bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Neuro-Psychomotor Therapy Intervention for Theory of Mind and Emotion Recognition in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Pilot Study
Authors: Giangiacomo Elisa , Visaggi Maria Castellano , Aceti Franca , Giacchetti Nicoletta , Martucci Melania , Giovannone Federica , Valente Donatella , Galeoto Giovanni , Tofani Marco , Sogos Carla
Published: August 2022

The aim of the present study is to explore the effect of early neuro-psychomotor therapy to improve theory of mind skills and emotion recognition in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. A pilot study was set up, consisting of in-group training activities based on the neuro-psychomotor approach. Children were evaluated using Neuropsychological Assessment for Child (Nepsy-II), Test of Emotion Comprehension (TEC), and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). For data analysis, one-sample Wilcoxon signed rank test was used with a significance of p < 0.05. Two children with a developmental language disorder and four children with autism spectrum disorders participated in a 3-month training program. Our findings revealed significant improvement in emotion recognition, as measured with Nepsy-II (p = 0.04), while no statistical improvement was found for theory of mind. Despite the limited sample, early neuro-psychomotor therapy improves emotion recognition skills in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, considering the explorative nature of the study, findings should be interpreted with caution.
The Impact of Unhealthy Behaviors on Personalized Well-Being Index in a Sample of School Dropout Adolescents
Authors: Lazzeri Maria Francesca Lodovica , Mastorci Francesca , Piaggi Paolo , Doveri Cristina , Casu Anselmo , Trivellini Gabriele , Marinaro Irene , Bardelli Andrea , Pingitore Alessandro
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: here is a growing need for integrated and multidimensional approaches to health, especially in a particular category of populations, school-dropout (SD) adolescents, who are traditionally more prone to risky behavior. This study aimed to describe the association between possible risk factors (substance use, eating disorders, social addiction) and well-being perception through the application of a personalized well-being index (PWBI) in SD youths. (2) Methods: Data were collected in 450 school-dropout adolescents (19 ± 2 years, male 308); the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and risk behaviors were assessed by means of a battery of standardized questions. (3) Results: The results revealed an altered perception of well-being in association with eating disorders (p < 0.001), the use of psychotropic drugs (p < 0.001), and the amount of their consumption (p < 0.05). In particular, there was a decrease in emotional state (p < 0.001) and PWBI (p < 0.001) in the presence of eating disorders, and an impairment in all PWBI components, emotional states (p < 0.001), lifestyle habits (p < 0.05), and social contexts (p < 0.001) when taking psychotropic drugs. (4) Conclusions: risk or unhealthy behaviors significantly worsen individual well-being. This study highlights the change of paradigm from a disease-oriented model to an educationally strength-based model when monitoring psychosocial well-being in order to define preventive and health promotion strategies in a vulnerable category of the population.
Balance Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Redaelli de Zinis Luca Oscar , Balzanelli Cristiano
Published: August 2022

The prevalence of balance disorders in children and adolescents is extremely variable [...]
Management of Post-Traumatic Dental Care Anxiety in Pediatric Dental Practice—A Clinical Study
Authors: Hussein Twana Othman , Akşit-Bıçak Damla
Published: August 2022

Background: It is important to avoid giving children traumatic dental experiences that induce post-traumatic dental care anxiety (PTDA) in clinical dental practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether non-pharmacological behavior management procedures can effectively reduce the use of pharmacological behavior management in children who have PTDA and are referred for regular dental treatments under general anesthesia (GA) and sedation. Methods: This clinical study consisted of two groups. The treatment group involved 20 healthy children aged 4–14 with PTDA and also those referred by other institutions for dental treatment with/without GA. The control group was sampled retrospectively from the patient records and involved 20 healthy uncooperative children aged 4–14 with PTDA who had been treated under GA. Results: The number of multiple appointments was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group. Only 25% of children in the treatment group underwent GA and the rest (75%) were managed with non-pharmacological management techniques. Nine (60%) children who were treated with minimally invasive techniques did not require GA. Conclusions: It is important to treat children as much as possible without causing PTDA by using appropriate behavior management techniques. This study emphasizes the usefulness of thoroughly employing non-pharmacological behavior management methods before directing a child with PTDA for dental treatment under pharmacological behavior management, which can prevent the over-utilization of sedation and GA.
Implementation of Surfactant Administration through Laryngeal or Supraglottic Airways (SALSA): A Jordanian NICU’s Journey to Improve Surfactant Administration
Authors: Abu Leyah Naser Aldain A. , Hasan Abeer A. , Juneau John N. , Al Jammal Maryam Ali , Jaber Ghada A. , Wilding Gregory E. , Roberts Kari D. , Guthrie Scott O.
Published: August 2022

Administration of liquid surfactant through an endotracheal tube for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome has been the standard of care for decades. Surfactant administration through laryngeal or supraglottic airways (SALSA) is a simplified procedure for delivery of surfactant that is less invasive and better tolerated. The Al Bashir Maternity and Children’s Hospital NICU in Amman, Jordan, implemented SALSA as a potentially better practice in 2019 with the objective to effectively and efficiently deliver surfactant in a minimally invasive way and to decrease the adverse events associated with intubation–surfactant–extubation (InSurE) and laryngoscopy. The quality improvement initiative was conducted from March 2019 to December 2019. All infants who weighed 750 g or more who required surfactant were eligible. As physicians were trained in the technique and use expanded, we were able to use plan–do–study–act cycles to observe differences between SALSA and InSurE. The primary aim was the optimization of non-invasive ventilation by the effective and efficient delivery of surfactant. Balancing measures included episodes of bradycardia while receiving surfactant or the need for a second dose of surfactant. We evaluated 220 infants who received surfactant by SALSA or InSurE with a mean gestational age of 32 weeks and a mean birth weight of 1.8 kg. The Respiratory Severity Score (RSS) prior to surfactant administration was 2.7 in the SALSA group compared to 2.9 in the InSurE group (p = 0.024). Those in the InSurE group had a lower mean heart rate during the procedure (p =< 0.0001) and were more likely to need a second dose of surfactant (p = 0.026) or require intubation for mechanical ventilation (p = 0.022). Both groups were effectively delivered surfactant as evidenced by improvement in their RSS over an 8 h period. SALSA was a more time efficient surfactant delivery method (93 vs. 111 secs, p =< 0.0001). Implementation of SALSA into the Al Bashir NICU was successful. We found that it was equally effective to InSurE, but was a more efficient method of delivery. Infants who received surfactant by this method tolerated it well.
Mitral Atresia with Normal Aortic Root
Authors: Rao P. Syamasundar
Published: August 2022

Mitral atresia with normal aortic root is a rare complex congenital heart defect (CHD) and constitute less than 1% of all CHDs. In this anomaly, the mitral valve is atretic, a patent foramen ovale provides egress of the left atrial blood, either a single ventricle or two ventricles with left ventricular hypoplasia are present, and the aortic valve/root are normal by definition. Clinical, roentgenographic and electrocardiographic features are non-distinctive, but echo-Doppler studies are useful in defining the anatomic and pathophysiologic components of this anomaly with rare need for other imaging studies. Treatment consists of addressing the pathophysiology resulting from defect and associated cardiac anomalies at the time of initial presentation, usually in the early infancy. These children eventually require staged total cavo-pulmonary connection (Fontan) in three stages. Discussion of each of these stages were presented. Complications are observed in-between the stages of Fontan surgery and following completion of Fontan procedure. Attempts to monitor for early detection of these complications and promptly addressing the complications are recommended.
“Let’s Read Together”: A Parent-Focused Intervention on Dialogic Book Reading to Improve Early Language and Literacy Skills in Preschool Children
Authors: Dicataldo Raffaele , Rowe Meredith L. , Roch Maja
Published: August 2022

Many children are at risk for reading difficulties because of inadequate emergent literacy skills. It is widely accepted that development of emergent literacy skills is strictly related to children’s early literacy experiences at home and school. Dialogic reading is an evidence-based intervention to promote the language skills of preschool children. This study examined the feasibility and efficacy of a parent-focused dialogic book reading intervention that aimed to foster the early language and literacy skills of pre-school children. A sample of 40 Italian preschoolers (Mage = 62.9 months, SD = 6.3) and their parents were divided into three groups: treatment group (n = 12); information group (n = 12) and control group (n = 16). The efficacy of the intervention for oral language skills was examined by analyzing the improvements from pre- to post-intervention in children’s oral language outcomes, through ad hoc and standardized tasks; specifically, by measuring proximal and distal abilities. Additionally, we analyzed the intervention effects on parent–child interaction and dialogic behaviors during shared book reading. Results suggest that a relatively brief intervention (6 weeks) using dialogic book reading strategies can lead to sustained improvements in early language and literacy skills in preschoolers (both proximal and distal) and in parent dialogic behaviors during shared book reading.
Physical Activity Design for Balance Rehabilitation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Roșca Andreea Maria , Rusu Ligia , Marin Mihnea Ion , Ene Voiculescu Virgil , Ene Voiculescu Carmen
Published: August 2022

One of the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) subjects is postural control deficit, which is significant when somatosensory perception is affected. This study analyzed postural stability evolution after physical therapy exercises based on balance training. The study included 28 children with ASD (average age 8 years, average weight 32.18 kg). The rehabilitation program involved performing balance exercises twice a week for three months. Subject assessment was carried out using the RSScan platform. The parameters were the surface of the confidence ellipse (A) and the length of the curve (L) described by the pressure center, which were evaluated before and after the rehabilitation program. Following data processing, we observed a significant decrease in the surface of the confidence ellipse by 92% from EV1 to EV2. Additionally, a decrease of 42% in the curve length was observed from EV1 to EV2. A t test applied to the ellipse surface showed a p = 0.021 and a Cohen’s coefficient of 0.8 (very large effect size). A t test applied to the length L showed p = 0.029 and Cohen’s coefficient of 1.27 mm. Thus, the results show a significant improvement in the two parameters. The application of the program based on physical exercise led to an improvement in the balance of children with autism under complex evaluation conditions.
The Impurity and Decay-Magnetic Polaron Effects in III–V Compound Gaussian Quantum Wells
Authors: Zhang Xin , Zhang Wei , Ma Xin-Jun , Li Pei-Fang , Sun Yong , Xiao Jing-Lin
Published: August 2022

The effects of a decay magnetic field and hydrogen-like impurities on the ground-state binding energy (GSBE) and ground-state energy (GSE) of weak-coupling bound polarons in asymmetrical Gaussian potential (AGP) III–V compound quantum wells (QWs) were studied based on unitary transformation methods and linear combination operators. By numerical calculation, we found that the polarons were affected by the AGP, the decay magnetic field, Coulomb impurities, and the type of crystal, which led to a series of interesting phenomena, such as changes in the ground-state energy and the ground-state binding energy. The results obtained provide good theoretical guidance for optoelectronic devices and quantum information.
Evaluation of Biocompatibility of 316 L Stainless Steels Coated with TiN, TiCN, and Ti-DLC Films
Authors: Lou Jia , Ren Beibei , Zhang Jie , He Hao , Gao Zonglong , Xu Wei
Published: August 2022

In this study, TiN, TiCN, and Ti-diamond-like carbon (Ti-DLC) films were coated on 316 L stainless steel (AISI 316 L) substrate surface by physical vapor deposition. The biocompatibility of the three films (TiN, TiCN, and Ti-DLC) and three metals (AISI 316 L, Ti, and Cu) was compared on the basis of the differences in the surface morphology, water contact angle measurements, CCK-8 experiment results, and flow cytometry test findings. The biocompatibility of the TiN and TiCN films is similar to that of AISI 316 L, which has good biocompatibility. However, the biocompatibility of the Ti-DLC films is relatively poor, which is mainly due to the inferior hydrophobicity and large amount of sp2 phases. The presence of TiC nanoclusters on the surface of the Ti-DLC film aggravates the inferior biocompatibility. Compared to the positive Cu control group, the Ti-DLC film had a higher cell proliferation rate and lower cell apoptosis rate. Although the Ti-DLC film inhibited cell survival to a certain extent, it did not show obvious cytotoxicity. TiN and TiCN displayed excellent performance in promoting cell proliferation and reducing cytotoxicity; thus, TiN and TiCN can be considered good orthodontic materials, whereas Ti-DLC films require further improvement.
Surface Modification of WE43 Magnesium Alloys with Dopamine Hydrochloride Modified GelMA Coatings
Authors: Ji Yang , Hou Mengdie , Zhang Jin , Wang Tianlin , Cao Can , Yang Huazhe , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: August 2022

As biodegradable medical implants, magnesium alloys have attracted great concerns due to their desirable biological and mechanical performances. Nevertheless, the overfast degradation rate of magnesium alloys makes it difficult to make full use of their potential in medical sciences. Therefore, it is a hot issue to control the degradation rate and functionalize the magnesium alloys via surface modifications. Herein, methacrylate gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel was adopted as coatings on the surface of WE43 magnesium alloys to control the degradation behaviors of magnesium alloys. Inspired by mussels, dopamine (DOPA) hydrochloride was adopted to modify GelMA to further functionalize the coatings. The compositions, swelling properties, degradation behaviors, and morphologies of samples were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and immersion test. It was shown that GelMA-DOPA composites could be obtained and the swelling and degradation behaviors of magnesium alloys could be controlled by adjusting the compositions of GelMA and DOPA. Furthermore, the GelMA-DOPA hydrogel coatings can be tightly bonded to the Mg alloys.
Research on Bending Performance of Concrete Sandwich Laminated Floor Slabs with Integrated Thermal and Sound Insulation
Authors: Liu Peng , Xie Sisi , Liu Lei , Luo Ao , Zhang Ning , He Sasa , Wu Yingye , Xu Wen , Chen Ying , Yu Zhiwu
Published: August 2022

In this study, a full-scale test on the bending performance of concrete sandwich laminated floor slabs with integrated thermal and sound insulation was carried out, and the effects of different reinforcement ratios on the bending performance of concrete sandwich laminated floor slabs were investigated as well as the variation law of the failure modes, characteristic loads, load-mid span deflection, load-rebar strain curves, and anti-slip performance. The results indicate that the concrete sandwich laminated floor slabs present typical bending failure characteristics. According to bending failure characteristics, the damage process can be divided into three stages, i.e., elasticity, cracking, and failure. The bearing capacity significantly increases with the increase in reinforcement ratio. The normal service, yield, and ultimate loads of bearing capacity of the floor slabs with a larger reinforcement ratio increase by 54.55%, 52.94%, and 46.46%, respectively. Moreover, the mid-span deflection decreases significantly with the increase in reinforcement ratio, and the cracking expansion is also delayed. Before cracking, the prefabricated layer and laminated layer can realize load bearing together, and the floor slab is in a state of complete interaction. When the floor slabs reach the ultimate state, the superimposed surface produces a sliding effect, and the floor slab is in a state of partial interaction. The finite element analysis software ABAQUS (with the version number of ABAQUS 2020, the chief creator of David Hibbitt, and the sourced location of the United States) was used to perform nonlinear numerical simulation. The test results accord well with the simulation results, which verifies the correctness of the finite element model. Based on finite element simulation, the influence of post-cast concrete strength on the ultimate load can be ignored.
Fabrication of Highly Transparent Y2O3 Ceramics via Colloidal Processing Using ZrO2-Coated Y2O3 Nanoparticles
Authors: Fu Zhongchao , Wu Nan , Long Haibo , Wang Jianming , Zhang Jun , Hou Zhaoxia , Li Xiaodong , Sun Xudong
Published: August 2022

An easy approach is described for the preparation of ZrO2-coated Y2O3 nanopowder from a solution of zirconium nitrate with commercial Y2O3 nanopowder. The evolution process of the ZrO2 coating layer upon calcination, such as the phase and microstructure of the particles’ surface, was studied. Calcination of the powder at 700 °C resulted in ZrO2-coated Y2O3 nanopowder. The rheological properties of the suspensions of ZrO2-coated Y2O3 powders were studied. A well-dispersed suspension with a solid loading of 35.0 vol% using ZrO2-coated Y2O3 nanopowder was obtained. The consolidated green body obtained by the centrifugal casting method showed improved homogeneity with a relative density of 50.2%. Transparent ceramic with high transparency and an average grain size of 1.7 µm was obtained by presintering at 1500 °C for 16 h in air, followed by post-HIP at 1550 °C for 2 h under 200 MPa pressure. The in-line transmittance at the wavelength of 1100 nm (1.0 mm thick) reached 81.4%, close to the theoretical transmittance of Y2O3 crystal.
Mathematical Model of Surface Topography of Corroded Steel Foundation in Submarine Soil Environment
Authors: Wang Wei , Wang Yuan , Huang Jingqi , Luo Lunbo
Published: August 2022

For the corrosion risk of steel structures in the marine environment, the topography characteristics of corroded steel surfaces were paid little attention to, which has a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the interface between steel foundation and soil medium. An effective mathematical model for reconstructing the topography of corroded steel surface is very helpful for numerically or experimentally studying the soil-corroded steel interaction properties. In this study, an electrolytic accelerated corrosion experiment is conducted first to obtain corroded steel samples, which are exposed to submarine soil and suffer different corrosion degrees. Then, the surface height data of these corroded steel samples are scanned and analyzed. It is found that the height of surface two-dimensional contour curves under different corrosion degrees obeys the Gaussian distribution. Based on the spectral representation method, a mathematical model is developed for the profile height of the corroded steel surface. By comparing the standard deviation, arithmetic mean height and maximum height of reconstructed samples with those of experimental samples, the reliability of the developed mathematical model is proved. The proposed mathematical model can be adapted to reconstruct the surface topography of steel with different corrosion degrees for the following research on the shearing behavior of soil-corroded steel interface.
Sintering-Induced Failure Mechanism of Thermal Barrier Coatings and Sintering-Resistant Design
Authors: Wang Li-Shuang , Song Jin-Bao , Dong Hui , Yao Jian-Tao
Published: August 2022

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have been developed to protect superalloys against high-temperature heat fluxes, which are required for the development of high-performance gas turbines. TBCs have porous structures, which are densified by sintering. The resulting stiffening is a major cause of TBC failure in service. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the negative sintering effect on the life span of TBCs. In this study, the sintering mechanism and the dominant factors causing changes in stiffening and mechanical properties were revealed experimentally. The experimental results show that the multiscale undulation of the originally smooth two-dimensional (2D) pore inner surface triggers multipoint contact between the upper and lower inner surfaces, resulting in pore healing during thermal exposure. The healing of 2D pores is the main structural characteristic change in TBCs after thermal exposure and the main reason for the stiffening and changes in mechanical properties. Then, the sintering effect on TBCs with vertically cracked structures was designed and simulated. We found that implanting vertical cracks in the topcoat can reduce the sintering effect and driving force for cracking by 87.9% and 79.9%, respectively. The degree of reduction depends on the space between vertical cracks. Finally, the mechanism responsible for the sintering-resistant TBCs was analyzed and discussed. Vertically cracked structures exhibited scale-sensitive stiffening, indicating that macroscopic stiffening is much lower than microscopic stiffening. In other words, the macroscopic sintering effect was lowered, and the TBCs remained highly resistant to global strain during thermal exposure. The resulting strain energy release rates are much lower than those of conventional TBCs. The results of this study contribute to the long-life thermal protection of superalloy-based components used in advanced gas turbines.
Perovskite Solar Cells: A Review of the Recent Advances
Authors: Roy Priyanka , Ghosh Aritra , Barclay Fraser , Khare Ayush , Cuce Erdem
Published: August 2022

Perovskite solar cells (PSC) have been identified as a game-changer in the world of photovoltaics. This is owing to their rapid development in performance efficiency, increasing from 3.5% to 25.8% in a decade. Further advantages of PSCs include low fabrication costs and high tunability compared to conventional silicon-based solar cells. This paper reviews existing literature to discuss the structural and fundamental features of PSCs that have resulted in significant performance gains. Key electronic and optical properties include high electron mobility (800 cm2/Vs), long diffusion wavelength (>1 μm), and high absorption coefficient (105 cm−1). Synthesis methods of PSCs are considered, with solution-based manufacturing being the most cost-effective and common industrial method. Furthermore, this review identifies the issues impeding PSCs from large-scale commercialisation and the actions needed to resolve them. The main issue is stability as PSCs are particularly vulnerable to moisture, caused by the inherently weak bonds in the perovskite structure. Scalability of manufacturing is also a big issue as the spin-coating technique used for most laboratory-scale tests is not appropriate for large-scale production. This highlights the need for a transition to manufacturing techniques that are compatible with roll-to-roll processing to achieve high throughput. Finally, this review discusses future innovations, with the development of more environmentally friendly lead-free PSCs and high-efficiency multi-junction cells. Overall, this review provides a critical evaluation of the advances, opportunities and challenges of PSCs.
Pollinator Species at Risk from the Expansion of Avocado Monoculture in Central Mexico
Authors: Sáenz-Ceja Jesús E. , Sáenz-Reyes J. Trinidad , Castillo-Quiroz David
Published: August 2022

The monoculture of avocado (Persea americana) has triggered the loss of large forested areas in central Mexico, including the habitat of threatened species. This study assessed the potential habitat loss of ten threatened pollinator species due to the expansion of avocado monoculture in Mexico. First, we modeled the distribution of avocado and pollinators. Then, we overlapped their suitable areas at a national level and within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB). We also identified the areas with more affected pollinators and coinciding with protected areas. As a result, 78% of the suitable areas for avocado coincided with the distribution of at least one pollinator. Although only two pollinators lost more than one-fifth of their distribution at a national level, the habitat loss increased to 41.6% on average, considering their distribution within the TMVB. The most affected pollinators were Bombus brachycephalus, B diligens, Danaus plexippus, and Tilmatura dupontii, losing more than 48% of their distribution within this ecoregion. The areas with a greater number of affected species pollinators were found in the states of Michoacán, Mexico, and Morelos, where most of the area is currently unprotected. Our results suggest that the expansion of the avocado monoculture will negatively affect the habitat of threatened pollinators in Mexico.
Innovative Investigation of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Used in Dentistry
Authors: Tiwari Ajay Kumar , Jha Saket , Singh Abhimanyu Kumar , Mishra Sheo Kumar , Pathak Ashok Kumar , Ojha Rudra Prakash , Yadav Raghvendra Singh , Dikshit Anupam
Published: August 2022

Dental caries is a major lifestyle concern as dental components affect the face of an individual. The issue of tooth decay occurs in every age group throughout the globe. Researchers are probing incipient implements and techniques to develop filling agents for decayed teeth. Zinc oxide (ZnO) powder is utilized mostly as a filling agent. Nanotechnology enhanced the efficiency of compounds of metal oxides utilized for dental caries. The present study aims to investigate the properties of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized chemically (using ZnCl2 and NaOH) as well as biologically (using aqueous leaf extract of Murraya paniculata). The XRD patterns confirm that ZnO NPs have a hexagonal crystalline structure with particle sizes of 47 nm and 55 nm for chemically and biologically synthesized NPs, respectively. The FE-SEM data confirm the nanorod and spherical/cubical shape morphologies for the chemically and biologically synthesized ZnO NPs, respectively. FTIR data show the peaks between 4000 and 450 cm−1 of the functional groups of –OH, C-O, –C-H-, and Zn-O bonds. The UV–Vis absorption study indicates a peak around 370 nm and a hump around 360 nm corresponding to the chemically and biologically synthesized ZnO NPs, respectively. An antibacterial bioassay was performed and compared with commercially available ZnO bulk powder against tooth decaying pathogens, viz., Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Lactobacillus fermentum, and found that both ZnO NPs had results closer to those of the standard drug (rifampicin). Thus, the synthesized ZnO NPs may be utilized as nano-drugs for the application of tooth decaying filling agents. Even biologically synthesized ZnO NPs may be considered more environmentally friendly and less toxic to human health concerns.
Confirming the Unusual Temperature Dependence of the Electric-Field Gradient in Zn
Authors: Haas Heinz , Zyabkin Dmitry , Schell Juliana , Dang Thien T. , Yap Ian C. J. , Michelon Ilaria , Gaertner Daniel , Gerami Adeleh Mokhles , Noll Cornelia , Beck Reinhard
Published: August 2022

The electric-field gradient (EFG) at nuclei in solids is a sensitive probe of the charge distribution. Experimental data, which previously only existed in insulators, have been available for metals with the development of nuclear measuring techniques since about 1970. An early, systematic investigation of the temperature dependence of the EFG in metals, originally based on results for Cd, but then also extended to various other systems, has suggested a proportionality to T3/2. However, later measurements in the structurally and electronically similar material Zn, which demonstrated much more complex behavior, were largely ignored at the time. The present experimental effort has confirmed the reliability of this unexpected behavior, which was previously unexplained.
Interatomic Potential to Predict the Favored Glass-Formation Compositions and Local Atomic Arrangements of Ternary Al-Ni-Ti Metallic Glasses
Authors: Yang Qilin , Li Jiahao , Lai Wensheng , Liu Jianbo , Liu Baixin
Published: August 2022

An empirical potential under the formalism of second-moment approximation of tight-binding potential is constructed for an Al-Ni-Ti ternary system and proven reliable in reproducing the physical properties of pure elements and their various compounds. Based on the constructed potential, molecular dynamic simulations are employed to study metallic glass formations and their local atomic arrangements. First, a glass-formation range is determined by comparing the stability of solid solutions and their corresponding counterparts, reflecting the possible composition region energetically favored for the formation of amorphous phases. Second, a favored glass-formation composition subregion around Al0.05Ni0.35Ti0.60 is determined by calculating the amorphous driving forces from crystalline-to-amorphous transition. Moreover, various structural analysis methods are used to characterize the local atomic arrangements of Al0.05NixTi0.95-x metallic glasses. We find that the amorphous driving force is positively correlated with glass-formation ability. It is worth noting that the addition of Ni significantly increases the amorphous driving force configurations of fivefold symmetry and structural disorder in Al0.05NixTi0.95-x metallic glasses until the content of Ni reaches approximately 35 at%.
Effects of Different Anti-Solvents and Annealing Temperatures on Perovskite Thin Films
Authors: Lin Po-Yen , Chung Yuan-Chun , Wang Yeong-Her
Published: August 2022

Since perovskite materials are currently mostly used in the active layer of solar cells, how to maximize the conversion efficiency of the active layer is the most urgent problem at present. In this regard, the extremely low voltage loss and tunable energy gap of methyl lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskites make them very suitable for all perovskite solar cell applications, and are also compatible with silicon crystalline systems. Therefore, the future development of MAPbI3 perovskite will be very important. The key point of film formation in MAPbI3 is the addition of anti-solvent, which will affect the overall quality of the film. Whether it can be used as an excellent active layer to improve the application value will be very important. Therefore, the research purpose of this topic “Effects of different anti-solvents and annealing temperatures on perovskites” is to complete the basic research and development of a light-absorbing layer of a solar cell element, in which three different anti-solvents need to be matched with each other as the active light-absorbing layer of a solar cell. Through optimization, using the chemical properties of different anti-solvents and different annealing temperatures, combined with the low-process-cost characteristics of organic materials and many other advantages, we researched the optimized process methods and parameters to improve the absorption efficiency of the active light-absorbing layer.
A Compact Dual Gamma Neutron Detector Based on NaI(Tl+Li) Scintillator Readout with SiPM
Authors: Shen Fengzhao , Fu Qibin , Huang Tuchen , Wang Wei
Published: August 2022

Sodium iodide crystal co-doped with thallium and lithium is a promising scintillator with wide application prospects for dual gamma neutron detection. In this study, a compact gamma/neutron detector was developed based on 2-inch NaI(Tl+Li) (NaIL) scintillator readout with 8 × 8 silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) array. Dedicated transimpedance amplifier circuit was developed for the SiPM array. The energy resolution and response linearity with the SiPM array were evaluated and compared to those obtained with photomultiplier tube (PMT) readout. The energy resolution for 661.6 keV gamma rays was measured as 7.0% and 6.5% with SiPM array and PMT, respectively. The linear response of the SiPM array is almost the same as that of the PMT in the energy range up to ~4 MeV. Neutron and gamma pulse shape discrimination was evaluated by acquiring the pulse waveforms with a digitizer (12 bit/250 MSPS) and off-line analysis. The best figure of merit (FOM) was measured as 3.75 for the SiPM array with optimized parameters, close to the performance measured with PMT (FOM = 4.07). The experimental results show that the NaIL scintillator readout with SiPM array exhibit energy resolution equivalent to NaI(Tl) gamma detectors and excellent neutron/gamma discrimination, making it especially suitable for compact devices requiring gamma and neutron dual detection capabilities.
Antibiotics in Dairy Production: Where Is the Problem?
Authors: Virto Mailo , Santamarina-García Gorka , Amores Gustavo , Hernández Igor
Published: August 2022

Antibiotics have long been used for the prevention and treatment of common diseases and for prophylactic purposes in dairy animals. However, in recent decades it has become a matter of concern due to the widespread belief that there has been an abuse or misuse of these drugs in animals and that this misuse has led to the presence of residues in derived foods, such as milk and dairy products. Therefore, this review aims to compile the scientific literature published to date on the presence of antibiotic residues in these products worldwide. The focus is on the reasons that lead to their presence in food, on the potential problems caused by residues in the characteristics of dairy products and in their manufacturing process, on the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and on the effects that both residues and resistant bacteria can cause on human and environmental health.
An Evaluation of the OpenWeatherMap API versus INMET Using Weather Data from Two Brazilian Cities: Recife and Campina Grande
Authors: Musah Anwar , Dutra Livia Màrcia Mosso , Aldosery Aisha , Browning Ella , Ambrizzi Tercio , Borges Iuri Valerio Graciano , Tunali Merve , Başibüyük Selma , Yenigün Orhan , Moreno Giselle Machado Magalhaes , da Silva Ana Clara Gomes , dos Santos Wellington Pinheiro , de Lima Clarisse Lins , Massoni Tiago , Jones Kate Elizabeth , Campos Luiza Cintra , Kostkova Patty
Published: August 2022

Certain weather conditions are inadvertently related to increased population of various mosquitoes. In order to predict the burden of mosquito populations in the Global South, it is imperative to integrate weather-related risk factors into such predictive models. There are a lot of online open-source weather platforms that provide historical, current and future weather forecasts which can be utilised for general predictions, and these electronic sources serve as an alternate option for weather data when physical weather stations are inaccessible (or inactive). Before using data from such online source, it is important to assess the accuracy against some baseline measure. In this paper, we therefore evaluated the accuracy and suitability of weather forecasts of two parameters namely temperature and humidity from the OpenWeatherMap API (an online weather platform) and compared them with actual measurements collected from the Brazilian weather stations (INMET). The evaluation was focused on two Brazilian cites, namely, Recife and Campina Grande. The intention is to prepare an early warning model which will harness data from OpenWeatherMap API for mosquito prediction.
Mobility and Dissemination of COVID-19 in Portugal: Correlations and Estimates from Google’s Mobility Data
Authors: Mileu Nelson , Costa Nuno M. , Costa Eduarda M. , Alves André
Published: August 2022

The spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has important links with population mobility. Social interaction is a known determinant of human-to-human transmission of infectious diseases and, in turn, population mobility as a proxy of interaction is of paramount importance to analyze COVID-19 diffusion. Using mobility data from Google’s Community Reports, this paper captures the association between changes in mobility patterns through time and the corresponding COVID-19 incidence at a multi-scalar approach applied to mainland Portugal. Results demonstrate a strong relationship between mobility data and COVID-19 incidence, suggesting that more mobility is associated with more COVID-19 cases. Methodological procedures can be summarized in a multiple linear regression with a time moving window. Model validation demonstrate good forecast accuracy, particularly when we consider the cumulative number of cases. Based on this premise, it is possible to estimate and predict future evolution of the number of COVID-19 cases using near real-time information of population mobility.
An Unfavorable Outcome of M. chimaera Infection in Patient with Silicosis
Authors: Łyżwa Ewa , Siemion-Szcześniak Izabela , Sobiecka Małgorzata , Lewandowska Katarzyna , Zimna Katarzyna , Bartosiewicz Małgorzata , Jakubowska Lilia , Augustynowicz-Kopeć Ewa , Tomkowski Witold
Published: August 2022

Mycobacterium chimaera is a slow-growing, nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). It was identified as a unique species in 2004. Since 2013 it has been reported as a cause of disseminated infection in patients after cardiac surgeries. Only a few cases associated with underlying lung diseases have been noted. M. chimaera infection is characterized by ambiguous symptoms. There is no treatment with proven effectiveness, and it has a poor prognosis. Silicosis is a disease that can predispose to mycobacterial infection. Silica damages pulmonary macrophages, inhibiting their ability to kill mycobacteria. We present a case of M. chimaera infection in a patient with silicosis and without other comorbidities. To our knowledge, it is the first case of silicosis associated with M. chimaera disease. A 45-year-old man presented with a persistent low-grade fever. Based on the clinical and radiological picture, positive cultures, and histological examination, the nontuberculous mycobacterial disease was diagnosed. First, multidrug therapy according to the treatment guidelines for MAC was implemented, then antibiotics were administrated, based on drug sensitivity. Despite the treatment, eradication was not achieved and the patient died. The analysis of M. chimaera infection cases could contribute to developing recommendations and thus improve the prognosis.
Ultrasonography Comparison of Pelvic Floor and Abdominal Wall Muscles in Women with and without Dyspareunia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Castellanos-López Elena , Castillo-Merino Camila , Abuín-Porras Vanesa , López-López Daniel , Romero-Morales Carlos
Published: August 2022

Pelvic floor hypertonicity and narrowing of the levator ani hiatus is traditionally assumed in women with dyspareunia and considered a therapeutical target by physical therapists. However, accurate pre-treatment assessment of pelvic floor muscles is difficult to perform in clinical sites. In addition, the abdominal musculature has not been evaluated in this population, despite its relationship with pelvic floor disfunctions. The purpose of this study was to determine the existence of differences in the length of the anteroposterior diameter of the levator ani hiatus (APDH), the thickness of the abdominal wall musculature and the interrecti distance (IRD) in subjects with dyspareunia compared to a control group. A cross-sectional observational study was designed using ultrasound imaging to measure the APH, the thickness of the abdominal musculature—rectus abdominis (RA), transverse abdominis (TrAb), internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO)—and IRD at rest and during contraction. Thirty-two women were recruited through advertising and social webs and divided into two groups: dyspareunia (n = 16) and no dyspareunia (n = 16). There were no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in RA, TrAb, OI and OE muscle thickness. No differences in APH or in supraumbilical and infraumbilical IRD were found. The findings of this study suggest that the relationship between the abdominal structure/levator ani hypertonia and dyspareunia remains uncertain.
COVID-19 Diagnosis on Chest Radiographs with Enhanced Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Lee Chin Poo , Lim Kian Ming
Published: August 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a devastating impact on the social activity, economy and politics worldwide. Techniques to diagnose COVID-19 cases by examining anomalies in chest X-ray images are urgently needed. Inspired by the success of deep learning in various tasks, this paper evaluates the performance of four deep neural networks in detecting COVID-19 patients from their chest radiographs. The deep neural networks studied include VGG16, MobileNet, ResNet50 and DenseNet201. Preliminary experiments show that all deep neural networks perform promisingly, while DenseNet201 outshines other models. Nevertheless, the sensitivity rates of the models are below expectations, which can be attributed to several factors: limited publicly available COVID-19 images, imbalanced sample size for the COVID-19 class and non-COVID-19 class, overfitting or underfitting of the deep neural networks and that the feature extraction of pre-trained models does not adapt well to the COVID-19 detection task. To address these factors, several enhancements are proposed, including data augmentation, adjusted class weights, early stopping and fine-tuning, to improve the performance. Empirical results on DenseNet201 with these enhancements demonstrate outstanding performance with an accuracy of 0.999%, precision of 0.9899%, sensitivity of 0.98%, specificity of 0.9997% and F1-score of 0.9849% on the COVID-Xray-5k dataset.
HTLML: Hybrid AI Based Model for Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Sharma Sarang , Gupta Sheifali , Gupta Deepali , Altameem Ayman , Saudagar Abdul Khader Jilani , Poonia Ramesh Chandra , Nayak Soumya Ranjan
Published: August 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative condition of the brain that affects the memory and reasoning abilities of patients. Memory is steadily wiped out by this condition, which gradually affects the brain’s ability to think, recall, and form intentions. In order to properly identify this disease, a variety of manual imaging modalities including CT, MRI, PET, etc. are being used. These methods, however, are time-consuming and troublesome in the context of early diagnostics. This is why deep learning models have been devised that are less time-intensive, require less high-tech hardware or human interaction, continue to improve in performance, and are useful for the prediction of AD, which can also be verified by experimental results obtained by doctors in medical institutions or health care facilities. In this paper, we propose a hybrid-based AI-based model that includes the combination of both transfer learning (TL) and permutation-based machine learning (ML) voting classifier in terms of two basic phases. In the first phase of implementation, it comprises two TL-based models: namely, DenseNet-121 and Densenet-201 for features extraction, whereas in the second phase of implementation, it carries out three different ML classifiers like SVM, Naïve base and XGBoost for classification purposes. The final classifier outcomes are evaluated by means of permutations of the voting mechanism. The proposed model achieved accuracy of 91.75%, specificity of 96.5%, and an F1-score of 90.25. The dataset used for training was obtained from Kaggle and contains 6200 photos, including 896 images classified as mildly demented, 64 images classified as moderately demented, 3200 images classified as non-demented, and 1966 images classified as extremely mildly demented. The results show that the suggested model outperforms current state-of-the-art models. These models could be used to generate therapeutically viable methods for detecting AD in MRI images based on these results for clinical prospective.
Subclinical Myocardial Dysfunction in Patients with Persistent Dyspnea One Year after COVID-19—Why Should Screening for Cardiovascular Diseases Be Performed? Reply to Vankrunkelsven, P. Tendentious Paper—Titles and Wrong Conclusions Lead to Fear in the Population and Medical Overconsumption. Comment on “Luchian et al. Subclinical Myocardial Dysfunction in Patients with Persistent Dyspnea One Year after COVID-19. Diagnostics 2022, 12, 57”
Authors: Luchian Maria-Luiza , Motoc Andreea , Lochy Stijn , Magne Julien , Belsack Dries , De Mey Johan , Roosens Bram , Van den Bussche Karen , Boeckstaens Sven , Chameleva Hadischat , Geers Jolien , Houard Laura , De Potter Tom , Allard Sabine , Weytjens Caroline , Droogmans Steven , Cosyns Bernard
Published: August 2022

We have read with interest the comment by Vankrunkelsven P. [...]
Synchronous Periprosthetic Joint Infections: A Scoping Review of the Literature
Authors: Sambri Andrea , Caldari Emilia , Fiore Michele , Giannini Claudio , Filippini Matteo , Morante Lorenzo , Rondinella Claudia , Zamparini Eleonora , Tedeschi Sara , Viale Pierluigi , De Paolis Massimiliano
Published: August 2022

Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) occurring in multiple joints at the same time (synchronous PJI) are an extremely rare complication, frequently associated with bacteremia, and are associated with high mortality rates. The presence of three or more prosthetic joints, rheumatoid arthritis, neoplasia, bacteremia and immune-modulating therapy seem to be the recurring risk factors for synchronous PJI. In case of PJIs, all other replaced joints should be considered as potentially infected and investigated if PJI is suspected. Treatments of synchronous multiple PJIs vary and must be decided on a case-by-case basis. However, the advantages of one-stage exchange seem to outweigh the two-stage protocol, as it decreases the number of necessary surgical procedures. Nonetheless, too few studies have been conducted to allow firm conclusions about the best handling of synchronous PJI. Thus, additional studies are needed to understand this devastating complication and to design the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic path.