bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neural connections of the torus semicircularis in the adult Zebrafish
Authors: Yáñez Julián , Eguiguren Maider Hernández , Anadón Ramón
Published: January 2024

The torus semicircularis (TS) of teleosts is a key midbrain center of the lateral line and acoustic sensory systems. To characterize the TS in adult zebrafish, we studied their connections using the carbocyanine tracers applied to the TS and to other related nuclei and tracts. Two main TS nuclei, central and ventrolateral, were differentiable by their afferent connections. From central TS, (TSc) numerous toropetal cells were labeled bilaterally in several primary octaval nuclei (anterior, magnocellular, descending, and posterior octaval nuclei), in the secondary octaval nucleus, in the caudal octavolateralis nucleus, and in the perilemniscular region. In the midbrain, numerous toropetal cells were labeled in the contralateral TSc. In the diencephalon, toropetal cells labeled from the TSc were observed ipsilaterally in the medial prethalamic nucleus and the periventricular posterior tubercle nucleus. TSc toropetal neurons were also labeled bilaterally in the hypothalamic anterior tuberal nucleus (ATN) and ipsilaterally in the parvicellular preoptic nucleus but not in the telencephalon. Tracer application to the medial octavolateralis nucleus revealed contralateral projections to the ventrolateral TS (TSvl), whereas tracer application to the secondary octaval nucleus labeled fibers bilaterally in TSc and neurons in rostral TSc. The TSc sends ascending fibers to the ipsilateral lateral preglomerular region that, in turn, projects to the pallium. Application of DiI to the optic tectum labeled cells and fibers in the TSvl, whereas application of DiI to the ATN labeled cells and fibers in the TSc. These results reveal that the TSvl and TSc are mainly related with the mechanosensory lateral line and acoustic centers, respectively, and that they show different higher order connections.
Protein Deceleration and Sequencing Using Si3N4‐CNT Hybrid Nanopores
Authors: Si Wei , Zhang Zhen , Chen Jiayi , Wu Gensheng , Zhang Yin , Sha Jingjie
Published: January 2024

Protein sequencing is crucial for understanding the complex mechanisms driving biological functions and is of utmost importance in molecular diagnostics and medication development. Nanopores have become an effective tool for single molecule sensing, however, the weak charge and non‐uniform charge distribution of protein make capturing and sensing very challenging, which poses a significant obstacle to the development of nanopore‐based protein sequencing. In this study, to facilitate capturing of the unfolded protein, highly charged peptide was employed in our simulations, we found that the velocity of unfolded peptide translocating through a hybrid nanopore composed of silicon nitride membrane and carbon nanotube is much slower compared to bare silicon nitride nanopore, it is due to the significant interaction between amino acids and the surface of carbon nanotube. Moreover, by introducing variations in the charge states at the boundaries of carbon nanotube nanopores, the competition and combination of the electrophoretic and electroosmotic flows through the nanopores could be controlled, we then successfully regulated the translocation velocity of unfolded proteins through the hybrid nanopores. The proposed hybrid nanopore effectively retards the translocation velocity of protein through it, facilitates the acquisition of ample information for accurate amino acid identification.
An ab Initio Study of High‐Energetic Trioxatriazinane Derivatives: Conformational Analysis, Nitrogen Inversion, Heats of Formation, Dissociation Reaction, and Dimerization
Authors: Alkorta Ibon , Elguero José
Published: January 2024

High‐energetic materials belong to two main classes: propellants and explosives. The still rather unexplored family of 1,3,5,2,4,6‐trioxatriazinanes, N3O3R3, has a representative of each class. We have selected three compounds, R = H, R = CH3 and R = NO2, this last compound being known as TNTOTA, “trinitro‐trioxa‐triazinane”. Of these compounds we have studied the conformational analysis, the nitrogen inversion, the heats of formation, and the dissociation reaction into the three monomers. In addition, the corresponding 1,3,2,4‐dioxadiazetidines (N2O2R2) have also been studied.
Identification of Core‐Fucosylated Glycoproteins by Single‐Step Truncation of N‐Glycans
Authors: Min Yao , Zhao Xinyuan , Ying Wantao
Published: January 2024

Alpha‐1,6 core fucosylation (CF) is a unique glycoform of N‐glycans, and studies showed that CF modifications are involved in the occurrence and progression of various diseases and may provide potential disease biomarkers. Current strategies for the CF glycoproteome are often based on multistep enrichment of glycoproteins or glycopeptides and sequential cleavage with different glycosidases to truncate the N‐glycans. Although the detection ability of low‐abundance glycoproteins is improved, sample loss, high cost, and the time‐consuming multistep operation also affect the reproducibility of results and the practicality of the method. Here we developed a single‐step truncation (SST) strategy and evaluated its potential for the CF glycoproteome of human serum. The SST strategy has the advantages of fewer operational steps, lower cost, higher number of identifications, and better quantitative stability compared with previous approaches and provides an efficient solution for large‐scale quantitative analysis of the CF glycoproteome. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Single‐step truncation strategy for core fucosylation glycoproteome analysis in human serum

Basic Protocol 2: Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry quantification of site‐specific core fucosylation glycopeptides

Alternate Protocol: Pretreatment of cellular samples of core fucosylation glycoproteome with single‐step truncation strategy
A broadband low‐loss SPDT RF switch using a new off‐chip compensation technology
Authors: Gong Tingwei , Cheng Zhiqun , Le Chao , Xuan Xuefei , Zhang Zhiwei , Zheng Bangjie , Qian Tianle
Published: January 2024

An off‐chip compensation technology for low‐loss and broadband characteristics of radio frequency (RF) switches is proposed based on mathematical analysis of series shunt single pole double throws switches in this letter. This compensation technology can absorb the parasitic parameters of the switch Field Effect Transistor, improving the insertion loss and return loss of the switch as well as supporting higher bandwidth. To verify the design principle, a RF switch, using the SANAN GaAs 0.15 um pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistors (pHEMT) process, and an off‐chip compensation network were designed and implemented. Specifically, after using an off‐chip compensation network, the measured bandwidth of switch has been expanded from 1.1–8.8 to 0.8–11 GHz, while the input and output return loss have also improved significantly.
Seismic experiments and shear resistance prediction of multi‐celled corrugated‐plate CFST walls
Authors: Tong Jingzhong , Zhang Jiaming , Yu Chaoqun , Tong Genshu , Li Qinghua , Xu Shilang
Published: January 2024

Multi‐celled corrugated‐plate CFST walls (MC‐CFST walls) are innovative composite members for load bearing and energy dissipation. The corrugated steel plates effectively enhance the confinement capacity of the infilled concrete and reduce steel consumption. In this study, the seismic behavior of MC‐CFST walls was investigated through experimental, numerical, and theoretical analyses. Eight specimens were designed considering different key parameters, including the width and depth of the corrugated cell, the amplitude of the corrugated steel plate, and the type of boundary columns. These specimens were tested under axial compression and horizontal cyclic loading. The test results indicated that MC‐CFST walls exhibited excellent energy dissipation capacity and ductility. Specimens with boundary columns exhibited shear failure modes, while those without boundary columns exhibited flexural failure modes. Increasing the width of the corrugated cell or reducing the effective depth of the composite wall had a significant negative impact on its seismic performance. Subsequently, the finite element (FE) model was established and verified against experimental results. Finally, based on the full‐sectional plasticity assumption and the superposition principle, theoretical formulas for predicting the compression‐bending and shear capacities of MC‐CFST walls were proposed and validated against experimental data. The results showed that both theoretical formulas could effectively and accurately predict the shear resistance of MC‐CFST walls, providing valuable references for practical designs.
Development of hybrid heuristic‐assisted dynamic data auditing strategy in cloud sector
Authors: Aruna K. B. , Arunachalaperumal C.
Published: January 2024

Cloud computing is performed by hosting the data of data owners on cloud servers, where the data consumers (users) are able to get the data over servers. Though, several security aspects are raised during cloud storage regarding the data availability and data integrity. On the other hand, a novel scheme of data hosting services is introduced owing to data outsourcing which also raises additional security problems. In addition, several methods are presented by taking either “identity‐based cryptography (IBC) or public key infrastructure (PKI).” Hence, a secure and effective dynamic data auditing scheme is preferable for convincing data owners to ensure precise data storage in the cloud. This paper focuses on implementing a new hybrid heuristic‐assisted strategy for managing cloud storage with the help of efficient auditing schemes. This paper tries to optimize the data structures in the cloud storage with a new improved hybrid differential evolution‐teamwork optimization algorithm (HED‐TOA) with the integration of the teamwork optimization algorithm (TOA) and differential evolution (DE) algorithms. It aims to alleviate the problems raised during the dynamic data update operations including “insert, modify, delete, and append.” This improved HED‐TOA help in performing the data auditing. This model overcomes the problem of modifications occurring in the data structure while doing the dynamic data update operations and thus, it ensures efficient data auditing and data management in cloud computing. This work considers the aim of reducing computation as well as communication costs during the data storage process in the cloud. The performance estimation demonstrates that there is considerable contrast between the traditional methods and the proposed technique in terms of the communication and computation cost on the cloud and auditor.
Study of spatial temperature features of road tunnel fires under multiple factors
Authors: Sun Jianchun , Yang Keqing , Liang Kun , Zhang Min
Published: January 2024

After a highway tunnel fire, the rapid change of the internal ambient temperature directly affects the personal safety of pedestrians. Based mainly on the lateral possibility of fire location and considering the coupling effect of multiple factors in a two‐lane highway tunnel, this study systematically carried out 63 full‐size tunnel fire simulation studies relying on Fluent software. The smoke temperature distribution patterns in the transverse and longitudinal spaces of the tunnel after the fire were revealed. This study shows that the smoke temperature below the tunnel vault is susceptible to the effect of sidewall restraint, making the maximum temperature of the tunnel vault of the offset fire source large; considering the lateral location of the fire source, the maximum temperature prediction formula of the tunnel vault is modified to expose the change law of the longitudinal temperature decay of the vault. This paper reveals for the first time the law of temperature distribution changes at the characteristic height of the human eye on the evacuation platform in the tunnel; the systematic study of the fire source cross‐sectional temperature distribution changes at the key lining structure points, and it is found that a low‐temperature space conducive to personnel escape exists in the lower part of the tunnel away from the fire source side. The results of the study are beneficial to the design of safe evacuation paths in the tunnel and the active emergency evacuation of personnel in the near‐fire source area.
Agroforestry systems in Nepal: Enhancing food security and rural livelihoods – a comprehensive review
Authors: Ghimire Manisha , Khanal Ashish , Bhatt Deepa , Dahal DhirajDatta , Giri Suja
Published: January 2024

Agroforestry in Nepal is a multifaceted and sustainable approach that harmonizes agricultural, environmental, and socioeconomic goals. This study conducted a comprehensive review of agroforestry systems in Nepal, emphasizing their impact on food security, rural livelihoods, and environmental sustainability. By bridging research gaps and highlighting environmental advantages, it provides valuable insights for evidence‐based policymaking, making it a significant resource for Nepal and beyond. The study employed a comprehensive desktop review methodology using a PRISMA Flow Diagram for data collection and utilized academic databases to include literature related to agroforestry practices, their impacts, and associated socioeconomic and environmental aspects. Agroforestry systems in Nepal offer a comprehensive approach to sustainable agriculture, economic empowerment, and environmental conservation while enhancing resilience to climate change. While these systems provide multiple benefits, including enhanced soil quality and increased carbon sequestration, they also face challenges related to technical knowledge and market access. To fully harness the potential of agroforestry and address food (SDG 2), and energy security, and land degradation, bridging the gap between researchers and farmers, promoting information dissemination, and establishing support mechanisms are essential. Aligning with government strategies and international initiatives can pave the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future for Nepal's rural communities and environment.
Stock movement prediction: A multi‐input LSTM approach
Authors: Tang Pan , Tang Cheng , Wang Keren
Published: January 2024

Generally, the nonlinear and non‐stationary financial time series becomes an obstacle in the process of stock movement prediction. But the recent theories of machine learning and deep learning have provided with some new solutions. Based on LSTM (long short‐term memory), we propose a hybrid model of wavelet transform (WT) and multi‐input LSTM to predict the trend of SSE composite index. It can mine valid data in time series and support different types of data as input. The whole model is divided into two stages. In the first stage, we adopt the level 1 decomposition with db4 mother wavelet to eliminate noise. In the second stage, combinative and qualitative analysis was made base on the data from Chinese stock market, US stock market, and technical indicators as input. According to the result, the proposed model, with the accuracy of 72.19%, performs better than single‐input LSTM, decision tree, random forest, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and XGBoost.
Sinapic acid modulates oxidative stress and metabolic disturbances to attenuate ovarian fibrosis in letrozole‐induced polycystic ovary syndrome SD rats
Authors: Lan Huan , Dong Zhe‐Wen , Zhang Ming‐Yu , Li Wan‐Ying , Chong Chao‐Jie , Wu Ya‐Qi , Wang Zi‐Xian , Liu Jun‐Yang , Liu Zhi‐Qiang , Qin Xiao‐Hui , Jiang Tie‐Min , Song Jia‐Le
Published: January 2024

Sinapic acid (SA) is renowned for its many pharmacological activities as a polyphenolic compound. The cause of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a commonly encountered array of metabolic and hormonal abnormalities in females, has yet to be determined. The present experiment was performed to evaluate the antifibrotic properties of SA in rats with letrozole‐induced PCOS‐related ovarian fibrosis. SA treatment successfully mitigated the changes induced by letrozole in body weight (BW) (p < .01) and relative ovary weight (p < .05). Histological observation revealed that SA reduced the number of atretic and cystic follicles (AFs) and (CFs) (p < .01), as well as ovarian fibrosis, in PCOS rats. Additionally, SA treatment impacted the serum levels of sex hormones in PCOS rats. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) levels were decreased (p < .01, p < .05), and follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were increased (p < .05). SA administration also decreased triglyceride (TG) (p < .01) and total cholesterol (TC) levels (p < .05) and increased high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) levels (p < .01), thereby alleviating letrozole‐induced metabolic dysfunction in PCOS rats. Furthermore, SA treatment targeted insulin resistance (IR) and increased the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of antioxidant enzymes in the ovaries of PCOS rats. Finally, SA treatment enhanced the activity of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ), reduced the activation of transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1)/Smads, and decreased collagen I, α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) levels in the ovaries of PCOS rats. These observations suggest that SA significantly ameliorates metabolic dysfunction and oxidative stress and ultimately reduces ovarian fibrosis in rats with letrozole‐induced PCOS.
Safety and outcome of three‐dimensional transoral videolaryngoscopic surgery
Authors: Ebisumoto Koji , Sakai Akihiro , Iijima Hiroaki , Maki Daisuke , Yamauchi Mayu , Saito Kosuke , Kaneda Shoji , Teramura Takanobu , Watanabe Takane , Inagi Toshihide , Yanagiya Ryoko , Yamazaki Aritomo , Ashida Hiroshi , Ota Yoshiyuki , Sato Yurina , Yamamoto Ai , Kobayashi Naoya , Okami Kenji
Published: January 2024

Background

Transoral videolaryngoscopic surgery (TOVS) is widely used in Japan, and conventional two‐dimensional (2D) endoscopic methods have been established. Three‐dimensional (3D) endoscopic surgery offers superior distance perception because it provides stereoscopic views. Recently, we have developed 3D endoscopy for TOVS (3D TOVS).

Methods

This study included 46 patients with pharyngeal cancer who underwent 3D TOVS. The perioperative complications and survival curves were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

One patient with oropharyngeal cancer who underwent neck dissection and transoral resection simultaneously experienced postoperative hemorrhage of the neck. Another patient with oropharyngeal cancer underwent hemostasis for postoperative pharyngeal hemorrhage. There was one case of aspiration pneumonia. One patient developed cervical lymph node recurrence; however, there was no local recurrence or primary mortality. The 2‐year overall survival, disease‐specific survival, local control rates, locoregional control rate, and invasive disease‐free survival were 90.9%, 100%, 100%, 97.4%, and 79.9%, respectively.

Conclusions

Three‐dimensional endoscopy can be safely applied to TOVS.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and red blood cell indices association in pediatrics patients with fever and cough: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Pourfridoni Mohammad , Farhadi Rad Hamidreza , Mirzaee Faezeh , Abbasnia Seyede Mahsa , Nikvarz Mehran , Sharifi Elham , Shafiei Shohreh , Baghcheghi Yousef , Amiri Domari Asma , Askarpour Hedyeh
Published: January 2024

Background and Aims

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is an essential inflammatory marker in treating some patients, particularly children. The level of ESR can be affected by red blood cell (RBC) indices, and not considering this can complicate the interpretation of ESR and the treatment and follow‐up of patients. The study aimed to assess the association between ESR and RBC indices in children hospitalized with fever and cough in the pediatric ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Jiroft, in 2023.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted to measure the association between ESR and RBC indices in children hospitalized with fever and cough in the pediatric ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Jiroft, in 2023. A total of 156 patients participated in the study. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis.

Results

The mean age of participants was 27.26 ± 3.14 months. The results showed that there is a significant negative correlation between ESR and RBC, r = −0.282 (p < 0.001), and ESR and hematocrit (HCT), r = −0.215 (p = 0.007). Also, the results demonstrated that there is a significant positive correlation between ESR and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), r = 0.159 (p = 0.048), ESR and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), r = 0.214 (p = 0.007), and ESR and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), r = 0.209 (p = 0.009). There was a negative correlation between ESR and hemoglobin (Hb), r = −0.98 (p = 0.225), but this correlation was insignificant.

Conclusion

This study showed an association between ESR and RBC indices in hospitalized children with complaints of fever and cough. So, it is necessary that physicians and treatment staff pay attention to the RBC indices while interpreting and following up the results of ESR to complete the treatment process of patients.
Implementation strategies of cervical cancer screening in South Asia: A systematic review
Authors: Sabeena Sasidharanpillai , Ravishankar Nagaraja , Kalpana MM
Published: January 2024

Background

Cervical cancer is a preventable cancer by screening, vaccination and timely management of preinvasive cervical lesions. However, about 90% of the global burden of cervical cancer is reported from developing countries.

Objective

This systematic review aimed to analyze the strategies implemented for cervical cancer screening in South Asia.

Search Strategy

An electronic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Google Scholar was carried out for articles published in English, evaluating the implementation of cervical cancer screening between December 2000 and June 2023 in South Asia using appropriate search terms.

Selection Criteria

Cross‐sectional studies, randomized control trials (RCTs) or non‐randomized controlled trials evaluating different cervical screening strategies were included.

Data Collection and Analysis

A three‐stage selection process was performed using a validated proforma including the title, author, year of publication, objective, country, study design, screening methods, strategies and outcomes, and results. The systematic review was designed based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The risk of bias was evaluated with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) Quality Assessment Tools.

Main Results

Out of the initial 1135 articles reviewed systematically, 23 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis of results. The implementation outcomes measured were acceptability (n = 23 100%), feasibility (n = 22, 95.7%), fidelity (n = 14, 60.9%), sustainability (n = 7, 30.4%), coverage (n = 4, 17.4%) and cost (n = 1, 4.3%).

Conclusion

Cervical cancer screening can be effectively implemented by restructuring the ongoing programs.
Two‐dimensional medical image segmentation based on U‐shaped structure
Authors: Cai Sijing , Xiao Yuwei , Wang Yanyu
Published: January 2024

With rapid developments in convolutional neural networks for image processing, deep learning methods based on pixel classification have been extensively applied in medical image segmentation. One popular strategy for such tasks is the encoder‐decoder‐based U‐Net architecture and its variants. Most segmentation methods based on fully convolutional networks will cause the loss of spatial and contextual information due to continuous pooling operations or strided convolution when decreasing image resolution, and make less use of contextual information and global information under different receptive fields. To overcome this shortcoming, this paper proposes a novel structure called RAAU‐Net. In our proposed RAAU‐Net structure, which is a modified U‐shaped architecture, we aim to capture high‐level information while preserving spatial information and focusing on the regions of interest. RAAU‐Net comprises three main components: a feature encoder module that utilizes a pre‐trained ResNet‐18 model as a fixed feature extractor, a multi‐receptive field extraction module that we developed, and a feature decoder module. We have tested our method on several 2D medical image segmentation tasks such as retinal nerve, breast tumor, skin lesion, lung, gland, and polyp segmentation. All the indexes of the model reached the best in the dataset of skin lesions, in which Accuracy, Precision, IoU, Recall, and Dice Score were 3.26%, 5.42%, 9.92%, 6.52%, and 5.95% higher than UNet.
Screening and experimental validation of diagnostic gene in ulcerative colitis with anti‐TNF‐α therapy
Authors: Chen Yuan , Li Xinfang , Sun Ran , Yang Fan , Tian Weiliang , Huang Qian
Published: January 2024

In clinical practice, the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) mainly relies on a comprehensive analysis of a series of signs and symptoms of patients. The current biomarkers for diagnosis of UC and prognostic prediction of anti‐TNF‐α therapy are inaccurate. The present study aimed to perform an integrative analysis of gene expression profiles in patients with UC. A total of seven datasets from the GEO database that met our strict inclusion criteria were included. After identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between UC patients and healthy individuals, the diagnostic and prognostic utility of the DEGs were then analyzed via least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and support‐vector machine recursive feature elimination. Subgroup analyses of the treated and untreated groups, as well as the treatment‐response group and non‐response group, were also performed. Furthermore, the relationship between the expressions of UC‐related genes and infiltration of immune cells in the course of treatment was also investigated. Immunohistochemical (IHC) assay was used to verify the gene expression in inflamed UC tissues. When considering all the applied methods, DUOX2, PI3, S100P, MMP7, and S100A8 had priority to be defined as the characteristic genes among DEGs. The area under curve (AUC) of the five genes, which were all consistently over‐expressed, based on an external validation dataset, were all above 0.94 for UC diagnosis. Four of the five genes (DUOX2, PI3, MMP7, and S100A8) were down‐regulated between treatment‐responsive and nonresponsive patients. A significant difference was also observed concerning the infiltration of immune cells, including macrophage and neutrophil, between the two groups (treatment responsive and nonresponsive). The changes in the expression of DUOX2 and MMP7 based on the IHC assay were highly consistent with the results obtained in the current study. This confirmed the mild to moderate diagnostic and predictive value of DUOX2 and MMP7 in patients with UC. The conducted analyses showed that the expression profile of the five identified biomarkers accurately detects UC, whereas four of the five genes evidently predicted the response to anti‐TNF‐α therapy.
Elevation of free triiodothyronine (fT3) levels by Plasmodium falciparum independent of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in children with uncomplicated malaria
Authors: Kwansa‐Bentum Henrietta , Aninagyei Enoch , Adedia David , Kortei Nii Korley , Agyemang Adjoa Boakye , Tettey Clement Okraku
Published: January 2024

Background

Malaria parasites have a devastating effect on the infected host. However, there is a paucity of data on the effect of Plasmodium falciparum on thyroid hormones.

Methods

This case–control study (1:1) involved children <16 years of age with uncomplicated malaria. Hematological parameters were determined using the URIT‐5380 hematology analyzer (China). Later, levels of thyroid hormones, namely free triiodothyronine (fT3), free tetraiodothyronine (fT4), and thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH), were determined using human ELISA kits (DiaSino ELISA kit, Zhengzhou, China).

Results

Ninety children with malaria and ninety matched control group were studied. Overall, compared to the control group, lower TSH (3.43 ± 1.25 vs. 3.84 ± 1.34, p = 0.035) and elevated levels of fT3 levels (5.85 ± 1.79 vs. 3.89 ± 1.19, p < 0.001) were observed in patients with malaria. However, fT4 levels were comparable between cases and control group (16.37 ± 2.81 vs 17.06 ± 3.5, p = 0.150). Free T3 levels were significantly higher in children <10 years (p < 0.001) and higher among male children with malaria (p < 0.001). Overall, there was a significant positive relationship between parasite counts and fT3 (R = 0.95, p < 0.001). Furthermore, body temperature was positively correlated with fT3 (R = 0.97, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Isolated fT3 thyrotoxicosis was observed in falciparum malaria, especially in children <10 years and male malaria patients, independent of TSH. This observation could explain the severity of malaria in children.
International Society for Extracellular Vesicles workshop. QuantitatEVs: Multiscale analyses, from bulk to single extracellular vesicle
Authors: Basso Manuela , Gori Alessandro , Nardella Caterina , Palviainen Mari , Holcar Marija , Sotiropoulos Ioannis , Bobis‐Wozowicz Sylwia , D'Agostino Vito G. , Casarotto Elena , Ciani Yari , Suetsugu Shiro , Gualerzi Alice , Martin‐Jaular Lorena , Boselli Daniela , Kashkanova Anna , Parisse Pietro , Lippens Lien , Pagliuca Martina , Blessing Martin , Frigerio Roberto , Fourniols Thibaut , Meliciano Ana , Fietta Anna , Fioretti Paolo Vincenzo , Soroczyńska Karolina , Picciolini Silvia , Salviano‐Silva Amanda , Bergese Paolo , Zocco Davide , Chiari Marcella , Jenster Guido , Waldron Levi , Milosavljevic Aleksandar , Nolan John , Monopoli Marco P. , Witwer Kenneth W. , Bussolati Benedetta , Di Vizio Dolores , Falcon Perez Juan , Lenassi Metka , Cretich Marina , Demichelis Francesca
Published: January 2024

The “QuantitatEVs: multiscale analyses, from bulk to single vesicle” workshop aimed to discuss quantitative strategies and harmonized wet and computational approaches toward the comprehensive analysis of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from bulk to single vesicle analyses with a special focus on emerging technologies. The workshop covered the key issues in the quantitative analysis of different EV‐associated molecular components and EV biophysical features, which are considered the core of EV‐associated biomarker discovery and validation for their clinical translation. The in‐person‐only workshop was held in Trento, Italy, from January 31st to February 2nd, 2023, and continued in Milan on February 3rd with “Next Generation EVs,” a satellite event dedicated to early career researchers (ECR). This report summarizes the main topics and outcomes of the workshop.
Fractal Analysis of Left Ventricular Trabeculae in Patients with End‐Stage Renal Disease: A Random Survival Tree Analysis
Authors: Zhang Tian‐yi , An Dong‐Aolei , Yan Hao , Wang Jieying , Zhou Hang , Chen Binghua , Lu Renhua , Fang Wei , Wang Qin , Che Xiajing , Huang Jiaying , Jin Haijiao , Shen Jianxiao , Zhou Yin , Mou Shan , Chen Jie , Fang Yan , Wu Lian‐Ming
Published: January 2024

Background

The complexity of left ventricular (LV) trabeculae is related to the prognosis of several cardiovascular diseases.

Purpose

To evaluate the prognostic value of LV trabecular complexity in patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD).

Study Type

Prospective outcome study.

Population

207 participants on maintenance dialysis, divided into development (160 patients from 2 centers) and external validation (47 patients from a third center) cohorts, and 72 healthy controls.

Field Strength

3.0T, steady‐state free precession (SSFP) and modified Look‐Locker imaging sequences.

Assessment

All participants had their trabecular complexity quantified by fractal analysis using cine SSFP images. Patients were followed up every 2 weeks until April 2023, or endpoint events happened. Random Forest (RF) and Cox regression models including age, diabetes, LV mass index, mean basal fractal dimension (FD), and left atrial volume index, were developed to predict major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Patients were divided into low‐ and high‐risk groups based on scores derived from the RF model and survival compared.

Statistical Tests

Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis; Kaplan–Meier survival analysis with log rank tests; Harrel's C‐index to assess model performance. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Fifty‐five patients (26.57%) experienced MACE during a median follow‐up time of 21.83 months. An increased mean basal FD (≥1.324) was associated with a significantly higher risk of MACE. The RF model (C‐index: 0.81) had significantly better discrimination than the Cox regression model (C‐index: 0.74). Participants of the external validation dataset classified into the high‐risk group had a hazard of experiencing MACE increased by 12.29 times compared to those in the low‐risk group.

Data Conclusion

LV basal FD was an independent predictor for MACE in patients with ESRD. Reliable risk stratification models could be generated based on LV basal FD and other MRI variables using RF analysis.

Level of Evidence

2

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adult with features of Kawasaki disease
Authors: Heng Li Wei , Ong Geraldine H. M. , Lee Oswald Z. J. , Liau MeiQi May
Published: January 2024

We present a case of a 21‐year‐old woman with fever (>38.0°C) for 5 days, mucocutaneous lesions and refractory hypotension requiring dual inotropic support. The only significant past medical history was an episode of COVID infection 4 months before admission. She was diagnosed to have multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adult (MIS‐A)—a relatively new entity which occurs as a severe complication in patients post‐COVID‐19 infection. This condition can present remarkably similarly to Kawasaki disease. Although the paediatric counterpart of MIS‐A typically occurs within 2–6 weeks post COVID‐19 infection, MIS‐A may occur up to 4 months post‐COVID‐19 infection. We wish to raise awareness of this rare entity, their similarities with Kawasaki disease and the importance of early initiation of intravenous immunoglobulin and high‐dose aspirin.
Patients who undergo tibial tubercle anteromedialization with medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction demonstrate similar rates of return to sport compared to isolated MPFL reconstruction
Authors: Li Zachary I. , Garra Sharif , Eskenazi Jordan , Montgomery Samuel R. , Triana Jairo , Hughes Andrew J. , Alaia Michael J. , Strauss Eric J. , Jazrawi Laith M. , Campbell Kirk A.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To investigate the rate of return to sports and sport psychological readiness between patients who underwent isolated MPFLR (iMPFLR) compared to a matched cohort of patients who underwent MPFLR with anteromedializing tibial tubercle osteotomy (MPFLR/TTO).

Methods

Patients who underwent primary MPFLR with or without TTO for recurrent patellar instability were retrospectively reviewed from 2012 to 2020 at a single institution. Preinjury sport and work information, Kujala, Tegner, Visual Analogue Score for pain, satisfaction and MPFL‐Return to Sport after Injury (MPFL‐RSI) score were collected. Two readers independently measured the tibial tuberosity‐trochlear groove distance, Caton–Deschamps index and Dejour classification for trochlear dysplasia. Patients in iMPFLR and MPFLR/TTO groups were matched 1:1 on age, sex, body mass index and follow‐up length. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine whether the MPFL‐RSI was associated with a return to sport.

Results

This study included 74 patients at mean follow‐up of 52.5 months (range: 24–117). These groups returned to sport at similar rates (iMPFLR: 67.6%, MPFLR/TTO: 73.0%, not significant [ns]), though iMPFLR patients returned more quickly (8.4 vs. 12.8 months, p = 0.019). Rates of return to preinjury sport level were also similar (45.9% vs. 40.5%, ns). Patients with Dejour B/C took more time to return to sport compared to patients with mild/no trochlear pathology (13.8 vs. 7.9 months, p = 0.003). Increasing MPFL‐RSI score was significantly predictive of the overall return to sport (odds ratio [OR]: 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.03, 1.13], p < 0.001) and return to preinjury level (OR: 1.07, 95% CI [1.04, 1.13], p < 0.001). Most patients in iMPFLR and MPFLR/TTO groups resumed work (95.7% vs. 88.5%, ns), though iMPFLR patients who returned to preinjury work levels did so more quickly (1.7 vs. 4.6 months, p = 0.005).

Conclusion

Patients who underwent MPFLR with anteromedializing TTO demonstrated similar rates of return to sport and psychological readiness compared to an isolated MPFLR matched comparison group, though iMPFLRs returned more quickly. Patients with more severe trochlear pathology required more time to return to sports.

Level of Evidence: Level III.
Tibia‐first, gap‐balanced patient‐specific alignment technique achieves well‐balanced gaps in 90% of cases by rebuilding bony anatomy within boundaries
Authors: Strauch Marco , Kaufmann Verena , Graichen Heiko
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Patient‐specific alignment (PSA) technique tries to achieve balanced gaps and simultaneously rebuild the individual bony phenotype. The hypothesis was: PSA technique achieves balanced knees in a high percentage with more anatomical resections than adjusted mechanical alignment (AMA).

Methods

Three hundred sixty‐seven patients underwent navigated total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with a tibia‐first gap‐balanced PSA technique. Resection boundaries for medial proximal tibia angle (MPTA) of 86–92°, mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA) of 86–92°, and hip‐knee‐ankle angle (HKA) of 175–185° were defined. Preoperative and intraoperative parameters of HKA, MPTA, mLDFA, and gap widths were recorded. Depending on the coronal deformity, the patients were divided into three groups: varus HKA < 178°; straight 178–182° and valgus HKA > 182°. The stability was analysed by assessing the difference between medial and lateral extension and flexion gaps as well as between flexion and extension gaps. All PSA measurements were compared with data from a previously published AMA series.

Results

PSA achieved balanced gaps in extension, flexion and between flexion/extension in over 90% of cases, being similar to AMA. In PSA, MPTA and mLDFA were restored within 1°, except in extreme varus (MPTA difference 2°) and valgus knees (mLDFA difference 3°). This was caused by the defined boundaries of the alignment technique. This individualised reconstruction led to significantly more anatomical resections of all tibia and femur resections.

Conclusion

A tibia‐first, gap‐balanced PSA technique achieves balanced joints in more than 90% of cases. By maintaining preoperative MPTA and mLDFA to a high extent, far more anatomical resections, compared to AMA were performed. Future studies need to be conducted to investigate whether those promising intraoperative results correlate with postoperative patient outcomes and whether patients outside the 5° corridor have higher failure rates.

Level of Evidence

Level III, retrospective cohort study.
Bronchoscopic Intervention for Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica: A Report of Two Cases
Authors: Wang Yue , Li Xiaoli , Zhang Jieli , Zhou Yunzhi
Published: January 2024

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is an uncommon non‐malignant tracheal ailment characterized by the existence of numerous bone and/or cartilage nodules in the submucosa of the trachea and bronchi. At present, there is a lack of standardized treatment recommendations for TO. This article presents two instances of severe tracheal stenosis caused by TO, which were effectively managed through the implementation of bronchoscopic stent placement and rigid bronchoscopy curettage, respectively. Both cases exhibited favorable outcomes, providing novel insights and references for the treatment of TO. Laryngoscope, 134:3093–3095, 2024
A regional learning health system of congregate care facilities for COVID‐19 response
Authors: Zafar Muhammad A. , Beck Andrew F. , Chirumbolo Chris , Wilson Ken D. , Haralson Kate , Rich Katherine , Margolis Peter , Hartley David
Published: January 2024

Introduction

The COVID‐19 pandemic disproportionately affected congregate care (CC) facilities due to communal living, presence of vulnerable populations, inadequate preventive resources, and limited ability to respond to the pandemic's rapidly evolving phases. Most facilities function independently and are not organized for collaborative learning and operations.

Methods

We formed a learning health system of CC facilities in our 14‐county metropolitan region, coordinated with public health and health care sectors, to address challenges driven by COVID‐19. A CC steering committee (SC) was formed that represented diverse institutions and viewpoints, including skilled nursing facilities, transitional care facilities, residential facilities, prisons, and shelters. The SC met regularly and was guided by situational awareness and systems thinking. A regional CC COVID‐19 dashboard was developed based on publicly available data and weekly data submitted by participating facilities. Those experiencing outbreaks or supply shortages were quickly identified. As the pandemic progressed, the role of the SC shifted to address new and forecasted needs.

Results

Over 60 facilities participated in data sharing. The SC shared new guidelines, regulations, educational material, and best practices with the participating facilities. Information about testing sites, supplies, vaccination rollout, and facilities that had the capacity to accept COVID‐19 patients was regularly disseminated. The SC was able to direct resources to those facilities experiencing outbreaks or supply shortages.

Conclusions

A novel learning health system of regional CC facilities enabled preparedness, situational awareness, collaboration, and rapid dissemination of best practices across pandemic phases. Such collaborative efforts can play an important role in addressing other public and preventive health challenges.
Chemorheological Kinetic Modeling of Uncatalyzed Hydroxyl‐Terminated Polybutadiene and Isophorone Diisocyanate
Authors: Reynolds John P. , Thompson Tiffany N. , Pritchard Cailean Q. , Schulz Michael D. , La Scala John J. , Bortner Michael J.
Published: January 2024

Catalysts are often employed to enable nonisothermal reaction kinetic studies when tracking cure progression of polyurethane reactions. However, when quickly reacting, catalyzed materials are prepared through mixing followed by the addition of fillers or additives, subsequent processing of the partially reacted material becomes difficult. Here, chemorheology is used to track changes in viscoelastic properties of uncatalyzed polybutadiene‐diisocyanate reactions for multiple days, which quantifies the degree of cure during polymerization. Viscosity profiles are accurately captured by the two‐stage Arrhenius model (r2>0.95), and conversion progress is adequately represented by the Kamal–Sourour model (r2>0.76). Transition state analysis via Wynne–Jones–Eyring–Evans theory (WJEE) reveals the presence of an associative mechanism according to entropic and enthalpic activation energies ΔS# = −96.9 J K−1 and ΔH# = 36.4 kJ, respectively. These rheokinetic modeling results align with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy findings. To the knowledge, no rheokinetic studies have tracked cure progress of this uncatalyzed system for the extended timeframe presented here. The cure profile also presents unique viscosity growth, representative of molecular weight buildup, compared to catalyzed systems. This finding emphasizes the novelty of applying previously developed chemorheological models to multiday thermosetting reactions within a flow field in a manner that is generalizable to many long‐term curing systems.
A 3.4–3.5 GHz mode‐reconfigurable power amplifier with high efficiency with load mismatch and back‐off
Authors: Hao Honggang , Li Bao , Cai Zhonglyu , Tang Pan , Zhan Zhongjie , Hu Yang
Published: January 2024

In this letter, a mode‐reconfigurable power amplifier (MRPA) is proposed to address the low efficiency in back‐off range and drastic impedance mismatch issues in 5G communications. The power amplifier based on a three‐branch reconfigurable quadrature coupler, capable of switching between two operating modes, Doherty and Balanced, while achieving excellent back‐off efficiency and resistance to load mismatch in 3.4–3.5 GHz band. The measured results of the proposed MRPA demonstrated a Psat of 43.5 dBm, a peak saturation drain efficiency (DE) of 64%–75%, and a 6 dB output back‐off DE of 48%–64%, and maintains a DE of more than 37% at voltage standing wave ratio = 2:1 mismatch level; at modulated wave amplification, the MRPA has an adjacent channel power leakage greater than 35 dBc in a 20 MHz 64‐QAM signal test and greater than 30 dBc in a 50 MHz 5G‐NR signal test.
Miniaturized wideband metasurface antenna loaded with H‐slot based on characteristic mode analysis
Authors: Zhang Shun , Yang Xue‐Song
Published: January 2024

An H‐slot loaded metasurface (MTS) structure has been developed for the purpose of constructing a miniaturized wideband metasurface antenna (MTSA). The MTS is composed of an array of 3 × 3 rectangular small metal patches, each of which is loaded with an H‐slot. The inclusion of the H‐slot significantly lengthens the current path on the small metal patch, resulting in a small antenna size. Since the direction of the effective total current does not change, the radiation performance of the antenna is almost unaffected. To excite the MTS resonance and generate a stable radiation pattern while decreasing the backward radiation, an L‐probe with an intact ground is employed. Characteristic mode analysis (CMA) is applied to reveal the miniaturization mechanism of the MTS and guide modal excitation. The prototype is fabricated and measured within a compact radiation aperture size of 0.35λ0 × 0.29λ0 (λ0 is the free‐space wavelength at the center operating frequency). The measured −10 dB impedance bandwidth is 20.16% (5.22–6.39 GHz), with a peak gain of 6.28 dBi and a front‐to‐back ratio is larger than 20 dB.
Study on rock block seismic sliding using three‐dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis
Authors: Lv Xinyang , Ning Youjun , Chen Dayong , Ni Kesong
Published: January 2024

The seismic sliding of rock masses is an important phenomenon that is widely involved in earthquake geological hazards. Practical seismic sliding is a three‐dimensional problem, namely, the seismic loads may act in any direction and the rock masses may move in an arbitrary direction relative to the sliding plane. In the present work, the functions of two different seismic loading methods, that is, loading as body force time histories to the sliders or as displacement time histories to the base, are added to the program of the three‐dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3D‐DDA) method that is based on the contact theory to study the seismic sliding of rock blocks. The theoretical solutions of single‐block sliding on an incline under the two seismic loading methods are derived. By comparing the 3D‐DDA results of single‐block seismic sliding with the corresponding theoretical results, and comparing the 3D‐DDA results of seismic sliding of three‐stacked‐blocks under the two seismic loading methods, the correctness of 3D‐DDA for seismic sliding simulations is validated. Thereafter, the influence of three‐dimensional seismic components on single‐block sliding, and the movement of block groups under different seismic load conditions are investigated by 3D‐DDA simulations, which indicate the importance to consider rock mass seismic sliding as a three‐dimensional problem and the capability of 3D‐DDA for its analysis. This work builds a meaningful basis for the further numerical simulation study on the earthquake‐induced rock mass movements by 3D‐DDA.