bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Particle Properties of Air Nanobubbles and Their Inhibition Mechanism on Brass Corrosion in Recirculating Cooling Water: Effects of Concentration Ratio and Flow Velocity
Authors: Zhang Yuling , Duan Haiyang , Lu Shaolei , Yang Shaoxia , Qiu Yaqin , Liu Songtao , Wu Yinwei
Published: March 2024

The corrosion inhibition performance of air nanobubbles (A‐NBs) is expected to address the environmental problems arising from chemical corrosion. In order to regulate the corrosion inhibition performance of A‐NBs, the particle characteristics of A‐NBs in flowing composite salt solutions are investigated, and the corrosion inhibition effect of A‐NBs under different concentration ratios and rotational speed of simulated circulating cooling water is studied. High salt concentrations significantly reduced the particle size, concentration, and zeta‐potential value of A‐NBs, thus reducing the stability of A‐NBs. The flow velocity has a slight effect on A‐NBs. The results of the weight loss and electrochemical method showed that A‐NBs achieved the highest corrosion inhibition rate of 55% under a concentration ratio of 1.5 and a rotational speed of 100 r min−1. The surface characterization of brass specimens revealed that A‐NBs facilitated the formation of Cu2(OH)2CO3 passivation film, calcium carbonate scale film, and a layer of bubbles on the surface of brass, which subsequently mitigated the erosive impact of the fluid. A‐NBs can adsorb cations and thus reduce the concentration of corrosive ions. However, the increase in concentration ratio and rotational speed impeded the formation of the bubble layer and passivation film.
Protein structure–function continuum model: Emerging nexuses between specificity, evolution, and structure
Authors: Gupta Munishwar Nath , Uversky Vladimir N.
Published: March 2024

The rationale for replacing the old binary of structure–function with the trinity of structure, disorder, and function has gained considerable ground in recent years. A continuum model based on the expanded form of the existing paradigm can now subsume importance of both conformational flexibility and intrinsic disorder in protein function. The disorder is actually critical for understanding the protein–protein interactions in many regulatory processes, formation of membrane‐less organelles, and our revised notions of specificity as amply illustrated by moonlighting proteins. While its importance in formation of amyloids and function of prions is often discussed, the roles of intrinsic disorder in infectious diseases and protein function under extreme conditions are also becoming clear. This review is an attempt to discuss how our current understanding of protein function, specificity, and evolution fit better with the continuum model. This integration of structure and disorder under a single model may bring greater clarity in our continuing quest for understanding proteins and molecular mechanisms of their functionality.
Wearable sampling of proteins from human exhaled aerosols for nano‐liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis: A pilot study
Authors: Cai Shen‐hui , Wang Baixue , Zhang Jianfeng , Guo Jiubiao , Hu Bin
Published: March 2024

Rationale

Human exhaled breath usually contains unique proteins that may provide clues to characterize individual physiological activities and many diseases. However, the concentration of exhaled proteins in exhaled breath is extremely low and usually does not reach the detection limits of all online breath mass spectrometry instruments. Therefore, developing a new breath sampler for collecting and characterizing exhaled proteins is important.

Methods

In this study, a new mask‐based wearable sampler was developed by fixing metal materials into the inner surface of the KN95 mask. Human exhaled proteins could be directly adsorbed onto the metal material while wearing the mask. After sampling, the collected proteins were eluted, digested, and identified using nano‐liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (nano‐LC–MS/MS).

Results

The adsorption of exhaled proteins was evaluated, showing that modified gold foil is an effective material for collecting exhaled proteins. Various endogenous proteins were successfully identified from exhaled breath, many of which can be potential biomarkers for disease diagnosis.

Conclusions

By coupling the newly developed mask sampler with nano‐LC–MS/MS, human exhaled proteins were successfully collected and identified. Our results show that the mask sampler is wearable, simple, and convenient, and the method is noninvasive for investigating disease diagnosis and human health.
Development of a High‐Frequency Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)‐Based Laminate With An Ultra‐Low Dielectric Constant by Combination of Ceramic Hollow Spheres and PTFE Resin
Authors: Wu Cong , Li Qiang , Hong Ying , Feng Beibei , Hu Wencheng , Sun Liangkui
Published: March 2024

Ceramic hollow spheres and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin are essential for the fabrication of ultra‐low dielectric constant laminates for high‐frequency printed circuit boards. The poor bonding between ceramic hollow spheres and PTFE is the fundamental obstacle to the homogeneity of the composite. In this work, the broken ceramic hollow spheres were first removed by flotation, and then the surface of the floated hollow spheres was modified using different silane coupling agents at various concentrations. By comprehensively considering the results of the orthogonal experiment, the optimal coupling agent is determined to be 3‐(methacryloyloxy) propyltrimethoxysilane (KH560). The effect of KH560 content, ethanol/water volume ratio, and pH value on the dielectric constant, dielectric layer density, water absorption, and Z‐axis thermal expansion coefficient of the parallel samples was investigated in detail. The optimum surface modification parameters are found to be 6 wt % KH560, an ethanol/water volume ratio of 9 : 1 and a pH of 4. Under optimum technological conditions, the fabricated composites exhibit superior properties with dielectric constant less than 2, indicating a potential application in high performance high frequency copper clad laminates.
Remarkable Catalytic Performance of MoO(O2)2 Loaded in NH2‐UiO‐66 for Oxidative Desulfurization of Fuel Oil
Authors: Chen Mingyan , Wang Wentao , Feng Xinkai , Zhang Dehua , Zhang Yao , Liu Yucheng
Published: March 2024

A highly efficient oxidative desulfurization composite catalyst NH2‐Uio‐66‐Mo has been prepared and applied in the catalytic oxidative desulfurization. It was elucidated that Mo6+ could increase the oxygen vacancies and active sites on the catalyst and increase the pore size of UiO‐66. Meanwhile, the removal rate of dibenzothiophene (DBT) reached 99.2 % after 60 min under optimal conditions and remained above 90 % after 5 cycles, showing the composite catalyst's remarkable catalytic performance and satisfactory reusability NH2‐UiO‐66‐Mo. In addition, kinetic studies revealed that the desulfurization process can present a pseudo‐first‐order kinetic process. The apparent activation energy was 10.6 kJ/mol. Finally, in combination with oxides, possible oxidation pathways were identified.
Anion–Induced Amyloid Fibrillation of Human Insulin In vitro
Authors: Begum Shahnaz , Paul Swarnali , Parvej Hasan , Mondal Falguni , Dalui Ramkrishna , Pradhan Anirban , Sepay Nayim , Chandra Halder Umesh
Published: March 2024

In the present study, we have focused on the effect of three biologically important salt anions on insulin aggregation. The result of the present study reveals that salts differing in their anions (NaI, NaOAc, and NaNO3) induce the self–assembly formation of insulin even at low physiological (in the micromolar range) salt concentration with efficacy that follows the order I−>CH3COO−>NO3−. Here, the anion–driven aggregation of insulin does not follow either the Hofmeister series or electroselectivity series at very low salt concentrations; instead, the binding of anions at low pH to the positively charged residues of insulin is determined by a mechanism where the salt anions promote the fibrillation of insulin and modify the morphology of the monomeric precursor molecule. Both the nucleation and fibril elongation are controlled by the electrostatic forces and hydrophobic interactions. Aggregation mechanism and aggregate morphology were investigated employing a combination of Thioflavin T (ThT) and ANS fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Overall, the present data will enhance the idea to rationalize the anion effects on the aggregation of amyloid‐prone protein and to understand the influence of charged biomolecules in cellular compartments.
Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of One‐Dimensional γ‐MnOOH Nanorods
Authors: Zhao Yanhong , Li Congshuang , Zhang Wei
Published: March 2024

MnOOH has received much attention from researchers as a supercapacitor electrode material. In this article, one‐dimensional γ‐MnOOH nanorods were prepared by the hydrothermal method using the redox reaction between MnO4− and Mn2+, and the effects of temperatures on the crystalline phases and electrochemical properties of the samples were investigated. The materials were characterized using XRD, FT‐IR, SEM, TEM, Raman and XPS; electrochemical properties were tested using CV, GCD and EIS. The results show that the reaction temperature plays an important role in the generation of γ‐MnOOH. The samples were pure phases of γ‐MnOOH (M‐140) at the reaction temperature of 140 °C, showing interlaced nanorod morphology, and when the reaction temperature was increased to 180 °C, a mixed phase of MnOOH and Mn3O4 appeared. In contrast, the electrochemical performance of γ‐MnOOH nanorods (M‐140) was superior to the other samples, reaching a specific capacitance of 221 F/g at a current density of 0.2 A/g. The capacitance retention was 93.8 % after charging and discharging the M‐140 2000 times at a current density of 6 A/g. Supercapacitors assembled with γ‐MnOOHand activated carbon (AC) have excellent energy storage performance, and a high energy density of 40.6 Wh/kg is obtained at a power density of 196.7 W/kg.
Rare Earth Dopants Enhance Thermocatalytic Activity of Manganese Oxides on Corrugated Silica Carriers for Formaldehyde Degradation
Authors: Qiang Wen‐Jun , Yu Feng‐Shan , Shu Qiu‐Hao , Zhou Qian‐Cheng , Lü Jun‐Ying , Guo Ya‐Ping
Published: March 2024

The development of high efficiency thermocatalysts remains a great challenge for gaseous formaldehyde elimination. Herein, rare earth‐doped manganese dioxide (RE‐MnO2) particles with sizes of approximately 200 nm were deposited on corrugated silica carrier (CSC) by using cerium or samarium as dopants. One part of rare earth ions in RE‐MnO2/CSC were substituted for the manganese ions in α‐MnO2, and the other part existed in the form of cerium oxide or samarium oxide. RE‐MnO2/CSC exhibited better thermocatalytic activity than MnO2/CSC. The formaldehyde removal efficiency over RE‐MnO2/CSC reached nearly 100 % even after cycle tests of 5 times. Both the cerium and samarium doping accelerated HCHO oxidation via increasing lattice oxygen and Mn4+ amounts, improving low‐temperature redox properties, and reducing apparent activation energy. Notably, the RE oxides in the catalysts played different roles in HCHO degradation. Samarium oxide did not possess thermocatalytic activity, while cerium oxide in RE‐MnO2/CSC participated directly in the formaldehyde degradation via the CeO2↔Ce2O3 redox reaction and facilitated the oxidation of Mn2O3 into MnO2. This work revealed the effect mechanisms of RE doping and RE oxide on the enhanced thermocatalytic activity, and provided a novel viewpoint to develop RE‐doped catalysts for formaldehyde removal.
Systematic Study of the Effect of Cycle Number and Crystal Structure on Si Anodes
Authors: Zhi Youran , Zhang Yinghao , Zhang Feng , Wang Deyong
Published: March 2024

This paper shows that the number of cycles and the crystal structure play an important role in the capacity and cycling ability of lithium‐ion batteries. However, the detailed dynamics and continuity of the capacity decay mechanism caused by the number of cycles and crystal structure need to be further understood at the nanoscale. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to examine the microstructure development and deformation behavior of the Si anode in an electric field. The results show that the increase of the number of cycles leads to a large expansion of the volume of the Si electrode, which further leads to the loss of capacity and the decrease of cycle capacity, as well as the decrease of structural stability. The formation of Si crystal structure from diamond structure to amorphous depends on the depth of lithiation and desulfurization. Due to the presence of a large number of nanoscale voids, the Si anode has undergone volume expansion. The transformation associated with nanogap nucleation caused by the involuntary diffusion process is driven by more cycles, resulting in irreversible capacity loss of lithium‐ion batteries. The analysis model shows that the stress caused by diffusion is not only related to the position of the Si anode, but also to the cycle time.
Magnetic Field Induction ZnFe2O4@Carbon for Construction of a PVDF‐HFP‐Based 3D Dielectric Network
Authors: Zhang Yumeng , Wang Xiaoming , Weng Ling , Zhang Xiaorui , Guan Lizhu , Li Xue , Pan Hao
Published: March 2024

Functional fillers in the polymerization system cannot be arranged in an orderly manner when exposed to natural conditions. The application of magnetic fields in the material preparation process has been shown to greatly enhance the distribution of functional fillers, leading to the organized alignment of functional fillers and the production of polymer matrix composites with remarkable characteristics. In this experiment, rod‐like ZnFe2O4 was synthesized by reverse microemulsion method, and amorphous carbon was coated on the surface of ZnFe2O4 by freeze‐drying method to obtain ZnFe2O4@Carbon core‐shell particles. The composite films were prepared by dispersing ZnFe2O4 with different volume contents into P(VDF‐HFP) matrix. The external parallel magnetic field was used to manipulate the ZnFe2O4@C/P(VDF‐HFP) composite film during the hot‐pressing process, resulting in an oriented ZnFe2O4@C/P(VDF‐HFP) composite film. The experiment revealed that when ZnFe2O4@C is aligned with the film orientation, the dielectric constant of the composite film is 50(50 Hz), which is 130 % higher than that of the unoriented composite film and 290 % higher than that of pure P(VDF‐HFP). When the filling amount is 40 Vol.%, the energy storage density of ZnFe2O4@C/P(VDF‐HFP) composite film is 1.18 times higher than that of unoriented composite material and 1.32 times higher than that of pure P(VDF‐HFP).
Genetic Modulation of Biosynthetic Gas Vesicles for Ultrasound Imaging
Authors: Fu Meijun , Wang Yuanyuan , Wang Jieqiong , Hao Yongsheng , Zeng Fengyi , Zhang Zhaomeng , Du Jianxiong , Long Huan , Yan Fei
Published: March 2024

Gas vesicles (GVs) from microorganisms are genetically air‐filled protein nanostructures, and serve as a new class of nanoscale contrast agents for ultrasound imaging. Recently, the genetically encoded GV gene clusters have been heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, allowing these genetically engineered bacteria to be visualized in vivo in a real‐time manner by ultrasound. However, most of the GV genes remained functionally uncharacterized, which makes it difficult to regulate and modify GVs for broad medical applications. Here, the impact of GV proteins on GV formation is systematically investigated. The results first uncovered that the deletions of GvpR or GvpU resulted in the formation of a larger proportion of small, biconical GVs compared to the full‐length construct, and the deletion of GvpT resulted in a larger portion of large GVs. Meanwhile, the combination of gene deletions has resulted in several genotypes of ultrasmall GVs that span from 50 to 20 nm. Furthermore, the results showed that E. coli carrying the ΔGvpCRTU mutant can produce strong ultrasound contrast signals in mouse liver. In conclusion, the study provides new insights into the roles of GV proteins in GV formation and produce ultrasmall GVs with a wide range of in vivo research.
Reversible Stacking and Delamination‐Regulation of MXene via Controlled Freezing
Authors: Zhang Yanlin , Hu Jinhao , Bai Guoying
Published: March 2024

MXene's configuration, whether it is aggregated or dispersed in a monolayer, determines the specific application areas and even greatly influences the intrinsic properties of MXene. However, how to desirably control MXene's configuration is challenging. Here, a simple, additive‐free, chemical reaction‐free, and scalable strategy to optionally and reversibly regulate MXene's ordered stacking and delamination of MXene aggregates (AM) is reported. Just by controlled freezing of MXene aqueous dispersions, the aggregation percentage, delamination percentage, and interlayer spacing of AM can be finely tuned. Experimental results reveal that the freezing‐induced aggregation and delamination effects can be explained by the squeezing action of growing ice grains on the MXene excluded/concentrated between ice grains and the expanding action caused by the ice formation between AM lamellae, respectively. The dominance between them depends on the freezing parameter‐influenced ice nucleation sites, numbers, and ice grain sizes. This work not only contributes to the preparation, storage, and practical applications of MXene, but also opens a new and green avenue for controlling materials’ assembly structures.
Rapid Construction of Double Crystalline Prussian Blue Analogue Hetero‐Superstructure
Authors: Shi Jinghui , Yang Zi‐Xuan , Wan Hui , Li Bo , Nie Jianhang , Huang Tao , Li Lei , Huang Gui‐Fang , Leng Can , Si Yubing , Huang Wei‐Qing
Published: March 2024

The controllable construction of complex metal–organic coordination polymers (CPs) merits untold scientific and technological potential, yet remains a grand challenge of one‐step construction and modulating simultaneously valence states of metals and topological morphology. Here, a thiocyanuric acid (TCA)‐triggered strategy is presented to one‐step rapid synthesis a double‐crystalline Prussian blue analogue hetero‐superstructure (PBA‐hs) that comprises a Co3[Fe(CN)6]2 cube overcoated with a KCo[Fe(CN)6] shell, followed by eight self‐assembled small cubes on vertices. Unlike common directing surfactants, TCA not only acts as a trigger for the fast growth of KCo[Fe(CN)6] on the Co3[Fe(CN)6]2 phase resulting in a PBA‐on‐PBA hetero‐superstructure, but also serves as a flange‐like bridge between them. By combining experiments with simulations, a deprotonation‐induced electron transfer (DIET) mechanism is proposed for formation of second phase in PBA‐hs, differing from thermally and photo‐induced electron transfer processes. To prove utility, the calcined PBA‐hs exhibits enhanced oxygen evolution reaction performance. This work provides a new method to design of novel CPs for enriching chemistry and material science. This work offers a practical approach to design novel CPs for enriching chemistry and material science.
Study via the finite element method of the behavior of deck joints in a bridge composed of precast concrete segments
Authors: Possamai Spessatto Rafaella , Campos Filho Américo , Manica Lazzari Bruna , Manica Lazzari Paula , Rodrigues Pacheco Alexandre
Published: March 2024

There is a demand for research to better understand the structural performance of segmental bridge joints. In this context, the main objective of this work is to present a 3D numerical modeling using the Finite Element Method (FEM) to physically simulate the behavior of concrete joints in a segmental concrete bridge. The analysis was conducted using the design of a real bridge, and the structure studied was the main span of the New Guaíba Bridge, located in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. The modeling was implemented using ANSYS software, version 21.2. The simulation considers a complete model of the span to provide a more realistic determination of the joint openings and the stress distributions in the elements. It is crucial to emphasize that the results obtained from the model do not reproduce the observed behavior of the studied bridge. The analysis considered only one span with simplified boundary conditions and higher loads than those typically adopted in usual design procedures.
Predicting capacity models and seismic fragility estimation for precast parking structures based on machine learning techniques
Authors: Li Hao , Zhou Wei
Published: March 2024

The development of fragility curves is an important step in seismic risk assessment within the scope of performance‐based earthquake engineering. The goal of this work is to use machine learning methods (regression‐based tools) to forecast the large‐span precast parking structural responses and fragility curves. This study proposes five predicting models based on machine learning to evaluate the seismic performance of the large‐span precast parking structures, including: neural networks, genetic algorithm‐based neural networks, support vector machine, decision tree and random forest. A database that includes 453 numerical synthetic results was used to train and test the machine learning models. The seismic performance of large‐span precast parking structures were predicted using the constructed machine learning models. Finally, the sensitivity analysis of input parameters was conducted. From this paper we can conclude that: (1) the genetic optimization‐based neural networks' predicting model has the most accurate predictive ability for seismic fragility estimation and (2) the structural responses and the fragility curves of parking structures are related to the differences of the stiffness of the connectors and the number of floors, of which the stiffness of the connectors should be given special attention.
Creating transformational change in flood resilience strategies
Authors: McClymont Kerri , Beevers Lindsay , Bedinger Melissa , Walker Guy
Published: March 2024

Flood hazards are increasing as a result of climate change and growing urbanization. Research has shown that people who are socially vulnerable are more exposed to flood risk. Flood disadvantage that exists today is projected to continue in the future: it is stubborn. We present a bold new research agenda for exploring how different physical, social, institutional, and natural resources interact in urban areas to influence social opportunities over time. These interactions must be modeled to understand how the flood‐affected area is degraded, in terms of the functions it provides, as a result of varying levels and frequency of flood exposure. Nesting flood exposure within a wider functional view of urban environments enables a place‐based, systems approach to resilience. It reveals the underlying mechanisms—and potential remediations—for spatial inequalities. In doing so resilience strategies can be designed to transform the current trajectory of stubborn disadvantage to flooding.

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Planning Water
From Design to Reality: An Overview of the MontiThings Ecosystem for Model-Driven IoT Applications
Authors: Kirchhof Jörg Christian
Published: March 2024

The Internet of Things (IoT) networks everyday objects that can perceive and influence their environment using sensors and actuators. Since IoT systems are inherently distributed systems, often built on fault-prone hardware and exposed to harsh environmental conditions such as vibration or humidity, developing such systems is challenging. In recent years, some DSLs for IoT system development have been introduced, yet they only slightly improve IoT system development. This chapter provides an overview of MontiThings, an ecosystem for model-driven development of IoT systems that covers the life cycle of IoT systems from design in the form of Component and connector (C&C) models, through (dynamic) deployment, to failure analysis. MontiThings is designed to handle different classes of errors and failures. By being able to make counter-suggestions to device owners, the requirement-based deployment algorithm enables device owners to customize their IoT systems to their needs. MontiThings also offers an app store concept to decouple hardware development from software development in order to prospectively reduce problems such as e-waste and security issues that result from too close a coupling. Overall, MontiThings demonstrates an end-to-end model-driven approach to IoT system development.
Usefulness of Automatic Static Analysis Tools: Evidence from Four Case Studies
Authors: Trautsch Alexander
Published: March 2024

Automated Static Analysis Tools (ASATs) are an additional tool available to developers in their pursuit of high-quality software. ASATs match source code against configured rules and produce a warning when a rule is violated. However, the evaluation of the warnings by developers as well as the resolution of warnings requires time. This raises the question of whether we are able to evaluate the usefulness of ASATs empirically. Within this chapter, we present the results of four case studies, which investigate different aspects regarding the impact of ASATs on software quality and the perception of the developers thereof. We present results regarding the evolution of ASAT warnings from a longitudinal study of 54 open-source projects. To evaluate the impact on defects, we present results from two studies. The first study is evaluating predictive models in the context of defect prediction with ASAT-based features. The second study provides a statistical investigation of the differences between changes that induce a defect and all other changes. In order to observe the developer’s perspective regarding ASAT warnings and other software quality metrics, we include the results of a study of developer intent, which compares changes where the developers intend to improve the quality of the code base with all other changes to see which quality metrics and ASAT warnings change in which way. We employ methods of empirical software engineering research to investigate these relationships and provide evidence-based information for researchers and practitioners alike. Within our studies, we can show empirically that we are able to measure an impact on quality. However, the effect is surprisingly small. Moreover, our investigation of developer intents yield information about the magnitude of bug fixing as a driver for complexity in software. Our results can help practitioners estimate the possible impact of introducing an ASAT on defects, as well as provide guidelines for managing the complexity of software.
Multi-scale cross-attention transformer encoder for event classification
Authors: Hammad A. , Moretti S. , Nojiri M.
Published: March 2024

Abstract

We deploy an advanced Machine Learning (ML) environment, leveraging a multi-scale cross-attention encoder for event classification, towards the identification of the gg → H → hh → $$ b\overline{b}b\overline{b} $$
b

b
¯

b

b
¯

process at the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), where h is the discovered Standard Model (SM)-like Higgs boson and H a heavier version of it (with mH> 2mh). In the ensuing boosted Higgs regime, the final state consists of two fat jets. Our multi-modal network can extract information from the jet substructure and the kinematics of the final state particles through self-attention transformer layers. The diverse learned information is subsequently integrated to improve classification performance using an additional transformer encoder with cross-attention heads. We showcase that our approach surpasses current alternative methods used to establish sensitivity to this process in performance, whether solely based on kinematic analysis or combining this with mainstream ML approaches. Then, we employ various interpretive methods to evaluate the network results, including attention map analysis and visual representation of Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM). Finally, we note that the proposed network is generic and can be applied to analyse any process carrying information at different scales. Our code is publicly available for generic use (https://github.com/AHamamd150/Multi-Scale-Transformer-Encoder).
Single-cut-Derotationsosteotomie am distalen Femur zur Korrektur von Torsion und frontaler Achse
Authors: Imhoff Florian B. , Trierweiler Mathieu
Published: March 2024

Operationsziel

Die Rotationsosteotomie bedingt eine komplette Durchtrennung des Knochens zur Korrektur der Maltorsion. Eine zusätzliche Korrektur der frontalen Achse kann durch eine definierte schräge Sägeebene der Osteotomie erzielt werden. Der direkte flächige Knochenkontakt wird mit einer winkelstabilen Osteosyntheseplatte fixiert.

Indikationen

Symptome wie anteriorer Knieschmerz, Inwardly-pointing-knee-Syndrom, laterale Patella(sub)luxation, laterale Patellahyperpression sind typische Beschwerden, welche in Kombination mit klinisch erhöhter femoraler Innenrotation und radiologisch erhöhter femoraler Antetorsion zur Indikation der Derotationsosteotomie führen.

Kontraindikationen

Kontraindikationen für die o. g. Derotation bestehen bei vermehrter Hüftaußenrotation versus Innenrotation, erhöhter femoraler Torsion aber keine vermehrte Hüftinnenrotation, Malcompliance wie Unfähigkeit der Stock-Teilbelastung. Zudem stellen generelle Risiken, die zu einer verzögerten Knochenheilung führen wie Nikotinabusus und Adipositas, relative Kontraindikationen dar; ebenso wie eine bereits bestehende patellofemorale Arthrose oder die Einnahme von Glukokortikoiden und Immunsuppressiva.

Operationstechnik

Es kann ein lateraler oder wahlweise medialer Zugang zum distalen Femur zur Darstellung des Knochens mit Eva-Haken gewählt werden. Die Verwendung von patientenspezifischen Schnittblöcke geben das geplante Ausmaß der Derotation und Ebene der Schnittführung sehr präzise vor. Durch eine definierte Single-cut-Schnittebene kann zusätzlich die frontale Achse korrigiert/verbessert werden. Eine zusätzliche biplanare Schnittführung mit anteriorem Wedge erhöht die intraoperative Stabilität und generiert eine größere Fläche für die Konsolidierung.

Weiterbehandlung

Aufgrund des extramedullären Kraftträgers ist eine Teilbelastung mit 15–20 kg an Stöcken für 6 Wochen empfohlen mit jedoch freier Beweglichkeit des Kniegelenks

Ergebnisse

Die Literatur beschreibt signifikant erhöhte Patientenzufriedenheit in Bezug auf Patellastabilität und Kniefunktion nach Kombinationseingriffen mit Derotationsosteotomie. Mit der Verwendung von PSI-Schnittblöcken ist die Genauigkeit der Osteotomie und der 3‑dimensionsalen Korrektur sehr hoch. Die delayed-union-Rate liegt bei ca. 10 %.
Elterliches Belastungserleben, Unaufmerksamkeits‑/Hyperaktivitätssymptome und elternberichtete ADHS bei Kindern und Jugendlichen: Ergebnisse aus der KiGGS-Studie
Authors: Neuperdt Laura , Beyer Ann-Kristin , Junker Stephan , Mauz Elvira , Hölling Heike , Schlack Robert
Published: March 2024

Hintergrund

Eine Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit‑/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) bei Kindern und Jugendlichen geht mit elterlichen Belastungen einher. Umgekehrt sind psychosoziale Belastungen der Eltern mit dem Auftreten von Unaufmerksamkeits‑/Hyperaktivitätssymptomen (UHS) bei den Kindern assoziiert. In diesem Beitrag wird der Zusammenhang verschiedener Arten und des Umfangs elterlicher Belastungen mit UHS und einer elternberichteten ADHS-Diagnose der Kinder analysiert.

Methodik

Auf Grundlage der Daten von n = 4596 Teilnehmenden der KiGGS-Kohorte (Welle 2: 2014–2017) wurden in einer querschnittlichen Analyse elterliche Belastungen in Zusammenhang mit UHS sowie einer elternberichteten ADHS-Diagnose der Kinder gebracht. Berichtet werden Häufigkeiten, Mittelwerte sowie für Geschlecht, Alter, sozioökonomischen Status und Migrationshintergrund adjustierte Beta-Koeffizienten und Odds Ratios.

Ergebnisse

Einzeln betrachtet waren mehr elterliche Belastungsarten mit UHS assoziiert als mit einer ADHS-Diagnose. Multivariat betrachtet erwiesen sich finanzielle Sorgen und Erziehungsprobleme/Konflikte mit den Kindern als signifikante Prädiktoren sowohl für UHS als auch für eine ADHS-Diagnose des Kindes. 4 oder mehr elterliche Belastungen gingen zudem mit einer höheren Wahrscheinlichkeit sowohl für UHS als auch für eine ADHS-Diagnose einher.

Diskussion

Finanzielle Belastungen und Erziehungsprobleme stellen relevante Belastungen der Eltern von Kindern mit UHS oder ADHS-Diagnose dar. Wechselbeziehungen zwischen elterlichen Belastungen und der ADHS eines Kindes sind anzunehmen. Maßnahmen zur familiären Entlastung können entweder auf eine Verbesserung der familiären Lage (Verhältnisprävention) oder des familiären Umgangs mit dem von ADHS betroffenen Kind (Verhaltensprävention) zielen.
A diverse panel of 755 bread wheat accessions harbors untapped genetic diversity in landraces and reveals novel genetic regions conferring powdery mildew resistance
Authors: Leber Rebecca , Heuberger Matthias , Widrig Victoria , Jung Esther , Paux Etienne , Keller Beat , Sánchez-Martín Javier
Published: March 2024

Key message

A bread wheat panel reveals rich genetic diversity in Turkish, Pakistani and Iranian landraces and novel resistance loci to diverse powdery mildew isolates via subsetting approaches in association studies.

Wheat breeding for disease resistance relies on the availability and use of diverse genetic resources. More than 800,000 wheat accessions are globally conserved in gene banks, but they are mostly uncharacterized for the presence of resistance genes and their potential for agriculture. Based on the selective reduction of previously assembled collections for allele mining for disease resistance, we assembled a trait-customized panel of 755 geographically diverse bread wheat accessions with a focus on landraces, called the LandracePLUS panel. Population structure analysis of this panel based on the TaBW35K SNP array revealed an increased genetic diversity compared to 632 landraces genotyped in an earlier study and 17 high-quality sequenced wheat accessions. The additional genetic diversity found here mostly originated from Turkish, Iranian and Pakistani landraces. We characterized the LandracePLUS panel for resistance to ten diverse isolates of the fungal pathogen powdery mildew. Performing genome-wide association studies and dividing the panel further by a targeted subsetting approach for accessions of distinct geographical origin, we detected several known and already cloned genes, including thePm2agene. In addition, we identified 22 putatively novel powdery mildew resistance loci that represent useful sources for resistance breeding and for research on the mildew-wheat pathosystem. Our study shows the value of assembling trait-customized collections and utilizing a diverse range of pathogen races to detect novel loci. It further highlights the importance of integrating landraces of different geographical origins into future diversity studies.
Set-theoretical solutions of the pentagon equation on Clifford semigroups
Authors: Mazzotta Marzia , Pérez-Calabuig Vicent , Stefanelli Paola
Published: March 2024

Given a set-theoretical solution of the pentagon equation $$s:S\times S\rightarrow S\times S$$

s
:
S
×
S
→
S
×
S

on a set S and writing $$s(a, b)=(a\cdot b,\, \theta _a(b))$$

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(
a
,
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)

=
(
a
·
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,

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, with $$\cdot $$
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a binary operation on S and $$\theta _a$$

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a map from S into itself, for every $$a\in S$$

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, one naturally obtains that $$\left( S,\,\cdot \right) $$

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is a semigroup. In this paper, we focus on solutions defined in Clifford semigroups $$\left( S,\,\cdot \right) $$

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satisfying special properties on the set of all idempotents $${{\,\textrm{E}\,}}(S)$$

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. Into the specific, we provide a complete description of idempotent-invariant solutions, namely, those solutions for which $$\theta _a$$

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remains invariant in $${{\,\textrm{E}\,}}(S)$$

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(
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, for every $$a\in S$$

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. Moreover, we construct a family of idempotent-fixed solutions, i.e., those solutions for which $$\theta _a$$

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fixes every element in $${{\,\textrm{E}\,}}(S)$$

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for every $$a\in S$$

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, from solutions given on each maximal subgroup of S.
Can gait patterns be explained by joint structure in people with and without radiographic knee osteoarthritis? Data from the IMI-APPROACH cohort
Authors: Jansen M. P. , Hodgins D. , Mastbergen S. C. , Kloppenburg M. , Blanco F. J. , Haugen I. K. , Berenbaum F. , Eckstein F. , Roemer F. W. , Wirth W.
Published: March 2024

Objective

To determine the association between joint structure and gait in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

IMI-APPROACH recruited 297 clinical knee OA patients. Gait data was collected (GaitSmart®) and OA-related joint measures determined from knee radiographs (KIDA) and MRIs (qMRI/MOAKS). Patients were divided into those with/without radiographic OA (ROA). Principal component analyses (PCA) were performed on gait parameters; linear regression models were used to evaluate whether image-based structural and demographic parameters were associated with gait principal components.

Results

Two hundred seventy-one patients (age median 68.0, BMI 27.0, 77% female) could be analyzed; 149 (55%) had ROA. PCA identified two components: upper leg (primarily walking speed, stride duration, hip range of motion [ROM], thigh ROM) and lower leg (calf ROM, knee ROM in swing and stance phases). Increased age, BMI, and radiographic subchondral bone density (sclerosis), decreased radiographic varus angle deviation, and female sex were statistically significantly associated with worse lower leg gait (i.e. reduced ROM) in patients without ROA (R2 = 0.24); in ROA patients, increased BMI, radiographic osteophytes, MRI meniscal extrusion and female sex showed significantly worse lower leg gait (R2 = 0.18). Higher BMI was significantly associated with reduced upper leg function for non-ROA patients (R2 = 0.05); ROA patients with male sex, higher BMI and less MRI synovitis showed significantly worse upper leg gait (R2 = 0.12).

Conclusion

Structural OA pathology was significantly associated with gait in patients with clinical knee OA, though BMI may be more important. While associations were not strong, these results provide a significant association between OA symptoms (gait) and joint structure.
A polo-like kinase 1 inhibitor enhances erastin sensitivity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells in vitro
Authors: Wu Xiangping , Wu Jing
Published: March 2024

Background

Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a critical therapeutic target in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of the combination of BI 2536, a PLK1 inhibitor, and erastin, a ferroptosis inducer, in HNSCC.

Methods

The proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of Tu177 and FaDu cells upon exposure to BI 2536 and erastin, used in combination or alone, were tested. Fe2+, glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) detection kits were used to determine whether the addition of BI 2536 enhanced the accumulation of Fe2+ and MDA, along with the depletion of GSH. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analyses were performed to investigate whether BI 2536 further altered the mRNA and expression level of ferroptosis genes. Furthermore, si PLK1 was used to investigate whether targeting PLK1 gene promoted erastin-induced ferroptosis.

Results

The combination of BI 2536 and erastin exerted a stronger cytotoxicity than treatment with a single agent. Compared with erastin treatment alone, the combination of BI 2536 and erastin lowered the ability of tumor cells to self-clone, invade, and migrate. BI 2536 enhanced the accumulation of Fe2+ and MDA, and the depletion of GSH. BI 2536 increased erastin-induced changes in ferroptosis-related gene mRNA and expression. Importantly, targeting PKL1 enhanced the anti-cancer effect of erastin.

Conclusion

BI 2536 enhanced the sensitivity of HNSCC cells to erastin, which provides a new perspective for cancer treatment.
Fitting copulas in the case of missing data
Authors: Liebscher Eckhard
Published: March 2024

In this paper we deal with parametric estimation of the copula in the case of missing data. The data items with the same pattern of complete and missing data are combined into a subset. This approach corresponds to the MCAR model for missing data. We construct a specific Cramér–von Mises statistic as a sum of such statistics for the several missing data patterns. The minimization of the statistic gives the estimators for the parameters. We prove asymptotic normality of the parameter estimators and of the Cramér–von Mises statistic.
Responsible Business Conduct in Commodity Trading—A Multidisciplinary Review
Authors: Dorfmüller Henrietta , Kimotho Wangui , Ebert Isabel , Dey Pascal , Wettstein Florian
Published: March 2024

Responsible business conduct (RBC)—the corporate activities and initiatives that proactively address corporate involvement in human rights, environmental, and governance threats—has become an increasingly used means to counteract and prevent adverse effects of global businesses. Unlike other business sectors whose adverse impacts and RBC efforts (or lack thereof) are well documented, a comprehensive understanding of the state of commodity trading (CT), has been missing. In response, this paper uses a multidisciplinary literature review to provide an integrative understanding of the current state of research on the relationship between CT and RBC. Based on a review of 131 articles, we advance a granular understanding of the current and prospective role of commodity traders in RBC by grouping extant research into three overarching themes: (1) industry self-regulation and co-regulatory initiatives, (2) government-led regulatory initiatives and policy responses, and (3) company-level management strategies impacting RBC practices. In addition to illustrating the themes through existing research and identifying gaps along the overarching themes, we use our literature review to suggest avenues for future research. The paper’s overarching contribution is, first, to synthesize previously fragmented findings into a coherent framework of CT and RBC. And second, to offer guidance on how scholarship in this important domain can be developed into a more mature, legitimate and practical stream of research.
Prognostic genomic alterations in patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Nordkild SB , Ahlborn LB , Yde CW , Kugler JM , Klubien J. , Akdag D. , Willemoe GL , Nielsen SD , Pommergaard Hans-Christian
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Genetic mutations and amplifications found in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have a potentially prognostic impact. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of mutations and amplifications in HCC from patients that were liver resected.

Methods

Patients liver resected for HCC at Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet between May 2014 and January 2018 were included. DNA from freshly frozen tumour tissue was investigated with TruSight Oncology 500. Mutations and amplifications were correlated with disease-free survival and overall survival using multivariate Cox regression to assess the effect on prognosis.

Results

Of the 51 patients included, 88% were male and the median age was 69 years. Most patients had a single tumour (84%) with no vascular invasion (67%) in a non-cirrhotic liver (76% with fibrosis, 24% with cirrhosis). The median follow-up was 37 months. Patients with a MYC amplification (8%) were significantly younger than the remaining patients. Furthermore, they had a significantly shorter overall survival (15 months (95% CI: 0.0–31.6) vs. 59 months (95% CI: 34.4–83.6), p = < 0.001) and disease-free survival (8 months (95% CI: 4.6–11.4) vs. 19 months (95% CI: 12.3–25.7), p = 0.03). However, only overall survival remained statistically significant in the adjusted analysis. Furthermore, all patients with an ARID1A mutation (6%) had microvascular invasion and significantly larger tumours than the patients without ARID1A mutation.

Conclusion

MYC amplifications had a prognostic influence on survival, whereas ARID1A gene mutations were correlated with microvascular invasion. These may serve as prognostic biomarkers and should be validated in large, independent cohort.
IL-6 Enhances the Activation of PI3K-AKT/mTOR-GSK-3β by Upregulating GRPR in Hippocampal Neurons of Autistic Mice
Authors: Li Heli , Wang Xinyuan , Hu Cong , Cui Jinru , Li Hao , Luo Xiaoping , Hao Yan
Published: March 2024

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder associated with brain inflammation. The underlying mechanisms could be attributed to the activation of PI3K signaling in the inflamed brain of ASD. Multiple studies highlight the role of GRPR in regulating ASD like abnormal behavior and enhancing the PI3K signaling. However, the molecular mechanism by which GRPR regulates PI3K signaling in neurons of individuals with ASD is still unclear. In this study, we utilized a maternal immune activation model to investigate the effects of GRPR on PI3K signaling in the inflamed brain of ASD mice. We used HT22 cells with and without GRPR to examine the impact of GRP-GRPR on the PI3K-AKT pathway with IL-6 treatment. We analyzed a dataset of hippocampus samples from ASD mice to identify hub genes. Our results demonstrated increased expression of IL-6, GRPR, and PI3K-AKT signaling in the hippocampus of ASD mice. Additionally, we observed increased GRPR expression and PI3K-AKT/mTOR activation in HT22 cells after IL-6 treatment, but decreased expression in HT22 cells with GRPR knockdown. NetworkAnalyst identified GSK-3β as the most crucial gene in the PI3K-AKT/mTOR pathway in the hippocampus of ASD. Furthermore, we found that IL-6 upregulated the expression of GSK-3β in HT22 cells by upregulating GRP-GRPR. Our findings suggest that IL-6 can enhance the activation of PI3K-AKT/mTOR-GSK-3β in hippocampal neurons of ASD mice by upregulating GRPR.

Graphical Abstract