bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anomalously Coursing Facial Nerves Above and Below the Oval Window: Three Case Reports
Authors: Huang Tsun‐Sheng
Published: September 2022

Anomalous coursing of a dehiscent horizontal segment of the facial nerve, overlying or running below the oval window, is a rare phenomenon exclusively associated with conductive deafness caused by developmental abnormalities of the stapes and occasionally coincident with additional types of congenital auricular and nonauricular abnormalities. This article describes three new cases of this entity, including one previously unreported coincidence of an abnormally contracted tympanic ring, which should serve to alert the surgeon to the danger of surgical damage to a dehiscent, displaced facial nerve.
Use of an Internet‐Based Journal Club
Authors: Kuppersmith Ronald B. , Stewart Michael G. , Ohlms Laurie A. , Coker Newton J.
Published: September 2022

The on‐line journal club is a useful example of the educational advantages created by the combination of current Internet technology with traditional journal club methods. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1997;116:497–8.)
Appropriateness of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Weber Peter C. , Zbar Ross I. , Gantz Bruce J.
Published: September 2022

Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss is an enigmatic condition of unknown cause. Although the treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss is controversial, the evaluation for a cause should not be. All patients are evaluated with a complete history, physical examination, audiologic examination, and blood draw to evaluate complete blood count, general chemistry screen, thyroid function test results, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorbance. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium contrast is essential in the evaluation of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, even if there is a complete response to either treatment or no treatment. During the last year we treated 16 patients for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss with our protocol of intravenous dextran/Hypaque or oral high‐dose steroids. Fifteen patients were evaluated immediately before treatment with a magnetic resonance imaging scan. An additional patient had been treated successfully with high‐dose steroids at an outside institution and came in for an evaluation. Of these 16 patients, 3 (18.75%) were found to have significant pathologic conditions on magnetic resonance imaging scan. The patient who had been treated successfully on the outside was noted to have a 5‐mm intracanalicular acoustic neuroma, the second patient was found to have a multiple sclerosis lesion at the level of the superior olive, and the third patient, who had had a normal magnetic resonance imaging scan 18 months previously, was now found to have a large 4‐ to 5‐cm meningioma in the cerebellopontine angle. We believe it is essential that all patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss be evaluated at some point during their treatment with a magnetic resonance imaging scan with gadolinium contrast.
Idiopathic Bilateral Vestibular Loss
Authors: Sargent Eric W. , Goebel Joel A. , Hanson Jason M. , Beck Douglas L.
Published: September 2022

We describe the clinical and laboratory features of 13 patients with bilateral loss of peripheral vestibular sensitivity of no known cause. In the office, screening for this condition was possible using illegible e‐testing and examination of the patient for refixation saccades after brisk head movements while attempting visual fixation. Diagnosis was confirmed by bilaterally reduced caloric responses (<20 degrees/second on all 4 caloric irrigations) and abnormally low gain of the vestibulo‐ocular reflex on rotational chair testing. The mean age of the patients was 68 years. We noted two patterns of symptom onset: onset associated with vertigo (10 patients) and insidious progressive disequilibrium not associated with vertigo (3 patients). Only 38 % of the patients complained of subjective oscillopsia. The subjects performed poorly on platform posturography, particularly when deprived of visual and somatosensory feedback. When associated with vertigo, bilateral vestibular loss may be the result of bilateral sequential vestibular neuritis; when not associated with vertigo, disequilibrium may be caused by slow, symmetrical loss of peripheral function as a result of aging. Although the subjects in this report were elderly, idiopathic bilateral vestibular loss has been reported in patients of all ages.
Endoscopic Zenker's Diverticulotomy (Dohlman Procedure): Forty Cases Reviewed
Authors: Von Doersten Peter G. , Byl Frederick M.
Published: September 2022

Pharyngoesophageal diverticula, first described in 1769, occur in an area of natural weakness between the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles of the pharynx and the cricopharyngeus muscle. The cause of these acquired diverticula is controversial, although most likely it is related to cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction. Treatment is directed toward correcting the underlying sphincter dysfunction and managing the diverticulum. Endoscopic diverticulotomy requires division of the cricopharyngeus and the common wall between the esophagus and diverticulum, a technique popularized by Dohlman. We reviewed the results of 40 endoscopic diverticulotomy patients, ranging in age from 46 to 88 years, many of whom had significant existing comorbidities. The mean size of the diverticula was 4.1 cm, mean surgery time was 41 minutes, and mean hospital stay was 4.5 days. Thirty‐seven of 40 patients, including 3 whose previous external procedure was not successful, returned to a regular diet, reported no regurgitation and were satisfied with the procedure. Complications in order of occurrence were pneumomediastinum (4 patients), urinary tract infection (2), upper respiratory tract infection (2), and lip laceration (1). Our results compare favorably with those of external approaches. The technique should be considered safe, expedient, and effective, particularly in patients with existing comorbidities.
Closure of Permanent Tracheostomy in Patients with Sleep Apnea: A Comparison of Two Techniques
Authors: Mickelson Samuel A. , Rosenthal Leon
Published: September 2022

A “permanent” skin‐lined tracheostomy is used for patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome who fail, refuse, or can't tolerate continuous positive airway pressure. Closure of the stoma may be performed if the apnea has been controlled by surgeries that enlarge and stabilize the upper airway, if adequate weight loss occurs, or if the patient decides to accept continuous positive airway pressure. Two different closure techniques are compared. Sixty‐nine three‐layer closures were performed in 66 patients from 1980 to 1990. Postoperative complications, including stridor, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, tracheal granuloma, hematoma, and respiratory arrest, occurred in 30% of patients, and three required reopening of their tracheostomy sites. After 1990 a simple deepithelialization technique was used in 10 patients without any major complications. This technique is simpler and quicker and can be performed with the patient under local anesthesia.
Intraoperative Diagnosis of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
Authors: Bent John P. , Smith Richard J. H.
Published: September 2022

Primary ciliary dyskinesia refers to clinical disease attributable to congenitally abnormal or absent ciliary motility. Diagnosis typically requires electron microscopy to document aberrant axoneme ultrastructure. Electron microscopy, however, remains inaccurate and inconvenient as a screening test for symptomatic individuals. To avoid delays in diagnosis and to ensure adequacy of the tissue sample, we recommend a tracheal biopsy with an intraoperative histologic examination of ciliary motion. This study included patients evaluated at our institution for recurrent or chronic upper respiratory conditions characterized by chronic sinusitis, chronic mucoid otitis, and chronic bronchitis. A tracheal mucosa biopsy sample was obtained from each patient and was immediately examined in the operating room using light microscopy. If the magnified image demonstrated normal ciliary motility, primary ciliary dyskinesia was excluded and electron microscopy was not ordered. In the absence of normal ciliary motility, the specimen was placed in glutaraldehyde and ultrastructural axoneme morphology was evaluated. In the last 5 years, we have evaluated ciliary motility in 20 patients. Three patients had abnormal ciliary motility identified by light microscopy, and primary ciliary dyskinesia was confirmed histologically in each patient. In the remaining 17 patients, normal ciliary motility was observed, obviating the need for electron microscopy. We advocate intraoperative microscopic study of ciliary motility as a rapid, simple, accurate, and inexpensive technique to screen patients for primary ciliary dyskinesia.
Tympanic Membrane Perforations in the Diabetic Rat: A Model of Impaired Wound Healing
Authors: Vrabec Jeffrey T.
Published: September 2022

Animal models of type I and type II diabetes mellitus have been studied intensively in an effort to define the pathophysiology of the diabetic condition. An often‐observed clinical manifestation of diabetes is poor wound repair. Thus diabetic animals have emerged as useful models for the study of impaired wound healing. The healing of acute tympanic membrane (TM) perforations in diabetic animals has not been reported. This investigation compares time to closure of a standardized TM perforation in rats with streptozotocin‐induced diabetes, Zucker diabetic fatty rats, and normal control rats. The Zucker diabetic fatty rats demonstrate a significantly prolonged time to closure compared with the other two groups. This animal model may be useful for future study of TM wound repair.
Neurotoxic Effects of Doxycycline Sclerotherapy
Authors: Kirse Daniel J. , Stern Scott J. , Suen James Y. , Rudnicki Stacy , Roberson Paula K. , Schaefer Robert F.
Published: September 2022

A patient experienced phrenic nerve paralysis after doxycycline sclerotherapy for treatment of chylous fistula at our institution. The purpose of this study is to use physiologic testing to determine whether doxycycline is capable of inducing defects in neural function. A nonrandomized, controlled trial was performed with nerve‐conduction studies to determine possible deleterious effects of doxycycline sclerotherapy. Thirty‐eight CD rats were used and separated into four groups. Doxycycline was applied to the sciatic nerves of rats by either topical application directly on the nerve or by intraneural injection. Nerve‐conduction studies were done before surgery and at 1,7, and 21 days after surgery. The results showed a statistically significant decrement in nerve‐conduction velocity and strength of transmitted impulse in those nerves injected with doxycycline solution. Complete nerve block was seen frequently. This effect was not seen with topical application of doxycycline or normal saline solution or with intraneural injection of normal saline solution. This study demonstrates that doxycycline can induce a marked decrement in neural function when applied to the subepineural layers of the sciatic nerve in the rat. Therefore doxycycline sclerotherapy should be used with great caution in situations in which it could become exposed to nerves that have sustained surgical trauma.
XeCl Laser Surgery of the Vocal Cords: A Histologic Comparison with CO2 Laser in a Porcine Model
Authors: Wong Brian J. F. , Si Ming‐Sing , Cho Calvin , Liaw Lih‐Huei L. , Neev Joseph
Published: September 2022

Fresh cadaveric pig larynxes were ablated with a CO2 (λ = 10.6 μm) and a XeCl excimer (λ = 308 nm) laser. Histologic comparison of the ablation craters created by the two lasers was performed, and ablation crater depth and marginal tissue damage were measured. Crater depth for both laser treatments is correlated with energy deposition and exposure time. The CO2 laser creates three times more nonspecific, marginal tissue damage than the XeCl laser at the ranges of total energy and exposure times used. This study demonstrates the potential of the XeCl laser as an alternative to the CO2 laser in microlaryngeal surgery.
Larynx Preservation: The Discussion is not Closed
Authors: Lefebvre Jean‐Louis
Published: September 2022

Advanced but resectable larynx and hypopharynx squamous cell carcinomas are, in the vast majority of cases, treated by radical surgery and postoperative irradiation, resulting in the total ablation of the voice box. Some institutions prefer to use irradiation and reserve radical surgery for salvage. There is no randomized comparison of results obtained with these two strategies. Induction chemotherapy with the use of platinum and 5‐fluorouracil provides notable response rates and allows the prediction of radiosensitivity in those patients who show a response to chemotherapy. This has been the basis of the most frequent larynx preservation approach: induction chemotherapy followed by irradiation in good responders or by radical surgery in poor responders. This strategy did not jeopardize survival and allowed larynx preservation in 50% to 66% of survivors. These results are of importance but it should nonetheless be remembered that irradiation is an efficient treatment of these tumors and may have an improved activity (with modified fractionation or concurrent administration of chemotherapy and irradiation) and that selected cases are amenable to subtotal laryngectomy. On the other hand, new prospects for treatment are emerging (biologic tools, place of imaging), as well as new parameters for the success of treatment (quality of life, quality of preserved function, cost effectiveness). In summary, larynx preservation is undoubtedly feasible but remains investigational.
Social Groups Are Concrete Material Particulars
Authors: Richardson Kevin
Published: September 2022

It is natural to think that social groups are concrete material particulars, but this view faces an important objection. Suppose the chess club and nature club have the same members. Intuitively, these are different clubs even though they have a common material basis. Some philosophers take these intuitions to show that the materialist view must be abandoned. I propose an alternative explanation. Social groups are concrete material particulars, but there is a psychological explanation of nonidentity intuitions. Social groups appear coincident but nonidentical because they are perceived to be governed by conflicting social norms.
A new approach to impact case study analytics
Authors: Zhang Jiajie , Watson Paul , Hodgson Barry
Published: September 2022

The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) assessed the quality of university research in the UK. 20% of the assessment was allocated according to peer review of the impact of research, reflecting the growing importance of impact in UK government policy. Beyond academia, impact is defined as a change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment, or quality of life. Each institution submitted a set of four-page impact case studies. These are predominantly free-form descriptions and evidences of the impact of study. Numerous analyses of these case studies have been conducted, but they have utilised either qualitative methods or primary forms of text searching. These approaches have limitations, including the time required to manually analyse the data and the frequently inferior quality of the answers provided by applying computational analysis to unstructured, context-less free text data. This paper describes a new system to address these problems. At its core is a structured, queryable representation of the case study data. We describe the ontology design used to structure the information and how semantic web related technologies are used to store and query the data. Experiments show that this gives two significant advantages over existing techniques: improved accuracy in question answering and the capability to answer a broader range of questions, by integrating data from external sources. Then we investigate whether machine learning can predict each case study’s grade using this structured representation. The results provide accurate predictions for computer science impact case studies.
Presidential Veto in the Law-Making Process: The Case of Kenya's Amendatory Recommendations
Authors: Ochieng Walter Khobe
Published: September 2022

This article contends that the interpretation of article 115 of the Constitution of Kenya as providing for amendatory recommendations as a form of presidential veto to legislative bills is a departure from the common negative veto to bills which was the form envisaged by the drafters of the Constitution. Moreover, it is argued that the interpretation that article 115 of the Constitution allows the president to make positive legislative recommendations which can only be overridden by two-thirds of members of the legislature has transformed the president into the most decisive player in the legislative process in Kenya. The overarching contention of this article is that allowing the president to make positive legislative recommendations that can only be overridden by two-thirds of members of the legislature goes against the goal of tempering presidential powers, which was one of the animating goals that informed the quest for constitutional change in Kenya.
Unilateral tonsil enlargement in children and adults: is routine histology tonsillectomy warranted? A multi-centre series of 323 patients
Authors: Edwards D , Sheehan S , Ingrams D
Published: September 2022

Background

This study aimed to establish whether histology tonsillectomy is justified for unilateral tonsil enlargement.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted of histology tonsillectomies in three health organisations over five years, with strict exclusion criteria, focusing on benign-appearing unilateral tonsil enlargement.

Results

Ninety paediatric and 233 adult cases were included. No paediatric cases and five adult cases of malignancy were detected. All malignant cases presented with other symptoms. Using binary logistic regression, a history of rapid unilateral tonsil enlargement was the only factor found to be significantly associated with malignant outcome. Thirty-three per cent of subjectively larger tonsils were smaller on post-operative histological measurement. Of the cases, 12.1 per cent re-presented with post-tonsillectomy bleeding.

Conclusion

The authors recommend avoiding histology tonsillectomy for unilateral tonsil enlargement unless ‘red flag’ signs of malignancy are present, with particular attention to rapid unilateral tonsil enlargement. This study demonstrated discrepancy between clinical examination findings and true tonsil asymmetry; there may be a role for cross-sectional imaging prior to histology tonsillectomy in high-risk patients.
A single-field-period quasi-isodynamic stellarator
Authors: Jorge R. , Plunk G.G. , Drevlak M. , Landreman M. , Lobsien J.-F. , Camacho Mata K. , Helander P.
Published: September 2022

A single-field-period quasi-isodynamic stellarator configuration is presented. This configuration, which resembles a twisted strip, is obtained by the method of direct construction, that is, it is found via an expansion in the distance from the magnetic axis. Its discovery, however, relied on an additional step involving numerical optimization, performed within the space of near-axis configurations defined by a set of adjustable magnetic field parameters. This optimization, completed in 30 s on a single CPU core using the SIMSOPT code, yields a solution with excellent confinement, as measured by the conventional figure of merit for neoclassical transport, effective ripple, at a modest aspect ratio of eight. The optimization parameters that led to this configuration are described, its confinement properties are assessed and a set of magnetic field coils is found. The resulting transport at low collisionality is much smaller than that of W7-X, and the device needs significantly fewer coils because of the reduced number of field periods.
Quantum circuits generating four-qubit maximally entangled states
Authors: Bataille Marc
Published: September 2022

We describe quantum circuits generating four-qubit maximally entangled states, the amount of entanglement being quantified by using the absolute value of the Cayley hyperdeterminant as an entanglement monotone. More precisely we show that this type of four-qubit entangled states can be obtained by the action of a family of
$\mathtt{CNOT}$
circuits on some special states of the LU orbit of the state
$|0000\rangle$
.
Youth Activism and Global Awareness: The Emergence of the Operation Dagsverke Campaign in 1960s Sweden
Authors: Lundberg Björn
Published: September 2022

In recent years, school strikes and street protests for climate justice have drawn international attention to young people's mobilisation and activism on global issues. This article addresses the need to map the history of global awareness among young people by exploring the origins of the Operation Dagsverke (Operation Day's Work) campaign in Sweden during the early 1960s. Drawing primarily on material from the student-led school council organisation SECO, the aim is to show how young people mobilised support for addressing global issues. The results show that the campaign format was initially developed by university students in 1960, after which it was adapted by students in secondary education. It is argued that the campaign was successful in transforming time, a resource that young students possessed, into economic contributions. On the organisational level, the structure of the student council organisation SECO was important for the campaign's initial success.
Aging and the politics of monetary policy in Japan
Authors: Yamada Kyohei , Park Gene
Published: September 2022

This paper explores how Japan's aging population impacts the politics of monetary policy. Previous research suggests that the elderly have a variety of distinct policy preferences. Given that elderly voters also have higher voting rates, the rapid greying of the population could have significant effects on distributive struggles over economic policy across much of the developed world. In Japan, aging is advancing rapidly, and the central bank has engaged in massive monetary stimulus to induce inflation, which existing work suggests the elderly should oppose. Analyzing results from three surveys, this paper has three central findings: (1) the elderly tend to have higher inflation aversion, (2) the elderly display some opposition to quantitative easing (QE), and (3) despite such policy preferences, the concentration of elderly in electoral districts has no significant effect on the preferences either of legislative incumbents or candidates. The third finding is attributable to the fact that elderly opposition to QE is moderated by their partisan identification. Elderly Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) voters have systematically lower opposition to QE, likely reflecting that these voters have aligned their preferences with the LDP's policies.
Coupling Machine Learning Into Hydrodynamic Models to Improve River Modeling With Complex Boundary Conditions
Authors: Huang Sheng , Xia Jun , Wang Yueling , Wang Wenyucheng , Zeng Sidong , She Dunxian , Wang Gangsheng
Published: September 2022

Rivers play an important role in water supply, irrigation, navigation, and ecological maintenance. Forecasting the river hydrodynamic changes is critical for flood management under climate change and intensified human activities. However, efficient and accurate river modeling is challenging, especially with complex lake boundary conditions and uncontrolled downstream boundary conditions. Here, we proposed a coupled framework by taking the advantages of interpretability of physical hydrodynamic modeling and the adaptability of machine learning. Specifically, we coupled the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) with a 1‐D HydroDynamic model (GRU‐HD) and applied it to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the longest river in China. We show that the GRU‐HD model could quickly and accurately simulate the water levels, streamflow, and water exchange rates between the Yangtze River and two important lakes (Poyang and Dongting), with most of the Kling‐Gupta efficiency coefficient () above 0.90. Using machine learning‐based predicted water levels, instead of the rating curve approach, as the downstream boundary conditions could improve the accuracy of modeling the downstream water levels of the lake‐connected river system. The GRU‐HD model is dedicated to the synergy of physical modeling and machine learning, providing a powerful avenue for modeling rivers with complex boundary conditions.
Interferon-γ induces immunosuppression in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma by regulating programmed death ligand 1 secretion
Authors: Fu Qiuyun , Liu Xingchi , Xia Houfu , Li Yicun , Yu Zili , Liu Bing , Xiong Xuepeng , Chen Gang
Published: September 2022

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), a key effector molecule in anti-tumor immune response, has been well documented to correlate with the intratumoral infiltration of immune cells. Of interest, however, a high level of IFN-γ has been reported in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC), which is actually a type of immunologically cold cancer with few infiltrated immune cells. Investigating the functional significance of IFN-γ in SACC would help to explain such a paradoxical phenomenon. In the present study, we revealed that, compared to oral squamous cell carcinoma cells (a type of immunologically hot cancer), SACC cells were less sensitive to the growth-inhibition effect of IFN-γ. Moreover, the migration and invasion abilities of SACC cells were obviously enhanced upon IFN-γ treatment. In addition, our results revealed that exposure to IFN-γ significantly up-regulated the level of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) on SACC cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), which subsequently induced the apoptosis of CD8+T cells through antagonizing PD-1. Importantly, it was also found that SACC patients with higher levels of plasma IFN-γ also had higher levels of circulating sEVs that carried PD-L1 on their surface. Our study unveils a mechanism that IFN-γ induces immunosuppression in SACC via sEV PD-L1, which would account for the scarce immune cell infiltration and insensitivity to immunotherapy.
Mdm1 ablation results in retinal degeneration by specific intraflagellar transport defects of photoreceptor cells
Authors: Son Youlim , Kim Soo-Jin , Kim Hwa-Young , Lee Junyeop , Kim Jae-Ryong
Published: September 2022

Mouse double minute 1 (Mdm1) might be involved in the function and structure of centrioles and age-related retinal degeneration. However, the mechanism by which Mdm1 deficiency causes retinal degeneration remains unknown. We confirmed that the Mdm1 protein is localized at the connecting cilium (CC) of photoreceptor cells in the retina. The electroretinograms of 6-week-old Mdm1−/− mice revealed decreased vision, which was eventually lost, and outer segment (OS) photoreceptor degeneration was evident on postnatal day 7, with complete loss of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) observed at 35 weeks. Mdm1−/− mouse retinas showed mislocalization of opsins in the photoreceptor cells, indicating particular intraflagellar transport (IFT) defects, and entrapment of the nuclei in the ONL by microvilli of retinal pigment epithelial cells, leading to apoptosis in the ONL. These results suggest that Mdm1 ablation causes specific IFT defects, which prevents the OS from continuously replenishing new discs, resulting in retinal degeneration.
Biodegradation of poly(butylene succinate) in soil laboratory incubations assessed by stable carbon isotope labelling
Authors: Nelson Taylor F. , Baumgartner Rebekka , Jaggi Madalina , Bernasconi Stefano M. , Battagliarin Glauco , Sinkel Carsten , Künkel Andreas , Kohler Hans-Peter E. , McNeill Kristopher , Sander Michael
Published: September 2022

Using biodegradable instead of conventional plastics in agricultural applications promises to help overcome plastic pollution of agricultural soils. However, analytical limitations impede our understanding of plastic biodegradation in soils. Utilizing stable carbon isotope (13C-)labelled poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), a synthetic polyester, we herein present an analytical approach to continuously quantify PBS mineralization to 13CO2 during soil incubations and, thereafter, to determine non-mineralized PBS-derived 13C remaining in the soil. We demonstrate extensive PBS mineralization (65 % of added 13C) and a closed mass balance on PBS−13C over 425 days of incubation. Extraction of residual PBS from soils combined with kinetic modeling of the biodegradation data and results from monomer (i.e., butanediol and succinate) mineralization experiments suggest that PBS hydrolytic breakdown controlled the overall PBS biodegradation rate. Beyond PBS biodegradation in soil, the presented methodology is broadly applicable to investigate biodegradation of other biodegradable polymers in various receiving environments.
Synergy of metal nanoparticles and organometallic complex in NAD(P)H regeneration via relay hydrogenation
Authors: Wang Maodi , Zhao Zhenchao , Li Chunzhi , Li He , Liu Jiali , Yang Qihua
Published: September 2022

Most, if not all, of the hydrogenation reactions are catalyzed by organometallic complexes (M) or heterogeneous metal catalysts, but to improve both the activity and selectivity simultaneously in one reaction via a rational combination of the two types of catalysts remains largely unexplored. In this work, we report a hydrogenation mode though H species relay from supported metal nanoparticles (NPs) to M, where the former is responsible for H2dissociation, and M is for further hydride transferring to reactants. The synergy between metal NPs and M yields an efficient NAD(P)H regeneration system with >99% selectivity and a magnitude higher activity than the corresponding metal NPs and M. The modularizing of hydrogenation reaction into hydrogen activation with metal NPs and substrate activation with metal complex paves a new way to rationally address the challenging hydrogenation reactions.
A deep learning approach for semantic segmentation of unbalanced data in electron tomography of catalytic materials
Authors: Genc Arda , Kovarik Libor , Fraser Hamish L.
Published: September 2022

In computed TEM tomography, image segmentation represents one of the most basic tasks with implications not only for 3D volume visualization, but more importantly for quantitative 3D analysis. In case of large and complex 3D data sets, segmentation can be an extremely difficult and laborious task, and thus has been one of the biggest hurdles for comprehensive 3D analysis. Heterogeneous catalysts have complex surface and bulk structures, and often sparse distribution of catalytic particles with relatively poor intrinsic contrast, which possess a unique challenge for image segmentation, including the current state-of-the-art deep learning methods. To tackle this problem, we apply a deep learning-based approach for the multi-class semantic segmentation of a γ-Alumina/Pt catalytic material in a class imbalance situation. Specifically, we used the weighted focal loss as a loss function and attached it to the U-Net’s fully convolutional network architecture. We assessed the accuracy of our results using Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), recall, precision, and Hausdorff distance (HD) metrics on the overlap between the ground-truth and predicted segmentations. Our adopted U-Net model with the weighted focal loss function achieved an average DSC score of 0.96 ± 0.003 in the γ-Alumina support material and 0.84 ± 0.03 in the Pt NPs segmentation tasks. We report an average boundary-overlap error of less than 2 nm at the 90th percentile of HD for γ-Alumina and Pt NPs segmentations. The complex surface morphology of γ-Alumina and its relation to the Pt NPs were visualized in 3D by the deep learning-assisted automatic segmentation of a large data set of high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) tomography reconstructions.
Non-destructive, continuous monitoring of biochemical, mechanical, and structural maturation in engineered tissue
Authors: Haudenschild Anne K. , Sherlock Benjamin E. , Zhou Xiangnan , Sheaff Clay S. , Hu Jerry C. , Leach J. Kent , Marcu Laura , Athanasiou Kyriacos A.
Published: September 2022

Regulatory guidelines for tissue engineered products require stringent characterization during production and necessitate the development of novel, non-destructive methods to quantify key functional parameters for clinical translation. Traditional assessments of engineered tissues are destructive, expensive, and time consuming. Here, we introduce a non-destructive, inexpensive, and rapid sampling and analysis system that can continuously monitor the mechanical, biochemical, and structural properties of a single sample over extended periods of time. The label-free system combines the imaging modalities of fluorescent lifetime imaging and ultrasound backscatter microscopy through a fiber-based interface for sterile monitoring of tissue quality. We tested the multimodal system using tissue engineered articular cartilage as an experimental model. We identified strong correlations between optical and destructive testing. Combining FLIm and UBM results, we created a novel statistical model of tissue homogeneity that can be applied to tissue engineered constructs prior to implantation. Continuous monitoring of engineered tissues with this non-destructive system has the potential for in-process monitoring of tissue engineered products, reducing costs and improving quality controls in research, manufacturing, and clinical applications.
Identification and modelling of dynamic parameters for round link chains subject to axial loads
Authors: Zhang Kun , Sun Zhengxian , Su Jinpeng , Wei Xuntao , Du Mingchao , Chen Hongyue
Published: September 2022

A round link chain subject to axial dynamic loads composes a nonlinear viscoelastic system. Unlike the classical pounding problems, the round link chain will not only suffer linear elastic deformation, but also nonlinear plastic or impacting deformation. Based on theoretical formulation and experiments, a new approach is presented in this paper to model and identify the nonlinear dynamic parameters, namely the stiffness and damping for the round link chain. With linear deformation, nonlinear deformation and energy dissipation considered, a modified nonlinear viscoelastic model is developed to describe the vibrational behavior of the chain with numbers of round links. The linear elastic model and impacting model are combined to derive the equivalent nonlinear stiffness, while experiments and the least square fitting method are employed to identify the nonlinear damping according to the modified nonlinear viscoelastic model. The influences of the key parameters such as the length of the chain, elastic module and loading frequency on the dynamic stiffness and damping are investigated. Another test is performed to validate the identification model and good agreements are observed.
CFD simulation on optimum material to fabricate the counter flow of Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube
Authors: Rao K. Kiran Kumar , Ramesh A. , Hampali Chennabasappa
Published: September 2022

The basic objective of the current investigation by using CFD simulation is to select the appropriate material to fabricate Vortex tubes in meteorological conditions, which can improve efficiency and performance. The simulation results of vortex tubes were used in obtaining the performance for various materials such as copper, stainlessteel, brass, PVC, CPVC, acrylic, nylon, and bronze. The ratio of length of the hot tube and inner diameter was chosen as (L/D) 40 with the consistent inner diameter of the hot tube as 15 mm. Compressed air is passed through an inlet pipe between 2 and 12 bars in the step of 2 bars. 2D CFD was developed and analyzed with Ansys Fluent to access the performance of the vortex tube. Finally, after evaluating all simulation values for eight materials for performance depending upon their physical properties varies in the sequence from copper–bronze–brass–stainless steel–CPVC–PVC–acrylic–nylon material.
Drivers of partially automated vehicles are blamed for crashes that they cannot reasonably avoid
Authors: Beckers Niek , Siebert Luciano Cavalcante , Bruijnes Merijn , Jonker Catholijn , Abbink David
Published: September 2022

People seem to hold the human driver to be primarily responsible when their partially automated vehicle crashes, yet is this reasonable? While the driver is often required to immediately take over from the automation when it fails, placing such high expectations on the driver to remain vigilant in partially automated driving is unreasonable. Drivers show difficulties in taking over control when needed immediately, potentially resulting in dangerous situations. From a normative perspective, it would be reasonable to consider the impact of automation on the driver’s ability to take over control when attributing responsibility for a crash. We, therefore, analyzed whether the public indeed considers driver ability when attributing responsibility to the driver, the vehicle, and its manufacturer. Participants blamed the driver primarily, even though they recognized the driver’s decreased ability to avoid the crash. These results portend undesirable situations in which users of partially driving automation are the ones held responsible, which may be unreasonable due to the detrimental impact of driving automation on human drivers. Lastly, the outcome signals that public awareness of such human-factors issues with automated driving should be improved.
An enduring in vitro wound healing phase recipient by bioactive glass-graphene oxide nanocomposites
Authors: Nandhakumar Manjubaashini , Thangaian Daniel Thangadurai , Sundaram Senthilarasu , Roy Anurag , Subramanian Balakumar
Published: September 2022

Bioactive glass (BG) is an interesting topic in soft tissue engineering because of its biocompatibility and bonding potential to increase fibroblast cell proliferation, synthesize growth factors, and stimulate granulation tissue development. The proposed BG with and without sodium (Na), prepared by the sol–gel method, is employed in wound healing studies. The BG/graphene oxide (GO) and BG (Na-free)/GO nanocomposites were investigated against fibroblast L929 cells in vitro; the 45S5 BG nanocomposites exhibited desired cell viability (80%), cell proliferation (30%), cell migration (25%), metabolic activity, and wound contraction due to extracellular matrix (ECM) production and enhanced protein release by fibroblast cells. Additionally, the antioxidant assays for BG, BG (Na-free), GO, and BG/GO, BG (Na-free)/GO were evaluated for effective wound healing properties. The results showed decreased inflammation sites in the wound area, assessed by the (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) (DPPH) assay with ~ 80% radical scavenging activity, confirming their anti-inflammatory and improved wound healing properties.
Serum albumin and the short-term mortality in individuals with congestive heart failure in intensive care unit: an analysis of MIMIC
Authors: Chao Peng , Cui Xinyue , Wang Shanshan , Zhang Lei , Ma Qingru , Zhang Xueqin
Published: September 2022

Decreased albumin levels are common in congestive heart failure (CHF), but little is known about its role in mortality risk in CHF. This study developed a cohort prediction model based on 7121 individuals with heart failure to evaluate the short-term mortality and prognostic role of albumin in patients with CHF. The cohort was from intensive care unit between 2001 and 2012 in a publicly available clinical database in intensive care called MIMIC III. We used a generalized additive model to determine the nonlinear correlation between serum albumin and 14th day, 28th day and 90th day all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure. The results showed that serum albumin is an independent risk factor for 14th, 28th and 90th day all-cause mortality, and has a linear relationship with all-cause mortality in congestive heart failure. Cox regression analysis using restricted cubic spline with albumin as continuous parameter showed that the decrease of albumin level is directly related to the increase of mortality (14th day mortality: hazard ratio [HR], 0.65 [95% CI, 0.58 to 0.73]); 28th day mortality: HR, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.51 to 0.63]; 90th day mortality: HR, 0.52 [95% CI, 0.47 to 0.57]; P for trend < 0.001). The multivariate adjusted association between albumin (as a continuous variable) and all-cause mortality on the 90th days is mixed by ARDS [HR, 0.64, 95% CI (0.47–0.87), P = 0.005]. The all-cause mortality on the 90th day predicted better clinical results with the all-cause mortality on the 14th day.
Shouting strengthens voluntary force during sustained maximal effort through enhancement of motor system state via motor commands
Authors: Takarada Yudai , Nozaki Daichi
Published: September 2022

Previous research indicates that shouting during momentary maximal exertion effort potentiates the maximal voluntary force through the potentiation of motor cortical excitability. However, the muscular force-enhancing effects of shouting on sustained maximal force production remain unclear. We investigated the effect of shouting on the motor system state by examining motor evoked potentials in response to transcranial magnetic stimulation applied over the hand area of the contralateral primary motor cortex (M1) during sustained maximal voluntary contraction, and by assessing handgrip maximal voluntary force. We observed that shouting significantly increased handgrip maximal voluntary force and reduced the silent period. Our results indicate that shouting increased handgrip voluntary force during sustained maximal exertion effort through the reduced silent period. This is the first objective evidence that the muscular force of shouting during maximal force exertion is associated with the potentiation of motor system activity produced by the additional drive of shouting operating on the motor system (i.e., shouting-induced excitatory input to M1).
A noninferiority trial comparing left paratracheal pressure versus cricoid pressure on tracheal intubation conditions using the Pentax Airway Scope
Authors: Kim Ha Yeon , Moon Jee Hwan , Park Hee Yeon , Min Sang Kee , Kim Jong Yeop
Published: September 2022

There are no studies evaluating the effect of left paratracheal pressure (PP) on difficulty of intubation using Pentax Airway Scope (Pentax), so we conducted this study to show that PP was not inferior to cricoid pressure (CP) in intubation time using the Pentax. Patients aged 19–70 years, with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 1 or 2, and undergoing otorhinolaryngological, gynecological surgery, and cholecystectomy at a single university hospital were enrolled. Intubation was performed using the Pentax under PP or CP of 30 N. The primary outcome was intubation time, and the secondary outcomes were tube advancement difficulty and glottis view. The mean difference in intubation time (PP group − CP group) was − 4.19 s (95% CI − 8.24 to − 0.15), which was within the non-inferiority margin of 6.5 s, thus proving non-inferiority of the PP compared with the CP group. However, the score for tube advancement difficulty was significantly lower in the PP group than in the CP group (p = 0.02). PP did not prolong the intubation time and showed comparable intubation conditions to CP in intubation using the Pentax. Therefore, PP may be a good alternative maneuver to prevent gastric regurgitation during intubation using the Pentax.
Chiral 480 nm absorption in the hemoglycin space polymer: a possible link to replication
Authors: McGeoch Julie E. M. , McGeoch Malcolm W.
Published: September 2022

A 1494 Dalton hemoglycin space polymer of Glycine18 Hydroxy-glycine4 Fe2O4 termed the “core unit” is part of a polymer of Glycine, Si, Fe and O that forms tubes, vesicles and a lattice structure. It has been isolated from four different CV3 meteorites and characterized by mass spectrometry, FIB/SIMS and X-ray analysis. In quantum calculations (HF and DF wB97X-D 6-31G) the polymer has an absorption at 480 nm that is dependent on rectus “R” (= dextro D) chirality in a hydroxy glycine residue whose C-terminus is bonded to an iron atom. The absorption originates in the Fe II state as a consequence of chiral symmetry breaking. In confirmation of theory, measurements at Diamond Light Source UK, on crystals of hemoglycin derived from Acfer-086 and Sutter’s Mill meteorites have shown a strong 483 ± 3 nm absorption that confirms the proposed location of hydroxy glycine residues within the polymer. A high 483 nm to 580 nm absorption ratio points to an “R” chirality excess in hemoglycin, suggesting that 480 nm photons could have provided the energy for its replication in the protoplanetary disc.
Facile hydrothermal synthesis and purification of fluorescent carbon dots for food colorant tartrazine detection based on a dual-mode nanosensor
Authors: Jiang Lei , Yuan Lin , Liu Ze , Xiang Yingying , Song Fei , Meng Lifen , Tu Yujiao
Published: September 2022

Schematic of the synthetic and purification route for fluorescent l-Arg/oPD-CDs and their applications in the dual-model detection of Tartrazine.
Thin membrane-based potentiometric sensors for sensitive detection of polyions
Authors: Wang Kaikai , Liang Rongning , Qin Wei
Published: September 2022

For the first time, a novel potentiometric sensor based on thin membrane for rapid and sensitive determination of polyions is described.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel all-hydrocarbon cross-linked aza-stapled peptides
Authors: Luo Zhihong , Xu Lei , Tang Xiaomin , Zhao Xuejun , He Tong , Lubell William D. , Zhang Jinqiang
Published: September 2022

Novel aza-stapled peptides featuring combined structural characteristics of azapeptides and all-hydrocarbon stapled peptides were designed and synthesized for the first time.
Tryptophan association in water driven by charge-transfer interactions with electron-deficient aromatic haptens
Authors: Sánchez-Santos Estela , Garrido-González José J. , Rodríguez-Sahagún Ligzajaya F. , Habib Asmaa , Fuentes de Arriba Ángel L. , Sanz Francisca , Martín del Valle Eva M. , Morán Joaquín R. , Alcázar Victoria
Published: September 2022

Simple electron-deficient aromatic rings bind tryptophan and the tripeptide Trp–Gly–Trp in water by charge-transfer interactions, which might be of interest for the design of drugs targeting protein-protein interactions.
Continuous production of hyperbranched polyhydrocarbons by electrochemical polymerization of chlorinated methanes
Authors: Seo Jae Hong , Nam Hyun Ju , Buyukcakir Onur , Rajendiran Rajmohan , Seong Won Kyung , Jiang Yi , Kim Min Hyeok , Lee Sun Hwa , Ruoff Rodney S.
Published: September 2022

Continuous production of polyhydrocarbon (PHC) by electrochemical polymerization of chlorinated methanes: Monomer loading/product transfer in a home-built flow system operating in inert environment, for scaled up synthesis of sufficient PHC product.
Metal catalyzed C–H functionalization on triazole rings
Authors: Koranne Anushka , Kurrey Khushboo , Kumar Prashant , Gupta Sangeeta , Jha Vikesh Kumar , Ravi Rangnath , Sahu Prasanta Kumar , Anamika  , Jha Abadh Kishor
Published: September 2022

The present review covers advancement in the area of C–H functionalization on triazole rings, by utilizing various substrates with palladium or copper as catalysts, and resulting in the development of various substituted 1,2,3- and 1,2,4-triazoles.