bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics Associated with Reliability in Reporting of Contraceptive Use: Assessing the Reliability of the Contraceptive Calendar in Seven Countries
Authors: Anglewicz Philip , Sarnak Dana , Gemmill Alison , Becker Stan
Published: January 2023

Although the reproductive calendar is the primary tool for measuring contraceptive dynamics in low‐income settings, the reliability of calendar data has seldom been evaluated, primarily due to the lack of longitudinal panel data. In this research, we evaluated the reproductive calendar using data from the Performance Monitoring for Action Project. We used population‐based longitudinal data from nine settings in seven countries: Burkina Faso, Nigeria (Kano and Lagos States), Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa and Kongo Central Provinces), Kenya, Uganda, Cote d'Ivoire, and India. To evaluate reliability, we compared the baseline cross‐sectional report of contraceptive use (overall and by contraceptive method), nonuse, or pregnancy with the retrospective reproductive calendar entry for the corresponding month, measured at follow‐up. We use multivariable regressions to identify characteristics associated with reliability or reporting. Overall, we find that the reliability of the calendar is in the “moderate/substantial” range for nearly all geographies and tests (Kappa statistics between 0.58 and 0.81). Measures of the complexity of the calendar (number of contraceptive use episodes, using the long‐acting method at baseline) are associated with reliability. We also find that women who were using contraception without their partners/husband's knowledge (i.e., covertly) were less likely to report reliably in several countries.
Favorable outcomes of COVID‐19 in vaccinated hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: A single‐center experience
Authors: Tan Jing Yuan , Wee Liang En , Tan Yi Hern , Conceicao Edwin Philip , Lim Francesca Wei Inng , Chen Yunxin , Than Hein , Quek Jeffrey Kim Siang , Nagarajan Chandramouli , Goh Yeow Tee , Hwang William Ying Khee , Phua Ghee Chee , Chung Shimin Jasmine , Tan Thuan Tong , Linn Yeh Ching , Ho Aloysius Yew Leng , Tan Ban Hock
Published: January 2023

Introduction

A high incidence of mortality and severe COVID‐19 infection was reported in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients during the early phases of the COVID‐19 pandemic; however, outcomes with subsequent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variants, such as the omicron variant, have yet to be reported. Additionally, rollout of COVID‐19 vaccinations in subsequent pandemic waves may modify COVID‐19 disease severity and mortality in this immunocompromised population. We describe COVID‐19 outcomes among a highly vaccinated population of HSCT recipients at a single center during successive waves of community transmission arising from the SARS‐CoV‐2 delta and omicron variants.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all HSCT recipients at our institution who tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 from May 2021 to May 2022. Descriptive statistics were reported; the chi‐square test was utilized to identify factors associated with 90‐day all‐cause mortality and severity of COVID‐19 infection.

Results

Over the 1‐year study period, 77 HSCT recipients at our center contracted COVID‐19 (43 allogenic; 34 autologous). Twenty‐six (33.8%) patients were infected with the SARS‐CoV‐2 delta variant, while 51 (66.2%) had the SARS‐CoV‐2 omicron variant. Thirty‐nine (50.6%) patients required hospitalization. More than 80% had received prior COVID‐19 vaccination (57.1% with two doses, 27.3% with three doses). The majority (90.9%) had mild disease; only one (1.3%) patient required mechanical ventilation. Active hematological disease at time of COVID‐19 infection was associated with increased odds of mortality [odds ratio (OR) = 6.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.20–40]. The 90‐day all‐cause mortality was 7.8% (six patients). Infection with the omicron variant (vs. delta) was associated with less severe illness (OR = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01–0.47) and decreased odds of mortality (OR = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.01–0.76). Being on immunosuppression (OR = 5.10, 95% CI = 1.10–23.60) and being unvaccinated at disease onset (OR = 14.76, 95% CI = 2.89–75.4) were associated with greater severity of COVID‐19 infection.

Conclusion

We observed favorable outcomes with COVID‐19 infection in a cohort of vaccinated HSCT patients. The SARS‐CoV‐2 omicron variant was associated with both less severe illness and decreased odds of mortality. As COVID‐19 moves toward endemicity, early access to treatment and encouraging vaccination uptake is crucial in mitigating the challenge of COVID‐19 management among HSCT recipients. Surveillance and assessment of clinical outcomes with new SARS‐CoV‐2 variants also remains important in this immunocompromised population.

image
How Do Adult-Oriented Coaching Practices Change Over Time and Correspond With Changes in Key Criterion Outcomes? An 8-Week Study
Authors: Motz Derrik , Young Bradley W. , Rathwell Scott , Callary Bettina
Published: January 2023

The Adult-Oriented Sport Coaching Survey assesses how often coaches use practices tailored to adult and older adult athletes. Cross-sectionally, said practices contribute to a quality masters sport experience for masters athletes (MAs); however, the stability of adult-oriented coaching over time and whether changes in coaching over time correspond with psychosocial outcomes for MAs is unknown. Therefore, coaches (N = 32; Mage = 49.0) and MAs (N = 103; Mage = 51.5) completed the Adult-Oriented Sport Coaching Survey twice 8 weeks apart. MAs also completed criterion measures for facets of the coach–athlete relationship, basic needs satisfaction, and thwarting. Our first question was whether mean group values for adult-oriented coaching changed over time. Repeated measures analysis of variance demonstrated stability of coaches’ and MAs’ scores. Our second question was whether changes in adult-oriented coaching corresponded with changes on criterion measures. Path analyses showed increased perceived frequency of adult-oriented coaching that, generally, was associated with enhancing three facets of the coach–athlete relationship, relatedness satisfaction, autonomy satisfaction, and reducing competency thwarting. The discussion centers on how adult-oriented coaching might facilitate quality sporting relationships, empowerment, and mastery in adult sport programming. These nonintervention results are interpreted with an eye toward considerations in future Adult-Oriented Sport Coaching Survey-based coaching interventions.
SMARTfit Dual-Task Exercise Improves Cognition and Physical Function in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results of a Community-Based Pilot Study
Authors: Jhaveri Sameer , Romanyk Matthew , Glatt Ryan , Satchidanand Nikhil
Published: January 2023

Mild cognitive impairment is an intermediate state between the cognitive decline often experienced in normal aging and dementia that affects 15% of Americans over 65 years of age. Our communities have an opportunity to support the development and adoption of evidence-based programs to help older adults preserve cognition and physical function. In partnership with a local urban YMCA in an underserved, predominantly minority neighborhood, we tested the appeal and therapeutic benefits of SMARTfit training among older adults with mild cognitive impairment. The participants reported a positive training experience. After 12 weeks of dual-task training, Trail-Making Test and Stroop Color–Word Interference Test scores improved, as did scores on the Short Physical Performance Battery. Results of our SMARTfit dual-task training intervention are encouraging. Larger randomized controlled trials must further investigate the development, implementation, and therapeutic impacts of SMARTfit dual-task training on cognitive and physical function in aging.
PorinPredict:
In Silico
Identification of OprD Loss from WGS Data for Improved Genotype-Phenotype Predictions of P. aeruginosa Carbapenem Resistance
Authors: Biggel Michael , Johler Sophia , Roloff Tim , Tschudin-Sutter Sarah , Bassetti Stefano , Siegemund Martin , Egli Adrian , Stephan Roger , Seth-Smith Helena M. B.
Published: January 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a major cause of multidrug-resistant nosocomial infections. The emergence and spread of clones exhibiting resistance to carbapenems, a class of critical last-line antibiotics, is therefore closely monitored.
Dimensionless Physics: Planck Constant as an Element of the Minkowski Metric
Authors: Volovik G. E.
Published: January 2023

Diakonov theory of quantum gravity, in which tetrads emerge as the bilinear combinations of the fermionic fields, suggests that in general relativity the metric may have dimension 2; i.e., $$[{{g}_{{\mu \nu }}}] = 1{\text{/}}{{[L]}^{2}}$$. Several other approaches to quantum gravity, including the model of superplastic vacuum and BF-theories of gravity support this suggestion. The important consequence of such metric dimension is that all the diffeomorphism invariant quantities are dimensionless for any dimension of spacetime. These include the action S, interval s, cosmological constant Λ, scalar curvature R, scalar field Φ, etc. Here we are trying to further exploit the Diakonov idea, and consider the dimension of the Planck constant. The application of the Diakonov theory suggests that the Planck constant $$\hbar $$ is the parameter of the Minkowski metric. The Minkowski parameter $$\hbar $$ is invariant only under Lorentz transformations, and is not diffeomorphism invariant. As a result, the Planck constant $$\hbar $$ has the dimension of length. Whether this Planck constant length is related to the Planck length scale, is an open question. In principle there can be different Minkowski vacua with their own values of the parameter $$\hbar $$. Then in the thermal contact between the two vacua their temperatures obey the analog of the Tolman law: $${{\hbar }_{1}}{\text{/}}{{T}_{1}} = {{\hbar }_{2}}{\text{/}}{{T}_{2}}$$.
Parents’ Experiences of Communication in Neonatal Care (PEC): a neonatal survey refined for real-time parent feedback
Authors: Sakonidou Susanna , Kotzamanis Sophia , Tallett Amy , Poots Alan J , Modi Neena , Bell Derek , Gale Chris
Published: January 2023

Objective

Assessing parent experiences of neonatal services can help improve quality of care; however, there is no formally evaluated UK instrument available to assess this prospectively. Our objective was to refine an existing retrospective survey for ‘real-time’ feedback.

Methods

Co-led by a parent representative, we recruited a convenience sample of parents of infants in a London tertiary neonatal unit. Our steering group selected questions from the existing retrospective 61-question Picker survey (2014), added and revised questions assessing communication and parent involvement. We established face validity, ensuring questions adequately captured the topic, conducted parent cognitive interviews to evaluate parental understanding of questions,and adapted the survey in three revision cycles. We evaluated survey performance.

Results

The revised Parents’ Experiences of Communication in Neonatal Care (PEC) survey contains 28 questions (10 new) focusing on communication and parent involvement. We cognitively interviewed six parents, and 67 parents completed 197 PEC surveys in the survey performance evaluation. Missing entries exceeded 5% for nine questions; we removed one and format-adjusted the rest as they had performed well during cognitive testing. There was strong inter-item correlation between two question pairs; however, all were retained as they individually assessed important concepts.

Conclusion

Revised from the original 61-question Picker survey, the 28-question PEC survey is the first UK instrument formally evaluated to assess parent experience while infants are still receiving neonatal care. Developed with parents, it focuses on communication and parent involvement, enabling continuous assessment and iterative improvement of family-centred interventions in neonatal care.
New insights in presbyopia: impact of correction strategies
Authors: Wolffsohn James S , Davies Leon N , Sheppard Amy L
Published: January 2023

Presbyopia occurs when the physiologically normal age-related reduction in the eyes focusing range reaches a point, when optimally corrected for distance vision, that the clarity of vision at near is insufficient to satisfy an individual’s requirements. Hence, it is more about the impact it has on an individual’s visual ability to function in their environment to maintain their lifestyle than a measured loss of focusing ability. Presbyopia has a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life and emotional state. While a range of amelioration strategies exist, they are often difficult to access in the developing world and prescribing is generally not optimal even in developed countries. This review identified the need for a standardised definition of presbyopia to be adopted. An appropriate battery of tests should be applied in evaluating presbyopic management options and the results of clinical trials should be published (even if unsuccessful) to accelerate the provision of better outcomes for presbyopes.
Evaluation of liver stiffness using ultrasonic shear wave elastography in patients with COVID-19 induced pneumonia
Authors: Hu Dongmei , Fu Hairong , Meng Haisheng , Zhao Jing
Published: January 2023

In patients with COVID-19-induced pneumonia, shear wave elasticity (SWE) was used to assess liver stiffness. This study included 48 cases of COVID-19-induced pneumonia and 48 cases of normal physical examination. Basic and clinical data, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), were evaluated. Color ultrasonography was used to test the liver’s SWE. A biopsy of the liver was also performed. In patients with COVID-19-induced pneumonia, AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were higher than those in the control group. Liver SWE showed that liver stiffness is hard (8.745 ± 0.2104) compared with the control group (7.386 ± 0.1521) ( P < 0.0001). Pathological biopsy showed that liver inflammation accounted for 89.58%, steatosis accounted for 81.25%, necrosis accounted for 10.42%, and fibrosis accounted for 33.33% in patients with COVID-19-induced pneumonia. ROC curve analysis showed that the SWE is highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of liver inflammation and steatosis. The sensitivity was 88.76% and the specificity was 77.01% for the evaluation of liver inflammation. For steatosis, the sensitivity was 90.20%, and the specificity was 78.40%. The SWE of liver is useful to assess liver function and pathological status in COVID-19 patients.
Chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia ameliorates vascular reactivity through upregulating adiponectin expression of PVAT in metabolic syndrome rats
Authors: Cui Fang , Mi Haichao , Guan Yue , Zhu Yan , Wang Ruotong , Tian Yanming , Yang Kaifan , Zhang Yi
Published: January 2023

Cumulating evidence demonstrated that chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) had beneficial effects on the body. This study investigated the role of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) in ameliorating effect of CIHH on vascular reactivity by adiponectin in mesenteric artery of metabolic syndrome (MS) rats. Main methods: 6-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: control (CON), MS model, CIHH treatment, and MS + CIHH treatment group. The size of adipocytes in PVAT was measured by scanning electron microscopy. Serum adiponectin was measured. The microvessel recording technique was used to observe the effect of CIHH on contraction and relaxation in mesenteric artery rings. Also, the expressions of interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, adiponectin, AdipoR1, AdipoR2, APPL1, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were assayed by Western blotting. Key findings: in MS rats, adipocyte size increased, serum adiponectin decreased, contraction reaction increased while relaxation reaction decreased, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines was upregulated, while adiponectin was downregulated in PVAT, and the expressions of AdipoR1, AdipoR2, APPL, and phosphorylated-eNOS were downregulated in mesenteric artery. All aforementioned abnormalities of MS were ameliorated in MS + CIHH rats. We concluded that CIHH treatment improves vascular reactivity through upregulating adiponectin expression and downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokine expression of PVAT in MS rats.
Cluster time measurement with CEPC calorimeter
Authors: Che Yuzhi , Boudry Vincent , Videau Henri , He Muchen , Ruan Manqi
Published: January 2023

We have developed an algorithm dedicated to timing reconstruction in highly granular calorimeters (HGC). The performance of this algorithm is evaluated on an electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) with geometries comparable to the electromagnetic compartment (CE-E) of the CMS endcap calorimeter upgrade at HL-LHC and conceptual Particle Flow oriented ECAL’s for future Higgs factories. The time response of individual channel is parameterized according to the CMS experimental result (Akchurin et al. in Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res Sect A Accel Spectrom Detect Assoc Equip 859:31, 2017). The particle Time-of-Flight (ToF) can be measured with a resolution of 5–20 ps for electromagnetic (EM) showers and 80–160 ps for hadronic showers above 1 GeV. The presented algorithm provides comparable reconstruction with the$$E_{\textrm{hit}}^2$$Ehit2weighting strategy and can significantly improve the time resolution compared to a simple averaging of the fast component of the time spectrum. The effects of three detector configurations are also quantified in this study. ToF resolution depends linearly on the timing resolution of a single silicon sensor and improves statistically with increasing incident particle energy. The timing layers at depth of 6–9 radiation lengths provide higher timing performance for EM showers. A clustering algorithm that vetoes isolated hits improves ToF resolution.
Geometry of conformally symmetric generalized Vaidya spacetimes
Authors: Hansraj Chevarra , Goswami Rituparno , Maharaj Sunil D.
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we consider conformally symmetric generalized Vaidya spacetimes with a composite null dust and null string matter distribution using the semi-tetrad covariant [Formula: see text] decomposition method. The important and novel result that emerges from our analysis is that all the geometric variables related to the time-like and the preferred space-like congruences are completely determined by the conformal vector and conformal factor. This result is unique to the specific matter distribution of the generalized Vaidya configuration. We further show that in the case of the pure null dust (or Vaidya) spacetime, a proper conformal Killing vector cannot be admitted.
Assessment of photosensitization performance and stability of host-guest MCM-41 composites from the direct observation of singlet oxygen formation and properties
Authors: Chilingaryan Tatevik , Schlachter Adrien , Frochot Céline , Habermeyer B. , Harvey Pierre D. , Guilard Roger
Published: January 2023

New heterogeneous porous materials based on 5,10,15,20-(tetraphenyl)porphyrin (H2TPP), 5,10,15,20-(tetra-N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin tetrachloride (H2TNMPyP), zinc(II) 5,10,15,20-(tetra-N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin tetrachloride (ZnTNMPyP), 5,10,15,20-(tetra-4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (H2TCPP) and zinc(II)5,10,15,20-(tetra-4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (ZnTCPP) have been incorporated into mesoporous silica MCM-41 from slow diffusion of solutions containing different concentrations of porphyrin chromophores. Successful incorporation of all porphyrins has been confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy and TGA. XRD patterns of these silica-based host-guest samples prove that the mesoporous structure of MCM-41 remains unchanged after encapsulation. The potential abilities of these photosensitizers to form singlet oxygen (1O[Formula: see text] at the solid state/air interface after light excitation were investigated. Despite the variable amount of encapsulated porphyrin derivatives (based on UV-vis assessment and chemical analysis), the phosphorescence intensity of 1O2 peak at 1270 nm remains relatively the same from one composite to the other meaning that the photosensitizers are mainly placed at the surface of the MCM-41 particles.
Synthesis, separation, and characterization of spiro-fused cycloalkyl-embedded 5,15-porphodimethenes
Authors: Suzuki Masaaki , Suzuki Yuto , Uetake Yasuhito
Published: January 2023

The synthesis of cycloalkyl-fused porphodimethenes from a mixture of products was investigated. Each product was separated via silica gel column chromatography and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and UV-visible absorption spectroscopies, and mass spectrometry. X-ray crystal structure analysis revealed their gable-like bent conformations bearing perpendicular cycloalkyl rings in which the dipyrrin pairs contacted closely so that the neighboring pyrrole rings formed circular hydrogen bonding networks, such as those in porphyrins. Such configurations also caused extreme downfield shifts of the methylene protons of the cycloalkyl rings in the 1H NMR spectra.
2-nitro-7,12,17-tri-tert-butylporphycene: Spectroscopy, photophysics, and tautomerism
Authors: Gajewska Agnieszka , Mbakara Idaresit , Waluk Jacek
Published: January 2023

Nitration of 2,7,12,17-tert-butylporphycene, leading mainly to meso-substituted 9-nitro- and 9,20-nitro- derivatives, also yielded a small amount of porphycene bearing three tert-butyl moieties and the nitro group at the [Formula: see text] position. The electronic absorption spectra of 2-nitro and 9-nitroporphycenes are similar, but the photophysical characteristics strongly differ. Unlike the meso-substituted derivative, 2-nitroporphycene emits intense, long-lived (ns) fluorescence. Strong enhancement of fluorescence intensity is due to the absence of steric interactions between tert-butyl and nitro moieties. The two porphycenes also differ in their tautomeric properties. 2-nitroporphycene exists in one trans-tautomeric form, whereas two trans-tautomers of similar energies coexist in the meso derivative. These results are well reproduced by quantum-chemical calculations. The possibility of changing photophysics and tautomerism by shifting the position of the substituent may be exploited while designing porphycenes targeted for specific applications, such as photodynamic therapy or building molecular switches.
Synthesis of cyclo[8]pyrrole-phosphonate complexes by anion exchange
Authors: Matsumoto Hiroki , Matsumoto Naoki , Mori Shigeki , Hisaki Ichiro , Nakae Takahiro , Takase Masayoshi , Uno Hidemitsu , Okujima Tetsuo
Published: January 2023

Cyclo[8]pyrrole–phosphonate complexes were synthesized via the anion exchange method from cyclo[8]pyrrole sulfate. The molecular structures were determined by X-ray diffraction studies.
Astrometric and Photometric Standard Candidates for the Upcoming 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope Survey
Authors: Dukiya Naveen , Misra Kuntal , Pradhan Bikram , Negi Vibhore , Ailawadhi Bhavya , Kumar Brajesh , Hickson Paul , Surdej Jean
Published: January 2023

The International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) is a 4-m class survey telescope that has recently achieved first light and is expected to swing into full operations by January 1, 2023. It scans the sky in a fixed [Formula: see text] wide strip centered at the declination of [Formula: see text] and works in Time Delay Integration (TDI) mode. We present a full catalog of sources in the ILMT strip that can serve as astrometric calibrators. The characteristics of the sources for astrometric calibration are extracted from Gaia EDR3 as it provides a very precise measurement of astrometric properties such as RA ([Formula: see text]), Dec ([Formula: see text]), parallax ([Formula: see text]), and proper motions ([Formula: see text] & [Formula: see text]). We have crossmatched the Gaia EDR3 with SDSS DR17 and PanSTARRS-1 (PS1) and supplemented the catalog with apparent magnitudes of these sources in [Formula: see text], and i filters. We also present a catalog of spectroscopically confirmed white dwarfs with Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) magnitudes that may serve as photometric calibrators. The catalogs generated are stored in an SQLite database for query-based access. We also report the offsets in equatorial positions compared to Gaia for an astrometrically calibrated TDI frame observed with the ILMT.
Heterogeneous Graph Transformer for Meta-structure Learning with Application in Text Classification
Authors: Wang Shuhai , Liu Xin , Pan Xiao , Xu Hanjie , Liu Mingrui
Published: January 2023

The prevalent heterogeneous Graph Neural Network (GNN) models learn node and graph representations using pre-defined meta-paths or only automatically discovering meta-paths. However, the existing methods suffer from information loss due to neglecting undiscovered meta-structures with richer semantics than meta-paths in heterogeneous graphs. To take advantage of the current rich meta-structures in heterogeneous graphs, we propose a novel approach called HeGTM to automatically extract essential meta-structures (i.e., meta-paths and meta-graphs) from heterogeneous graphs. The discovered meta-structures can capture more prosperous relations between different types of nodes that can help the model to learn representations. Furthermore, we apply the proposed approach for text classification. Specifically, we first design a heterogeneous graph for the text corpus, and then apply HeGTM on the constructed text graph to learn better text representations that contain various semantic relations. In addition, our approach can also be used as a strong meta-structure extractor for other GNN models. In other words, the auto-discovered meta-structures can replace the pre-defined meta-paths. The experimental results on text classification demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach to automatically extracting informative meta-structures from heterogeneous graphs and its usefulness in acting as a meta-structure extractor for boosting other GNN models.
AIST: An Interpretable Attention-Based Deep Learning Model for Crime Prediction
Authors: Rayhan Yeasir , Hashem Tanzima
Published: January 2023

Accuracy and interpretability are two essential properties for a crime prediction model. Accurate prediction of future crime occurrences along with the reason behind a prediction would allow us to plan the crime prevention steps accordingly. The key challenge in developing the model is to capture the non-linear and dynamic spatial dependency and temporal patterns of a specific crime category, while keeping the underlying structure of the model interpretable. In this article, we develop AIST, an
A
ttention-based
I
nterpretable
S
patio
T
emporal Network for crime prediction. AIST models the dynamic spatio-temporal correlations for a crime category based on past crime occurrences, external features (e.g., traffic flow and point of interest information) and recurring trends of crime. Extensive experiments show that AIST outperforms the state-of-the-art techniques in terms of accuracy (e.g., AIST shows a decrease of 4.1% on mean average error and 7.45% on mean square error for the Chicago 2019 crime dataset) and interpretability.

1
The Role of EDTA-2K in the Chemical Mechanical Polishing of Aluminum
Authors: Yang Luyao , Mei Xukun , Xie Shunfan , Zhao Qun , Zhang Xianglong , Meng Ni , Li Xianghui , He Yangang
Published: January 2023

As the characteristic size of integrated circuits has continued to shrink, there has been increasing interest in using aluminum (Al) as the gate material. In this paper, we have looked at the role ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid dipotassium (EDTA-2K) plays in the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of Al for use as a gate material. Currently, the preferred approach to CMP is to use colloidal silica as an abrasive, EDTA-2K as the complexing agent, and H2O2 as the oxidant. We have explored the influence of EDTA-2K and H2O2 on the Al removal rate (RR) during CMP. The results show that when the concentration of EDTA-2K is 1 wt%, the removal rate reaches 3450 Å min−1, and the surface roughness is 0.425 nm. The mechanism of the action of EDTA-2K during CMP was studied through particle size distribution analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical tests, and UV–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. The results show that EDTA-2K reacts with aluminum ions (Al3+) to form a soluble Al-EDTA complex, which promotes the corrosion rate on the Al surface and thus increases the removal rate of Al.
Enhancement Mechanism of Chemical Mechanical Polishing for GaN Based on Electro-Fenton Reaction
Authors: Ni Zifeng , Zheng Shikun , Chen Guomei , Fan Qiang , Zhang Xin , Zhang Haitao , Li Junjie , Da Bian  , Qian Shanhua
Published: January 2023

In order to obtain a high material removal rate (MRR) with good surface quality, the electro-Fenton reaction was used to assist the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) for the gallium nitride (GaN) substrate. The fluorospectrophotometry, potentiodynamic polarization method and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were applied to analyze the enhancement mechanism of the CMP of GaN assisted by electro-Fenton reaction. The results revealed that the hydroxyl radical (·OH) concentration in the electro-Fenton solution increased by 41.75%, and the corrosion potential decreased by 24.67% compared with the Fenton solution, which proved that the electro-Fenton solution had strong corrosion characteristics and the gallium oxide (Ga2O3) formation rate on the wafer surface was accelerated. A high MRR of 274.45 nm h−1 with surface roughness (Ra) of 0.88 nm was obtained by electro-Fenton solution. The reduction reaction of the electric field increased the conversion rate of ferrous ions (Fe2+) and ferric ions (Fe3+) effectively and promoted the decomposition of the H2O2 solution. Meanwhile, the oxidation reaction on the GaN wafer surface was enhanced, and high processing efficiency was achieved. Furthermore, the electric field generated a small amount of H2O2, which increased the ·OH concentration and improved the oxidation characteristics of the solution.
A Physics-Based Chip-Scale Surface Profile Model for Tungsten Chemical Mechanical Planarization
Authors: Xu Qinzhi , Cao He , Liu Jianyun
Published: January 2023

In this work, a new physics-based chip-scale surface profile model is proposed to focus on investigating the influence of the design pattern effects on the tungsten surface topography in the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process. Due to its significance of the contact pressure on CMP planarity simulation, a two-scale contact pressure computation method is constructed to obtain an accurate pressure distribution between the wafer surface and the polishing pad. First, chip-scale contact mechanics-based global pressure has been introduced to capture the long range height variation of W CMP caused by deposition and polishing processes. Then feature-scale pattern dependent effect is considered to accurately calculate the local contact pressure in constructing the final removal rate formula and achieving chip surface profile simulation. The calculated local contact pressure is further integrated with the fundamental of steady-state oxidation reaction to construct a new material removal rate model, which systematically captures the effects of mechanical abrasion and concentration of chemical reagent on the polishing rate. The model prediction results are consistent with the collected experimental data in predicting the dishing effect at different slurry conditions. The simulated surface topography and polishing removal rate characteristics post tungsten CMP indicate prominent design pattern-dependent effects. Therefore, the present W CMP model can be utilized to assist in analyzing the influence of the design pattern effects on the wafer surface topography and performing sensitivity analysis of design parameters on the surface planarity. It can also be readily incorporated into a design for manufacturability flow to form a chip-scale planarity simulator to detect the hotspots of the entire design layout.
Review—Supercapacitor Active Material from Recycling
Authors: Ragupathi Veena , Panigrahi Puspamitra , Nagarajan Ganapathi Subramaniam
Published: January 2023

The current energy problem and the pursuit of sustainable development goals are being addressed by the “Waste to Energy” movement. Recycling is a good technique to turn waste into useful material, and the production of sustainable energy materials from recycling has attracted a lot of attention. Growing population, industrialization, dwindling fossil fuel supplies, environmental contamination, and a need for sustainable, renewable energy storage technologies. In this context, supercapacitors have promising properties like superior power density and cyclability and are highly stable at high temperatures. This mini-review focuses on the basic concepts of supercapacitors and the production of electrode material from bio-waste and industrial solid wastes. This article compares supercapacitive behavior of activated carbon material derived from biomass and industrial solid wastes.
FOXO1-Induced miR-502-3p Suppresses Colorectal Cancer Cell Growth through Targeting CDK6
Authors: Fan Hongwei , Zhao Shuqiao , Ai Rong , Niu Xuemin , Zhang Junxia , Liu Lin
Published: January 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common tumor of the digestive system and the third most common tumor worldwide. To date, the prognosis of CRC patients remains poor. It is urgent to identify new therapeutic targets for CRC. As a tumor suppresser, microRNA (miRNA) miR-502-5p is downregulated in CRC tissues. Nevertheless, the role of miR-502-3p in CRC is largely unclear. Besides, the transcript factor forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) could suppress the CRC cell growth. However, the effect of FOXO1 on miR-502-3p in CRC remains unknown. By contrast, cyclin-dependent kinases 6 (CDK6) promotes the CRC cell growth. Yet the regulatory effect of miR-502-3p on CDK6 in CRC has not been reported. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to investigate whether FOXO1 enhanced miR-502-3p expression to suppress the CRC cell growth by targeting CDK6. Here, RNA level and protein level were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot (WB), respectively. Besides, the cell growth was detected by Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) assay. Moreover, the regulatory effect of FOXO1 on miR-502-3p or miR-502-3p on CDK6 was determined using dual-luciferase reporter gene (DLR) assay. Results revealed that miR-502-3p and FOXO1 were downregulated in CRC cells. Besides, miR-502-3p suppressed the CRC cell growth. Moreover, FOXO1 could increase the miR-502-3p level through facilitating MIR502 transcription in CRC cells. In addition, miR-502-3p could suppress the CRC cell growth by targeting CDK6. These findings indicated that FOXO1 induced miR-502-3p expression to suppress the CRC cell growth through targeting CDK6, which might provide new therapeutic targets for CRC.
Bioinformatics Analysis Identifies ASCL1 as the Key Transcription Factor in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression
Authors: Zhang Hong-yan , Zong Rui-qing , Wu Fei-xiang , Li Yi-ran
Published: January 2023

Object. To identify and explore the key transcription factors in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Methods. Differentially transcription factors (DETFs) were identified from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE62232 and transcription factors. Then, they were analyzed by regulatory networks, prognostic risk model, and overall survival analyses to identify the key DETF. Combined with the regulatory networks and binding site analysis, the target mRNA of key DETF was determined, and its prognostic value in HCC was evaluated by survival, clinical characteristics analyses, and experiments. Finally, the expressions and functions of the key DETF on the DEmRNAs were investigated in HCC cells. Results. Through multiple bioinformatics analyses, ASCL1 was identified as the key DETF, and SLC6A13 was predicted to be its target mRNA with the common binding site of CCAGCAACTGGCC, both downregulated in HCC. In survival analysis, high SLC6A13 was related to better HCC prognosis, and SLC6A13 was differentially expressed in HCC patients with clinical characteristics. Furthermore, cell experiments showed the mRNA expressions of ASCL1 and SLC6A13 were both reduced in HCC, and their overexpressions suppressed the growth, invasion, and migration of HCC cells. Besides, over-ASCL1 could upregulate SLC6A13 expression in HCC cells. Conclusion. This study identifies two suppressor genes in HCC progression, ASCL1 and SLC6A13, and the key transcription factor ASCL1 suppresses HCC progression by targeting SLC6A13 mRNA. They are both potential treatment targets and prognostic biomarkers for HCC patients, which provides new clues for HCC research.
Iodine Status in Pregnant Women Having Urinary Fluoride in Contaminated Areas: A Case Study of Phayao Province
Authors: Somporn Rattawan , Lapinee Chaipat , Umponstira Chanin , Weterings Robbie , Chaiwong Sanhawat
Published: January 2023

Fluoride naturally occurs in the Earth’s crust and is widely dispersed in groundwater. The high consumption of fluoride can inhibit iodine metabolism in the human body, especially in the thyroid gland. This study assessed iodine knowledge, iodine consumption behavior, urinary iodine (UI), thyroid stimulating hormone (serum TSH), and free triiodothyronine3 (serum FT3) and examined the connection between fluoride exposure and UI and thyroid function as serum concentrations of TSH and FT3 in pregnant women dwelling in an area of endemic fluorosis. This was a cross-sectional study. The population included 152 pregnant women within the 1st trimester of pregnancy, during which they were provided antenatal care (ANC) in seven public community hospitals in Phayao province, Thailand. The study consisted of two components. First, the study consisted of a questionnaire in which we evaluated the iodine knowledge and iodine consumptive behaviors in subjects. Second, biochemical data were investigated to evaluate thyroid function in the subjects. The gestational age of most subjects was 8–12 weeks. The study population has lived in fluoride-contaminated areas since birth (76.97%). The iodine and iodine consumption levels were moderate (50.00%). Their food iodine consumption was 3–4 days/week, and the top five consumption ranks were iodized salt, cooked pork, eggs, sticky rice, and iodine fish sauce. In terms of biochemical parameters, 63.16% of respondents had UI levels below 150.00 g/L, which is below the normal reference range of 150.00–249.00 g/L. 89.47% of the risk of hypothyroidism was associated with serum TSH levels below 2.50 g/L. In 38.16% of the samples, normal levels of serum FT3 (2.00–4.40 pg/L) were identified in the subjects. In addition, 61.84% of the samples had FT3 concentrations greater than 4.40 pg/L (high intake of iodine). The approved association between positive serum FT3 data and serum TSH was positive (r = 260 and

p

 < 0.05). These studies imply that these elevated levels of TSH and FT3 place pregnant women in their first trimester at risk for hypothyroidism.
Analysis of Fluid-Structure Coupling Vibration Characteristics of Pipeline Transporting Bubbly Fluid Medium: With Application to Luxury Passenger Ship Life Area Pipeline
Authors: Chen Chen , Zhou Hong , Zhang Lei
Published: January 2023

When pipelines are transporting bubbly fluid medium, due to the coalescence and breakage behaviours of the bubbles, the pressure distribution at the wall is not uniform and the structure response is more complex. The bubbly beverage pipeline in the life area of the luxury passenger ship is a typical scene of the pipeline transporting bubbly fluid medium. In this paper, the two-way fluid-structure coupling analysis is carried out on such a scene with the aid of ANSYS software and the PBM model is introduced to characterize the dynamic properties of bubbles. At the same time, the accuracy of this calculation method is verified by the scaling experiment. On this basis, the response of the pipeline under the excitation of bubbly fluid is calculated for different inlet velocities and gas volume fractions, and the effectiveness of common vibration damping measures is evaluated. The result shows that the addition of bubbles to the fluid medium has a significant effect on the distribution of the flow field in the pipeline during transport, and the vibration acceleration values of the pipe wall also increase significantly. This method enables accurate simulation of the vibration characteristics of bubbly fluid medium pipelines.
Adipose and Bone Marrow Derived-Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Express Similar Tenogenic Expression Levels when Subjected to Mechanical Uniaxial Stretching In Vitro
Authors: Nam Hui Yin , Draman @ Yusof Mohd Rusdi , Kamarul Tunku
Published: January 2023

The present study was conducted to determine whether adipose derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AD-MSCs) or bone marrow derived-MSCs (BM-MSCs) would provide superior tenogenic expressions when subjected to cyclical tensile loading. The results for this would indicate the best choice of MSCs source to be used for cell-based tendon repair strategies. Both AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs were obtained from ten adult donors (

N
=
10

) and cultured in vitro. At passaged-2, cells from both groups were subjected to cyclical stretching at 1 Hz and 8% of strain. Cellular morphology, orientation, proliferation rate, protein, and gene expression levels were compared at 0, 24, and 48 hours of stretching. In both groups, mechanical stretching results in similar morphological changes, and the redirection of cell alignment is perpendicular to the direction of stretching. Loading at 8% strain did not significantly increase proliferation rates but caused an increase in total collagen expression and tenogenic gene expression levels. In both groups, these levels demonstrated no significant differences suggesting that in a similar loading environment, both cell types possess similar tenogenic potential. In conclusion, AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs both demonstrate similar tenogenic phenotypic and gene expression levels when subjected to cyclic tensile loading at 1 Hz and 8% strain, thus, suggesting that the use of either cell source may be suitable for tendon repair.
BSV System with MSC and Its Application in the Measurement of Surface Cracks
Authors: Ma Hua , Yang Guang
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we have proposed a flexible noncontact crack‐size measurement method that can realize binocular stereo vision measurement with only a single camera. On the premise that the camera’s intrinsic parameters have been accurately calibrated, we use a camera to collect the image of the crack from two directions. Then, we calculate the motion parameters using the collected images from the camera in different positions. In addition, Canny algorithm is used to extract the edge pixels of crack images. Finally, we establish the binocular stereo vision model for crack measurement according to the camera parameters, the motion parameters, and the edge information of crack images. Thus, we can measure the crack size through this model. Experimental results show that the measurement error is less than 5% under a distance of 2 meters, which can effectively prove the precision of the proposed method. In addition, our method only uses a single camera. Compared with the traditional binocular stereo vision method, this method is not only flexible but also more economical.
The Relationship between Information Dissemination Channels, Health Belief, and COVID-19 Vaccination Intention: Evidence from China
Authors: Huang Chuanwu , Yan Dongqi , Liang Shuang
Published: January 2023

In the context of the ongoing global epidemic of COVID-19 and frequent virus mutations, the implementation of vaccine is the key to the prevention and control of the epidemic at this stage. In order to provide recommendations and evidence to support global epidemic prevention and control and vaccination efforts from the perspectives of health communication and individual psychological perceptions and to improve the vaccination rate of COVID-19 vaccine among appropriate populations, this study conducted a questionnaire survey in eight districts of Beijing and collected a total of 525 valid data points. A health belief model was used to examine the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination behavior, and the relationship between different COVID-19 vaccine information dissemination channels, residents’ health beliefs, and propensity to vaccinate was analyzed. This study found the following: (1) among new media, interpersonal communication and traditional media communication channels, the new media channel had the largest number of audiences; (2) the personal health beliefs of audiences in the three information channels differed significantly, with the highest perceived benefits and lowest perceived barriers in the interpersonal communication channel and the highest perceived barriers in the new media communication channel; (3) the health belief model was a significant predictor, with perceived benefits and barriers being the most effective attitudinal variables for predicting vaccination intention. This study is valuable for advancing and improving vaccine communication diffusion research and promoting wider application of the health belief model and communication media in health communication topics.
Fluidized Immobilized Carbon Catalytic Oxidation Reactor for Treating Domestic Wastewater
Authors: Prasad Raju Hemadri , Chandrakasu Makendran , Partheeban Pachaivannan , Anuradha Baskaran
Published: January 2023

Treating wastewater and reusing it have become normal in the present era since the scarcity of fresh water prevails in many parts of the world. There are numerous techniques for treating domestic wastewater, and many have been explored to advance the ones already in use. This study is taken up to explore the new technology called fluidized immobilized carbon catalytic oxidation (FICCO). Usually, both organic and inorganic materials are present in residential wastewater. In this study, catalyst-activated carbon produced from rice husk is added to a FICCO reactor to test the effectiveness of decreasing organic contaminants in wastewater. Six FICCO models were fabricated in this research study, and tests were conducted. The effectiveness of COD and BOD removal was investigated using six FICCO models with activated carbon made from rice husk as a catalyst and presented in this paper. The FICCO reactor was also used to treat organic contaminants such as surfactants, starch, oil, and protein with rice husk as activated carbon as a catalyst. Organic pollutants used the FICCO reactor; COD removal varied from 75.6% to 92.4%, BOD removal ranged from 74.9% to 89.5% at the optimum contact time, and catalyst rice husk-activated carbon application. The optimum catalyst dosage was 12 g per 620 ml of wastewater, which is the capacity of each reactor and a substantial reduction in sludge.