bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum Levels of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 and Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 as Biomarkers to Predict Radiotherapy Sensitivity in Cervical Cancer
Authors: Song Lina , Gao Yali , Wang Zhicong , Shi Yufeng
Published: April 2024

Cervical cancer is a significant global health burden, and individualized treatment approaches are necessary due to its heterogeneity. Radiotherapy is a common treatment modality; however, the response varies among patients. The identification of reliable biomarkers to predict radiotherapy sensitivity is crucial.

A cohort of 189 patients with stage IB2-IVA cervical cancer, treated with radiotherapy alone or concurrent chemoradiotherapy, was included. Serum samples were collected before treatment, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) concentrations were determined. Patients were categorized into radiotherapy-sensitive (RS) and radiotherapy-resistant (RR) groups based on treatment response. Clinicopathological characteristics and survival rates were analyzed.

The analysis of clinicopathological characteristics showed that age, family history of cervical cancer and post-menopausal status did not significantly differ between RS and RR groups. Tumor size demonstrated a borderline significant association with radiotherapy response, while differentiation degree was significantly associated. Serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 concentrations were significantly higher in the RR group compared to the RS group. Combined detection of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 improved the predictive ability for radiotherapy sensitivity. Higher serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels were observed in patients with lower tumor differentiation. Five-year overall survival rates differed significantly between patients with high and low ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels.

Serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels show potential as predictive biomarkers for radiotherapy sensitivity in cervical cancer.
Die ICD-11 und die Schlafstörungen
Authors: Young Peter
Published: April 2024

Seit dem 01.01.2022 ist von der Weltgesundheitsorganisation die ICD-11 verabschiedet worden. Die neue Struktur der ICD-11 beinhaltet 3 neue Kapitel. So lässt sich unter dem Kapitel 7 der ICD-11 das neue Kapitel der Schlaf-Wach-Störung finden. Die neue Struktur der ICD-11 mit einem eigenen Kapitel der Schlaf-Wach-Störungen ähnelt der Internationalen Klassifikation von Schlafstörungen Version 3 (International Classification of Sleep Disorders Version 3, ICSD-3). Die Zusammenstellung von Erkrankungen des Schlafs in einem eigenen Kapitel stellt eine besondere Grundlage für die Zusammenführung der schlafmedizinischen Erkrankungen in zukünftigen Versorgungsstrukturen dar. Da die Schlaf-Wach-Regulation bei all den in dem ICD-11-Kapitel 7 aufgeführten Schlafstörungen eine Rolle spielt, wurde diese als ätiologische Grundlage in den Titel für das Kapitel genommen. Für die Schlafmedizin ist durch die sich in Zukunft in der Umsetzung befindlichen ICD-11 für Versorgungsstrukturen eine große Chance, um als eigenständiges Fach gestärkt zu werden. Es besteht die Chance, spezifische schlafmedizinische Versorgungsstrukturen zu etablieren. Mit der ICD-11 ist für die Schlafstörungen erstmalig eine Zusammenführung der schlafmedizinischen Erkrankungen neben der ICSD-3 als spezifische Klassifikation gelungen.
Large Language Modelle zur schnellen Vereinfachung der Eingabe von Qualitätssicherungsdaten: Performance-Test mit Echtdaten am Beispiel der Tumordokumentation in der Urologie
Authors: Frank Johannes , Merseburger Axel S. , Landmesser Johannes , Brozat-Essen Silvia , Schramm Peter , Freimann Laura , Kleehaus Alexander , Elsner Christian
Published: April 2024

Einleitung Large Language Modelle (LLMs) wie ChatGPT haben innerhalb kürzester Zeit die Anwendung von künstlicher Intelligenz in die breite Anwendung gebracht. Neben vielen verschiedenen Use-Cases der Textgenerierung und Verarbeitung ist eine Anwendung die Extraktion von Daten aus vorhandenen Dokumenten und Gesprächen zur vereinfachten und automatisierten Befüllung von Formularen.

Zielsetzung Gerade im Bereich der Qualitätssicherung und Dokumentation von Tumorerkrankungen fällt aktuell ein hoher Arbeitsaufwand an, Daten unter verschiedenen Aspekten in leicht variierenden Formaten und unter Anwendung von Interpretationen wie z.B. der TNM-Klassifikation von Tumoren zu übertragen. Zur Beurteilung der Anwendbarkeit von LLMs unterstützen Prozessen in diesem Bereich fehlen jedoch Feldversuche mit Echtdaten, die eine Beurteilung der Effizienz und Praktikabilität ermöglichen. Diese Arbeit soll einen Performance-Test dazu umsetzen und beurteilen.

Methodik Es wurde ein Performance-Test mit N=153 datenschutztechnisch und durch eine Ethikkommission zu dem Zweck freigegebenen Arztbriefen von 25 Patienten vorgenommen. Mit der öffentlich verfügbaren Version von ChatGPT 4.0 wurden dazu mit einem automatisierten Programmskript die Aufgaben der Extraktion eines Erstdiagnosedatums sowie gängiger Tumorklassifikationen vorgenommen. Die Ergebnisse wurden dann einzeln auf Richtigkeit geprüft. Daran wurde dann der Nutzen eines Systems zum geführten Support bei Aufgaben im Kontext der Tumordokumentation indikativ beurteilt. Weiterhin wurde das Vorgehen auch im Kontext von Betriebskosten sowie potenzieller Hürden bis zur Anwendbarkeit beurteilt.

Ergebnisse In Summe kommt die Arbeit zum Schluss, dass der Einsatz generativer KI in diesem Feld vielversprechend ist und bereits im untrainierten Zustand als Hilfe tauglich ist. In einer simplifizierten Kalkulation stehen Kosten von 35 Cent einer Wertschöpfung von 61,54 Euro gegenüber. Es wird jedoch auch klar, dass die KI nur unterstützend tätig sein kann und die richtige Einbettung mit vorgefertigten spezifischen natürlichsprachigen Abfragen (=Prompts) und Werkzeugen in den Arbeitsablauf entscheidend für die Performance ist.

Schlussfolgerung Der Einsatz von generativer KI im Kontext von Such-, Übertragungs- und Interpretationsarbeiten bei der Erstellung einer Tumordokumentation ist ein vielversprechender Ansatz. Die Umsetzung muss jedoch in praktischer Anwendung eng begleitet werden und das beste Zusammenspiel zwischen Mensch und Maschine weiter evaluiert und mit spezifischen Werkzeugen begleitet werden.
Deep Learning for Predicting Progression of Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis Based on Lateral Knee Radiographs, Demographic Data, and Symptomatic Assessments
Authors: Bayramoglu Neslihan , Englund Martin , Haugen Ida K. , Ishijima Muneaki , Saarakkala Simo
Published: April 2024

Objective In this study, we propose a novel framework that utilizes deep learning and attention mechanisms to predict the radiographic progression of patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) over a period of 7 years.

Material and Methods This study included subjects (1,832 subjects, 3,276 knees) from the baseline of the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST). Patellofemoral joint regions of interest were identified using an automated landmark detection tool (BoneFinder) on lateral knee X-rays. An end-to-end deep learning method was developed for predicting PFOA progression based on imaging data in a five-fold cross-validation setting. To evaluate the performance of the models, a set of baselines based on known risk factors were developed and analyzed using gradient boosting machine (GBM). Risk factors included age, sex, body mass index, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index score, and the radiographic osteoarthritis stage of the tibiofemoral joint (Kellgren and Lawrence [KL] score). Finally, to increase predictive power, we trained an ensemble model using both imaging and clinical data.

Results Among the individual models, the performance of our deep convolutional neural network attention model achieved the best performance with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.856 and average precision (AP) of 0.431, slightly outperforming the deep learning approach without attention (AUC = 0.832, AP = 0.4) and the best performing reference GBM model (AUC = 0.767, AP = 0.334). The inclusion of imaging data and clinical variables in an ensemble model allowed statistically more powerful prediction of PFOA progression (AUC = 0.865, AP = 0.447), although the clinical significance of this minor performance gain remains unknown. The spatial attention module improved the predictive performance of the backbone model, and the visual interpretation of attention maps focused on the joint space and the regions where osteophytes typically occur.

Conclusion This study demonstrated the potential of machine learning models to predict the progression of PFOA using imaging and clinical variables. These models could be used to identify patients who are at high risk of progression and prioritize them for new treatments. However, even though the accuracy of the models were excellent in this study using the MOST dataset, they should be still validated using external patient cohorts in the future.
Efficacy and Advantages of Spinal Anesthesia in Lumbar Disk Surgery
Authors: Akgun Mehmet Yigit , Orak Helin İlkay , Akgul Mehmet Huseyin , Ates Ozkan
Published: April 2024

Background Quality of life (QoL) may be affected due to various reasons such as low back or leg pains with accompanying neurologic problems. Lumbar disk surgery is one of the most common performed surgeries to relieve those symptoms. Various anesthetic techniques can be used safely to perform lumbar disk surgeries. Properties that make an anesthetic technique good are mainly the quick onset and returning of the effects. This large retrospective study with patients who have undergone lumbar disk surgery under spinal anesthesia aims to evaluate the perioperative and postoperative parameters of the spinal anesthesia and review the literature.

Methods Cases operated under spinal anesthesia between January 2017 and December 2020 were investigated, and 617 patients who underwent simple lumbar disk surgery were included in the study. Demographic characteristics and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of the patients were recorded. Visual analog scale (VAS) and QoLscores were obtained before and after the operation.

Results There were 282 (45.7%) male and 335 (54.3%) female patients with a mean age of 39.48 ± 16.71 years (range: 18–58 years) at symptom onset. The mean operating time was 46.3 minutes (range: 22–68 minutes). Average blood loss was 85 mL (range: 55–125 mL). All the patients were mobilized 6 to 12 hours after surgery. In our patient group, there were both high- and normal-risk groups in terms of the ASA physical status. During the clinical follow-up, a statistically significant improvement was found for the VAS and QoL scores (p < 0.05).

Conclusions In this large retrospective study, our results have confirmed that spinal anesthesia is at least comparable to general anesthesia and even superior to it in some aspects.
Status and Development of Nuclear Medicine Over One Decade in Beijing
Authors: Luo Fei , Geng Jianhua , Chen Shengzu
Published: April 2024

Objective Our objective was to investigate the basic information of the personnel and facilities of nuclear medicine in Beijing.

Methods This survey was performed by the Beijing Quality Control Center in 2018. The investigation included personnel, equipment, and clinical applications, and data were then compared with previous surveys. The paper questionnaires were used for the survey, which required information about the personnel, devices, and clinical applications.

Results About 38 nuclear medicine departments in Beijing were involved in the survey. The number of nuclear medicine staff was 531 in 2018, showing an increase of 58.7% over the past decade. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) represented the main nuclear medicine facilities, and the total number of surveyed departments was 18, 24, and 34, respectively. The quality control results showed significant improvement from the 2005 levels. The total number of scintigraphy procedures was estimated at 199,607 (153,185 SPECT and 46,422 PET/CT). The estimated annual number of scintigraphy images was 8.9 per 1,000 population for SPECT and 2.7 per 1,000 population for PET/CT during 2018. The most frequent radioiodine-targeted therapy was 131I-targeted therapy for hyperthyroidism in 2018.

Conclusion Nuclear medicine has experienced rapid growth in the past 10 years in Beijing, either in personnel, equipment, and scintigraphy. Future efforts will focus on the use of new isotopes in the diagnosis, implementing quality strategy, and enhancing training.
Machine Learning as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Tool for Predicting Thrombosis in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: El-Sherbini Adham H. , Coroneos Stefania , Zidan Ali , Othman Maha
Published: April 2024

Khorana score (KS) is an established risk assessment model for predicting cancer-associated thrombosis. However, it ignores several risk factors and has poor predictability in some cancer types. Machine learning (ML) is a novel technique used for the diagnosis and prognosis of several diseases, including cancer-associated thrombosis, when trained on specific diagnostic modalities. Consolidating the literature on the use of ML for the prediction of cancer-associated thrombosis is necessary to understand its diagnostic and prognostic abilities relative to KS. This systematic review aims to evaluate the current use and performance of ML algorithms to predict thrombosis in cancer patients. This study was conducted per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Databases Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov, were searched from inception to September 15, 2023, for studies evaluating the use of ML models for the prediction of thrombosis in cancer patients. Search terms “machine learning,” “artificial intelligence,” “thrombosis,” and “cancer” were used. Studies that examined adult cancer patients using any ML model were included. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection and data extraction. Three hundred citations were screened, of which 29 studies underwent a full-text review, and ultimately, 8 studies with 22,893 patients were included. Sample sizes ranged from 348 to 16,407 patients. Thrombosis was characterized as venous thromboembolism (n = 6) or peripherally inserted central catheter thrombosis (n = 2). The types of cancer included breast, gastric, colorectal, bladder, lung, esophageal, pancreatic, biliary, prostate, ovarian, genitourinary, head–neck, and sarcoma. All studies reported outcomes on the ML's predictive capacity. The extreme gradient boosting appears to be the best-performing model, and several models outperform KS in their respective datasets.
Reviewing the Rich History of Fibrin Clot Research with a Focus on Clinical Relevance
Authors: Undas Anetta
Published: April 2024

Fibrin, described on a single-lens microscopy for the first time by Malpighi in 1666 and named by de Fourcroy, has been extensively studied by biochemists, biophysicists, and more recently by clinicians who recognized that fibrin is the major component of most thrombi. Elucidation of key reactions leading to fibrin clot formation in the 1950s and 1960s grew interest in the clinical relevance of altered fibrin characteristics. Implementation of scanning electron microscopy to image fibrin clots in 1947 and clot permeation studies in the 1970s to evaluate an average pore size enabled plasma clot characterization in cohorts of patients. Unfavorably altered fibrin clot structure was demonstrated by Blombäck's group in coronary artery disease in 1992 and in diabetes in 1996. Fifteen years ago, similar plasma fibrin clot alterations were reported in patients following venous thromboembolism. Multiple myeloma was the first malignant disease to be found to lead to abnormal fibrin clot phenotype in the 1970s. Apart from anticoagulant agents, in 1998, aspirin was first shown to increase fibrin clot permeability in cardiovascular patients. The current review presents key data on the rich history of fibrin research, in particular, those that first documented abnormal fibrin clot properties in a variety of human disease states, as well as factors affecting fibrin phenotype.
Honey-based 3D printed bio-tape encourages wound healing
Authors: Shapiro Maura
Published: April 2024

Bandage made from a honey gel is flexible, adhesive, and easy to remove, promoting wound healing and reducing infection risk.
Design of closed loop for reproduction of gas-dominated hydrate flow
Authors: Wada Ryota , Hajohta Hiroaki , Konno Yoshihiro , Yamamoto Marcio , Sato Toru , Yamamoto Yoshitaka , Muraoka Michihiro , Suzuki Kiyofumi , Ninomiya Shuhei
Published: April 2024

The study presents a novel setup for measuring the flow regime of hydrate particles in a gas-dominated flow, which is of interest for applications such as natural gas transportation. A closed-flow loop, driven by a novel internal fan, enables continuous observation of hydrate particle behavior in a gas flow. The experimental setup allows the production and insertion of HFC134a gas hydrate particles with diameters of 10–50 μm into the gas flow loop via a bypass loop. The performance curve of the internal fan is validated, and its suitability for achieving the required flow speed (5 m/s) is demonstrated. Through an observation window using camera systems, the flow regime of glass beads is successfully visualized and analyzed. To validate the experimental data, a coupled computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method model is used to simulate the particle flow density distribution. The study findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the experimental setup in characterizing the flow regime of hydrate particles in a gas-dominated flow.
Management of acute sexual assault presenting to a large Australian sexual health clinic in 2012–2021: a retrospective clinical audit
Authors: Kink Aleah , Towns Janet M. , Fairley Christopher K. , Phillips Tiffany R. , Bradshaw Catriona S. , Chow Eric P. F.
Published: April 2024

Background The incidence of sexual assault continues to rise in Australia. This study aimed to describe the nature of assault, HIV/STI positivity, and its management at a sexual health clinic. Methods We performed a chart review of 516 sexual assault cases presenting to Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between 2012 and 2021, collecting data on victim demographics, details of assault, HIV/STI testing and positivity, police involvement, and offer of counselling. Results We included 516 cases: 124 males (24.0%); 384 females (74.4%); and eight transgender (1.6%) victims. The proportion of assault cases presenting to Melbourne Sexual Health Centre increased from 0.1% (37/37,070) in 2012 to 0.2% (56/36,514) in 2021 (Ptrend = 0.006). HIV post-exposure prophylaxis was prescribed for 64.5% (80/124) of males and 12.5% (48/384) of females. Among victims, 69.4% (358/516) were tested for HIV and no one tested positive, while 71.9% (371/516) were tested for syphilis, with 1.6% (6/371) positive. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia were tested at the oropharynx (44.8% [231/516] vs 28.7% [148/516]), genitals (83.7% [432/516] vs 92.4% [477/516]) and anorectum (35.3% [182/516] vs 35.3% [182/516]). Positivity for gonorrhoea and chlamydia were: 2.6% (6/231) vs 2.0% (3/148) at oropharynx, 1.4% (6/432) vs 2.9% (14/477) at genitals, and 5.5% (10/182) vs 7.1% (13/182) at anorectum. According to clinical records, 25.2% (130/516) of victims sought police involvement, and 71.7% (370/516) were offered counselling. Conclusions Sexual assault was an uncommon presentation at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, with diverse circumstances surrounding assault; however, clinical documentation varied, indicating a need for a standard primary care protocol for clients presenting with acute sexual assault.
All-dielectric metasurfaces for intensity-controllable beam splitting and polarization conversion
Authors: Wang Wei , Wang Jun , Zhang Tian , Lin Jie , Jin Peng , Liu Shutian , Zhou Keya
Published: April 2024

Beam splitters and polarization converters of electromagnetic waves based on metasurfaces have been extensively studied. However, there are few reports on the ability to arbitrarily control the intensity ratio between different diffraction orders while achieving beam splitting and polarization conversion. In this paper, we propose a method to achieve polarization conversion and beam splitting with varying intensities by manipulating the superposition of the output orthogonal circularly polarized (OCP) light. Specifically, polarized light with certain intensities and phase distributions in multiple channels can be decomposed into the superposition of OCP light with varying amplitudes and phases. Under the excitation of circularly polarized (CP) light, the amplitudes and phases of the output OCP light can be manipulated by adjusting the size and rotation angle of the nanopillar within the meta-atom. We show three metasurfaces capable of converting CP light into OCP and linearly polarized light in dual channels, with the ability to vary the intensity ratios of these polarized lights. Simulations demonstrate that the diffraction efficiencies of the desired diffraction orders of three metasurfaces exceed 90%. This method provides a novel concept for the design of multifunctional meta-devices.
Two-dimensional monolayer BiSnO3: a novel wide-band-gap semiconductor with high stability and strong ultraviolet absorption
Authors: Wu Hongbo , Meng Weizhen , Zhu Chunhui , Tian Zhixue , Ma Fengxian , Jiao Yalong
Published: April 2024

The exploration of two-dimensional (2D) wide-band-gap semiconductors (WBGSs) holds significant scientific and technological importance in the field of condensed matter physics and is actively being pursued in optoelectronic research. In this study, we present the discovery of a novel WBGS, namely monolayer BiSnO3, using first-principles calculations in conjunction with the quasi-particle G0W0 approximation. Our calculations confirm that monolayer BiSnO3 exhibits moderate cleavage energy, positive phonon modes, mechanical resilience, and high temperature resistance (up to 1000 K), which demonstrate its structural stability, flexibility, and potential for experimental realization. Furthermore, band-structure calculations reveal that monolayer BiSnO3 is a typical WBGS material with a band-gap energy (E
g) of 3.61 eV and possesses a unique quasi-direct electronic feature due to its quasi-flat valence band. The highest occupied valence flat-band originates from the electronic hybridization between Bi-6p and O-2p states, which are in close proximity to the Fermi level. Remarkably, monolayer BiSnO3 exhibits a high absorption capacity for ultraviolet light spanning the UVA to UVC regions, displaying optical isotropy absorption and an unusual excitonic effect. These intriguing structural and electronic properties establish monolayer BiSnO3 as a promising candidate for the development of new multi-function-integrated electronic and optoelectronic devices in the emerging field of 2D WBGSs.
A method of evaluating cell state based on data augmentation and ViT16
Authors: Xu Chen-Hua , Tu Zhi-Cheng , Liu Dan , Cen Jian , Xiong Jian-Bin , Luo Guo-Juan
Published: April 2024

In this paper, based on the model of data augmentation and Vision Transformer 16 (ViT16), a method of assessment for electrolysis cell state is presented to get the real-time information of the current cell state, so as to improve current efficiency of process. Firstly, in order to solve the issue of the small sample data and improve classification accuracy, the method of data augmentation is performed on the flame hole images by using convolutional block attention module to improve auxiliary classifier generativhyhee adversarial network. Secondly, the deep feature data of the flame hole images is extracted by the method of ViT16, and the genetic algorithm is applied to eliminate the redundant feature data to improve the accuracy. Thirdly, the support vector machines model is employed to classify the feature data, and the aluminum cells are classified into cold, hot, and normal. Finally, the actual data are applied to the experiments of the above method, the results of experiments show that this method is better than other methods, and the accuracy of classifying the cell state is as high as 98.677%. This is of great significance for the guidance of aluminum electrolysis production process.
Remote temperature sensing in microelectronics: optical thermometry using dual-center phosphors
Authors: Kurochkin Mikhail A , Mamonova Daria V , Medvedev Vassily A , Kolesnikov Evgenii Yu , Kolesnikov Ilya E
Published: April 2024

Remote thermal sensing has emerged as a temperature detection technique for tasks in which standard contact thermometers cannot be used due to environment or dimension limitations. One of such challenging tasks is the measurement of temperature in microelectronics. Here, optical thermometry using co-doped and mixed dual-center Gd2O3:Tb3+/Eu3+ samples were realized. Ratiometric approach based on monitoring emission intensities of Tb3+ (5D4–7F5) and Eu3+ (5D0–7F2) transition provided sensing in the range of 30 °C–80 °C. Dispersion system type only slightly affected relative sensitivity, accuracy and precision. The applicability of phosphors synthesized to be utilized as remote optical thermometers for microelectronics has been proved with an example on a surface mount resistor and microcontroller.
Deformed graphene FET biosensor on textured glass coupled with dielectrophoretic trapping for ultrasensitive detection of GFAP
Authors: Mukherjee P , Kundu S , Ganguly R , Barui A , RoyChaudhuri C
Published: April 2024

Numerous efforts have been undertaken to mitigate the Debye screening effect of FET biosensors for achieving higher sensitivity. There are few reports that show sub-femtomolar detection of biomolecules by FET mechanisms but they either suffer from significant background noise or lack robust control. In this aspect, deformed/crumpled graphene has been recently deployed by other researchers for various biomolecule detection like DNA, COVID-19 spike proteins and immunity markers like IL-6 at sub-femtomolar levels. However, the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach for graphene fabrication suffers from various surface contamination while the transfer process induces structural defects. In this paper, an alternative fabrication methodology has been proposed where glass substrate has been initially texturized by wet chemical etching through the sacrificial layer of synthesized silver nanoparticles, obtained by annealing of thin silver films leading to solid state dewetting. Graphene has been subsequently deposited by thermal reduction technique from graphene oxide solution. The resulting deformed graphene structure exhibits higher sensor response towards glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) detection with respect to flat graphene owing to the combined effect of reduced Debye screening and higher surface area for receptor immobilization. Additionally, another interesting aspect of the reported work lies in the biomolecule capture by dielectrophoretic (DEP) transport on the crests of the convex surfaces of graphene in a coplanar gated topology structure which has resulted in 10 aM and 28 aM detection limits of GFAP in buffer and undiluted plasma respectively, within 15 min of application of analyte. The detection limit in buffer is almost four decades lower than that documented for GFAP using biosensors which is is expected to pave way for advancing graphene FET based sensors towards ultrasensitive point-of-care diagnosis of GFAP, a biomarker for traumatic brain injury.
Ultrasensitive detection of Ag+ and Ce3+ ions using highly fluorescent carboxyl-functionalized carbon nitride nanoparticles
Authors: Chaulagain Narendra , Garcia John C , Manoj Aparna , Shankar Karthik
Published: April 2024

The fluorescence quenching of carboxyl-rich g-C3N4 nanoparticles was found to be selective to Ag+ and Ce3+ with a limit of detection as low as 30 pM for Ag+ ions. A solid-state thermal polycondensation reaction was used to produce g-C3N4 nanoparticles with distinct green fluorescence and high water solubility. Dynamic light scattering indicated an average nanoparticle size of 95 nm. The photoluminescence absorption and emission maxima were centered at 405 nm and 540 nm respectively which resulted in a large Stokes shift. Among different metal ion species, the carboxyl-rich g-C3N4 nanoparticles were selective to Ag+ and Ce3+ ions, as indicated by strong fluorescence quenching and a change in the fluorescence lifetime. The PL sensing of heavy metal ions followed modified Stern–Volmer kinetics, and CNNPs in the presence of Ag+/Ce3+ resulted in a higher value of K
app (8.9 × 104 M−1) indicating a more efficient quenching process and stronger interaction between CNNP and mixed ions. Sensing was also demonstrated using commercial filter paper functionalized with g-C3N4 nanoparticles, enabling practical on-site applications.
Patient-derived PixelPrint phantoms for evaluating clinical imaging performance of a deep learning CT reconstruction algorithm
Authors: Im Jessica Y , Halliburton Sandra S , Mei Kai , Perkins Amy E , Wong Eddy , Roshkovan Leonid , Sandvold Olivia F , Liu Leening P , Gang Grace J , Noël Peter B
Published: April 2024

Objective. Deep learning reconstruction (DLR) algorithms exhibit object-dependent resolution and noise performance. Thus, traditional geometric CT phantoms cannot fully capture the clinical imaging performance of DLR. This study uses a patient-derived 3D-printed PixelPrint lung phantom to evaluate a commercial DLR algorithm across a wide range of radiation dose levels. Method. The lung phantom used in this study is based on a patient chest CT scan containing ground glass opacities and was fabricated using PixelPrint 3D-printing technology. The phantom was placed inside two different size extension rings to mimic a small- and medium-sized patient and was scanned on a conventional CT scanner at exposures between 0.5 and 20 mGy. Each scan was reconstructed using filtered back projection (FBP), iterative reconstruction, and DLR at five levels of denoising. Image noise, contrast to noise ratio (CNR), root mean squared error, structural similarity index (SSIM), and multi-scale SSIM (MS SSIM) were calculated for each image. Results. DLR demonstrated superior performance compared to FBP and iterative reconstruction for all measured metrics in both phantom sizes, with better performance for more aggressive denoising levels. DLR was estimated to reduce dose by 25%–83% in the small phantom and by 50%–83% in the medium phantom without decreasing image quality for any of the metrics measured in this study. These dose reduction estimates are more conservative compared to the estimates obtained when only considering noise and CNR. Conclusion. DLR has the capability of producing diagnostic image quality at up to 83% lower radiation dose, which can improve the clinical utility and viability of lower dose CT scans. Furthermore, the PixelPrint phantom used in this study offers an improved testing environment with more realistic tissue structures compared to traditional CT phantoms, allowing for structure-based image quality evaluation beyond noise and contrast-based assessments.
Determination of resistance at zero and infinite frequencies in bioimpedance spectroscopy for assessment of body composition in babies
Authors: Pinheiro-Castro Natalia , Ramos-Silva Tamiris , de Carvalho Rondó Patricia Helen , Ward Leigh C
Published: April 2024

Objective. Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) is a popular technique for the assessment of body composition in children and adults but has not found extensive use in babies and infants. This due primarily to technical difficulties of measurement in these groups. Although improvements in data modelling have, in part, mitigated this issue, the problem continues to yield unacceptably high rates of poor quality data. This study investigated an alternative data modelling procedure obviating issues associated with BIS measurements in babies and infants. Approach. BIS data are conventionally analysed according to the Cole model describing the impedance response of body tissues to an applied AC current. This approach is susceptible to errors due to capacitive leakage errors of measurement at high frequency. The alternative is to model BIS data based on the resistance–frequency spectrum rather than the reactance-resistance Cole model thereby avoiding capacitive error impacts upon reactance measurements. Main results. The resistance–frequency approach allowed analysis of 100% of data files obtained from BIS measurements in 72 babies compared to 87% successful analyses with the Cole model. Resistance–frequency modelling error (percentage standard error of the estimate) was half that of the Cole method. Estimated resistances at zero and infinite frequency were used to predict body composition. Resistance-based prediction of fat-free mass (FFM) exhibited a 30% improvement in the two-standard deviation limits of agreement with reference FFM measured by air displacement plethysmography when compared to Cole model-based predictions. Significance. This study has demonstrated improvement in the analysis of BIS data based on the resistance frequency response rather than conventional Cole modelling. This approach is recommended for use where BIS data are compromised by high frequency capacitive leakage errors such as those obtained in babies and infants.
Effect of target material on electrical properties of a two-electrode dielectric barrier helium plasma jet
Authors: Škoro Nikola , Kutasi Kinga , Puač Marija , Petrović Zoran Lj , Puač Nevena
Published: April 2024

In this paper we present electrical characterization of a dielectric barrier discharge plasma jet operating with He (2 slm and 3 slm) as working gas and interacting with Cu, polyethylene terephthalate and distilled H2O targets. We used a plasma jet with two copper electrodes wrapped around a glass tube. One electrode was powered by a high-voltage sinusoidal signal of 30 kHz, whereas the other electrode and the target holder were grounded. We have performed detailed investigation of the voltage and current waveforms, phase differences, volt–current (V–I) characteristics, calculated impedances and power deposition. The aim was to determine the influence of different target materials and their conductivity on the plasma properties. We calculated the total harmonic distortion factor that showed that the current through grounded electrode depends on the conductivity of the target. We also calculated the power delivered to the plasma core and the plasma plume regions and observed that the change in the target conductance influenced the power in both plasma regions. The experimentally characterized electrical circuit was simulated by a model of equivalent electrical circuit corresponding to the plasma-off and plasma-on regime. Voltage controlled current source was added as model of a streamer formed in plasma-on regime.
Microwave assisted Fraunhofer diffraction pattern in a four-level light–matter coupling scheme
Authors: Amari Malika , Rodriguez-Benites Carlos , Omran Alaa A , Hawas Majli Nema , Kumar Abhinav , Alzubaidi Laith H , Shafik Shafik Shaker
Published: April 2024

The experimental realization of two-dimensional (2D) electromagnetically induced grating is explored by monitoring the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern in a microwave-driven four-level Y-type atomic medium under the action of two orthogonal standing-wave (SW) fields. Due to the position-dependent atom–field interaction, the information about the high diffraction order of the probe light can be obtained via the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern of the probe light. It is found that the diffraction behavior is significantly improved due to the joint quantum interference induced by the SW and microwave-driven cycling fields. Most importantly, the amplitude and phase diagram of the transmission function of the probe light can be modulated at a particular position and the probe energy may transfer to the high orders of the diffraction by properly adjusting the system parameters. The proposed scheme may provide a promising way to achieve highly sensitive diffraction patterns with applications in quantum information processing.
Stabilisation of waves on product manifolds by boundary strips
Authors: Wang Ruoyu
Published: April 2024

We show that a transversely geometrically controlling boundary damping strip is sufficient but not necessary for

t

−
1

/

2

t^{-1/2}

-decay of waves on product manifolds. We give a general scheme to turn resolvent estimates for impedance problems on cross-sections to wave decay on product manifolds.
Association between white matter hyperintensity and anxiety/depression
Authors: Zhou Ruixue , Cai Qingqing , Liu Chen , Hui Jingni , Kang Meijuan , Gou Yifan , Liu Ye , Shi Panxing , Wang Bingyi , Zhang Feng
Published: April 2024

Although previous studies have explored the associations of white matter hyperintensity with psychiatric disorders, the sample size is small and the conclusions are inconsistent. The present study aimed to further systematically explore the association in a larger sample. All data were extracted from the UK Biobank. First, general linear regression models and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between white matter hyperintensity volume and anxiety/depression. White matter hyperintensity has been classified into periventricular white matter hyperintensity and deep white matter hyperintensity. Anxiety was determined by General Anxiety Disorder-7 score (n = 17,221) and self-reported anxiety (n = 15,333), depression was determined by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score (n = 17,175), and self-reported depression (n = 14,519). Moreover, we employed Cox proportional hazard models to explore the association between white matter hyperintensity volume and anxiety/depression. The covariates included in fully adjusted model are age, gender, body mass index, Townsend deprivation index, healthy physical activity, cigarette consumption, alcohol consumption, educational attainment, diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. The results of the fully adjusted model showed that white matter hyperintensity volume was significantly associated with General Anxiety Disorder-7 score (periventricular white matter hyperintensity: β = 0.152, deep white matter hyperintensity: β = 0.094) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score (periventricular white matter hyperintensity: β = 0.168). Logistic regression analysis results indicated that periventricular white matter hyperintensity volume (odds ratio = 1.153) was significantly associated with self-reported anxiety. After applying the Cox proportional hazard models, we found that larger white matter hyperintensity volume was associated with increased risk of depression (periventricular white matter hyperintensity: hazard ratio = 1.589, deep white matter hyperintensity: hazard ratio = 1.200), but not anxiety. In summary, our findings support a positive association between white matter hyperintensity volume and depression.
Increased Pediatric Respiratory Syncytial Virus Case Counts Following the Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Can Be Attributed to Changes in Testing
Authors: Petros Brittany A , Milliren Carly E , Sabeti Pardis C , Ozonoff Al
Published: April 2024

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) circulation dropped markedly early in the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a resurgence with heightened case counts. The “immunity debt” hypothesis proposes that the RSV-naїve pediatric population increased during the period of low transmission. However, the evidence supporting this hypothesis is limited, and the role of changing testing practices in the perceived surge has not been comprehensively evaluated.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, retrospective analysis of 342 530 RSV encounters and 980 546 RSV diagnostic tests occurring at 32 US pediatric hospitals in 2013–2023. We used interrupted time series analysis to estimate pandemic-associated changes in RSV patient and test volume and to quantify changes in the proportions of patients requiring hospitalization, intensive care, or mechanical ventilation. We quantified the fraction of the shifts in case counts and in the age of diagnosed patients attributable to changes in testing.

Results

RSV patient volume increased 2.4-fold (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7, 3.5) in 2021–2023 relative to the pre-pandemic phase and was accompanied by an 18.9-fold increase (95% CI: 15.0, 23.9) in RSV test volume. Shifts in patient volume and in patient age were largely attributable to increased testing. The proportions of patients with RSV that required hospitalization, intensive care, or mechanical ventilation declined significantly across all patient age groups.

Conclusions

A surge in RSV testing, rather than in viral circulation, likely underlies the increased case counts observed in 2021–2023. These findings warrant a critical assessment of the immunity debt hypothesis and highlight the importance of considering the testing denominator when surveillance strategies are dynamic.
Glenn shunt as a rescue strategy for acute right ventricular failure after right ventricular myocardial infarction.
Authors: den Haan Melina C , Palmen Meindert , Egorova Anastasia D , Hazekamp Mark G
Published: April 2024

We present the case of a 52-year-old woman with cardiogenic shock and refractory right ventricular failure due to spontaneous dissection of the right coronary artery. She remained dependent on mechanical support for several weeks. Both a right ventricular assist device implant and a bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis were explored as long-term support options. A history of malignancy and possible right ventricular functional recovery resulted in a decision in favour of the bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis and concomitant tricuspid valve annuloplasty. Postoperatively her clinical condition improved significantly, and she could be discharged home. Echocardiography showed normalization of right ventricular dimensions and slight improvement of right ventricular function.
Heterogeneous mantle effects on the behaviour of SmKS waves and outermost core imaging
Authors: Frost Daniel A , Garnero Edward J , Creasy Neala , Wolf Jonathan , Bozdağ Ebru , Long Maureen D , Aderoju Adeolu , Vite Reynaldo
Published: April 2024

Seismic traveltime anomalies of waves that traverse the uppermost 100–200 km of the outer core have been interpreted as evidence of reduced seismic velocities (relative to radial reference models) just below the core–mantle boundary (CMB). These studies typically investigate differential traveltimes of SmKS waves, which propagate as P waves through the shallowest outer core and reflect from the underside of the CMB m times. The use of SmKS and S(m-1)KS differential traveltimes for core imaging are often assumed to suppress contributions from earthquake location errors and unknown and unmodelled seismic velocity heterogeneity in the mantle. The goal of this study is to understand the extent to which differential SmKS traveltimes are, in fact, affected by anomalous mantle structure, potentially including both velocity heterogeneity and anisotropy. Velocity variations affect not only a wave's traveltime, but also the path of a wave, which can be observed in deviations of the wave's incoming direction. Since radial velocity variations in the outer core will only minimally affect the wave path, in contrast to other potential effects, measuring the incoming direction of SmKS waves provides an additional diagnostic as to the origin of traveltime anomalies. Here we use arrays of seismometers to measure traveltime and direction anomalies of SmKS waves that sample the uppermost outer core. We form subarrays of EarthScope's regional Transportable Array stations, thus measuring local variations in traveltime and direction. We observe systematic lateral variations in both traveltime and incoming wave direction, which cannot be explained by changes to the radial seismic velocity profile of the outer core. Moreover, we find a correlation between incoming wave direction and traveltime anomaly, suggesting that observed traveltime anomalies may be caused, at least in part, by changes to the wave path and not solely by perturbations in outer core velocity. Modelling of 1-D ray and 3-D wave propagation in global 3-D tomographic models of mantle velocity anomalies match the trend of the observed traveltime anomalies. Overall, we demonstrate that observed SmKS traveltime anomalies may have a significant contribution from 3-D mantle structure, and not solely from outer core structure.
Underluminous 1991bg-like Type Ia supernovae are standardizable candles
Authors: Graur O
Published: April 2024

It is widely accepted that the width–luminosity relation used to standardize normal Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) breaks down in underluminous, 1991bg-like SNe Ia. This breakdown may be due to the choice of parameter used as a stand-in for the width of the SN Ia light curve. Using the colour stretch parameter sBV instead of older parameters resolves this issue. Here, I assemble a sample of 14 nearby 1991bg-like SNe Ia from the literature, all of which have independent host-galaxy distance moduli and little to no reddening. I use Gaussian process regression to fit the light curves of these SNe in U/u, B, V, g, R/r, I/i, and H, and measure their peak absolute magnitudes. I find statistically significant (>5σ confidence level in the optical and >4σ in the near-infrared) correlations between the peak absolute magnitudes of the 1991bg-like SNe Ia and their sBV values in the range 0.2 < sBV < 0.6. These correlations are broadly consistent with fits to sBV < 0.7 SNe Ia with preliminary B- and V-band peak absolute magnitudes from the Carnegie Supernova Project and significantly inconsistent with similar fits to normal and transitional SNe Ia (with 0.7 < sBV < 1.1). The underluminous width–luminosity relation shown here needs to be properly calibrated with a homogeneous sample of 1991bg-like SNe Ia, after which it could be used as a rung on a new cosmological distance ladder. With surface-brightness fluctuations (or another non-Cepheid method) used to calibrate distances to nearby 1991bg-like SNe Ia, such a ladder could produce an independent measurement of the Hubble–Lemaître constant, H0.