bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular signatures of astrocytes and microglia maladaptive responses to acute stress are rescued by a single administration of ketamine in a rodent model of PTSD
Authors: Valenza Marta , Facchinetti Roberta , Torazza Carola , Ciarla Claudia , Bronzuoli Maria Rosanna , Balbi Matilde , Bonanno Giambattista , Popoli Maurizio , Steardo Luca , Milanese Marco , Musazzi Laura , Bonifacino Tiziana , Scuderi Caterina
Published: May 2024

Stress affects the brain and alters its neuroarchitecture and function; these changes can be severe and lead to psychiatric disorders. Recent evidence suggests that astrocytes and microglia play an essential role in the stress response by contributing to the maintenance of cerebral homeostasis. These cells respond rapidly to all stimuli that reach the brain, including stressors. Here, we used a recently validated rodent model of post-traumatic stress disorder in which rats can be categorized as resilient or vulnerable after acute inescapable footshock stress. We then investigated the functional, molecular, and morphological determinants of stress resilience and vulnerability in the prefrontal cortex, focusing on glial and neuronal cells. In addition, we examined the effects of a single subanesthetic dose of ketamine, a fast-acting antidepressant recently approved for the treatment of resistant depression and proposed for other stress-related psychiatric disorders. The present results suggest a prompt glial cell response and activation of the NF-κB pathway after acute stress, leading to an increase in specific cytokines such as IL-18 and TNF-α. This response persists in vulnerable individuals and is accompanied by a significant change in the levels of critical glial proteins such as S100B, CD11b, and CX43, brain trophic factors such as BDNF and FGF2, and proteins related to dendritic arborization and synaptic architecture such as MAP2 and PSD95. Administration of ketamine 24 h after the acute stress event rescued many of the changes observed in vulnerable rats, possibly contributing to support brain homeostasis. Overall, our results suggest that pivotal events, including reactive astrogliosis, changes in brain trophic factors, and neuronal damage are critical determinants of vulnerability to acute traumatic stress and confirm the therapeutic effect of acute ketamine against the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Spike-based dynamic computing with asynchronous sensing-computing neuromorphic chip
Authors: Yao Man , Richter Ole , Zhao Guangshe , Qiao Ning , Xing Yannan , Wang Dingheng , Hu Tianxiang , Fang Wei , Demirci Tugba , De Marchi Michele , Deng Lei , Yan Tianyi , Nielsen Carsten , Sheik Sadique , Wu Chenxi , Tian Yonghong , Xu Bo , Li Guoqi
Published: May 2024

By mimicking the neurons and synapses of the human brain and employing spiking neural networks on neuromorphic chips, neuromorphic computing offers a promising energy-efficient machine intelligence. How to borrow high-level brain dynamic mechanisms to help neuromorphic computing achieve energy advantages is a fundamental issue. This work presents an application-oriented algorithm-software-hardware co-designed neuromorphic system for this issue. First, we design and fabricate an asynchronous chip called “Speck”, a sensing-computing neuromorphic system on chip. With the low processor resting power of 0.42mW, Speck can satisfy the hardware requirements of dynamic computing: no-input consumes no energy. Second, we uncover the “dynamic imbalance” in spiking neural networks and develop an attention-based framework for achieving the algorithmic requirements of dynamic computing: varied inputs consume energy with large variance. Together, we demonstrate a neuromorphic system with real-time power as low as 0.70mW. This work exhibits the promising potentials of neuromorphic computing with its asynchronous event-driven, sparse, and dynamic nature.
Duality between predictability and reconstructability in complex systems
Authors: Murphy Charles , Thibeault Vincent , Allard Antoine , Desrosiers Patrick
Published: May 2024

Predicting the evolution of a large system of units using its structure of interaction is a fundamental problem in complex system theory. And so is the problem of reconstructing the structure of interaction from temporal observations. Here, we find an intricate relationship between predictability and reconstructability using an information-theoretical point of view. We use the mutual information between a random graph and a stochastic process evolving on this random graph to quantify their codependence. Then, we show how the uncertainty coefficients, which are intimately related to that mutual information, quantify our ability to reconstruct a graph from an observed time series, and our ability to predict the evolution of a process from the structure of its interactions. We provide analytical calculations of the uncertainty coefficients for many different systems, including continuous deterministic systems, and describe a numerical procedure when exact calculations are intractable. Interestingly, we find that predictability and reconstructability, even though closely connected by the mutual information, can behave differently, even in a dual manner. We prove how such duality universally emerges when changing the number of steps in the process. Finally, we provide evidence that predictability-reconstruction dualities may exist in dynamical processes on real networks close to criticality.
Humidity-tolerant porous polymer coating for passive daytime radiative cooling
Authors: Hong Dongpyo , Lee Yong Joon , Jeon Ok Sung , Lee In-Sung , Lee Se Hun , Won Jae Yeon , Jeon Young Pyo , La Yunju , Kim Seonmyeong , Park Gun-Sik , Yoo Young Joon , Park Sang Yoon
Published: May 2024

Coating building envelopes with a passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) material has attracted enormous attention as an alternative cooling technique with minimal energy consumption and carbon footprint. Despite the exceptional performance and scalability of porous polymer coating (PPC), achieving consistent performance over a wide range of drying environments remains a major challenge for its commercialization as a radiative cooling paint. Herein, we demonstrate the humidity vulnerability of PPC during the drying process and propose a simple strategy to greatly mitigate the issue. Specifically, we find that the solar reflectance of the PPC rapidly decreases with increasing humidity from 30% RH, and the PPC completely losses its PDRC ability at 45% RH and even become a solar-heating material at higher humidity. However, by adding a small amount of polymer reinforcement to the PPC, it maintains its PDRC performance up to 60% RH, resulting in a 950% increase in estimated areal coverage compared to PPC in the United States. This study sheds light on a crucial consistency issue that has thus far been rarely addressed, and offers engineering guidance to handle this fundamental threat to the development of dependable PDRC paint for industrial applications.
Limit state equation and failure pressure prediction model of pipeline with complex loading
Authors: Sun Ming-ming , Fang Hong-yuan , Wang Nian-nian , Du Xue-ming , Zhao Hai-sheng , Zhai Ke-Jie
Published: May 2024

Assessing failure pressure is critical in determining pipeline integrity. Current research primarily concerns the buckling performance of pressurized pipelines subjected to a bending load or axial compression force, with some also looking at the failure pressure of corroded pipelines. However, there is currently a lack of limit state models for pressurized pipelines with bending moments and axial forces. In this study, based on the unified yield criterion, we propose a limit state equation for steel pipes under various loads. The most common operating loads on buried pipelines are bending moment, internal pressure, and axial force. The proposed limit state equation for intact pipelines is based on a three-dimensional pipeline stress model with complex load coupling. Using failure data, we investigate the applicability of various yield criteria in assessing the failure pressure of pipelines with complex loads. We show that the evaluation model can be effectively used as a theoretical solution for assessing the failure pressure in such circumstances and for selecting appropriate yield criteria based on load condition differences.
Inhomogeneous high temperature melting and decoupling of charge density waves in spin-triplet superconductor UTe2
Authors: LaFleur Alexander , Li Hong , Frank Corey E. , Xu Muxian , Cheng Siyu , Wang Ziqiang , Butch Nicholas P. , Zeljkovic Ilija
Published: May 2024

Charge, spin and Cooper-pair density waves have now been widely detected in exotic superconductors. Understanding how these density waves emerge — and become suppressed by external parameters — is a key research direction in condensed matter physics. Here we study the temperature and magnetic-field evolution of charge density waves in the rare spin-triplet superconductor candidate UTe2 using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy. We reveal that charge modulations composed of three different wave vectors gradually weaken in a spatially inhomogeneous manner, while persisting to surprisingly high temperatures of 10–12 K. We also reveal an unexpected decoupling of the three-component charge density wave state. Our observations match closely to the temperature scale potentially related to short-range magnetic correlations, providing a possible connection between density waves observed by surface probes and intrinsic bulk features. Importantly, charge density wave modulations become suppressed with magnetic field both below and above superconducting Tc in a comparable manner. Our work points towards an intimate connection between hidden magnetic correlations and the origin of the unusual charge density waves in UTe2.
IL-6 inhibition with clazakizumab in patients receiving maintenance dialysis: a randomized phase 2b trial
Authors: Chertow Glenn M. , Chang Anna Marie , Felker G. Michael , Heise Mark , Velkoska Elena , Fellström Bengt , Charytan David M. , Clementi Regina , Gibson C. Michael , Goodman Shaun G. , Jardine Meg , Levin Adeera , Lokhnygina Yuliya , Mears Jenny , Mehran Roxana , Stenvinkel Peter , Wang Angela Yee-Moon , Wheeler David C. , Zoccali Carmine , Ridker Paul M. , Mahaffey Kenneth W. , Tricoci Pierluigi , Wolf Myles
Published: May 2024

Inflammation mediated by interleukin-6 (IL-6) is strongly associated with cardiovascular risk. Here we evaluated clazakizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-6 ligand, in a phase 2b dose-finding study. Adults with cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes receiving maintenance dialysis with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) ≥ 2 mg l−1 at baseline were randomized to receive clazakizumab (2.5 mg, 5 mg or 10 mg, n = 32 per dose group) or placebo (n = 31) every 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in hs-CRP to week 12, expressed as the geometric mean ratio. Clazakizumab treatment signficantly reduced serum hs-CRP concentrations at week 12 by 86%, 90% and 92% relative to placebo in patients randomized to 2.5 mg, 5 mg or 10 mg clazakizumab, respectively (all P < 0.0001), meeting the primary outcome. With regard to secondary endpoints, clazakizumab treatment reduced serum fibrinogen, amyloid A, secretory phospholipase A2, and lipoprotein(a) concentrations, as well as increased mean serum albumin concentrations at 12 weeks, relative to placebo. The proportion of patients who achieved hs-CRP < 2.0 mg l−1 was 79%, 82% and 79% in the 2.5 mg, 5 mg and 10 mg clazakizumab groups, respectively, compared with 0% of placebo-treated patients. With regard to safety, no cases of sustained grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia or neutropenia were observed. Serious infections were seen with similar frequency in the placebo, clazakizumab 2.5 mg and clazakizumab 5 mg groups, but were numerically more frequent in the clazakizumab 10 mg group. The results of this trial indicate that in patients receiving maintenance dialysis, clazakizumab reduced inflammatory biomarkers associated with cardiovascular events. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT05485961.
Examining the mediating role of muscle quantity in adolescents: associations with adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, and cardiometabolic risk factors
Authors: Leite Neiva , Tadiotto Maiara C. , de Moraes Junior Frederico B. , de Menezes-Junior Francisco J. , Corazza Patricia R. P. , da Silva Larissa R. , Lopes Wendell A. , de Matos Oslei , Radominski Rosana B. , Coelho-e-Silva Manuel J.
Published: May 2024

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mediation role of muscle quantity in the relationship between physical fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) in adolescents. This cross-sectional study conducted with 120 adolescents of both sexes, aged between 10 and 17 years. Body mass, height, fat mass (FM), lean mass, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and 1 repetition maximum strength (1-RM) with evaluation of the leg press 45° (RM-leg), bench press (RM-bench) and arm curl (RM-arm). Body mass index z-score, appendicular skeletal muscle mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, lean mass index (LMI), muscle-to-fat ratio (MFR), age at peak height velocity, and CMRF z-score were calculated. The direct relation between FM and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (26%) and inverse relation between CRF and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (26%). For girls, the direct relation between FM and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (32%); the inverse relation between CRF, RM-leg, RM-arm and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (32%, 33%, and 32%, respective). For boys, the indirect effect was not significant, indicating that LMI is not a mediator in the relation between FM, CRF, 1-RM with CMRF. The direct relation between RM-leg and CMRF was mediated by the MRF (16%). This finding evidenced the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle to improve physical fitness levels and the quantity of muscle mass in adolescents.
Constrained trajectory optimization and force control for UAVs with universal jamming grippers
Authors: Kremer Paul , Rahimi Nohooji Hamed , Voos Holger
Published: May 2024

This study presents a novel framework that integrates the universal jamming gripper (UG) with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enable automated grasping with no human operator in the loop. Grounded in the principles of granular jamming, the UG exhibits remarkable adaptability and proficiency, navigating the complexities of soft aerial grasping with enhanced robustness and versatility. Central to this integration is a uniquely formulated constrained trajectory optimization using model predictive control, coupled with a robust force control strategy, increasing the level of automation and operational reliability in aerial grasping. This control structure, while simple, is a powerful tool for various applications, ranging from material handling to disaster response, and marks an advancement toward genuine autonomy in aerial manipulation tasks. The key contribution of this research is the combination of a UG with a suitable control strategy, that can be kept relatively straightforward thanks to the mechanical intelligence built into the UG. The algorithm is validated through numerical simulations and virtual experiments.
Cartilage tissue engineering using decellularized biomatrix hydrogel containing TGF-β-loaded alginate microspheres in mechanically loaded bioreactor
Authors: Bordbar Sima , Li Zhen , Lotfibakhshaiesh Nasrin , Ai Jafar , Tavassoli Amin , Beheshtizadeh Nima , Vainieri Letizia , Khanmohammadi Mehdi , Sayahpour Forough Azam , Baghaban Eslaminejad Mohamadreza , Azami Mahmoud , Grad Sibylle , Alini Mauro
Published: May 2024

Physiochemical tissue inducers and mechanical stimulation are both efficient variables in cartilage tissue fabrication and regeneration. In the presence of biomolecules, decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) may trigger and enhance stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, we investigated the controlled release of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1) as an active mediator of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in a biocompatible scaffold and mechanical stimulation for cartilage tissue engineering. ECM-derived hydrogel with TGF-β1-loaded alginate-based microspheres (MSs) was created to promote human MSC chondrogenic development. Ex vivo explants and a complicated multiaxial loading bioreactor replicated the physiological conditions. Hydrogels with/without MSs and TGF-β1 were highly cytocompatible. MSCs in ECM-derived hydrogel containing TGF-β1/MSs showed comparable chondrogenic gene expression levels as those hydrogels with TGF-β1 added in culture media or those without TGF-β1. However, constructs with TGF-β1 directly added within the hydrogel had inferior properties under unloaded conditions. The ECM-derived hydrogel group including TGF-β1/MSs under loading circumstances formed better cartilage matrix in an ex vivo osteochondral defect than control settings. This study demonstrates that controlled local delivery of TGF-β1 using MSs and mechanical loading is essential for neocartilage formation by MSCs and that further optimization is needed to prevent MSC differentiation towards hypertrophy.
Microtopography effects on pedogenesis in the mudstone-derived soils of the hilly mountainous regions
Authors: Luo Banglin , Li Jiangwen , Tang Jiahong , Wei Chaofu , Zhong Shouqin
Published: May 2024

Topography is a critical factor that determines the characteristics of regional soil formation. Small-scale topographic changes are referred to microtopographies. In hilly mountainous regions, the redistribution of water and soil materials caused by microtopography is the main factor affecting the spatial heterogeneity of soil and the utilization of land resources. In this study, the influence of microtopography on pedogenesis was investigated using soil samples formed from mudstones with lacustrine facies deposition in the middle of the Sichuan Basin. Soil profiles were sampled along the slopes at the summit, shoulder, backslope, footslope, and toeslope positions. The morphological, physicochemical, and geochemical attributes of profiles were analyzed. The results showed that from the summit to the toeslope, soil thickness increased significantly and profile configuration changed from A–C to A–B–C. The total contents of Ca and Na decreased at the summit, backslope, and footslope, while the total contents of Al, Fe and Mg showed an opposite trend. On the summit and shoulder of the hillslope, weathered materials were transported away by gravity and surface erosion, exposing new rocks. As a result, soil development in these areas was relatively weak. In flat areas such as the footslope and toeslope with sufficient water conditions, the addition of weathered components and the prolonged contact between water, soil, and sediment led to further chemical weathering, resulting in highly developed characteristics. Microtopography may influence physicochemical properties, chemical weathering, and redistribution of water and materials, causing variations in pedogenic characteristics at different slope positions.
Effects of expanded adverse childhood experiences including school bullying, childhood poverty, and natural disasters on mental health in adulthood
Authors: Sasaki Natsu , Watanabe Kazuhiro , Kanamori Yoshiaki , Tabuchi Takahiro , Fujiwara Takeo , Nishi Daisuke
Published: May 2024

The study aimed to examine the association of expanded adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with psychological distress in adulthood. The data from nation-wide online cohort was used for analysis. Community dwelling adults in Japan were included. The ACEs was assessed by 15 items of ACE-J, including childhood poverty and school bullying. Severe psychological distress was determined as the score of Kessler 6 over 13. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted, by using sample weighting. A total of 28,617 participants were analyzed. About 75% of Japanese people had one or more ACEs. The prevalence of those with ACEs over 4 was 14.7%. Those with ACEs over 4 showed adjusted odds ratio = 8.18 [95% CI 7.14–9.38] for severe psychological distress. The prevalence of childhood poverty was 29% for 50–64 year old participants and 40% of 65 or older participants. The impact of childhood poverty on psychological distress was less than other ACEs in these age cohorts. Bullying was experienced 21–27% in young generations, but 10% in 65 or older participants. However, the impact on psychological distress in adulthood was relatively high in all age groups. ACEs have impacted mental health for a long time. Future research and practice to reduce ACEs are encouraged.
Room corners and how they influence the memory of visual information arranged on walls
Authors: Garsoffky Bärbel , Schwan Stephan
Published: May 2024

In formal and informal learning settings corresponding information units are often arranged in the space around the viewer. For example, teachers pin task relevant information on classroom walls, or museum curators arrange exhibits in museum halls. Often learners and visitors are expected to see meaningful relationships between these information units. Theoretically, Gestalt Psychology has been examining the effects of connecting and separating elements in visual information displays, leading to the question of whether these findings also hold in three-dimensional environments. Does the mostly rectangular form of our rooms also either highlight or downplay relations between information dispersed across a room? Three experiments using virtual rooms showed that the matching pairs of pictures were memorized better if both pictures were arranged on the same wall instead of across two adjacent walls: that is, the presence of a room corner between matching pairs decreased memory (Experiments 1–3). Additionally, the findings showed that the participants’ orientation of their central field of view during learning influenced the effect of corners on memory. When initially looking around in rooms, participants most often oriented the center of their field of view toward the middle of a wall (Experiments 1 and 2); however, if they were restricted to orienting their field of view toward corners, the corner effect on memory vanished (Experiment 3). These findings suggest that room characteristics influence the exploratory behavior of viewers, thereby also affecting their memories of the presented information.
Association between retinopathy and risk of dementia in a general Japanese population: the Hisayama Study
Authors: Nakamura Shun , Ueda Emi , Ohara Tomoyuki , Hata Jun , Honda Takanori , Fujiwara Kohta , Furuta Yoshihiko , Shibata Mao , Hashimoto Sawako , Nakazawa Taro , Nakao Tomohiro , Kitazono Takanari , Sonoda Koh-Hei , Ninomiya Toshiharu
Published: May 2024

We investigated the association of retinopathy with the risk of dementia in a general older Japanese population. A total of 1709 population-based residents aged 60 years or older without dementia were followed prospectively for 10 years (2007–2017). They underwent color fundus photography in 2007. Retinopathy was graded according to the Modified Airlie House Classification. Main outcome was the Incidence of dementia. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of dementia by the presence of retinopathy. During the follow-up period, 374 participants developed all-cause dementia. The cumulative incidence of dementia was significantly higher in those with retinopathy than those without (p < 0.05). Individuals with retinopathy had significantly higher risk of developing dementia than those without after adjustment for potential confounding factors (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.19–2.25). Regarding the components of retinopathy, the presence of microaneurysms was significantly associated with a higher multivariable-adjusted HR for incident dementia (HR 1.94, 95% CI 1.37–2.74). Our findings suggest that, in addition to systemic risk factors, retinal microvascular signs from fundus photography provide valuable information for estimating the risk of developing dementia.
Translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of Numerical Pain Rating Scale and Global Rating of Change in Tibetan musculoskeletal trauma patients
Authors: Liu Jinling , Chen Juncheng , Tian Leilei , Tang Chuan , Shuai Wenbin , Lin Fang , Luo Shilin , Xu Xinxin , An Jingjing
Published: May 2024

Tibetan-speaking patients seeking care in predominantly Mandarin-speaking healthcare settings frequently face communication barriers, leading to potential disparities and difficulties in accessing care. To address this issue, we translated, culturally adapted, and validated the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and the Global Rating of Change (GRoC) into Tibetan (NPRS-Tib and GRoC-Tib), aiming to facilitate cross-linguistic and cross-cultural interactions while examining potential challenges in the adaptation process. Using standard translation-backward translation methods, expert review, pilot testing, and validation through a cross-sectional study with a short-term longitudinal component, we engaged 100 Tibetan patients with musculoskeletal trauma for psychometric validation, including 37 women (aged 22–60 years, mean age 39.1 years). The NPRS-Tib and GRoC-Tib exhibited outstanding psychometric properties, with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of 0.983 for NPRS-Tib indicating superb test–retest reliability, and expert review confirming good content validity for both instruments. A Spearman's correlation coefficient (Rho) of -0.261 (P = 0.0087) revealed a significant, albeit weak, correlation between changes in NPRS-Tib scores and GRoC-Tib scores. The adaptation process also presented notable challenges, including translation discrepancies from translators' diverse backgrounds and levels of expertise, ambiguity in scale options, and the lack of established tools for criterion validity assessment in Tibetan.
Tango and physiotherapy interventions in Parkinson’s disease: a pilot study on efficacy outcomes on motor and cognitive skills
Authors: Rabini Giuseppe , Meli Claudia , Prodomi Giulia , Speranza Chiara , Anzini Federica , Funghi Giulia , Pierotti Enrica , Saviola Francesca , Fumagalli Giorgio Giulio , Di Giacopo Raffaella , Malaguti Maria Chiara , Jovicich Jorge , Dodich Alessandra , Papagno Costanza , Turella Luca
Published: May 2024

Pharmacological treatments in Parkinson’s disease (PD), albeit effective in alleviating many motor symptoms, have limited effects in non-motor signatures as cognitive impairment, as well as in other aspects included postural instability. Consequently, complementary interventions are nowadays a prerogative of clinical practice managing PD symptomatology. In this pilot longitudinal study, we recruited twenty-four PD patients participating in one of two interventions: adapted Argentine Tango or group-based physiotherapy. Participants underwent a motor and neuropsychological evaluation before and after four months of activities, carried out twice a week. We found a general stabilization of motor and cognitive abilities, with significant improvements in several motor skills, mainly pertaining to static and dynamic balance, similarly in both groups. At cognitive level, we measured a significant improvement in both groups in the Action Naming task. Interestingly, only PD patients in the Tango group improved their performance in the test measuring facial emotion recognition. These findings highlight the crucial role that physical activities have in the stabilization and slowdown of disease’s progression in PD. They further highlight the beneficial effects of a group-based physical intervention, which, especially in the case of Tango, could lead to behavioral ameliorations in domains other than the motor, such as emotion recognition.
Chest ultrasound is better than CT in identifying septated effusion of patients with pleural disease
Authors: Yang Linhui , Wang Kaige , Li Weimin , Liu Dan
Published: May 2024

Septated pleural effusion is very common. The presence of septations in pleural effusion determines the local treatment strategy for such patients. Therefore, there is a pressing need for imaging techniques to assess the presence of septations. The objective of this research was to assess the diagnostic efficacy of computed tomography (CT) and chest ultrasound in identifying septated pleural effusion. We delineated the ultrasound and enhanced chest CT manifestations for diagnosing septated pleural effusions, and subsequently, we conducted a comparative analysis to assess the diagnostic efficacy of enhanced chest CT and ultrasound in identifying septated pleural effusions. Medical thoracoscopy served as the gold standard for confirming the diagnosis of septated pleural effusions. Ultrasound demonstrated a sensitivity of 82.6% (95% CI 73.3–89.7%) and a specificity of 100.0% (95% CI 98.1–NaN) for diagnosing septated pleural effusion. In comparison, enhanced chest CT exhibited a sensitivity of 59.8% (95% CI 49.0–69.9%) and a specificity of 87.0% (95% CI 81.5–91.4%). The positive predictive value for ultrasound was 100.0% (95% CI 95.3–100.0%), while for enhanced chest CT, it was 68.8% (95% CI 59.0–77.4%). Ultrasound yielded a negative predictive value of 92.3% (95% CI 87.5–NaN), and enhanced chest CT had a negative predictive value of 82.0% (95% CI 74.6–87.8%) in diagnosing septated pleural effusion. Thoracic ultrasound exhibits superior sensitivity and specificity compared to enhanced chest CT in diagnosing septated pleural effusions. Therefore, chest ultrasound is highly recommended as an adjunct for determining septated pleural effusion.
Comparison of dehydration systems in quality and chemical effects on sunflower seeds
Authors: Ortiz-Hernandez A. A. , Araiza-Esquivel M. A. , Delgadillo-Ruiz L. , Espinosa-Vega L. I. , Olvera-Olvera C. A. , Lopez-Martinez A. , Vega-Carrillo H. R. , Ortega-Sigala J. J.
Published: May 2024

The present work investigates the quality and the chemical effects of dehydration, using a novel dehydration system based on an electromagnetic induction and low pressures technique, comparing it with the thermo-solar drying system. High oleic sunflower seeds, which are an important oil seed crop, were used due to the fact that they have a special place in the food industry. The seed samples were exposed to electromagnetic induction and low pressures by 0.5 and 1 h, then several chemical characterizations were carried out, in the electrophoresis study, it was found that most proteins in the hull were degraded or denatured, some of them were lost during the time in the thermosolar dryer while in kernel keeps 94.9% of the concentration in control proteins. Otherwise, the electromagnetic induction dryer did not lose the most of proteins in the kernel keeping 99.1% in 0.5 h and 98.4% in 1 h, just degrading its concentration. Germination viability results did not show changes after 0.5 h in the electromagnetic fields, but they decreased in 1 h from 66 to 40% until the thermosolar method fell to 24% in 4 h, both analysis results change proportionally with the treatment time and moisture content and the amount of the oxygen.
Enhanced wound regeneration by PGS/PLA fiber dressing containing platelet-rich plasma: an in vitro study
Authors: Heydari Parisa , Zargar Kharazi Anousheh , Shariati Laleh
Published: May 2024

Novel wound dressings with therapeutic effects are being continually designed to improve the wound healing process. In this study, the structural, chemical, physical, and biological properties of an electrospun poly glycerol sebacate/poly lactide acid/platelet-rich plasma (PGS/PLA-PRP) nanofibers were evaluated to determine its impacts on in vitro wound healing. Results revealed desirable cell viability in the Fibroblast (L929) and macrophage (RAW-264.7) cell lines as well as human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Cell migration was evident in the scratch assay (L929 cell line) so that it promoted scratch contraction to accelerate in vitro wound healing. Moreover, addition of PRP to the fiber structure led to enhanced collagen deposition (~ 2 times) in comparison with PGS/PLA scaffolds. While by addition PRP to PGS/PLA fibers not only decreased the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) in RAW-264.7 cells but also led to significantly increased levels of cytokine (IL-10) and the growth factor (TGF-β), which are related to the anti-inflammatory phase (M2 phenotype). Finally, PGS/PLA-PRP was found to induce a significant level of angiogenesis by forming branching points, loops, and tubes. Based on the results obtained, the PGS/PLA-PRP dressing developed might be a promising evolution in skin tissue engineering ensuring improved wound healing and tissue regeneration.
Linear regression model for metal–organic frameworks with CO2 adsorption based on topological data analysis
Authors: Akagi Kazuto , Naito Hisashi , Saikawa Takafumi , Kotani Motoko , Yoshikawa Hirofumi
Published: May 2024

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), self-assembled porous materials synthesized from metal ions and organic ligands, are promising candidates for the direct capture of CO2 from the atmosphere. In this work, we developed a regression model to predict the optimal component of the MOF that governs the amount of CO2 adsorption per volume based on experimentally observed adsorption and structure data combined with MOF adsorption sites. The structural descriptors were generated by topological data analysis with persistence diagrams, an advanced mathematical method for quantifying the rings and cavities within the MOF. This enables us to analyze direct effects and significance of the geometric structure of the MOF on the efficiency of CO2 adsorption in a novel way. The proposed approach is proved to be highly correlated with experimental data and thus offers an effective screening tool for MOFs with optimized structures.
Analysis on charge-retention characteristics of sub-threshold synaptic IGZO thin-film transistors with defective gate oxides
Authors: Lee Sungsik
Published: May 2024

We provide a quantitative analysis on the charge-retention characteristics of sub-threshold operating In–Ga–Zn–O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a defective gate-oxide for low-power synaptic applications. Here, a defective SiO2 is incorporated as the synaptic gate-oxide in the fabricated IGZO TFTs, where a defect is physically playing the role as an electron trap. With this synaptic TFT, positive programming pulses for the electron trapping are applied to the gate electrode, followed by monitoring the retention characteristics as a function of time. And this set of the programming and retention-monitoring experiments is repeated in several times for accumulating effects of pre-synaptic stimulations. Due to these accumulated stimulations, electrons are expected to be getting occupied within a deeper trap-state with a higher activation energy, which can lead to a longer retention. To verify these phenomena, a stretched exponential function and respective inverse Laplace transform are employed to precisely estimate a retention time and trap activation-energy for transient experimental results.
Simulation and optimization of 30.17% high performance N-type TCO-free inverted perovskite solar cell using inorganic transport materials
Authors: Nyiekaa Emmanuel A. , Aika Timothy A. , Danladi Eli , Akhabue Christopher E. , Orukpe Patience E.
Published: May 2024

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have gained much attention in recent years because of their improved energy conversion efficiency, simple fabrication process, low processing temperature, flexibility, light weight, and low cost of constituent materials when compared with their counterpart silicon based solar cells. Besides, stability and toxicity of PSCs and low power conversion efficiency have been an obstacle towards commercialization of PSCs which has attracted intense research attention. In this research paper, a Glass/Cu2O/CH3NH3SnI3/ZnO/Al inverted device structure which is made of cheap inorganic materials, n-type transparent conducting oxide (TCO)-free, stable, photoexcited toxic-free perovskite have been carefully designed, simulated and optimized using a one-dimensional solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS-1D) software. The effects of layers’ thickness, perovskite’s doping concentration and back contact electrodes have been investigated, and the optimized structure produced an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.0867 V, short circuit current density (JSC) of 33.4942 mA/cm2, fill factor (FF) of 82.88% and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 30.17%. This paper presents a model that is first of its kind where the highest PCE performance and eco-friendly n-type TCO-free inverted CH3NH3SnI3 based perovskite solar cell is achieved using all-inorganic transport materials.
A double machine learning model for measuring the impact of the Made in China 2025 strategy on green economic growth
Authors: Yuan Jie , Liu Shucheng
Published: May 2024

The transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing industry is supported by smart and green manufacturing, which have great potential to empower the nation’s green development. This study examines the impact of the Made in China 2025 industrial policy on urban green economic growth. This study applies the super-slacks-based measure model to measure cities’ green economic growth, using the double machine learning model, which overcomes the limitations of the linear setting of traditional causal inference models and maintains estimation accuracy under high-dimensional control variables, to conduct an empirical analysis based on panel data of 281 Chinese cities from 2006 to 2021. The results reveal that the Made in China 2025 strategy significantly drives urban green economic growth, and this finding holds after a series of robustness tests. A mechanism analysis indicates that the Made in China 2025 strategy promotes green economic growth through green technology progress, optimizing energy consumption structure, upgrading industrial structure, and strengthening environmental supervision. In addition, the policy has a stronger driving effect for cities with high manufacturing concentration, industrial intelligence, and digital finance development. This study provides valuable theoretical insights and policy implications for government planning to promote high-quality development through industrial policy.
Thermophilic-mesophilic temperature phase anaerobic co-digestion compared with single phase co-digestion of sewage sludge and food waste
Authors: Hu Yangqing , Shen Ce
Published: May 2024

Anaerobic co-digestion is an effective method for addressing the issue of a single substrate not being able to achieve optimal conditions for anaerobic digestion. By adjusting the mixture ratio of sewage sludge and food waste to achieve the optimal carbon to nitrogen ratio, the effectiveness of thermophilic–mesophilic temperature phase anaerobic co-digestion (TPAcD) was evaluated in comparison to single phase mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion (MAcD) and thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion (TAcD). The results indicated that TPAcD increased methane yield by 50.3% and 32.7% compared to MAcD and TAcD, respectively. The variation in VFA, pH, and ammonia nitrogen levels demonstrated that TPAcD combines the advantages of both MAcD and TAcD, with a higher hydrolysis rate in the early stage under thermophilic conditions (55 °C) and a suitable environment in the later stage under mesophilic conditions (35 °C). The kinetic parameters of anaerobic co-digestions also demonstrated that TPAcD performs better. Therefore, further research on TPAcD of sewage sludge and food waste is warranted due to its significant improvements in methane production rate, total methane yield, and system stability. Additionally, TPAcD contributes to reducing carbon emissions and supports the realization of “carbon neutrality”.
Nonlinear associations between the ratio of family income to poverty and all-cause mortality among adults in NHANES study
Authors: Yi Hong , Li Minghui , Dong Youzheng , Gan Zumao , He Lei , Li Xiaozhong , Tao Yu , Xia Zirong , Xia Zhen , Xue Yumei , Zhai Zhenyu
Published: May 2024

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked to mortality rates, with family income being a quantifiable marker of SES. However, the precise association between the family income-to-poverty ratio (PIR) and all-cause mortality in adults aged 40 and older remains unclear. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from NHANES III, including 20,497 individuals. The PIR was used to assess financial status, and various demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors were considered. Mortality data were collected from the NHANES III linked mortality file. The study revealed a non-linear association between PIR and all-cause mortality. The piecewise Cox proportional hazards regression model showed an inflection point at PIR 3.5. Below this threshold, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality was 0.85 (95% CI 0.79–0.91), while above 3.5, the HR decreased to 0.66 (95% CI 0.57–0.76). Participants with lower income had a higher probability of all-cause mortality, with middle-income and high-income groups showing lower multivariate-adjusted HRs compared to the low-income group. This study provides evidence of a non-linear association between PIR and all-cause mortality in adults aged 40 and older, with an inflection point at PIR 3.5. These findings emphasize the importance of considering the non-linear relationship between family income and mortality when addressing socioeconomic health disparities.
Enhancing the catalytic activity of the MnNC catalyst by regulating the coordination environment
Authors: Wang Wang , Liu Yucheng
Published: May 2024

The catalytic activity of single atom catalysts is largely determined by the coordination environment of the active sites. The introduction of epoxy to the vicinity of the MnN4C site can improve its activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction.
A π-extended molecular belt with selective binding capability for fullerene C70
Authors: Du Zhenglin , Xie Jialin , Liu Yandie , Tang Yisong , Chen Qing , Li Xia , Zhu Kelong
Published: May 2024

A molecular belt [8]NCP incorporating naphthalene moieties was precisely engineered through bottom–up synthesis. It exhibits remarkable selective binding ability for C70 compared to C60, forming a 1 : 1 complex.
Enhancing Li+ transport via a nanoporous cellulose fiber membrane with an anion-sorbent for high-performance lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Ma Kang , Song Xin , Wang Jian , Chen Jiawei , Zheng Zongmin , Zhang Jianmin
Published: May 2024

Cellulose composite membrane facilitates lithium-ion transport between electrodes by the presence of polar groups and anion-sorbent ZIF-67, demonstrating its promising applications in the battery industry.
Near-unity PLQY and high anti-thermal quenching red luminescence from one-dimensional hybrid manganese chloride for efficient and stable white light-emitting diodes
Authors: Su Binbin , Molokeev Maxim S. , Chen Ran , Zhang Tao
Published: May 2024

Red emitting one-dimensional hybrid manganese chloride (TMA)MnCl3 shows a near-unity PLQY, as well as the high anti-thermal quenching behavior due to the high structural rigidity.
Exploring artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC) applications in the metaverse: Challenges, solutions, and future directions
Authors: Wang Xutian , Hong Yan , He Xiaoming
Published: May 2024

In recent years, the Metaverse has gained attention as a hub for technological revolution. However, its main platform suffers from issues like low‐quality content and lackluster virtual environments, leading to subpar user experiences. Concerns arise from declining interest in NFTs and failed virtual real estate ventures, casting doubt on the Metaverse's future. Artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC) emerges as a key driver of Metaverse advancement, using AI to create digital content efficiently and affordably. AIGC also enables personalized content, enhancing the Metaverse. This paper examines the link between the Metaverse and AIGC, exploring AIGC's applications, underlying technologies, and future challenges. It reveals that while AIGC shows promise for improving the Metaverse, its technologies must better align with development needs to deliver immersive experiences.
Adaptive fault‐tolerant control of a nonlinear 2‐DOF helicopter system with prescribed performance
Authors: Bi Hui , He Weitian , Wang Xiaowei , Zou Tao , Zhao Zhijia
Published: May 2024

This study investigates a novel tracking control with prescribed performance for an uncertain nonlinear 2‐DOF helicopter subject to actuator failure. The control design aims to address partial actuator faults, and to mitigate their effects, an adaptive auxiliary variable is introduced. Additionally, a neural network is employed to accurately approximate the system uncertainties. The prescribed performance is formulated as time‐varying constraints, and the barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) technique is applied to achieve the constrained control. Finally, the stability analysis of the closed‐loop system is provided, and the validity of the proposed control scheme is illustrated through a simulation study on the 2‐DOF helicopter system.
Stability analysis and improvement based on virtual impedance for electrolytic capacitor‐less DC multi‐port converter
Authors: Chen Jiang , Xu Ying , Zhang Jiantao , Li Can , Zeng Yang , Li Yuyang , Wei Zhiguo
Published: May 2024

The DC multi‐port converter's applications are increasing owing to its favourable features, including variable control mode, high power density, and bi‐directional power supply. On the other hand, the impedance interaction between each port of the electrolytic capacitor‐less DC multi‐port converter may generate an instability. To address the above mentioned problem, a method is proposed in this paper for reshaping the impedances of the energy storage converter by constructing a virtual impedance connected in parallel with the output impedance of the electrolytic capacitor‐less DC multi‐port converter. Furthermore, this paper introduces the stability criterion based on the unified impedance theory, which classifies a converter as either the bus current‐controlled converter or the bus voltage‐controlled converter. The proposed control approaches raise the magnitude of the output impedance of the electrolytic capacitor‐less DC multi‐port converter to satisfy the unified impedance theory criterion without modifying each port. The simulation results show that the proposed method is better than the traditional methods, and comprehensive experimental results are provided to validate the proposed methods.
Research on power quality improvement system based on dynamic voltage restorer
Authors: Liu Ancheng , Wang Yipei , Zhu Yaochen , Park Sung‐Jun
Published: May 2024

Power quality is a critical issue in power systems that can affect the performance and reliability of sensitive equipment. The dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) is a widely used technology for improving power quality, but it mainly focuses on mitigating voltage sags and often neglects the issue of harmonic distortion. This paper proposes a DVR voltage compensation strategy based on the discrete Fourier transform (DFT). This strategy utilizes the DFT to analyze the voltage waveform, separating the fundamental and desired harmonic components. With this strategy, the DVR can effectively compensate for voltage sag and achieve selective harmonic compensation, thereby improving the power quality of the power system. Additionally, a method utilizing hardware circuitry and an LED as a timestamp is proposed to dynamically estimate digital siginal processor (DSP) resource occupancy rate in real‐time, ensuring effective compensation while minimizing resource occupancy. A 3 kW DVR experimental prototype was constructed and tested to evaluate the practicality of the proposed strategy. The simulation and experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper successfully realizes the compensation of voltage sag and harmonics in the power system, and improves the stability and reliability of the power system.