bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sequential fusion estimation for multisensor multirate systems with measurement outliers
Authors: Deng Junyong , Liu Shuai , Zhang Mengyao , Ye Changbin
Published: July 2023

This paper investigates the suboptimal sequential fusion estimation problem for multisensor multirate networked systems with colored measurement noises under the interference of measurement outliers. The saturation function is used to constrain the innovation polluted by measurement outliers. Due to diverse physical restrictions, the sampling period of the sensor is assumed to be different from the update period of the system state, thereby better reflecting the engineering practice. The lifting technique is used to convert the multirate sampling system into a single‐rate form. By solving the matrix difference equation, an upper bound of the filtering error covariance is obtained, and the filter gain is then derived, which can minimize the upper bound of the error covariance. Finally, a simulation example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed sequential fusion method for multirate sampling systems under outlier interference.
The impact of modeling choices on the assessment of Ni‐Ti fatigue properties through surrogate specimens
Authors: Berti Francesca , Petrini Lorenza
Published: July 2023

The implant of self‐expandable Ni‐Ti stents for the treatment of peripheral diseases has become an established medical practice. However, the reported failure in clinics highlights the open issue of the fatigue characterization of these devices. One of the most common approaches for calculating the Ni‐Ti fatigue limit (commonly defined in terms of mean and alternate strain for a fixed number of cycles) consists of using surrogate specimens which replicate the strain distributions of the final device but in simplified geometries. The main drawback lies in the need for computational models to determine the local distribution and, hence, interpret the experimental results. This study aims at investigating the role of different choices in the model preparation, such as the mesh refinement and the element formulation, on the output of the fatigue analysis. The analyses show a strong dependency of the numerical results on modeling choices. The use of linear reduced elements enriched by a layer of membrane elements is successful to increase the accuracy of the results, especially when coarser meshes are used. Due to material nonlinearity and stent complex geometries, for the same loading conditions and element type, (i) different meshes result in different couples of mean and amplitude strains and (ii) for the same mesh, the position of the maximum mean strain is not coincident with the maximum amplitude, making difficult the selection of the limit values.
Fluorescence “Turn‐Off‐On” Detection of Heparin and Protamine Based on Bovine Serum Albumin‐Stabilized Carbon Dots (BSA‐CDs)
Authors: Abraham Merin K , Anand Varnana , Madanan Anju S. , Varghese Susan , Shkhair Ali Ibrahim , Indongo Geneva , Rajeevan Greeshma , Sasidharanpillai Syamchand S. , Muraleedharan Lekha G. , Subha Vijila N. , George Sony
Published: July 2023

Heparin and protamine are two therapeutically significant biomolecules utilized in surgeries and extracorporeal therapy. Hence, real time monitoring of their concentration levels in body fluids is quite requisite. Herein, we developed, Bovine Serum Albumin stabilized carbon dots by a microwave‐assisted synthesis for the detection of heparin and protamine. Heparin has sulfate and carboxy groups that can interact with the positively charged surface amino groups of protamine through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds. The blue fluorescence exhibited by BSA‐Carbon dots shows decrease in fluorescence emission on addition of negatively charged heparin. When cationic protein protamine is introduced to this system, the fluorescence is recovered due to electrostatic interaction with heparin. The system shows a Limit of detection (LOD) of 0.014 mM and 0.053 mM on addition of heparin and protamine respectively. The probe exhibited positive results with good selectivity and sensitivity towards other coexisting biomolecules and ions that appear in body fluids. The study was extended in biological matrix such as human serum and urine and found good recovery percentage in between 90–120%. The practical applicability was analyzed using a paper strip assay. Hence, a sensitive “turn‐off‐on” probe was effectively developed for the detection of heparin and protamine on a clinical basis.
Robust image watermarking in DCT domain using optimal inter‐block difference
Authors: Kricha Anis , Kricha Zied , Sakly Anis
Published: July 2023

Robust watermarking provides valuable solutions to protect the copyright and secure digital images. In this paper, a robust and transparent watermarking scheme in the discrete cosine transform (DCT) domain is presented. The watermark is embedded into the difference of two adjacent DCT coefficients located at the same frequency. The embedding process involves optimal selection of adjacent blocks and DCT coefficients positions. For a given DCT block, the optimal selection is to find the coefficient with the lowest DCT frequency that requires the minimal variation to represent the target watermark bit. To insert the watermark, a new quantization index modulation (QIM) based method with irregular distance between continuous quantizers is employed. The performance of the proposed scheme was extensively evaluated using 12 benchmark images and a total of more than 90 attacks per image grouped into nine attack types including JPEG compression, filtering and noise contamination. Furthermore, robustness comparison with state‐of‐the‐art works was conducted, and the results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed scheme in terms of imperceptibility and robustness.
Defining iNKT Cell Subsets and Their Function by Flow Cytometry
Authors: Gioulbasani Marianthi , Tsagaratou Ageliki
Published: July 2023

This article discusses methods to assess invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell subsets isolated from the thymus, as well as the spleen, the liver, and the lung. iNKT cells can be subdivided in distinct, functional subsets based on the transcription factors they express and the cytokines they produce to regulate the immune response. Basic Protocol 1 focuses on characterizing murine iNKT subsets ex vivo by flow cytometry by evaluating the expression of lineage‐specifying transcription factors such as PLZF and RORγt. The Alternate Protocol describes a detailed approach to define subsets based on expression of surface markers. This approach can be very useful for maintaining the subsets alive, without fixing them, in order to isolate them for downstream molecular assays such as DNA/RNA isolation, genome‐wide analysis to assess gene expression (such as RNA‐seq), assessment of chromatin accessibility (for instance, by ATAC‐seq), and assessment of DNA methylation by whole‐genome bisulfite sequencing. Basic Protocol 2 describes the functional characterization of iNKT cells, which are activated in vitro with PMA and ionomycin for a short period of time and subsequently stained and characterized for production of cytokines, such as IFNγ and IL‐4, by flow cytometry. Basic Protocol 3 describes the process of activating iNKT cells in vivo using α‐galactosyl‐ceramide, a lipid that can be recognized specifically by iNKT cells, allowing assessment of their functionality in vivo. Cells are then isolated and directly stained for cytokine secretion. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Identifying iNKT cell subsets based on transcription factor expression by flow cytometry

Alternate Protocol: Identifying iNKT cell subsets based on surface marker expression by flow cytometry

Basic Protocol 2: iNKT cell functional characterization based on in vitro activation and assessment of cytokine secretion

Basic Protocol 3: iNKT cell in vivo activation and assessment of cytokine secretion by flow cytometry
Outage probability and error rate analysis of full duplex relay in asymmetric fading channels
Authors: Mubarik Injila , Begh G. R.
Published: July 2023

Full duplex (FD) technique has evolved as a viable solution to address the spectrum scarce issue. It has gained research interest for its potential to double the wireless link capacity and enhance spectral efficiency (SE). In this paper, the end‐to‐end performance of an amplify‐and‐forward full duplex relay(FDR) in asymmetric Rayleigh–Rician fading channels is explored, unlike the other works that assume symmetric fading conditions in both the links. The asymmetric or mixed fading channels properly model the realistic communication scenarios like satellite/terrestrial wireless communication systems. In this work, we consider that the source‐relay link experiences Rayleigh fading and the relay‐destination link experiences Rician fading. The novel exact and lower bound closed form analytical expressions for outage probability (OP) and bit error rate (BER) for the considered FD system are derived. Moreover, the effect of severity of fading and the amount of residual self‐interference (RSI) on the performance of FDR are also studied. In addition, MC simulations are carried out to validate the results. It is observed that the performance metrics, OP and BER, are highly dependent on the severity of fading and the amount of RSI. Furthermore, it is found that typically at the SNR of 10 dB, an improvement of approximately 27.6%in OP is obtained. Also, our work offers appreciable SNR gain, for example, for a BER of 10−2, an SNR improvement of around 11 dB is achieved. These findings have been compared with the mixed Rayleigh–Rician fading channel conditions considering only half duplex(HD) mode. These parameter metrics are helpful in analyzing the performance of FD in various communication scenarios such as LoS/NLoS conditions and hence pave the way for more realistic FDR.
Long‐term dynamics of species diversity in natural secondary forest stands after severe windthrow damage
Authors: Anzai Nobuhito , Shibuya Masato , Saito Hideyuki , Miyamoto Toshizumi
Published: July 2023

Species diversity encompasses both richness and evenness, but the interrelationship between these two aspects remains poorly understood. The long‐term dynamics of species diversity were examined in three natural secondary forests in Hokkaido, northern Japan, using permanent plot data gathered over 65–66 years after severe windthrow damage. The relationships among species diversity, species richness, and evenness were analyzed in the context of stand dynamics. Temporal trends in species diversity were unimodal‐shaped in three permanent plots, consistent with the pattern predicted by the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Species richness and evenness increased following the windthrow, but decreased 27–37 years later in all three plots. In two plots, species diversity was closely associated with species richness and evenness at the early and late successional stages, respectively; in the other plot, species diversity was significantly related to both species richness and evenness in the later stage. The former two plots and the latter one plots differed markedly in terms of the extents of fatal tree damage caused by windthrow. Thus, windthrow severity affected the relationships among diversity, richness, and evenness as succession proceeded in these secondary forests. The tree density, species richness, evenness, and species diversity in all three plots decreased when the basal areas exceeded 18–24 m2/ha, indicating that increased competition among trees affected the temporal trends in these metrics. In conclusion, after a severe disturbance, the relationships among species diversity, richness, and evenness in secondary forests change with succession.
Accessing Dihydropyrrolo[3,4‐b]indol‐1(2H)‐ones via Pd‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Aminocarbonylative Ring Closure
Authors: Alam Ryan M. , Keating John J.
Published: July 2023

Present in a number of small molecule derivatives that display a wide range of biological activities, the dihydropyrrolo[3,4‐b]indol‐(2H)‐one (DHPI) core represents an underexplored heterocyclic scaffold. Given the pharmaceutical potential of the DHPI motif, the development of synthetic methodologies that permit their expedient assembly would be highly desirable. Herein, we describe a novel strategy for the construction of the DHPI core from 3‐iodo‐1H‐indolyl substrates, employing an unprecedented Pd‐catalyzed intramolecular aminocarbonylative ring closure. The compatibility of our optimized protocol with various functional groups is highlighted through the synthesis of a range of diversely substituted DHPI derivatives in up to 90 % isolated yield.
Predictors of referral for long‐term EEG monitoring for Medicare beneficiaries with drug‐resistant epilepsy
Authors: Hill Chloe E. , Lin Chun Chieh , Terman Samuel W. , Zahuranec Darin , Parent Jack M. , Skolarus Lesli E. , Burke James F.
Published: July 2023

Objective

For people with drug‐resistant epilepsy, the use of epilepsy surgery is low despite favorable odds of seizure freedom. To better understand surgery utilization, we explored factors associated with inpatient long‐term EEG monitoring (LTM), the first step of the presurgical pathway.

Methods

Using 2001–2018 Medicare files, we identified patients with incident drug‐resistant epilepsy using validated criteria of ≥2 distinct antiseizure medication (ASM) prescriptions and ≥1 drug‐resistant epilepsy encounter among patients with ≥2 years pre‐ and ≥1 year post‐diagnosis Medicare enrollment. We used multilevel logistic regression to evaluate associations between LTM and patient, provider, and geographic factors. We then analyzed neurologist‐diagnosed patients to further evaluate provider/environmental characteristics.

Results

Of 12 044 patients with incident drug‐resistant epilepsy diagnosis identified, 2% underwent surgery. Most (68%) were diagnosed by a neurologist. In total, 19% underwent LTM near/after drug‐resistant epilepsy diagnosis; another 4% only underwent LTM much prior to diagnosis. Patient factors most strongly predicting LTM were age <65 (adjusted odds ratio 1.5 [95% confidence interval 1.3–1.8]), focal epilepsy (1.6 [1.4–1.9]), psychogenic non‐epileptic spells diagnosis (1.6 [1.1–2.5]) prior hospitalization (1.7, [1.5–2]), and epilepsy center proximity (1.6 [1.3–1.9]). Additional predictors included female gender, Medicare/Medicaid non‐dual eligibility, certain comorbidities, physician specialties, regional neurologist density, and prior LTM. Among neurologist‐diagnosed patients, neurologist <10 years from graduation, near an epilepsy center, or epilepsy‐specialized increased LTM likelihood (1.5 [1.3–1.9], 2.1 [1.8–2.5], 2.6 [2.1–3.1], respectively). In this model, 37% of variation in LTM completion near/after diagnosis was explained by individual neurologist practice and/or environment rather than measurable patient factors (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.37).

Significance

A small proportion of Medicare beneficiaries with drug‐resistant epilepsy completed LTM, a proxy for epilepsy surgery referral. While some patient factors and access measures predicted LTM, non‐patient factors explained a sizable proportion of variance in LTM completion. To increase surgery utilization, these data suggest initiatives targeting better support of neurologist referral.
Healthy lifestyles in relation to cardiometabolic diseases among schoolteachers: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Huang Liyan , He Mengjie , Shen Jie , Gong Yiying , Chen Hui , Xu Xiaolin , Zong Geng , Zheng Yan , Jiang Chao , Wang Baohong , Zhang Ronghua , Yuan Changzheng
Published: July 2023

Background

We aimed to explore the associations of adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle with cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) among schoolteachers in China.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis among 2983 teachers (aged 39.8 ± 9.3 years, 73.8% women) in Zhejiang Province, China. A healthy lifestyle score (0–7) was constructed based on seven low‐risk factors: healthy diet, noncurrent smoking, noncurrent drinking, regular exercise, normal body mass index (BMI), adequate sleep duration, and limited sedentary behavior. CMDs included self‐reported hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Multivariable‐adjusted logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between healthy lifestyle and CMD.

Results

A total of 493 (16.5%) participants had at least one CMD, with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes being the three leading CMDs. Each point increment in a healthy lifestyle score was associated with 20% lower odds of having CMD (p‐trend < 0.001). Compared with 0–3 low‐risk factors, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 0.66 (0.50–0.88) for 4 low‐risk factors and 0.51 (0.39–0.67) for 5–7 low‐risk factors. We observed independent associations for normal BMI (OR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.40–0.63), noncurrent drinking (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.36–0.77), and limited sedentary behavior (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.62–0.96) in relation to CMD. Healthy diet (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.55–1.01) exhibited marginally significant association with CMD.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle is associated with lower odds of CMD among schoolteachers.
The effect of hospital spending on waiting times
Authors: Brindley Callum , Lomas James , Siciliani Luigi
Published: July 2023

Long waiting times have been a persistent policy issue in the United Kingdom that the COVID‐19 pandemic has exacerbated. This study analyses the causal effect of hospital spending on waiting times in England using a first‐differences panel approach and an instrumental variable strategy to deal with residual concerns for endogeneity. We use data from 2014 to 2019 on waiting times from general practitioner referral to treatment (RTT) measured at the level of local purchasers (known as Clinical Commissioning Groups). We find that increases in hospital spending by local purchasers of 1% reduce median RTT waiting time for patients whose pathway ends with a hospital admission (admitted pathway) by 0.6 days but the effect is not statistically significant at 5% level (only at the 10% level). We also find that higher hospital spending does not affect the RTT waiting time for patients whose pathway ends with a specialist consultation (non‐admitted pathway). Nor does higher spending have a statistically significant effect on the volume of elective activity for either pathway. Our findings suggest that higher spending is no guarantee of higher volumes and lower waiting times, and that additional mechanisms need to be put in place to ensure that increased spending benefits elective patients.
Condenser performance in a cylindrical humidification and dehumidification (HDH) system
Authors: Saha Parnab , Bihani Raghav , Abedi Mahyar , Tan Xu , Klausner James , Benard Andre
Published: July 2023

In recent years, humidification and dehumidification (HDH) systems have garnered significant attention due to their enhanced effectiveness with packed beds, particularly for high‐salinity waters. The direct‐contact packed beds HDH system offers a more convenient and efficient installation compared with conventional HDH systems. This paper introduces a novel, compact cylindrical crossflow HDH system design that is easily constructed and scalable for industrial and residential applications. The compact crossflow‐packed bed condenser employs perforated air tubes to distribute humidified air radially while cooling water drips vertically through the packed bed, coming into direct contact with the humidified air. To evaluate the system's performance, two‐dimensional steady‐state energy, and mass conservation equations were developed solving enthalpies instead of temperatures as dependents. The coupled partial differential equations were numerically solved to predict water temperature, air/vapor temperature, humidity ratio, and condenser effectiveness. Multiple designs were proposed, demonstrating that the proposed configuration can achieve effectiveness above 0.80 and a water production rate of 3.85 g/s under ideal operating conditions.
Identification and treatment of iron‐deficiency anemia in pregnancy and postpartum: A systematic review and quality appraisal of guidelines using AGREE II
Authors: Mintsopoulos Victoria , Tannenbaum Evan , Malinowski A. Kinga , Shehata Nadine , Walker Melissa
Published: July 2023

Background

Several international guidelines provide recommendations for the optimal management of iron‐deficiency anemia (IDA) in the pregnant and postpartum populations.

Objectives

To review the quality of guidelines containing recommendations for the identification and treatment of IDA in pregnancy and postpartum using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument and to summarize their recommendations.

Search Strategy

PubMed, Medline, and Embase databases were searched from inception to August 2, 2021. A web engine search was also performed.

Selection Criteria

Clinical practice guidelines that focused on the management of IDA in pregnancy and/or postpartum populations were included.

Data Collection and Analysis

Included guidelines were appraised using AGREE II independently by two reviewers. Domain scores greater than 70% were considered high‐quality. Overall scores of six or seven (out of a possible seven) were considered high‐quality guidelines. Recommendations on IDA management were extracted and summarized.

Main Results

Of 2887 citations, 16 guidelines were included. Only six (37.5%) guidelines were deemed high‐quality and were recommended by the reviewers. All 16 (100%) guidelines discussed the management of IDA in pregnancy, and 10 (62.5%) also included information on the management of IDA in the postpartum period.

Conclusions

The complex interplay of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities was rarely addressed, which limits the generalizability of the recommendations. In addition, many guidelines failed to identify barriers to implementation, strategies to improve uptake or iron treatment, and resource and cost implications of clinical recommendations. These findings highlight important areas to target future work.
Isoliensinine augments the therapeutic potential of paclitaxel in multidrug‐resistant colon cancer stem cells and induced mitochondria‐mediated cell death
Authors: Manogaran Prasath , Anandan Aparna , Vijaya Padma Viswanadha
Published: July 2023

Previously we have reported the isoliensinine (ISO) potentates the therapeutic potential of cisplatin in cisplatin resistant colorectal cancer stem cells. The present study evaluates the chemo‐sensitizing potential of the combinatorial regimen of ISO and Paclitaxcel (PTX) on multidrug‐resistant (MDR)‐HCT‐15 cells to reduce the dose requirement of both ISO and PTX. The results of the present study suggest that treatment with the combinatorial regimen of ISO and PTX enhanced the cytotoxic effect with resultant increase in apoptosis in MDR‐HCT‐15 cells as evident from the altered cellular morphology, G2/M cell cycle arrest, propidium iodide uptake, Annexin V, increased intracellular Ca2+accumulation, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, diminished ATP production, PARP‐1 cleavage, altered expression of ERK1/2, and apoptotic proteins. Treatment with combinatorial regimen of ISO and PTX also modulated the expression of the transcription factors SOX2, OCT4 which determine the stemness of cancer cells. Thus, results of the present study suggest that ISO and PTX combination regimen induces apoptosis in MDR‐HCT‐15 in a synergistic manner.
Measures of trauma exposure and trauma response: A scoping review
Authors: Tolchin Gabrielle , Aafjes‐van Doorn Katie , Horne Sarah , Baitch Rachel , Silberschatz George
Published: July 2023

Background

In contrast to the vast clinical, theoretical, and empirical literature on the impact of trauma, relatively few studies have reviewed the trauma measures that researchers and clinicians can choose to use in their work. This scoping review aimed to catalog all trauma measures (trauma exposure and its subjective responses) that have been published in the peer‐reviewed literature, developed for use with adult populations.

Method

Through a systematic search of the literature and the screening of 19,631 abstracts, a total of 363 unique trauma measures were identified.

Result

Most of these measures were developed for assessment purposes rather than for clinical screening or diagnostic purposes. Most of these measures are patient‐self‐report measures that assess trauma exposure in the patients' lifetime, or subsequent symptoms, particularly cognitive impairments.

Discussion

Complications in the trauma literature are highlighted, including the use of very similar abbreviations of measures, substantial discrepancies regarding the definition of trauma, and the general assumption that a potentially traumatic event inevitably leads to traumatic distress rather than a path of resilience.
Enhancing anti‐biofouling property by incorporating graphene oxide‐silver nanocomposite into polycaprolactone membrane for ultrafiltration application
Authors: Sepehri Elnaz , Mousavi Seyed Mahmoud , Saljoughi Ehsan , Bahreini Masoumeh , Doaei Marjan , Kiani Shirin
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

The control of biofouling is crucial in the membrane separation process. In the present study, graphene oxide‐silver (GO‐Ag) nanocomposite was fabricated and incorporated into polycaprolactone (PCL) membrane for the first time to increase its antibacterial properties and reduce its biofouling. Characterization of GO‐Ag nanocomposite was done by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The PCL/GO‐Ag membranes were also characterized by XRD, attenuated total reflectance Fourier‐transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), porosity determination, water contact angle measurement, and tensile test. Furthermore, pure water flux (PWF) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection of the membranes were evaluated. Finally, the antibacterial activity of membranes was investigated by diffusion inhibition zone test and plate count of colony‐forming units.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that Ag nanoparticles were formed on the GO surfaces. In addition, membranes incorporated with the GO‐Ag nanocomposite were more hydrophilic, more porous, and more permeable to pure water while showing a lower protein rejection in the filtration of a BSA solution. Adding the GO‐Ag nanocomposite to the PCL membrane increased the inhibition effect against bacteria. The colony counting method confirmed that PCL/GO‐Ag membranes had higher antibacterial properties than the pure PCL membrane, and the PCL/1.8% GO‐Ag membrane represented the maximum antibacterial efficiency of 90% and 98% against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Overall, by the incorporation of GO‐Ag nanocomposite into the PCL membrane, PWF and antibacterial property were augmented, while protein rejection dropped. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
The Association of Metabolic Brain MRI, Amyloid PET, and Clinical Factors: A Study of Alzheimer's Disease and Normal Controls From the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies Dataset
Authors: Matsushita Shu , Tatekawa Hiroyuki , Ueda Daiju , Takita Hirotaka , Horiuchi Daisuke , Tsukamoto Taro , Shimono Taro , Miki Yukio
Published: July 2023

Background

Although brain activities in Alzheimer's disease (AD) might be evaluated MRI and PET, the relationships between brain temperature (BT), the index of diffusivity along the perivascular space (ALPS index), and amyloid deposition in the cerebral cortex are still unclear.

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between metabolic imaging measurements and clinical information in patients with AD and normal controls (NCs).

Study Type

Retrospective analysis of a prospective dataset.

Population

58 participants (78.3 ± 6.8 years; 30 female): 29 AD patients and 29 age‐ and sex‐matched NCs from the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies dataset.

Field Strength/Sequence

3T; T1‐weighted magnetization‐prepared rapid gradient‐echo, diffusion tensor imaging with 64 directions, and dynamic 18F‐florbetapir PET.

Assessment

Imaging metrics were compared between AD and NCs. These included BT calculated by the diffusivity of the lateral ventricles, ALPS index that reflects the glymphatic system, the mean standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) of amyloid PET in the cerebral cortex and clinical information, such as age, sex, and MMSE.

Statistical Tests

Pearson's or Spearman's correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. P values <0.05 were defined as statistically significant.

Results

Significant positive correlations were found between BT and ALPS index (r = 0.44 for NCs), while significant negative correlations were found between age and ALPS index (rs = −0.43 for AD and − 0.47 for NCs). The SUVR of amyloid PET was not significantly associated with BT (P = 0.81 for AD and 0.21 for NCs) or ALPS index (P = 0.10 for AD and 0.52 for NCs). In the multiple regression analysis, age was significantly associated with BT, while age, sex, and presence of AD were significantly associated with the ALPS index.

Data Conclusion

Impairment of the glymphatic system measured using MRI was associated with lower BT and aging.

Level of Evidence

3

Technical Efficacy Stage

1
Finite element method study on VLF propagation in the fine Earth‐ionosphere waveguide
Authors: Liu Bing , Baraya Jamilu T. , Zhang Shitian , Wang Maoyan , Nemati Samira , Yu Mengxia , Li Guiping , Xu Jun , Zhang Xiaochuan , Liu Yu , Li Hailong
Published: July 2023

A fast and highly efficient frequency‐domain finite element method (FEM) is developed to simulate propagation characteristics of very low frequency (VLF) waves in the fine Earth‐ionosphere waveguide structure containing the transition period between day and night. The FEM is accelerated by embedding the GPU‐based parallel LU factorization method. We present an approach for determining the waveguide structure with the VLF transmitter and receiver locations. After validating the method, effects of the time‐ and location‐varying electric density on the amplitude and phase of the VLF wave are investigated. The electric density of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) is revised by coupling with the solar zenith angle. Numerical results simulated using the revised IRI model show excellent agreement with the measured data for the VLF wave from Novosibirsk to Qingdao. This work provides a promising way to research VLF electromagnetic properties of the Earth‐ionosphere waveguide and improve the prediction accuracy of VLF navigation and communication.
Psychological distress and physical activity behaviors among parents and caregivers during different COVID‐19 restriction periods: Secondary analysis of the Active Kids voucher program evaluation
Authors: Foley Bridget C. , Reece Lindsey J. , Rose Catriona , Rosenbaum Simon , Owen Katherine B.
Published: July 2023

Parents and caregivers who participate in regular physical activity have improved physical and mental health and can influence the physical activity behaviors of children in their care. This study aimed to assess the association between psychological distress and physical activity levels of parents/caregivers in New South Wales, Australia during different COVID‐19 restriction periods. A repeat‐cross‐sectional design was adopted. Parents/caregivers involved in a government‐led children's sport and recreation voucher program were recruited to participate in an online survey as part of the program's evaluation. In response to COVID‐19, parents and caregivers' psychological distress and physical activity levels were assessed using validated items. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between physical activity and probable mental illness, and differences across different COVID‐19 restriction periods in 2020 and 2021. In 2020, 10,990 parents/caregivers responded to survey questions and in 2021, 17,106 parents/caregivers responded. Parents/caregivers who were physically active on 7 days per week had lower odds of reporting high psychological distress (odds ratio [OR]: 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CIs]: 0.33, 0.49) than parents/caregivers physically active on fewer days per week. In 2020 9.8% of parents/caregivers (n = 1076) reported high psychological distress, which decreased to 8% in 2021 (n = 1366). In 2021, parents/caregivers had lower odds of reporting high psychological distress (OR: 0.79, 95% CIs: 0.72, 0.86). Socioeconomic disadvantage negatively impacted psychological distress and physical activity levels. Australian parents and caregivers who reported high psychological distress, during and after COVID‐19 restrictions, were participating in low levels of physical activity. Greater collaboration between the mental health, and sport and recreation sectors is recommended to harness the co‐benefits of physical activity throughout parenthood, particularly in low socioeconomic areas.
On the influence of soil flexibility in structural topology optimization
Authors: Cortez R. , Sivapuram R. , Barros P. L. A. , Labaki J. , Picelli R.
Published: July 2023

This paper investigates for the first time the effect of soil flexibility in structural topology optimization. The case of a structure resting on an underlying soil is explored. The response of the soil is modeled using the Indirect Boundary Element Method (IBEM). The structure is modeled using Finite Element Method (FEM) and the soil domain is coupled by imposing continuity and equilibrium conditions at the soil‐structure interface. Original soil stress influence functions are derived to model voids in the soil. The optimization is carried out by using the Topology Optimization of Binary Structures (TOBS), a recently developed method that employs sequential integer linear programming and the branch‐and‐cut algorithm. Structural compliance minimization subject to a volume constraint is solved. Selected optimization problems are solved for various soil‐to‐structure flexibility ratios. Results show that the soil flexibility may have a significant impact in both the optimized topology and in the achievable compliance of the structure. Results considering voids on the soil, which increases the soil flexibility, affected the final topology of the structures as well as the optimized values.
Multiscale modeling of linear elastic heterogeneous structures via localized model order reduction
Authors: Diercks Philipp , Veroy Karen , Robens‐Radermacher Annika , Unger Jörg F.
Published: July 2023

In this article, a methodology for fine scale modeling of large scale linear elastic structures is proposed, which combines the variational multiscale method, domain decomposition and model order reduction. The influence of the fine scale on the coarse scale is modeled by the use of an additive split of the displacement field, addressing applications without a clear scale separation. Local reduced spaces are constructed by solving an oversampling problem with random boundary conditions. Herein, we inform the boundary conditions by a global reduced problem and compare our approach using physically meaningful correlated samples with existing approaches using uncorrelated samples. The local spaces are designed such that the local contribution of each subdomain can be coupled in a conforming way, which also preserves the sparsity pattern of standard finite element assembly procedures. Several numerical experiments show the accuracy and efficiency of the method, as well as its potential to reduce the size of the local spaces and the number of training samples compared to the uncorrelated sampling.
Quantifying the importance of urban trees to people and nature through tree removal experiments
Authors: Ordóñez Camilo , Threlfall Caragh G. , Kendal Dave , Baumann Jess , Sonkkila Cherese , Hochuli Dieter F. , van der Ree Rodney , Fuller Richard A. , Davern Melanie , Herzog Kelly , English Alex , Livesley Stephen J.
Published: July 2023

Experimentally manipulating urban tree abundance and structure can help explore the complex and reciprocal interactions among people, biodiversity and the services urban forests provide to humans and wildlife.

In this study we take advantage of scheduled urban tree removals to experimentally quantify the benefits that urban trees provide to humans and wildlife. Specifically, we aim to understand how trees affect: (1) bird and mammal abundance and diversity, as well as an ecological process (predation); and (2) people's perception responses, such as the importance that people assign to the trees, wildlife and the site.

We designed two independent Before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) experiments based on two sites where tree removals were occurring (impact sites): an urban park and a residential street, both located in the Greater Melbourne Area, Australia. We selected three control sites for each impact site, or four per experiment. Ecological data were collected through field surveys, and social data on people's perceptions through intercept questionnaires among park and street users. Data were analysed using a GLMMs to determine the combined effect of time (before and after) and treatment (impact and controls).

At the urban park, the abundance of nectarivorous birds and possums both declined by 62% following tree removal, while invertebrate predation increased by 82.1%. The level of importance people assigned to the urban park and to the trees at the site decreased after tree removal, and people's attitudes towards tree planting became more positive, meaning more people wanted to plant more trees at the site.

None of these changes were observed in the street experiment where fewer and smaller trees were removed, suggesting that effects may be highly specific to context, where factors such as tree volume, diversity and arrangement influence the magnitude of social–ecological effects observed.

By demonstrating the social–ecological effect of removing urban trees, we provide evidence that urban trees provide critical habitat to urban wildlife and are perceived as an important aspect of the human experience of urban nature.

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Analysis and modeling of the mechanical behavior of the compaction process of flexible guided 3D weaving
Authors: Du Wudi , Shan Zhongde , Liu Feng , Wu Xiaochuan , Zou Guisheng
Published: July 2023

The preform presents viscoelastic behaviors during the compaction process of flexible guided 3D weaving. The compaction process directly affects the structure of the 3D preform and significantly impacts composite properties. Thus, a viscoelastic model to describe the 3D preform viscoelastic compaction behaviors and a compaction structure model to analyze the causes of the mechanical behavior of the compaction process are originally proposed. The 3D preform compaction experiments with different section area, different number of layers, and different guide structure ratio were conducted to verify the viscoelastic model and the compaction structure model and obtain the influence law on the mechanical behavior. The viscoelastic model can well capture the stress and strain evolution. The compaction structure model can analyze the main structural factors affecting the behavior of compaction mechanical behavior. This work provides a new approach to studying the mechanical behavior in the 3D preform manufacturing process.
Compressive performance of 3D printed fault‐tolerant polymer lattice structures
Authors: Ye Wenguang , Dou Hao , Zhang Dinghua , Cheng Yunyong , Yang Fuqiang , Rudykh Stephan
Published: July 2023

The sudden macroscopic damage to the structure is one of the main factors affecting its safe service. This paper investigates the compressive performance of a fault‐tolerant polymer lattice structure prepared by stereolithography apparatus. The lattice structure comprises hexagonal and rhombohedral lattices with varying thicknesses. The quasi‐static compression experiment results show that bi‐lattice has better fault tolerance than single rhombohedral lattice or pure triangular lattice. Compared with the low stiffness of the rhombohedral lattice and the abrupt fracture of the triangular lattice, the bi‐lattice possesses excellent stiffness and substantial deformation capability. When a thinner beam breaks, the thicker beam impedes the transmission of damage, resulting in even dispersion of damage throughout the structure. Consequently, the overall structure remains intact, and its carrying capacity is maintained. This advantage of damage tolerance before macro fracture is significant for the design and safe operation of structures.
Antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant activities of Pistacia atlantica: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of preclinical studies
Authors: Choghakhori Razieh , Abbasnezhad Amir , Yazdi Mohammad , Ahmadvand Hassan
Published: July 2023

To determine the pharmaceutical applications, we assessed the evidence from preclinical studies about the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant potential of Pistacia atlantica (PA) as a natural source for prevention and treatment of diabetes. A comprehensive literature search of the articles published until March 12, 2022 was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Web of Sciences, and Scopus databases, using relevant keywords. This meta‐analysis included 12 articles that examined the blood glucose (BG), insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). A random‐effects model was used to estimate the pooled effect size. Findings indicated that PA supplementation significantly decreased BG, HOMA‐IR, TC, TG, and MDA, and increased insulin and SOD in diabetic animals compared with control group (p < .05). However, PA supplementation had no significant effects on HDL‐C (p > .05). The subgroup analysis also confirmed the beneficial effect of PA supplementation with longer duration (>4 weeks) and higher doses (≥100 mg/kg/day) as well as in the extract type. The studies have heterogeneity associated with methodological diversity and there were some concerns about the risk of bias, especially about randomization and blind outcome assessment. This meta‐analysis provided convincing evidence for antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant activity of PA in animals. Further high‐quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plant.
Cryptotanshinone alleviates radiation‐induced lung fibrosis via modulation of gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism
Authors: Li Zhanhong , Shen Yunheng , Xin Jiayun , Xu Xike , Ding Qianqian , Chen Wei , Wang Jie , Lv Yanhui , Wei Xintong , Wei Yanping , Zhang Weidong , Zu Xianpeng , Wang Shumei
Published: July 2023

Cryptotanshinone (CPT), a major biological active ingredient extracted from root of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), has shown several pharmacological activities. However, the effect of CPT on radiation‐induced lung fibrosis (RILF) is unknown. In this study, we explored the protective effects of CPT on RILF from gut‐lung axis angle, specifically focusing on the bile acid (BA)‐gut microbiota axis. We found that CPT could inhibit the process of epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and suppress inflammation to reduce the deposition of extracellular matrix in lung fibrosis in mice induced by radiation. In addition, 16S rDNA gene sequencing and BAs‐targeted metabolomics analysis demonstrated that CPT could improve the dysbiosis of gut microbiota and BA metabolites in RILF mice. CPT significantly enriched the proportion of the beneficial genera Enterorhabdus and Akkermansia, and depleted that of Erysipelatoclostridium, which were correlated with increased intestinal levels of several farnesoid X receptor (FXR) natural agonists, such as deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid, activating the FXR pathway. Taken together, these results suggested that CPT can regulate radiation‐induced disruption of gut microbiota and BAs metabolism of mice, and reduce the radiation‐induced lung inflammation and fibrosis. Thus, CPT may be a promising drug candidate for treating RILF.
A discussion on the relativistic corrections of the electronic structures of multi‐electron atoms
Authors: Nanni Luca
Published: July 2023

The theory of special relativity is a topic not addressed in theoretical chemistry courses. Einstein's theory of relativity is mainly applied to high‐energy phenomena governed by physical laws not used to describe the chemical bond. Nevertheless, the electrons of heavy elements orbit around the nucleus with relativistic velocities. Here it is, then, the laws that appeared so unusual for chemistry became fundamental tools for investigating the properties of these atoms. Studying the electronic structure of heavy elements is the best place for chemists to learn to tame the pitfalls of a little‐known subject, such as Einstein's theory, and become familiar with its elegant formalism. In this paper, the main relativistic approaches to quantum chemistry are revisited. The problem of the finite nuclear size, the approximation methods used to solve the relativistic equations for k‐shell electrons, and the problem of the negative energy continuum are investigated. Some ansatzes to solve divergence's problem of relativistic corrections near the nucleus are proposed. Finally, a possible connection between the self‐consistent field method and bondonic chemistry is also investigated.
Highly efficient H2S capture using pentagonal B2C monolayer: A periodic DFT study
Authors: Rahimi Rezvan , Solimannejad Mohammad
Published: July 2023

The adsorption and storage properties of the chalcogenide H2S gas by pentagonal B2C nanosheet (penta‐B2C) have been explored utilizing periodic density functional theory. The present results disclose that pristine penta‐B2C nanosheet can take up eight H2S molecules with an H2S capture capacity of 50.28 wt%. Average adsorption energy values for the 1H2S/penta‐B2C, 2H2S/penta‐B2C, 3H2S/penta‐B2C, 4H2S/penta‐B2C, and 8H2S/penta‐B2C complexes are −0.876, −0.808, −0.725, −0.721, and −0.535 eV, respectively. The band structure and the total and partial density of states analyses displayed the reduction in the band gap of the penta‐B2C nanosheet after H2S adsorption of about 13%–25%. Hirshfeld charge analysis reports the charge transfer from the H2S molecules toward the penta‐B2C sheet. As the number of the adsorbed H2S molecules increases, the amount of charge transferred increases. The molecular dynamics (MD) calculations results for the pristine penta‐B2C nanosheet and ultimate 8H2S/penta‐B2C complex confirm their thermal stability at 300 K. Based on the reported analysis, penta‐B2C nanosheet can be introduced as an investible substrate for efficient H2S capture and storage.