. In this work, we present a comprehensive study of eye tracking time series in terms of statistical complexity measures. We registered the eye tracking movements of several subjects solving the two parts of the commonly applied Trail Making Test (TMT-A and TMT-B) and studied their Shannon entropy, disequilibrium, statistical complexity, and Fisher information with respect to three different probability distributions. The results show that these quantifiers reveal information about different features of the gaze depending on the distribution considered. As a meaningful result, we found that Fisher information in the position distribution reflects the difficulties encountered by the subject when solving the task. Such a characterization may be of interest to understand the underlying cognitive tasks performed by the subjects, and, additionally, it can serve as a source of valuable parameters to quantitatively assess how and why the subjects budget their attention, providing psychologists and psychopedagogues with more refined neuropsychological evaluation features and tools.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of neutron, gamma-ray, and x-ray sources using a cylindrical-harmonics expansion
Authors: Volegov P. L. , Batha S. H. , Fittinghoff D. N. , Danly C. R. , Geppert-Kleinrath V. , Wilde C. H. , Zylstra A. B.
Published: March 2021

Inertial confinement fusion capsule implosions produce neutron, gamma-ray, and x-ray emission, which are recorded by a variety of detectors, both time integrated and time resolved, to determine the performance of the implosion. Two-dimensional emission images from multiple directions can now be combined to infer three-dimensional structures in the implosion, such as the distribution of thermonuclear fuel density, carbon ablator, and impurities. Because of the cost and complexity of the imaging systems, however, only a few measurements can be made, so reconstructions of the source must be made from a limited number of views. Here, a cylindrical-harmonics decomposition technique to reconstruct the three-dimensional object from two views in the same symmetry plane is presented. In the limit of zero order, this method recovers the Abel inversion method. The detailed algorithms used for this characterization and the resulting reconstructed neutron source from an experiment collected at the National Ignition Facility are presented.
Circulating clonally expanded T cells reflect functions of tumor-infiltrating T cells
Authors: Lucca Liliana E. , Axisa Pierre-Paul , Lu Benjamin , Harnett Brian , Jessel Shlomit , Zhang Le , Raddassi Khadir , Zhang Lin , Olino Kelly , Clune James , Singer Meromit , Kluger Harriet M. , Hafler David A.
Published: March 2021

Understanding the relationship between tumor and peripheral immune environments could allow longitudinal immune monitoring in cancer. Here, we examined whether T cells that share the same TCRαβ and are found in both tumor and blood can be interrogated to gain insight into the ongoing tumor T cell response. Paired transcriptome and TCRαβ repertoire of circulating and tumor-infiltrating T cells were analyzed at the single-cell level from matched tumor and blood from patients with metastatic melanoma. We found that in circulating T cells matching clonally expanded tumor-infiltrating T cells (circulating TILs), gene signatures of effector functions, but not terminal exhaustion, reflect those observed in the tumor. In contrast, features of exhaustion are displayed predominantly by tumor-exclusive T cells. Finally, genes associated with a high degree of blood–tumor TCR sharing were overexpressed in tumor tissue after immunotherapy. These data demonstrate that circulating TILs have unique transcriptional patterns that may have utility for the interrogation of T cell function in cancer immunotherapy.
In situ scanning x-ray diffraction reveals strain variations in electrochemically grown nanowires
Authors: Larsson Alfred , Abbondanza Giuseppe , Rämisch Lisa , Linpé Weronica , Novikov Dmitri V , Lundgren Edvin , Harlow Gary S
Published: March 2021

Templated electrochemical growth in nanoporous alumina can be used to fabricate nanowires with applications in magnetic storage devices, hydrogen sensors, and electrocatalysis. It is known that nanowires, grown in such templates, are strained. The strain in nanoscale materials can influence their performance in applications such as catalysts and electronic devices. However, it is not well established how the nanoporous template affects the lattice strain in the nanowires and how this develops during the growth process due to the lack of non-destructive in situ studies with spatial resolution. We have measured the strain and grain size of palladium nanowires in nanoporous templates during the growth process. For this, we performed in situ scanning x-ray diffraction with a submicron focused x-ray beam. We found a tensile strain in the nanowires and that it is more pronounced along the growth direction than in the confined direction of the templates. The tensile strain measured in situ is higher than previous ex situ reports, possibly due to hydrogen absorption during the growth. With the spatial information made possible with the focused synchrotron x-ray beam, we could observe local variations in the strain as a function of height. A region of local strain variation is found near the bottom of the nanowires where growth is initiated in branches at the pore bottoms. Knowledge of how nanoporous templates influences the strain of the nanowires may allow for atomic scale tailoring of the catalytic activity of such nanowires or minimizing strain to optimize electronic device performance.