bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reforming CO2 bio-mitigation utilizing Bacillus cereus from hypersaline realms in pilot-scale bubble column bioreactor
Authors: Barla Rachael J. , Raghuvanshi Smita , Gupta Suresh
Published: March 2024

The bubble column reactor of 10 and 20 L capacity was designed to bio-mitigate 10% CO2 (g) with 90% air utilizing thermophilic bacteria (Bacillus cereus SSLMC2). The maximum biomass yield during the growth phase was obtained as 9.14 and 10.78 g L−1 for 10 and 20 L capacity, respectively. The maximum removal efficiency for CO2 (g) was obtained as 56% and 85% for the 10 and 20 L reactors, respectively. The FT-IR and GC–MS examination of the extracellular and intracellular samples identified value-added products such as carboxylic acid, fatty alcohols, and hydrocarbons produced during the process. The total carbon balance for CO2 utilization in different forms confirmed that B. cereus SSLMC2 utilized 1646.54 g C in 10 L and 1587 g of C in 20 L reactor out of 1696.13 g of total carbon feed. The techno-economic assessment established that the capital investment required was $286.21 and $289.08 per reactor run of 11 days and $0.167 and $0.187 per gram of carbon treated for 10 and 20 L reactors, respectively. The possible mechanism pathways for bio-mitigating CO2 (g) by B. cereus SSLMC2 were also presented utilizing the energy reactions. Hence, the work presents the novelty of utilizing thermophilic bacteria and a bubble column bioreactor for CO2 (g) bio-mitigation.
Application of droplet digital PCR in minimal residual disease monitoring of rare fusion transcripts and mutations in haematological malignancies
Authors: Ip Beca B. K. , Wong Anthony T. C. , Law Janet Hei Yin , Au Chun Hang , Ma Shing Yan , Chim James C. S. , Liang Raymond H. S. , Leung Anskar Y. H. , Wan Thomas S. K. , Ma Edmond S. K.
Published: March 2024

Leukaemia of various subtypes are driven by distinct chromosomal rearrangement or genetic abnormalities. The leukaemogenic fusion transcripts or genetic mutations serve as molecular markers for minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring. The current study evaluated the applicability of several droplet digital PCR assays for the detection of these targets at RNA and DNA levels (atypical BCR::ABL1 e19a2, e23a2ins52, e13a2ins74, rare types of CBFB::MYH11 (G and I), PCM1::JAK2, KMT2A::ELL2, PICALM::MLLT10 fusion transcripts and CEBPA frame-shift and insertion/duplication mutations) with high sensitivity. The analytical performances were assessed by the limit of blanks, limit of detection, limit of quantification and linear regression. Our data demonstrated serial MRD monitoring for patients at molecular level could become “digitalized”, which was deemed important to guide clinicians in treatment decision for better patient care.
Understanding the role of head size and neck length in micromotion generation at the taper junction in total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Bologna Federico A. , Putame Giovanni , Audenino Alberto L. , Terzini Mara
Published: March 2024

Modular hip implants allow intra-operative adjustments for patient-specific customization and targeted replacement of damaged elements without full implant extraction. However, challenges arise from relative micromotions between components, potentially leading to implant failure due to cytotoxic metal debris. In this study magnitude and directions of micromotions at the taper junction were estimated, aiming to understand the effect of variations in head size and neck length. Starting from a reference configuration adhering to the 12/14 taper standard, six additional implant configurations were generated by varying the head size and/or neck length. A musculoskeletal multibody model of a prothesized lower limb was developed to estimate hip contact force and location during a normal walking task. Following the implant assembly, the multibody-derived loads were imposed as boundary conditions in a finite element analysis to compute the taper junction micromotions as the relative slip between the contacting surfaces. Results highlighted the L-size head as the most critical configuration, indicating a 2.81 μm relative slip at the mid-stance phase. The proposed approach enables the investigation of geometric variations in implants under accurate load conditions, providing valuable insights for designing less risky prostheses and informing clinical decision-making processes.
Noxa inhibits oncogenesis through ZNF519 in gastric cancer and is suppressed by hsa-miR-200b-3p
Authors: Shi Jin , Ding Fan , Dai Dezhu , Song Xudong , Wu Xu , Yan Dongsheng , Han Xiao , Tao Guoquan , Dai Weijie
Published: March 2024

While Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1 (Noxa/PMAIP1) assumes a pivotal role in numerous tumors, its clinical implications and underlying mechanisms of gastric cancer (GC) are yet enigmatic. In this investigation, our primary objective was to scrutinize the clinical relevance and potential mechanisms of Noxa in gastric cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis was conducted on tissue microarrays comprising samples from a meticulously characterized cohort of 84 gastric cancer patients, accompanied by follow-up data, to assess the expression of Noxa. Additionally, Noxa expression levels in gastric cancer clinical samples and cell lines were measured through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. The effect of Noxa expression on the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier survival. Further insight into the role of Noxa in driving gastric cancer progression was gained through an array of experimental techniques, including cell viability assays (CCK8), plate cloning assays, transwell assays, scratch assays, and real-time cell analysis (RTCA). Potential upstream microRNAs (miRNAs) that might modulate Noxa were identified through rigorous bioinformatics analysis, substantiated by luciferase reporter assays and Western blot experiments. Additionally, we utilized RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR, and Western blot to identify proteins binding to Noxa and potential downstream target. Finally, we utilized BALB/c nude mice to explore the role of Noxa in vivo. Our investigation unveiled a marked downregulation of Noxa expression in gastric cancer and underscored its significance as a pivotal prognostic factor influencing overall survival (OS). Noxa overexpression exerted a substantial inhibitory effect on the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells. Bioinformatic analysis and dual luciferase reporter assays unveiled the capacity of hsa-miR-200b-3p to interact with the 3′-UTR of Noxa mRNA, thereby orchestrating a downregulation of Noxa expression in vitro, consequently promoting tumor progression in GC. Our transcriptome analysis, coupled with mechanistic validation, elucidated a role for Noxa in modulating the expression of ZNF519 in the Mitophagy-animal pathway. The depletion of ZNF519 effectively reversed the oncogenic attributes induced by Noxa. Upregulation of Noxa expression suppressed the tumorigenesis of GC in vivo. The current investigation sheds light on the pivotal role of the hsa-miR-200b-3p/Noxa/ZNF519 axis in elucidating the pathogenesis of gastric cancer, offering a promising avenue for targeted therapeutic interventions in the management of this challenging malignancy.
Local effect of allopregnanolone in rat ovarian steroidogenesis, follicular and corpora lutea development
Authors: Cáceres Antonella Rosario Ramona , Cardone Daniela Alejandra , Sanhueza María de los Ángeles , Bosch Ignacio Manuel , Cuello-Carrión Fernando Darío , Rodriguez Graciela Beatriz , Scotti Leopoldina , Parborell Fernanda , Halperin Julia , Laconi Myriam Raquel
Published: March 2024

Allopregnanolone (ALLO) is a known neurosteroid and a progesterone metabolite synthesized in the ovary, CNS, PNS, adrenals and placenta. Its role in the neuroendocrine control of ovarian physiology has been studied, but its in situ ovarian effects are still largely unknown. The aims of this work were to characterize the effects of intrabursal ALLO administration on different ovarian parameters, and the probable mechanism of action. ALLO administration increased serum progesterone concentration and ovarian 3β-HSD2 while decreasing 20α-HSD mRNA expression. ALLO increased the number of atretic follicles and the number of positive TUNEL granulosa and theca cells, while decreasing positive PCNA immunostaining. On the other hand, there was an increase in corpora lutea diameter and PCNA immunostaining, whereas the count of TUNEL-positive luteal cells decreased. Ovarian angiogenesis and the immunohistochemical expression of GABAA receptor increased after ALLO treatment. To evaluate if the ovarian GABAA receptor was involved in these effects, we conducted a functional experiment with a specific antagonist, bicuculline. The administration of bicuculline restored the number of atretic follicles and the diameter of corpora lutea to normal values. These results show the actions of ALLO on the ovarian physiology of the female rat during the follicular phase, some of them through the GABAA receptor. Intrabursal ALLO administration alters several processes of the ovarian morpho-physiology of the female rat, related to fertility and oocyte quality.
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) dysregulates neurodevelopmental pathways in cerebral organoids
Authors: Egilmezer Ece , Hamilton Stuart T. , Foster Charles S. P. , Marschall Manfred , Rawlinson William D.
Published: March 2024

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading non-genetic aetiology of congenital malformation in developed countries, causing significant fetal neurological injury. This study investigated potential CMV pathogenetic mechanisms of fetal neural malformation using in vitro human cerebral organoids. Cerebral organoids were permissive to CMV replication, and infection dysregulated cellular pluripotency and differentiation pathways. Aberrant expression of dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinases (DYRK), sonic hedgehog (SHH), pluripotency, neurodegeneration, axon guidance, hippo signalling and dopaminergic synapse pathways were observed in CMV-infected organoids using immunofluorescence and RNA-sequencing. Infection with CMV resulted in dysregulation of 236 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-related genes (p = 1.57E-05) and pathways. This notable observation suggests potential links between congenital CMV infection and ASD. Using DisGeNET databases, 103 diseases related to neural malformation or mental disorders were enriched in CMV-infected organoids. Cytomegalovirus infection-related dysregulation of key cerebral cellular pathways potentially provides important, modifiable pathogenetic mechanisms for congenital CMV-induced neural malformation and ASD.
Activating non-Hermitian skin modes by parity-time symmetry breaking
Authors: Lei Zhoutao , Lee Ching Hua , Li Linhu
Published: March 2024

Parity-time ($${{{{{{{\mathcal{PT}}}}}}}}$$PT) symmetry is a cornerstone of non-Hermitian physics as it ensures real energies for stable experimental realization of non-Hermitian phenomena. In this work, we propose$${{{{{{{\mathcal{PT}}}}}}}}$$PTsymmetry as a paradigm for designing rich families of higher-dimensional non-Hermitian states with unique bulk, surface, hinge or corner dynamics. Through systematically breaking or restoring$${{{{{{{\mathcal{PT}}}}}}}}$$PTsymmetry in different sectors of a system, we can selectively activate or manipulate the non-Hermitian skin effect (NHSE) in both the bulk and topological boundary states. Some fascinating phenomena include the directional toggling of the NHSE, and the flow of boundary states without chiral or dynamical pumping, developed from selective boundary NHSE. Our results extend richly into 3D or higher, with more sophisticated interplay with selective bulk and boundary NHSE and charge-parity ($${{{{{{{\mathcal{CP}}}}}}}}$$CP) symmetry. Based on non-interacting lattices,$${{{{{{{\mathcal{PT}}}}}}}}$$PT-activated NHSEs can be observed in various optical, photonic, electric and quantum platforms that admit gain/loss and non-reciprocity.
Generative deep learning for the development of a type 1 diabetes simulator
Authors: Mujahid Omer , Contreras Ivan , Beneyto Aleix , Vehi Josep
Published: March 2024

Background

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) simulators, crucial for advancing diabetes treatments, often fall short of capturing the entire complexity of the glucose-insulin system due to the imprecise approximation of the physiological models. This study introduces a simulation approach employing a conditional deep generative model. The aim is to overcome the limitations of existing T1D simulators by synthesizing virtual patients that more accurately represent the entire glucose-insulin system physiology.

Methods

Our methodology utilizes a sequence-to-sequence generative adversarial network to simulate virtual T1D patients causally. Causality is embedded in the model by introducing shifted input-output pairs during training, with a 90-min shift capturing the impact of input insulin and carbohydrates on blood glucose. To validate our approach, we train and evaluate the model using three distinct datasets, each consisting of 27, 12, and 10 T1D patients, respectively. In addition, we subject the trained model to further validation for closed-loop therapy, employing a state-of-the-art controller.

Results

The generated patients display statistical similarity to real patients when evaluated on the time-in-range results for each of the standard blood glucose ranges in T1D management along with means and variability outcomes. When tested for causality, authentic causal links are identified between the insulin, carbohydrates, and blood glucose levels of the virtual patients. The trained generative model demonstrates behaviours that are closer to reality compared to conventional T1D simulators when subjected to closed-loop insulin therapy using a state-of-the-art controller.

Conclusions

These results highlight our approach’s capability to accurately capture physiological dynamics and establish genuine causal relationships, holding promise for enhancing the development and evaluation of therapies in diabetes.
Differential effects of the stress peptides PACAP and CRF on sleep architecture in mice
Authors: Foilb Allison R. , Taylor-Yeremeeva Elisa M. , Fritsch Emma L. , Ravichandran Caitlin , Lezak Kimberly R. , Missig Galen , McCullough Kenneth M. , Carlezon William A.
Published: March 2024

Stress produces profound effects on behavior, including persistent alterations in sleep patterns. Here we examined the effects of two prototypical stress peptides, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), on sleep architecture and other translationally-relevant endpoints. Male and female mice were implanted with subcutaneous transmitters enabling continuous measurement of electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG), as well as body temperature and locomotor activity, without tethering that restricts free movement, body posture, or head orientation during sleep. At baseline, females spent more time awake (AW) and less time in slow wave sleep (SWS) than males. Mice then received intracerebral infusions of PACAP or CRF at doses producing equivalent increases in anxiety-like behavior. The effects of PACAP on sleep architecture were similar in both sexes and resembled those reported in male mice after chronic stress exposure. Compared to vehicle infusions, PACAP infusions decreased time in AW, increased time in SWS, and increased rapid eye movement sleep (REM) time and bouts on the day following treatment. In addition, PACAP effects on REM time remained detectable a week after treatment. PACAP infusions also reduced body temperature and locomotor activity. Under the same experimental conditions, CRF infusions had minimal effects on sleep architecture in either sex, causing only transient increases in SWS during the dark phase, with no effects on temperature or activity. These findings suggest that PACAP and CRF have fundamentally different effects on sleep-related metrics and provide new insights into the mechanisms by which stress disrupts sleep.
Guidelines derived from biomineralized tissues for design and construction of high-performance biomimetic materials: from weak to strong
Authors: Yu Han-Ping , Zhu Ying-Jie
Published: March 2024

This review discusses recent advances, challenges, future research directions and perspectives in biomineralized tissues, providing in-depth insights into derived guidelines for design and preparation of high-performance biomimetic materials.
Capillary action-driven surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the identification of phthalocyanine blue in modern paintings based on the BPG spot test
Authors: Hsueh Shao-Chun , Wang Ling-Hsuan , Liao Yung-Chen , Chiang Hui-Yu , Lin Cheng-Huang
Published: March 2024

A method for the extraction and accumulation of Ag nanoparticles utilizing capillary action through a piece of triangular-shaped cotton paper is reported.
Non-invasive iron deficiency diagnosis: a saliva-based approach using capillary flow microfluidics
Authors: Prakobdi Chirapha , Baldo Thaisa A. , Aryal Prakash , Link Jeremy , Saetear Phoonthawee , Henry Charles S.
Published: March 2024

Capillary flow-driven microfluidic device as a viable non-invasive diagnostic tool for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) using saliva.
Estrogenic activity of plastic nanoparticle mixtures under in vitro settings
Authors: Božičević Lucija , Altmann Korinna , Hildebrandt Jana , Knigge Xenia , Vrček Valerije , Peranić Nikolina , Kalčec Nikolina , Vinković Vrček Ivana
Published: March 2024

This study provides science-based evidence on endocrine disrupting effects of polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene nanoparticles and their mixtures indicating the importance of hazard assessment of aggregate exposure to nanoplastics.
The causal association between artificial sweeteners and the risk of cancer: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Pan Haotian , Feng Chenchen , Zhou Ziting , Huang Jiamin , Deng Jiasi , Zhou Yuanyuan , Wang Yuxuan , Mu Xinru , Wang Qian , Wang Ke , Lu Zhigang
Published: March 2024

Through the Mendelian randomization method, we found that artificial sweeteners (ASs) added to food had certain association with some types of cancers. Larger RCTs are needed to investigate small effects and support this conclusion.
Self-cleaning formulations of mixed metal oxide-silver micro-nano structures with spiky coronae as antimicrobial coatings for fabrics and surfaces
Authors: B Ramya Prabhu , Shenoy Bhamy Maithry , Verma Manish , Nayak Soumyashant , Hegde Gopalkrishna , John Neena S.
Published: March 2024

Antimicrobial coatings are essential for controlling the spread of pathogens and restricting their interface with hosts.
SETDB1 as a cancer target: challenges and perspectives in drug design
Authors: Hassanie Haifa , Penteado André Berndt , de Almeida Larissa Costa , Calil Raisa Ludmila , da Silva Emery Flávio , Costa-Lotufo Leticia Veras , Trossini Gustavo Henrique Goulart
Published: March 2024

The SETDB1 protein's structure and primary function are succinctly described in this review article. It also gives light on potential inhibitory mechanisms that, in the future, can be employed as a cancer target.
Coumarin–furo[2,3-d]pyrimidone hybrid molecules targeting human liver cancer cells: synthesis, anticancer effect, EGFR inhibition and molecular docking studies
Authors: Wang Tianshuai , Gao Yumeng , Wu Fengxu , Luo Lun , Ma Junkai , Hu Yanggen
Published: March 2024

Coupling a furopyrimidone scaffold with coumarin through a hydrazide linker can effectively improve their synergistic anticancer activity targeting HepG2.
Clonogenic assay and computational modeling using real cell images to study physical enhancement and cellular sensitization induced by metal nanoparticles under MV and kV X-ray irradiation
Authors: Hernández Millares Rodrigo , Bae Chaewon , Kim Seok-Jin , Kim Taewan , Park So-Yeon , Lee Kangwon , Ye Sung-Joon
Published: March 2024

A study on the radiophysical dose enhancement and the intrinsic biological sensitization by gold and iron nanoparticles in A549 cancer cells.
Development of polyethyleneimine cross-linked fucoidan nanoparticles as delivery systems for improved anticancer efficiency of cytarabine in breast adenocarcinoma cell lines
Authors: Geethakumari Deepa , Veettil Santhini Pulikkal , Nair Chandrika Sivakumar Krishnankutty , Sathyabhama Anoop Bhaskaran , Joseph Rojin , Padmini Shibin Sobhanam , Somasekharan Jisha V. , Thavarool Puthiyedathu Sajeevan
Published: March 2024

Schematic Representation of Synthesis and Delivery of Cytarabine loaded Fucoidan nanoparticles (CFNP).
Water-soluble macromers based on 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid sodium salt (Na-AMPS) for rapid in situ hydrogel film formation
Authors: Daengmankhong Jinjutha , Ross Sukunya , Pinthong Thanyaporn , Mahasaranon Sararat , Viyoch Jarupa , Tighe Brian J. , Derry Matthew J. , Topham Paul D. , Ross Gareth
Published: March 2024

A novel macromer for rapid hydrogel formation is synthesized, which reduces the gelation time from 1200 s to 10 s through UV-initiated crosslinking.
A quick and effective strategy for the synthesis of Ti3C2Txvia electrochemical method
Authors: De Shrabani , Acharya Sourav , Sahoo Satyanarayan , Nayak Ganesh Chandra
Published: March 2024

A quick and effective strategy for the synthesis of MXene via electrochemical method within only 2 h at room temperature and delamination with low-cost ionic liquid.
Pseudouridine and N1-methylpseudouridine as potent nucleotide analogues for RNA therapy and vaccine development
Authors: Ho Lyana L. Y. , Schiess Gabriel H. A. , Miranda Pâmella , Weber Gerald , Astakhova Kira
Published: March 2024

N1-Methylpseudouridine, and its “parent” analogue pseudouridine, are potent nucleotide analogues for RNA therapy and vaccine development.
Construction of a nontoxic nano-pesticide and its co-application with natural predators for perfect cooperative pest management: an innovative strategy for pesticide reduction
Authors: Wu Shangyuan , Jiang Qinhong , Huang Chunyang , Yang Hailin , Zhang Changhua , Yin Meizhen , Shen Jie , Yan Shuo , Li Hu
Published: March 2024

The current study develops a nano-pesticide that is nontoxic toward the predatory stinkbug but with enhanced bioactivity toward the common cutworm, which proposes to co-apply the nano-pesticide with predator as an innovative pest control technique.
Improvement of octane number in FCC gasoline through the extraction with urea/thiourea complex based on property analysis
Authors: Gao Lin , Geng Chunyu , Teng Botao , Xiang Hongwei , Wen Xiaodong , Yang Yong , Li Yongwang
Published: March 2024

By adding thiourea, the solution of urea in alcohol is improved, which facilitates the formation of a urea complex and benefits the increase in the octane number of FCC gasoline.
Engineering the interaction of short antimicrobial peptides with bacterial barriers
Authors: Montis Costanza , Marelli Elisa , Valle Francesco , Baldelli Bombelli Francesca , Pigliacelli Claudia
Published: March 2024

Designing short antimicrobial peptides and tuning their interaction with bacterial barriers.
Adaptive nanotube networks enabling omnidirectionally deformable electro-driven liquid crystal elastomers towards artificial muscles
Authors: Wang Jiao , Zhou Hao , Fan Yangyang , Hou Wenhao , Zhao Tonghui , Hu Zhiming , Shi Enzheng , Lv Jiu-an
Published: March 2024

Hierarchically structured electro-driven liquid crystal elastomers towards artificial muscles.
Designing a ferrocene biphenyl pyridine modified electrode for the non-enzymatic electrochemical detection of catechol
Authors: Purushothaman Palani , Mohanapriya Devarasu , Thenmozhi Kathavarayan , Karpagam Subramanian
Published: March 2024

The environmental monitoring of catechol through amperometric technique utilizing an Fc-BPy/GCE modified electrode without any membrane or additional conducting material.
Can local heating and molecular crowders disintegrate amyloid aggregates?
Authors: Kumar Naresh , Khatua Prabir , Sinha Sudipta Kumar
Published: March 2024

The present study employs a blend of molecular dynamics simulations and a theoretical model to explore the potential disintegration mechanism of a matured Aβ octamer, aiming to offer a strategy to combat Alzheimer's disease.
Highly efficient platinum(ii) complexes overcoming Pt–Pt interactions and their applications in organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Wan Keke , Lu Chen , Cong Nannan , Lv Kuo , Dai Zenghui , Li Feng
Published: March 2024

By introducing the methyl substituent acetylacetone and benzyl substituents, Pt(ii) complexes restrain Pt–Pt interactions in pure films and maintain nearly identical PL spectra with dilute solution. The maximum EQE of non-doped OLED reaches 19.6%.
The molecular mechanisms underpinning maternal mRNA dormancy
Authors: Lorenzo-Orts Laura , Pauli Andrea
Published: March 2024

A large number of mRNAs of maternal origin are produced during oogenesis and deposited in the oocyte. Since transcription stops at the onset of meiosis during oogenesis and does not resume until later in embryogenesis, maternal mRNAs are the only templates for protein synthesis during this period. To ensure that a protein is made in the right place at the right time, the translation of maternal mRNAs must be activated at a specific stage of development. Here we summarize our current understanding of the sophisticated mechanisms that contribute to the temporal repression of maternal mRNAs, termed maternal mRNA dormancy. We discuss mechanisms at the level of the RNA itself, such as the regulation of polyadenine tail length and RNA modifications, as well as at the level of RNA-binding proteins, which often block the assembly of translation initiation complexes at the 5′ end of an mRNA or recruit mRNAs to specific subcellular compartments. We also review microRNAs and other mechanisms that contribute to repressing translation, such as ribosome dormancy. Importantly, the mechanisms responsible for mRNA dormancy during the oocyte-to-embryo transition are also relevant to cellular quiescence in other biological contexts.
Implicit policy constraint for offline reinforcement learning
Authors: Peng Zhiyong , Liu Yadong , Han Changlin , Zhou Zongtan
Published: March 2024

Offline reinforcement learning (RL) aims to learn policies entirely from passively collected datasets, making it a data‐driven decision method. One of the main challenges in offline RL is the distribution shift problem, which causes the algorithm to visit out‐of‐distribution (OOD) samples. The distribution shift can be mitigated by constraining the divergence between the target policy and the behaviour policy. However, this method can overly constrain the target policy and impair the algorithm's performance, as it does not directly distinguish between in‐distribution and OOD samples. In addition, it is difficult to learn and represent multi‐modal behaviour policy when the datasets are collected by several different behaviour policies. To overcome these drawbacks, the authors address the distribution shift problem by implicit policy constraints with energy‐based models (EBMs) rather than explicitly modelling the behaviour policy. The EBM is powerful for representing complex multi‐modal distributions as well as the ability to distinguish in‐distribution samples and OODs. Experimental results show that their method significantly outperforms the explicit policy constraint method and other baselines. In addition, the learnt energy model can be used to indicate OOD visits and alert the possible failure.
Dynamic reconfigurable intelligent surface deployment for physical layer security enhancement in mmWave systems
Authors: Tu Qingqing , Dong Zheng , Zou Xianbing , Wei Ning , Li Ya , Xu Fei
Published: March 2024

In next‐generation wireless communications, reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) has emerged as a cost‐effective technique for enhancing physical layer security (PLS) in millimeter‐wave (mmWave) communications, especially under challenging scenarios with adversarial entities and obstructions. However, the primary studies for RIS incorporation in mmWave communication systems utilized static deployments, lacking adaptability and efficiency in complex environments. To address this problem, a dynamic RIS deployment design framework is introduced for PLS enhancement in mmWave systems against jamming and eavesdropping attacks. For the design, it is aimed to maximize the secrecy rate by jointly optimizing the RIS selection with the beamforming design. The resulting optimization problem is challenging to solve due to the coupling of the RIS control factor, joint beamforming design, and non‐convex constraints. To tackle these issues, an efficient multi‐RIS‐aided PLS enhancement algorithm is proposed. It transforms the objective into a series of subproblems and employs the fractional programming technique and prox‐linear block coordinate descent updating method to solve them alternatively and obtain the optimal solution. The simulations demonstrate the advantage of the dynamic deployment, which exhibits enhanced security performance with reduced complexity compared with benchmarks. Further examinations also provide insight into optimal RIS activation configurations, achieving optimal balance for securing mmWave communications against emerging threats while maintaining system efficiency.
Reactionless control of free‐floating space manipulators with parameter uncertainty and input disturbance
Authors: Gong Kai , Jia Yingmin , Jia Yuxin
Published: March 2024

This paper studies the control problem of free‐floating space manipulators, and a control scheme is proposed to solve reactionless control of the end‐effector pose tracking with parameter uncertainty and input disturbance. First, based on dual modeling to treat the end‐effector as a virtual base spacecraft, the dynamics with uncertainties are established which map the joints' torque to the end‐effector pose and base spacecraft attitude, while the inverse kinematics and the derivative of the generalized Jacobi matrix can be avoided in controller design. Then, the reference acceleration stabilization schemes satisfying prescribed performance constraints are carefully designed for tracking errors, and based on these schemes the steady‐state and transient performance of the tracking control can be guaranteed. Further, the radial basis function neural network is adopted to estimate modeling errors caused by parameter uncertainty and input disturbance. In addition, a concurrent learning method is introduced in the network weights matrix update law, which allows the estimation errors to converge a neighborhood of zeros without the need for satisfying the persistent excitation condition. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Influence of stator and rotor core material definition method on no‐load electromagnetic field calculation results for tubular hydrogenerator
Authors: Man Jia‐xin , Zhou Zhi‐ting , Fan Zhen‐nan
Published: March 2024

In this letter, the effects of various material definition approaches for stator and rotor cores on the no‐load electromagnetic field calculations of a 34 MW tubular hydrogenerator are investigated, utilizing the transient motion electromagnetic field time‐step finite element (FE) method. The findings indicate that employing a linear simplified definition for the stator core material maintains high accuracy and rationality in the calculation results of the no‐load electromagnetic field and voltage waveform while offering substantially greater computational efficiency than the non‐linear definition method. Conversely, using a linear simplified definition for the magnetic pole core material of the rotor significantly increases the error margin in the results, rendering them unacceptable.
Driving an asynchronous motor powered by PV‐MPPT using equivalent RST controller of fractional order PI and IP, based on generalized predictive control
Authors: Nemouchi Besma , Rezgui Salah Eddine , Babqi Abdulrahman , Harrison Ambe , Benalla Hocine , Ali Enas , Ghoneim Sherif S. M.
Published: March 2024

The article introduces a new model of a Reference Signal Tracking (RST) controller for the fractional order quantities. The controller is applied to an indirect field‐oriented control (IFOC) system used for the speed control of an asynchronous motor powered by a photovoltaic (PV) generator with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm. This model utilizes two fractional order controllers: the fractional order proportional‐integral (FOPI) regulator and the fractional‐order integral‐proportional (FOIP) regulator. These controllers are used with the generalized predictive control (GPC) technique. The first step in the approach is to derive the equivalent digital RST controller's model from the FOPI and FOIP controller's transfer functions. The GPC technique converts the continuous‐time FOPI (and FOIP) controller into a discrete‐time version. This conversion ensures a fast response and effective disturbance rejection. Simulation tests are conducted to analyze the rotor speed and stator current ripples to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the introduced scheme in achieving improved control performance in terms of response speed and disturbance rejection. The article presents a modified RST controller model based on the fractional order approach applied to an IFOC system for motor speed control driven by a photovoltaic generator. Using FOPI, FOIP controllers, and GPC contributes to enhanced control performance, as evidenced by the simulation results.
Optimizing nanostructure deposition process for optical applications
Authors: Neilson Joshua , Granata Veronica , Durante Ofelia , Ausbeck Christopher , Bennett Timothy F. , Bobba Fabrizio , Cannavacciuolo Marco , Carapella Giovanni , Chiadini Francesco , DeSalvo Riccardo , De Simone Roberta , Giorgio Cinzia Di , Fittipaldi Rosalba , Fiumara Vincenzo , Larsen Brecken , LeBohec Tugdual , Linker Seth , Micco Alberto , Mondin Marina , Nayak Bhavna , Vecchione Antonio , Pinto Innocenzo M. , Pierro Vincenzo
Published: March 2024

In many physics and engineering applications requiring exceptional precision, the presence of highly reflective coatings with low thermal noise is of utmost significance. These applications include high‐resolution spectroscopy, optical atomic clocks, and investigations into fundamental physics such as gravitational wave detection. Enhancing sensitivity in these experiments relies on effectively reducing the thermal noise originating from the coatings. While ion beam sputtering (IBS) is typically employed for fabricating such coatings, electron beam evaporation can also be utilized and offers certain advantages over IBS, such as versatility and speed. However, a significant challenge in the fabrication process has been the limitations of the quartz crystal monitor used to measure the thickness of the deposited layers. This paper showcases how, through hardware and software upgrades, it becomes achievable to create high‐density coatings with layers as thin as a few angstroms by using electron beam evaporation (OAC75F coater) with a deposition rate of 1 Å/s and ion‐assisted source with a gas mixture of oxygen and argon, using a pressure of about 4 × 10−4 mbar. Furthermore, these upgrades enable the attainment of high levels of precision and uniformity in the thickness of the coatings.
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy procedure volume trends, perioperative mortality, and malpractice claims: Population-based analysis
Authors: Nurminen Nelli , Järvinen Tommi , Robinson Eric , Zhou Nanruoyi , Salo Silja , Räsänen Jari , Kytö Ville , Ilonen Ilkka
Published: March 2024

Background and study aims Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (EGD) is one of the most common diagnostic procedures done to examine the foregut, but it can also be used for therapeutic interventions. The main objectives of this study were to investigate trends in EGD utilization and mortality related to it in a national low-threshold healthcare system, assess perioperative safety, and identify and describe patient-reported malpractice claims from the national database.

Patients and methods We retrospectively identified patients from the Finnish Patient Care Registry who underwent diagnostic or procedural EGD between 2010 and 2018. In addition, patient-reported claims for malpractice were analyzed from the National Patient Insurance Center (PIC) database. Patient survival data were gathered collectively from the National Death Registry from Statistics Finland.

Results During the study period, 409,153 EGDs were performed in Finland for 298,082 patients, with an annual rate of 9.30 procedures per 1,000 inhabitants, with an annual increase of 2.6%. Thirty-day all-cause mortality was 1.70% and 90-day mortality was 3.84%. For every 1,000 patients treated, 0.23 malpractice claims were filed.

Conclusions The annual rate of EGD increased by 2.6% during the study, while the rate of interventional procedures remained constant. Also, while the 30-day mortality rate declined over the study period, it is an unsuitable quality metric for EGDs in comprehensive centers because a patient’s underlying disease plays a larger role than the procedure in perioperative mortality. Finally, there were few malpractice claims, with self-evident causes prevailing.
Endovascular Repair of Zone 0 Ascending Aortic Pseudoaneurysm: A Case Report
Authors: Halbert Sarah , Nagy Christian , Antevil Jared , Sarin Shawn , Trachiotis Gregory
Published: March 2024

Although open surgery is standard of care for ascending aortic pathology, endovascular approaches can be viable options. We report the case of a 77-year-old man with a 5.7-cm ascending aorta penetrating ulcer. Given his age and clinical profile, the patient underwent Zone 0 thoracic endovascular aortic repair.
SFM Fetal Therapy Practice Guidelines: Fetal Tissue Biopsy
Authors: Sharma Aparna K. , Rana Anubhuti
Published: March 2024

Prenatal diagnostic invasive procedures are used to determine if a fetus is at risk of a genetic disease. Analysis based on cells obtained from amniocentesis or chorionic villous sampling is the more commonly performed prenatal diagnostic invasive procedure. For certain indications, however, fetal skin biopsy, muscle biopsy, kidney biopsy, and fetal tissue biopsy of a tumor or mediastinal mass have also been performed. These procedures are rarely indicated in the current scenario when molecular tests are available for most of the genetic conditions. However, there are some genetic conditions for which no specific molecular test is available and prenatal diagnosis can only be done by biopsy of the fetal part during ultrasound guidance.
Neurological Care of Refugees and Other Forcibly Displaced Persons
Authors: Saadi Altaf , Prabhu Meha , Snyder Sara A. , Daboul Lynn , Mateen Farrah J.
Published: March 2024

There are more than 100 million forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) in the world today, including a high number of people who experience neurologic symptoms and presentations. This review summarizes the conceptual frameworks for understanding neurological health risks and conditions across the migration journey (premigration, migration journey, and postmigration) and life span, including special attention to pediatric FDPs. The interaction with psychiatric illness is discussed, as well as the available published data on neurologic presentations in FDPs in the medical literature. A social determinant of health lens is used to provide ways in which forcible displacement can influence brain health and neurological outcomes. Priorities and future needs for the neurological care of refugees and other FDPs are suggested.
Prophylactic Treatment of Children with Hemophilia in Sweden
Authors: Ljung Rolf
Published: March 2024

Hemophilia A/B are caused by deficiency or lack of coagulation factors VIII (FVIII) or factor IX (FIX), respectively, in plasma. A person with hemophilia develops bleeding in the joints and muscles at an early age, which, if left untreated, leads to early arthropathy. Preventive treatment can be achieved by regular (prophylactic) administration of FVIII/FIX. In 1958, this was implemented on a small scale in Sweden with FVIII in patients with severe hemophilia A, and in those with hemophilia B in 1972 when FIX became available. However, there were problems with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis infection from contaminated blood products. In the 1990s, recombinant FVIII and FIX concentrates were introduced. The major remaining problems then were the development of inhibitors, and the need for a venous route for the injections in very young children. High-titer inhibitors were treated by immune tolerance induction according to a modified model of the original Bonn high-dose protocol. A central venous line, i.e., Port-A-Cath, has enabled early prophylaxis in many children with poor venous access and has enabled the early start of home treatment with adequate injection frequency. Scoring systems for X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging, and function of joints were developed early in Sweden and have been widely disseminated worldwide, partly with modifications. Extended half-life products with half-life increased three to five times have been developed, which can provide superior bleed protection when dosed once-weekly and can maintain therapeutic trough levels when administered less frequently. The ultimate prophylaxis therapy in the future may be gene therapy.
Poison or catalyst? How do energy saving targets matter for firm-level productivity in China
Authors: Zhang Pan , Zhang Acheng , Chen Zitao
Published: March 2024

China’s Top-10000 Enterprises Energy Conservation and Low Carbon Program, enacted in 2011, sets binding energy saving targets for enterprises. However, whether energy saving target setting is a poison or a catalyst remains controversial, and no research has been conducted on how the targets affect enterprises’ total factor productivity. We construct 2012–2013 panel data models by mapping the enterprises subject to the energy saving targets onto the China Industrial Enterprise Database to systematically quantify the effects of the targets on enterprises’ total factor productivity. The study reveals an inverted-U-shaped curve between energy saving targets and manufacturers’ total factor productivity. We also find that the targets boost an enterprise’s total factor productivity by expanding the enterprise’s market share and their impacts vary according to region, type of enterprise, and industry. The study shows that setting appropriate energy saving targets can improve the environment and boost enterprise productivity.
Entrepreneurship and mental well-being in China: the moderating roles of work autonomy and subjective socioeconomic status
Authors: Liu Jiankun , Zhang Yueyun
Published: March 2024

Entrepreneurs’ mental well-being has been a nascent research topic in the entrepreneurship domain, but it remains unclear whether and how entrepreneurship affects mental well-being in the context of emerging economies. Drawing on the self-determination theory (SDT), we developed a model in which entrepreneurship, compared to wage–employment, was identified as a career choice more conducive to work-related and socioeconomic status (SES)-related psychological functioning (i.e., work autonomy and subjective SES), which, in turn, produces mental well-being benefits. We tested this model in the Chinese context by providing evidence based on data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) between 2010 and 2021 (N = 28,419). We found that entrepreneurs had higher levels of positive mental well-being and lower levels of negative mental well-being than paid employees. Mediation analysis showed that subjective SES mediated the relationship between entrepreneurship and mental well-being and explained this relationship better than work autonomy. These findings indicated that the mental well-being benefits of entrepreneurship existed in emerging economies like China and highlighted the crucial role of SES-related psychological functioning in facilitating entrepreneurs’ mental well-being.
Interpreting pore-scale fluctuations: Predicting transport coefficients in multiphase flow through porous media using the Green–Kubo formulation—An experimental investigation
Authors: Alfazazi Umar , Bedeaux Dick , Kjelstrup Signe , Moura Marcel , Ebadi Mohammad , Mostaghimi Peyman , McClure James E. , Armstrong Ryan T.
Published: March 2024

Flow fluctuations that are commonly associated with multiphase flow in porous media are studied using concepts from non-equilibrium thermodynamic and statistical mechanics. We investigate how the Green–Kubo formulation of the fluctuation dissipation theorem can be used to predict the transport coefficient from the two-phase extension of Darcy's law. Flow rate-time series data are recorded at the millisecond timescale using a novel experimental setup that allows for the determination of flow fluctuation statistics. By using Green–Kubo relations, a transport coefficient is predicted based on the integrated autocorrelation function. Notably, this coefficient aligned closely with the total effective phase mobility computed using Darcy's equation for multiphase flow, particularly in scenarios where a linear relationship between flow rate and pressure gradient was observed. Our results open a new field of coefficient explorations where microscale fluctuations during multiphase flow are directly linked to macroscale parameters.
Effects of UV/O3 and O2 plasma surface treatments on the band-bending of ultrathin ALD-Al2O3 coated Ga-polar GaN
Authors: Gong Jiarui , Su Xin , Qiu Shuoyang , Zhou Jie , Liu Yang , Li Yiran , Kim Donghyeok , Tsai Tsung-Han , Ng Tien Khee , Ooi Boon S. , Ma Zhenqiang
Published: March 2024

The recently demonstrated semiconductor grafting approach allows one to create an abrupt, low interface-trap-density heterojunction between a high-quality p-type single-crystalline semiconductor (non-nitrides) with n-type GaN. However, due to the surface band-bending from GaN polarization, an energy barrier exists at the grafted heterojunction, which can impact the vertical charge carrier transport. Reducing the energy barrier height is essential for some advanced device development. In this work, we employed UV/O3 and O2 plasma to treat a Ga-polar GaN surface with/without an ultrathin (∼2 nm) ALD-Al2O3 coating and studied the effects of the treatments on surface band-bending. Through XPS measurements, it was found that the treatments can suppress the upward band-bending of the Ga-polar GaN by 0.11–0.39 eV. The XPS results also showed that UV/O3 treatment is an effective surface cleaning method with little surface modification, while O2 plasma causes a strong oxidation process that occurs inside the top layer GaN.
Microscopic theory of exciton–polariton model involving multiple molecules: Macroscopic quantum electrodynamics formulation and essence of direct intermolecular interactions
Authors: Chuang Yi-Ting , Hsu Liang-Yan
Published: March 2024

Cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED) and its extensions are widely used for the description of exciton–polariton systems. However, the exciton–polariton models based on CQED vary greatly within different contexts. One of the most significant discrepancies among these CQED models is whether one should include direct intermolecular interactions in the CQED Hamiltonian. To answer this question, in this article, we derive an effective dissipative CQED model including free-space dipole–dipole interactions (CQED-DDI) from a microscopic Hamiltonian based on macroscopic quantum electrodynamics. Dissipative CQED-DDI successfully captures the nature of vacuum fluctuations in dielectric media and separates them into free-space effects and dielectric-induced effects. The former include spontaneous emissions, dephasings, and dipole–dipole interactions in free space; the latter include exciton–polariton interactions and photonic losses due to dielectric media. We apply dissipative CQED-DDI to investigate the exciton–polariton dynamics (the population dynamics of molecules above a plasmonic surface) and compare the results with those based on the methods proposed by several previous studies. We find that direct intermolecular interactions are a crucial element when employing CQED-like models to study exciton–polariton systems involving multiple molecules.