bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between low selenoprotein P concentrations and anaemia in hospitalized heart failure patients
Authors: Jujić Amra , Molvin John , Holm Isholth Hannes , Dieden Anna , Korduner Johan , Zaghi Amir , Nezami Zainu , Bergmann Andreas , Schomburg Lutz , Magnusson Martin
Published: January 2024

Aims

Heart failure (HF) patients with anaemia tend to have a worse outcome, with increased hospitalization rates, decreased exercise tolerance, and higher mortality compared to those without anaemia. Limited research exists on the association between selenium deficiency and anaemia specifically in HF patients, despite previous findings of a correlation in different populations. The BIOSTAT‐CHF study demonstrated that higher selenium levels in HF patients were associated to a lower risk of anaemia and iron deficiency. This study investigates the relationship between selenoprotein P (SELENOP) concentrations, a major contributor and functional biomarker of selenium transport, and anaemia, Hb levels, and iron status in hospitalized HF patients.

Methods and results

SELENOP was analysed in 320 hospitalized HF subjects, with complete data available for 310 subjects. The relationships between continuous SELENOP concentrations and 1) Hb concentrations, 2) anaemia (Hb < 115 g/L (women), <130 g/L (men)), and 3) iron status (as measured by transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) which increases in iron deficiency) were evaluated using multivariable logistic and linear regression models. Additionally, SELENOP concentrations in the lowest quartile were related to anaemia, haemoglobin, and iron state in multivariable logistic and linear models. The mean age of the study population was 75.0 ± 11.6 years, and 30% were women. Anaemia was present in 133 subjects (42.9%). SELENOP concentrations were positively correlated with haemoglobin concentrations (0.238; P < 0.001) and negatively with TfR1 concentrations (−0.238, P < 0.001). In multivariable regression models, higher SELENOP concentrations were associated with higher Hb concentrations (B = 3.23; P = 0.002) and lower TfR1 concentrations (B = −0.20; P < 0.001). Furthermore, SELENOP deficiency was associated with lower Hb concentrations (B = −7.64: P = 0.001), higher TfR1 concentrations (B = 0.31; P = 0.003), and higher odds of anaemia in HF patients (odds ratio 2.17; 95% confidence interval 1.23–3.82; P = 0.008).

Conclusions

In hospitalized heart failure patients, lower concentrations of SELENOP were associated with higher prevalence of anaemia.
Catalytic Asymmetric Ring Opening Reactions of Vinylcyclopropanes
Authors: Adhikari Amit Singh , Majumdar Nilanjana
Published: January 2024

Vinylcyclopropanes (VCPs) are important building blocks with multifaceted reactivity. Catalytic asymmetric ring opening of vinylcyclopropanes is a highly efficient process to access valuable chiral molecules with diverse functionalities that can be further functionalized for a series of synthetic purposes. VCPs are very well‐known substrates for cycloaddition reactions and this chemistry has been widely explored. On the contrary, despite of enormous synthetic potential, development of new innovative strategies for the catalytic, asymmetric ring opening of VCPs is somewhat underdeveloped. Recently, several significant examples have emerged in the literature for various asymmetric ring opening of both activated and unactivated vinylcyclopropanes that involve transition metal catalysis. These developments are relevant additions to the vinylcyclopropane chemistry. In this review, we aim to summarize all the catalytic asymmetric ring opening transformations reported till date and provide a comprehensive analysis of these research outcomes.
Electrification Mechanism and Influence Factors of Sliding Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Micro‐Contact Model
Authors: Li Tao , Long Wei , Xu Xuhui , Feng Lang , Chen Ye
Published: January 2024

As a new green energy‐harvesting technology, the electrification mechanism and output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have become the research focuses and difficulties. Based on the basic principles of contact and damage mechanics, a five‐stage micro‐contact model is proposed on the interface of sliding TENGs friction subsurface. Experimental bench is built to complete the experimental validation and factors affecting the output performance of TENGs are experimentally investigated. In the results, it is shown that the contact form of the asperities on the surface of the friction subsurface determines the real contact area and the form of energy conversion, and the dynamical processes between the asperities are influenced by the velocity, load, and material, which further affect the elastic/plastic change of the friction surface and the directional transfer of contact electrons. Normal loading promotes the density and efficiency of electron transfer between the interfaces of the friction sub‐interfaces, but the electrical output performance of the system is no longer enhanced when the load is too high (≥10 N). The faster sliding speed is conducive to improving the output performance of the horizontal sliding TENG in a certain range (0.005–0.100 m s−1).
Comparative analysis of compression ignition engines performance and emission characteristics devouring edible and nonedible oil biodiesel
Authors: Kale Bhojraj N. , Patle S. D. , Kalambe S. R. , Khawale Vijay R.
Published: January 2024

The globe is in search for an upgraded and compatible alternative of diesel to triumph over pollution and its limited availability issues. Researchers are using biodiesel from various edible and non‐edible oil sources to reduce environmental footprint of diesel. This article compares the performance and emission characteristics of diesel engines fueled by edible and non‐edible oil biodiesel. In this work, five biodiesels (methyl esters of microalgae, jatropha, karanja, soybean, and sunflower) are tested and transesterification is used to produce methyl esters to optimize their physiochemical properties. It is observed that all the properties lie in tolerance limits. To examine the compatibility of the proposed methyl esters two performance characteristics, brake thermal efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption are examined. Further, the emission characteristics such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxides are investigated. To validate results the blend characteristics are compared to diesel. The relative analysis revels that the brake thermal efficiency is declined by 8.87% as compared to diesel whereas the brake specific fuel consumption is increased by 4.28%. The carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon levels are decreased by 7.32% and 20.56% whereas nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide levels are increased by 7.47% and 4.80%, respectively. The analysis infers that microalgae biodiesel gives adequately better characteristics.
Trend‐focused dynamic degradation prediction based on echo state networks in automotive fuel cells
Authors: Yue Meiling , Zhang Xin , Teng Teng , Meng Jianwen
Published: January 2024

Fuel cell technology is a promising alternative to traditional internal combustion engines in various applications, especially in transportation applications. However, the high cost and limited lifetime of fuel cells have hindered their widespread commercialization. Accurately predicting fuel cell lifetime is crucial for reducing the cost of ownership, ensuring safety, and promoting the adoption of this technology. The objective of the present work is to develop a tool that is able to estimate the lifespan of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell and to predict its behavior to anticipate failures. Therefore, this paper contributes to proposing a multi‐input time‐series prediction network based on an echo state network, which takes the future current into consideration. A degradation trend extraction method is proposed in this paper and the remaining useful life of the fuel cell is predicted. Results have shown that the proposed methods in both short‐term and long‐term prediction have achieved satisfying prediction accuracy.
Nutritional properties of raw and cooked Azolla caroliniana Willd., an aquatic wild edible plant
Authors: Winstead Daniel , Di Gioia Francesco , Jauregui Marjorie , Jacobson Michael
Published: January 2024

Azolla caroliniana Willd. is an understudied wild edible plant native to the Eastern United States. Other species of Azolla have been used across the world for several thousand years as a livestock feed and as “green manure.” The use of Azolla for human consumption is thought to be limited by its high total polyphenolic content (TPC). However, the TPC and nutritional content of A. caroliniana has not been thoroughly studied. We measured TPC and other nutrients before and after cooking methods designed to lower TPC. We found that TPC was 4.26 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE) kg−1 DW in raw A. caroliniana. All cooking methods significantly lowered TPC. Protein content was 19% DW, and the apparent protein digestibility was 78.45%. Our yield was 173 g FW m−2 day−1 and 5.53 g DW m−2 day−1. Azolla caroliniana is a high‐yielding plant with great potential for cultivation and domestication.
Dynamics of myelin deficits in the 5xFAD mouse model for Alzheimer's disease and the protective role of BDNF
Authors: Zota Ioanna , Chanoumidou Konstantina , Charalampopoulos Ioannis , Gravanis Achille
Published: January 2024

Recent findings highlight myelin breakdown as a decisive early event in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) acting as aggravating factor of its progression. However, it is still unclear whether myelin loss is attributed to increased oligodendrocyte vulnerability, reduced repairing capacity or toxic stimuli. In the present study, we sought to clarify the starting point of myelin disruption accompanied with Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cell (OPC) elimination in the brain of the 5xFAD mouse model of AD at 6 months of age in Dentate Gyrus of the hippocampus in relation to neurotrophin system. Prominent inflammation presence was detected since the age of 6 months playing a key role in myelin disturbance and AD progression. Expression analysis of neurotrophin receptors in OPCs was performed to identify new targets that could increase myelination in health and disease. OPCs in both control and 5xFAD mice express TrkB, TrkC and p75 receptors but not TrkA. Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that binds to TrkB receptor is well‐known about its pro‐myelination effect, promoting oligodendrocytes proliferation and differentiation, so we focused our investigation on its effects in OPCs under neurodegenerative conditions. Our in vitro results showed that BDNF rescues OPCs from death and promotes their proliferation and differentiation in presence of the toxic Amyloid‐β 1‐42. Collectively, our results indicate that BDNF possess an additional neuroprotective role through its actions on oligodendrocytic component and its use could be proposed as a drug‐based myelin‐enhancing strategy, complementary to amyloid and tau centered therapies in AD.
Impacts of Norway's extended free choice reform on waiting times and hospital visits
Authors: Ge Ge , Iversen Tor , Kaarbøe Oddvar , Snilsberg Øyvind
Published: January 2024

Norway's extended free choice (EFC) reform extends the patient's choice of publicly funded hospitals for treatment to authorized private institutions (EFC providers). We study the effects of the reform on waiting times, number of visits, and patients' Charlson Comorbidity Index scores in public hospitals. We use a difference‐in‐differences model to compare changes over time for public hospitals with and without EFC providers in the catchment area. Focusing on five prevalent somatic services, we find that the EFC reform did not exert pressure on public hospitals to stimulate shorter waiting times and more visits. Moreover, we do not find that the sum of public and private visits increased. When we compare patient comorbidity between public hospitals and EFC providers, we find that for non‐invasive diagnostic services, patient comorbidity is lower in EFC providers. For surgical services, we detect no difference in patient comorbidities between public and EFC providers.
Microvascular surgery using surgical loupes versus operating microscope—A single head and neck reconstructive surgeon's experience
Authors: Grewal Jeewanjot S. , Williams Amy M. , Alamoudi Uthman , Shama Mohamed , Ghanem Tamer A.
Published: January 2024

Background: This prospective randomized study evaluates surgical outcomes of head and neck free tissue transfer surgery performed by a single head and neck reconstructive surgeon comparing the use of surgical loupes and the operating microscope.

Methods: Cases using surgical loupes were performed under ×3.5 magnification, whereas cases using the microscope were done using the standard operating microscope. Patient demographics, comorbidities, operative details, surgical outcomes, and flap failure were assessed.

Results: Eighty‐five free tissue transfer surgeries were included. Of these, 51.8% (n = 44) free tissue transfers were performed using loupe magnification and 48.2% (n = 41) were performed using the operating microscope. Total cases requiring intraoperative microvascular anastomosis revision was 12 (15.4%)—of these, 41.7% (n = 5) were originally performed with surgical loupes and 58.3% (n = 7) were with microscope (p = 0.24).

Conclusion: The current study provides novel, prospective data regarding a single head and neck reconstructive surgeon's experience at a single academic institution. From this, surgical loupes or the operating microscope can be used to perform head and neck microvascular reconstruction with no significant difference in rates of free tissue transfer failure or perioperative complications or outcomes.
Healthcare utilization and associated factors during the first wave of COVID‐19 pandemic in Ghana: A cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Gadeka Dominic D. , Aheto Justice M. K.
Published: January 2024

Background and Aims

Understanding healthcare utilization during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is crucial to inform policy and to prepare health systems for future pandemics. We examined self‐reported healthcare utilization and associated factors, including public health preventive practices, perceptions, and coping strategies among the general public in Ghana during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

We adopted a cross‐sectional study design using a public survey to recruit 643 respondents between May 23, and July 11, 2020 during the first wave of confirmed COVID‐19 cases and after the fifth week of a partial lockdown in Ghana. Descriptive, bivariate, and binary logistic regression analyses were carried out in Stata version 15.

Results

Overall, there was a high level of compliance with COVID‐19 public health preventive measures. In terms of perception, 357 (55.5%) of respondents stated unnecessary worry was created about the disease. In relation to coping strategies, 376 (58.5%) of respondents stayed home for more than 6 h, while 35 (5%) reported drinking alcohol to overcome the fear created by the disease. The results showed that 176 (27.4%) of the respondents utilized healthcare while 44 (9.4%) did not utilized healthcare for fear of contracting the disease at the health facility. Marital status (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.409, 0.963), religion (aOR = 2.34; 95% CI = 1.10, 4.98), and possession of valid health insurance (aOR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.020, 2.235) were associated with healthcare utilization.

Conclusion

There was low healthcare utilization coupled with fear of contracting the COVID‐19 disease at the health facilities among the respondents. The findings suggest the need for effective public education that ensures that future pandemics' prevention information and recommendations are easily understandable by the general public. Additionally, investment in health insurance coverage may contribute to healthcare utilization during future pandemics.
Influence of below‐cloud evaporation on stable isotopes of precipitation in the Yellow River source region
Authors: Ye Linlin , Zhu Guofeng , Chen Longhu , Qiu Dongdong , Jiao Yinying , Li Rui , Lu Siyu , Yang Jiangwei
Published: January 2024

The study of below‐cloud evaporation effects under clouds in the Yellow River source region is of great significance for regional water resource generation as well as for water resource security in the arid and semi‐arid regions of northern China. In this study, we quantitatively assessed the evapotranspiration effect in the Yellow River source region from March to November based on the improved Stewart model. The study concluded that: (1) below‐cloud evaporation was slightly higher in summer than in other seasons (residual fractions of raindrop evaporation were 80.57% in summer, 81.12% in spring, and 84.2% in autumn, respectively); and (2) sub‐cloud evaporation diminishes with increasing altitude (residual fractions of raindrop evaporation were 83.09% in the western part of the area, 81.82% in the central part of the area, and 81.36% in the eastern part of the area, respectively). (3) The total linear index between study areas f and ∆d is 2.24, where f > 95%, it is 1.19; that is, the evaporation of raindrops increases by 1% and the reduction in the excess of mercury by about 2‰. (4) Local meteorological factors (temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity) and raindrop diameter have a cross‐influence on below‐cloud evaporation, with relative humidity having the most significant effect, with the highest correlation coefficient of 3.03 when relative humidity is less than 70%. The results of the study can provide a parameter basis for hydrological and climatic models in the Yellow River Basin.
From primary myelofibrosis to chronic myeloid leukemia, BCR::ABL1+ B‐Lymphoblastic leukemia, and back to primary myelofibrosis: An illustration of dynamic clonal evolution
Authors: Wang Devin , Kamata Wataru , Ye Fengxi , You M. James
Published: January 2024

The simultaneous detection of BCR::ABL1 and JAK2 V617F was rarely reported and their clonal relationship and dynamic clonal shift were not characterized. Here, we described a unique case with the initial presentation as JAK2 V617F+ primary myelofibrosis, followed by the emergence of BCR::ABL1+ chronic myeloid leukemia. The patient then developed BCR::ABL1+ B‐lymphoblastic leukemia. Treatment for B‐lymphoblastic leukemia prompted a regression to the state of primary myelofibrosis. In light of these observations, we proposed a clonal evolution model for this case.
Folate receptor α deficiency – Myelin‐sensitive MRI as a reliable biomarker to monitor the efficacy and long‐term outcome of a new therapeutic approach
Authors: Dreha‐Kulaczewski Steffi , Sahoo Prativa , Preusse Matthias , Gkalimani Irini , Dechent Peter , Helms Gunther , Hofer Sabine , Steinfeld Robert , Gärtner Jutta
Published: January 2024

Cerebral folate transport deficiency, caused by a genetic defect in folate receptor α, is a devastating neurometabolic disorder that, if untreated, leads to epileptic encephalopathy, psychomotor decline and hypomyelination. Currently, there are limited data on effective dosage and duration of treatment, though early diagnosis and therapy with folinic acid appears critical. The aim of this long‐term study was to identify new therapeutic approaches and novel biomarkers for assessing efficacy, focusing on myelin‐sensitive MRI. Clinical, biochemical, structural and quantitative MRI parameters of seven patients with genetically confirmed folate receptor α deficiency were acquired over 13 years. Multimodal MRI approaches comprised MR‐spectroscopy (MRS), magnetization transfer (MTI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequences. Patients started oral treatment immediately following diagnosis or in an interval of up to 2.5 years. Escalation to intravenous and intrathecal administration was performed in the absence of effects. Five patients improved, one with a presymptomatic start of therapy remained symptom‐free, and one with inconsistent treatment deteriorated. While CSF 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate and MRS parameters normalized immediately after therapy initiation, myelin‐sensitive MTI and DTI measures correlated with gradual clinical improvement and ongoing myelination under therapy. Early initiation of treatment at sufficient doses, considering early intrathecal applications, is critical for favorable outcome. The majority of patients showed clinical improvements that correlated best with MTI parameters, allowing individualized monitoring of myelination recovery. Presymptomatic therapy seems to ensure normal development and warrants newborn screening. Furthermore, the quantitative parameters of myelin‐sensitive MRI for therapy assessments can now be used for hypomyelination disorders in general.
A Convolutional Neural Network Model for Distinguishing Hemangioblastomas From Other Cerebellar‐and‐Brainstem Tumors Using Contrast‐Enhanced MRI
Authors: Sheng Yaru , Zhao Botao , Cheng Haixia , Yu Yang , Wang Weiwei , Yang Yang , Ding Yueyue , Qiu Longhua , Qin Zhiyong , Yao Zhenwei , Zhang Xiaoyong , Ren Yan
Published: January 2024

Background

Hemangioblastoma (HB) is a highly vascularized tumor most commonly occurring in the posterior cranial fossa, requiring accurate preoperative diagnosis to avoid accidental intraoperative hemorrhage and even death.

Purpose

To accurately distinguish HBs from other cerebellar‐and‐brainstem tumors using a convolutional neural network model based on a contrast‐enhanced brain MRI dataset.

Study Type

Retrospective.

Population

Four hundred five patients (182 = HBs; 223 = other cerebellar‐and brainstem tumors): 305 cases for model training, and 100 for evaluation.

Field Strength/Sequence

3 T/contrast‐enhanced T1‐weighted imaging (T1WI + C).

Assessment

A CNN‐based 2D classification network was trained by using sliced data along the z‐axis. To improve the performance of the network, we introduced demographic information, various data‐augmentation methods and an auxiliary task to segment tumor region. Then, this method was compared with the evaluations performed by experienced and intermediate‐level neuroradiologists, and the heatmap of deep feature, which indicates the contribution of each pixel to model prediction, was visualized by Grad‐CAM for analyzing the misclassified cases.

Statistical Tests

The Pearson chi‐square test and an independent t‐test were used to test for distribution difference in age and sex. And the independent t‐test was exploited to evaluate the performance between experts and our proposed method. P value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

The trained network showed a higher accuracy for identifying HBs (accuracy = 0.902 ± 0.031, F1 = 0.891 ± 0.035, AUC = 0.926 ± 0.040) than experienced (accuracy = 0.887 ± 0.013, F1 = 0.868 ± 0.011, AUC = 0.881 ± 0.008) and intermediate‐level (accuracy = 0.827 ± 0.037, F1 = 0.768 ± 0.068, AUC = 0.810 ± 0.047) neuroradiologists. The recall values were 0.910 ± 0.050, 0.659 ± 0.084, and 0.828 ± 0.019 for the trained network, intermediate and experienced neuroradiologists, respectively. Additional ablation experiments verified the utility of the introduced demographic information, data augmentation, and the auxiliary‐segmentation task.

Data Conclusion

Our proposed method can successfully distinguish HBs from other cerebellar‐and‐brainstem tumors and showed diagnostic efficiency comparable to that of experienced neuroradiologists.

Evidence Level

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
A high level of scientific evidence is available to guide treatment of primary shoulder stiffness: The SIAGASCOT consensus
Authors: Cucchi Davide , Di Giacomo Giovanni , Compagnoni Riccardo , Castricini Roberto , Formigoni Chiara , Radici Mattia , Melis Barbara , Brindisino Fabrizio , De Giorgi Silvana , De Vita Andrea , Lisai Andrea , Mangiavini Laura , Candela Vincenzo , Carrozzo Alessandro , Pannone Antonello , Menon Alessandra , Giudici Luca Dei , Klumpp Raymond , Padua Roberto , Carnevale Arianna , Rosa Francesco , Marmotti Antongiulio , Peretti Giuseppe M. , Berruto Massimo , Milano Giuseppe , Randelli Pietro , Bonaspetti Giovanni , De Girolamo Laura
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Shoulder stiffness (SS) is a condition characterised by active and passive restricted glenohumeral range of motion, which can occur spontaneously in an idiopathic manner or be associated with a known underlying aetiology. Several treatment options are available and currently no consensus has been obtained on which treatment algorithm represents the best choice for the patient. Herein we present the results of a national consensus on the treatment of primary SS.

Methods

The project followed the modified Delphi consensus process, involving a steering, a rating and a peer‐review group. Sixteen questions were generated and subsequently answered by the steering group after a thorough literature search. A rating group composed by professionals specialised in the diagnosis and treatment of shoulder pathologies rated the question–answer sets according to the scientific evidence and their clinical experience.

Results

Recommendations were rated with an average of 8.4 points out of maximum 9 points. None of the 16 answers received a rating of less than 8 and all the answers were considered as appropriate. The majority of responses were assessed as Grade A, signifying a substantial availability of scientific evidence to guide treatment and support recommendations encompassing diagnostics, physiotherapy, electrophysical agents, oral and injective medical therapies, as well as surgical interventions for primary SS.

Conclusions

A consensus regarding the conservative and surgical treatment of primary SS could be achieved at a national level. This consensus sets basis for evidence‐based clinical practice in the management of primary SS and can serve as a model for similar initiatives and adaptable guidelines in other European countries and potentially on a global scale.

Level of Evidence: Level I.
Accelerating Biodegradation: Enhancing Poly(lactic acid) Breakdown at Mesophilic Environmental Conditions with Biostimulants
Authors: Mayekar Pooja C. , Auras Rafael
Published: January 2024

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has garnered interest due to its low environmental footprint and ability to replace conventional polymers and be disposed of in industrial composting environments. Although PLA is compostable when subjected to a suitable set of conditions, its broader acceptance in industrial composting facilities has been affected adversely due to longer degradation timeframes than the readily biodegradable organic waste fraction. PLA must be fully exposed to thermophilic conditions for prolonged periods to biodegrade, which has restricted its adoption and hindered its acceptance in industrial composting facilities, negating its home composting potential. Thus, enhancing PLA biodegradation is crucial to expand its acceptance. PLA's biodegradability is investigated in a compost matrix under mesophilic conditions at 37 °C for 180 days by biostimulating the compost environment with skim milk, gelatin, and ethyl lactate to enhance the different stages of PLA biodegradation. The evolved CO2, number average molecular weight (Mn), and crystallinity evolution are tracked. To achieve a Mn ≲ 10 kDa for PLA, the biodegradation rate is accelerated by 15% by adding skim milk, 25% by adding gelatin, and 22% by adding ethyl lactate. This work shows potential techniques to help biodegrade PLA in home composting setting by adding biostimulants.
Insights into Ganoderma fungi meroterpenoids opening a new era of racemic natural products in mushrooms
Authors: Zhang Jiao‐Jiao , Qin Fu‐Ying , Cheng Yong‐Xian
Published: January 2024

Ganoderma meroterpenoids (GMs) containing 688 structures to date were discovered to have multiple remarkable biological activities. 65.6% of meroterpenoids featuring stereogenic centers from Ganoderma species are racemates. Further, GMs from different Ganoderma species seem to have their own characteristics. In this review, a comprehensive summarization of GMs since 2000 is presented, including GM structures, structure corrections, biological activities, physicochemical properties, total synthesis, and proposed biosynthetic pathways. Additionally, we especially discuss the racemic nature, species‐related structural distribution, and structure–activity relationship of GMs, which will provide a likely in‐house database and shed light on future studies on GMs.
Coupled inhomogeneous nonlinear Schrödinger system with potential in three space diemensions
Authors: Saanouni Tarek , Ghanmi Radhia
Published: January 2024

This work studies the inhomogeneous Schrödinger coupled system with potential

The wave function components read
for
. The inhomogeneous singular term exponent is
. The source term is energy sub‐critical:
. Moreover, in order to avoid a singularity of the term
, one assumes that
. The linear Schrödinger operator reads
, where
is a potential satisfying some assumptions which imply that the dispersive and Strichartz estimates hold. The purpose is two‐fold. First, we develop a local well‐posedness theory in the energy space
. Second, we present a dichotomy of global existence and scattering versus blow‐up of energy solutions under the ground‐state threshold in the inter‐critical focusing regime. The scattering is obtained by using the new approach of Dodson–Murphy which is based on Tao's scattering criteria and Morawetz estimates. The novelty here is the presence of the potential
. The challenge is to deal with three technical problems: a coupled nonlinearity, an inhomogeneous singular term
, and the presence of the potential
. This note naturally extends previous works by the authors about the above problem for
.
Non‐parametric measure approximations for constrained multi‐objective optimisation under uncertainty
Authors: Rivier M. , Razaaly N. , Congedo P.M.
Published: January 2024

In this article, we propose non‐parametric estimations of robustness and reliability measures approximation error, employed in the context of constrained multi‐objective optimisation under uncertainty (OUU). These approximations with tunable accuracy permit to capture the Pareto front in a parsimonious way, and can be exploited within an adaptive refinement strategy. First, we illustrate an efficient approach for obtaining joint representations of the robustness and reliability measures, allowing sharper discrimination of Pareto‐optimal designs. A specific surrogate model of these objectives and constraints is then proposed to accelerate the optimisation process. Secondly, we propose an adaptive refinement strategy, using these tunable accuracy approximations to drive the computational effort towards the computation of the optimal area. To this extent, an adapted Pareto dominance rule and Pareto optimal probability computation are formulated. The performance of the proposed strategy is assessed on several analytical test‐cases against classical approaches. We also illustrate the method on an engineering application, performing shape OUU of an Organic Rankine Cycle turbine.
TO‐NODE: Topology optimization with neural ordinary differential equation
Authors: Ma Qiaochu , De Meter Edward C. , Basu Saurabh
Published: January 2024

Deep learning methods have become attractive recently to accelerate topology optimization (TO) because of their capability to save huge computational costs with negligible sacrifice in the quality of final topologies. However, most current approaches rely on numerical mechanics platforms for training which incur significant computation costs. Further, current approaches are not suited for dynamically changing boundary conditions. This is because these deep learning frameworks once trained using results generated with a specific set of boundary conditions do not readily adapt to others. In this article, we present a novel approach to leverage the abilities of deep learning models for TO. We demonstrate that optimization can be achieved using a neural ordinary differential equation. The evolution of the design variable in each iteration of TO is then achieved by numerical integration of this neural differential equation with respect to the starting design. To improve the quality of the results, two levels of generative adversarial networks are also introduced, at the sequence, and image levels, respectively. The proposed machine learning framework is capable of generating full optimization paths relevant to TO in high resolution within seconds and can address novel unseen boundary conditions.
Carbon Nanofibers‐Based Anodes for Potassium‐Ion Battery
Authors: Li Chao , Jiang Wen‐jun , Liu Zhen‐yu
Published: January 2024

In recent years, with the global warming getting worse and increasing demand for energy, countries around the world are trying to develop new energy storage technologies to solve this problem. Currently, potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs) have attracted tremendous attention from researchers as low‐cost and high‐performance energy storage devices. However, due to the huge ionic radius of K+, PIBs face significant volume expansion during cycling, which can easily lead to the collapse of electrode structures. In addition, the poor diffusion kinetics of K+ seriously affect the electrochemical performance of the battery. Carbon nanofibers (CNFs)‐based materials (including CNFs, metal/CNFs composites, chalcogenide/CNFs composites, and other CNFs‐based materials) are widely used as PIBs electrode anode materials due to their three‐dimensional conductive network, heteroatom doping and excellent mechanical properties. This review discusses in detail the research progress of CNFs‐based materials in PIBs, including material preparation, structural design, and performance optimization. On this basis, this article explores the key issues faced by CNFs‐based materials and future development directions, and proposes improvement suggestions for providing new ideas for the development of CNFs‐based materials.
Constructing independent CNTs conductive network to boost combustion performance of metastable intermixed composites
Authors: Yang Pei , Liu Huihui , Meng Linghui , Bai Yongping , He Jinmei
Published: January 2024

Novel metastable intermixed composites (MICs) constructed by carbon nanomaterials are expected to achieve high energy content and high combustion efficiency, but traditional preparation technologies always bring barely improvement in performance. Herein, novel PVDF/CuO/Al@CNTs MICs with independent continuous carbon nanotubes (CNTs) conductive networks were prepared by thoroughly utilizing the conductivity and photothermal properties of CNTs. A conductive network can be constructed at the interface of each encapsulated PVDF/CuO/Al particle with the addition of >0.5 wt% CNTs. The great increase in electrical and thermal conductivity of PVDF/CuO/Al@CNTs MICs indicates excellent energy transfer efficiency across the sample. Significant enhancement of the combustion reaction has been achieved, with the minimum ignition energy and ignition delay time of PVDF/CuO/Al@CNTs3 reduced by ~31% and ~50%, respectively. This indicates that the CNTs with unique photothermal properties can be utilized as an effective igniter. Moreover, the optimal PVDF/CuO/Al@CNTs1 MICs enhanced the pressurization rate (~300%), energy output (~55%), and combustion velocity (~200%). The mechanism of the fast combustion reaction can also be discussed by the weak interface interaction and the energy conductive of the CNTs network throughout the sample. This work provides a modern strategy for strong combustion MICs that can be generalized and applied in the field of energetic materials.

Highlights

An independent continuous CNTs conductive network was prepared with a small amount of CNTs.

The electrical and heat conversion efficiency is greatly improved.

CNTs with unique photothermal properties can be utilized as an effective igniter.

The laser sensitivity is improved, and the reaction energy, pressure, and pressure rates are significantly increased.

The combustion performance was significantly improved, and more intense, and the combustion speed was significantly increased.
Experimental investigations into damage mechanism in the low‐velocity impact and tension‐after‐impact testing of z‐pin reinforced curved CFRP composite
Authors: Liu Weiwei , Sang Chen , Jin Kexin , Hou Jiahao , Yin Mingxin
Published: January 2024

This paper studies the influence of z‐pins on the impact resistance and residual tensile properties of composite large curvature components through low‐velocity impact and tension‐after‐impact tests to explore the damage mechanism. Unpinned and z‐pinned specimens with different diameters (0.3 and 0.5 mm) and spacing (3, 4, and 5 mm) were impacted at energies of 28 J and 14 J + 14 J and were stretched until failure. The theoretical models were used to predict impact dent depth and tensile strength, and the effectiveness of z‐pins and damage patterns were characterized by force‐time/displacement curves and through visual observation. The agreement between the experiments and predictions can thus validate the presented approach. Through the low‐velocity impact test, it is found that z‐pins with higher density and smaller diameter make the impact dent shallower and the surface damage less, thus showing better performance. Later, the impacted specimens mainly show delamination, explosion, breakage, and splitting after tension. During the first stage of the force‐displacement curves, since z‐pins mitigate the delamination, tensile strength shows a 29.58%–59.17% increase while in the third stage, a decrease of 3.95%–15.12% occurs due to initial damage caused by z‐pins.

Highlights

Different impact energies are implemented on large curved CFRP laminates of z‐pins with different diameters and spacing to explore the damage mechanism.

Low‐velocity impact and tension‐after‐impact (TAI) tests are used to simulate the centrifugal force of the blade subjected to impact and rotation after impact.

Z‐pinned group with a small diameter and high density causes less damage and tensile strength in the first stage increases while decreasing in the third stage compared with the unpinned group.
Progress in preparation, processing, and application of high dielectric polypropylene matrix composite materials
Authors: Tao Hengcong , Yan Ming , Zhang Lu , Zou Zimo , Han Beibei , Dong Haipeng , Zhu Baikang , Li Xin
Published: January 2024

Currently, in the era of highly advanced information technology, dielectric materials exhibit extensive potential applications in the realms of energy storage and information transmission. Polypropylene stands as one of the most prevalent plastics, lauded for its exceptional mechanical, thermal, electrical, and processing attributes. This article expounds upon the intricate essence and energy storage principles underpinning dielectric materials while pinpointing the areas in which the current dielectric materials necessitate enhancements. It further delves into the study's selection of polypropylene as the base material, with a focus on the impact of individual fillers (ferroelectric ceramics, carbon materials, etc.) and mixed filler nanoparticles on augmenting the dielectric properties of polypropylene. We also delve into pertinent fabrication techniques and methodologies, such as the solution blending method, melt blending method, and in situ polymerization method. In the context of existing polypropylene‐based composite dielectric materials, this article introduces two quintessential applications: insulation materials for direct current cables and metal capacitor films. Finally, it concludes by summarizing the obstacles and challenges that high‐performance polypropylene‐based dielectric composites confront and offers insights into potential avenues for future research.
A comprehensive review on polystyrene/waste rubber blends: Effective parameters on mechanical properties
Authors: Khoubi‐Arani Zahra
Published: January 2024

Polystyrene (PS), as a commercial thermoplastic polymer, suffers from brittleness at low temperatures. Blending with elastomers can resolve this defect. In this regard, waste rubbers from tires, shoes, and other sources are promising candidates for some applications. This approach of waste rubber recycling is an environmental‐friendly and economical method to produce value‐added products. This work aims to comprehensively review all reported cases regarding PS (or high‐impact polystyrene, HIPS, and expanded polystyrene, EPS)/waste rubber blends. The influences of different parameters on the mechanical properties were carefully summarized, including mixing conditions (temperature, mixing time, rotor speed, and mixing sequence), rubber content, rubber particle size, compatibilizer addition, rubber devulcanization, and surface treatment of rubber. Some parameters had a negligible effect on the mechanical properties, such as the rotor speed in the mixing process, while significant influences were observed for some parameters, such as rubber content. The effect of some parameters was remarkable only at low or high rubber loading, such as particle size and solvent‐inducing surface treatment of rubber, respectively. Finally, the effects of aforementioned parameters on tensile and impact strengths were compared and recommendations for future research in this field were suggested.

Highlights

All reported research regarding PS/waste rubber blends was comprehensively reviewed.

All different factors influencing mechanical properties were carefully summarized.

The effects of different factors on tensile and impact strengths were compared.
Inflammatory rebound and postinfectious inflammatory response in children with pleural infection: A single‐center retrospective study
Authors: Poirault Clément , Hadchouel Alice , Roy Charlotte , Schmartz Sophie , Gonsard Apolline , Garcelon Nicolas , Delacourt Christophe , Drummond David
Published: January 2024

Introduction

As pleural inflammation plays a central role in pleural infection (PI), corticosteroids are increasingly being considered as a potential therapy. However, the timing of treatment and the identification of patients who might benefit most remain unresolved. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the inflammatory trajectories of children with PI.

Methods

This retrospective single‐center study included children aged 3 months to 17 years and 11 months hospitalized for PI due to Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus over 10 years. An inflammatory rebound was defined biologically as a reincrease in C‐reactive protein (CRP) of at least 50 mg/L after an initial decrease in CRP of at least 50 mg/L.

Results

We included 53 cases of PI, including 16 due to S. pyogenes, 27 due to S. pneumonia, and 10 due to S. aureus. An inflammatory rebound occurred in 20 patients (38%) after a median of 4.5 (3−6) days. This inflammatory rebound occurred in 9 (56%) children with S. pyogenes, 8 (30%) children with S. pneumonia, and 3 (30%) children with S. aureus. Children with an inflammatory rebound also had a higher rate of persistent fever after Day 7 and a longer length of stay (p = .01 for both).

Conclusion

We postulate that the inflammatory rebound identified in nearly 40% of our patients corresponds to an early postinfectious inflammatory response, and thus that corticosteroids may be most beneficial for children with PI if administered early (between Days 2 and 5).
Virtual consultation (VC) in fertility and obstetrics and gynaecology services: An analysis of patient and clinician satisfaction
Authors: D'Angelo Arianna , Evans Francesca , Williams Jessica , Johns Gemma , Ahuja Alka
Published: January 2024

Objective

To assess patient and clinician satisfaction and identify any differences between the two with the use of video consulting (VC) in the fields of obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) and fertility in Wales.

Design

A retrospective electronic survey study.

Setting

All public hospitals in Wales that used virtual methods for delivery of fertility and/or O&G appointments during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic between August 2020 and March 2022.

Population

Patients awaiting an appointment on the National Health Service, who have attended virtual fertility or O&G appointments in Wales, and fertility and O&G clinicians who have conducted appointments virtually.

Methods

Analysis of patient and clinician responses to a VC satisfaction survey delivered after their consultation taking place between August 2020 and March 2022.

Main Outcome Measures

Patient and clinician satisfaction rates with the use of virtual consultation in fertility and O&G appointments.

Results

In satisfaction data collected from 420 patients and 161 clinicians, 83% of patients and 63% of clinicians reported their VC quality to be ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’. Difficulties when using VC were experienced by a minority of patients (1%–9%) and clinicians (1%–8%) and most patients (52v82%) and clinicians (34%–67%) found several aspects of VC to be ‘very beneficial’. Fertility patients rated their VC experience more positively than O&G patients.

Conclusions

Most patients and clinicians were satisfied with their VC experience. Patients were more satisfied with the use of VC than clinicians. Fertility patients were more satisfied with the use of VC than O&G patients.
Optimal guidance track generation for precision agriculture: A review of coverage path planning techniques
Authors: Höffmann Maria , Patel Shruti , Büskens Christof
Published: January 2024

The Complete Coverage Path Planning (CCPP) problem is a subfield of industrial motion planning that has applications in various domains, ranging from mobile robotics to treatment applications. Especially in precision agriculture with a high level of automation, the use of CCPP techniques is essential for efficient resource utilization, reduced soil compaction, and increased yields. This paper reviews the CCPP problem in the context of machines operating in agricultural fields and proposes a methodological approach consisting of three steps: Generating the Guidance Tracks (i.e., the track system along which the path should be oriented), determining the traversing sequence through these tracks, and planning a smooth and drivable path. This paper provides an in‐depth review of optimization‐based approaches that deal with the first step, the generation of the guidance track system. Thereby, a comprehensive and pedagogical approach for the generation of guidance tracks for arbitrarily shaped two‐dimensional regions of interest is provided, along with an overview and detailed elaboration on different exact cellular decomposition techniques found in literature. Furthermore, cost functions are outlined for the different approaches presented in this work, which are utilized to generate optimal guidance tracks. Finally, this survey serves as an introductory guide for research and practitioners to solve the CCPP problem effectively and efficiently.