bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post‐Operative Conversion Aphonia in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Zhang Yiying , Liu Chang , He Xin , Tang Zhaohui , Guo Qulian , Huang Changsheng
Published: February 2023

We describe an unusual case of post‐operative conversion aphonia in a pediatric patient. It indicates the importance of discussing its presentation, and amplifies the need for emotional support in the immediate post‐operative period for young patients with heightened anxiety. Laryngoscope, 133:1737–1738, 2023
Novel IRF6 variant in orofacial cleft patients from Durban, South Africa
Authors: Naicker Thirona , Alade Azeez , Adeleke Chinyere , Mossey Peter A. , Awotoye Waheed A. , Busch Tamara , Li Mary , Olotu Joy , Aldous Colleen , Butali Azeez
Published: February 2023

Background

To date, there are over 320 variants identified in the IRF6 gene that cause Van der Woude syndrome or popliteal pterygium syndrome. We sequenced this gene in a South African orofacial cleft cohort to identify the causal IRF6 variants in our population.

Method

Saliva samples from 100 patients with syndromic and non‐syndromic CL ± P were collected. Patients were recruited from the cleft clinics at two public, tertiary hospitals in Durban, South Africa (SA), namely Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) and KwaZulu‐Natal Children's Hospital (KZNCH). We prospectively sequenced the exons of IRF6 in 100 orofacial cleft cases, and where possible, we also sequenced the parents of the individuals to determine the segregation pattern.

Results

Two variants were identified; one novel (p.Cys114Tyr) and one known (p.Arg84His) missense variant in IRF6 gene were identified. The patient with the p.Cys114Tyr variant was non‐syndromic with no clinical VWS phenotype expected of individuals with IRF6 coding variants, and the patient with the p.Arg84His had phenotypic features of popliteal pterygium syndrome. The p.Arg84His variant segregated in the family, with the father also being affected.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that IRF6 variants are found in the South African population. Genetic counselling is essential for affected families, particularly in the absence of a known clinical phenotype since it helps with the plans for future pregnancies.
Comparing male and female pelvic floor muscle function by the number and type of pelvic floor symptoms
Authors: Notenboom‐Nas Françoise J. M. , Knol‐de Vries Grietje E. , Slieker‐ten Hove Marijke C. P. , Dekker Janny H. , Keuken Debby G. , van Koeveringe Gommert A. , Blanker Marco H.
Published: February 2023

Aims

Pelvic floor symptoms (PFS), including lower urinary tract symptoms, defecation problems, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pain, are common in males and females. Comparing pelvic floor musculature (PFM) function between sexes may reveal important differences relevant to clinical care. This study aimed to compare male and female PFM function and to assess the function of both sexes with the number and type of PFS.

Methods

We purposively enrolled males and females aged ≥ 21 years with 0–4 PFS based on questionnaire responses in an observational cohort study. Participants then underwent PFM assessment, and muscle function in the external anal sphincter (EAS) and puborectal muscle (PRM) were compared between sexes. The relationships between muscle function and the number and type of PFS were explored.

Results

Of the invited 400 males and 608 females, 199 and 187 underwent PFM assessment, respectively. Compared with females, males more often showed increased EAS and PRM tone during assessments. Compared with males, females more often showed weaker maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of the EAS and dysfunctional endurance of both muscles; additionally, those with zero or one PFS, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pain more often showed a weak MVC of the PRM.

Conclusions

Despite a few similarities between males and, females we found differences in muscle tone, MVC, and endurance between male and female PFM function. These findings provide useful insights into the differences in PFM function between males and females.
Improved a priori error estimates for a discontinuous Galerkin pressure correction scheme for the Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Masri Rami , Liu Chen , Riviere Beatrice
Published: February 2023

The pressure correction scheme is combined with interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin method to solve the time‐dependent Navier–Stokes equations. Optimal error estimates are derived for the velocity in the L2 norm in time and in space. Error bounds for the discrete time derivative of the velocity and for the pressure are also established. The analysis is challenging and technical and is based on appropriate use of lift operators and duality arguments.
Tin Bromido Aluminate Networks with Bright Luminescence
Authors: Wolf Silke , Köppe Ralf , Roesky Peter W. , Feldmann Claus
Published: February 2023

The novel tin bromido aluminates [Sn3(AlBr4)6](Al2Br6) (1), Sn(AlBr4)2 (2), [EMIm][Sn(AlBr4)3] (3) and [BMPyr][Sn(AlBr4)3] (4) ([EMIm]: 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium, [BMPyr]: 1‐butyl‐1‐methyl‐pyrrolidinium), are obtained from a ionic‐liquid‐based reaction of AlBr3 and SnCl2 or SnBr2, resulting in colorless and transparent crystals. 1 contains a neutral, inorganic ∞3[Sn3(AlBr4)6] network filled with intercalated Al2Br6 molecules. 2 represents a 3D structure isotypic to Pb(AlCl4)2 or α‐Sr[GaCl4]2. 3 and 4 exhibit infinite ∞1[Sn(AlBr4)3]n− chains that are separated by the voluminous [EMIm]+/[BMPyr]+ cations. All title compounds contain Sn2+ coordinated by AlBr4 tetrahedra, resulting in chains or 3D networks. Moreover, all title compounds show photoluminescence due to Br−→Al3+ ligand‐to‐metal charge‐transfer excitation, followed by 5s2p0←5s1p1 emission on Sn2+. Most surprisingly, the luminescence is highly efficient (quantum yield >50 %). Specifically, 3 and 4 exhibit outstanding quantum yields of 98 and 99 %, which are the highest values observed for Sn2+‐based luminescence so far. The title compounds have been characterized by single‐crystal structure analysis, elemental analysis, energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, thermogravimetry, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, UV‐Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy.
Governing concept or political buzzword? Contested perceptions of local control
Authors: Ford Michael R.
Published: February 2023

This article uses a perceptions‐based framework to study how local governing actors define local control, and, to identify the determinants of definition alignment among local officials. A mix of survey and administrative data from Wisconsin officials is used to test nine hypotheses. The results indicate there is wide variation in how local government leaders define local control, and that alignment on the concept's meaning is predicted by ideology, perceived erosion of local control, and positional characteristics. The study concludes that local governments should incorporate a working definition of local control in planning and on‐boarding processes in order to provide governing relevance to the concept.
Thermoelectric properties of polyvinylpyrrolidone/polyaniline‐mixed Bi2Te3 composites prepared by electrospinning
Authors: Khan Jan Sher , Akram Rizwan , Hussain Mozaffar , Rafique Saima , Kayani Farrukh Bashir , Rehman Anis ur
Published: February 2023

Composite fibers of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) with polyaniline (PANI) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), synthesized via electrospinning in different ratios, were studied. Initially, three solutions were synthesized in different ratios of PVP and composite (Bi2Te3 and PANI). However, due to the loading capacity of polymer only two samples were successfully synthesized. The formation and surface morphology of as‐prepared and compacted fibers were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The X‐ray diffraction confirmed the increase in crystalline phase of the composites after compaction. The influence of functional groups on the thermal and electrical conductivity as well as the existence of various polymer functional groups in pure and composite samples were revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetric were carried out simultaneously up to 800 K, which revealed the thermal stability of composite up‐to 473 K and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of ~412 K for the composites. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy confirmed the decrease in the bandgap from ~3 to ~1.2 eV of the compacted fibers. The thermopower of the as‐prepared and compacted fibers increased significantly compared with pure Bi2Te3 and PANI, while the thermal conductivity decreased to 0.45 Wm−1 K−1. As a result, zT was enhanced from 1.7 × 10−10 to 1.7 × 10−1 in the composite samples near room temperature.
hSSB1 (NABP2/OBFC2B) modulates the DNA damage and androgen‐induced transcriptional response in prostate cancer
Authors: Adams Mark N. , Croft Laura V. , Urquhart Aaron , Saleem Mohamed Ashick Mohamed , Rockstroh Anja , Duijf Pascal H. G. , Thomas Patrick B. , Ferguson Genevieve P. , Najib Idris Mohd , Shah Esha T. , Bolderson Emma , Nagaraj Shivashankar , Williams Elizabeth D. , Nelson Colleen C. , O'Byrne Kenneth J. , Richard Derek J.
Published: February 2023

Background

Activation and regulation of androgen receptor (AR) signaling and the DNA damage response impact the prostate cancer (PCa) treatment modalities of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radiotherapy. Here, we have evaluated a role for human single‐strand binding protein 1 (hSSB1/NABP2) in modulation of the cellular response to androgens and ionizing radiation (IR). hSSB1 has defined roles in transcription and maintenance of genome stability, yet little is known about this protein in PCa.

Methods

We correlated hSSB1 with measures of genomic instability across available PCa cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Microarray and subsequent pathway and transcription factor enrichment analysis were performed on LNCaP and DU145 prostate cancer cells.

Results

Our data demonstrate that hSSB1 expression in PCa correlates with measures of genomic instability including multigene signatures and genomic scars that are reflective of defects in the repair of DNA double‐strand breaks via homologous recombination. In response to IR‐induced DNA damage, we demonstrate that hSSB1 regulates cellular pathways that control cell cycle progression and the associated checkpoints. In keeping with a role for hSSB1 in transcription, our analysis revealed that hSSB1 negatively modulates p53 and RNA polymerase II transcription in PCa. Of relevance to PCa pathology, our findings highlight a transcriptional role for hSSB1 in regulating the androgen response. We identified that AR function is predicted to be impacted by hSSB1 depletion, whereby this protein is required to modulate AR gene activity in PCa.

Conclusions

Our findings point to a key role for hSSB1 in mediating the cellular response to androgen and DNA damage via modulation of transcription. Exploiting hSSB1 in PCa might yield benefits as a strategy to ensure a durable response to ADT and/or radiotherapy and improved patient outcomes.
Pros and cons for statins use and risk of Parkinson's disease: An updated perspective
Authors: Al‐kuraishy Hayder M. , Al‐Gareeb Ali I. , Alexiou Athanasios , Papadakis Marios , Alsayegh Abdulrahman A. , Almohmadi Najlaa Hamed , Saad Hebatallah M. , Batiha Gaber El‐Saber
Published: February 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative brain disease (NBD) after Alzheimer's disease (AD). Statins are the most common lipid‐lowering agents used in the management of dyslipidemia and the prevention of primary and secondary cardiovascular diseases (CVD) events. In addition, there is a controversial point regarding the role of serum lipids in the pathogenesis of PD. In this bargain, as statins reduce serum cholesterol so they affect the PD neuropathology in bidirectional ways either protective or harmful. Statins are not used in the management of PD, but they are frequently used in the cardiovascular disorders commonly associated with PD in the elderly population. Therefore, the use of statins in that population may affect PD outcomes. Concerning the potential role of statins on PD neuropathology, there are conflicts and controversies either protective against the development of PD or harmful by increasing the risk for the development of PD. Therefore, this review aimed to clarify the precise role of statins in PD regarding the pros and cons from published studies. Many studies suggest a protective role of statins against PD risk through the modulation of inflammatory and lysosomal signaling pathways. Nevertheless, other observations suggest that statin therapy may increase PD risk by diverse mechanisms including reduction of CoQ10. In conclusion, there are strong controversies regarding the protective role of statins in PD neuropathology. Therefore, retrospective and prospective studies are necessary in this regard.
Factors influencing short‐term parasitoid establishment and efficacy for the biological control ofHalyomorpha halyswith the samurai waspTrissolcus japonicus
Authors: Falagiarda Martina , Carnio Veronica , Chiesa Serena Giorgia , Pignalosa Antonio , Anfora Gianfranco , Angeli Gino , Ioriatti Claudio , Mazzoni Valerio , Schmidt Silvia , Zapponi Livia
Published: February 2023

BACKGROUND

Classical biological control has been identified as the most promising approach to limit the impact of the invasive pest speciesHalyomorpha halys(Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). This study investigated the parasitism rate at sites where the biocontrol agentTrissolcus japonicus(Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) was released and where its unintentional introduction took place, in the Trentino–South Tyrol region. The effect of land‐use composition was studied to understand which factors favor the establishment of hosts and parasitoids, including native and exotic species.

RESULTS

The releasedT. japonicuswere detected a year after the start of the program, with a significant parasitoid impact and discovery, compared to control sites.Trissolcus japonicuswas the most abundantH. halysparasitoid, andTrissolcus mitsukuriiandAnastatus bifasciatuswere recorded also. The efficacy ofT. mitsukuriiwas lower in sites whereT. japonicuswas successfully established, suggesting a possible competitive interaction. Parasitism level byT. japonicusat the release sites was 12.5% in 2020 and 16.4% in 2021. The combined effect of predation and parasitization increasedH. halysmortality up to 50% at the release sites. Landscape composition analysis showed that bothH. halysandT. japonicuswere more likely to be found at sites with lower altitude and with permanent crops, whereas other hosts and parasitoids preferred different conditions.

CONCLUSION

Trissolcus japonicusshowed a promising impact onH. halys, at release and adventive sites, with minor nontarget effects, mediated by landscape heterogeneity. The prevalence ofT. japonicusin landscapes with permanent crops could support IPM in the future. © 2023 The Authors.Pest Management Sciencepublished by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Rimegepant for the prevention and treatment of migraine
Authors: Chaplin Steve
Published: February 2023

Rimegepant (Vydura) is an oral CGRP inhibitor for the treatment of acute migraine and prevention of episodic migraine. This article discusses its indications, dosing and clinical trial outcomes.
Influence of Dysprosium Doping on Structural, Magnetic, and Optical Properties of Ni–Zn Ferrites
Authors: Ganesh Gadudhula , Sandeep Andem , Chanti Gugulothu , Bose Rapaka S. C. , Kumar Maringanti Sravan , Kumari K. N. Prasanna , Shekharam Thangalapally , Reddy Y. Vasudeva , Satapathy Jyotirmayee , Rajeshwari Dharavath , Naini Pavan Kumar
Published: February 2023

The spinel ferrites with the compositional formula Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2−xDyxO4 (x = 0, 0.004, 0.008, 0.012, 0.016) have been prepared using the sol–gel method. The X‐ray diffraction measurements confirm the cubic spinel structure of the sample with a space group of Fd‐3m. Morphological analysis of scanning electron microscope images reveals that the particles are spherical in shape. Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirms the elemental composition. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of synthesized dysprosium (Dy) doped Ni–Zn ferrites are carried out from 25 to 700 °C. Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy studies reveal the stretching and bending vibrations of the various bonds presented in the compounds. The UV–vis absorption spectrum indicates the energy gap values which small decrease with the Dy concentration increase. Raman spectroscopy reveals the crystal distortion and phases of the samples. The room temperature magnetic measurements (M–H loops) are carried out to study the effect of Dy doping on magnetic properties.
Resection of a colloid adenocarcinoma of the lung: A case report
Authors: Kogita Yuya , Ose Naoko , Kawagishi Kotaro , Morii Eiichi , Shintani Yasushi
Published: February 2023

Colloid adenocarcinoma of the lung is a rare subtype of lung adenocarcinoma, accounting for only about 0.24% of lung cancers. Because of its rarity, long‐term postoperative prognostic reports are limited. In this report, we describe a case of colloid adenocarcinoma of the lung with a 5‐year recurrence‐free follow‐up. The patient is a 66‐year‐old woman. During postoperative follow‐up for ovarian cancer, chest CT showed a 45 × 30 mm sized mass in the left lung with mixed low‐absorption areas inside that were suspicious of cystic lesion. We suspected metastatic lung tumour, and performed lower lobectomy. Pathological examination revealed pale tumour cells forming a glandular lumen with internal mucus production. Based on the results of immunostaining we diagnosed colloid adenocarcinoma of the lung. She received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and is alive 4 years postoperatively without recurrence. Colloid adenocarcinoma of the lung, even if large, may have a good prognosis if completely resected.
Diagnostic performance of hepatitis C core antigen assay to identify active infections: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Sepúlveda‐Crespo Daniel , Treviño‐Nakoura Ana , Bellón José M. , Fernández‐Rodríguez Amanda , Ryan Pablo , Martínez Isidoro , Jiménez‐Sousa María A. , Resino Salvador
Published: February 2023

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen (HCVcAg) assay is an alternative for diagnosing HCV infection in a single step. This meta‐analysis aimed to evaluate the Abbott ARCHITECT HCV Ag assay's diagnostic performance (validity and utility) for diagnosing active hepatitis C. PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched until 10 January 2023. The protocol was registered at the prospective international register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42022337191). Abbott ARCHITECT HCV Ag assay was the test for evaluation, and nucleic acid amplification tests with a cut‐off ≤50 IU/mL were the gold standard. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA with the MIDAS module and random‐effects models. The bivariate analysis was conducted on 46 studies (18,116 samples). The pooled sensitivity was 0.96 (95% CI = 0.94–0.97), specificity 0.99 (95% CI = 0.99–1.00), positive likelihood ratio 141.81 (95% CI = 72.39–277.79), and negative likelihood ratio 0.04 (95% CI = 0.03–0.06). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 1.00 (95% CI = 0.34–1.00). For active hepatitis C prevalence values of 0.1%–15%, the probability that a positive test was a true positive was 12%–96%, respectively, indicating that a confirmatory test should be necessary, particularly with a prevalence ≤5%. However, the probability that a negative test was a false negative was close to zero, indicating the absence of HCV infection. The validity (accuracy) of the Abbott ARCHITECT HCV Ag assay for screening active HCV infection in serum/plasma samples was excellent. Although the HCVcAg assay showed limited diagnostic utility in low prevalence settings (≤1%), it might help diagnose hepatitis C in high prevalence scenarios (≥5%).
Hydrogels: From Design to Applications in Forensic Investigations
Authors: Sandhu Anuradha , Bhatia Tejasvi
Published: February 2023

The concept of green hydrogels in forensics is a budding area where it encompasses the concept of sustainable investigation. Motivated by the need to prepare for the next generation advanced materials for implementing proactive forensic science strategy. The work conception, already successful in a few fields, aimed at implementing the sophisticated criminal's way of thinking, predicting their next move so that the crime‐fighting authorities can be one step ahead of them and take precautionary actions. The existing problems of current society need to be solved by deliberate efforts of researchers and forensic experts, as we can formulate strategy of design, production, and characterization of innovative polymeric materials for on spot detection of traces. Various innovative materials have been explored with the help of green chemistry. Fingerprinted products that are unique in their compilation are made in forensics by utilizing the concept of green chemistry. The creation of nontoxic hydrogels by utilizing green polymers that are biodegradable, biocompatible, and bio renewable is one such field that helps in forensic applications. The distinctive properties of hydrogels make them suitable for various forensic investigations. In this review article, we have focused on the unique sparked properties of these smart gels and opened a gateway in solving various unsolved mysteries.
Synthesis and Characterization of Polydopamine‐Modified Montmorillonite Loaded with Silver Nanoparticles for Antibacterial Functionalization
Authors: Wang Huiyan , Huang Xinrong , Liang Han , Sun Xuemei , Meng Na , Zhou Ninglin
Published: February 2023

Since the development of bacterial resistance towards antibiotics has the potential to limit the effectiveness of antibiotics in the treatment of infectious diseases, it is necessary to try different strategies to provide alternatives. In order to solve the problems, this work used silver nanoparticles‐loaded polydopamine‐modified montmorillonite (AgNP/PDA−Mt) to cope with the infection of the gram‐negative bacteria Escherichia. Coli and the gram‐positive bacteria Staphylococcus. aureus. Polydopamine‐modified montmorillonite (PDA−Mt) was used to reduce silver ions into silver nanoparticles through the hydroxyl groups of polydopamine. The chemical properties and morphology of AgNP/PDA−Mt were analyzed by X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), etc. Also, its antimicrobial property has been investigated. The results showed that AgNP/PDA−Mt possessed significant sterilization at low doses. And the results had been shown its acceptable biocompatibility.
Recent Progress on Wavelength‐Selective Perovskite Photodetectors for Image Sensing
Authors: Wu Wenqiang , Lu Hui , Han Xun , Wang Chunfeng , Xu Zhangsheng , Han Su‐Ting , Pan Caofeng
Published: February 2023

Spectral sensing plays a crucial part in imaging technologies, optical communication, and other fields. However, complicated optical elements, such as prisms, interferometric filters, and diffraction grating, are required for commercial multispectral detectors, which hampers their advance toward miniaturization and integration. In recent years, metal halide perovskites have been emerging for optical‐component‐free wavelength‐selective photodetectors (PDs) because of their continuously tunable bandgap, fascinating optoelectronic properties, and simple preparation processes. In this review, recent advances in wavelength‐selective perovskite PDs, including narrowband PDs, dual‐band PDs, multispectral‐recognizable PDs, and X‐ray PDs, are highlighted, with an emphasis on device structure designs, working mechanisms, and optoelectronic performances. Meanwhile, the applications of wavelength‐selective PDs in image sensing for single‐/dual‐color imaging, full‐color imaging, and X‐ray imaging are introduced. Finally, the remaining challenges and perspectives in this emerging field are presented.
Electron‐Selective Strontium Oxide Contact for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells with High Fill Factor
Authors: Xing Chunfang , Gu Wenbo , Gao Kun , Shao Beibei , Jiang Conghui , Bai Guilin , Xu Dacheng , Wang Xinyu , Li Kun , Song Zheheng , Su Zhaojun , Mao Jie , Zhang Xinyu , Zheng Peiting , Zhang Wei , Zhang Xiaohong , Wang Yusheng , Yang Xinbo , Sun Baoquan
Published: February 2023

Extensive efforts have been made to develop wide‐bandgap metal compound‐based carrier‐selective contacts to improve the performance of crystalline silicon (c‐Si) solar cells, by mitigating the deleterious effects of metal–Si contact directly. Herein, thermally evaporated wide‐bandgap strontium oxide (SrO
x
) is exploited as an electron‐selective contact for c‐Si solar cells. Benefiting from a lower work function (3.1 eV) of SrO
x
, a strong downward band‐bending is achieved at the n‐type c‐Si/SrO
x
interface, enabling the electron‐selective transport characteristic. Thin SrO
x
films simultaneously provide moderate surface passivation after annealing and enable a low contact resistivity on c‐Si surfaces. By the implementation of a single‐dielectric‐layer SrO
x
‐based rear contact, a champion power conversion efficiency of 20.0% is realized on the n‐type c‐Si solar cell featuring an intriguing fill factor of 82.8%. Moreover, electron‐selective SrO
x
contact is demonstrated to show high thermal stability up to 500 °C. The SrO
x
layer formed by a facile thermal evaporation process presents a unique opportunity to develop highly efficient and low‐cost c‐Si solar cells.
High‐Performance Carbon‐Based CsPbIBr2 Solar Cells by SnO2–MXene‐Regulating Perovskite Vertical Growth
Authors: Wang Deng , Li Wenjing , Yu Guangtian , Zheng Qianju , Huang Minglang , Zhang Zhenghe , Liu Xuping , Jin Xiao , Lan Zhang , Wu Jihuai , Li Qinghua
Published: February 2023

Due to its unique photoelectric properties, MXene has a wide range of potential applications. Herein, different MXene contents (0, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.4 wt%) of SnO2–MXene nanocomposites are used as the electron transport layer. The introduction of MXene not only inhibits SnO2 agglomeration and induces the vertical growth of CsPbIBr2, but also passivates defects of the SnO2/CsPbIBr2 interface. It effectively increases the power conversion efficiency from 8.98% to 11.21%. In addition, even after 1000 h of storage with a relative humidity of more than 50% in the ambient air, the unsealed device still maintains about 92% of its initial efficiency. This strategy provides a promising way to improve the efficiency of solar cells.
Polymer‐Assisted Heterogeneous Lead Iodide in a Two‐Step Process: Fabrication of Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Li Yao , Sun Xiangnan , Li Yan , Deng Fei , Li Siqi , Tao Xia
Published: February 2023

Developing pinhole‐free, superior crystal, and high‐quality perovskite films by regulating the lead iodide microstructure in two‐step sequential deposition has attracted increased interest in the domain of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) for commercial applications. Herein, a multifunctional polymer, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), is incorporated into a two‐step sequential deposition process to regulate morphological transform of PbI2 and then the high‐quality perovskite films are obtained. PVA as a scaffold combines with uncoordinated Pb2+ in the PbI2 precursor solution through a strong Pb–O interaction, leading to rough PbI2. In the second step, the uneven and heterogeneous PbI2 allows FA&MA permeation and then drives adequate coordination reactions between PbI64− octahedron and bulky cations. Furthermore, the PVA gathering at grain boundary passivates redundant Pb2+ by the PbO bonding interactions in the final polycrystalline films. Consequently, high‐quality (FAPbI3)0.90(MAPbBr3)0.10 perovskite layers are obtained with promoted crystal growth, inhibited voids formation/delamination, and thus reduced trap states. The universality and versatility of this strategy not only enables improved power conversion efficiencies of 22.81% (Ag‐based devices) and 16.58% (carbon‐based devices) across architectures but also remarkedly enhances the device stability in ambient‐air aging condition, which delivers a facile and broadly applicable additive synergetic strategy for efficient and stable PSCs.
Saury Sensing for Packaging
Authors: Zou Min , You Mengbo , Kageyama Yoichi , Akashi Takuya
Published: February 2023

Detecting damages on the body of the saury is important for packaging in the fisheries industry. Moreover, the appearance of a fish is important in fisheries. Fish damage detection relies on manual assembly lines, which are labor‐intensive and time‐consuming. This paper proposes a novel saury damage detection method that automatically localizes the saury body region, determines the head‐tail orientation, and detects damaged parts from the body region. We collected a saury image dataset for training and built a simple naive convolutional neural network (CNN) model without transfer learning for damage discrimination. Seven evaluation metrics, such as accuracy, F1‐score, Area under the ROC curve (AUC), and prediction time, were comprehensively considered to select the optimal parameter configuration including the number of layers, number of filters, filter size, and input image size. We also utilized the transfer learning of eight pretrained CNN models to classify the saury into two categories for damage discrimination. Inception‐v3 and ResNet‐101 achieved the highest accuracy of for damage discrimination. Through extensive experiments and discussion of the results, this paper presents clear guidance for choosing pretrained networks for transfer learning in damage detection tasks. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Safe Lane-Changing in CAVs Using External Safety Supervisors: A Review
Authors: Lenka Lalu Prasad , Bouroche Mélanie
Published: February 2023

Connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) can exploit information received from other vehicles in addition to their sensor information to make decisions. For this reason, their deployment is expected to improve traffic safety and efficiency. Safe lane-changing is a significant challenge for CAVs, particularly in mixed traffic, i.e. with human-driven vehicles (HDVs) on the road, as the set of vehicles around them varies very quickly, and they can only communicate with a fraction of them. Many approaches have been proposed, with most recent work adopting a multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) approach, but those do not provide safety guarantees making them unsuitable for such a safety-critical application. A number of external safety techniques for reinforcement learning have been proposed, such as shielding, control barrier functions, model predictive control and recovery RL, but those have not been applied to CAV lane changing.

This paper investigates whether external safety supervisors could be used to provide safety guarantees for MARL-based CAV lane changing (LC-CAV). For this purpose, a MARL approach to CAV lane changing (MARL-CAV) is designed, using parameter sharing and a replay buffer to motivate cooperative behaviour and collaboration among CAVs. This is then used as a baseline to discuss the applicability of the state-of-the-art external safety techniques for reinforcement learning to MARL-CAV. Comprehensive analysis shows that integrating an external safety technique to MARL for lane changing in CAVs is challenging, and none of the existing external safety techniques can be directly applied to MARL-CAV as these safety techniques require prior knowledge of unsafe states and recovery policies.
A Machine Learning Approach for Modeling and Analyzing of Driver Performance in Simulated Racing
Authors: Hojaji Fazilat , Toth Adam J. , Campbell Mark J.
Published: February 2023

The emerging progress of esports lacks the approaches for ensuring high-quality analytics and training in professional and amateur esports teams. In this paper, we demonstrated the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) approach in the esports domain, particularly in simulated racing. To achieve this, we gathered a variety of feature-rich telemetry data from several web sources that was captured through MoTec telemetry software and the ACC simulated racing game. We performed a number of analyses using ML algorithms to classify the laps into the performance levels, evaluating driving behaviors along these performance levels, and finally defined a prediction model highlighting the channels/features that have significant impact on the driver performance. To identify the optimal feature set, three feature selection algorithms, i.e., the Support Vector Machine (SVM), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Random Forest (RF) have been applied where out of 84 features, a subset of 10 features has been selected as the best feature subset. For the classification, XGBoost outperformed RF and SVM with the highest accuracy score among the other evaluated models. The study highlights the promising use of AI to categorize sim racers according to their technical-tactical behaviour, enhancing sim racing knowledge and know how.
Formulierung von Gestaltungsprinzipien für schulisch geeignete VR-Lernumgebungen
Authors: Rieger Marc Bastian , Wallrath Simeon , Engl Alexander , Risch Björn
Published: February 2023

Virtuelle Realität (VR) entwickelt sich immer mehr zu einem wichtigen Bildungswerkzeug für den MINT-Bereich. So können VR-Lernumgebungen Lernprozesse im Schulunterricht positiv unterstützen, indem sie beispielsweise unsichtbare Phänomene sichtbar machen (z. B. submikroskopische Vorgänge auf Teilchenebene) oder Orte aufgesucht werden, die normalerweise nicht erreichbar wären (z. B. im Rahmen einer virtuellen Exkursion). Bisher mangelt es im Schulalltag jedoch an geeigneten VR-Lernumgebungen. Dies liegt auch daran, dass potenziellen Entwicklerinnen und Entwicklern bisher keine unterrichtsbezogenen Designkriterien vorliegen, an denen sie sich bei VR-Konzeptionen orientieren könnten. Im Rahmen des hier vorgestellten Forschungsprojekts werden aktuell relevante Kriterien ermittelt und als Gestaltungsprinzipien für die Erstellung von VR-Lernumgebungen formuliert. Das methodische Vorgehen orientiert sich an dem Design-based-Research-Ansatz. Die Ergebnisse der empirischen Studie fokussieren das räumliche Präsenzerleben. Es werden Gestaltungsprinzipien zu den Bereichen „Selbstlokation“, „Handlungsmöglichkeiten“ sowie „Nutzungshäufigkeit“ abgeleitet.
Evaluation digitaler Arbeitsblätter im Chemieunterricht in Hinblick auf Usability und Interesse
Authors: Fitting Nils , Ulber Roland , Czubatinski Lars , Hornung Gabriele
Published: February 2023

Mithilfe von HyperDocSystems (HDS), einem von der Fachdidaktik Chemie der TU Kaiserslautern (TUK) entwickelten digitalen Werkzeug, können binnendifferenzierende Arbeitsmaterialien von Lehrkräften erstellt werden. In einer Interventionsstudie wurden die Benutzerfreundlichkeit und das Interesse von Schülerinnen und Schülern beim Bearbeiten der HyperDocs (HD) über eine vierstündige Unterrichtsreihe im Vergleich zu analogen Arbeitsmaterialien im Fach Chemie untersucht. Bei den Analysen wurden Alter und Geschlecht teilnehmender Schülerinnen und Schüler mit einbezogen. Dabei zeigte sich eine hohe Benutzerfreundlichkeit und ein signifikant höheres Interesse gegenüber der Kontrollgruppe. Außerdem ließ sich ein signifikanter Zusammenhang zwischen der Benutzerfreundlichkeit und dem Interesse feststellen. HDS kann damit als Catch-Komponente zur Interessensförderung im Unterricht beitragen.
Minimal-invasive Katheterverfahren in der Varizentherapie
Authors: Böhler Kornelia
Published: February 2023

Hintergrund

Katheterverfahren werden in der Therapie der venösen Insuffizienz verbreitet eingesetzt.

Fragestellung

Arten, Funktionsweise und Stellenwert von Katheterverfahren in der Varizentherapie.

Material und Methode

Beschreibung der Anwendung, Wirkungsweise, Risiken und Effizienz von Katheterverfahren anhand von Literaturdaten.

Ergebnisse

Langzeitdaten zur Effizienz bestätigen, dass minimal-invasive Katheterverfahren der offenen Venenchirurgie ebenbürtig sind, bei deutlich geringerer postoperativer Morbidität.

Schlussfolgerung

Minimal-invasive Katheterverfahren sind eine Bereicherung der Therapie venöser Erkrankungen. Die geringe Schmerzbelastung und kurze Ausfallzeiten sind für PatientInnen vorteilhaft.
Is conservative management safe in patients with acute ureterolithiasis and perirenal stranding?
Authors: Grossmann Nico C. , Ardizzone Davide , Hermanns Thomas , Keller Etienne X. , Fankhauser Christian D.
Published: February 2023

In patients presenting with ureterolithiasis, perirenal stranding is frequently observed in non-contrast computed tomography. Because perirenal stranding may be caused by tears in the collecting system, previous studies have described an increased risk of infectious complications and suggested broad empiric antibiotic therapy and immediate decompressing of the upper urinary tract. We hypothesized that these patients can also be managed conservatively. Therefore, we retrospectively identified patients with ureterolithiasis and perirenal stranding and compared diagnostic and treatment characteristics as well as treatment outcomes between patients undergoing conservative versus interventional management by ureteral stenting, percutaneous drainage or primary ureteroscopic stone removal. We classified perirenal stranding as mild, moderate or severe based on its radiological extent. Of 211 patients, 98 were managed conservatively. Patients in the interventional group had larger ureteral stones, more proximal ureteral stone location, more severe perirenal stranding, higher systemic and urinary infectious parameters, higher creatinine levels, and received more frequent antibiotic therapy. The conservatively managed group experienced a spontaneous stone passage rate of 77%, while 23% required delayed intervention. In the interventional and conservative groups, 4% and 2% of patients, respectively, developed sepsis. None of the patients in either group developed a perirenal abscess. Comparison of perirenal stranding grade between mild, moderate and severe in the conservatively treated group showed no difference in the spontaneous stone passage and infectious complications. In conclusion, conservative management without prophylactic antibiotics for ureterolithiasis and perirenal stranding is a valid treatment option as long as no clinical or laboratory signs of renal failure or infections are observed.
The First Modified Delphi Consensus‐Building Exercise on Surgical Ward Rounds in the United Kingdom National Health Service
Authors: Amr Bassem , Omar Islam , Abdelrahman Mohamed , Abdalkoddus Muhammad , Abou El Ella Yasmin , Abouelazayem Mohamed , Abubakr Mohammed O. A. , Andrews Sian , Awad Sherif , Bunting David , Callejas‐Diaz Lindes , Cambridge William A. , Carr William , Chesworth Angela , Courtney Michael J. , edge Jemma , Froghi Farid , Gilliam Andrew , graham Yitka , Harwood Sarah , Hollyman Marianne , Kimble Adam , kotb Ahmed , Majithia Ridhi , Mallinson Sue , Metcalfe Nicky , O'Kane Mary , Parmar Chetan , Saiyed Saniya , Shaban Mohamed , Singhal Rishi , Trewin Lisa , Wadhawan Himanshu , Mahawar Kamal
Published: February 2023

Background

The ward round is an integral part of everyday surgical practice. It is a complex clinical activity that requires both sound clinical management and communication skills. This study reports the results of a consensus‐building exercise on the common aspects of the general surgical ward rounds.

Methods

The consensus‐building committee involving a range of stakeholders from 16 United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service trusts took part in this consensus exercise. The members discussed and suggested a series of statements concerning surgical ward round. An agreement of ≥ 70% among members was regarded as a consensus.

Results

Thirty‐two members voted on 60 statements. There was a consensus on fifty‐nine statements after the first round of voting, and one statement was modified before it reached consensus in the second round. The statements covered nine sections: a preparation phase, team allocation, multidisciplinary approach to the ward round, structure of the round, teaching considerations, confidentiality and privacy, documentation, post‐round arrangements, and weekend round. There was a consensus on spending time to prepare for the round, a consultant‐led round, involvement of the nursing staff, an MDT round at the beginning and end of the week, a minimum of 5 min allocated to each patient, utilisation of a round checklist, afternoon virtual round, and a clear handover and plan for the weekend.

Conclusion

The consensus committee achieved agreement on several aspects concerning the surgical ward rounds in the UK NHS. This should help improve the care of surgical patients in the UK.
Gaussian-process-based robot learning from demonstration
Authors: Arduengo Miguel , Colomé Adrià , Lobo-Prat Joan , Sentis Luis , Torras Carme
Published: February 2023

Learning from demonstration allows to encode task constraints from observing the motion executed by a human teacher. We present a Gaussian-process-based learning from demonstration (LfD) approach that allows robots to learn manipulation skills from demonstrations of a human teacher. By exploiting the potential that Gaussian process (GP) models offer, we unify in a single, entirely GP-based framework, the main features required for a state-of-the-art LfD approach. We address how GP can be used to effectively learn a policy from trajectories in task space. To achieve an effective generalization across demonstrations, we propose the novel Task Completion Index (TCI) for temporal alignment of task trajectories. Also, our probabilistic GP-based representation allows encoding variability throughout the different phases of the task. Finally, we present a method to efficiently adapt the policy to fulfill new requirements and modulate the robot behavior as a function of task variability. This approach has been successfully tested in a real-world application, namely teaching a TIAGo robot to open different types of doors.
Preference for Male Risk Takers Varies with Relationship Context and Health Status but not COVID Risk
Authors: Grueter Cyril C. , Goodman Hannah , Fay Nicolas , Walker Bradley , Coall David
Published: February 2023

Risk taking is more commonly shown by males than females and has a signalling function, serving to advertise one’s intrinsic quality to prospective mates. Previous research has established that male risk takers are judged as more attractive for short-term flings than long-term relationships, but the environmental and socioeconomic context surrounding female preferences for male risk takers has been overlooked. Using a survey instrument, we examined female preferences for male risk takers across 1304 females from 47 countries. We found preferences for physical risk takers to be more pronounced in females with a bisexual orientation and females who scored high on risk proneness. Self-reported health was positively associated with preferences for high risk takers as short-term mates, but the effect was moderated by country-level health, i.e. the association was stronger in countries with poorer health. The security provided by better health and access to health care may allow females to capitalise on the genetic quality afforded by selecting a risk-prone male whilst concurrently buffering the potential costs associated with the risk taker’s lower paternal investment. The risk of contracting COVID-19 did not predict avoidance of risk takers, perhaps because this environmental cue is too novel to have moulded our behavioural preferences.
Dynamic failure characteristics of surrounding rocks under different lateral pressure coefficients in deep tunnel transient excavation
Authors: Xu Ying , Yu Yuchao , Yao Wei , Xia Kaiwen , Tang Junxi , Zhan Zhifeng
Published: February 2023

A novel transient unloading testing system was adopted to simulate the transient excavation of tunnels under different lateral pressure coefficients (k0). The results show that the transient excavation of a tunnel induces significant stress redistributions and concentrations, particle displacements and vibrations to the surrounding rocks. The decrease of k0 enhances the dynamic disturbance of transient tunnel excavation, and especially when k0 = 0.4 and 0.2, the tensile stress can be observed on the top of the tunnel. The peak particle velocity (PPV) of the measuring points on the top of the tunnel decreases with the increasing distance between the tunnel boundary and measuring point. The transient unloading wave is generally concentrated on lower frequencies in the amplitude-frequency spectrum under the same unloading conditions, especially for lower k0 values. In addition, the dynamic Mohr–Coulomb criterion was used to reveal the failure mechanism of a transient excavated tunnel by involving the loading rate effect. It is found that the excavation damaged zone (EDZ) of the tunnel is dominated by the shear failure, and the number of the shear failure zones increases with the decrease of k0. The EDZ of tunnels after transient excavations varies from ring-shape to egg-shape and X-type shear with the decrease of k0. The evolution of the EDZ induced by the transient unloading is associated with k0, i.e., the shear failure of surrounding rocks mainly occurs in the stress redistribution stage under high k0 (1.0–0.7), while the dramatic destruction of surrounding rocks is more prone to occur after the transient unloading process when k0 ≤ 0.6.
Glass–ceramic foams from waste glass and natural red soil
Authors: Sadji Amel , Boudchicha Mohamed Redda , Ziouche Aicha , Filali Abdelkader , Achour Slimane
Published: February 2023

In this study, waste glass obtained from a discarded green glass bottle and unexploited natural red soil (RS) were prepared to get glass–ceramic foams. Red soil is an earthy material, which is used as a foaming agent. A mixture of starting powders containing different mass fractions (5–16 wt.%) of RS with particle size smaller than 20 μm was uniaxially pressed (at 30 MPa), and the obtained compacts were fired at different temperatures (750–850 °C) and holding time (30–120 min). Furthermore, the influences of temperature, holding time, and natural rock additions on the structure, type, and size of pores, besides physical and mechanical properties of the processed foamed glass–ceramic samples, were investigated. The results show that the optimum foaming temperature was found to be 800 °C leading to a maximum value of porosity as high as 90%, while the bulk density and compressive strength reached the values 0.26–0.75 g·cm−3 and 1.2–6.1 MPa, respectively. Based on the present data, the obtained glass–ceramic allowed the preparation of different porosity types. Therefore, they provide practical value for specific applications where thermal insulation is desired.