bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting the DP2 receptor alleviates muscle atrophy and diet‐induced obesity in mice through oxidative myofiber transition
Authors: Ning Huying , Ren Huiwen , Zhao Yan , Yin HaiFang , Gan Zhenji , Shen Yujun , Yu Ying
Published: December 2022

Background

Mammalian skeletal muscles consist of two main fibre types: slow‐twitch (type I, oxidative) and fast‐twitch (type IIa, fast oxidative; type IIb/IIx, fast glycolytic). Muscle fibre composition switch is closely associated with chronic diseases such as muscle atrophy, obesity, type II diabetes and athletic performance. Prostaglandin D2(PGD2) is a bioactive lipid derived from arachidonic acid that aggravates muscle damage and wasting during muscle atrophy. This study aimed to investigate the precise mechanisms underlying PGD2‐mediated muscle homeostasis and myogenesis.

Methods

Skeletal muscle‐specific PGD2receptor DP2‐deficient mice (DP2fl/flHSACre) and their littermate controls (DP2fl/fl) were subjected to exhaustive exercise and fed a high‐fat diet (HFD). X‐linked muscular dystrophy (MDX) mice and HFD‐challenged mice were treated with the selective DP2 inhibitor CAY10471. Exercise tolerance, body weight, glycometabolism and skeletal muscle fibre composition were measured to determine the role of the skeletal muscle PGD2/DP2 signalling axis in obesity and muscle disorders. Multiple genetic and pharmacological approaches were also used to investigate the intracellular signalling cascades underlying the PGD2/DP2‐mediated skeletal muscle fibre transition.

Results

PGD2generation and DP2 expression were significantly upregulated in the hindlimb muscles of HFD‐fed mice (P < 0.05 orP < 0.01 vs. normal chow diet). Compared with DP2fl/flmice, DP2fl/flHSACremice exhibited remarkable glycolytic‐to‐oxidative fibre‐type transition in hindlimb muscles and were fatigue resistant during endurance exercise (154.9 ± 6.0 vs. 124.2 ± 8.1 min,P < 0.05). DP2fl/flHSACremice fed an HFD showed less weight gain (P < 0.05) and hepatic lipid accumulation (P < 0.01), reduced insulin resistance and enhanced energy expenditure (P < 0.05) compared with DP2fl/flmice. Mechanistically, DP2 deletion promoted the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1) by suppressing RhoA/Rho‐associated kinase 2 (ROCK2) signalling, which led to enhanced oxidative fibre‐specific gene transcription in muscle cells. Treatment with CAY10471 enhanced NFATc1 activity in the skeletal muscles and ameliorated HFD‐induced obesity (P < 0.05 vs. saline) and insulin resistance in mice. CAY10471 also enhanced exercise tolerance in MDX mice (100.8 ± 8.0 vs. 68.9 ± 11.1 min,P < 0.05 vs. saline) by increasing the oxidative fibre‐type ratio in the muscles (45.1 ± 2.3% vs. 32.3 ± 2.6%,P < 0.05 vs. saline).

Conclusions

DP2 activation suppresses oxidative fibre transition via RhoA/ROCK2/NFATc1 signalling. The inhibition of DP2 may be a potential therapeutic approach against obesity and muscle disorders.
Neurocognitive and mental health impact of adrenoleukodystrophy across the lifespan: Insights for the era of newborn screening
Authors: Pierpont Elizabeth I. , Isaia Ashley R. , McCoy Erin , Brown Sarah J. , Gupta Ashish O. , Eisengart Julie B.
Published: December 2022

X‐linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a rare inherited neurological disorder that poses considerable challenges for clinical management throughout the lifespan. Although males are generally more severely affected than females, the time course and presentation of clinical symptoms are otherwise difficult to predict. Opportunities to improve outcomes for individuals with ALD are rapidly expanding due to the introduction of newborn screening programs for this condition and an evolving treatment landscape. The aim of this comprehensive review is to synthesize current knowledge regarding the neurocognitive and mental health effects of ALD. This review provides investigators and clinicians with context to improve case conceptualization, inform prognostic counseling, and optimize neuropsychological and mental health care for patients and their families. Results highlight key predictive factors and brain‐behavior relationships associated with the diverse manifestations of ALD. The review also discusses considerations for endpoints within clinical trials and identifies gaps to address in future research.
Wound healing after ridge preservation: A randomized controlled trial on short‐term (4 months) versus long‐term (12 months) histologic outcomes
Authors: Zellner Jacob W. , Allen Hunter T. , Kotsakis Georgios A. , Mealey Brian L.
Published: December 2022

Background

The amount of time it takes for bone allograft particles to be replaced with new vital bone during ridge preservation is unclear. The purpose of this article was to compare the wound healing and vital bone formation following ridge preservation using a combination allograft of 70% mineralized and 30% demineralized freeze‐dried bone allograft at 4 months (short‐term, ST) versus 12 months (long‐term, LT).

Methods

Fifty‐seven patients were enrolled in the study who required extraction of a single tooth (excluding second and third molars) and were planned for replacement with a dental implant. After tooth extraction, all sites were grafted with a combination allograft procured from a single donor, and patients were randomized into the ST or LT healing groups. Patients returned for implant placement and an 8‐mm bone core biopsy was harvested using a trephine drill during initial implant osteotomy preparation. The cores were then analyzed histologically to determine the percentages of vital bone formation, residual graft particles, and connective tissue/other.

Results

There was significantly greater vital bone formation in the LT group (51.38%) compared with the ST group (31.39%) (p = 0.0025) and significantly fewer residual graft particles in the LT group (18.04%) compared with the ST group (40.38%).

Conclusions

A longer healing time following ridge preservation results in more vital bone formation and less residual graft particles at the time of implant placement. However, residual allograft material still remains at 12 months after ridge preservation.
Trees as bioindicators of hillslope degradation by debris flows and dangerous rockfalls along the Lefthand Canyon, Colorado Front Range
Authors: Pawlik Łukasz , Buma Brian , Wistuba Małgorzata , Malik Ireneusz , Ślęzak Albert
Published: December 2022

Trees provide important ecosystem services such as hillslope stabilization from landslides and rockfall protection, and may also be useful indicators of likelihood of those events in the future. Anatomical changes of tree wood are caused by various physical and biological phenomena. There are several geomorphic processes that change tree‐ring characteristics, including hillslope movement, and if detectable, these changes may be used as bioindicators of terrain surface stability. This type of proxy data is vital to places that lack systematic monitoring infrastructure. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of a heavy rainfall that happened on 11–13 September 2013 in the Colorado Front Range (CFR), which triggered more than 1300 debris flows. We intensely studied one large debris flow that was triggered in the region and the surrounding trees. We explored potential tree‐based records of hillslope instability including compression wood and the method of eccentricity index of tree rings prior to the 2013 event. In addition, the response index was correlated with daily precipitation totals of the previous and current year in a moving window mode. We also evaluated rockfall patterns to explore the frequency and spatial distribution of tree‐scar‐based records. Our primarily goal was to test the method in dry climate conditions and to reconstruct possible soil instability episodes and rockfalls that led to hillslope degradation and tree mortality. In this study, we aimed to fill a significant knowledge gap on debris flows and rockfalls frequency in a dry montane forest system. We were able to distinguish 5 years of increased response index (>25% of trees recording slope instability): 1955 (30%), 1982 (27%), 2002 (27%), 2006 (31%), and 2009 (26%). A spring and early summer season daily precipitation totals of the previous year and summertime daily precipitation totals of the current year explained part of the response index variability. Significant correlation coefficients were up to 0.27. Almost 30 historical rockfall events were dated but only one coincided with an earthquake. In total 138 scars visible on growing trees were mapped. Some of them were found even 3.1 m above the ground level. We conclude that trees can be effective bioindicators of hillslope instability related to debris flows and rock falling. However, extreme climate events such as heavy rainfall causing a high number of debris flows can be difficult to predict based on the method adopted in the present study.
Changes of bacterial communities in restored Phragmites australis wetlands indicate the improvement of soil in the Yellow River Delta
Authors: Ge Minjia , Gao Jingwen , McClellan S. Alex , Hou Aixin , Yu Junbao , Yang Jisong , Song Tiehong , Guan Bo
Published: December 2022

With increasing global awareness of the ecological services that wetlands can provide, an increased emphasis has been placed on the need for wetland restoration projects. Among the types of wetland restoration projects that have been initiated are those that aim to return farmlands back to their previous wetland state to restore wetland vegetation and regain the ecological services that had been lost. However, studies on the changes of belowground bacterial diversities following the conversion of farmlands back to wetlands are rare, especially in coastal areas. In the present study, we examined the soil characteristics and the microbial diversity of the soil and roots across Phragmites australis–dominated coastal marshes within the Yellow River Delta. We sampled two marshes that had been restored 11 and 3 years prior to sampling (11‐year site and 3‐year site, respectively). We also sampled two additional, undisturbed wetlands—one within the new Yellow River course (NC site), and the other within the abandoned Yellow River course (OC site)—to serve as controls to assess the effectiveness of the wetland restoration project. Specifically, we measured the concentrations of nutrients and organic matter in the soil, the activities of the enzymes urease, sucrase, and alkaline phosphatase in the soil, and the diversity of the microbial communities in the soil and roots. The results showed that the concentrations of soil nutrients and the activities of the soil enzymes were significantly greater in the 11‐year site compared to the 3‐year site but were similar between the 11‐year site and the NC site. Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou indices of diversity among the soil bacteria were positively correlated with the concentrations of soil nutrients and the activities of the soil enzymes, which were generally lowest in the 3‐year site compared to the other study sites. The diversity indices among the root bacteria, however, did not exhibit a similar trend. The bacterial community composition of the soil and roots differed between sites. The relative abundance of Firmicutes in the soil and roots was highest in the 3‐year site compared to the 11‐year, NC, and OC sites. The relative abundance of soil Bacteroidetes was higher in the soils of the NC and OC sites compared to in those of the restoration sites. Overall, the diversity richness of the subsurface bacterial communities increased with the time since the restoration of these wetlands, and after 11 years post‐restoration, appeared to resemble those of the natural wetlands of the area. Our results therefore imply that future assessments of coastal wetland restoration projects could be made based in part on soil nutrient concentrations, enzyme activities, and the microbial diversity of the soil and plant roots within these systems.
Three‐dimensional printing and its application to legume proteins: A review
Authors: Chakraborty Piyali , Eqbal Md. Danish , Ahmed Jasim
Published: December 2022

Additive manufacturing, or three‐dimensional printing (3DP) technology, has been recently explored in every field of science and technology for its unique features and ease of operation. 3DP technology has a wide range of applications in the food industry. The technology has enormous potential for the development of functional foods, for food and drug delivery, and for people with special needs, including dysphagia patients. This review envisages the recent interest in plant proteins and the development of food products using additive manufacturing (3DP), which is an exciting opportunity for the food industry and legume producers. The development of the formulation prior to printing requires a thorough rheological characterization for the smooth operation of the printer and fidelity. The steady flow properties and viscoelasticity of legume proteins, as well as their role in 3DP, are elucidated. Finally, this review provides insights into the current state of legume protein‐based 3DP and food product development.
Room‐Temperature Low‐Threshold Plasmonic Nanolaser through Mode‐Tailoring at Communication Wavelengths
Authors: Xu Jialu , Zhang Taiping , Li Yongzhuo , Zhang Jianxing , Wang Zhen , Kan Qiang , Zhang Ruikang , Ning Cun‐Zheng
Published: December 2022

Plasmonic nanolasers have shown unique potential for on‐chip optical interconnects at optical communication wavelengths because of their ultra‐small physical volumes beyond the diffraction limit. However, the high threshold and associated power consumption are key remaining challenges due to the long‐recognized intrinsic plasmonic absorption and extrinsic losses related to the inevitable fabrication imperfections and the resulting rough surfaces or interfaces. This article demonstrates a new threshold‐reduction strategy in a silver‐cup plasmonic nanolaser by selectively confining plasmonic modes at the high‐quality naturally cleaved surfaces at the bottom, while avoiding the rough etched surfaces of the sidewall. Through size control and modal design, lasing preferentially occurs via the bottom whispering gallery plasmonic mode with a large quality factor, small modal volume, and robust performance largely immune to fabrication imperfections. The nanolaser has a subwavelength volume of 0.02λ3 near λ = 1.55 µm with a record‐low threshold of 20.1 kW cm−2 for a near‐infrared plasmonic nanolaser at room temperature under optical pumping. Importantly, the laser becomes the first near‐infrared plasmonic nanolaser to meet the power‐consumption requirement of less than 10 fJ bit−1, providing one of the rarely available on‐chip sources with a small footprint and low power consumption for the photonic integrated circuits.
An Injectable Enzymatically Crosslinked and Mechanically Tunable Silk Fibroin/Chondroitin Sulfate Chondro‐Inductive Hydrogel
Authors: Farokhi Maryam , Solouk Atefeh , Mirzadeh Hamid , Herbert Teuschl Anderaes , Redl Heinz
Published: December 2022

An injectable hybrid hydrogel is synthesized, comprising silk fibroin (SF) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) through di‐tyrosine formation bond of SF chains. CS and SF are reported with excellent biocompatibility as tissue engineering scaffolds. Nonetheless, the rapid degradation rate of pure CS scaffolds presents a challenge to effectively recreate articular cartilage. As CS is one of the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) components, it has the potential to enhance the biological activity of SF‐based hydrogel in terms of cartilage repair. Therefore, altering the CS concentrations (i.e., 0 wt%, 0.25 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, and 2 wt%), which are interpenetrated between SF β‐sheets and chains, can potentially adjust the physical, chemical, and mechanical features of these hybrid hydrogels. The formation of β‐sheets by 30 days of immersion in de‐ionized (DI) water can improve the compression strength of the SF/CS hybrid hydrogels in comparison with the same SF/CS hybrid hydrogels in the dried state. Biological investigation and observation depicts proper cell attachment, proliferation and cell viability for C28/I2 cells. Gene expression of sex‐determining region YBox 9 (SOX9), Collagen II α1, and Aggrecan (AGG) exhibits positive C3H10T1/2 growth and expression of cartilage‐specific genes in the 0.25 wt% and 0.5 wt% SF/CS hydrogels.
A Maximization of the Proton Conductivity of Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) with Grafted Segments Containing Multiple, Flexible Propanesulfonic Acid Groups
Authors: Yu Yang , Zeng Zheng , Gao Xuesong , Xiong Chunyong , Zhu Huamei , Cen Hongyu , Zheng Xuan , Liu Qingting , Hu Tao , Wu Chonggang
Published: December 2022

To enhance the proton conductivity of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK), proton‐conducting groups are required to be covalently connected to SPEEK and form proton‐conducting channels. Herein, SPEEK fully grafted with segments containing multiple, flexible propanesulfonic acid groups (MS‐SPEEK‐102) is successfully prepared. Compared with SPEEK, MS‐SPEEK‐102 exhibits a higher proton conductivity of 8.3 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 80 °C with 98% relative humidity, and consequently a greater power density of 0.530 W cm−2 at 60 °C. These can be ascribed to the increased number of sulfonic acid groups, and ample, uninterrupted proton‐conducting channels constructed by the movement of the maximum content, flexible side‐chain segments. This approach offers an idea for obtaining a proton exchange membrane with good proton conductivity based on SPEEK.
Sanctions and rewards with a motivated agent
Authors: Yahagi Ken
Published: December 2022

This paper provides a simple framework for determining whether a principal should use external incentives (i.e., rewards and sanctions) when such incentive schemes affect an agent's intrinsic motivation to engage in a mission and discusses the welfare effects. We show that (a) when the agent needs to participate in the mission, the principal should use only sanctions, which generate excessive effort relative to the socially efficient effort level. However, if the principal must consider the agent's outside options and (b) when the reward encourages intrinsic motivation, the principal should use only rewards, which also generate excessive effort; and (c) when the reward discourages intrinsic motivation, the principal should use both rewards and sanctions, leading to insufficient effort. These findings are helpful for identifying appropriate carrot and stick strategies in public/private organization management practices and public/private reform programs.
Effect of Amyloid on Cognitive Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Authors: Baik Kyoungwon , Kim Hye Ryun , Park Mincheol , Lee Younggun , Na Han Kyu , Sohn Young H. , Seong Joon‐Kyung , Lee Phil Hyu
Published: December 2022

Background

Concomitant amyloid pathology contributes to the clinical heterogeneity of Lewy body diseases (LBDs).

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the pattern and effect of amyloid accumulation on cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

Methods

We retrospectively assessed 205 patients with LBD (91 with DLB and 114 with PD) who underwent 18F‐florbetaben positron emission tomography and divided them into amyloid‐positive and amyloid‐negative groups depending on global standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs). We investigated the effect of group on the regional and global SUVRs using general linear models (GLMs) after controlling for age, sex, cognitive status, and score on the Korean version of the Mini‐Mental State Examination. Moreover, the effect of amyloid on cognitive function, depending on the type of LBD, was evaluated using GLMs with interaction analysis.

Results

In all evaluated regions including the striatum, the DLB group showed a higher SUVR than the PD group. Among amyloid‐positive patients, the DLB group had a higher regional SUVR than the PD group in the frontal and parietal cortices. There was a significant interaction effect between amyloid and disease groups in language and memory function. In patients with PD, global amyloid load was negatively associated with language (B = −2.03; P = 0.010) and memory functions (B = −1.96; P < 0.001). However, amyloid load was not significantly associated with cognitive performance in the DLB group.

Conclusions

Although the burden of amyloid was higher in the DLB group, amyloid accumulation was negatively associated with the memory and language functions in the PD group only. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Improving a method of constructing finite time blow‐up solutions and its an application
Authors: Long Qunfei
Published: December 2022

We in this paper improve a method for establishing the finite time blow‐up solutions on the parabolic or pseudoparabolic equations. And we apply it to restudy the finite time blow‐up and upper bound for the blow‐up time on the initial boundary value problem of
. Specifically, we prove that
is a sufficient condition of the existence of finite time blow‐up solutions and
is a new upper bound for the blow‐up time, which generalizes the results of previous studies in the variational sense. Moreover, we estimate the upper blow‐up rate of these solutions, too.
A wideband frequency reconfigurable antenna with improved gain
Authors: Sheng Lili , Meng Liang , Lin Yixiang , Gong Yanping , Yang Xiaohui , Cao Weiping
Published: December 2022

A wideband frequency reconfigurable antenna based on active artificial magnetic conductor (AAMC) surface is proposed with improved gain. The AAMC element consists of a composite polygon‐rectangle‐ring with five patches and a cross‐strip inside. A reverse‐bias varactor is inserted between the ring and ground plane to make the in‐phase reflection frequency bands adjustable. A dipole is placed above the AAMC surface which is composed of 5 × 5 unit cells. The measured results show that the reconfigurable frequency ranges from 1.64 to 4.16 GHz while maintaining the radiation patterns stable. Moreover, the peak gain reaches 10.65 dBi at 3.5 GHz.
Automatic organ completion with image stitching for personalized radiation dosimetry in CT examinations
Authors: Xin Lin , Zhuo Weihai , Liu Haikuan , Xie Tianwu
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Computed tomography (CT) image‐based patient‐specific voxel‐based dosimetry has difficulties complementing missing tissues for organs located partially inside or completely outside the image volume. Previous studies constructed patient‐specific whole‐body models by rescaling reference phantoms or extending regional CT images with manually adjusted phantoms. This study proposes a methodology for automatic organ completion of regional CT images for CT dosimetry using a stitching approach.

Methods

Virtual clinical trials were performed by truncating whole‐body CT images to generate virtual clinical chest and abdominopelvic CT images. Corresponding anchor images for each patient were selected according to sex and similarity of the axial length and water equivalent diameter of the virtual regional CT images. Automatic image stitching was performed by transformation initialization and iteration, while the stitched CT images and organ atlas were used in GPU‐based Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations to generate a radiation dose map and absorbed organ dose. To evaluate the performance of the stitching model in radiation dosimetry, organ mass differences and Jaccard's coefficient of stitched and rescaled anchor images were calculated, and the radiation doses were compared among the corresponding values from the VirtualDose®, original whole‐body CT, stitching model, regional CT, registration‐based rescaling method, and WED‐based rescaling method.

Results

The anatomical accuracy of stitched images was significantly improved. For organs partially inside the image volume, organ dose estimation from the stitching model could be more accurate than that reported in previous studies. The absolute differences in effective dose from the stitched images were 6.55% and 4.81% for chest and abdominopelvic CT scans, respectively.

Conclusion

The proposed automatic stitching model partially complements organs inside or outside the CT scan range and provides more accurate anatomical representations for radiation dosimetry than traditional phantom rescaling methods.
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant for the treatment of refractory myasthenia gravis with anti‐muscle specific kinase antibodies
Authors: Beland Benjamin , Hahn Christopher , Jamani Kareem , Chhibber Sameer , White Christopher , Atkins Harold , Storek Jan
Published: December 2022

Introduction/Aims

Up to 25% of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) have refractory disease despite trials of multiple immunosuppressants. Several case series describe acetylcholine receptor antibody‐positive (AChR) MG patients treated with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). In this report, we describe three patients with anti‐muscle‐specific kinase (MuSK) MG treated with HSCT.

Methods

We included all patients who had undergone HSCT with anti‐MuSK myasthenia gravis identified through the records of the Alberta Blood and Marrow Transplant Program. We collected demographic and clinical data including validated MG scales as well as questionnaire data.

Results

All 3 patients had severe disease (Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America score IVb‐V) and were refractory to multiple treatments, including rituximab. All patients improved with no clinical manifestations or mild symptoms and remained as such for 2, 3.5, and 5.5 y. Adverse events ranged from treatable infections and transient dyspnea to persistent fatigue and premature menopause. The average worst Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG‐ADL) scores improved from 14.7 before to 0.3 after HSCT. The mean worst Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life Questionnaire (MG‐QoL15) scores improved from 26.7 to 0. All patients reported they would undergo transplant again for their MG.

Discussion

We describe three patients with anti‐MuSK MG treated with HSCT, all of whom became symptom free from MG with a tolerable side effect profile. In patients with severe refractory anti‐MuSK MG, it may be reasonable to consider HSCT.
Breastfeeding self‐efficacy predicts breastmilk feeding in preterm infants at discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit
Authors: Brockway Meredith , Mcleod Samantha , Kurilova Jana , Fenton Tanis R. , Duffett‐Leger Linda , Benzies Karen M.
Published: December 2022

Aim

To examine the association between breastfeeding self‐efficacy (BSE) and breastmilk feeding at discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit among mothers of preterm infants.

Design

Secondary analysis of the Family Integrated Care (FICare) cluster randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Data from 221 mothers of preterm infants who participated in the standard care group of the trial were analysed. BSE at admission was assessed using the modified Breastfeeding Self‐Efficacy Scale–Short Form (BSES‐SF). Breastmilk feeding was assessed using 24 hr maternal recall at discharge.

Results

Mothers who were exclusively breastmilk feeing their infants at discharge had statistically significantly higher mean BSES‐SF scores at admission (68.4, SD = 13.7) than those providing a combination of breastmilk and formula or only formula (59.6, SD = 14.7; p < .001). Multivariable logistic regression showed that higher BSE at admission, maternal birth in Canada, and absence of diabetes were statistically significant predictors of exclusive breastmilk feeding at discharge.
Mechanically robust and highly elastic thermally induced shape memory polyurethane based composites for smart and sustainable robotic applications
Authors: Ahmed Naveed , Niaz Basit , Ahmed Saad , Javid Muhammad Tariq , Ali Muhammad , Tariq Muhammad
Published: December 2022

In the present study, polyurethane (PU) was prepared using a pre‐polymer (two‐shot) process with a novel phloroglucinol chain extender. PU nanocomposite was prepared by incorporating acid‐FMWCNTs in pristine‐PU. Polystyrene (PS) was functionalized with the nitro group through our previously reported method. The ternary blend composites (PU/PS‐NO2/FMWNTs) were prepared using acid functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (FMWCNTs) for enhanced properties and selectivity. Nitro‐functionalized‐PS/PU composite properties were compared with pristine‐PU and its blend composite. The structure of the pre‐designed PU polymer and its composites were confirmed by the FTIR and the degree of crystallinity and amorphous state was determined with XRD analysis. Excellent thermal stabilities were confirmed through a TGA thermogram with an increase in the loading amount of FMWCNTs. Excellent tensile strength 59.2 ± 2.6 MPa with 0.1 g loading amount of FMWCNTs with enhanced flexibilities was achieved. The significant change in surface morphologies and porosity suggested enhanced interaction (physical and chain entanglement) of FMWCNTs and nitrated‐PS with PU chain as the loading amount of filler increased. The resulted porous spongy cluster (as seen in SEM images) provides efficient shape recovery strain with excellent flexibility to the composite material without compromising repeatability. Almost 100% shape recovery was observed for all samples with repeated recoveries. The recovery time of PU nanocomposite observed is shorter than neat polyurethane and PU/PS‐NO2 blends because of their better conductive nature but causes brittleness, which can easily initiate a crack in the sample compared to a blended sample.
Quasi‐static fracture characterization of fiber metal laminate with crack resistance curve based on δ5
Authors: Zhang Jipeng , Wang Yue , Yang Wen , Dai Xiangjun , Zhao Yuan , Fang Guodong
Published: December 2022

Fiber metal laminate (FML) is a hybrid composite typical in aircraft industry. It is necessary to effectively characterize the quasi‐static fracture performance of FML, considering the importance of damage tolerance design of aircraft structures and the complicated fracture mechanism of FML. In present investigation, glass fiber reinforced aluminum laminates (Glare) with middle cracks were tested under quasi‐static tensile load. The experimental crack resistance curve (R curve) based on the special crack opening displacement at original crack tip (δ5) was used for revealing the superior crack resistance of Glare laminate to aluminum sheet, which expressed in crack extension aspect was the extended critical crack length. This was thought to be benefit from the contributions of glass fiber layers and fiber/metal delamination, by performing the progressive damage analysis. Since δ5 can embody the elastic–plastic response of the crack but without need to interactively correct for crack tip plasticity. The δ5‐R curve‐based macro and meso fracture models were proposed to accurately predict the residual strength and stable crack extension of Glare laminate, which gave further evidence for the effectiveness of δ5‐R curve in characterizing the quasi‐static fracture performance of FML.
Federated analyses of multiple data sources in drug safety studies
Authors: Gedeborg Rolf , Igl Wilmar , Svennblad Bodil , Wilén Peter , Delcoigne Bénédicte , Michaëlsson Karl , Ljung Rickard , Feltelius Nils
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Studies of rare side effects of new drugs with limited exposure may require pooling of multiple data sources. Federated Analyses (FA) allow real‐time, interactive, centralized statistical processing of individual‐level data from different data sets without transfer of sensitive personal data.

Methods

We review IT‐architecture, legal considerations, and statistical methods in FA, based on a Swedish Medical Products Agency methodological development project.

Results

In a review of all post‐authorisation safety studies assessed by the EMA during 2019, 74% (20/27 studies) reported issues with lack of precision in spite of mean study periods of 9.3 years. FA could potentially improve precision in such studies. Depending on the statistical model, the federated approach can generate identical results to a standard analysis. FA may be particularly attractive for repeated collaborative projects where data is regularly updated. There are also important limitations. Detailed agreements between involved parties are strongly recommended to anticipate potential issues and conflicts, document a shared understanding of the project, and fully comply with legal obligations regarding ethics and data protection. FA do not remove the data harmonisation step, which remains essential and often cumbersome. Reliable support for technical integration with the local server architecture and security solutions is required. Common statistical methods are available, but adaptations may be required.

Conclusions

Federated Analyses require competent and active involvement of all collaborating parties but have the potential to facilitate collaboration across institutional and national borders and improve the precision of postmarketing drug safety studies.
Dielectric relaxation studies of poly(ethylene oxide) with the addition of salt or nanofiller
Authors: Yusoff Siti Nor Hafiza Mohd , Halim Suhaila Idayu Abdul , Tarmizi Amirah Amalina Ahmad , Chan Chin Han
Published: December 2022

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)–lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) serves as the classical model of polymer–salt systems with good polymer–salt molecular interaction at low salt concentration, whereas titanium dioxide (TiO2) without any surface treatment when added to PEO serves as a classical model of polymer–filler systems with weak polymer–filler molecular interaction. The correlation of molecular interactions of polymer–salt or polymer–filler with thermal properties of the systems, which govern the formation of morphologies of the systems, was attempted in a previous study. Hence, this work focuses on the correlation of morphologies and dielectric relaxation properties of PEO with the addition of LiClO4 or TiO2 investigated using polarized optical microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy over the frequency range from 50 Hz to 1 MHz at 25 °C. The effects of the addition of LiClO4 or TiO2 on the dynamics and relaxations of the polymer chain of PEO are discussed empirically following the fluctuation–dissipation effects from the common electrochemical terms and equivalent circuit model. The PEO–LiClO4 system seems to be one of the promising polymer electrolytes for application in lithium rechargeable batteries where the charged entities may arise from the interaction of salt with the ether oxygen of PEO in the amorphous region. Meanwhile, the PEO–TiO2 system may be analogous to a polar polymer with longitudinal dipoles along the PEO backbone, ethylene oxide monomers (from PEO) of which may represent the molecular dipole or charged entity. The findings show that the transport of charged entities in the PEO systems after the addition of LiClO4 or TiO2 is dominated by short‐range motion at room temperature. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Examining the construct validity of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire for ICD‐11 (PAQ‐11) personality trait domains in a community sample
Authors: Sellbom Martin , Chiasson Payton M. , Brown Tiffany A. , Bach Bo
Published: December 2022

The ICD‐11 has a new diagnostic system for personality disorder, which includes five optional trait specifiers to characterize the diagnosed pathology. The current study evaluated the internal structure and construct validity of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire for ICD‐11 (PAQ‐11) personality trait domains in a US population‐representative community sample. An exploratory factor analysis revealed the support for a four‐factor model underlying the 17 PAQ‐11 items, reflecting four of the five ICD‐11 trait domains (Negative Affectivity, Detachment, Disinhibition and Anankastia). Moreover, correlation analyses revealed that the PAQ‐11 domain scale scores were associated, as expected, with their counterparts from two other ICD‐11 trait domain measures, as well as with traditional personality disorder scores. More broadly, the results raised questions about the structural integrity of the Dissociality domain scale, and the discriminant validity of the Disinhibition and Anankastia scales. The overall conclusion was nevertheless promising with respect to the PAQ‐11 serving as a brief screening measure for the ICD‐11 trait domains.
Environment‐dependent influence of fruit size upon the distribution of the Malesian archipelagic flora
Authors: Trethowan Liam A. , Jennings Laura , Bramley Gemma , Clark Ruth , Dawson Sally , Moore Alison , Pearce Laura , Puglisi Carmen , Riwu‐Kaho Michael , Rosaria  , Trias‐Blasi Anna , Utteridge Timothy M. A. , Rustiami Himmah
Published: December 2022

Societal Impact Statement

We found evidence that larger fruited plant species are more likely to be found in aseasonal wet areas of Malesia. These areas are likely to be impacted by increasing human encroachment, which threatens both large‐fruited species and the large fauna that are most likely responsible for their dispersal. This synergistic threat could drive the loss of fruit‐crop relatives that potentially have key traits for resilient fruit crops of the future.

It is unclear how fruit size determines distributions of megadiverse tropical flora. Energetic constraints of ecosystems suggest plant species with larger fruit should be found in the higher productivity, aseasonal wet tropics. However, the probability of seed dispersal over large scales should be increased by fruits being smaller, due to being available to a greater number of dispersal agents.

We use a Bayesian phylogenetic model of species occurrence for >3400 species in Malesia to test how fruit size and environment interact to determine species distributions across the archipelago.

We show that larger fruited species are more likely to occur in aseasonal wet areas. We also found that smaller fruit size was associated with species occurrence in more mountainous areas.

Fruit size interacts with environmental variables to shape plant distributions across the megadiverse Malesian islands. The evolutionary processes that influence the patterns we have observed require further examination.
Pentacene Nanorods as Effective Photosensitizer for Photodynamic Therapy of Tumor via Singlet Fission
Authors: Zhang Rui , Cheng Ge , Li Mengxuan , Lv Hongying , Li Juan
Published: December 2022

Singlet fission (SF), whereby a singlet exciton is converted into a pair of triplet excitons, can improve the efficiency of solar cells. Pentacene has been extensively studied as the most promising SF compound, owing to its 200% yield of triplet states. However, the easy degradation of pentacene in the presence of light and air owing to photooxidation cannot be explained by the classical 1O2 generation mechanism. To address this issue, in the present study, pentacene nanorods (Pc NRs) are prepared as a novel photosensitizer (PS); self‐carried Pc NRs exhibited higher 1O2 generation capacity. Thus, a novel 1O2 generation mechanism is proposed based on the SF effect. The initial photon absorption occurs to access single‐exciton states, S1–S3. Excited‐state Pc pairs accelerate the SF effect in pentacene NRs, leading to a non‐adiabatic transition to the dark D state. Dark D state is a singlet state by two triplets coupled overall, and it can transfer its energy to 3O2 for generating 1O2. Using Pc NRs as PSs, photodynamic therapy (PDT) inhibits tumor growth in 4T1 tumor‐bearing mice upon 405‐nm‐wavelength and 650‐nm‐wavelength laser irradiations. This study paves the way to discover novel PSs that are not considered with classical 1O2 generation mechanisms.
Surface Modification of Gold Nanoprisms and Their Self‐Assembly with Nanospheres
Authors: Zámbó Dániel , Kovács Dávid , Südi Gergely , Deák András
Published: December 2022

Controlled surface modification of gold particles is of central importance for the preparation of functional nano‐objects, which can be used both in fundamental research and in advanced photonic or nanomedicine applications. In this study, the surface modification of gold nanoprisms using different thiols, namely cysteamine, (16‐mercaptohexadecyl)trimethylammonium bromide (MTAB), and α‐methoxy‐ω‐mercapto polyethylene glycol (mPEG‐SH (5000 Da)) is investigated. The aim is to prepare binary surface‐modified thiol/PEG patchy gold nanoprisms, where the tips/edges and the face regions of the particles are covered by different thiol moieties. By investigating the time evolution of the prisms’ extinction spectra at different capping ligand concentration levels, the conditions to prepare such “patchy” particles are identified. While significantly faster adsorption kinetics are observed for MTAB compared to cysteamine, both molecule types can be used to prepare binary surface‐modified thiol/PEG particles. Prisms modified with only MTAB or PEG and subsequently assembled with negatively charged spheres show that MTAB forms hetero‐aggregates with the spheres, while PEG prevents particle attachment. For thiol (cysteamine or MTAB)/PEG binary surface‐modified prisms, it is found that the efficiency of sphere attachment at the tip/side region during self‐assembly is rather low, most likely due to the presence of PEG.
Comprehensive treatment of recurrent and metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: advances and future directions
Authors: Fan Ming , Liu Dengqun , Zhu Guiquan , Ren Yazhou , Feng Mei
Published: December 2022

The standard of care for patients with recurrent and metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma remains unclear. There is an urgent need to identify effective and low‐toxicity treatment methods for such patients. The integration of current evidence to form an optimal treatment modality for recurrent and/or metastatic nasopharyngeal is worth exploring. In recent years, several outstanding clinical trials have emerged for the comprehensive treatment of recurrent and/or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma . New evidence has been added for the local treatment of patients with metastasis. Endoscopic surgery, radiomics, and other technologies help achieve precise local treatment. Novel immunotherapeutic drugs have been approved for the treatment of patients with metastasis in China. The combination of immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy is promising and requires confirmation. Future studies will continue to focus on individualization and precision medicine.
Wavelength‐Dependent Photocurrent Generation Efficiency in the Carbon Nanowall Films
Authors: Zonov Ruslan , Fateev Arseniy , Obraztsov Alexander , Mikheev Gennady
Published: December 2022

Herein, the efficiency of generation of unipolar photocurrent pulses under action of obliquely incident nanosecond laser pulses is studied in carbon nanowall (CNW) films on silicon substrate depending on the direction of the wave vector and polarization of the laser radiation. The films consist of flake‐like graphite crystallites of nanometer thickness. Each of the crystallites comprises stacked graphene atomic sheets oriented mostly perpendicular to the substrate surface with random orientation in other directions. The angular and polarization dependencies of the longitudinal and transverse photocurrents at wavelengths of 266, 354.7, 532, and 1064 nm are measured. The longitudinal and transverse photocurrents are odd functions of the incidence angle, and, for a given angle of incidence, they are even and odd functions of the polarization azimuth, respectively. It is noteworthy that with the decrease in exciting radiation wavelength, the conversion coefficients of laser pulse power into longitudinal and transverse photocurrents increase and decrease, respectively. At wavelength of 266 nm, the transverse photocurrent changes its polarity, and the longitudinal photocurrent generated by s‐polarized radiation exceeds the p‐polarized radiation photocurrent. The obtained results are explained by morphology peculiarities of the CNW films and the surface photogalvanic effect photocurrent generation.
Electric‐Field Enhancement of Electron Emission Rates for Deep‐Level Traps in n‐type GaN
Authors: Markevich Vladimir P. , Halsall Matthew P. , Sun Lijie , Crowe Iain F. , Peaker Anthony R. , Kruszewski Piotr , Plesiewicz Jerzy , Prystawko Pawel , Bulka Sylwester , Jakiela Rafal
Published: December 2022

Results of a deep‐level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) study of trapping states in Ni/Au Schottky diodes made on Si‐doped GaN layers grown by metal–organic vapor‐phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on highly conductive n‐type Ammono‐GaN substrates are reported. In all as‐grown samples, the DLTS signals due to traps with the activation energies for electron emission (Eem) of about 0.26 and 0.60 eV (referred to as E1 and E3 traps, respectively) have been detected. It is found that the electric field (E) significantly enhances the electron emission rate (eem) for the E1 trap, while for the E3 trap the eem(E) dependence is not very strong. The eem(E) dependence for the E1 trap is found to be characteristic of attractive traps with spherically symmetric square well potential with a radius of about 2.9 ± 0.25 nm. The eem(E) dependence for the E3 trap is accounted for by a phonon‐assisted tunneling mechanism. The zero‐E Eem values for both traps are determined. Correlations between the concentrations of the E1 and E3 traps and concentrations of impurities (H, C, Si, O, Mg, and Fe) determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry in the samples are investigated. Charge states and origins of the E1 and E3 traps are discussed.
A reliability allocation method for agricultural machinery based on AHP‐IFM
Authors: Dai Mengchu , Chen Chao , Zhou Le , Liang Yundong
Published: December 2022

In the product design phase, the available product failure data are limited, and the weight allocation method is often used to assign reliability targets to each unit. The integrated factors method (IFM) can calculate the reliability allocation weights considering multiple influencing factors simultaneously, but it cannot reflect the difference in the importance of each factor and each unit. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) can calculate the relative importance weights of each factor and each unit. Combining the AHP with the IFM can make the IFM more adaptable to the system and more accurate for reliability allocation. However, the current combination method can cause two problems: the invalidation of the influencing factor weights and the imbalance of the unit weights. To address these two shortcomings, the AHP‐IFM proposed in this paper introduces a weight weakening factor and exponentially corrects the unit weights for units, which can better apply the relative importance weights of each influencing factor and each unit to the reliability allocation. The effectiveness of the AHP‐IFM is verified by comparison with existing methods and data. Finally, an AHP‐IFM applicable to agricultural machinery is proposed, and the reliability allocation of a no‐till seeder is used as a case to verify the feasibility of the AHP‐IFM.
An ensemble model considering health index based classification for remaining useful life prediction
Authors: Han Tengfei , Li Yaping
Published: December 2022

Accurate prediction of remaining useful life (RUL) plays an important role in the formulation of maintenance strategies. However, due to the diversity of the failure mode of equipment, there are significant differences between the degradation data, which greatly affects the accuracy of RUL prediction. In this case, an ensemble prediction model considering health index‐based (HI‐based) classification is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the stacked autoencoder (SAE) is employed to construct the HI. Then, the time window is used to sequentially process the HI sequence, so that many data segments with the same length can be achieved. To differentiate the data with the similar degradation process, K‐means and Xgboost are selected to construct offline and online data classification models respectively. Finally, according to the results of the data classification, the ensemble model that integrates multiple machine learning methods are separately trained and then adaptively used for RUL prediction. In addition, integrating multiple methods helps to improve the generalization ability of the model. The NASA C‐MAPSS dataset is applied to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, and the results show that the proposed method achieves a higher prediction accuracy and shorter computational time than other existing prediction models.