bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pseudocapacitive Storage in Molybdenum Oxynitride Nanostructures Reactively Sputtered on Stainless‐Steel Mesh Towards an All‐Solid‐State Flexible Supercapacitor
Authors: Ranjan Bhanu , Kaur Davinder
Published: December 2023

Exploiting pseudocapacitance in rationally engineered nanomaterials offers greater energy storage capacities at faster rates. The present research reports a high‐performance Molybdenum Oxynitride (MoON) nanostructured material deposited directly over stainless‐steel mesh (SSM) via reactive magnetron sputtering technique for flexible symmetric supercapacitor (FSSC) application. The MoON/SSM flexible electrode manifests remarkable Na+‐ion pseudocapacitive kinetics, delivering exceptional ≈881.83 F g−1 capacitance, thanks to the synergistically coupled interfaces and junctions between nanostructures of Mo2N, MoO2, and MoO3 co‐existing phases, resulting in enhanced specific surface area, increased electroactive sites, improved ionic and electronic conductivity. Employing 3D Bode plots, b‐value, and Dunn's analysis, a comprehensive insight into the charge‐storage mechanism has been presented, revealing the superiority of surface‐controlled capacitive and pseudocapacitive kinetics. Utilizing PVA‐Na2SO4 gel electrolyte, the assembled all‐solid‐state FSSC (MoON/SSM||MoON/SSM) exhibits impressive cell capacitance of 30.7 mF cm−2 (438.59 F g−1) at 0.125 mA cm−2. Moreover, the FSSC device outputs a superior energy density of 4.26 µWh cm−2 (60.92 Wh kg−1) and high power density of 2.5 mW cm−2 (35.71 kW kg−1). The device manifests remarkable flexibility and excellent electrochemical cyclability of ≈91.94% over 10,000 continuous charge–discharge cycles. These intriguing pseudocapacitive performances combined with lightweight, cost‐effective, industry‐feasible, and environmentally sustainable attributes make the present MoON‐based FSSC a potential candidate for energy‐storage applications in flexible electronics.
Regulating Hetero‐Nucleation Enabling Over 14% Efficient Kesterite Solar Cells
Authors: Wei Hao , Cui Changcheng , Li Yimeng , Wu Zucheng , Wei Yijin , Han Yaliang , Han Lin , Lu Boyang , Wang Xiao , Pang Shuping , Shao Zhipeng , Cui Guanglei
Published: December 2023

Developing well‐crystallized light‐absorbing layers remains a formidable challenge in the progression of kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells. A critical aspect of optimizing CZTSSe lies in accurately governing the high‐temperature selenization reaction. This process is intricate and demanding, with underlying mechanisms requiring further comprehension. This study introduces a precursor microstructure‐guided hetero‐nucleation regulation strategy for high‐quality CZTSSe absorbers and well‐performing solar cells. The alcoholysis of 2‐methoxyethanol (MOE) and the generation of high gas‐producing micelles by adding hydrogen chloride (HCl) as a proton additive into the precursor solution are successfully suppressed. This tailored modification of solution components reduces the emission of volatiles during baking, yielding a compact and dense precursor microstructure. The reduced‐roughness surface nurtures the formation of larger CZTSSe nuclei, accelerating the ensuing Ostwald ripening process. Ultimately, CZTSSe absorbers with enhanced crystallinity and diminished defects are fabricated, attaining an impressive 14.01% active‐area power conversion efficiency. The findings elucidate the influence of precursor microstructure on the selenization reaction process, paving a route for fabricating high‐quality kesterite CZTSSe films and high‐efficiency solar cells.
High‐Energy‐Density Solid‐State Metal–Air Batteries: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives
Authors: Wang Tong , Yang Tingzhou , Luo Dan , Fowler Michael , Yu Aiping , Chen Zhongwei
Published: December 2023

Next‐generation batteries have long been considered a transition to more sustainable storage technologies. Among them, metal–air batteries (MABs) with low cost, high safety, and environmental friendliness have shown great potential for future large‐scale applications. Motivated by the desirable characteristics, significant progress is made in suppressing serious parasitic reactions, improving electrochemical performance, and increasing the energy density in MABs. Compared to the widely reported liquid electrolyte strategy, solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) can thoroughly solve the volatilization challenges of liquid electrolytes and protect the oxygen electrodes without the formation of diffusion‐blocking oxide phases. Notably, SSEs for MABs are still in their infancy, and many thorny challenges still need to be solved. In this review, the main electrochemical mechanism, key challenges, and some important progress are sorted out for solid‐state MABs, such as lithium–air, zinc–air, aluminum–air, and magnesium–air batteries. Besides their fundamental significance, these configurations are further compared in terms of energy density, cost, carbon footprint, energy consumption, rate performance, cycle performance, safety, and air stability of prevailing electrolytes.
Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Framework Derived 2D N, O Co‐Doped Carbon Nanobelt with Tunable Pseudocapacitive Contribution for Efficient Capacitive Deionization
Authors: Meng Fanyue , Liu Yong , Ding Zibiao , Xu Liming , Wang Hao , Xu Xingtao , Liu Xinjuan , Lu Ting , Pan Likun
Published: December 2023

Defect engineering is recognized as an attractive method for modulating the electronic structure and physicochemical characteristics of carbon materials. Exploiting heteroatom‐doped porous carbon with copious active sites has attracted great attention for capacitive deionization (CDI). However, traditional methods often rely on the utilization of additional heteroatom sources and strong corrosive activators, suffering from low doping efficiency, insufficient doping level, and potential biotoxicity. Herein, hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are employed as precursors to synthesize N, O co‐doped porous carbon via a simple and green reverse defect engineering strategy, achieving controllable heavy doping of heteroatoms. The N, O co‐doping triggers significant pseudocapacitive contribution and the surface pore structure supports the formation of the electric double layer. Therefore, when HOF‐derived N, O co‐doped carbon is used as CDI electrodes, a superior salt adsorption capacity of 32.29 ± 1.42 mg g−1 and an outstanding maximum salt adsorption rate of 10.58 ± 0.46 mg g−1 min−1 at 1.6 V in 500 mg L−1 NaCl solution are achieved, which are comparable to those of state‐of‐the‐art carbonaceous electrodes. This work exemplifies the effectiveness of the reverse nitrogen‐heavy doping strategy on improving the carbon structure, shedding light on the further development of rational designed electrode materials for CDI.
Activating Inert Crystal Face via Facet‐Dependent Quench‐Engineering for Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation
Authors: Ye Changchun , Liu Bo , Li Qian , Yu Minxing , Liu Yajie , Tai Zhixing , Pan Zhenghui , Qiu Yongcai
Published: December 2023

Developing a facile strategy to activate the inert crystal face of an electrocatalyst is critical to full‐facet utilization, yet still challenging. Herein, the electrocatalytic activity of the inert crystal face is activated by quenching Co3O4 cubes and hexagonal plates with different crystal faces in Fe(NO3)3 solution, and the regulation mechanism of facet‐dependent quench‐engineering is further revealed. Compared to the Co3O4 cube with exposed {100} facet, the Co3O4 hexagonal plate with exposed {111} facet is more responsive to quenching, accompanied by a rougher surface, richer defect, and more Fe doping. Theoretical calculations indicate that the {111} facet has a more open structure with lower defect formation energy and Fe doping energy, ensuring its electronic and coordination structure is easier to optimize. Therefore, quench‐engineering largely increases the catalytic activity of {111) facet for oxygen evolution reaction by 13.2% (the overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 decreases from 380 to 330 mV), while {100} facet only increases by 7.6% (from 393 to 363 mV). The quenched Co3O4 hexagonal plate exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability in both zinc–air battery and water‐splitting. The work reveals the influence mechanism of crystal face on quench‐engineering and inspires the activation of the inert crystal face.
N‐Doping Effects On Electrocatalytic Water Splitting of Non‐Noble High‐Entropy Alloy Nanoparticles Prepared by Inert Gas Condensation
Authors: Zhou Xuechun , Zou Lvyu , Zhu He , Yan Mengyang , Wang Junjie , Lan Si , Chen Shuangqin , Hahn Horst , Feng Tao
Published: December 2023

The unique catalytic activities of high‐entropy alloys (HEAs) emerge from the complex interaction among different elements in a single‐phase solid solution. As a “green” nanofabrication technique, inert gas condensation (IGC) combined with laser source opens up a highly efficient avenue to develop HEA nanoparticles (NPs) for catalysis and energy storage. In this work, the novel N‐doped non‐noble HEA NPs are designed and successfully prepared by IGC. The N‐doping effects of HEA NPs on oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are systematically investigated. The results show that N‐doping is conducive to improving the OER, but unfavorable for HER activity. The FeCoNiCrN NPs achieve an overpotential of 269.7 mV for OER at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH solution, which is among the best reported values for non‐noble HEA catalysts. The effects of the differences in electronegativity, ionization energy and electron affinity energy among mixed elements in N‐doped HEAs are discussed as inducing electron transfer efficiency. Combined with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the extended X‐ray absorption fine structure analysis, an element‐design strategy in N‐doped HEAs electrocatalysts is proposed to improve the intrinsic activity and ameliorate water splitting performance.
Self‐Expansion Based Multi‐Patterning for 2D Materials Fabrication beyond the Lithographical Limit
Authors: Borhade Poonam Subhash , Chen Tawat , Chen Ding‐Rui , Chen Yu‐Xiang , Yao Yu‐Chi , Yen Zhi‐Long , Tsai Chun Hsiung , Hsieh Ya‐Ping , Hofmann Mario
Published: December 2023

Two‐dimensional (2D) materials are promising successors for silicon transistor channels in ultimately scaled devices, necessitating significant research efforts to study their behavior at nanoscopic length scales. Unfortunately, current research has limited itself to direct patterning approaches, which limit the achievable resolution to the diffraction limit and introduce unwanted defects into the 2D material. The potential of multi‐patterning to fabricate 2D materials features with unprecedented precision and low complexity at large scale is demonstrated here. By combining lithographic patterning of a mandrel and bottom‐up self‐expansion, this approach enables pattern resolution one order of magnitude below the lithographical resolution. In‐depth characterization of the self‐expansion double patterning (SEDP) process reveals the ability to manipulate the critical dimension with nanometer precision through a self‐limiting and temperature‐controlled oxidation process. These results indicate that the SEDP process can regain the quality and morphology of the 2D material, as shown by high‐resolution microscopy and optical spectroscopy. This approach is shown to open up new avenues for research into high‐performance, ultra‐scaled 2D materials devices for future electronics.
Readiness and maturity models for Industry 4.0: A systematic literature review
Authors: Ünlü Hüseyin , Demirörs Onur , Garousi Vahid
Published: December 2023

Industry 4.0 changes traditional manufacturing relationships from isolated optimized cells to fully integrated data and product flows across borders with its technological pillars. However, the transition to Industry 4.0 is not a straightforward journey in which organizations need assistance. A well‐known approach that can be utilized during the early phases of the transition is to assess the capability of the organization. Maturity models are frequently used to improve capability. In this systematic literature review (SLR), we analyzed 22 maturity and readiness models based on 10 criteria: year, type, focus, structure, research methodology followed during the design of models, base frameworks, tool support, community support, objectivity, and extent of usage in practice. Our SLR provides a well‐defined comparison for organizations to choose and apply available models. This SLR showed that (1) there is no widely accepted maturity/readiness model for Industry 4.0, as well as no international standard; (2) only a few models have received positive feedback from the industry, whereas most do not provide any practical usage information; and (3) the objectivity of the assessment method is controversial in most of the models. We have also identified a number of issues as open research areas for assessing readiness and maturity models for Industry 4.0.
Structural Effect of Rhenium‐ and Iridium‐Complex Liposome Composition on Their Selectivity for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Kassab Giulia , Manav Neha , Pires Layla , Cheng Miffy H. Y. , Mo Yulin , Buzzá Hilde H. , Gupta Iti , Chen Juan , Zheng Gang
Published: December 2023

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is an alternative to antibiotics that has potential for the treatment of chronic skin wounds, but requires improved, highly selective photosensitizer systems. Rhenium (Re)‐complex‐ and iridium (Ir)‐complex‐based phospholipid conjugates, as PDT‐functional building blocks for liposomes, are presented, and varying structural components and proportion of compounds are explored, including adjusting the cholesterol and polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐lipid contents, incorporating ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)‐lipid, and introducing the cationic lipid 1,2‐dioleoyl‐3‐trimethylammonium propane (DOTAP) to enhance their efficacy and selectivity in aPDT. Ir/Re‐liposomes have nanostructurally enhanced photoactivity compared to monomeric Ir/Re‐lipids. Ir‐liposomes exhibit stronger light absorption and higher emission generation (>threefold) than Re‐liposomes, resulting in superior efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus while maintaining better tolerability toward host cells. Formulations with higher cholesterol (40 mol%) and PEG‐lipid (5%) content demonstrate increased potency against S. aureus. The incorporation of EDTA‐lipid significantly enhances aPDT efficacy but also increases toxicity toward host cells. Incorporation of DOTAP alters the nanoparticles’ surface charge, potentially improving their interaction with bacterial walls, but negatively impacts their stability, leading to aggregation of the nanoparticles. Ir‐HC demonstrates ideal characteristics (effectiveness, selectivity, and stability) for aPDT under the tested conditions, indicating the importance of the structural design of Re‐ and Ir‐complex liposomes for their selectivity in aPDT.
Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells on Ultra‐Thin Stainless‐Steel with a Power‐to‐Weight Ratio over 3000 W kg−1
Authors: Zhou Chenguang , Xu Yibo , Li Yue , Du Kaihuai , Li Xinzhu , Dong Xu , Li Lvzhou , Yuan Ningyi , Ding Jianning
Published: December 2023

Ultra‐thin stainless‐steel substrates with excellent water‐oxygen barrier properties and high thermal and electrical conductivities are suitable for the fabrication of lightweight and flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs). However, the deposition of dense perovskite films on stainless steel by the solution method is crucial because short circuits caused by perovskite holes are fatal to parallel structures. Herein, a single crystal (SC) is incorporated into the precursor solution to reduce the formation of holes in perovskite films on smooth stainless‐steel substrates. Additionally, a magnetic method is developed based on the properties of stainless steel to fix and fabricate FPSCs nondestructively on ultra‐thin stainless‐steel films with a thickness as low as 5 μm. Furthermore, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐mercaptopyrimidine (DMI) was introduced to passivate the surface of the perovskite film, optimizing the contact properties of the perovskite heterojunction and adjusting the energy level of the perovskite/C60 interface. Finally, ultra‐thin FPSCs achieved a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.24% on an active area of 1.012 cm2 and a power‐to‐weight ratio over 3000 W kg−1. Moreover, under continuous illumination, the stainless‐steel substrates exhibited better photothermal stability than the polymer substrates. This method provides a basis for the fabrication of lightweight, low‐cost, and large‐area FPSCs.
Daphnia magna digestive activity is differentially altered when exposed to equally turbid waters caused by either suspended sediment or suspended microplastics
Authors: Zink Lauren , Meslo Mikaila , Wiseman Steve , Pyle Gregory G.
Published: December 2023

Turbidity can be a result of suspended natural particles, such as sediment, or anthropogenic particles such as microplastics. This study assessed whether Daphnia magna, a pelagic filter feeder known to ingest suspended particles, have an altered response to equally turbid environments caused by the presence of either suspended bentonite or suspended polyethylene microplastics. Compared to controls, daphnids exposed to suspended bentonite maintained their feeding efficiency and increased their digestive activity, as measured by mandibular movement, peristalsis, and expulsion, to pass bentonite through the digestive tract. The same effects were not seen in microplastic‐exposed individuals, in which feeding efficiency was decreased and only peristaltic movement was increased but without a coordinated increase in expulsion, suggesting that microplastics do not have the same ability as bentonite to pass through the digestive tract. This study highlights the need to discern the identities of particulates contributing to turbid environments as different particles, even of the same size, can have different effects on filter feeders, which inherently ingest suspended particles.
Noether-Wald charge in supergravity: the fermionic contribution
Authors: Bandos Igor , Ortín Tomás
Published: December 2023

Abstract

We study the invariance of $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 1, d = 4 supergravity solutions under diffeormophisms and show that, in order to obtain consistent conditions (“Killing equations”) invariant under local supersymmetry transformations, one has to perform supersymmetry transformations generated by the superpartner of the vector that generates standard diffeomorphisms, just as a superspace analysis indicates. Using these transformations, we construct a Noether-Wald charge of $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 1, d = 4 supergravity with fermionic contributions which is diff- Lorentz- and supersymmetry-invariant (up to a total derivative).
Exotic spheres’ metrics and solutions via Kaluza-Klein techniques
Authors: Schettini Gherardini T.
Published: December 2023

Abstract

By applying an inverse Kaluza-Klein procedure, we provide explicit coordinate expressions for Riemannian metrics on two homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic spheres in seven dimensions. We identify Milnor’s bundles, among which ten out of the fourteen exotic seven-spheres appear (ignoring orientation), with non-principal bundles having homogeneous fibres. Then, we use the techniques in [1] to obtain a general ansatz for the coordinate expression of a metric on the total space of any Milnor’s bundle. The ansatz is given in terms of a metric on S4, a metric on S3 (which can smoothly vary throughout S4), and a connection on the principal SO(4)-bundle over S4. As a concrete example, we present explicit formulae for such metrics for the ordinary sphere and the Gromoll-Meyer exotic sphere. Then, we perform a non-abelian Kaluza-Klein reduction to gravity in seven dimensions, according to (a slightly simplified version of) the metric ansatz above. We obtain the standard four-dimensional Einstein-Yang-Mills system, for which we find solutions associated with the geometries of the ordinary sphere and of the exotic one. The two differ by the winding numbers of the instantons involved.
Pilot design of experiment study: effect of stirring duration and guest particle loading on electrostatic adsorption of Ti-6Al-4V composite powder formation
Authors: Ali Mubasher , Tan Yuanfu , Lin Feng , Su Zhou , Liao Wei-Hsin , Wong Hay
Published: December 2023

In recent years, materials science and engineering have increasingly focused on advanced composite powders. This study examines the preparation of micro–micro Ti-6Al-4V composite powders by electrostatic adsorption (EA). The necessity of this research lies in the demand for optimizing the Ti-6Al-4V composite powder formation process window for high-performance applications across industries. Achieving optimal EA parameters is crucial for enhancing the quality and efficiency of the powder formation process. In this study, the effect of stirring duration and guest particle loading on the EA process is investigated. The stirring time (1 to 25 min) and guest particle loading (10 to 60%) of the solution are varied to determine the ideal conditions for high adsorption efficiency. It was found that shorter stirring durations (1 min) and a lower guest particle load (10%) have a significant effect on adsorption efficiency. The results were analyzed using the DOE approach to guide future optimization of the process window. The study fills a research gap by utilizing the DOE approach to investigate stirring duration and guest particle loading, providing insights for optimizing the EA process for micro–micro Ti-6Al-4V composite powder. This approach has the potential to enhance cost-effective, durable composite powder production with broad applications in industries like aerospace and automotive. While our research currently focuses on stirring duration and guest particle loading, the application of the DOE approach lays the groundwork for future investigations into additional EA process parameters, such as pH value, particle size, and temperature to expand our understanding of efficient composite powder formation.
Robustness of apparent diffusion coefficient–based lymph node classification for diagnosis of prostate cancer metastasis
Authors: Noto Benjamin , Eveslage Maria , Auf der Springe Katharina , Exler Anne , Faldum Andreas , Heindel Walter , Milachowski Stanislaw , Roll Wolfgang , Schäfers Michael , Stegger Lars , Bauer Jochen
Published: December 2023

Objectives

The aim of this proof-of-principle study combining data analysis and computer simulation was to evaluate the robustness of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for lymph node classification in prostate cancer under conditions comparable to clinical practice.

Materials and methods

To assess differences in ADC and inter-rater variability, ADC values of 359 lymph nodes in 101 patients undergoing simultaneous prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-PET/MRI were retrospectively measured by two blinded readers and compared in a node-by-node analysis with respect to lymph node status. In addition, a phantom and 13 patients with 86 lymph nodes were prospectively measured on two different MRI scanners to analyze inter-scanner agreement. To estimate the diagnostic quality of the ADC in real-world application, a computer simulation was used to emulate the blurring caused by scanner and reader variability. To account for intra-individual correlation, the statistical analyses and simulations were based on linear mixed models.

Results

The mean ADC of lymph nodes showing PSMA signals in PET was markedly lower (0.77 × 10−3 mm2/s) compared to inconspicuous nodes (1.46 × 10−3 mm2/s, p < 0.001). High inter-reader agreement was observed for ADC measurements (ICC 0.93, 95%CI [0.92, 0.95]). Good inter-scanner agreement was observed in the phantom study and confirmed in vivo (ICC 0.89, 95%CI [0.84, 0.93]). With a median AUC of 0.95 (95%CI [0.92, 0.97]), the simulation study confirmed the diagnostic potential of ADC for lymph node classification in prostate cancer.

Conclusion

Our model-based simulation approach implicates a high potential of ADC for lymph node classification in prostate cancer, even when inter-rater and inter-scanner variability are considered.

Clinical relevance statement

The ADC value shows a high diagnostic potential for lymph node classification in prostate cancer. The robustness to scanner and reader variability implicates that this easy to measure and widely available method could be readily integrated into clinical routine.

Key Points

• The diagnostic value of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for lymph node classification in prostate cancer is unclear in the light of inter-rater and inter-scanner variability.

• Metastatic and inconspicuous lymph nodes differ significantly in ADC, resulting in a high diagnostic potential that is robust to inter-scanner and inter-rater variability.

• ADC has a high potential for lymph node classification in prostate cancer that is maintained under conditions comparable to clinical practice.

Graphical abstract
Smart forecasting of artifacts in contrast-enhanced breast MRI before contrast agent administration
Authors: Liebert Andrzej , Das Badhan K. , Kapsner Lorenz A. , Eberle Jessica , Skwierawska Dominika , Folle Lukas , Schreiter Hannes , Laun Frederik B. , Ohlmeyer Sabine , Uder Michael , Wenkel Evelyn , Bickelhaupt Sebastian
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To evaluate whether artifacts on contrast-enhanced (CE) breast MRI maximum intensity projections (MIPs) might already be forecast before gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) administration during an ongoing examination by analyzing the unenhanced T1-weighted images acquired before the GBCA injection.

Materials and methods

This IRB-approved retrospective analysis consisted of n = 2884 breast CE MRI examinations after intravenous administration of GBCA, acquired with n = 4 different MRI devices at different field strengths (1.5 T/3 T) during clinical routine. CE-derived subtraction MIPs were used to conduct a multi-class multi-reader evaluation of the presence and severity of artifacts with three independent readers. An ensemble classifier (EC) of five DenseNet models was used to predict artifacts for the post-contrast subtraction MIPs, giving as the input source only the pre-contrast T1-weighted sequence. Thus, the acquisition directly preceded the GBCA injection. The area under ROC (AuROC) and diagnostics accuracy scores were used to assess the performance of the neural network in an independent holdout test set (n = 285).

Results

After majority voting, potentially significant artifacts were detected in 53.6% (n = 1521) of all breast MRI examinations (age 49.6 ± 12.6 years). In the holdout test set (mean age 49.7 ± 11.8 years), at a specificity level of 89%, the EC could forecast around one-third of artifacts (sensitivity 31%) before GBCA administration, with an AuROC = 0.66.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the capability of a neural network to forecast the occurrence of artifacts on CE subtraction data before the GBCA administration. If confirmed in larger studies, this might enable a workflow-blended approach to prevent breast MRI artifacts by implementing in-scan personalized predictive algorithms.

Clinical relevance statement

Some artifacts in contrast-enhanced breast MRI maximum intensity projections might be predictable before gadolinium-based contrast agent injection using a neural network.

Key Points

• Potentially significant artifacts can be observed in a relevant proportion of breast MRI subtraction sequences after gadolinium-based contrast agent administration (GBCA).

• Forecasting the occurrence of such artifacts in subtraction maximum intensity projections before GBCA administration for individual patients was feasible at 89% specificity, which allowed correctly predicting one in three future artifacts.

• Further research is necessary to investigate the clinical value of such smart personalized imaging approaches.
Safety, feasibility, and short-term-outcome of anal endoscopic submucosal dissection for anal intraepithelial neoplasia: an option for focal lesions?
Authors: Singhartinger F. , Gantschnigg A. , Holzinger J. , Wagner A. , Singhartinger J. , Koch O. , Emmanuel K. , Presl J.
Published: December 2023

Background

Anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) appears in three different stages. AIN 1 and AIN 2 (p16 negative) are defined as low risk and unlikely to progress to invasive anal cancer. AIN 2 (p16 positive) and AIN 3 are of high risk and should be treated because progression rates to anal cancer are around 10% and treatment significantly reduces this risk. The correct treatment is still a matter of debate. Human papilloma virus (HPV) plays a role in the development of AIN. Our aim was to assess anal endoscopic dissection (aESD) as an intervention for AIN3.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated patients who underwent aESD for AIN 3 between December 2017 and March 2023. The interventional technique itself (duration, complications, size of specimen) and patient outcomes (recurrence, progression to anal cancer, re-intervention) were analyzed.

Results

Fifteen patients with a median age of 52 years (23−78) underwent aESD for AIN 3. All tested specimens were positive for HPV. Median duration of intervention was 56.1 min, one delayed postinterventional bleeding occurred, and specimen size was 12.05 cm2. Median follow-up was 11.17 months. Three recurrences (20%) appeared: one was resected via biopsy and two were again treated with aESD. There was no progression to invasive anal cancer in the follow-up period.

Conclusions

Anal endoscopic submucosal dissection seems to be a safe and feasible treatment for AIN. Recurrences are seldom and can be treated again with the same method. Nevertheless, indications for resection in comparison to radiofrequency ablation, pharmacological therapy, and watch-and-wait strategy are still unclear.

Trial registration

Ethics commission of Salzburg, Austria, EK-Nr. 1056/2023. Keywords: Endoscopic submucosal dissection, anal intraepithelial neoplasia, anal cancer
Collective combinatorial optimisation as judgment aggregation
Authors: Boes Linus , Colley Rachael , Grandi Umberto , Lang Jérôme , Novaro Arianna
Published: December 2023

In many settings, a collective decision has to be made over a set of alternatives that has a combinatorial structure: important examples are multi-winner elections, participatory budgeting, collective scheduling, and collective network design. A further common point of these settings is that agents generally submit preferences over issues (e.g., projects to be funded), each having a cost, and the goal is to find a feasible solution maximising the agents’ satisfaction under problem-specific constraints. We propose the use of judgment aggregation as a unifying framework to model these situations, which we refer to as collective combinatorial optimisation problems. Despite their shared underlying structure, collective combinatorial optimisation problems have so far been studied independently. Our formulation into judgment aggregation connects them, and we identify their shared structure via five case studies of well-known collective combinatorial optimisation problems, proving how popular rules independently defined for each problem actually coincide. We also chart the computational complexity gap that may arise when using a general judgment aggregation framework instead of a specific problem-dependent model.
Precision Mental Health and Data-Informed Decision Support in Psychological Therapy: An Example
Authors: Lutz Wolfgang , Schaffrath Jana , Eberhardt Steffen T. , Hehlmann Miriam I. , Schwartz Brian , Deisenhofer Ann-Kathrin , Vehlen Antonia , Schürmann Stephanie Vaccarezza , Uhl Jessica , Moggia Danilo
Published: December 2023

Outcome measurement including data-informed decision support for therapists in psychological therapy has developed impressively over the past two decades. New technological developments such as computerized data assessment, and feedback tools have facilitated advanced implementation in several seetings. Recent developments try to improve the clinical decision-making process by connecting clinical practice better with empirical data. For example, psychometric data can be used by clinicians to personalize the selection of therapeutic programs, strategies or modules and to monitor a patient’s response to therapy in real time. Furthermore, clinical support tools can be used to improve the treatment for patients at risk for a negative outcome. Therefore, measurement-based care can be seen as an important and integral part of clinical competence, practice, and training. This is comparable to many other areas in the healthcare system, where continuous monitoring of health indicators is common in day-to-day clinical practice (e.g., fever, blood pressure). In this paper, we present the basic concepts of a data-informed decision support system for tailoring individual psychological interventions to specific patient needs, and discuss the implications for implementing this form of precision mental health in clinical practice.
Biological and histological changes and DNA damage in Oreochromis niloticus exposed to oxytetracycline: a potential amelioratory role of ascorbic acid
Authors: Abu-Zahra Nagwa I. S. , Atia Ayman A. , Elseify Mohamed M. , Soliman Shireen
Published: December 2023

Antibiotics are crucial in the control of bacterial infections on fish farms. However, the influence of licensed antibiotics on DNA damage, histological changes, and protein differentiation in some farmed fish species is unidentified. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of therapeutic (80 mg/kg body weight/day) and high doses (160 mg/kg body weight/day) of oxytetracycline (OTC) on some biological indices, protein differentiation, histological changes, and DNA damage in Oreochromis niloticus (n = 360; 40 ± 3.5 g) and the potential positive effects of dietary ascorbic acid (AA) and whether it is capable of reducing the deleterious impacts of OTC and working synergistically to increase fish disease resistance and decrease morbidity and mortality rates. In the current study, fish were fed diets with or without OTC (80 or 160 mg/kg body weight/day) and AA (100 mg/kg diet/day) for 28 days, followed by a bacterial stress test with two different virulent strains for 14 days. Treatments include CTR (control; without additives), AA, OTC80, OTC160, OTC80 + AA, and OTC160 + AA. The results revealed that the AA group had the best antioxidative (significant increase in SOD, CAT, and GPx) and immunomodulatory effects (an increase in IgM, nitroblue tetrazolium, and total leucocytic count). Furthermore, the hematological parameters, immune indices (NBT), and antioxidant enzymes were significantly reduced by OTC160 (p ≤ 0.05). The results also showed that OTC160 notably augmented the activity of liver (ALT, AST, and LDH) and kidney (creatinine and urea) damage markers (p ≤ 0.05). OTC160 revealed considerable hepatic and renal tissue damage and significantly higher hepatocyte DNA damage. Pathological changes and DNA damage were directly correlated to the dosage of OTC exposure, where they were more severe in OTC160. OTC80 showed insignificant changes in most parameters. Compared to CTR, the inclusion of AA in the O. niloticus diet significantly restored the biological indices, histological changes, and DNA damage in OTC-treated groups. The morbidity and mortality percentages after bacterial challenge were significantly lower in the OTC80 + AA group, followed by the OTC160 + AA group than in the CTR. These results corroborate the use of AA as a potent antioxidant and immune stimulant and a potential co-adjuvant to OTC in the diet of O. niloticus to reach optimal resistance to disease.
Sustainability evaluation of contrasting milpa systems in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
Authors: González-Esquivel Carlos E. , Briones-Guzmán Cecilia , Tovar-López Eduardo , López-Ridaura Santiago , Arnés Esperanza , Camacho-Villa Tania Carolina
Published: December 2023

The milpa agroecosystem is an intercropping of maize, beans, squash and other crops, developed in Mesoamerica, and its adoption is widely variable across climates and regions. An example of particular interest is the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, which holds highly diverse milpas, drawing on ancestral Mayan knowledge. Traditional milpas have been described as sustainable resource management models, based on long rotations within a slash-and-burn cycle in forest areas. Nevertheless, due to modernization and intensification processes, new variants of the approach have appeared. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sustainability of three milpa systems (traditional, continuous, and mechanized) in four case studies across the Peninsula, with emphasis on food self-sufficiency, social inclusion and adoption of innovations promoted by a development project. The Framework for the Evaluation of Agroecosystems using Indicators (MESMIS, for its Spanish acronym) was used for its flexible, participatory approach. A common group of indicators was developed despite regional differences between study cases, with a high level of farmer participation throughout the iterative process. The results show lower crop yields in traditional systems, but with lower inputs costs and pesticide use. In contrast, continuous milpas had higher value in terms of crop diversity, food security, social inclusion, and innovation adoption. Mechanized milpas had lower weed control costs. Profitability of cash crops and the proportion of forest were high in all systems. Highly adopted innovations across milpa types and study cases included spatial crop arrangement and the use of residues as mulches. However, most innovations are not adapted to local conditions, and do not address climate change. Further, women and youth participation is low, especially in traditional systems.
Assessing the effect of β-glucan diets on innate immune response of tilapia macrophages against trichlorfon exposure: an in vitro study
Authors: Fierro-Castro Camino , Tort Lluís , Mingatto Fábio Erminio , Biller Jaqueline Dalbello
Published: December 2023

The widespread use of pesticides in some areas where fish species such as tilapia are farmed may cause damage to the environment and affect commercial fish and therefore, human health. Water leaching with the pesticide trichlorfon, during the fumigation season in the field, can affect water quality in fish farms and consequently affect fish health. At the same time, the use of immunomodulatory compounds such as β-glucan supplied in the diet has become widespread in fish farms as it has been shown that improves the overall immune response. The present research examines the immunomodulatory impacts observed in macrophages of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after being fed a diet supplemented with β-glucan for 15 days, followed by their in vitro exposure to trichlorfon, an organophosphate pesticide, at concentrations of 100 and 500 µg mL−1 for 24 h. The results showed that β-glucan diet improved the viability of cells exposed to trichlorfon and their antioxidant capacity. However, β-glucan did not counteract the effects of the pesticide as for the ability to protect against bacterial infection. From the present results, it can be concluded that β-glucan feeding exerted a protective role against oxidative damage in cells, but it was not enough to reduce the deleterious effects of trichlorfon on the microbicidal capacity of macrophages exposed to this pesticide.
Visual Localization and Mapping in Dynamic and Changing Environments
Authors: Virgolino Soares João Carlos , Medeiros Vivian Suzano , Abati Gabriel Fischer , Becker Marcelo , Caurin Glauco , Gattass Marcelo , Meggiolaro Marco Antonio
Published: December 2023

The real-world deployment of fully autonomous mobile robots depends on a robust simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system, capable of handling dynamic environments, where objects are moving in front of the robot, and changing environments, where objects are moved or replaced after the robot has already mapped the scene. This paper proposes Changing-SLAM, a method for robust Visual SLAM in both dynamic and changing environments. This is achieved by using a Bayesian filter combined with a long-term data association algorithm. Also, it employs an efficient algorithm for dynamic keypoints filtering based on object detection that correctly identifies features inside the bounding box that are not dynamic, preventing a depletion of features that could cause lost tracks. Furthermore, a new dataset was developed with RGB-D data specially designed for the evaluation of changing environments on an object level, called PUC-USP dataset. Six sequences were created using a mobile robot, an RGB-D camera and a motion capture system. The sequences were designed to capture different scenarios that could lead to a tracking failure or map corruption. Changing-SLAM does not assume a given camera pose or a known map, being also able to operate in real time. The proposed method was evaluated using benchmark datasets and compared with other state-of-the-art methods, proving to be highly accurate.
Developing Disability-Focused Pre-Health and Health Professions Curricula
Authors: Bracken Rachel Conrad , Richman Kenneth A. , Garden Rebecca , Fischbein Rebecca , Bhambra Raman , Ragina Neli , Dawson Shay , Cascio Ariel
Published: December 2023

People with disabilities (PWD) comprise a significant part of the population yet experience some of the most profound health disparities. Among the greatest barriers to quality care are inadequate health professions education related to caring for PWD. Drawing upon the expertise of health professions educators in medicine, public health, nursing, social work, and physician assistant programs, this forum showcases innovative methods for teaching core disability skills and concepts grounded in disability studies and the health humanities. Each of the essays offers practical guidance for developing curricular interventions appropriate for students at various levels of training and familiarity with disability to be implemented in classroom discussions, case-based learning, lectures, panels, and clinical simulations across the full spectrum of pre-health and health professions education.
Thermal characterization, polymorphism, and stability evaluation of Se-NSAID derivatives with potent anticancer activity
Authors: Ramos-Inza Sandra , Almagro Eneko , Font María , Encío Ignacio , Plano Daniel , Sanmartín Carmen , Sirera Rafael , Lizarraga Elena
Published: December 2023

Stability, thermal characterization, and identification of possible polymorphism are relevant in the development of novel therapeutic drugs. In this context, thirty new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) derivatives containing selenium (Se) as selenoesters or diacyl diselenides with demonstrated anticancer activity were thermally characterized in order to establish thermal stability criteria and detect possible polymorphic forms. Compounds were analyzed by a combination of thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction techniques, and five different calorimetric behaviors were identified. Two compounds based on naproxen (I.3d and I.3e) and an indomethacin-containing derivative (II.2) presented two crystalline forms. The stability under acid, alkaline and oxidative conditions of selected polymorphs was also assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, the cytotoxic activity of Se-NSAID crystalline polymorphs was studied in several cancer cell lines in vitro. Remarkably, no significant differences were found among the polymorphic forms tested, thus proving that these compounds are thermally qualified for further drug development.

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FSR-SPD: an efficient chaotic multi-image encryption system based on flip-shift-rotate synchronous-permutation-diffusion operation
Authors: Raghuvanshi Ankita , Budhia Muskan , Patro K. Abhimanyu Kumar , Acharya Bibhudendra
Published: December 2023

Images are a crucial component in contemporary data transmission. Numerous images are transmitted daily through the open-source network. This paper presents a multi-image encryption scheme that utilises flip-shift-rotate synchronous-permutation-diffusion (FSR-SPD) processes to ensure the security of multiple images in a single encryption operation. The proposed encryption technique distinguishes itself from current multi-image encryption methods by utilising SPD operation and rapid FSR-based pixel-shuffling and diffusion operation. The SPD is a cryptographic technique that involves the simultaneous application of permutation and diffusion methods. The FSR-based process involves the manipulation of pixels through three different operations, namely flipping, shifting, and rotating. In the process of encryption, the image components of red, green, and blue colours are merged into a single composite image. The large image is partitioned into non-overlapping blocks of uniform size. The SPD technique is employed to tackle each specific block. The encryption method is efficient and expeditious as it exhibits high performance with both FSR and SPD procedures. The method employs a single, fixed-type, one-dimensional, piecewise linear chaotic map (PWLCM) for both the permutation and diffusion phases, resulting in high efficiency in both software and hardware. The proposed method is assessed using key space, histogram variance, neighbouring pixel correlation, information entropy, and computational complexity. The proposed method has a much bigger key space than the comparative method. Compared to comparison approaches, the suggested solution reduces encrypted picture histogram variance by 6.22% and neighbouring pixel correlations by 77.78%. Compared to the comparison technique, the proposed scheme has a slightly higher information entropy of 0.0025%. Other multiple-color image encryption methods are more computationally intensive than the suggested method. Computer simulations, security analysis, and comparison analysis evaluated the proposed methodology. The results show it outperforms multiple images encrypting methods.
Evaluation of the toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles obtained by a chemical route on the nasal respiratory epithelium of the biomodel Mus musculus
Authors: Mosquera-Murillo K. E. , Castañeda-Manquillo A. M. , Ángel-Camilo K. L. , Arciniegas-Grijalba P. A. , de Valdenebro M. M. Ramírez , Mosquera-Sanchez L. P. , Meza-Cabrera I. A. , Rodriguez-Paez J. E.
Published: December 2023

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have antimicrobial and a number of other properties, rendering apt their use in biomedicine, environmental remediation, agriculture, and other fields. Given the potential use of these nanoparticles (NPs) in these areas, it is necessary to determine their toxic effects on biological systems. This work therefore analyzed the histological changes in the respiratory nasal epithelium of Mus musculus biomodels exposed to atmospheres containing ZnO-NPs at different concentrations (6, 15, and 40 mg/m3). The NPs were synthesized using the Pechini polymeric complex method and characterized using techniques such as IR and Raman spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The ZnO-NPs obtained had a wurtzite-type structure, with spheroidal morphology and a particle size of ~ 50 nm, and the Raman spectrum showed the presence of defects in its structure. The results of the treatments to which the biomodels were subjected showed that the inhalation of ZnO-NPs caused significant morphological changes in their nasal epithelium (squamous metaplasia and vascular congestion) and an acute inflammatory response when exposed to high concentrations of NPs (40 and 15 mg/m3).

Graphical Abstract