bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An efficient RBF‐DCNN based DOA estimation in multipath and impulse noise wireless environment
Authors: Gantayat Harikrushna , Panigrahi Trilochan , Patra Pradyumna
Published: July 2022

The typical MultiPath (MP) propagation environment attains lots of MP signals as of the antenna array, and the Impulse Noise (IPN) accompanies these MP signals. The Directions‐of‐Arrivals (DOA) of an MP signal is tough to be assessed because of these IPN. Though numerous existing techniques were generated to assess the MP signal's DOA, they cannot attain a desirable output. To achieve robust and accurate DOA estimation (DOAE) in multipath and IPN wireless environment, this work proposes an efficient Radial Basis Function based Deep Convolutional Neural Network (RBF‐DCNN) centered DOAE. Here, initially, the noises in the inputted signal are eradicated utilizing Improved Particle Filter (IPF). After denoising, the imperative features are extracted as of that signal. Next, the required features are selected as of that signal, which is utilized for Dimension Reduction (DR). The Modified Salp Swarm Optimization Algorithm (MSSOA) is employed for feature selection. Then, the dimension reduced signal is inputted to the RBF‐DCNN, which estimated the DOA centered upon the received signal's SNR value. Numerical simulation outcomes are rendered to exemplify the proposed method's effectiveness.
TCF7l2, a nuclear marker that labels premyelinating oligodendrocytes and promotes oligodendroglial lineage progression
Authors: Guo Fuzheng , Wang Yan
Published: July 2022

Clinical and basic neuroscience research is greatly benefited from the identification and characterization of lineage specific and developmental stage‐specific markers. In the glial research community, histological markers that specifically label newly differentiated premyelinating oligodendrocytes are still scarce. Premyelinating oligodendrocyte markers, especially those of nuclear localization, enable researchers to easily quantify the rate of oligodendrocyte generation regardless of developmental ages. We propose that the transcription factor 7‐like 2 (TCF7l2, mouse gene symbol Tcf7l2) is a useful nuclear marker that specifically labels newly generated premyelinating oligodendrocytes and promotes oligodendroglial lineage progression. Here, we highlight the controversial research history of TCF7l2 expression and function in oligodendroglial field and discuss previous experimental data justifying TCF7l2 as a specific nuclear marker for premyelinating oligodendrocytes during developmental myelination and remyelination. We conclude that TCF7l2 can be used alone or combined with pan‐oligodendroglial lineage markers to identify newly differentiated or newly regenerated oligodendrocytes and quantify the rate of oligodendrocyte generation.
Assessing community readiness to reduce consumption of sugary drinks in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: A useful tool for evaluation and co‐design
Authors: Williams Tiffany , Thompson Kani , Brown Clare , Hammond Melinda , Cargo Margaret , Murtha Kirby
Published: July 2022

Issue addressed

There is a need for culturally appropriate methods in the implementation and evaluation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health programs. A group of Indigenous and non‐Indigenous practitioners culturally adapted and applied the Tri‐Ethnic Research Centre's Community Readiness Tool (CRT) to evaluate change in community readiness and reflect on its appropriateness.

Methods

Aboriginal community‐controlled health service staff informed the cultural adaptation of the standard CRT. The adapted CRT was then used at baseline and 12‐month follow‐up in three remote communities in the Cape York region, Queensland, Australia. Program implementation occurred within a pilot project aiming to influence availability of drinking water and sugary drinks.

Results

The adapted CRT was found to be feasible and useful. Overall mean readiness scores increased in two communities, with no change in the third community. CRT interview data were used to develop community action plans with key stakeholders that were tailored to communities' stage of readiness. Considerations for future application of the CRT were the importance of having a pre‐defined issue, time and resource‐intensiveness of the process, and need to review appropriateness prior to implementation in other regions.

Conclusion

The adapted CRT was valuable for evaluating the project and co‐designing strategies with stakeholders, and holds potential for further applications in health promotion in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

So what?

This project identified benefits of CRT application not reported elsewhere. The adapted CRT adds a practical method to the toolkits of health promotors and evaluators for working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to address priority concerns.
Improved survival and higher rates of surgical resection associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in children as compared to young adults
Authors: Commander Sarah Jane , Cerullo Marcelo , Arjunji Neha , Leraas Harold J. , Thornton Steven , Ravindra Kadiyala , Tracy Elisabeth T.
Published: July 2022

Hepatocellular adenocarcinoma (HCC) is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy in children with a 5‐year overall survival of 30%. Few studies have examined the similarities and differences between pediatric and adult HCC. This article aims to examine the relationship between tumor characteristics, treatments and outcomes in pediatric and adult patients with HCC. The 2019 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with HCC. Patients were stratified by age: pediatric <21 years (n = 214) and young adults 21 to 40 (n = 1102). Descriptive statistics and chi square were performed. The mean age at diagnosis was 15.5 years (SD 5.6) in the pediatric and 33 years (5.3) in the adult group. Children had a comparable rate of metastasis (30% vs 28%, P = .47) and increased fibrolamellar histology (32% vs 9%). Surgical resection was more common in children compared to adults (74% vs 62%, P < .001), children also had more lymph nodes examined (39% vs 19%, P < .001), positive lymph nodes (35% vs 17%, P = .02) and surgical resection when metastasis were present at diagnosis (46% vs 18%, P < .001). The 1‐, 3‐ and 5‐year overall survival was higher for pediatric patients than adults (81%, 65%, 55%, vs 70%, 54%, 48%). Despite higher prevalence of fibrolamellar histology, greater number of positive lymph nodes and comparable rates of metastasis at diagnosis, children with HCC have improved overall survival compared to adults. Age did not significantly contribute to survivorship, so it is likely that the more aggressive surgical approach contributed to the improved overall survival in pediatric patients.
The structure of menopausal syndrome: Using network analysis to understand unique symptomatic relationships
Authors: Zhao Di , Lv Gaorong , Qi Meiling , Xie Zihui , Zhang Yunxue , Zhou Miao , Wang Qing , Li Ping
Published: July 2022

Objective

To explore the network structure underlying the symptoms of menopausal syndrome and to identify the central and bridge symptoms of menopause among middle‐aged women.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional survey study conducted in the Chinese community with a total of 1829 women aged 40–65 years. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess the menopausal syndrome, including somato‐vegetative, psychological, and urogenital subdomains. The network analysis was performed to determine the central and bridge symptoms of menopause.

Results

In the network of menopausal symptoms, anxiety, vaginal dryness, depressive mood, and irritability were the most central symptoms. Depressive mood, anxiety, and vaginal dryness were also detected as the bridge symptoms. The estimated network between the symptoms had good stability (CS‐strength = 0.75 and CS‐edge = 0.75).

Conclusion

The present network analysis provided unique insights into the inner structure of menopausal symptoms. Psychological symptoms should be considered as the core symptoms in developing relevant interventions to improve the health and well‐being of middle‐aged women.
Safe abortion: A retrospective study of negative pressure suction in abortion under the monitoring of ultrasound
Authors: He Xi‐Feng , Du Xiu‐Ping , Qiao Cui‐Feng
Published: July 2022

Objective

To observe the effectiveness of ultrasound monitoring during negative pressure suction for abortion.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed patients with abortion who underwent negative pressure suction, excluding 23 cases with incomplete information and missing interviews, leaving a total of 200 patients included in the study. They were divided into an ultrasound group (n = 100) and a non‐ultrasound group (n = 100) based on whether ultrasound monitoring was used. The ultrasound group was applied negative pressure suction under ultrasound monitoring, and the non‐ultrasound group was applied traditional negative pressure suction. The operative time and complications were assessed after the treatment.

Results

The operative time in the ultrasound group was 3.19 ± 0.62 min and in the non‐ultrasound group was 6.35 ± 1.20 min, revealing a significantly shorter operative time in the ultrasound group than in the non‐ultrasound group (P < 0.05). There was one case of uterine residual in the ultrasound group. There were eight cases with uterine residuals, four cases with intrauterine adhesions, one case with missed aspiration, and one case with perforation of the uterus in the non‐ultrasound group. The complication rate in the ultrasound group was less than that in the non‐ultrasound group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Ultrasound‐monitored negative pressure suction has obvious advantages over ordinary negative pressure suction in that it can shorten operation time, reduce operative complications, and ensure a safe and effective abortion.
The improvement of periodontal tissue regeneration using a 3D‐printed carbon nanotube/chitosan/sodium alginate composite scaffold
Authors: Suo Lai , Wu Hongshan , Wang Puyu , Xue Zhijun , Gao Jing , Shen Jing
Published: July 2022

Periodontal disease is a common disease in the oral field, and many researchers are studying periodontal disease and try to find some biological scaffold materials to make periodontal tissue regenerative. In this study, we attempted to construct a carbon nanotube/chitosan/sodium alginate (CNT/CS/AL) ternary composite hydrogel and then prepare porous scaffold by 3D printing technology. Subsequently, characterizing the materials and testing the mechanical properties of the scaffold. Additionally, its effect on the proliferation of human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) and its antibacterial effect on Porphyromonas gingivalis were detected. We found that CNT/CS/AL porous composite scaffolds with uniform pores could be successfully prepared. Moreover, with increasing CNT concentration, the degradation rate and the swelling degree of scaffold showed a downward trend. The compressive strength test indicated the elastic modulus of composite scaffolds ranged from 18 to 80 kPa, and 1% CNT/CS/AL group had the highest quantitative value. Subsequently, cell experiments showed that the CNT/CS/AL scaffold had good biocompatibility and could promote the proliferation of hPDLCs. Among 0.1%–1% CNT/CS/AL groups, the biocompatibility of 0.5% CNT/CS/AL scaffold performed best. Meanwhile, in vitro antibacterial experiments showed that the CNT/CS/AL scaffold had a certain bacteriostatic effect on P. gingivalis. When the concentration of CNT was more than 0.5%, the antimicrobial activity of composite scaffold was significantly promoted, and about 30% bacteria were inactivated. In conclusion, this 3D‐printed CNT/CS/AL composite scaffold, with good material properties, biocompatibility and bacteriostatic activity, may be used for periodontal tissue regeneration, providing a new avenue for the treatment of periodontal disease.
Scale use and abuse: Towards best practices in the deployment of scales
Authors: Haws Kelly L. , Sample Kevin L. , Hulland John
Published: July 2022

Given that consumer researchers and other social scientists often operate with latent constructs that are not directly observable, sound measurement practices are essential for the continual development of scientific knowledge. An abundance of validated and reliable scales to measure constructs of interest exists within the literature. However, once these measures are introduced, how are they subsequently utilized? In this article, we focus on the deployment of measurement scales and the critical underlying issues consumer behavior and marketing researchers should consider. We discuss recent practices in scale deployment and specifically scale modification (through changes in wording, length, and dimensionality). Building from this perspective, we provide recommendations for best practices in the usage, adaptation, validation, and reporting of previously introduced scales.
SYNGR2 serves as a prognostic biomarker and correlates with immune infiltrates in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Li Bin , Ren Mei‐Yu , Chen Yu‐Zhen , Meng Yu‐Qi , Song Tie‐Niu , Su Zhi‐Peng , Yang Bo
Published: July 2022

Background

Synaptogyrin‐2 (SYNGR2) plays an important role in regulating membrane traffic in non‐neuronal cells. However, the role of SYNGR2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear.

Methods

All original data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases and integrated via R 3.5.3. SYNGR2 expression was explored in the TCGA and GEO databases. The correlations between SYNGR2 and cancer immune characteristics were analyzed via the TIMER and TISIDB databases.

Results

In general, SYNGR2 was predominantly overexpressed and had reference values in the diagnosis and prognostic estimation of ESCC. Upregulated SYNGR2 was associated with poorer overall survival, disease‐specific survival and T stage in ESCC. Mechanistically, we identified hub genes that included a total of 38 SYNGR2‐related genes, which were tightly associated with the protein polyubiquitination pathway in ESCC patients. SYNGR2 expression was negatively related to the infiltrating levels of T helper cells. SYNGR2 methylation was positively correlated with the expression of chemokines (CCL2 and CXCL12), chemokine receptors (CCR1 and CCR2), immunoinhibitors (CXCL12 and TNFRSF4) and immunostimulators (CSF1R and PDCD1LG2) in ESCC.

Conclusion

SYNGR2 may be used as a biomarker for determining prognosis and immune infiltration in ESCC.
A green approach for the catalyst‐free synthesis of imidazole‐bearing pyrazole moiety using PEG‐400 as an efficient recyclable medium as potential anti‐tubercular and anti‐microbial agents
Authors: Panchani Nayankumar M. , Kapadiya Khushal M. , Joshi Hitendrakumar S.
Published: July 2022

Polyethylene glycol‐400 (PEG‐400) is a recyclable and rapid reaction medium for synthesizing a new series of 4‐(3‐[substitutedphenyl]‐4,5‐dihydro‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐5‐yl)‐1H‐imidazoles in two‐step procedures by condensation of 1H‐imidazole‐4‐carbaldehyde and various acetophenones to form chalcones followed by base‐catalyzed cyclization employing phenyl hydrazine in a catalyst‐free approach. The way of projected approach provides easy work‐up, less reaction time, avoids metal‐based and toxic catalysts, high yield, and reduces the use of carcinogenic organic solvents. The synthesized scaffolds have been screened for their anti‐microbial and anti‐tubercular activity against a set of pathogens.
Synthesis of novel indole‐oxadiazole molecular hybrids by a regioselective C‐3 sulfenylation of indole with 1,3,4‐oxadiazole‐2‐thiols using iodine‐dimethyl sulfoxide and their anticancer properties
Authors: Dutta Kartik , Majumdar Ananda Guha , Kushwah Nisha , Wadawale Amey P. , Patro Birija S. , Ghosh Sunil K.
Published: July 2022

Novel indole‐oxadiazole molecular hybrids have been synthesized by a regioselective C‐3 sulfenylation of indoles with 1,3,4‐oxadiazole‐2‐thiols for the first time using iodine as a catalyst and DMSO as a co‐oxidant. No other regioisomeric products were formed when the 3‐position of the indole is substituted. The method is mild and highly efficient with good substrate tolerance in both components. The indole‐oxadiazole hybrid compounds are tested for their antiproliferative activities against human breast carcinoma cell line MCF‐7 and a set of hybrids is identified as having moderate growth inhibition with IC50(10–25 μM). The indole‐oxadiazole hybrid3gcshowed the most significant cell proliferative activity against the MCF‐7 cell line with IC5010 μM.
Thunderstorm days over Argentina: Integration between human observations of thunder and the world wide lightning location network lightning data
Authors: Bertone Fiorela , Nicora Gabriela , Vidal Luciano
Published: July 2022

Storms are one of nature's most dangerous phenomena; therefore, knowing their spatial distribution and evolution over time is of great interest for the protection of society, as well as for climate change adaptation strategies. The measurement of Thunderstorm days (Td) was one of the first tools used to monitor storms. The advent of automatic detection networks on the surface has allowed us to advance in the understanding and characterization of the electrical activity in the atmosphere, locating in real‐time electrical discharges and providing information over previously unrecorded regions. This work focuses on the integration of human observations at conventional meteorological stations and the data provided by the WWLLN surface discharge detection network in Argentina. The calibration methodology applied determined a mean human thunderstorm detection radius of 21 km which allowed the elaboration of isokeraunic maps for the period 2008–2017 for the region of interest. The spatial distribution of storms yielded the highest values of Td in the Argentine Northwest region with values above 100 Td·year−1 followed by a relative maximum in the Argentine Northeast with 80 Td·year−1 and the Sierras de Córdoba with 50 Td·year−1.
Changes in rainfall patterns in southern Brazil over 1961–2020 period detected by rain gauge data
Authors: Pittol Martini Luiz Carlos
Published: July 2022

Long‐term instrumental climate records are a major source of data for historical trends and extreme event analysis. Time series analysis of several rain gauges shows that the mid‐latitudes of Brazil experienced an increase in both annual and extreme rainfall over the last 60 years (1961–2020). The annual time series shows a significant upward trend, while changes in the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall indicate a shortening of the recurrence interval for extreme precipitation events. In support of these results, the standardized precipitation index (SPI) also shows a positive trend for rainfall anomalies. Thus, the flood risk is higher at present than a few decades ago, while drought intensity is lower for both short and long monthly intervals used for the SPI calculation. The 60‐year instrumental rainfall data for southern Brazil shows that the amount of rainfall and changes in intensity could be higher than climate projections from models based on a broader spatial scale.
Variations in July extreme precipitation in Henan Province and the related mechanisms
Authors: Qianrong Ma , Rui Hu , Yongping Wu , Jie Zhang , Rong Zhi , Guoling Feng
Published: July 2022

Extreme precipitation in July across Henan Province and the possible mechanisms involved were investigated. The precipitation in Henan reaches its maximum in July. During 1979–2021, the precipitation in July changed weakly, but the intensity (R99p) and frequency (R99f) of extreme precipitation showed certain increasing trends, with a significant increase in northern Henan. The proportion of extreme precipitation in total precipitation exhibited a significant upward trend. Wavelet analysis results showed that the extreme precipitation in Henan mainly has a 2–3‐year periodicity, and remarkable interannual variation. Furthermore, nearly 80% of the July extreme precipitation events within the magnitude of 50–100 mm occurred 2–3 times. The first two empirical orthogonal function modes of July R99p exhibited a quasi‐monopole pattern (EOF1) and meridional dipole pattern (EOF2), respectively. Further analysis revealed that EOF1 and EOF2 were related to the Silk Road teleconnection pattern (SRP) and the East Asia/Pacific teleconnection pattern (EAP). Circulation factors influenced the interannual variation of R99p, especially in recent years. Furthermore, the associated sea surface temperature anomalies over the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean can intensify the eastward extension of the South Asian high and westward strengthening of the western Pacific subtropical high, which further impacted the SRP and EAP pattern and enhanced the increment of extreme precipitation in Henan Province.
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Image‐Based Radiomics for the Diagnosis of Achilles Tendinopathy in Skiers
Authors: Wang Likun , Wen Dehui , Yin Yanlin , Zhang Peinan , Wen Wen , Gao Jun , Jiang Zekun
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Our study aimed to develop and validate an efficient ultrasound image‐based radiomic model for determining the Achilles tendinopathy in skiers.

Methods

A total of 88 feet of skiers clinically diagnosed with unilateral chronic Achilles tendinopathy and 51 healthy feet were included in our study. According to the time order of enrollment, the data were divided into a training set (n = 89) and a test set (n = 50). The regions of interest (ROIs) were segmented manually, and 833 radiomic features were extracted from red, green, blue color channels and grayscale of ROIs using Pyradiomics, respectively. Three feature selection and three machine learning modeling algorithms were implemented respectively, for determining the optimal radiomics pipeline. Finally, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), consistency analysis, and decision analysis were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance.

Results

By comparing nine radiomics analysis strategies of three color channels and grayscale, the radiomic model under the green channel obtained the best diagnostic performance, using the Random Forest selection and Support Vector Machine modeling, which was selected as the final machine learning model. All the selected radiomic features were significantly associated with the Achilles tendinopathy (P < .05). The radiomic model had a training AUC of 0.98, a test AUC of 0.99, a sensitivity of 0.90, and a specificity of 1, which could bring sufficient clinical net benefits.

Conclusions

Ultrasound image‐based radiomics achieved high diagnostic performance, which could be used as an intelligent auxiliary tool for the diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy.
Dissecting the Domains of Parkinson's Disease: Insights from Longitudinal Item Response Theory Modeling
Authors: Luo Sheng , Zou Haotian , Stebbins Glenn T. , Schwarzschild Michael A. , Macklin Eric A. , Chan James , Oakes David , Simuni Tanya , Goetz Christopher G. ,   Parkinson Study Group SURE‐PD3 Investigators
Published: July 2022

Background

Longitudinal item response theory (IRT) models previously suggested that the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS) motor examination has two salient domains, tremor and nontremor, that progress in time and in response to treatment differently.

Objective

Apply longitudinal IRT modeling, separating tremor and nontremor domains, to reanalyze outcomes in the previously published clinical trial (Study of Urate Elevation in Parkinson's Disease, Phase 3) that showed no overall treatment effects.

Methods

We applied unidimensional and multidimensional longitudinal IRT models to MDS‐UPDRS motor examination items in 298 participants with Parkinson's disease from the Study of Urate Elevation in Parkinson's Disease, Phase 3 (placebo vs. inosine) study. We separated 10 tremor items from 23 nontremor items and used Bayesian inference to estimate progression rates and sensitivity to treatment in overall motor severity and tremor and nontremor domains.

Results

The progression rate was faster in the tremor domain than the nontremor domain before levodopa treatment. Inosine treatment had no effect on either domain relative to placebo. Levodopa treatment was associated with greater slowing of progression in the tremor domain than the nontremor domain regardless of inosine exposure. Linear patterns of progression were observed. Despite different domain‐specific progression patterns, tremor and nontremor severities at baseline and over time were significantly correlated.

Conclusions

Longitudinal IRT analysis is a novel statistical method addressing limitations of traditional linear regression approaches. It is particularly useful because it can simultaneously monitor changes in different, but related, domains over time and in response to treatment interventions. We suggest that in neurological diseases with distinct impairment domains, clinical or anatomical, this application may identify patterns of change unappreciated by standard statistical methods. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Physicians urge stakeholders to advance BH integration plans
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: July 2022

Having already embarked on an initiative two years ago to provide support to physicians and help them combine mental health and physical health in their medical practices, the American Medical Association (AMA) and other leading physician organizations are taking those efforts a step further. They have announced a new call‐to‐action urging health care system stakeholders to support equitable, whole‐person care for patients and their families.
Global well‐posedness for the generalized Navier‐Stokes‐Coriolis equations with highly oscillating initial data
Authors: Sun Xiaochun , Liu Mixiu , Zhang Jihong
Published: July 2022

We study the small initial date Cauchy problem for the generalized incompressible Navier‐Stokes‐Coriolis equations in critical hybrid‐Besov space
with
and
. We prove that hybrid‐Besov spaces norm of a class of highly osillating initial velocity can be arbitrarily small, and we prove the estimation of highly frequency
smoothing effect for generalized Stokes‐Coriolis semigroup with
. At the same time, we prove space‐time norm estimation of hybrid‐Besov spaces for Stokes‐Coriolis semigroup. From this result, we deduce bilinear estimation in our work space. Our method relies upon Bony's high and low‐frequency decomposition technology and Banach fixed point theorem.
An initial boundary value problem for a pseudoparabolic equation with a nonlinear boundary condition
Authors: Antontsev Stanilslav N. , Aitzhanov Serik E. , Zhanuzakova Dinara T.
Published: July 2022

An initial boundary value problem for a quasilinear equation of pseudoparabolic type with a nonlinear boundary condition of the Neumann–Dirichlet type is investigated in this work. From a physical point of view, the initial boundary value problem considered here is a mathematical model of quasistationary processes in semiconductors and magnets, which takes into account a wide variety of physical factors. Many approximate methods are suitable for finding eigenvalues and eigenfunctions in problems where the boundary conditions are linear with respect to the desired function and its derivatives. Among these methods, the Galerkin method leads to the simplest calculations. On the basis of a priori estimates, we prove a local existence theorem and uniqueness for a weak generalized solution of the initial boundary value problem for the quasilinear pseudoparabolic equation. A special place in the theory of nonlinear equations is occupied by the study of unbounded solutions, or, as they are called in another way, blow‐up regimes. Nonlinear evolutionary problems admitting unbounded solutions are globally unsolvable. In the article, sufficient conditions for the blow‐up of a solution in a finite time in a limited area with a nonlinear Neumann–Dirichlet boundary condition are obtained.
Design and analysis of multilayer multipermittivity circularly polarized DRA for ultra‐wideband applications
Authors: Sani Md. Muzammil , Chowdhury Rakesh , Chaudhary Raghvendra Kumar
Published: July 2022

In this article, a circularly polarized dielectric resonator antenna is designed with ultra‐wideband (UWB) features. The structure comprises a cross‐shaped multilayer multipermittivity (MLMP) rectangular dielectric resonator, a chimney‐shaped patch, and an air gap between the ground plane and the dielectric resonator (DR). To obtain the UWB, the upper layer of DR is rotated around the z‐axis. The proposed antenna has measured UWB bandwidth of around 179.4% (0.8–14.8 GHz) below −10 dB, with three bands of 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth of 97.8% (1.0–2.8 GHz), 38% (5.65–8.3 GHz), and 20% (12.1–14.8 GHz), respectively. The average gain of the proposed antenna is 5.64 dBi, which is consistent with the hardware measurements. The proposed antenna is suitable for covering the ultra high frequency (UHF) to Ku microwave frequency band.
Volumetric multiphase ventilation imaging based on four‐dimensional computed tomography for functional lung avoidance radiotherapy
Authors: Huang Yu‐Hua , Ren Ge , Xiao Haonan , Yang Dongrong , Kong Feng‐Ming (Spring) , Ho Wai Yin , Cai Jing
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Current computed tomography (CT)‐based lung ventilation imaging (CTVI) techniques derive a static ventilation image without temporal information. This research aims to develop a four‐dimensional CT (4DCT)‐based multiphase dynamic ventilation imaging framework capable of recovering the entire ventilation process throughout the breathing cycle for functional lung avoidance radiotherapy (FLART).

Methods

A total of 15 free‐breathing thoracic 4DCT scans of lung or esophageal cancer patients were collected from the public datasets. The lung region of each phase image was first delineated, and then the mask‐free isotropic total variation image registration algorithm was used to derive the deformation vector fields between the end‐expiration (EE) phase and other phases. As a surrogate of ventilation, the voxel‐wise local expansion ratio of each phase relative to the EE phase was estimated using the parameterized Integrated Jacobian Formulation method in the EE phase coordinate. Lastly, the dynamic ventilation images were generated by warping these phase‐specific local expansion distributions with a same geometry into their respective breathing phases. Quantitative analysis, including interphase Spearman correlation coefficients, voxel‐wise, and regional‐wise expansion/contraction tracking, were performed to indirectly validate the proposed method.

Results

The proposed method maintains the physiological meaning of ventilation on each phase and enables to recover the dynamic lung ventilation process. The mean interphase Spearman correlations ranged between 0.23 ± 0.20 and 0.93 ± 0.04 and decreased near the EE phase. Only 26.2% (2.59E + 6 out of 9.89E + 6) of lung voxels exhibited the same expansion/contraction pattern as the global lung. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the interphase ventilation distribution difference show that ventilation spatiotemporal heterogeneities generally exist during respiration.

Conclusions

In contrast to conventional CTVI metrics, our method enables to extract additional phase‐resolved respiration‐correlated information and reflects the generally existed ventilation spatiotemporal heterogeneities. Subsequent studies with quantitative phase‐by‐phase cross‐modality evaluations will further explore its potential to deepen our understanding of lung function and respiration mechanics and also to facilitate more accurate implementation of FLART.
A finite element level set method based on adaptive octree meshes for thermal free‐surface flows
Authors: Xu Songzhe , Zhu Qiming , Fernando Milinda , Sundar Hari
Published: July 2022

We develop a parallel finite element computational framework based on the level set method and adaptive octree meshes for free‐surface flows. The discretized governing formulations are stabilized using a residual‐based variational multiscale method. We redistance the level set field and restore mass conservation after each time step. The octree mesh is adaptively refined according to the interface location, and the load is rebalanced across processes. The adaptive octree‐based level set method is verified and validated using a canonical problem of dam break without obstacle, and a mesh convergence study is carried out in this problem. The surface tension is further considered via a continuum surface force model in the method and validated using a problem of single bubble rising in ambient liquid. A parallel scaling analysis of this method is also performed for the bubble rising problem. The energy equation and Marangoni effect are finally considered in the method and validated using a problem of thermocapillary droplet migration with and without gravity. This work illustrates the ability of the framework to accurately model and predict free‐surface flows under various scenarios.
A higher tumor volume and undernutrition at diagnosis adversely affect the survival of children with Wilms tumor: A study of 200 patients
Authors: Rahiman Emine A , Trehan Amita , Jain Richa , Menon Prema , Kakkar Nandita , Srinivasan Radhika , Sodhi Kushaljit Singh , Saxena Akshay Kumar , Kapoor Rakesh , Bansal Deepak
Published: July 2022

Background

Distinct prognostic factors for Wilms tumor (WT) in low‐ and middle‐income countries need identification.

Methods

Retrospective study of patients with WT managed by the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) approach for over 11 years (2005–2016) at a single center in Chandigarh, India.

Results

The study included 200 patients (median age: 33.5 months). The tumor stage (SIOP) distribution included stage I (30%), II (36%), III (14%), IV (17%), and V (3%). The histology‐risk groups were low (8%), intermediate (84%), and high risk (9%). At diagnosis, 68 out of 190 (36%) patients were underweight. The median tumor volume at diagnosis was 481 ml (interquartile ratio [IQR]: 306.9, 686.8, n = 146). Following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, it reduced to 110 ml (IQR: 151.2, 222, n = 77). Treatment was abandoned in 20.5% of the patients. Treatment‐related mortality occurred in 13 of 179 (7.2%) patients. Relapse occurred in 26 of 158 (16.5%) patients. The 3‐year overall survival (OS) and event‐free survival (EFS) of patients who completed therapy were 78.3 and 72%, respectively. The stage (p = .013) and histology (p = .023) influenced OS. A lower OS in stage II (75.4%) versus stage III disease (83.7%) suggested understaging. Patients with a higher tumor volume at diagnosis (p = .005; odds ratio [OR]: 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99–1.00) or a lower weight‐for‐age z‐score (p = .002; OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.21–2.33) had an increased risk of death or relapse.

Conclusions

The 3‐year OS and EFS of children who completed therapy were 78.3 and 72%, respectively. A higher tumor volume and lower weight‐for‐age z‐score at diagnosis were identified as distinct adverse prognostic factors. A likely suboptimal lymph node assessment (intraoperative and histopathology) contributed to the understaging of stage III to II disease and reduced survival.
Weibull reliability plots to study the strain rate effect on interfacial strengths of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites
Authors: Seif Charbel Y. , Hage Ilige S. , Hamade Ramsey F.
Published: July 2022

Two‐parameter Weibull reliability plots are utilized to determine the effects of strain rate on the interfacial strengths of unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced epoxy (CFRE) composites. Laminate specimens with two different fiber orientations are tested to failure under flexural loading. Type 1 laminates with fibers running parallel to specimen length (fiber orientation of 0° with respect to specimen span length) enable measuring inter‐laminar shear strength (ILSS) of the interface (between adjacent lamina) with locus of failure along beam mid ply. Seventy‐two type 1 laminates are tested at five levels of flexural strain rates: 1.89 * 10−5 to 9.37 * 10−2 s−1. Type 2 laminates with fibers running perpendicular to specimen length (fiber orientation of 90° with respect to specimen span length) enable measuring intra‐laminar (matrix/fiber) peel strength (ILPS) for tensile (mode I) strength of the matrix/fiber interface with locus of failure at beam bottom ply. Thirty‐six type 2 laminates are tested at three levels of flexural strain rates: 2.09 * 10−5 to 3.49 * 10−3 s−1. For each level of strain rate, Weibull plots are constructed. Stress values at failure probability (Pf) of 63.1% are assigned as strength values. The results show a slight decrease of the Weibull modulus, m, with increasing strain rates. The modulus decreases from 12.37 to 10.49 and from 11.11 to 9.68, for laminates type 1 and 2, respectively. For laminates type 1, ILSS increases with increasing strain rates rising 16.1% over the range of the tested strain rates. For laminates type 2, ILPS increases with increasing strain rates rising 38.1% over the range.
A comparative study between fiber orientation closure approximations and a new orthotropic closure
Authors: Al‐Qudsi Ahmad , Çelik Hakan , Neuhaus Jonas , Hopmann Christian
Published: July 2022

In injection and compression molding simulation, orientation tensors provide an efficient way with less computational effort to calculate flow‐induced fiber orientations. In these flow calculations, the solution of any even‐ordered orientation tensor needs the following even higher‐ordered orientation tensor. Therefore, a closure is used in order to approximate the higher‐ordered orientation tensor as a function of the components of the lower‐ordered orientation tensors. There exist many closures of the fourth‐order orientation tensor in terms of the second‐order orientation. This paper gives a review with mathematical details for different closure approximations including simple closures, composite closures, eigenvalue‐ based orthotropic closures, invariant‐based closures, and neural‐network‐ based closures. Moreover, a new closure approximation that assumes an orthotropic stiffness tensor was suggested in this work. The results of the closure approximations were validated through the comparison of Young moduli between the closure approximations and the experimental results for both short‐ and long‐fiber‐reinforced composites.
EMI shielding of cobalt, red onion husk biochar and carbon short fiber‐PVA composite on X and Ku band frequencies
Authors: Devi G. , Nagabhooshanam N. , Chokkalingam Mohan , Sahu Santosh Kumar
Published: July 2022

This present study discusses the effects of doped novel cobalt‐onion peel‐based water soluble Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) composite for its electromagnetic interference shielding (EMI) effectiveness in high‐frequency bands such as X and Ku region. The primary aim of this study was to prepare a flexible electromagnetic shielding material for protecting electronic gadgets from the EMI effect. The biochar particles were prepared from red onion peel and mixed with cobalt/chopped carbon fiber (CCF) to form a compound structure. According to the results, the biochar and CCF addition improved the relative permittivity up to 9.6. Similarly, the hysteresis analysis showed a broad “S” curve for 2 vol% cobalt‐added PVA composite. Moreover the doped composites are better in mechanical properties and the highest tensile strength of 79 MPa with Shore‐D hardness of 37 was noted for PV3 composite designation. Finally, the highest wave shielding of −44.37 dB and − 49.62 dB for X and Ku band were observed for composite designation PVA4. This EMI shielding effectiveness improved composites could be used as shielding material for modern industrial, defense, and medical applications.
High strength, self‐healing, and anti‐freezing polyurethane ionogel based on multiple hydrogen bonding for wearable strain sensor
Authors: Wen Xiao , Xu Junhuai , Wang Haibo , Du Zongliang , Wang Shuang , Cheng Xu
Published: July 2022

Hydrogel‐based electronic skin sensors often suffer from low mechanical properties, poor durability, and low temperature resistance. Herein, an ionogel was fabricated by casting the water‐borne polyurethane (WPU) and 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazoliumdicyanamide (EMIM:DCA). The imidazolidinyl urea with multiple hydrogen bonds as chain extenders was introduced into WPU systems. Owing to the multiple hydrogen bonds, the ionogels exhibited good mechanical properties with a tensile stress of 1.45–12.09 MPa, a strain of 730%–860%, and good resilience. Moreover, the mechanical properties, conductivity, and sensing ability of the ionogels could be conveniently healed with the assistance of heat. EMIM:DCA endowed the ionogels with excellent ionic conductivity at room temperature (1.8–246 μS cm−1). In addition, due to the low vapor pressure of EMIM:DCA, the ionogel exhibited excellent anti‐freezing property at −20°C. The ionogel can be assembled into a sensor to monitor the movements of human body with good responsiveness and stability.
Cover Image
Authors: Vanpoucke Danny EP , Delgove Marie AF , Stouten Jules , Noordijk Jurrie , De Vos Nils , Matthysen Kamiel , Deroover Geert GP , Mehrkanoon Siamak , Bernaerts Katrien V
Published: July 2022

The cover image is based on the Research Article A machine learning approach for the design of hyperbranched polymeric dispersing agents based on aliphatic polyesters for radiation‐curable inks by Danny EP Vanpoucke et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/pi.6378.

image
Medicinal herbs in treating chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting: A review
Authors: Rajabalizadeh Reza , Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar Mahboobeh , Hosseinzadeh Hossein
Published: July 2022

Cancer development entangles with mutation and selection for cells that progressively increase capacity for proliferation and metastasis at the cellular level. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are the standard treatments to manage several types of cancer. Chemotherapy is toxic for both normal and cancer cells and can induce unfavorable conditions, such as chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), that reduce patients' quality of life. Emesis after chemotherapy is categorized into two classes acute and delayed. Since ancient times, herbal medicines have been used in various cultures to manage stomachache, vomiting, and nausea. In this manuscript, the antiemetic mechanisms of several herbal medicines and their preparations such as Zingiber officinale (5‐HT, NK‐1 receptor and muscarinic antagonist activity), Mentha spicata (5‐HT antagonist activity), Scutellaria baicalensis (antioxidant activity), Persumac (useful in delayed phase through antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐contractile properties) and Rikkunshito (supportive in acute and delayed phase through 5‐HT receptor antagonist activity) have been reviewed to show their potential effects on decreasing CINV and attract scientists attention to formulate more herbal medicine to alleviate CINV in cancer patients. However, it is crucial to say that additional high‐quality investigations are required to firmly verify the clinical effectiveness and safety of each plant/compound.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes in pulmonary manifestations of systemic sclerosis: Contribution from pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease severity
Authors: Sangani Ruchika A. , Lui Justin K. , Gillmeyer Kari R. , Trojanowski Marcin A. , Bujor Andreea M. , LaValley Michael P. , Klings Elizabeth S.
Published: July 2022

Patients with systemic sclerosis complicated by both pulmonary hypertension (SSc‐PH) and interstitial lung disease (SSc‐PH‐ILD) have poor prognosis compared to those with SSc‐PH or SSc‐ILD alone. Little is known of how ILD severity affects outcomes in those with SSc‐PH, or how PH severity affects outcomes in those with SSc‐ILD. Herein, we aimed to delineate clinical features of patients with SSc‐PH and SSc‐ILD and determine to what degree PH and ILD severity contribute to mortality in patients with SSc. We conducted parallel retrospective studies in cohorts of patients with SSc‐PH and SSc‐ILD. We categorized ILD severity by pulmonary function testing and PH severity by cardiopulmonary hemodynamics. Our primary outcome was all‐cause mortality from time of PH or ILD diagnosis for the SSc‐PH and SSc‐ILD cohorts, respectively. We calculated adjusted risks of time to all‐cause mortality using Cox proportional hazards models. In patients with SSc‐PH, severe ILD (HR: 3.54; 95% CI: 1.05, 11.99) was associated with increased hazards for all‐cause mortality. By contrast, mild and moderate ILD were not associated with increased mortality risk. In patients with SSc‐ILD, both moderate (HR: 2.65; 95% CI: 1.12, 6.31) and severe PH (HR: 6.60; 95% CI: 2.98, 14.61) were associated with increased hazards for all‐cause mortality, while mild PH was not. Through our parallel study design, the risk of all‐cause mortality increases as severity of concomitant ILD or PH worsens. Therapies that target slowing disease progression earlier in the disease course may be beneficial.
Two‐dimensional wavelet based statistical monitoring of image data
Authors: Koosha Mehdi , Noorossana Rassoul , Ahmadi Orod
Published: July 2022

Statistical process monitoring techniques are widely used to monitor process stability. In high volume and highly automated processes, effective methods are required to monitor several quality characteristics of interest. Advances in imaging technology have paved the grounds to capture and analyze product images from different perspectives in real time. Advantages of considering images have led to their increasing role in process monitoring. When images are used for process monitoring, complicated data structures should be analyzed. Various methods including data transformation and dimension reduction have been proposed in the literature to cope with these complexities. In this paper, a two‐dimensional (2D) wavelet based method is proposed to monitor image data. A likelihood ratio test (LRT) is developed to monitor the expected values of wavelet coefficient, and the derived likelihood ratio based statistic is monitored over time to detect out‐of‐control conditions as well as change point estimation. This information can help practitioners to diagnose the process, find the potential assignable cause(s) and return the process to the in‐control state. One of the advantages of the proposed method compared to other competing methods is that the performance of the proposed method does not depend on the fault location. Simulation studies indicate satisfactory performance for the proposed method in detecting out‐of‐control conditions and estimating change points. Moreover, the performance of the proposed method is also compared to two existing approaches. The results reveal that the proposed approach performs superior in detecting either diagonal or square defects.