bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Density discrepancy between transit-timing variations and radial velocity: Insights from the host star composition
Authors: Adibekyan V. , Sousa S. G. , Delgado Mena E. , Santos N. C. , Israelian G. , Barros S. C. C. , Martirosyan Zh. , Hakobyan A. A.
Published: January 2024

Context. The determination of planetary densities from the masses derived with the radial velocity (RV) and transit-timing variation (TTV) methods reveals discrepancies. Specifically, planets detected through RV exhibit higher densities than those detected through TTV, even though their radii are similar. Understanding the origins of these discrepancies is crucial and timely, especially with upcoming ground- and space-based missions dedicated to exoplanet research.

Aims. We explored the possibility that the discrepant mass/densities in the TTV and RV populations might be linked to the properties of the environments in which these planets are formed.

Methods. For the largest currently available sample of FGK-type stars hosting low-mass TTV and RV planets, we determined the host star abundances. Then, by employing a simple stoichiometric model, we used these abundances to estimate the iron-to-silicate mass fraction (firon) and the water-mass fraction (wf) of the protoplanetary disks. We also calculated the kinematic properties of the host stars.

Results. We observed an indication that the hosts of TTV planets have slightly higherfironand lowerwfvalues than their RV counterparts. This suggests that TTV planets (without considering their atmospheres) are denser than RV planets on average, which implies that larger atmospheres on TTV planets are required to account for their overall lower densities. However, we also note differences in the properties of the planets, such as their orbital periods, and variations in the quality of the spectroscopic data, which may have an impact on these results.

Conclusions. Exploring the TTV-RV mass and/or density discrepancy through a chemical analysis of the host star holds promise for future research, particularly with larger sample sizes and higher-quality data. Meanwhile, the provided detailed host star abundances can be employed to study the composition of the planets within the current sample, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the aforementioned discrepancy.
Unraveling the dust activity of naked-eye comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
Authors: Liu Bin , Liu Xiaodong
Published: January 2024

A morphological and photometric analysis of the naked-eye long-period comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) before perihelion is presented in this study. The observation images taken by the Zwicky Transient Facility survey telescope from July 2022 to October 2022 show a gradually brightening dust coma and a tail with a clear structure. The morphology of the dust coma reveals nonsteady-state emission with an ejection velocity lower than 14 m s−1 for particles larger than 100 µm. According to the syndyne-synchrone analysis, dust particles larger than about 10 µm contribute significantly to the observed tail. The model simulations of the 10 October 2022 image suggest that the radii of large particles lingering near the nucleus range from 0.1 to 1 mm. Assuming that the nucleus of comet E3 is a homogeneous sphere with an albedo of 0.1, the photometry analysis sets the lower and upper limits of the nucleus radius to be 0.81 ± 0.07 km and 2.79 ± 0.01 km, respectively. The dust production rates increased continuously from 241 ± 3 kg s−1 in July to 476 ± 9 kg s−1 in October. The dependence of the ejection velocity v⊥ perpendicular to the orbital plane of comet E3 on the particle size a can be simplified as v⊥ ∝ a−1/2, which indicates that the dust emission is likely driven by gas. The water-production rate is inferred as ~368 ± 72 kg s−1 in October 2022, which is sustained by an equilibrium-sublimating area of 8.2 × 106 m2 at least. The comparative analysis of the characteristics of comet E3 with those of comets belonging to different types shows that the activity profile of long-period comet E3 surprisingly aligns more closely with those of short-period comets within a heliocentric distance range of about [1.7, 3.4] AU, where the images of comet E3 that we used in this study were taken.
The more the merrier: SRG/eROSITA discovers two further galaxies showing X-ray quasi-periodic eruptions
Authors: Arcodia R. , Liu Z. , Merloni A. , Malyali A. , Rau A. , Chakraborty J. , Goodwin A. , Buckley D. , Brink J. , Gromadzki M. , Arzoumanian Z. , Buchner J. , Kara E. , Nandra K. , Ponti G. , Salvato M. , Anderson G. , Baldini P. , Grotova I. , Krumpe M. , Maitra C. , Miller-Jones J. C. A. , Ramos-Ceja M. E.
Published: January 2024

X-ray quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are a novel addition to the group of extragalactic transients. With only a select number of known sources, and many more models published trying to explain them, we are so far limited in our understanding by small number statistics. In this work, we report the discovery of two further galaxies showing QPEs, hereafter named eRO-QPE3 and eRO-QPE4, with the eROSITA X-ray telescope on board the Spectrum Roentgen Gamma observatory, followed by XMM-Newton, NICER, Swift-XRT, SALT (z = 0.024 and z = 0.044, respectively), and ATCA observations. Among the properties in common with those of known QPEs are: the thermal-like spectral shape in eruption (up to kT ∼ 110 − 120 eV) and quiescence (kT ∼ 50 − 90 eV) and its evolution during the eruptions (with a harder rise than decay); the lack of strong canonical signatures of active nuclei (from current optical, UV, infrared and radio data); and the low-mass nature of the host galaxies (logM* ≈ 9 − 10) and their massive central black holes (logMBH ≈ 5 − 7). These discoveries also bring several new insights into the QPE population: (i) eRO-QPE3 shows eruptions on top of a decaying quiescence flux, providing further evidence for a connection between QPEs and a preceding tidal disruption event; (ii) eRO-QPE3 exhibits the longest recurrence times and faintest peak luminosity of QPEs, compared to the known QPE population, excluding a correlation between the two; (iii) we find evidence, for the first time, of a transient component that is harder, albeit much fainter, than the thermal QPE spectrum in eRO-QPE4; and (iv) eRO-QPE4 displays the appearance (or significant brightening) of the quiescence disk component after the detection of QPEs, supporting its short-lived nature against a preexisting active galactic nucleus. These new properties further highlight the need to find additional QPE sources to increase the sample size and draw meaningful conclusions about the intrinsic population. Overall, the newly discovered properties (e.g., recent origin and/or transient nature of the quiescent accretion disk; lack of correlation between eruption recurrence timescales and luminosity) are qualitatively consistent with recent models that identify QPEs as extreme mass-ratio inspirals.
Selection of controlled parameters of the technological process of obtaining CLT panels with increased sound insulation
Authors: Khramov Igor , Aun Danil
Published: January 2024

The problem of creating high-quality sound insulation materials is an important area of development of the construction industry today. Therefore, at the manufacturing stage, it is necessary to observe many different indicators that affect the quality characteristics of building materials. One of the ways to improve the sound insulation characteristics in the construction of capital walls of buildings is the use of multilayer wooden panels consisting of modernized wooden lamella structures. There are various technologies for the production of multilayer wooden panels, most of which have proven themselves well in the construction industry and allow the use of wood of various breeds and varieties, combine them to achieve optimal characteristics, such as high heat capacity, fire resistance, noise insulation, environmental friendliness, biological resistance, almost complete absence of shrinkage. Mathematical modeling of such multifactorial processes makes it possible to determine the optimal strategy for conducting the technological process. By controlling the technological process in this way, taking into account the specified quantitative and qualitative characteristics, it is possible to obtain a CLT panel with the specified sound insulation properties.
Two-level optimization by differential evolution in decision tree learning algorithm
Authors: Mitrofanov Sergei , Semenkin Eugene
Published: January 2024

Decision tree learning algorithms have a long history, but they are still popular due to their efficiency. Tree construction starts at the root and continues to each leaf node, creating a “near-optimal” tree. One of the key steps in creating a decision tree is the selection of a feature to split at each root node, which affects the classification accuracy. This process can be quite labor intensive. The article proposes a new approach to constructing decision trees based on the use of differential evolution for two-level tree optimization. Differential evolution works in two stages: at the first level, a feature is selected for separation, and at the second level, the threshold value for this feature is optimized. The results of the work were tested on several examples of classification problems.
Environmental issues associated with computing and technological development
Authors: Guzueva Elina R. , Angela Natalya I. , Kilchukova Angela L.
Published: January 2024

Overpopulation and global warming are the issues that we are facing in the present. These issues force humanity to increase demands on goods and food, as well as improvement of technologies and their creations. New technologies are emerging every year to solve the existing problems. However, the truth is that they also introduce new problems, creating an endless circle of issues and solutions. One particular issue that is provided through the improvement of the technological side and by overpopulation is the mass production of new items. New items are in different variations and qualities that are endlessly conveyed to fulfill the demands of consumers. Although the usability time of most of the produced units is less than a day, meaning they are produced for the sake of it is possible and desirable. This kind of behavior introduced more issues, in other words, unnecessary trash, which will be degrading for hundreds of years and slowly destroying the environment that once was flourishing. The article will focus on issues that arise when unnecessary technologies, devices, goods are produced.
On the performance of standard nature-inspired algorithms in solving non-stationary optimization problems
Authors: Cui Kaiwang , Sopov Evgenii
Published: January 2024

Non-stationary optimization problems are a very important class of problems in many practical applications. These problems are characterized by objective functions and constraints that change with time or environmental conditions, so the optimization solution also needs to be dynamically adjusted accordingly. Many algorithms from the field of evolutionary and biology inspired computation are known as an effective approach for dealing with hard optimization problems in changing environments, that is the result of modelling of self-organized systems in nature and evolution in the biology. Natural systems always exist in the changing environments. This article aims to compare the performance of three common nature-inspired techniques, namely genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, and differential evolution (DE) in their standard implementation when solving non-stationary optimization problems, so as to provide a reference and rationale for subsequent selection of appropriate algorithms and improvements.
Optimized zone-based vehicle speed estimation and classification
Authors: Dastgerdi Vahid Masoud , Leus Andrey , Zuev Viktor , Vodichev Nikita , Kholodnyak Ivan , Efremov Vladislav , Mangazeev Daniil , Pecherkin Nikita
Published: January 2024

Abstract.This article pioneers the fusion of advanced computer vision, and environmental science in order to be a starting point in ecological tasks and environmental benefits. Utilizing state-of-the-art tools like YOLOv7 and innovative algorithms, the study achieves unmatched accuracy in vehicle identification, classification, tracking, and speed analysis. By optimizing YOLOv7-e6e-1280 architecture using TensorRT and reduced precision, real-time analysis becomes possible without compromising accuracy. The integration of the Vanishing Point Principle for road zoning and zone-based speed calculation provides nuanced insights into driving behaviors. Detailed vehicle classification and robust tracking offer valuable data for urban planning and ecological studies. This approach increase our potential in vehicular analysis, setting new standards for research in urban development, transportation, and environmental science.
Optimal pricing and environmental improvement in a dual-channel hazardous waste disposal supply chain under cost sharing contract
Authors: Feng Yan , Li Xiaoshen , Shang Youlin
Published: January 2024

A dual-channel hazardous waste supply chain consisting of a disposal facility and a contractor is studied, where the customer demand is sensitive to price and environment impacts. Under the government’s emissions penalty, the disposal facility must invest in technology for hazardous waste disposal to reduce waste emissions. Firstly, under the cost-sharing contract, the cooperation model based on a disposal facility and a contractor is constructed, and the influence of cost-sharing ratio on supply chain system is discussed; Secondly, the Stackelberg game models are presented; Finally, the numerical experiments are conducted. The computational results show that the cost sharing contract can improve the total profit of the dual-channel supply chain. When one party is dominant, whether it is the disposal facility-Stackelberg or the contractor-Stackelberg, the profit of that party always increases as the cost sharing proportion increases. Moreover, for the environment and consumers, an increasing cost sharing proportion of the contractor can improve the disposal technology, and the emissions per unit of hazardous waste disposal have been consistently decreasing.
Neue Therapieansätze bei Multipler Sklerose inkl. Stellenwert
älterer Präparate
Authors: Inojosa Hernan , Ziemssen Tjalf
Published: January 2024

Kaum andere medizinische Fachrichtungen haben sie derart entwickelt wie die
Neurologie – besondere Fortschritte in der Behandlung der Multiplen
Sklerose (MS) sind festzuhalten. Krankheitsmodifizierende Therapien (DMT)
ermöglichen eine hocheffektive Beeinflussung des Krankheitsverlaufs.
Dieser Beitrag versucht einen Überblick geben, welche Immuntherapeutika
zur individualisierten Behandlung von MS-Patienten zur Verfügung stehen
und praktische Hinweise für deren Anwendung.
Persönlichkeitsstörungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter
Authors: Dißmann Steffen
Published: January 2024

Persönlichkeitsstörungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter sind ein viel diskutiertes Thema. Experten gehen davon aus, dass Störungen der Persönlichkeit frühstens in der Adoleszenz diagnostiziert werden können, da die Persönlichkeitsbildung in dieser Altersspanne noch lange nicht abgeschlossen ist. Lassen sich dennoch schon früh Tendenzen oder ausgeprägte Störungsbilder erkennen? Und was können psychiatrisch Pflegende zur Diagnosefindung und Behandlung beitragen?
Gesundheitsförderung für psychiatrisch Pflegende: Blick über den Tellerrand
Authors: Lühr Nina
Published: January 2024

Pflegende unterstützen tagtäglich ihre Patienten*innen, neue Kräfte zu sammeln und zu genesen – doch häufig vernachlässigen sie dabei sich selbst. Um gesund und stabil zu bleiben und so die bestmögliche Versorgung für die Patient*innen zu gewährleisten, ist Selbstfürsorge für Pflegende essenziell. Was können Arbeitgebende und Arbeitnehmende tun, um die Gesundheit zu fördern?
Einfluss und Machbarkeit eines appbasierten Feedbacks im curricularen Szenariotraining der Notfallmedizin: eine prospektive, kontrollierte Observationsstudie
Authors: Landwehrt Jan , Van der Poel Daniela , Brause Verena , Wagner Nana , Ohlenburg Hendrik , Zarbock Alexander , Hessler Michael , Joos Gunther S. , Schnabel Alexander
Published: January 2024

Im Rahmen der kompetenzbasierten Facharztausbildung wurden bereits Kernkompetenzen im Sinne von Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) in der Anästhesiologie definiert. Appunterstützte formative Assessments und Feedbacks könnten die Umstellung zu einer kompetenzbasierten Lehre erleichtern.

Die Studierenden der Humanmedizin des Wintersemesters 2022/23, die den curricularen Kurs Notfallmedizin 2 der Universitätsklinik Münster besuchten, erhielten entweder im Anschluss an ein Szenariotraining mithilfe einer App ein systematisches oder unsystematisches Feedback.

Insgesamt wurden 104 Studierende (50 in der Experimental-, 54 in der Kontrollgruppe) eingeschlossen. Die Evaluationsergebnisse unterschieden sich nicht zwischen beiden Gruppen (p = 0,225). Die Experimental- (14,12 min [± 4,37]) im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe (11,15 min [± 3,32]) erhielt im Mittel ein 2,97 min längeres Feedback (p < 0,001). Der Vergleich der Ergebnisse der Selbsteinschätzung des Supervisionslevels zu den Zeitpunkten vor (p = 0,051) und nach dem Kurs (p = 0,134) zeigten keine signifikanten Unterschiede. Für den Vergleich zwischen der Selbst- (durch den Studierenden nach seiner Teamleiterrolle) und Fremdeinschätzung (durch den/die Dozent*in) nach dem Fallbeispiel bestanden keine signifikanten Unterschiede (p = 0,480).

Die vorliegende Observationsstudie hat gezeigt, dass ein appbasiertes formatives Feedback implementiert werden kann. Allerdings hatte dies keine Auswirkungen auf die Evaluationsergebnisse der Studierenden bzw. Selbst- und Fremdeinschätzungen zum Supervisionsbedarf.
Vasorelaxant effects of ellagitannins isolated from Cuphea carthagenensis
Authors: Isla Kaori Katiuska Yamaguchi , Tanae Mirtes Midori , de Lima-Landman Maria Teresa Riggio , de Magalhães Pedro Melillo , Lapa Antônio José , Souccar Caden
Published: January 2024

Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J. F. Macbr. is a popular plant in Brazilian folk medicine owing to its hypotensive and central nervous system depressant effects. This study aimed to validate the hypotensive effect of the plantʼs aqueous extract (AE) in rats and examine the vascular actions of three hydrolyzable tannins, oenothein B, woodfordin C, and eucalbanin B, isolated from AE. Systolic blood pressure in unanesthetized rats was determined using the non-invasive tail-cuff method. Oral treatment of normotensive rats with 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg/day AE induced a dose-related hypotensive effect after 1 week. In rat aortic rings pre-contracted with noradrenaline, all ellagitannins (20 – 180 µM) induced a concentration-related vasorelaxation. This effect was blocked by either removing the endothelium or pre-incubating with NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (10 µM), an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase. In KCl-depolarized rat portal vein preparations,
the investigated compounds did not affect significantly the maximal contractile responses and pD2 values of the concentration-response curves to CaCl2. Our results demonstrated the hypotensive effect of C. carthagenensis AE in unanesthetized rats. All isolated ellagitannins induced vasorelaxation in vitro via activating NO synthesis/NO release from endothelial cells, without altering the Ca2+ influx in vascular smooth muscle preparations. Considering the low oral bioavailability of ellagitannins, the determined in vitro actions of these compounds are unlikely to account for the hypotensive effect of AE in vivo. It remains to be determined the role of the bioactive ellagitannin-derived metabolites in the hypotensive effect observed after oral treatment of unanesthetized rats with the plant extract.
Beabsichtigte und unbeabsichtigte Wirkungen von E-Zigaretten in klinischen Studien – ein Plädoyer für (mehr) Transparenz
Authors: Hanewinkel Reiner , Ulbricht Sabina
Published: January 2024

E-Zigaretten werden in klinischen Studien zur Tabakentwöhnung eingesetzt. Aufgrund der Gesundheitsrisiken, die mit dem Gebrauch von E-Zigaretten verbunden sind, sollten die Ergebnisse klinischer Studien vollständig berichtet werden, einschließlich des fortgesetzten ausschließlichen Gebrauchs und des gemeinsamen Gebrauchs von Tabak und E-Zigaretten. Die Ergebnisse zur Nikotinentwöhnung sollten als primärer Endpunkt ebenso wie die Analyse der bloßen Beendigung des Tabakkonsums berichtet werden. Da es derzeit keine stichhaltigen Belege dafür gibt, dass die Reduzierung des Zigarettenkonsums wesentliche gesundheitliche Vorteile mit sich bringt, sollte die Reduzierung des Zigarettenkonsums nicht als Gesundheitsendpunkt in klinischen Studien verwendet werden. Die fortbestehende Nikotinabhängigkeit sollte als „unerwünschtes Ereignis“ in die Berichterstattung über die Studienergebnisse aufgenommen werden.
Difference of Knee Strength Recovery Between Revision and Primary ACL
Reconstruction
Authors: Dauty Marc , Combes Philippe , Gernigon Marie , Menu Pierre , Crenn Vincent , Daley Pauline , Fouasson-Chailloux Alban
Published: January 2024

Different grafting procedures are available to restore knee stability after
revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. We compared knee
strength recovery between ACL revision surgery and primary reconstruction. One
hundred and ten patients with ACL revision surgery were matched with 110
patients with primary reconstruction based on the graft procedure. The
isokinetic knee strength had been assessed for the first 9 months post-surgery.
Knee laxity, function, and activity score were also evaluated. Limb symmetry
index for knee extensor and flexor strength was not different at 4-, 6- and
9-months post-surgery between revision surgery and primary reconstruction. These
results depended on ipsilateral or contralateral graft choice. Ipsilateral
hamstring tendon (HT) and contralateral bone-patellar-tendon-bone (BPTB) graft
procedures were similar for a revision of a BPTB graft failure. Contralateral HT
procedure was better than ipsilateral BPTB procedure for a revision of a HT
graft failure. The early recovery of isokinetic knee strength after ACL revision
surgery regardless of the HT or BPTB procedures, was similar to the recovery
after primary ACL reconstruction with the same graft technique. These results
apparently depended on a temporary quadriceps arthrogenic muscle inhibition and
on a persistent donor site morbidity, concerning the new and the previous
grafts, respectively.
N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis for Facile Access to Pentasubstituted 4H-Pyran Derivatives
Authors: Jin Zhichao , Ren Shi-Chao , Peng Xiaolin , Wang Yulin , Huang Yixian , Zhang Sheng
Published: January 2024

The synthesis of polysubstituted 4H-pyran derivatives has attracted considerable attention due to its wide application in agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other functional molecules. We report an N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed [3+3] annulation reaction of β-ketone esters with enynals for rapid access to pentasubstituted 4H-pyran derivatives through a regioselective activation of the ynal. A series of 4H-pyran derivatives bearing various substituents were obtained in moderate to excellent yields. This method could find further applications in the synthesis of structurally diverse 4H-pyran-derived functional molecules from readily available starting materials.
The Effect of Cannula Drain in Reducing Edema and Ecchymosis after Rhinoplasty
Authors: Sulaiman Saad Younus , Alnori Haitham , Al-Talibi Islam , Goksel Abdulkadir
Published: January 2024

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common plastic surgeries and is commonly associated with postoperative edema, ecchymosis, and pain which play a role in patients' dissatisfaction. In this randomized comparative study, we discuss the effect of cannula drainage in the reduction of postoperative periorbital edema, ecchymosis, pain, and nasal obstruction after open structural septorhinoplasty. The study was conducted at a tertiary referral center from April to November 2022. We performed internal lateral osteotomy on all patients using the lateral saw and aided by lateral osteotome. At the end of the procedure, a cannula drain is prepared and inserted in the subperiosteal tunnel on the left side only. Patients were examined on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 21st days for periorbital edema, ecchymosis, pain, and nasal obstruction, and each side is scored separately. A total of 40 patients (80 sides in total) were recruited, 22 females (55%) and 18 males (45%), all of whom were adults (18–44 years old; mean age 29 years). The most frequent age group is those younger than 20 years representing 35% of the sample and the males forming 33.3%. The reduction in edema and pain was statistically significant in the drained sides (p = 0.000) during all the postoperative days. On the other hand, ecchymosis was lower on the drained side but statistically insignificant (p = > 0.29). Nasal obstruction was reduced significantly only on the seventh postoperative day (p = 0.000). The postoperative morbidities associated with rhinoplasty could have important functional and psychological effects on patients. This study demonstrates that inserting a cannula in the subperiosteal tunnel for drainage in rhinoplasty yields a significant clinical and statistical decrease in postoperative periorbital edema and pain with little effect on ecchymosis and nasal obstruction.
Co-surgeon versus Single-surgeon Outcomes in Free Tissue Breast Reconstruction: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Xu Joshua , Zhu Xi Ming , Ng Kimberly C. , Alhefzi Muayyad M. , Avram Ronen , Coroneos Christopher J.
Published: January 2024

Background Autologous breast reconstruction offers superior long-term patient reported outcomes compared with implant-based reconstruction. Universal adoption of free tissue transfer has been hindered by procedural complexity and long operative time with microsurgery. In many specialties, co-surgeon (CS) approaches are reported to decrease operative time while improving surgical outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizes the available literature to evaluate the potential benefit of a CS approach in autologous free tissue breast reconstruction versus single-surgeon (SS).

Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE from inception to December 2022. Published reports comparing CS to SS approaches in uni- and bilateral autologous breast reconstruction were identified. Primary outcomes included operative time, postoperative outcomes, processes of care, and financial impact. Risk of bias was assessed and outcomes were characterized with effect sizes.

Results Eight retrospective studies reporting on 9,425 patients were included. Compared with SS, CS approach was associated with a significantly shorter operative time (SMD −0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.01 to −0.29, p < 0.001), with the largest effect size in bilateral reconstructions (standardized mean difference [SMD] −1.02, 95% CI −1.37 to −0.67, p < 0.00001). CS was also associated with a significant decrease in length of hospitalization (SMD −0.39, 95% CI −0.71 to −0.07, p = 0.02). Odds of flap failure or surgical complications including surgical site infection, hematoma, fat necrosis, and reexploration were not significantly different.

Conclusion CS free tissue breast reconstruction significantly shortens operative time and length of hospitalization compared with SS approaches without compromising postoperative outcomes. Further research should model processes and financial viability of its adoption in a variety of health care models.
Quality of Life Outcomes after Free Fibula Flap Reconstruction of Mandibular Defects: A Longitudinal Examination
Authors: Zhang Kevin K. , Cohen Zack , Cunningham Louise , Kim Minji , Monge Jasmine , Tecce Michael , Nelson Jonas A. , Cracchiolo Jennifer , Matros Evan , Shahzad Farooq , Allen Robert J.
Published: January 2024

Background A comprehensive understanding of changes in health-related quality of life after head and neck cancer surgery is necessary for effective preoperative counseling. The goal of this study was to perform a longitudinal analysis of postoperative quality of life outcomes after fibula free flap (FFF) mandible reconstruction.

Methods A retrospective review was performed for all patients who underwent oncologic mandible reconstruction with an FFF between 2000 and 2021. Completion of at least one postoperative FACE-Q questionnaire was necessary for inclusion. FACE-Q scores were divided into five time periods for analysis. Functional outcomes measured with speech language pathology (SLP) assessments and tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube status were analyzed at three time points.

Results One hundred and nine patients were included. Of these, 68 patients also had at least one SLP assessment. All outcomes as measured by the various FACE-Q scales did not improve significantly from the immediate postoperative time point to the last evaluated time point (p > 0.05). SLP functional outcomes showed some deterioration over time, but these were not significant (p > 0.05). The percentage of patients who required a tracheostomy (18 to 2%, p = 0.002) or gastrostomy tube (25 to 11%, p = 0.035) decreased significantly from the immediate postoperative time point to the last evaluated time point.

Conclusion Subjective quality of life outcomes do not change significantly with time after oncologic FFF mandible reconstruction. Reconstructive surgeons can use these results to help patients establish appropriate and achievable quality of life goals after surgery. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the impact of specific relevant clinical variables on postoperative quality of life.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in the Neonatal Period
Authors: Akbay Ak Sinem , Soysal Buse , Yangın Ergon Ezgi , Kalkanlı Oguz Han , Ayhan Yuce , Alkan Ozdemir Senem , Calkavur Sebnem , Gokmen Yıldırım Tulin
Published: January 2024

Objective Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common viral respiratory infection in infants. This study aimed to establish the potential changes in the clinical course of RSV in the neonatal period with the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic.

Study Design During the observational study period, newborns diagnosed with community-acquired RSV infection and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were evaluated. RSV-infected neonates before the COVID-19 pandemic were classified as Group 1, those during the strict isolation period as Group 2, and RSV-infected newborns after the removal of restrictions were classified as Group 3.

Results A total of 208 community-acquired RSV-infected neonates were analyzed. The median age at admission to the NICU was 26 days, and the mean gestational week was 37.2 ± 2.7. The ratio of hospitalized babies with RSV infection to all hospitalized newborns rose after the pandemic significantly (1.9, 1.6, and 5.2%; p < 0.001). Following the pandemic, there was an increase in full-term, early-term, and late-preterm cases. Nevertheless, no change was observed in the number of preterm cases (p > 0.05). There was also a statistically significant increase in the need for intubation, noninvasive ventilation (NIV), supplemental oxygen, inhaled bronchodilator drugs, and length of hospital stay in Group 3 after the pandemic (p < 0.001). All these parameters related to more severe RSV infection when the precautions were removed, while there was a milder disease with restrictions during the pandemic in Group 2 (p < 0.001). However, none died due to RSV infection during the study because of timely supportive care.

Conclusion Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency and severity of RSV infection in newborns have increased, and it can result in a serious clinical picture even in full-term babies with no comorbidities. Attention to strict contact precautions, particularly in newborns, who are a more vulnerable population after the pandemic, may play an important role in any future outbreak.

Key Points
Postoperative Magnesium Sulfate Repletion Decreases Narcotic Use in Abdominal-Based Free Flap Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Lu Yi-Hsueh , Jeon Jini , Mahajan Lakshmi , Yan Yufan , Weichman Katie E. , Ricci Joseph A.
Published: January 2024

Background Microsurgical breast reconstruction after mastectomy is now the standard of care for breast cancer patients. However, the costs and resources involved in free flap reconstruction can vary across different medical settings. To enhance patient outcomes in a cost-effective manner, we investigated the effect of intravenous magnesium sulfate (IV Mg) on postoperative opioid usage in this context.

Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on all consecutive patients who underwent abdominal-based free flap breast reconstruction in a single institute following an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol. Patients who received IV Mg were compared with those who did not receive supplementation. Serum magnesium levels at different time points, narcotic consumption in units of oral morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs), and other postoperative recovery parameters were compared.

Results Eighty-two patients were included. Those who received IV Mg on postoperative day 0 (n = 67) showed significantly lower serum magnesium levels before repletion (1.5 vs. 1.7 mg/dL, p = 0.004) and significantly higher levels on postoperative day 1 after repletion (2.2 vs. 1.7 mg/dL, p = 0.0002) compared to patients who received no magnesium repletion (n = 13). While both groups required a similar amount of narcotics on postoperative day 0 (20.2 vs. 13.2 MMEs, p = 0.2), those who received IV Mg needed significantly fewer narcotics for pain control on postoperative day 1 (12.2 MMEs for IV Mg vs. 19.8 MMEs for No Mg, p = 0.03). Recovery parameters, including maximal pain scores, postoperative mobilization, and length of hospital stay, did not significantly differ between the two groups.

Conclusion This is the first study to describe the potential analgesic benefits of routine postoperative magnesium repletion in abdominal-based free flap reconstruction. Further research is necessary to fully understand the role of perioperative magnesium supplementation as part of an ERAS protocol.
3D ultrasound evaluation of fetal ears in prenatal syndrome diagnosis – a comparative study
Authors: Roosen Antonia Maria , Oelmeier Kathrin , Möllers Mareike , Willy Daniela , Sondern Kathleen Marie , Köster Helen Ann , De Santis Chiara , Eveslage Maria , Schmitz Ralf
Published: January 2024

Purpose The aim of the study was to assess fetal ears on prenatal 3D ultrasound and compare ear surface patterns and measurements between fetuses with syndromes and healthy fetuses.

Materials and Methods Our study is based on 3D ultrasound images of 100 fetuses between the 20th and 37th week of gestation. We compared 50 ears of fetuses with syndromes (syndrome group) to 50 gestational age-matched ears of healthy fetuses (control group). The syndrome group consisted of fetuses with Trisomy 21 (n=13), Trisomy 18 (n=9) and other syndromes (n=28). The evaluation was based on measuring the ear length and width as well as developing categories to describe and compare different ear surface anomalies.

Results Ears of fetuses with Trisomy 18 were on average 0.423 cm smaller in length (P<0.001) and 0.123 cm smaller in width (P=0.031) and grew on average 0.046 cm less in length per week of gestation (P=0.027) than those of healthy fetuses. Ears of fetuses with Trisomy 21 differed from healthy fetuses regarding the form of the helix (P=0.013) and the ratio of the concha to the auricle (P=0.037). Fetuses with syndromes demonstrated less ear surface details than their controls (syndrome group: P=0.018, P=0.005; other syndromes subgroup: P=0.020). We saw an increased richness of ear surface details at a later gestational age both in the fetuses with syndromes and the healthy fetuses.

Conclusion Ears of fetuses with Trisomy 18 were smaller than their matched controls. Fetuses with syndromes varied in the evaluation of their ear surface from those of healthy fetuses. The ear surface can be analyzed with 3D ultrasound and might be useful as a screening parameter in syndrome diagnosis in the future.
Metal-Free Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl Carbinol-Containing Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines via Dehydrative Coupling of Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines with Trifluoroacetaldehyde
Authors: Guo Xiaohua , Yang Kai , Liu Zhaowen , Chen Zhixi , Wu Longhui
Published: January 2024

A facile and efficient method for the synthesis of trifluoromethylated carbinols has been developed from imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines and trifluoroacetaldehyde. The direct C(sp2)–H hydroxytrifluoromethylation is successfully implemented at room temperature using HFIP as solvent through dehydrative cross-coupling process, which displays a broad substrate scope and functional group tolerance. Furthermore, gram-scale and synthetic transformation experiments have also been demonstrated, which indicate its potential applicable values in organic synthesis. This green protocol features operational simplicity, atom economy, mild reaction conditions (e.g., at room temperature, transition-metal- and oxidant-free, without inert gas protection), wide substrate scope, and excellent practicality.
Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Immunocompromised Patients
Authors: Chean Dara , Windsor Camille , Lafarge Antoine , Dupont Thibault , Nakaa Sabrine , Whiting Livia , Joseph Adrien , Lemiale Virginie , Azoulay Elie
Published: January 2024

Due to higher survival rates with good quality of life, related to new treatments in the fields of oncology, hematology, and transplantation, the number of immunocompromised patients is increasing. But these patients are at high risk of intensive care unit admission because of numerous complications. Acute respiratory failure due to severe community-acquired pneumonia is one of the leading causes of admission. In this setting, the need for invasive mechanical ventilation is up to 60%, associated with a high hospital mortality rate of around 40 to 50%. A wide range of pathogens according to the reason of immunosuppression is associated with severe pneumonia in those patients: documented bacterial pneumonia represents a third of cases, viral and fungal pneumonia both account for up to 15% of cases. For patients with an undetermined etiology despite comprehensive diagnostic workup, the hospital mortality rate is very high. Thus, a standardized diagnosis strategy should be defined to increase the diagnosis rate and prescribe the appropriate treatment. This review focuses on the benefit-to-risk ratio of invasive or noninvasive strategies, in the era of omics, for the management of critically ill immunocompromised patients with severe pneumonia in terms of diagnosis and oxygenation.
Intra Arterial Infusion of Cyclophosphamide in Oral Carcinoma
Authors: Misra N. C. , Singh R. V. , Sharma R. N. , Jain R. K.
Published: January 2024

Ninteen cases of advanced oral carcinoma were treated by continuous intraaterial infusion by cyclophosphamide. A newer technique by using Evan's Blue dye for visualizing the arterial supply was used and was found effective as the colour disappeared after a few minutes.

The response to the therapy has been evaluated and results are presented. In three patients the disease was brought to the point where surgery could be per-formed resulting in long term freedom from disease.
Enabling biomedical technologies for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) biomarkers detection
Authors: Pinnenti Meenakshi , Sami Muhammad Ahsan , Hassan Umer
Published: January 2024

Chronic myelogenous/myeloid leukemia (CML) is a type of cancer of bone marrow that arises from hematopoietic stem cells and affects millions of people worldwide. Eighty-five percent of the CML cases are diagnosed during chronic phase, most of which are detected through routine tests. Leukocytes, micro-Ribonucleic Acids, and myeloid markers are the primary biomarkers for CML diagnosis and are mainly detected using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, and genetic testing. Though multiple therapies have been developed to treat CML, early detection still plays a pivotal role in the overall patient survival rate. The current technologies used for CML diagnosis are costly and are confined to laboratory settings which impede their application in the point-of-care settings for early-stage detection of CML. This study provides detailed analysis and insights into the significance of CML, patient symptoms, biomarkers used for testing, and best possible detection techniques responsible for the enhancement in survival rates. A critical and detailed review is provided around potential microfluidic devices that can be adapted to detect the biomarkers associated with CML while enabling point-of-care testing for early diagnosis of CML to improve patient survival rates.
Gaussian process regression models for the properties of micro-tearing modes in spherical tokamaks
Authors: Hornsby W. A , Gray A. , Buchanan J. , Patel B. S. , Kennedy D. , Casson F. J. , Roach C. M. , Lykkegaard M. B. , Nguyen H. , Papadimas N. , Fourcin B. , Hart J.
Published: January 2024

Spherical tokamaks have many desirable features that make them an attractive choice for a future fusion power plant. Power-plant viability is intrinsically related to plasma heat and particle confinement, and this is often determined by the level of micro-instability-driven turbulence. Accurate calculation of the properties of turbulent microinstabilities is therefore critical for tokamak design; however, the evaluation of these properties is computationally expensive. The considerable number of geometric and thermodynamic parameters and the high resolutions required to accurately resolve these instabilities make repeated use of direct numerical simulations in integrated modeling workflows extremely computationally challenging and create the need for fast, accurate, reduced-order models. This paper outlines the development of a data-driven reduced-order model, often termed a surrogate model for the properties of micro-tearing modes (MTMs) across a spherical tokamak reactor-relevant parameter space utilizing Gaussian process regression and classification, techniques from machine learning. These two components are used in an active learning loop to maximize the efficiency of data acquisition, thus minimizing computational cost. The high-fidelity gyrokinetic code GS2 is used to calculate the linear properties of the MTMs: the mode growth rate, frequency, and normalized electron heat flux, and core components of a quasi-linear transport model. Data cross-validation and direct validation on unseen data are used to ascertain the performance of the resulting surrogate models.
The Raman gap and collisional absorption
Authors: Barth Ido , Michel Pierre
Published: January 2024

One of the long-standing puzzles observed in many laser-plasma experiments is the gap in the Raman backscattering spectrum. This gap is characterized by the absence of backscattered light between some critical wavelength and twice the incident laser wavelength. The latter is associated with the absolute Raman instability from the quarter-critical density surface. Supported by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, it is suggested that the gap can result from the collisional damping of the backscattered light. A linear analysis of the competition between the Raman growth rate and the damping rate in a non-homogenous plasma predicts the gap's existence and width as a function of the system's parameters. The theory is compared with the PIC simulations and past experiments.
Solitons and lumps in the cylindrical Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equation. I. Axisymmetric solitons and their stability
Authors: Hu Wencheng , Zhang Zhao , Guo Qi , Stepanyants Yury
Published: January 2024

We revise soliton and lump solutions described by the cylindrical Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (cKP) equation and construct new exact solutions relevant to physical observation. In the first part of this study, we consider basically axisymmetric waves described by the cylindrical Kortweg–de Vries equation and analyze approximate and exact solutions to this equation. Then, we consider the stability of the axisymmetric solitons with respect to the azimuthal perturbations and suggest a criterion of soliton instability. The results of our numerical modeling confirm the suggested criterion and reveal lump emergence in the course of the development of the modulation instability of ring solitons in the unstable case. In the next part of this study, which will follow shortly, we will present exact solutions to the cKP equation describing weakly nonlinear waves in media with positive dispersion subject to the modulation instability of solitons with respect to small azimuthal perturbations.
Single-mode, surface-emitting quantum cascade laser at 26
μ
m
Authors: Olariu Tudor , Senica Urban , Faist Jérôme
Published: January 2024

We present the simulation, design, fabrication, and characterization of planarized double metal quantum cascade lasers based on InGaAs/GaAsSb. Intended for astrophysical heterodyne measurements and having the cavity embedded in benzocyclobutene, the devices are equipped with thermal bridges on either side of the ridge, in order to improve the heat dissipation. The lasers are shown to vertically emit a single mode around 26 μm in pulsed operation, with peak powers of ≈ 30 μW and a current density threshold of Jth = 3.7 kA/cm2. Maximum operation temperature is around 170 K, with the maximum supported duty cycle being extended from the initial 15% to about 30% with the help of the improved thermal management technique.
Estimating viscoelastic, soft material properties using a modified Rayleigh cavitation bubble collapse time
Authors: Yang Jin , McGhee Alexander , Radtke Griffin , Rodriguez Mauro , Franck Christian
Published: January 2024

Accurate determination of high strain rate (>103 1/s) constitutive properties of soft materials remains a formidable challenge. Albeit recent advancements among experimental techniques, in particular inertial microcavitation rheometry (IMR), the intrinsic requirement to visualize the bubble cavitation dynamics has limited its application to nominally transparent materials. Here, in an effort to address this challenge and to expand the experimental capability of IMR to optically opaque materials, we investigated whether one could use the acoustic signature of the time interval between the bubble's maximum radius and first collapse time point, characterized as the bubble collapse time, to infer the viscoelastic material properties without being able to image the bubble directly in the tissue. By introducing a modified Rayleigh collapse time for soft materials, which is strongly dependent on the stiffness of the material at hand, we show that, in principle, one can obtain an order of magnitude or better estimate of the viscoelastic material properties of the soft material under investigation. Using a newly developed energy-based theoretical framework, we show that for materials stiffer than 10 kPa the bubble collapse time during a single bubble cavitation event can provide quantitative and meaningful information about the constitutive properties of the material at hand. For very soft materials (i.e., shear modulus less than 10 kPa), our theory shows that unless the collapse time measurement has very high precision and low uncertainties, the material property estimates based on the bubble collapse time only will not be accurate and require visual resolution of the full cavitation kinematics.