bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Opportunities for Systems Biology and Quantitative Systems Pharmacology to Address Knowledge Gaps for Drug Development in Pregnancy
Authors: Barrett Jeffrey S , Azer Karim
Published: June 2023

Pregnant women are still viewed as therapeutic orphans to the extent that they are avoided as participants in mainstream clinical trials and not considered a priority for targeted drug research despite the fact that many clinical conditions exist during pregnancy for which pharmacotherapy is warranted. Part of the challenge is the uncertain risk potential that pregnant women represent in the absence of timely and costly toxicology and developmental pharmacology studies, which only partly mitigate such risks. Even when clinical trials are conducted in pregnant women, they are often underpowered and absent biomarkers and exclude evaluation across multiple stages of pregnancy where relevant development risk could have been assessed. Quantitative systems pharmacology model development has been proposed as one solution to fill knowledge gaps, make earlier and perhaps more informed risk assessment, and design more informative trials with better recommendations for biomarker and end point selection including design and sample size optimality. Funding for translational research in pregnancy is limited but will fill some of these gaps, especially when joined with ongoing clinical trials in pregnancy that also fill certain knowledge gaps, especially biomarker and end point evaluation across pregnancy states linked to clinical outcomes. Opportunities exist for further advances in quantitative systems pharmacology model development with the inclusion of real‐world data sources and complimentary artificial intelligence/machine learning approaches. The successful coordination of the approach reliant on these new data sources will require commitments to share data and a diverse multidisciplinary group that seeks to develop open science models that benefit the entire research community, ensuring that such models can be used with high fidelity. New data opportunities and computational resources are highlighted in an effort to project how these efforts can move forward.
The effects of Spirulina platensis on behavior in adolescent rats fed a high‐fat diet
Authors: Usluel Gizem , Acikgoz Burcu , Dalkiran Bahar , Kiray Amac , Aksu Ilkay , Kiray Muge
Published: June 2023

In recent years, childhood overweight and obesity have become a universal public health problem. Obesity may lead to cognitive disorders, depression and anxiety by affecting neuronal processes. Spirulina platensis (SP), a species of microalgae from the Chlorophyceae green algae class, has neuroprotective effects and may reduce body weight. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of SP on behavior alongside the role of leptin and Sirtuin‐1 in fed with high‐fat diet (HFD) adolescent rats. Four‐week‐old Sprague Dawley male rats were divided into four groups: control, HFD, HFD + SP150 (150 mg/kg/day SP, orally), HFD + SP450 (450 mg/kg/day SP, orally). Rats except for the control group exposed to 60% HFD along 12 weeks. Last 6 weeks SP or vehicle administered. After the behavioral tests, leptin and Sirtuin‐1 levels in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus regions were evaluated. SP150 significantly reduced body weight compared with HFD group. The time spent in the center of open field increased significantly in SP150‐treated rats compared with HFD. SP150 and SP450 significantly decreased immobility time in forced swim test compared with HFD. Leptin levels in HFD group were significantly lower in prefrontal cortex compared to control group. Leptin levels of the HFD + SP450 group were significantly higher than HFD group in the hippocampus. There was no significant difference between groups in Sirtuin‐1 levels. In conclusion, SP supplementation in adolescence period might positively affect chronic high fat‐induced anxiety‐like and depressive‐like behavior by partially affecting brain leptin levels and without affecting Sirtuin‐1 levels.
Bad list assignments for non‐k $k$‐choosable k $k$‐chromatic graphs with 2k+2 $2k+2$‐vertices
Authors: Zhu Jialu , Zhu Xuding
Published: June 2023

It was conjectured by Ohba, and proved by Noel, Reed and Wu that ‐chromatic graphs with are chromatic‐choosable. This upper bound on is tight: if is even, then and are ‐chromatic graphs with vertices that are not chromatic‐choosable. It was proved by Zhu and Zhu that these are the only non‐‐choosable complete ‐partite graphs with vertices. For , a bad list assignment of is a ‐list assignment of such that is not ‐colourable. Bad list assignments for were characterized by Enomoto, Ohba, Ota and Sakamoto. In this paper, we first give a simpler proof of this result, and then we characterize bad list assignments for . Using these results, we characterize all non‐‐choosable ‐chromatic graphs with vertices.
Amino acid regulated citrus pectin‐based emulsion stability mediated by pH
Authors: Tian Guifang , Huo Man , Yang Xiaohan , Mao Kemin , Liu Xiaohan , Sang Yaxin , Li Jiangtao
Published: June 2023

Background

Citrus residuals are rich in nutrients like pectin, essential oil, and amino acids, which are wasted in the food industry. Moreover, citrus components often coexist with amino acids during emulsion preparation and application.

Results

Adding glutamic or arginine after emulsification resulted in a stable emulsion compared with adding them before emulsification. Adding glycine before or after emulsification had no effect on the emulsion stability. Emulsion stability was improved by adding glutamic acid at pH 6. Ionic interaction and hydrogen bonding were the main forms of bonding. The rhamnogalacturonan II domain was the potential binding site for the amino acids.

Conclusions

The emulsions prepared by adding acidic amino acids or basic amino acids after emulsification were stable relative to those in which the amino acids were added before emulsification. However, the order in which neutral amino acids were added did not affect the emulsion stability after storage for 7 days. With an increase in the pH level, droplet size increased and emulsion stability decreased. All the results could be attributed to changes in the structure and properties of citrus pectin, as well as the interaction between citrus pectin and amino acids. This study may expand the application of citrus‐derived emulsions in the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Data‐analysis method for hydrogen embrittlement tuning‐fork test
Authors: Pohjonen Aarne , Latypova Renata , Seppälä Oskari
Published: June 2023

A new data‐analysis method is proposed for processing time‐force data obtained from a recently developed novel tuning‐fork test that has been utilized in hydrogen embrittlement studies. The analysis method is based on the application of suitable functions that are shown to provide a good fit to the data. The fitted functions allow for the calculation of first‐ and second‐order time derivatives from the initially scattered data. The negative peaks of the second‐order derivatives of the fitted functions can be associated with the more sudden changes that could be observed in the experimental data. Since these sudden changes are expected to be related to the operation of the mechanisms at the microstructural level, the present analysis provides a potentially useful method for obtaining knowledge of the operation of these mechanisms.
Collocation methods based on barycentric rational interpolation for Volterra integro‐differential equations with weakly singular kernels
Authors: Zhao Zexiong , Huang Chengming
Published: June 2023

This paper is concerned with the numerical solution of Volterra integro‐differential equations with weakly singular kernels. A smoothing transformation is first used to convert the original equation to a new equation with better regularity. A collocation method based on barycentric rational interpolation is introduced. The convergence and supercovergence of the numerical solution are studied in detail. Some numerical results are illustrated to confirm the theoretical prediction of the rate of convergence and superconvergence.
Miniaturized tapered‐slot ultra‐wideband Vivaldi antenna for ice sounding radar
Authors: Won Hoyun , Hong Yang‐Ki , Choi Minyeong , Lee Woncheol , Taylor Drew , Chung Changhyun , Lee Joohan
Published: June 2023

This paper presents a novel high‐gain, miniaturized, and ultra‐wideband tapered‐slot Vivaldi antenna (TSVA) for ice‐sounding radar applications. To miniaturize the antenna and improve the impedance matching and antenna gain of conventional TSVA, tapered slot edge, circular cavity, rectangular cavity, inner circular patch, and rectangular slit structures are newly designed and introduced. The simulation results show that the size of the designed Vivaldi antenna is reduced by 15% and increases the peak realized gain by up to 5.1 dBi, compared to the conventional Vivaldi antenna. The optimized Vivaldi antenna was fabricated and characterized for its antenna performance. The simulated results are in good agreement with the measured results.
Validation of the presence of fast exchanging amineCESTeffect at low saturation powers and its influence on the quantification ofAPT
Authors: Sun Casey , Zhao Yu , Zu Zhongliang
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Accurately quantifying the amide proton transfer (APT) effect and the underlying exchange parameters is crucial for its applications, but previous studies have reported conflicting results. In these quantifications, the CEST effect from the fast exchange amine was always ignored because it was considered weak with low saturation powers. This paper aims to evaluate the influence of the fast exchange amine CEST on the quantification of APT at low saturation powers.

Methods

A quantification method with low and high saturation powers was used to distinguish APT from the fast exchange amine CEST effect. Simulations were conducted to assess the method's capability to separate APT from the fast exchange amine CEST effect. Animal experiments were performed to assess the relative contributions from the fast exchange amine and amide to CEST signals at 3.5 ppm. Three APT quantification methods, each with varying degrees of contamination from the fast exchange amine, were employed to process the animal data to assess the influence of the amine on the quantification of APT effect and the exchange parameters.

Results

The relative size of the fast exchange amine CEST effect to APT effect gradually increases with increasing saturation power. At 9.4 T, it increases from approximately 20% to 40% of APT effect with a saturation power increase from 0.25 to 1 μT.

Conclusion

The fast exchange amine CEST effect leads overestimation of APT effect, fitted amide concentration, and amide–water exchange rate, potentially contributing to the conflicting results reported in previous studies.
Experimental convergence rate study for three shock‐capturing schemes and development of highly accurate combined schemes
Authors: Chu Shaoshuai , Kovyrkina Olyana A. , Kurganov Alexander , Ostapenko Vladimir V.
Published: June 2023

We study experimental convergence rates of three shock‐capturing schemes for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws: the second‐order central‐upwind (CU) scheme, the third‐order Rusanov‐Burstein‐Mirin (RBM), and the fifth‐order alternative weighted essentially non‐oscillatory (A‐WENO) scheme. We use three imbedded grids to define the experimental pointwise, integral, and convergence rates. We apply the studied schemes to the shallow water equations and conduct their comprehensive numerical convergence study. We verify that while the studied schemes achieve their formal orders of accuracy on smooth solutions, after the shock formation, a part of the computed solutions is affected by shock propagation and both the pointwise and integral convergence rates reduce there. Moreover, while the convergence rates for the CU and A‐WENO schemes, which rely on nonlinear stabilization mechanisms, reduce to the first order, the RBM scheme, which utilizes a linear stabilization, is clearly second‐order accurate. Finally, relying on the conducted experimental convergence rate study, we develop two new combined schemes based on the RBM and either the CU or A‐WENO scheme. The obtained combined schemes can achieve the same high order of accuracy as the RBM scheme in the smooth areas while being non‐oscillatory near the shocks.
Carbon dots modified PANI nanocomposites in acrylic resin coatings for enhancing the anticorrosion and antifouling properties
Authors: Ren Xianyan , Wang Xinyuan , Yang Xin , Hu Ming , Xie Hai Hang , Wang Chao
Published: June 2023

Zero‐dimensional nitrogen‐doped carbon dots (N‐CDs) have been proved effective when introduced into the polymerization system of aniline as the hard template to synthesis small‐sized, monodisperse and highly conductive N‐CDs/PANI (N‐CDs/PANI) nanocomposites, which were then added into acrylic (AC) resin to produce coatings with excellent corrosion resistance and antifouling performances in this paper. Compared with the PANI, the N‐CDs/PANI did show remarkably improved anticorrosion and antifouling properties. The protection efficiency of the AC resin coating was increased by 5 times and to 57.3% with the addition of the N‐CDs/PANI, which is higher than that of the AC resin coating, about 37.0%, with the addition of the PANI. In addition, the AC resin coating containing N‐CDs/PANI exhibited additional antifouling properties with an algae inhibition rate of about 24.6%, since the redox property of the carbon dots could destroy the photosynthesis of microorganisms such as Chlorella. Furthermore, because that the N‐CDs/PANI had better dispersibility than PANI and could be more uniformly dispersed in the AC resin, the adhesion of the N‐CDs/PANI‐AC coating was better than that of the PANI‐AC coating.
Recent bioanalytical methods for the isolation of bioactive natural products from genus Codonopsis
Authors: Dar Alamgir A. , Abrol Vidushi , Singh Nasseb , Gashash Ebtesam A. , Dar Showket A.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Chromatography and spectroscopy are nowadays well‐validated techniques allowing to isolate and purify different class of natural products from the genus Codonopsis. Several categories of phytochemicals with drug like properties have been selectively extracted, isolated, characterised by this methodology.

Objectives

The present review aims to provide up‐to‐date and comprehensive information on the chromatography, phytochemistry and pharmacology of natural products of Codonopsis with an emphasis on the search for natural products having various biological activities and the semi‐synthetic derivatives of bioactive ones and to highlight current gaps in knowledge.

Materials and methods

A literature search was performed in the SciFinder Scholar, PubMed, Medline, and Scopus databases.

Results

During the period covered in this review, several classes of compounds have been reported from genus Codonopsis. Codonopsis pilosula and Codonopsis lanceolata are the most popular in the genus especially as per phytochemical and bioactive studies. Phytochemical investigation demonstrates that Codonopsis species contain mainly xanthones, flavonoids, alkaloids, polyacetylenes, phenylpropanoids, triterpenoids and polysaccharides, which contribute to numerous bioactivities. The major bioactive compounds isolated were used for semi‐synthetic modification to increase the chance to discover lead compound.

Conclusions

It can be concluded that genus Codonopsis has been used as traditional medicines and food materials around the world over years due to chemical constituents with diverse structural types, exhibiting extensive pharmacological activities in immune system, blood system, cardiovascular system, central nervous system, digestive system, and so forth, with almost no obvious toxicity and side effect. Therefore, Codonopsis can be used as a promising ethnopharmacological plant source.
High‐performance welding for safety‐relevant applications
Authors: Stumpp Barbara
Published: June 2023

Laser deposition welding helps to speed up the repair process and reduces costs. An important component for this is the new tracing technology from Laservorm, which records at exactly which point of the component which parameters have had what effect.
Real‐world analysis of metastatic prostate cancer demonstrates increased frequency of PSA‐imaging discordance with visceral metastases and upfront ARAT/docetaxel therapy
Authors: Hara Takuto , Terakawa Tomoaki , Okamura Yasuyoshi , Bando Yukari , Furukawa Junya , Harada Kenichi , Nakano Yuzo , Fujisawa Masato
Published: June 2023

Background

The objective of this study was to evaluate the background and treatment course of patients with metastatic prostate cancer (PC), with a particular focus on radiographic progression in the absence of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) progression.

Methods

The study population consisted of 229 patients with metastatic hormone‐sensitive PC (HSPC), who received prostate biopsy and androgen deprivation therapy at Kobe University Hospital between January 2008 and June 2022. Clinical characteristics were retrospectively evaluated using medical records. PSA progression‐free status was defined as ≤1.05 times greater than that from 3 months before. Multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model to identify parameters associated with time to progression on imaging without PSA elevation.

Results

A total of 227 patients with metastatic HSPC without neuroendocrine PC were identified. The median follow‐up period was 38.0 months, with a median overall survival of 94.9 months. Six patients exhibited disease progression on imaging without PSA elevation during HSPC treatment, three during first‐line castration‐resistant PC (CRPC) treatment, and two during late‐line CRPC treatment. The rate of disease progression without PSA elevation at 3 years after treatment initiation was 7.4%. Multivariate analysis revealed that organ metastases and upfront treatment with docetaxel or androgen receptor axis‐targeted therapy were independent prognostic factors for imaging progression without PSA elevation.

Conclusions

Disease progression on imaging without PSA elevation occurred not only during HSPC treatment and first‐line CRPC treatment, but also during late‐line CRPC treatment. Patients with visceral metastases or those treated with upfront androgen receptor axis‐targeted or docetaxel may be more prone to such progression.
QCM‐D Viscoelastic and Adhesion Monitoring Facilitate Label‐Free and Strain‐Selective Bacterial Discrimination
Authors: Yongabi Derick , Khorshid Mehran , Korbas Claire , Losada-Pèrez Patricia , Givanoudi Stella , Jooken Stijn , Ahmed Sadiq Faizan , Bartic Carmen , Wübbenhorst Michael , Heyndrickx Marc , Wagner Patrick
Published: June 2023

Discriminating bacterial adhesion profiles at strain‐specific level is crucial for simulating and predicting infections and persistence, as well as developing more efficient antibacterial therapies. Herein, it is proposed that label‐ and receptor‐free bacterial discrimination can be achieved by dynamic viscoelastic and adhesion monitoring over specified timescales using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM‐D). Using two closely related E. coli strains, ATCC 8739 and JM109(DE3), it is shown that their viscoelastic and adhesion properties evolve in time through strain‐specific profiles that are clearly distinguishable over a period of 3–4 h. In addition, the viscoelasticity of both E. coli strains shows a strong strain‐specific dependence on the medium ionic strength, allowing to further amplify the differences in the bacterial adhesion signatures. Furthermore, the viscoelastic and adhesion behaviors of the two E. coli strains with two additional bacteria, Citrobacter freundii and Serratia marcescens, are compared. For all four bacteria, distinct viscoelastic profiles and adhesion fingerprints emerge over similar timescales that allow to reliably discriminate the various bacteria. These results and similar studies on other bacteria might have pharmacological benefits, for instance, by highlighting the role of bacterial–substrate adhesion and viscoelastic properties on disease pathogenesis and persistence, toward developing more effective therapies.
An autonomous spraying robot architecture for sucker management in large‐scale hazelnut orchards
Authors: Lippi Martina , Santilli Matteo , Carpio Renzo Fabrizio , Maiolini Jacopo , Garone Emanuele , Cristofori Valerio , Gasparri Andrea
Published: June 2023

In this work, motivated by the precision agriculture (PA) paradigm, we address the problem of managing hazelnut suckering plants on a per‐plant basis in a large‐scale orchard. Suckering plants, or shortly, suckers, are basal shoots that grow at the base of a tree and compete with the tree itself for nutrients and water. Generally, in large‐scale orchards, suckers are treated with the application of herbicide through spraying tractors that continuously spray the crops while navigating the whole orchard. This approach however does not consider the individual needs of each plant and it is definitely not environmentally‐friendly since a lot of unnecessary solution is being drained in the soil. For this reason, we propose a novel fully autonomous sucker management architecture that is able to detect the presence of suckers for each plant, by relying on a You Only Look Once (YOLO)‐based recognition system, reconstruct them in three‐dimension and estimate the amount of herbicide solution needed for the specific plant, based on a data‐driven approach. The herbicide solution is applied using a ground robot equipped with an RGB‐D camera and a spraying system. This approach allows to significantly reduce pollution and waste. Experimental results both for individual components and for the entire architecture in a real‐world (1:1 scale) hazelnut orchard located in Caprarola, Italy, are provided to corroborate the proposed architecture.
Development of a 2D digital proton–proton scattering technique for hydrogen depth profiling
Authors: Biganeh Ali , Rafi‐Kheiri Hossein , Badri Mojtaba , Kakavand Tayeb , Jokar Alireza
Published: June 2023

Measuring hydrogen concentration and determining its depth profile in different substrates has always been a major challenge for material science. Proton–proton scattering is a nondestructive technique for hydrogen analysis in thin samples. In this paper, the development of a 2D coincidence proton–proton spectroscopy was performed using a 3 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator. In the presented technique, the coincidence recording of the proton–proton scattering events by a waveform digitizer provides the sum‐difference energy spectrum of the correlated events. By determining the proton energy loss in the sample, the hydrogen depth profile was extracted. To correct the error in the counting efficiency due to the multiple scattering, the Monte Carlo simulation was performed using the Corteo code. The performance of the technique was tested by measuring the concentration of hydrogen on both sides of a thin layer of aluminum. The results confirmed that the established technique is sensitive enough to separate the hydrogen peaks of these two thin layers.
Tuning Electronic State and Charge Transport in B←N‐Containing 2D Polymer Heterostructures with Efficient Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Wang Binbin , Wang Xiao , Wang Bingbing , Dong Chung‐Li , Huang Yu‐Cheng , Yang Mengfei , Liu Yiming , Zhu Yukun , Long Xiaojing , Yang Dongjiang , Xia Yanzhi
Published: June 2023

Linear‐conjugated polymers (LCPs) are excellent semiconductor photocatalysts. However, its inherent amorphous structures and simple electron transport channels restrict efficient photoexcited charge separation and transfer. Herein, “2D conjugated engineering” is employed to design high‐crystalline polymer photocatalysts with multichannel charge transport by introducing alkoxyphenyl sidechains. The electronic state structure and electron transport pathways of the LCPs are investigated using experimental and theoretical calculations. Consequently, the 2D B←N‐containing polymers (2DPBN) exhibit excellent photoelectric characteristics, which enable the efficient separation of electron–hole and rapidly transfer photogenerated carriers to the catalyst surface for efficient catalytic reactions. Significantly, the further hydrogen evolution of 2DPBN‐4F heterostructures can be achieved by increasing the fluorine content of the backbones. This study highlights that the rational design of LCP photocatalysts is an effective strategy to spur further interest in photofunctional polymer material applications.
Rebuilding relations and countering erasure through community‐driven and owned science: A key tool to Inuit self‐determination and social transformations
Authors: Tagalik Shirley , Baker Kukik , Karetak Joe , Rahm Jrène
Published: June 2023

This article explores the meaning of community‐driven and owned science in the context of an Inuit‐led land‐based program, the Young Hunters Program. It is the foundational program of the Arviat Aqqiumavvik Society, situated in Nunavut, Canada, a community‐led group dedicated to researching challenges to community wellness and designing and delivering programs to help address those challenges. We show how the program emerged locally and blends Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) with tools of western science in respectful ways given its core sits within and emerges from what Inuit have always known to be true. We offer a description of six dimensions inherent in Inuit cultural practices and beliefs and foundational to the program activities and show how they open up various learning trajectories and possibilities for the involved young people to engage in community science. We then discuss in what ways the revitalization of IKS and practices led to community science projects that were locally meaningful and empowering with important implications for scientific work that mattered in light of locally experienced and devastating climate change threats. The study speaks to the importance of rebuilding relations and decolonizing knowledge systems and science practices, two key tools to Inuit self‐determination and social transformations, and essential to achieving more social justice and equity in and beyond community science.
Allyl isothiocyanate inhibits cell migration and invasion in human gastric cancer AGS cells via affecting PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathway in vitro
Authors: Lin Tzu‐Shun , Huang Wan‐Nei , Yang Jiun‐Long , Peng Shu‐Fen , Liu Kuo‐Ching , Chen Jaw‐Chyun , Hsia Te‐Chun , Huang An‐Cheng
Published: June 2023

Metastasis is commonly occurred in gastric cancer, and it is caused and responsible for one of the major cancer‐related mortality in gastric cancer patients. Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a natural product, exhibits anticancer activities in human many cancer cells, including gastric cancer. However, no available report shows AITC inhibits gastric cancer cell metastasis. Herein, we evaluated the impact of AITC on cell migration and invasion of human gastric cancer AGS cells in vitro. AITC at 5–20 μM did not induce significant cell morphological damages observed by contrast‐phase microscopy but decreased cell viability assayed by flow cytometry. After AGS cells were further examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM), which indicated AITC affected cell membrane and morphology in AGS cells. AITC significantly suppressed cell motility examined by scratch wound healing assay. The results of the gelatin zymography assay revealed that AITC significantly suppressed the MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 activities. In addition, AITC suppressed cell migration and invasion were performed by transwell chamber assays at 24 h in AGS cells. Furthermore, AITC inhibited cell migration and invasion by affecting PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways in AGS cells. The decreased expressions of p‐AKTThr308, GRB2, and Vimentin in AGS cells also were confirmed by confocal laser microscopy. Our findings suggest that AITC may be an anti‐metastasis candidate for human gastric cancer treatment.
Acupuncture combined with ondansetron for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in high‐risk patients undergoing laparoscopic gynaecological surgery: A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Yan Shiyan , Xu Mingjun , Zou Xuan , Xiong Zhiyi , Li Hewen , Yang Jingwen , Cao Wenchao , Zhu Ziqiong , Liu Cunzhi
Published: June 2023

Background

Consensus guidelines recommend the use of multiple antiemetics as prophylaxis in patients at high risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), but the evidence regarding combining acupuncture and antiemetics as a multimodal approach was of very low quality.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the effect of combinations of acupuncture with ondansetron versus ondansetron alone for PONV prophylaxis in women at a high risk.

Methods

This parallel, randomised controlled trial was conducted in a tertiary hospital in China. Patients who had three or four PONV risk factors on the Apfel simplified risk score, undergoing elective laparoscopic gynaecological surgery for benign pathology, were recruited. Patients in the combination group received two sessions of acupuncture treatment and 8 mg intravenous ondansetron, whereas those in the ondansetron group received ondansetron alone. The primary outcome was the incidence of PONV within 24 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of postoperative nausea, postoperative vomiting, adverse events etc.

Results

Between January and July 2021, a total of 212 women were recruited, 91 patients in the combination group and 93 patients in the ondansetron group were included in the modified intention‐to‐treat analysis. In the first 24 h postoperatively, 44.0% of the patients in the combination group and 60.2% of the patients in the ondansetron group experienced nausea, vomiting, or both (difference, −16.3% [95% CI, −30.5 to −2.0]; risk ratio, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.55–0.97]; p = 0.03). However, the results of the secondary outcomes showed that compared to ondansetron alone, acupuncture together with ondansetron was only effective in reducing nausea but did not have a significant impact on vomiting. The incidence of adverse events was similar between the groups.

Conclusion

Acupuncture combined with ondansetron as a multimodal prophylaxis approach is more effective than ondansetron alone in preventing postoperative nausea in high‐risk patients.
Diagnosing and characterizing the mechanisms of biological phosphorus removal at the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) water resource recovery facility (WRRF)
Authors: Jun Changyoon , Norton John , Khan Majid , Wiley Catherine , Busch Andrea , Daigger Glen T.
Published: June 2023

Previous research has demonstrated that biological phosphorus removal (bio‐P) occurs in the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) water resource recovery facility (WRRF) high purity oxygen activated sludge (HPO‐AS) process, suggesting that sludge fermentation in the secondary clarifier sludge blanket is key to bio‐P occurrence. This study, combining batch reactor testing, the development of a process model for the HPO‐AS process using Sumo21 (Dynamita), and the analysis of eight and a half years of plant operating data, showed that bio‐P consistently occurs at the GLWA WRRF. This occurrence is attributed to the unique configuration of the HPO‐AS process, which has a relatively large secondary clarifier compared to the bioreactor, and the characteristics of the influent wastewater, primarily particulate matter with limited concentrations of dissolved biodegradable organic matter. The volatile fatty acids (VFAs) needed for polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) growth are produced in the secondary clarifier sludge blanket, which provides more than four times the anaerobic biomass inventory compared to the anaerobic zones in the bioreactor, thus facilitating bio‐P in the current system. Opportunities exist to further optimize the phosphorus removal performance of the HPO‐AS process and reduce the amount of ferric chloride used. These findings may be of interest to researchers investigating biological phosphorus removal in similar systems.

Practitioner Points

Fermentation in the clarifier sludge blanket an essential component of bio‐P process at this facility.

Results suggest simple adjustments to the system could lead to further improvements in bio‐P.

It is possible to decrease the use of chemical phosphorus removal methods (i.e., ferric chloride) while simultaneously increasing bio‐P.

Determining the phosphorus mass balance from sludge streams provides insight into evaluating the effectiveness of the phosphorus recovery system.
The inverse Mellin transform via analytic continuation
Authors: Behring A. , Blümlein J. , Schönwald K.
Published: June 2023

Abstract

We present a method to calculate thex-space expressions of massless or massive operator matrix elements in QCD and QED containing local composite operator insertions, depending on the discrete Mellin indexN, directly, without computing the Mellin-space expressions in explicit form analytically. HereNbelongs either to the even or odd positive integers. The method is based on the resummation of the operators into effective propagators and relies on an analytic continuation between two continuous variables. We apply it to iterated integrals as well as to the more general case of iterated non-iterative integrals, generalizing the former ones. Thex-space expressions are needed to derive the small-xbehaviour of the respective quantities, which usually cannot be accessed inN-space. We illustrate the method for different (iterated) alphabets, including non-iterative2F1and elliptic structures, as examples. These structures occur in different massless and massive three-loop calculations. Likewise the method applies even to the analytic closed form solutions of more general cases of differential equations which do not factorize into first-order factors.
A general algorithm to build real-radiation antenna functions for higher-order calculations
Authors: Braun-White Oscar , Glover Nigel , Preuss Christian T
Published: June 2023

Abstract

The antenna subtraction method has been successfully applied to a wide range of processes relevant for the Large Hadron Collider at next-to-next-to-leading order in αs (NNLO). We propose an algorithm for building antenna functions for any number of real emissions from an identified pair of hard radiator partons directly from a specified list of unresolved limits. We use the algorithm to explicitly build all single- and double-real QCD antenna functions and compare them to the previous antenna functions, which were extracted from matrix elements. The improved antenna functions should be more easily applicable to NNLO subtraction terms. Finally, we match the integration of the antenna functions over the final-final unresolved phase space to the previous incarnation, serving as an independent check on our results.
CP violation in a model with Higgs triplets
Authors: Chen Ting-Kuo , Chiang Cheng-Wei , Yagyu Kei
Published: June 2023

Abstract

We discuss CP-violation in a model with a real and a complex isospin triplet Higgs fields without introducing any symmetries except for the electroweak gauge symmetry. This corresponds to the minimal extension of the Higgs sector with the following properties: (i) providing new source of CP violation, (ii) absence of quark flavor changing neutral currents at tree level, and (iii) enabling the electroweak rho parameter to be unity at tree level in the scenario without imposing any new symmetries. Our model can be regarded as the generalized version of the Georgi-Machacek model, in which the global SU(2)L × SU(2)R symmetry is explicitly broken due to CP-violating terms in the potential. We present analytic formulas for theoretical constraints from perturbative unitarity and vacuum stability as well as contributions to the electron electric dipole moment (EDM) and the neutron EDM from all the Barr-Zee type diagrams. We then examine the parameter space allowed by the constraints mentioned above and also those from the uniqueness of the vacuum, measurements at Tevatron and LHC by using HEPfit to perform a global parameter fit. We find that the decays of the two lightest extra neutral (singly-charged) scalars, H1 and $$ {H}_2\left({H}_1^{\pm}\right) $$

H
2

H
1
±

, into hZ (WZ) can be significant at the same time under the constraints, which can serve as direct evidence of CP violation in our model, but not from models with multi-doublet extensions.
Comparative evaluation of different debonding and reconditioning methods for orthodontic ceramic brackets regarding effectiveness for reuse
Authors: Grosch Katharina , Meister Jörg , Raval Sanjay D. , Fouda Ahmed Mahmoud , Bourauel Christoph
Published: June 2023

Purpose

To investigate the reusability of ceramic brackets in terms of shear bond strength, friction behavior, slot dimension, fracture strength, and color stability.

Methods

A total of 90 conventionally debonded and 30 by an Er:YAG laser debonded ceramic brackets were collected. All the used brackets were inspected under a stereomicroscope at 18 × magnification and sorted according to their adhesive remnant index (ARI). Five groups were formed (n = 10): (1) new brackets as a control group, (2) flamed and sandblasted, (3) flamed and acid bathed, (4) laser-reconditioned, and (5) laser-debonded brackets. The bracket groups were tested regarding different properties such as shear bond strength, friction behavior, slot size, fracture strength, and color stability. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis (significance level: p < 0.05).

Results

Shear bond strength values of the acid reconditioned brackets were significantly lower (8.0 ± 3.1 MPa) compared to the control group (12.9 ± 2.9 MPa). Laser-reconditioned (32.8 ± 2.7%) and laser-debonded (30.9 ± 2.4%) brackets showed the lowest force loss due to friction (control group 38.3 ± 3.0%). No significant differences were observed between groups regarding slot size and fracture strength. All groups had color differences of

$${\Updelta E}_{ab}^{\mathrm{*}}$$

∆
E

a
b

*

< 10. Scanning electron microscope images and ARI scores indicated that most of the residues on the bracket bases were removed.

Conclusion

All reconditioning methods yielded adequate results regarding bracket properties. Yet, focusing on the need to protect the enamel and the bracket base, laser debonding seems to be the most suitable method for reconditioning ceramic brackets.
Patterns of computed tomography utilisation in injury management: latent classes approach using linked administrative data in Western Australia
Authors: Ha Ninh T. , Harris Mark , Bulsara Max , Doust Jenny , Kamarova Sviatlana , McRobbie Donald , O’Leary Peter , Parizel Paul M. , Slavotinek John , Wright Cameron , Youens David , Moorin Rachael
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Whilst computed tomography (CT) imaging has been a vital component of injury management, its increasing use has raised concern regarding ionising radiation exposure. This study aims to identify latent classes (underlying patterns) of CT use over a 3-year period following the incidence of injury and factors predicting the observed patterns.

Method

A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted in 21,544 individuals aged 18 + years presenting to emergency departments (ED) of four tertiary public hospitals with new injury in Western Australia. Mixture modelling approach was used to identify latent classes of CT use over a 3-year period post injury.

Results

Amongst injured people with at least one CT scan, three latent classes of CT use were identified including a: temporarily high CT use (46.4%); consistently high CT use (2.6%); and low CT use class (51.1%). Being 65 + years or older, having 3 + comorbidities, history with 3 + hospitalisations and history of CT use before injury were associated with consistently high use of CT. Injury to the head, neck, thorax or abdomen, being admitted to hospital after the injury and arriving to ED by ambulance were predictors for the temporarily high use class. Living in areas of higher socio-economic disadvantage was a unique factor associated with the low CT use class.

Conclusions

Instead of assuming a single pattern of CT use for all patients with injury, the advanced latent class modelling approach has provided more nuanced understanding of the underlying patterns of CT use that may be useful for developing targeted interventions.
Validierung innerklinischer Sichtungsalgorithmen für den Massenanfall von Verletzten – eine simulationsbasierte Studie – deutsche Version
Authors: Heller Axel R. , Neidel Tobias , Klotz Patrick J. , Solarek André , Kowalzik Barbara , Juncken Kathleen , Kleber Christan
Published: June 2023

Hintergrund

Die situationsbedingte Verknappung medizinischer Ressourcen endet bei einem Massenanfall von Verletzen (MANV) lageabhängig nicht mit dem Abtransport der Patienten von der Einsatzstelle. Folglich ist in den aufnehmenden Kliniken eine Eingangssichtung erforderlich. Ziel dieser Studie war es im ersten Schritt einen Referenz‐Patientenvignettensatz mit definierten Sichtungskategorien zu erstellen. Dies erlaubte im zweiten Schritt, die rechnergestützte Evaluation der diagnostischen Güte klinischer Sichtungsalgorithmen für MANV-Lagen.

Methodik

In einen mehrstufigen Bewertungsprozess durch zunächst sechs, später 36 Sichtungsexperten gingen 250 in der Übungspraxis validierte Fallvignetten ein. Diese Algorithmen – unabhängige Expertenbewertung aller Vignetten – dienten als Goldstandard für die Analyse der diagnostischen Güte der folgenden innerklinischen Algorithmen: Manchester Triage System (MTS Modul MANV), Emergency severity Index (ESI), Berliner Sichtungsalgorithmus (BER), die prähospitalen Algorithmen PRIOR und mSTaRT, sowie zwei Projektalgorithmen aus einer Kooperation des Bundesamts für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK) mit dem Haschemitischen Königreich Jordanien – innerklinischer jordanisch-deutscher Projektalgorithmus (JorD) und prähospitaler Sichtungsalgorithmus (PETRA).
Jede Patientenvignette durchlief computergestützt eine Sichtung durch alle angegeben Algorithmen, um vergleichend die Testgüte für alle Verfahren zu erheben.

Ergebnisse

Von den ursprünglich 250 Vignetten konnte eine Sichtungsreferenzdatenbank mit 210 Patientenvignetten algorithmenunabhängig validiert werden. Diese bildeten den Goldstandard für den Vergleich der analysierten Sichtungsalgorithmen. Die Sensitivitäten für die innerklinische Detektion von Patienten der Sichtungskategorie I lagen zwischen 1,0 (BER, JorD, PRIOR) und 0,57 (MANV-Modul MTS). Die Spezifitäten lagen zwischen 0,99 (MTS und PETRA) und 0,67 (PRIOR). Gemessen am Youden-Index ergab sich bei BER (0,89) und JorD (0,88) die beste Gesamtperformance für die Detektion von Patienten der Sichtungskategorie I. Eine Übertriage ist am ehesten bei PRIOR, eine Untertriage beim MANV-Modul von MTS zu erwarten. Bis zum Entscheid SK I benötigen die Algorithmen folgende Schrittanzahlen (Median [IQR]): ESI 1 [1–2]; JorD 1 [1–4]; PRIOR 3 [2–4]; BER 3 [2–6]; mSTaRT 3 [3–5]; MTS 4 [4–5]; PETRA 6 [6–8]. Für die SK II und III besteht ein positiver Zusammenhang zwischen der Schrittanzahl bis zum Entscheid und der Testgüte.

Schlussfolgerung

In der vorliegenden Studie konnte eine Übertragbarkeit prähospitaler algorithmenbasierter Vorsichtungsergebnisse auf die Ergebnisse klinischer Algorithmen gezeigt werden. Die höchste diagnostische Güte für die innerklinischen Sichtung lieferten BER und JorD, die allerdings auch die meisten Algorithmusschritte bis zum Entscheid benötigen.
Das biopsychosoziale Verständnis von Gesundheitsstörungen und Beeinträchtigungen bei Kindern mit Fokus auf entwicklungsneurologische Zusammenhänge
Authors: Thyen Ute , Spiegler Juliane , Konrad Kerstin
Published: June 2023

Die Unterscheidung von mentalen (geistigen und psychischen) und körperlichen Gesundheitsstörungen ist aufgrund der Besonderheiten der neurobiologischen Entwicklung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen besonders schwierig. In diesem Übersichtartikel werden zunächst die entwicklungsneurologischen Grundlagen kurz beschrieben. Anhand einiger angeborener oder früh erworbener neurologischer Erkrankungen wird dann aufgezeigt, in welch unterschiedlichem Maß dabei auch mentale Prozesse beeinträchtigt sein können, auch in Wechselwirkungen mit den sozialen Kontextfaktoren. Die Berücksichtigung dieser Aspekte spielt bei der kind- und familienorientierten Beratung und Begleitung eine wichtige Rolle. Das häufige, aber auch interindividuell sehr variable und im Lebenslauf fluktuierende gemeinsame Auftreten von körperlichen, geistigen und psychischen Entwicklungsstörungen verlangt nach einer guten interdisziplinären Kooperation zwischen konservativer und operativer Kinder- und Jugendmedizin und Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie.
Algebraicity of higher Green functions at a CM point
Authors: Li Yingkun
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we investigate the algebraic nature of the value of a higher Green function on an orthogonal Shimura variety at a single CM point. This is motivated by a conjecture of Gross and Zagier in the setting of higher Green functions on the product of two modular curves. In the process, we will study analogue of harmonic Maass forms in the setting of Hilbert modular forms, and obtain results concerning the arithmetic of their holomorphic part Fourier coefficients. As a consequence, we answer a question of Zagier in his 1986 ICM proceeding.
Transcription factors enhancing synthesis of recombinant proteins and resistance to stress in Yarrowia lipolytica
Authors: Gorczyca Maria , Nicaud Jean-Marc , Celińska Ewelina
Published: June 2023

Resistance to environmental stress and synthesis of recombinant proteins (r-Prots) are both complex, strongly interconnected biological traits relying on orchestrated contribution of multiple genes. This, in turn, makes their engineering a challenging task. One of the possible strategies is to modify the operation of transcription factors (TFs) associated with these complex traits. The aim of this study was to examine the potential implications of selected five TFs (HSF1-YALI0E13948g, GZF1-YALI0D20482g, CRF1-YALI0B08206g, SKN7-YALI0D14520g, and YAP-like-YALI0D07744g) in stress resistance and/or r-Prot synthesis in Yarrowia lipolytica. The selected TFs were over-expressed or deleted (OE/KO) in a host strain synthesizing a reporter r-Prot. The strains were subjected to phenotype screening under different environmental conditions (pH, oxygen availability, temperature, and osmolality), and the obtained data processing was assisted by mathematical modeling. The results demonstrated that growth and the r-Prot yields under specific conditions can be significantly increased or decreased due to the TFs’ engineering. Environmental factors “awakening” individual TFs were indicated, and their contribution was mathematically described. For example, OE of Yap-like TF was proven to alleviate growth retardation under high pH, while Gzf1 and Hsf1 were shown to serve as universal enhancers of r-Prot production in Y. lipolytica. On the other hand, KO of SKN7 and HSF1 disabled growth under hyperosmotic stress. This research demonstrates the usefulness of the TFs engineering approach in the manipulation of complex traits and evidences newly identified functions of the studied TFs.

Key points

• Function and implication in complex traits of 5 TFs in Y. lipolytica were studied.

• Gzf1 and Hsf1 are the universal r-Prots synthesis enhancers in Y. lipolytica.

• Yap-like TF’s activity is pH-dependent; Skn7 and Hsf1 act in osmostress response.