bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mononuclear Uranium and Heterobimetallic Actinide (An=Th, U) Alkoxides with Divalent Group 14 Elements (MII=Ge, Sn, Pb)
Authors: Lichtenberg Andreas , Lichtenberg Aida , Pieper Melissa , Mathur Sanjay
Published: November 2023

When compared to main group and lanthanide elements, the heterobimetallic alkoxides of actinide elements with metals other than alkali metals are elusive. We report here for the first time alkoxide derivatives containing early actinides and the divalent group 14 elements. For this purpose in this work, co‐alcoholysis reactions of silyl amides of divalent group 14 elements (MII=Ge, Sn, Pb) and actinides (AnIV=Th, U) were studied that resulted in the formation of [AnM(OtBu)6] (1‐AnM) (AnIV=Th, MII=Ge, Sn, Pb; AnIV=U, MII=Ge, Sn). A 2‐electron redox reaction occurred in the UIV‐PbII couple, which generated nearly quantitatively a UV alkoxide species and elemental lead. Precise adjustments of the stoichiometry in this reaction allowed to synthesize [U(OtBu)5Py] (3), amongst others in high yield. 3 and the UIV alkoxide [U(OtBu)4(Py)2] (4) described in this work represent first mononuclear UIV or UV containing alkoxides. First promising attempts to use [U(OtBu)5Py] (3) as a starting material in co‐alcoholysis reactions with divalent group 14 silylamides resulted in the formation of heterobimetallic UV‐MII alkoxides [UM(OtBu)7] (MII=Ge, Sn, Pb) amongst others. All compounds described in this study were thoroughly characterized by multi‐nuclear NMR and IR spectroscopic investigations, single crystal X‐ray diffraction data, and CHN‐ analysis.
Cervical muscle parameters and allodynia in migraine and cervical pain—A controlled study
Authors: Rodrigues A. , Bigal L. M. , Bragatto M. M. , Dach F. , Bevilaqua‐Grossi D. , Bigal M. E. , Fernández‐de‐las‐Peñas C. , Florencio L. L.
Published: November 2023

Background

Neck pain is common among individuals with migraine, but there is a lack of information of how this comorbidity can be associated with cervical muscle function. This controlled cross‐sectional study aimed to compare cervical muscle function, activity, and sensitization in women with migraine, neck pain, both, and neither.

Methods

This study included women, between 18 and 55 years old, with either episodic migraine with or without aura, without any concomitant headache diagnosis; chronic neck pain, with at least moderate intensity and mild disability; or neither headache nor neck pain. Pain pressure threshold, allodynia, muscle strength, and endurance and cervical muscles activity were evaluated.

Results

One hundred subjects, with mean age of 30.4 years old, were stratified by diagnosis (n = 25 per group) and by self‐reported pain during tests. Lower endurance during flexion was observed for migraine and neck pain (34s) relative to neck pain alone (45s), migraine (40s), and controls (58s) (p = 0.04). For extensor endurance, means were 142s, 166s, 215s, and 270s, respectively (p < 0.001). Endurance times were impacted by the presence of test‐induced pain decreasing about 40%–53% of the performance. Diagnostic groups did not differ significantly in strength (p > 0.05), but all pain groups presented significantly higher proportion of test‐induced pain, lower muscle activity during the maximal isometric voluntary contractions, and lower pressure pain thresholds.

Conclusion

Patients with migraine, chronic neck pain, and the association of both present altered cervical muscle function and activity. Also, test‐induced pain impacts significantly on neck muscles endurance.

Significance

The diagnosis of migraine and chronic neck pain is associated with altered function and activity of the cervical muscles. However, the test‐induced pain had an important contribution to worse cervical muscle endurance. This suggests that the therapeutic approach should focus on de‐sensitization of the trigeminal–cervical complex when dealing with the comorbidity of migraine and cervical pain.
Computational intelligence techniques for energy efficient routing protocols in wireless sensor networks: A critique
Authors: Lakshmi M. Sri , Ramana K. Seshadri , Ramu Gandikota , Shyam Sunder Reddy K. , Sasikala C. , Ramesh G.
Published: November 2023

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) play a pivotal role in modern data acquisition systems, but their energy‐efficient operation remains a significant challenge. This work provides a concise overview of the key challenges and proposed solutions discussed in the context of energy‐efficient routing protocols for WSNs based on a systematic literature review. The need for fault tolerance to ensure network resilience is vital, given the limited resources and environmental challenges faced by sensor nodes. This work emphasizes the importance of addressing several open research questions, including the integration of diverse topologies, cross‐layer routing, and the use of multiple mobile sinks. Additionally, it highlights the need for QoS‐aware routing for real‐time applications, mathematical modeling for protocol evaluation, and the challenges of testing routing protocols on real hardware. Furthermore, this article suggests leveraging the RPL routing protocol with the Node‐based Metric RNE for enhanced energy efficiency and explores the promising field of hierarchical routing protocols, exemplified by the LEACH protocol and its variants. This work serves as a roadmap for researchers and practitioners, identifying critical challenges and proposing directions for future research to achieve energy‐efficient routing protocols in WSNs, ultimately enabling effective communication in resource‐constrained environments.
The Reality of Cost Sharing in Japan
Authors: Kawabuchi Koichi , Kajitani Keiko
Published: November 2023

Financial pressure on younger generation is mounting in Japan, a super‐ageing society with staggering economy. The revision on the co‐insurance rate for 70–74 with “Standard” category was implemented to mitigate such pressure, seeking better balance across generations in sharing the burden of healthcare cost. It raised the rate from 10% to 20% over the period of five years from 2014 to 2018. This report examined how it changed the share of cost sharing (cost sharing as percentage to total healthcare expenditure), among the 70–74 with “Standard” category in Citizens Health Insurance programme in 44 prefectures. It specifically focused on change in the population's actual share of cost sharing (ASCS) that better reflect the genuine amount of payment actually made by the patients themselves. The average ASCS increased from 7.28% (2013) to 10.78% (2019), resulting wider gap from the statutory planned share of cost sharing (i.e., the statutory co‐insurance rate of 10% in 2013, and 20% in 2019). Also found was increased variance among prefectural ASCS, which may suggest a possibility of un‐designed effect by the revision, of encouraging a move towards ability and willingness to pay. In terms of cost containment effect, Japan needs to consider various non‐conventional options, including review of the current use of healthcare resources. First and foremost, however, the true state of cost sharing should be recognized in terms of ASCS and shared more widely as a reality. Such effort is essential in discussion of how to keep embracing the country's life line, UHC.
Assessment of toxicological effects of favipiravir (T‐705) on the lung tissue of rats: An experimental study
Authors: Erbaş Elif , Celep Nevra Aydemir , Tekiner Deniz , Genç Aydın , Gedikli Semin
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to present new data on the side effects of favipiravir on healthy lung tissue and the respiratory system. In the study, two different durations (5 and 10 days) were preferred to determine the effect of favipiravir treatment due to clinical improvement rates of approximately 5 and 10 days during the use of favipiravir in COVID‐19 patients. In addition, after 10 days of favipiravir treatment, animals were kept for 5 days without any treatment to determine the regeneration of lung tissues. Favipiravir was administered to rats by oral gavage at a daily dose of 200 mg/kg for 5 and 10 days, as in previous studies. At the end of the experiment, the histopathological and biochemical effects of favipiravir in the lung tissue were investigated. The data obtained from the study showed that favipiravir increased oxidative stress parameters, expression of apoptotic markers, and pro‐inflammatory markers in lung tissue. Since malondialdehydes is an oxidant parameter, it increased in favipiravir‐administered groups; It was determined that the antioxidant parameters glutathione, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase decreased. Other markers used in the analysis are Bcl‐2, Bax, NF‐κB, interleukin (IL)‐6, Muc1, iNOS, P2X7R, IL‐6 and caspase‐3. The levels of Bax, caspase‐3, NF‐κB, IL‐6, Muc1, and P2X7R were increased in the Fav‐treated groups compared with the control. However, the levels of Bcl‐2 decreased in the Fav‐treated groups. The present study proves that favipiravir, widely used today, causes side effects in lung tissue.
d‐Galactose induces the senescence and phenotype switch of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells
Authors: Hu Daoyuan , Ge Yunlong , Ye Lei , Xi Yuhang , Chen Jialiang , Zhu Wenliang , Wang Zhenqing , Sun Zhuolun , Su Ying , Wang Dejuan , Xiao Shiwei , Qiu Jianguang
Published: November 2023

Studies regarding age‐related erectile dysfunction (ED) based on naturally aging models are limited by their high costs, especially for the acquisition of primary cells from the corpus cavernosum. Herein, d‐galactose (
d‐gal) was employed to accelerate cell senescence, and the underlying mechanism was explored. As predominant functional cells involved in the erectile response, corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) were isolated from 2‐month‐old rats. Following this,
d‐gal was introduced to induce cell senescence, which was verified via β‐galactosidase staining. The effects of
d‐gal on CCSMCs were evaluated by terminal deoxynucleoitidyl transferase dUTP nick‐end labeling (TUNEL), immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, western blot, and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Furthermore, RNA interference (RNAi) was carried out for rescue experiments. Subsequently, the influence of senescence on the corpus cavernosum was determined via scanning electron microscopy, qRT‐PCR, immunohistochemistry, TUNEL, and Masson stainings. The results revealed that the accelerated senescence of CCSMCs was promoted by
d‐gal. Simultaneously, smooth muscle alpha‐actin (alpha‐SMA) expression was inhibited, while that of osteopontin (OPN) and Krüppel‐like factor 4 (KLF4), as well as fibrotic and apoptotic levels, were elevated. After knocking down KLF4 expression in
d‐gal‐induced CCSMCs by RNAi, the expression level of cellular alpha‐SMA increased. Contrastingly, the OPN expression, apoptotic and fibrotic levels declined. In addition, cellular senescence acquired partial remission. Accordingly, in the aged corpus cavernosum, the fibrotic and apoptotic rates were increased, followed by downregulation in the expression of alpha‐SMA and the concurrent upregulation in the expression of OPN and KLF4. Overall, our results signaled that
d‐gal‐induced accelerated senescence of CCSMCs could trigger fibrosis, apoptosis and phenotypic switch to the synthetic state, potentially attributed to the upregulation of KLF4 expression, which may be a multipotential therapeutic target of age‐related ED.
Effect of Obesity on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Anticancer Agents
Authors: Zamboni William C. , Charlab Rosane , Burckart Gilbert J. , Stewart Clinton F.
Published: November 2023

An objective of the Precision Medicine Initiative, launched in 2015 by the US Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health, is to optimize and individualize dosing of drugs, especially anticancer agents, with high pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently reported that 40% of obese patients receive insufficient chemotherapy doses and exposures, which may lead to reduced efficacy, and recommended pharmacokinetic studies to guide appropriate dosing in these patients. These issues will only increase in importance as the incidence of obesity in the population increases. This publication reviews the effects of obesity on (1) tumor biology, development of cancer, and antitumor response; (2) pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of small‐molecule anticancer drugs; and (3) pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of complex anticancer drugs, such as carrier‐mediated agents and biologics. These topics are not only important from a scientific research perspective but also from a drug development and regulator perspective. Thus, it is important to evaluate the effects of obesity on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anticancer agents in all categories of body habitus and especially in patients who are obese and morbidly obese. As the effects of obesity on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anticancer agents may be highly variable across drug types, the optimal dosing metric and algorithm for difference classes of drugs may be widely different. Thus, studies are needed to evaluate current and novel metrics and methods for measuring body habitus as related to optimizing the dose and reducing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability of anticancer agents in patients who are obese and morbidly obese.
Model‐Informed Approaches to Support Drug Development for Patients With Obesity: A Regulatory Perspective
Authors: Pan Xiaolei , Wang Li , Liu Jiang , Earp Justin C. , Yang Yuching , Yu Jingyu , Li Fang , Bi Youwei , Bhattaram Atul , Zhu Hao
Published: November 2023

Obesity, which is defined as having a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or greater, has been recognized as a serious health problem that increases the risk of many comorbidities (eg, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes) and mortality. The high prevalence of individuals who are classified as obese calls for additional considerations in clinical trial design. Nevertheless, gaining a comprehensive understanding of how obesity affects the pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and efficacy of drugs proves challenging, primarily as obese patients are seldom selected for enrollment at the early stages of drug development. Over the past decade, model‐informed drug development (MIDD) approaches have been increasingly used in drug development programs for obesity and its related diseases as they use and integrate all available sources and knowledge to inform and facilitate clinical drug development. This review summarizes the impact of obesity on PK, PD, and the efficacy of drugs and, more importantly, provides an overview of the use of MIDD approaches in drug development and regulatory decision making for patients with obesity: estimating PK, PD, and efficacy in specific dosing scenarios, optimizing dose regimen, and providing evidence for seeking new indication(s). Recent review cases using MIDD approaches to support dose selection and provide confirmatory evidence for effectiveness for patients with obesity, including pediatric patients, are discussed. These examples demonstrate the promise of MIDD as a valuable tool in supporting clinical trial design during drug development and facilitating regulatory decision‐making processes for the benefit of patients with obesity.
Recovery of tungsten from spent selective catalytic reduction catalyst by sulfuric acid precipitation and evaporation crystallization method
Authors: Wang Bo , Yang Qiaowen , Chen Yue , Bai Ruoyan , Cao Hui
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) can effectively handle NOx from flue gas in coal‐fired power plants. However, as the core part of the SCR method, V2O5–WO3/TiO2 catalyst has a limited operational life in the complex flue gas environment. The recovery of rare metals from spent catalyst would not only bring economic benefits but also solve environmental problems. The process of reducing acid leaching and further roasting‐water leaching could realize the efficient recycling of vanadium, tungsten and titanium.

RESULTS

After reducing acid leaching and roasting‐water leaching to treat spent SCR catalyst, the obtained solution containing tungsten was used as the raw material in this study. The optimal pH value of solution for removal of silicon and aluminum impurities was 9.2–9.5. The best tungsten precipitation conditions were shown as follows: a tungsten concentration of 30 g L−1, a sulfuric acid concentration of 8 mol L−1, reaction temperature of 70 °C and reaction time of 2 h. Under the optimal tungsten precipitation conditions, the tungsten precipitation efficiency can reach 92.53%. Finally, in order to further improve the purity of the crude H2WO4, the crude H2WO4 was fully dissolved in ammonia, followed by filtration and evaporation crystallization to obtain 5(NH4)2O.12WO3.5H2O (APT) crystals with a purity of 93.05 wt%. The crystallization efficiency of APT was 73.37% at 60 °C for 2 h with a rotor speed of 400 rpm.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that a higher purity of APT crystals can be obtained by the steps of removing silicon and aluminum, precipitation of tungsten by sulfuric acid, ammonia dissolution and evaporation crystallization. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Colonoscopic finding in children with lower gastrointestinal complaints
Authors: Abdullah Jan Shinwari , Ajmal Ghayour , Naimatullah Zaheer
Published: November 2023

Background and Aim

Colonoscopy is an important tool for the diagnosis and treatment of lower gastrointestinal (LGI) diseases in both children and adults. This study describes an endoscopic profile of children at the Shinnwari Gastroenterology Diagnostic Clinic in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional descriptive study conducted in children ≤16 years, taken from recorded colonoscopy reports from 1 January 2021 to 30 December 2022.

Results

Of the 672 colonoscopy procedures, 250 were diagnostic in children (7.41 years median age; 2.5:1 male/female ratio) without serious complications. Abnormal findings were recorded in 201 (81.2%) procedures; the most common presentation was hematochezia, which was higher in 5–8‐year‐olds. More frequent findings were colorectal polyps (50%), infection (16.4%), internal hemorrhoid (IH; 10%), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; 1.2%). Incidences of colorectal polyps were higher in those aged <9 years (37.2% vs 12.8%; P < 0.001). Conversely, internal IH and IBD tended to be higher in older children (aged ≥9 years) (IH: 6.8% vs 3.2%; P < 0.005; IBD: 1.2% vs 0%; P < 0.02). Colonoscopy procedures were completed without major complications.

Conclusion

Colonoscopy is an important and safe procedure for the diagnosis of LGI compliants, especially hematochezia, which is frequently accompanied by colorectal polyps.
Photocatalyzed radiosynthesis of 11C‐phenylacetic acids
Authors: Munch Maxime , Mair Braeden A. , Adi Myriam , Rotstein Benjamin H.
Published: November 2023

Fast and straightforward incorporation of radionuclides into pharmaceutically relevant molecules is one of the main barriers to preclinical and clinical tracer research. Late‐stage direct incorporation of cyclotron‐produced [11C]CO2 to afford carbon‐11‐labeled radiopharmaceuticals has the potential to provide ready‐to‐inject positron emission tomography agents in less than an hour. The present work describes photocatalyzed carboxylation of alkylbenzene derivatives to afford 11C‐phenylacetic acids. Reaction conditions and scope are investigated followed by application of this methodology to the preparative radiosynthesis of [11C]fenoprofen, a nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug.
Effects of extreme phases of El Niño–Southern Oscillation on rainfall extremes in Alagoas, Brazil
Authors: de Sousa Santos Juliana , de Oliveira‐Júnior José Francisco , da Silva Costa Micejane , Cardoso Kelvy Rosalvo Alencar , Shah Munawar , Shahzad Rasim , da Silva Luis Felipe Francisco Ferreira , de Oliveira Romão William Max , Singh Sudhir Kumar , Mendes David , da Silva Santos Iwldson Guilherme , da Silva Júnior Rosiberto Salustiano
Published: November 2023

The Northeast of Brazil (NEB) is influenced by the phases of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which are associated with increased or decreased rainfall in the East NEB (ENEB). The study evaluated the effects of extreme ENSO phases on rainfall extremes in ENEB. Rainfall data from 54 stations in Alagoas were obtained from the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA) and subjected to statistical analysis, with a data imputation method used to fill in gaps in the time series. The Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method was consistent and suitable for spatially representing rainfall data in the state of Alagoas, according to the adopted statistical indicators. Extreme, decadal and anomaly maps were interpolated using IDW method in Quantum GIS (QGIS), due to the positioning of the stations. The criteria for analysing extreme ENSO years were based on the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) for region 3.4, between 1960 and 2016. The results show high interannual variability due to ENSO phases in the climatic mesoregions of Alagoas. In over 70% of extreme ENSO years, rainfall was below average (during strong and very strong El Niño) or above average (during strong La Niña). Some cities in the mesoregions of Alagoas experienced higher rainfall than others, even in extreme ENSO situations, suggesting the influence of physiography and multiscale meteorological systems. On a decadal scale, the East region recorded the highest rainfall accumulations, primarily due to decadal variability of two rainfall cores, corresponding to the Metropolitan Region of Maceió (MRM) and the northern part of the state. An exception is the Upper São Francisco region, which experiences dry decades. The East mesoregion (coast) had higher rainfall records compared to the more continental mesoregions (Hinterland and Arid), regardless of ENSO phases and interannual and decadal scales.
Climatic characteristics of precipitation change and its multiscale causes over Central Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Ma Zhanghuai , Wang Yibo , Zhang Zhongyang
Published: November 2023

Regional climates have changed as a result of global warming, which has sped up cirrus circulation and altered the temporal and spatial distribution of precipitation. As climate change intensifies, the pattern of precipitation in the Hoh Xil (HX) region has changed. The dislocation of rain and heat in summer hinders ecological restoration and brings great ecological threat. And it is important to clarify the causes and scopes of the midsummer drought (MSD). In this study we highlight the causes of MSD in terms of water vapour transport, circulation structure and the related influencing factors. We found that (1) the HX region gradually entered a drying‐warming process as MSD developed after 2005. (2) The change in the water vapour balance is the direct cause of MSD in the HX. (3) As a typical climate key zone, the HX is located in the transition region between the westerlies and the Indian monsoon. (4) Regional evaporation capacity is the main factor affecting the occurrence of MSD. The dominant factor shifted from being energy to water with the occurrence and enhancement of MSD. This study complements the scarce research on precipitation anomalies in the HX, provides support for clarifying the impact of climate change on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (TP) and contributes to understanding the trends and mechanisms of climate change over the TP under global warming.
Avoiding common mistakes in meta‐analysis: Understanding the distinct roles of Q, I‐squared, tau‐squared, and the prediction interval in reporting heterogeneity
Authors: Borenstein Michael
Published: November 2023

In any meta‐analysis, it is critically important to report the dispersion in effects as well as the mean effect. If an intervention has a moderate clinical impact on average we also need to know if the impact is moderate for all relevant populations, or if it varies from trivial in some to major in others. Or indeed, if the intervention is beneficial in some cases but harmful in others. Researchers typically report a series of statistics such as the Q‐value, the p‐value, and I2, which are intended to address this issue. Often, they use these statistics to classify the heterogeneity as being low, moderate, or high and then use these classifications when considering the potential utility of the intervention. While this practice is ubiquitous, it is nevertheless incorrect. The statistics mentioned above do not actually tell us how much the effect size varies. Classifications of heterogeneity based on these statistics are uninformative at best, and often misleading. My goal in this paper is to explain what these statistics do tell us, and that none of them tells us how much the effect size varies. Then I will introduce the prediction interval, the statistic that does tell us how much the effect size varies, and that addresses the question we have in mind when we ask about heterogeneity. This paper is adapted from a chapter in “Common Mistakes in Meta‐Analysis and How to Avoid Them.” A free PDF of the book is available at https://www.Meta-Analysis.com/rsm.
Determine source of Cahn–Hilliard equation with time‐fractional derivative by iterative variational regularization method
Authors: Li Jing , Cheng Hao
Published: November 2023

In this paper, we consider the inverse problem for the time‐fractional two‐dimensional Cahn–Hilliard equation. The ill‐posedness and a conditional stability of the inverse problem are proved. We present a new iterative variational regularization method to solve it. The convergence rates of the regularized solutions under the a priori regularization parameter choice rule and a posteriori regularization parameter choice rule are obtained. Numerical examples illustrate the effectiveness and stability of our proposed method.
Actively Q‐switching an all polarization‐maintaining erbium‐doped fiber laser using an intracavity electro‐optic modulator
Authors: Fadhel Mahmoud M. , Muda Razali , Hamzah Abdulwahhab E. , Saharudin Suhairi , Zan Mohd S. D. , Aziz Norazreen A. , Arsad Norhana
Published: November 2023

This present study demonstrates the utilization of an electro‐optic modulator (EOM) to actively Q‐switch the pulses produced by an all‐polarization‐maintaining (all‐PM) erbium‐doped fiber (EDF) laser (all‐PM‐EDF laser). Electrical sine waves that produced steady microsecond pulses at 1552 nm were used to power the 10 GHz bandwidth EOM. By altering the frequency of the external modulation signal and the power of the input pump, the width of the pulses produced by the all‐PM‐EDF laser (4 μs) could be further decreased to 2.6 μs. When the modulation frequency of the all‐PM‐EDF laser was 15 kHz, the highest pulse energy that it produced (145 nJ) corresponded to its highest power output (52 mW). Therefore, sources of single‐polarization pulsed lasers that are significantly resistant to mechanical and temperature disturbances can be designed by merging the configuration of an all‐PM with an EOM.
Technical note: Beamlet‐free optimization for Monte‐Carlo‐based treatment planning in proton therapy
Authors: Pross Danah , Wuyckens Sophie , Deffet Sylvain , Sterpin Edmond , Lee John A. , Souris Kevin
Published: November 2023

Background

Dose calculation and optimization algorithms in proton therapy treatment planning often have high computational requirements regarding time and memory. This can hinder the implementation of efficient workflows in clinics and prevent the use of new, elaborate treatment techniques aiming to improve clinical outcomes like robust optimization, arc, and adaptive proton therapy.

Purpose

A new method, namely, the beamlet‐free algorithm, is presented to address the aforementioned issue by combining Monte Carlo dose calculation and optimization into a single algorithm and omitting the calculation of the time‐consuming and costly dose influence matrix.

Methods

The beamlet‐free algorithm simulates the dose in proton batches of randomly chosen spots and evaluates their relative impact on the objective function at each iteration. Based on the approximated gradient, the spot weights are then updated and used to generate a new spot probability distribution. The beamlet‐free method is compared against a conventional, beamlet‐based treatment planning algorithm on a brain case and a prostate case.

Results

The beamlet‐free algorithm maintained a comparable plan quality while largely reducing the dependence of computation time and memory usage on the number of spots.

Conclusion

The implementation of a beamlet‐free treatment planning algorithm for proton therapy is feasible and capable of achieving treatment plans of comparable quality to conventional methods. Its efficient usage of computational resources and low spot dependence makes it a promising method for large plans, robust optimization, and arc proton therapy.
How should we assess the cardiovascular system in patients presenting with bothersome nocturia? ICI‐RS 2023
Authors: Verbakel Irina , Lazar Jason , Sinha Sanjay , Hashim Hashim , Weiss Jeffrey P. , Abrams Paul , Everaert Karel
Published: November 2023

Aims

The link between nocturia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is frequently discussed in literature, yet the precise nature of this relationship remains poorly characterized. The existing literature was reviewed in order to address issues concerning the origin, diagnosis, management, and implications of the co‐occurrence of CVD and nocturia.

Methods

This review summarizes literature and recommendations regarding the link between CVD and nocturia discussed during a think‐tank meeting held at the 2023 International Consultation on Incontinence‐Research Society.

Results

Cardiovascular disorders are often underestimated contributors to nocturia, with various potential mechanisms influencing nighttime urination, such as impact on fluid retention, atrial natriuretic peptide, and glomerular filtration rate. The redistribution of fluid from leg edema in supine position can lead nocturnal polyuria (NP). Additionally, sleep disturbances due to nocturia in itself may lead to CVD through an increase in blood pressure, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Disrupted circadian rhythms (e.g., in sleep pattern and urine production) were identified as critical factors in most etiologies of nocturia, and their contribution is deemed imperative in future research and treatment approaches, particularly in the aging population. NP can be detected through a simple bladder diary and can even be used to distinguish cardiac from noncardiac causes of nocturia. For the treatment of NP, desmopressin can be effective in select patients, however, caution and close monitoring is warranted for those with CVD due to increased risk of side effects.

Conclusions

Gaps were identified in the available evidence and clear cut recommendations were put forth for future research. It is essential to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms linking nocturia and CVD to develop optimal management strategies.
Penetrating a market with local‐content and pricing decisions: Implications for a multinational firm in the competition with a local firm
Authors: Dong Zhenning , Liang Liping , Liu Nanqin , Leng Mingming
Published: November 2023

The internationalization of production requires multinational firms to determine a local content rate for their products made and sold in a foreign country. In this paper, we investigate the impact of a government's local content requirement (LCR) on the local content rate and pricing decisions of a multinational firm who competes with a local firm in a market. In an emerging market, the multinational firm increases his local content rate to comply with an LCR if the LCR involves a moderate threshold and a sufficiently large penalty tariff rate. Although a small penalty tariff rate cannot induce the multinational firm's compliance, a larger penalty tariff leads the firm to adopt a higher local content rate. When the multinational firm complies with the LCR, a higher LCR threshold or penalty tariff rate shifts away the multinational firm's demand and profit but may not benefit the local firm if the two firms' price competition is fiercer than their quality competition. In addition, if the two firms' quality competition is fiercer than their price competition, a large LCR threshold may still not benefit the local firm. In contrast, in a developed market, the multinational firm should increase his local content rate as the quality‐cost tradeoff ratio increases. The LCR plays the same effect on the multinational firm as that in an emerging market, whereas its effect on the local firm still depends on the relative intensity of the two firms' price competition versus quality competition, but under reverse conditions.
Future time perspective and study engagement among middle school students: A moderated mediation model
Authors: Liu Yunzhi , Gong Xiaoxia , Shi Lin , Shi Yufei , Dong Bo , Tian Xiaoming
Published: November 2023

To examine the effect of future time perspective on middle school students' study engagement and explore the mediating role of motivation internalization and the moderating role of grit, we conducted a study in several middle schools. Six hundred sixty‐four middle school students completed our measures. Results indicated that future time perspective positively predicted study engagement, and motivation internalization mediated the relationship between future time perspective and study engagement. It is also indicated that grit played a significant moderating role between motivation internalization and study engagement, with the effect of motivation internalization being stronger for low‐grit students compared to high‐grit students. These findings shed light on how to increase study engagement among middle school students.
Understanding environmental stress cracking in the Bell Test at the notch region
Authors: Gritsichine V. , Vlachopoulos J. , Thompson M. R.
Published: November 2023

The Bell Test (ASTM‐D1693) is commonly used to accelerate part failure in order to evaluate resin selection for applications like piping and tanks where environmental stress cracking is possible, even though the method tends to offer less than desirable repeatability. The working hypothesis for this new study with polyethylenes was that the variability seen in failure times may be attributed to a higher sensitivity of the phase morphology primarily at or near the surfaces of a notch than more commonly referenced bulk descriptors of a polymer, affecting stresses and the localized absorption of the preferred stress cracking agent. Using an organic dye tracer to monitor penetration of stress cracking agent into the polymer along with image analysis for the notch dimensions and a load cell, the local aspects of the mechanism were evaluated for up to four grades of polyethylene of varying crystallinity. By this detailed analysis, it was revealed that for failure to occur by ESC, influences in the polymer by absorption of the stress cracking agent preceded the changes in stresses in the specimen, contrary to original expectation. There was an imminent rate increase in both stresses and notch expansion once absorption of the surfactant reached a critical concentration. This critical nature was shown to be dependent on the crystallinity of the polymer under observation, considering the size/arrangement of crystals present and entanglements formed through the amorphous contents to dictate the rate by which IGEPAL can be absorbed into a polyethylene specimen. The results of this study validate the need for greater focus on polymer properties at the notch rather than the bulk of the specimen, though more techniques for providing analysis of these properties at the notch surfaces are needed for future improvements to the mechanism.

Highlights

Bromocresol dye acts as a novel visualization aid in tracking IGEPAL CO‐630 sorption

Crystallinity was related to a plasticization threshold for absorption of IGEPAL

Accelerated increase in internal stresses follow absorption.

Variability of the Bell Test was related to crystalline properties at the notch
Protective mechanisms of neral as a plant‐derived safener against fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl injury in rice
Authors: Sun Lanlan , Ma Ronghui , Xu Hongle , Su Wangcang , Xue Fei , Wu Renhai , Lu Chuantao
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

The use of herbicide safeners effectively minimises crop damage while maintaining the full efficacy of herbicides. The present study aimed to assess the potential protective effects of neral (NR) as a safener, in order to mitigate injury caused by fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl (FE) on rice.

RESULTS

The alleviating effect of NR was similar to that of the safener isoxadifen‐ethyl (IE). The root elongation of rice was significantly promoted under the FE + NR and FE + IE treatments, as compared to the FE treatment. The transcriptome analysis further suggested that the effects of NR treatment on plant metabolic pathways differed from those of IE treatment. In total, 895 and 47 up‐differentially expressed genes induced by NR (NR‐inducible genes) and IE (IE‐inducible genes) were identified. NR‐inducible genes were mainly enriched in phytohormone synthesis and signalling response, including ‘response to brassinosteroid’, ‘response to jasmonic acid’, ‘response to ethylene’, ‘brassinosteroid metabolic process’, ‘brassinosteroid biosynthesis’ and ‘plant hormone signal transduction’. In contrast, IE‐inducible genes were predominantly enriched in glutathione metabolism. The activity of glutathione S‐transferase was found to be increased after IE treatment, whereas no significant increase was observed following NR treatment. Moreover, several transcription factor genes, such as those encoding AP2/ERF‐ERF and (basic helix–loop–helix) bHLH were found to be significantly induced by NR treatment.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of the utilisation of NR as an herbicide safener. The results of this study suggest the toxicity of FE to rice is mitigated by NR through a distinct mechanism compared to IE. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
A climatology of Arctic fog along the coast of East Greenland
Authors: Gilson Gaëlle F. , Jiskoot Hester , Gueye Soukeyna , van Boxel John H.
Published: November 2023

This study presents a comprehensive climatology of coastal fog from four synoptic weather stations operated by the Danish Meteorological Institute along the entire East Greenland coast between 1958 and 2016. Elements investigated include fog frequency, daily timing, temperature, wind, visibility and radiosonde profiles during fog. The spatiotemporal patterns in fog from the low‐ to high‐Arctic locations were related to varying regional seasonal temperatures, surface and upper‐air wind and sea ice conditions, and to correlations with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the Greenland Blocking Index (GBI). Results indicate that ˜70–80% of East Greenland fog occurs in summer (MJJA), and yearly fog onset is near‐coincident with the start of sea ice break‐up. This warm‐season fog has the typical characteristics of advection fog, as shown in the radiosonde profiles and the association with a gentle sea breeze. More than 95% of warm‐season fog is warmer than −10°C, and peaks close to 0°C and, therefore, consists of liquid or supercooled water droplets. In the cold season, mixed‐phase fog prevails in the high‐Arctic locations, accounting for ˜70% of observations. Ice fog (T < −30°C) occurs in only 2% of observations and is limited to Northeast Greenland during the cold season. The cold‐season composite radiosonde fog profiles in the high‐Arctic locations are characterized by deep (˜1000 m) and strong (˜6°C) surface‐based temperature inversions. Visibility during most fog conditions is lowest during the warm season (<500 m) and highest during the cold season (<800 m). In Northeast Greenland, visibility during warm‐season fog has decreased by ˜50 m·dec−1 between 1981 and 2016. In Southeast Greenland, fog visibility is high during low GBI and a positive phase of NAO, but no other correlations with climate indices were found.
Improved EWMA schemes for monitoring the ratio of two normal random variables
Authors: Hu Xuelong , Zhao Yitian , Yeganeh Ali , Shongwe Sandile
Published: November 2023

Monitoring the ratio of two normal random variables, which is usually denoted as RZ, is one of the most important directions in statistical process control (SPC). In production scenarios, when the product specification is related to the relative ratio of two components in a mixture, or when the ratio represents a property of the product, or the difference between a product's quality measurement before and after an operation (such as a chemical reaction), the product quality can be improved by applying monitoring schemes for RZ. To further enhance the sensitivity of traditional RZ schemes in detecting process changes, especially small and moderate ones, this paper proposes an improved exponentially weighted moving average (IEWMA) monitoring scheme. The run length (RL) distribution of the proposed IEWMA‐RZ scheme is obtained by using the Monte‐Carlo (MC) simulation. The superiority of the proposed monitoring scheme is shown by comparing with the existing EWMA‐RZ scheme.
CircEPSTI1 in peripheral blood as a novel potential biomarker for childhood‐onset systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Wang Xia , Li Shipeng , Deng Jianghong , Kuang Weiying , Zhang Junmei , Tan Xiaohua , Li Chao , Li Caifeng
Published: November 2023

Background

Circular RNA (circRNA) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases and can be used as a biomarker for diagnosis or disease monitoring. However, reports on circRNA in childhood‐onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate circEPSTI1 expression in cSLE and evaluate its potential as a biomarker for diagnosing cSLE.

Methods

This study included 70 children diagnosed with cSLE, 20 diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), 20 diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), and 50 healthy children at the Rheumatology Department of Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine circEPSTI1 expression in the children. Correlations between circEPSTI1 and clinical features were assessed using Spearman's correlation test. Additionally, we calculated the receiver operating characteristic curve to assess the diagnostic efficacy.

Results

We found that circEPSTI1 expression was higher in children with cSLE (4.62 ± 3.55) than that in healthy children (1.00 ± 0.45), those with JDM (1.06 ± 0.76), and those with JIA (0.96 ± 0.48). The area of the curve of circEPSTI1 was 0.892 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.832–0.952, p < 0.001) to discriminate children with SLE from healthy children, with a specificity of 0.814 and a sensitivity of 0.922. Children with lupus nephritis showed a higher circEPSTI1 expression than healthy children, those with JDM, and those with JIA. In addition, circEPSTI1 expression in children with SLE showed significant correlations with the SLE Disease Activity Index (p < 0.0001) and C3 concentrations (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that circEPSTI1 is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and monitoring of cSLE.
Evidence of distinct response of soil viral community to a plant infection and the disease pathobiome
Authors: Yan Zhen‐Zhen , Wang Juntao , Liang Jinsong , Batista Bruna D. , Liu Hongwei , Xiong Chao , Kaur Simranjit , Macdonald Catriona A. , Singh Brajesh K.
Published: November 2023

Despite the abundance and ubiquity of viruses in terrestrial ecosystems, the roles of soil viruses in ecosystem functions and plant diseases remain understudied. Here, we used 42 pairs of bulk soil and rhizosphere samples collected from cotton fields with different Verticillium dahliae infection conditions to investigate the responses of soil viruses to soilborne fungal pathogen infections. We found that V. dahliae infection significantly impacted the characteristics of rhizosphere viral community but not bulk soil community. In addition, our results revealed that unlike current knowledge of the impacts of plant pathogens on soil bacterial and fungal communities, the soil viral community demonstrated a lower viral network vulnerability to infection. Importantly, we provided evidence that soil viruses are a potentially important component of the pathobiome of plant disease which may help pathogen invasion and promote disease symptoms. Our study highlights distinct response of viral community and has implications for future plant disease management and agricultural productivity.
A Synergistic Extraction for the Separation of Scandium with Cyanex572 and Cyanex923
Authors: Luo Bing , Ni Shuainan , Fu Xinyu , Sun Xiaoqi
Published: November 2023

This paper investigates the synergistic extraction performance of Scandium using a mixture of Cyanex572 and Cyanex923 in sulfuric acid medium. The results show that the best synergistic effect is achieved when the pH value of the aqueous phase is 2 and the mole fraction of Cyanex572 is 0.5, with a synergy coefficient value R of 4.78. In addition, the extraction mechanism of this synergistic system is discussed, and the extracted complex is determined to be [Sc(SO4)0.5(HL2)2B2] by slope analysis. The loaded Scandium can be stripped within two times by 2 mol/L sulfuric acid to obtain a stripping efficiency of 99.4 %. Finally, this synergistic system was applied to extract Scandium, demonstrating the potential application in separation of Scandium from the leachate of laterite nickel ore.
Evaluation of Aquivion® as Recyclable Superacid Solid Catalyst in the Oxidation of Furfurylamines with Hydrogen Peroxide to 3‐Hydroxypyridines
Authors: Richieu Antoine , Bertrand Philippe
Published: November 2023

Furfurylamines are converted to 3‐hydroxypyridines by 1) oxidation with hydrogen peroxide to ring‐opened intermediates, with 2) a subsequent acid‐mediated cyclization/aromatization catalysed by the acidic and recyclable Aquivion catalyst eliminating neutralization steps. For substituted furfurylamines, the electronic effect of the substituents influence the conversion rate and this effect was correlated with Hammet's constants. Conversions up to 60 % were obtained for the most reactive furfurylamines.