bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TOOL SUPPORT FOR DATA-DRIVEN SERVICE INNOVATION: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: JESENKO BERNDT , THALMANN STEFAN
Published: September 2024

Data-driven technologies changed the way how service innovation is conducted in organisations. The literature discusses the potential of Data-Driven Service Innovation (DDSI) processes, but it is not clear yet what tool support for DDSI looks like. This structured literature review examines the tool support for each phase of DDSI processes. We found clear differences between the DDSI phases and different tools for each phase. In the first phase, tools with batch processing capability are employed for methods like text mining and sentiment analysis, helping to capture evolving customer behaviour and trends to increase the speed of innovation rate. In the second phase, immersive technologies, real-time sentiment analysis and stream analytics are used for the validation of service development processes to increase the likelihood of market success. In the third phase, AI tools with the capability to continuously learn from emerging data and Big Data Analytics tools are combined.
On the structure of Lie semirings and Lie mappings
Authors: Dadhwal Madhu , Neelam  , Devi Geeta
Published: September 2024

The objective of this paper is to characterize the enormous structure of Lie semirings. In the sequel, the Lie ideal structure and Lie mappings are also investigated. Finally, it is proved that in a simple Lie semiring [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] contains all proper Lie ideals of [Formula: see text] and as a consequence, the simplicity of quotient Lie semiring [Formula: see text] is established.
Exploring Gender Pairing in Programming Education: Impact on Programming Self-Efficacy and Collaboration Attitudes in a Developing Country's Rural Primary School
Authors: Zhang Xue , Qin Chao , Liu Yanjia , Wan Haipeng
Published: September 2024

Pair programming is an effective instructional format in programming education for adolescents. Within pair programming, three potential gender combinations may arise: Boy-Boy (BB), Girl-Girl (GG), and Boy-Girl (BG). This study explores the impact of different gender pairings on the programming self-efficacy and collaborative attitudes of sixth-grade students in rural elementary schools. A total of 82 novices (34 girls and 48 boys) voluntarily formed three types of pairs—BB, GG, and BG—to engage in pair programming using Scratch. The course spanned two months, comprising a total of nine sessions. Surveys on programming self-efficacy and collaborative attitudes were administered to all students after the fifth and ninth sessions. Our research brought to light significant improvements in programming self-efficacy for BB pairs, suggesting that male students learning programming with same-gender partners experienced noteworthy enhancements in their perceived programming abilities. Conversely, students in GG and BG pairs did not display significant changes in their programming self-efficacy. Additionally, all students demonstrated optimal collaborative attitudes when engaged in pair programming with same-gender partners. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of programming self-efficacy and collaborative attitudes within the framework of pair learning. The findings hold the potential to offer valuable insights for educators and curriculum designers aiming to establish inclusive and effective learning environments in rural elementary programming education.
Deuterium Isotopic Effect on Nanometer-Sized Narrow Spaces Formed by Silicon Walls
Authors: Miyagawa Shohei , Otsuji Masayuki , Takeda Takuma , Harumoto Akiko , Ueda Dai , Sawada Koichi
Published: September 2024

Unveiling a solid–liquid reaction in a nanoconfined region is required to control the wet processes of advanced semiconductors whose sizes can reach several nanometers. In this study, using deuterium isotope effects, we investigated the influence of reactant consumption by confining walls on the etching rate of nanoconfined spaces. By analyzing the states of the silicon surface and the etching rate of SiO2 film confined by the silicon walls in hydrofluoric acid diluted with H2O or D2O, we observed that deuterium can suppress the reaction on the wall surface and that deuterium fluoride increases the etching rate in nanoconfined regions. Therefore, we conclude that the wet-etching behavior can be determined by the reactant consumption on the confining walls.
Surface Damage by Physical Cleans during Semiconductors Manufacturing
Authors: Garnier Philippe , Galbes Hugo , Viravaux Laurent
Published: September 2024

This paper investigates surface damage caused by physical cleaning processes during semiconductor manufacturing. The study focuses on various materials, including FDSOI wafers and polymer films, subjected to high-velocity sprays and cryogenic cleans. Thanks to the supplier process performances and quality control, FDSOI films do not present any specific concern linked with this failure mode. This latter can be observed on whatever films exposed to aggressive physical cleans and the wafers are cleverly used as a test vehicle to evidence surface defects with a revelation method using a wet etchant. It enables the detection of nano-cracks and other damages. Same defects are observed in bulk silicon wafers, and solutions exist to avoid these damages. Different spray types are compared, highlighting the impact of droplet energy distribution on surface integrity. Additionally, a direct characterization method using polymer films is developed to assess physical cleaning damage. The findings emphasize the importance of optimizing cleaning processes to balance defect removal efficiency and surface preservation. Emerging cleaning solutions like polymer coat and peel methods are also discussed for their potential to offer high cleaning performance with minimal surface damage.
Extreme Chemical Reduction on Photoresist Stripping Process by Using Sulfuric Acid Ozone Mixture in Liquid Film
Authors: Lin Tsung-Ju , Yamaguchi Yu , Shibata Shuichi , Tamura Keigo , Fujiwara Naozumi , Inaba Masaki
Published: September 2024

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) mixture (SPM) has been widely used in the photoresist (PR) stripping process of semiconductor manufacturing. However, the consumption of H2SO4 and H2O2 increases environmental burden such as water pollution. To reduce SPM consumption, one of the ideas was that SPM was supplied to the wafer until liquid film was formed and stopped during stripping process instead of continuous dispensing. It was concerned that chemical species in SPM became inactive while SPM was stopped. Therefore, in this work, H2SO4 liquid film was formed on the wafer and then exposed to ozone (O3) atmosphere so that chemical species remained active. Generation of peroxydisulfate ion (S2O8
2−) by reacting hydrogen sulfate (HSO4
−) with O3 was the key to achieve PR stripping (1, 2). Results showed sulfuric acid ozone mixture (SOM) in liquid film was comparable to conventional SPM even though chemical consumption of SOM was extremely reduced.
Low Disorder and High Mobility 2DEG in Si/SiGe Fabricated in 200 mm BiCMOS Pilot line
Authors: Mistroni Alberto , Reichmann Felix , Yamamoto Yuji , Zöllner Marvin Hartwig , Capellini Giovanni , Diebel Laura , Bougeard Dominique , Lisker Marco
Published: September 2024

Spin qubits based on quantum dots built on Si/SiGe heterostructures are a leading contender for achieving large-scale quantum computation. The quality of quantum dots fabricated on these heterostructures is directly connected to the quality of the 2D electron gas (2DEG) confined in the strained Silicon quantum well. The properties of such 2DEG can be readily assessed using Hall bar-shaped field-effect transistors (HB-FETs) and magneto-transport measurements, enabling a faster feedback loop for heterostructure optimization process. In this work, we present our recent progress in enabling silicon-based quantum computation by demonstrating fundamental components for 2DEG characterization, all developed in IHP's 200 mm BiCMOS pilot line. We demonstrate fully functional HB-FETs on Si/SiGe heterostructures grown on 200 mm silicon wafers, showcasing state-of-the-art 2DEG with maximum carrier mobility exceeding 300,000 cm²/Vs and a percolation threshold of 6.3×1010 cm⁻². These results will help advance spin qubit research based on Si/SiGe heterostructures.
Optical Properties of Multilayered Staggered SiGe Nanodots Depending on Si Spacer Growth Temperature
Authors: Ito Yuta , Yokogawa Ryo , Wen Wei-Chen , Yamamoto Yuji , Ogura Atsushi
Published: September 2024

The optical properties of the multilayered staggered SiGe nanodots (NDs) embedded in the Si spacers fabricated at varying Si growth temperatures are clarified in conjunction with the effect of strain by Photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy. We found that compressive strain is induced in the SiGe NDs, with higher growth temperatures of the Si spacer resulting in stronger compressive strain. PL spectra indicate that the higher growth temperature leads to a wider bandgap. This transition energy behavior is caused by not only the strain in the SiGe NDs but also the Ge segregation. Furthermore, luminescence from the SiGe NDs was observed along with luminescence originated at the Si/SiGe interface in the SiGe NDs with a small dot size. This phenomenon was caused by the small energy difference of the conduction-band minima between the SiGe NDs and the tensile-strained Si spacers and the small volume of the tensile-strained Si spacers.
Native Oxidation of HgCdTe Compound Semiconductors and Its Impact on Infrared Detectors Performances
Authors: BEL Steven , Lobre Clément , Petit Sarah , Veillerot Marc , Badano Giacomo
Published: September 2024

HgCdTe surface processing and exposition to the atmospheric environment promote the formation of surface oxides, which have been reported to influence the electrical behavior of devices. This work investigates the formation of HgCdTe of air native oxides on epitaxial Hg(1-x)Cd(x)Te layers after a standard wet etching procedure (x ≃ 0.2 to 0.7). Real-Time Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (RTSE) studies were performed to monitor initial native oxide formation in a clean-room environment and revealed a two-stage kinetic of oxide formation. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to assess the evolution of the surface chemistry. After etching, the surfaces exhibited an excess of tellurium that oxidized during early oxide formation (< 45min). Longer air exposures resulted in oxide thicknesses correlated to the alloy composition, indicating a cadmium contribution to further oxidize the material. The combination of techniques allowed the investigation of the formation mechanisms surrounding the native oxide of wet-etched HgCdTe surfaces.
Fabrication of InP Vertical Gate-All-Around Transistors Using Crystal Phase Transition Heterojunction
Authors: Uchida Ryosei , Takeda Yuki , Azuma Yuki , Zheng Ziye , Motohisa Junichi , Tomioka Katsuhiro
Published: September 2024

The crystal phase heterojunction (CPHJ) is essentially a new type of heterojunction without misfit dislocations and lattice relaxation. The transistor structure using the CPHJ could significantly impact the transistor technologies. However, CPHJ has difficulty in fabricating a gate structure that modulates the electric field normal to the the CPHJ. Here, we report on the selective-area growth of WZ-InP NWs for InP NWs and demonstration of vertical gate-all-around transistors using the InP CPHJ.
The Effects of Contact By the Catalyst Layer and the Gas Diffusion Layer Interface on the Performance of a PEFC with Marimo-like Carbon
Authors: Takamura Kohei , Sano Momoka , Gunji Hiroyuki , Eguchi Mika
Published: September 2024

When assembling a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), a clamping pressure is applied to all the components. The catalyst layer (CL) and gas diffusion layer (GDL) are compressed to the gasket thickness by the clamping during assembly. This compression increases the conductivity of the protons and electrons while reduces the size of the pores, which are the removal channels for the generated water and the diffusion channels for the fuel and air gases. We evaluated the effect of the CL compression prepared with the Marimo-like carbon (MC) regarding the I-V performance. The MC is a higher order structure of carbon fibers. The maximum power density was the highest (237 mW cm-2) at the 22% compression ratio. The excessive compression was suggested to have a higher effect on blocking the diffusion channels of the fuel and air gases than on improving the conductivity.
Highly Porous Nitrogen and Phosphorus Dual-Doped Carbon with Increased Phosphorus Content As an Efficient Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalyst
Authors: Tachibana Naoki , Namiki Hiromasa , Somekawa Shoichi
Published: September 2024

Highly porous nitrogen and phosphorus dual-doped carbon (NPC) was synthesized using acetylene black as a carbon source in two steps: (1) solid–gas mechanochemical treatment to prepare nitrogen-doped carbon (NC), (2) heat treatment to dope the NC with phosphorus. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and N2 gas adsorption analysis revealed that the solid–gas mechanochemical treatment using a ball mill incorporated nitrogen atoms into the carbon network and increased the pore volume and surface area. Furthermore, the resulting NC exhibited enhanced reactivity with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, which was used as a phosphorus source, upon heat treatment. The phosphorus content in NPC synthesized by two-step mechanochemical and heat treatments reached 1.91 at%, a 14-fold increase compared to that of phosphorus-doped carbon synthesized by heat treatment. The NPC exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction than NC, suggesting that the additional phosphorus doping into NC can improve its electrocatalytic performance.
Investigation of the Durability of a Water Electrolysis Cell with Iridium Fiber Anode Against Voltage Fluctuations Simulating Wind Power
Authors: Nagatomo Shiko , Hutapea Yasir Arafat , Ito Kohei , Hayashi Akari
Published: September 2024

Durability of a water electrolysis cell against the voltage fluctuations is focused on in this study. An accelerated potential fluctuation test was performed for a newly developed MEA with Iridium fiber anode in our lab. In the first 40 sets of the test, no positive effect of the fiber structure was seen, and rather the fast current loss related to gas stagnation was observed. That was assumed to be owing to the coverage on inter-fiber pores by extra Nafion® ionomer. However, in the latter 40 sets, the expansion of the anode layer was confirmed by SEM images, and the rate of gas stagnation was decreased. Furthermore, the recovery of I-V performance after the rest period was sufficiently good, and almost no irreversible degradation was considered. Therefore, the Iridium fiber anode most likely has high durability against the increased internal pressure in the anode layer derived by stagnated gases.
Effect of Contamination in the Carbon Catalyst Support on Chemical Degradation of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes in Fuel Cells
Authors: Nakamura Shogo , Sanami Kojiro , Gautama Zulfi , Noda Zhiyun , Yasutake Masahiro , Lyth Stephen M , Nishihara Masamichi , Sasaki Kazunari
Published: September 2024

Chemical degradation of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) is an important issue related to the durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Although various studies have been conducted on the chemical degradation of PEMs, the relationship between cathode catalyst materials and chemical degradation of the PEM has not yet been fully understood. Here, we conduct accelerated chemical degradation tests of the PEM and investigate the effect of using cathode electrocatalysts with different carbon support materials. This aims to clarify the effect of the choice of carbon support on the chemical degradation of PEMs. It is confirmed that contaminants in the carbon support material can have a significant impact on chemical degradation of the PEM.
Understanding of Water Transport through Membrane Electrode Assembly in PEFC
Authors: Kageyama Miho , Nakamichi Kimiyo , Tominaga Mikito , Kawase Motoaki
Published: September 2024

In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), water generation, electroosmosis drag, and back diffusion change the humidity, which affects transport properties such as proton conductivity, effective oxygen diffusion coefficient, and permeance of the feed gas through a membrane. Since the sorption and desorption of water in the electrolyte membrane is slower than other processes such as the oxygen reduction reaction, the proton transport, and the oxygen diffusion, dynamic water behavior should be considered to estimate the cell performance precisely. In this study, the water permeation flux through a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was measured, and the effective water diffusion coefficients in a membrane and catalyst layer (CL) were formulated as a function of temperature and the moisture content respectively. Dynamic moisture content change in MEA was simulated with the measured effective diffusion coefficients. The experimental results showed that desorption was slower than sorption in the identical moisture content range particularly at the beginning, and this tendency was successfully reproduced using the moisture content distribution obtained by numerical simulation.
Numerical Investigation on Two-Phase Flow Pressure Drop in Cathode Channels of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Authors: Yang Danan , Garg Himani , Andersson Martin
Published: September 2024

As liquid water is produced by electrochemical reactions in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, liquid–gas two-phase flow forms within the porous structure of the electrodes and gas channels (GCs), resulting in complex gas pressure drop within GCs. This study investigates the two-phase flow pressure drop in a GC connected with a fibrous gas diffusion layer (GDL) using volume of fluid simulations. Fibrous GDLs are stochastically reconstructed to give a rather realistic liquid water breakthrough, and the effect of GDL straight and curved carbon fibers is studied. The results show that droplet breakthrough position and breakthrough size are dependent on the carbon fiber shape, resulting in further distinct pressure drop in GCs. It is also found that the two-phase flow pressure drop has no close correlation with the water content within the GC but a strong relationship with the liquid flow types. Specifically, the cross-section liquid area variation along the gas flow direction is found to be proportional to the pressure drop variation. This study aims to provide the information required for an accurate two-phase flow pressure drop prediction model.
Electrowinning of Light Metals from Molten Salts Electrolytes
Authors: Haarberg Geir Martin
Published: September 2024

Light metals such as lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium and aluminium may be produced by molten salts electrolysis. Aluminium is produced by the Hall-Heroult process by electrolysis in molten salts. It is by far the largest in terms of production volumes and for metals second only to iron and steel, but it carries a very high carbon footprint mainly due to the wide-spead use of electricity based on based on coal. Magnesium is currently produced by silicothermic reduction of MgO according to the Pidgeon process. However, electrolysis in molten chloride electrolytes using MgCl2 as feedstock may return as it is more sustainable. The current Kroll process for producing titanium is energy intensive and requires lots of work as well as having very low productivity. Sodium is produced by electrolysis in a chloride electrolyte. This process may be improved by using sodium oxide as raw material and inert oxygen evolving anode.
Introduction of Cyclic Structures into Phosphonium Salts As Potential Guest Substances for Ionic Clathrate Hydrates
Authors: Kawabata Keigo , Azuma Sakura , Shimada Jin , Tsuchida Yusuke , Tsunashima Katsuhiko , Sugahara Takeshi , Tani Atsushi
Published: September 2024

An ionic clathrate hydrate composed of tri-n-butylbenzyl-phosphonium chloride has been investigated from the viewpoint of phase equilibrium (temperature-composition) relations in comparison with an ionic clathrate hydrate with tri-n-butyl(cyclohexylmethyl)phosphonium bromide. The highest dissociation temperature of the ionic clathrate hydrates composed of tri-n-butylbenzylphosphonium chloride and tri-n-butyl(cyclohexyl-methyl)phosphonium bromide were 274.4 ± 0.1 K and 276.0 ± 0.1 K, respectively at the atmospheric pressure. The dissociation enthalpy of tri-n-butylbenzyl-phosphonium chloride ionic clathrate hydrate was 192 ± 3 kJ·kg−1. These results allow us to suggest that controlling steric structures in the guest compounds might be one of the options for tuning the equilibrium temperatures of ionic clathrate hydrates.
Battery Safety
Authors: Shearing Paul R. , Barrera Thomas P.
Published: September 2024

When we engage in discussions about lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), one of the most common questions asked by our colleagues, friends, and family is “Are lithium-ion batteries safe?” The answer to this important question is, for the individual, “Yes.” Despite the ubiquity of LIBs in our daily lives, the failure rates of these batteries are sufficiently low such that the chances of a failure affecting an individual using a battery for its intended purpose are vanishingly small. However, there is no room for complacency, as over 25 years of field experience has shown that there are inherent safety risks associated with LIB technologies. These are commonly related to in-service abuse by consumers, LIBs manufactured with poor quality and/or poor manufacturing controls, and many other factors.
Dielectric Material and Thermal Optimization in Sidewall Spacer Design for Junctionless Nanosheet FETs at Sub- 5 nm Technology Node: An Insight into Device and Circuit Performance
Authors: Indhur Vanitha , Dupati Uma Maheshwari , Lakkarasu Manasa , Sanga Sravya , Valasa Sresta , Kotha Venkata Ramakrishna , Bhukya Sunitha , Vadthiya Narendar , Vadthya Bheemudu , Malishetty Narendar , Maheshwaram Satish
Published: September 2024

This study focuses on the design and analysis of Junctionless (JL) NSFETs, with an emphasis on the influence of spacer materials and temperature variations. A different number of materials such as Air, SiO2, Si3N4, HfO2, and TiO2 are examined for sidewall spacer compatibility in the JL-NSFET. The same materials are used for dual material spacers with combinations of: Air+HfO2, Air+TiO2, SiO2+HfO2, and SiO2+TiO2. The investigations revealed that the usage of TiO2 material gives better digital and analog performance with reduced leakage currents and subthreshold swing (SS), higher on/off ratio, voltage gain of ∼79.7 dB. Exploring the dual-k spacers produced better analog performance, gate control and reduced leakages for SiO2+TiO2 owing to the usage of higher dielectric material towards the gate. Further, the reduction of temperature from 400 K to 250 K for all the single-k and dual-k spacer materials revealed that the designed JL-NSFET is a suitable candidate at lower temperatures to improve the digital and analog performance whereas not recommended for RF performance improvement. Moreover, the SiO2+HfO2 spacer-based CMOS inverter is noticed to have better gain (∼15 V/V), noise margin, and lower delays (∼5.1 ps) when compared to TiO2 spacer-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor inverter making it suitable for digital IC applications.
Ceiling‐Mounted CO2 Sensing: Effect of Location and Stratification Temperature
Authors: Heemstra Tewe , van der Schans Marc , Gibas Joanna , Linnartz Jean-Paul M. G. , Delnoij Roger
Published: September 2024

Carbon dioxide is an important parameter for indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring and demand controlled ventilation (DCV). Usually, CO2 sensors are wall‐mounted at 0.9–1.8 m (3–6 ft) height as prescribed by LEED, although ASHRAE standards seemed to relax this requirement. In this work, we investigate whether positioning these sensors in the ceiling is effective and advantageous. We studied CO2‐level measurements for HVAC control in configurations with mixing ventilation and found that CO2 from human exhalations experiences buoyancy from several factors. We calculated buoyancy from air properties, and we introduced the notion of “stratification temperature” for exhaled air. By simulation, we test the sensitivity to temperature, and we conducted in situ in vivo measurements to acquire more detailed insights in the feasibility of ceiling sensor positions. Buoyancy calculations show that in exhaled air, the positive buoyancy of H2O approximately compensates for the negative buoyancy of CO2, so that thermal buoyancy is the most dominant factor. Exhaled air, containing CO2 to be measured, will rise towards a ceiling that has a temperature below the stratification temperature. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of a small office space indicate that this can also be the case in the presence of air flows induced by a mechanical ventilation system. The measurement results support that using “properly mounted” CO2 sensors in the ceiling gives lower variability in CO2 measurements and faster response than wall‐mounted sensors and yields slightly higher values than wall sensors. Our results highlight the need to update the standards and regulations for sensing CO2 to include ceiling‐mounted sensors.
Analysis and Optimization of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Infill Patterns for Additive Manufacturing in Pipeline Applications
Authors: S. Benjamin Lazarus , Raja S. , K. Shanmugam , Yishak Simon
Published: September 2024

Process parameter optimization and selection play a crucial role in additive manufacturing, particularly in determining the quality and characteristics of the final product. Among these parameters, the infill pattern holds significant importance as it directly influences the structural integrity, production time, and material usage efficiency of the printed object. This research focuses on identifying the most suitable 3D printing infill pattern process parameters for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material, specifically for applications in pipeline construction. The criteria considered for process parameter selection include printing time, ultimate tensile strength, ultimate flexural strength, and surface defect minimization. Various infill patterns, including hexagonal, line, solid, triangle (35°), triangle (55°), and line patterns, are evaluated as alternatives. Utilizing the multi‐criteria decision‐making technique known as analytical hierarchy process (AHP), a systematic approach is employed to determine the optimal printing pattern. The findings of this study reveal that the hexagonal infill pattern outperforms other selected patterns in terms of meeting the criteria set forth for pipeline construction using TPU material. This research contributes to enhancing the efficiency and quality of additive manufacturing processes in pipeline applications, emphasizing the importance of informed parameter selection for achieving desired performance outcomes.
Creating a Participatory Planning Approach Based on Swedish Visual Preferences for Building and Urban Design
Authors: Najar Karim , Nylander Ola , Woxnerud William
Published: September 2024

This research aims to foster social sustainability by allowing residents to participate in community decisions and creating a sense of belonging. Utilizing the photoelicitation technique, we conducted a visual preference survey with an average of 457 participants in Sweden to assess the physical and urban features of local development projects. The composite assessment of built environment quality was based on 11 qualities: urban planning, building mass configurations, building orientation, parking planning, roof articulation, building materials, color scheme, entrance articulation, fenestration, and balcony articulation and placement. We conducted a subjective qualitative analysis and quantitative evaluation of the photoelicitation data. The study identified the most preferable features leading to the highest rankings, presented a novel method to increase the participatory process’s efficacy, and developed an assessment matrix based on the quality ranking of the 12 features. The primary outcome was the development of methods for knowledge transfer and quality assessment of built projects in Nordic cities, with a focus on putting residents’ voices front and center in urban development.
A Fourth‐Order Fuzzy Support Vector Machine Based on Class Center
Authors: Zhou Yongqiang , Song Zhenggang
Published: September 2024

In order to deal with the dependence of support vector machine (SVM) on kernel function and the limitation that the decision boundary formed by SVM is a hyperplane when dealing with nonlinear classification tasks, this paper combines the double‐well potential function and the idea of fuzzy system and designs a novel SVM variant and a fourth‐order fuzzy support vector machine based on class center (FOF‐SVM). The FOF‐SVM model eschews the use of traditional kernel functions and directly uses quartic hypersurfaces for data modeling. It achieves effective classification of nonlinear data without kernel tricks and reduces the adverse effects of outliers on the overall classification performance. In addition, the specific expression of the model is derived by solving the convex optimization problem. The experimental results on UCI benchmark datasets and artificial datasets demonstrate that compared with other classification models based on SVM, the model proposed in this paper can improve the classification accuracy by about 10%.
Evaluation of the Color of Zirconia in Different Substrates of Osseointegrated Implants, Thickness of Materials and Types of Resin Cements
Authors: Seyidaliyeva Aida , Zenthöfer Andreas , Rues Stefan
Published: September 2024

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of surface conditioning of titanium, zirconia thickness, and cement type on the final color of zirconia luted to the titanium.

Methods: A total of 192 grade 5 titanium specimens with the final dimensions 10 mm × 10 mm × 2 mm were fabricated and subjected to four different surface conditioning including, that is, sandblasting, etching, and anodization. In addition, 192 zirconia specimens with the same dimensions as the titanium specimens but altered thicknesses of 0.7 (n = 96) and 1.0 (n = 96) mm were fabricated using 5Y‐TZP zirconia. Color as expressed by L∗ (lightness), a∗ (red–green axis), and b∗ (blue–yellow axis) of titanium and zirconia specimens as well as the joined titanium–zirconia complex, total assembly (Panavia V5 clear, PC; opaque, PO, each n = 96) were determined under standardized conditions using a spectroradiometer (SpectraScan P‐650). Color differences were calculated using the ΔE00 formula. ANOVA supplemented with post hoc Tukey test for group comparisons was compiled to estimate possible effects of titanium conditioning, zirconia thickness, and type of cement used on the final zirconia color (SPSS Ver. 28; α = 0.05).

Results: All investigated factors affected the zirconia color of the total assembly (p  < 0.001). Using PO mean values of all groups were still close to baseline colors (ΔE00 between 5.5 and 6.2). When using PC, the final color was significantly altered, irrespective of the other parameters. Specimens luted with PO appeared lighter, less reddish (a∗ was affected predominately by sample thickness), and more bluish, while luting with PC resulted in reduced lightness combined with large shifts along the red and yellow axes.

Significance: Color changes of zirconia luted to titanium are primarily affected by the color of the substrate if a translucent cement was used. Vice versa, the application of an opaque cement effectively masked the dark substrate color. Substrate color and choice of cement have to be taken into consideration when performing shade selection.
Reduced Platelet Activation in Triple-Negative Essential Thrombocythemia Compared with JAK2V617F-Mutated Essential Thrombocythemia
Authors: Dong Huan , Chen Jia , Zhang Jing , Xue Feng , Li Huiyuan , Zhang Donglei , Zhou Hu , Zhang Xian , Huang Yueting , Liu Xiaofan , Chen Yunfei , Liu Wei , Chi Ying , Wang Wentian , Sun Ting , Ju Mankai , Dai Xinyue , Gu Wenjing , Yang Renchi , Fu Rongfeng , Zhang Lei
Published: September 2024

Purpose:

Triple-negative (TN) essential thrombocytopenia (ET) is characterized by the absence of driver mutations while retaining histologic and phenotypic characteristics sufficient for an ET diagnosis. Our understanding of TN-ET and its platelet activation remains incomplete. We carried out a large-scale multicenter clinical analysis to analyze the clinical and molecular characteristics and thrombotic complications of TN-ET. We also related the above characteristics to platelet activation to further explore the thrombosis mechanism of TN-ET.

Experimental Design:

A retrospective multicenter study was conducted on 138 patients with TN-ET and 759 patients with ET with driver mutations from March 1, 2012 to December 1, 2021. The clinical and molecular characteristics of the patients with TN-ET were summarized. Additionally, platelet activation, apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were analyzed in 73 patients with TN-ET from this cohort and compared with 41 age- and sex-matched healthy donors.

Results:

Compared with patients with the JAK2V617F mutation, those with TN mutation were younger (P < 0.001) and exhibited fewer thrombotic events before diagnosis (P < 0.001) and during follow-up (P = 0.039). Patients with TN mutation also presented with significantly reduced CD62P expression in platelets (P = 0.031), slightly reduced calcium concentration in platelets (P = 0.063), increased mitochondrial membrane potential (P = 0.011), reduced phosphatidylserine exposure (P = 0.015), reduced levels of ROS (P = 0.043) and MitoSOX in platelets (P = 0.047).

Conclusions:

In comparison with JAK2V617F-mutated ET, TN-ET is associated with lower platelet ROS levels, which leads to reduced platelet activation and consequently a lower risk of thrombosis.
Supplementary Table 1 from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

Table S1. Primer sequences used for quantitative PCR
Supplementary Table S2 from mTORC1-Driven Protein Translation Correlates with Clinical Benefit of Capivasertib within a Genetically Preselected Cohort of PIK3CA-Altered Tumors
Authors: Sobsey Constance A. , Froehlich Bjoern C. , Mitsa Georgia , Ibrahim Sahar , Popp Robert , Zahedi Rene P. , de Bruin Elza C. , Borchers Christoph H. , Batist Gerald
Published: September 2024

Proteins expression differences between capivasertib-resistant vs. capivasertib-sensitive cells quantified by validated MRM-MS assays as compared to the profile observed in patient samples
Supplementary Figure 7 from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

FIGURE S7 – SREBP pathway activation is required for PDAC cell growth in low serum conditions.
Supplementary Figure 6 from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

FIGURE S6 – Site-1 protease activation of the SREBP pathway is required for PDAC cell growth in low serum conditions.
Supplementary Figure S4 from mTORC1-Driven Protein Translation Correlates with Clinical Benefit of Capivasertib within a Genetically Preselected Cohort of PIK3CA-Altered Tumors
Authors: Sobsey Constance A. , Froehlich Bjoern C. , Mitsa Georgia , Ibrahim Sahar , Popp Robert , Zahedi Rene P. , de Bruin Elza C. , Borchers Christoph H. , Batist Gerald
Published: September 2024

Combination treatment of cell lines with capivasertib and an eIF2α inhibitor
Supplementary Figure S3 from mTORC1-Driven Protein Translation Correlates with Clinical Benefit of Capivasertib within a Genetically Preselected Cohort of PIK3CA-Altered Tumors
Authors: Sobsey Constance A. , Froehlich Bjoern C. , Mitsa Georgia , Ibrahim Sahar , Popp Robert , Zahedi Rene P. , de Bruin Elza C. , Borchers Christoph H. , Batist Gerald
Published: September 2024

Comparison of iMALDI and Global Proteomics results for primary vs metastatic samples
Supplementary Figure 3 from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

FIGURE S3 – Generation of human PDAC SCAP knockout cell lines
Supplementary Figure S1 from mTORC1-Driven Protein Translation Correlates with Clinical Benefit of Capivasertib within a Genetically Preselected Cohort of PIK3CA-Altered Tumors
Authors: Sobsey Constance A. , Froehlich Bjoern C. , Mitsa Georgia , Ibrahim Sahar , Popp Robert , Zahedi Rene P. , de Bruin Elza C. , Borchers Christoph H. , Batist Gerald
Published: September 2024

Individual protein concentrations measured by iMALDI-MS for each sample, comparison of measured PTEN concentration to IHC H-score
Supplementary Figure 1 from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

FIGURE S1 – Scap is not required for development or function of the mouse pancreas.
Figure 5 from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

Site-1 protease activation of the SREBP pathway is required for PDAC cell growth in low-serum conditions. A, PDAC cells (Pa03c and Pa16c) were cultured in either 10% or 1% FBS with indicated concentrations of the Site-1 protease inhibitor PF-429242 for 72 hours, and cell growth was determined using an MTS assay with data normalized to 10% FBS untreated cells. Data are representative of two biological replicates with three technical replicates for each biological replicate. Error bar denotes SD. B, Immunoblot analysis of nuclear extracts from human Pa03c and Pa16c cells cultured for 16 hours in either 10% FBS, 1% FBS, or 1% FBS-containing PF-429242 (10 μmol/L). Blots were probed for either SREBP1-N or SREBP2-N (arrow), and lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A (KDM1A) served as a loading control. The result is representative of two biological replicates. C, Pa03c and Pa16c cells were cultured under the same conditions as in B, and quantitative real-time PCR was performed for target genes of SREBP1 (SCD, FASN, and INSIG1) and SREBP2 (HMGCR, HMGCS1, and LDLR). GAPDH served as a control. Data are representative of two biological replicates with three technical replicates for each biological replicate. Error bar denotes standard deviation. Statistical significance was determined using one-way ANOVA and Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) test. P values are indicated: *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001; ns, not significant. D, Immunoblot analysis of whole cell lysates from Pa03c and Pa16c cells cultured as in B for indicated SREBP target protein expression. The asterisk indicates a nonspecific band present in Pa03c and Pa16c cell lines. Actin served as a loading control. The result is representative of two biological replicates.
Figure 4 from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

SCAP is required for PDAC cell growth under low-serum and low-lipid conditions. A, Pa03c cells were grown for 16 hours in a medium containing 10% FBS or 0.5% FBS. mRNA expression was determined using microarray, and differentially expressed genes were identified (Supplementary Table S4). Bioinformatic gene set enrichment analysis was performed against four common pathway datasets. Results are shown using a normalized enrichment score (NES) of >2.0. B, Wild-type (WT) and SCAP KO Pa03c cells were grown for 7 days in a medium containing 10% FBS or 1% FBS in the absence or presence of lipid supplements (1 mmol/L mevalonate, 5 μg/mL cholesterol in ethanol, 20 μmol/L sodium oleate, and 50 μg/mL LDL). Media were changed every 3 days. Plates were stained with crystal violet as a measure of cell proliferation. Quantification of crystal violet staining is shown (n = 3 per group). For each cell line, growth was normalized to the 10% FBS condition. Statistical significance was determined using two-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD test. P values are indicated: *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001, ns, not significant. Error bar denotes SD. C, Cell growth assay of PDAC cell lines. WT, SCAP KO, and SCAP KO rescued cell lines were cultured in either 10% FBS supplemented with cholesterol (5 μg/mL), mevalonate (1 mmol/L) and oleate–albumin (20 μmol/L), or 10% LPDS with no additions for 7 days. Plates were stained with crystal violet. KEGG, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.
Figure 1 from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

SCAP supports PDAC development and loss of SCAP prolongs survival in the KPC mouse model of pancreas cancer. A, Mice of the indicated genotype were aged until death. The figure shows the cumulative incidence curve of death due to PDAC for each genotype group. For the analysis, we considered death due to other causes (i.e., not due to PDAC) as a competing event. The Gray test was used for pairwise comparisons. B, Incidence of adverse event (death due to PDAC) in KPC cohorts from A either pooled (left figure) or stratified by sex (right figure). C, Incidence of PanINs and invasive PDAC identified histologically in KPC cohorts from A. D, Representative hematoxylin and eosin–stained sections of formalin-fixed pancreas tissue from KPC, KPCSfl/+ and KPCSfl/fl cohorts in A showing a magnification (2–4×) image (top row) and a higher magnification (20×) image (bottom row) of the changes in the pancreas. The C mouse is used as a control. E, Figure shows the survival curves by genotype group. Mice of the indicated genotypes were aged until death at which time histology was performed to determine the presence of PanINs and invasive PDAC. For this analysis, we treated time to invasive PDAC as interval-censored data. The permutation test was used for pairwise comparisons.
Data from SREBP-Dependent Regulation of Lipid Homeostasis Is Required for Progression and Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ishida Chiaki T. , Myers Stephanie L. , Kubota Casie S. , Shao Wei , McGuire Meredith R. , Liu Chune , Ewachiw Theodore E. , Mukhopadhyay Debaditya , Ke Suqi , Wang Hao , Rasheed Zeshaan A. , Anders Robert A. , Espenshade Peter J.
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Solid tumors undergo metabolic reprogramming when growth outstrips local nutrient supply. Lipids such as cholesterol and fatty acids are required for continued tumor cell proliferation, and oncogenic mutations stimulate de novo lipogenesis to support tumor growth. Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) transcription factors control lipid homeostasis by activating genes required for lipid synthesis and uptake. SREBPs have been implicated in the progression of brain, breast, colon, liver, and prostate cancers. However, the role of the SREBP pathway and its central regulator SREBP cleavage activating protein (SCAP) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not been studied in detail. Here, we demonstrated that pancreas-specific knockout of Scap has no effect on mouse pancreas development or function, allowing for examination of the role of Scap in the murine KPC model of PDAC. Notably, heterozygous loss of Scap prolonged survival in KPC mice, and homozygous loss of Scap impaired PDAC tumor progression. Using xenograft models, we showed that SCAP is required for human PDAC tumor growth. Mechanistically, chemical or genetic inhibition of the SREBP pathway prevented PDAC cell growth under low-serum conditions because of a lack of lipid supply. Highlighting its clinical importance, the SREBP pathway is broadly required across cancer cell lines, target genes are upregulated in human PDAC tumors, and increased expression of SREBP targets is associated with poor survival in patients with PDAC. Collectively, these results demonstrate that SCAP and SREBP pathway activity are required for PDAC cell and tumor growth, identifying SCAP as a potential therapeutic target for PDAC.
Significance:
Our findings demonstrate that SREBP pathway activation is a critical part of the metabolic reprogramming that occurs in PDAC development and progression. Therefore, targeting the SREBP pathway has significant therapeutic potential.
Neuromyelitis-optica-Spektrum-Erkrankungen und assoziierte Autoimmunerkrankungen
Authors: Adler Sabine
Published: September 2024

Objective: There have been reports of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) coexisting with connective tissue disorders. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of NMOSD coexisting with autoimmune diseases (AID). Methods: This retrospective study evaluated NMOSD patients with and without AID. The enrolled patients had at least one attack, with duration of more than 1 year. Data on the demographics, clinical features, and laboratory findings were assessed. The Poisson model was used to investigate the risk factors associated with the annualized relapse rate (ARR), whereas the Cox model was used to evaluate the risk factors for the first relapse. Results: A total of 180 patients (154 women and 26 men) with NMOSD were identified: 45 had AID and 135 did not. Female patients had a higher prevalence of concomitant AID (p = 0.006) and a greater relapse rate within the first year. There were no statistically significant differences in the characteristics of patients. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that NMOSD patients with seropositive aquaporin 4 antibodies (AQP4-Ab; log-rank: p = 0.044), had a shorter time to relapse. Patients seropositive for AQP4-Ab (HR = 2.402, 95%CI = 1.092–5.283, p = 0.029) had a higher risk of suffering a first relapse, according to the Cox model. Patients with and without AID showed a similar declining tendency in terms of change in ARR throughout the first 5 years of the disease. The ARR was greater in the first year [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.534, 95%CI = 1.111–2.118] and the first 2 years (IRR = 1.474, 95%CI = 1.056–2.058) in patients with coexisting AID diagnosis prior to the NMOSD onset.