bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remote monitoring of a concrete bridge using PSInSAR
Authors: Lasri Othmane , Giordano Pier Francesco , Limongelli Maria Pina , Previtali Mattia
Published: September 2023

Structural health monitoring (SHM) can support decision makers in structural integrity management by providing information about occurrence of damage and its evolution in time. Recently, due to new Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) missions, remote sensing through active satellites provides a promising methodology capable of monitoring infrastructure assets. This paper investigates the use of Multi‐Temporal Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (MT‐InSAR) processing to monitor the structural health of bridges. The full interferometry processing chain is applied using Sentinel‐1 synthetic aperture radar data and a combination of open‐source routines from the Sentinel Application Platform (SNAP) and Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterers (StaMPS). Displacement time‐histories are derived from single look complex products by employing the Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSInSAR) technique. The PS‐InSAR technique is applied to study the behavior of a concrete bridge located over the Oglio river in Isola Dovarese, Italy, on which also GNSS receivers are installed. The GNSS data are then used to validate the PS‐InSAR measurements. The effects on PS‐InSAR results of the number of SAR images used as well of the target structure are investigated.
Synthesis and Bioluminescence of ‘V’‐Shaped Firefly Luciferin Analogues Based on A Novel Benzobisthiazole Core
Authors: Chang Chia‐Hao , Fontaine Danielle M. , Gómez Sandra , Branchini Bruce R. , Anderson James C.
Published: September 2023

The design of π‐extended conjugation ‘V‘‐shaped red shifted bioluminescent D‐luciferin analogues based on a novel benzobisthiazole core is described. The divergent synthetic route allowed access to a range of amine donor substituents through an SNAr reaction. In spectroscopic studies, the ‘V’‐shaped luciferins exhibited narrower optical band gaps, more red‐shifted absorption and emission spectra than D‐luciferin. Their bioluminescence characteristics were recorded against four different luciferases (PpyLuc, FlucRed, CBR2 and PLR3). With native luciferase PpyLuc, the ‘V’‐shaped luciferins demonstrated more red‐shifted emissions than D‐luciferin (λbl=561 nm) by 60 to 80 nm. In addition, the benzobisthiazole luciferins showed a wide range of bioluminescence spectra from the visible light region (λbl=500 nm) to the nIR window (>650 nm). The computational results validate the design concept which can be used as a guide for further novel D‐luciferin analogues based upon other ‘V’‐shaped heterocyclic cores.
HPV persistence after cervical surgical excision of high‐grade cervical lesions
Authors: Bogani Giorgio , Sopracordevole Francesco , Ciavattini Andrea , Vizza Enrico , Vercellini Paolo , Ghezzi Fabio , Scambia Giovanni , Di Donato Violante , Giannini Andrea , Raspagliesi Francesco
Published: September 2023

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer. Attempts are needed to better categorize patients with HPV in order to provide useful information for prognosticating and appropriately tailoring surveillance.
A Bioequivalence Trial of Dienogest in Healthy Chinese Participants Under Fed Conditions
Authors: Zhao Chunyan , Wang Yuxia , Shao Yanhua
Published: September 2023

This trial was a randomized, open‐label, single‐dose, 2‐treatment, 2‐period, crossover study to evaluate the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile, bioequivalence, and safety of test formulation and reference formulation of 2‐mg dienogest tablets in healthy Chinese participants. Eligible participants were randomly administered a single 2‐mg dose of either the test formulation or the reference formulation orally under fed conditions, followed by a 1‐week washout period and the administration of the other formulation. Samples of blood were collected until 48 hours following administration. The main PK parameters were calculated using noncompartmental analysis techniques. The main PK parameters included maximum plasma concentration, area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) from time zero to the last quantifiable concentration, and AUC from time zero to infinity. The bioequivalence of test and reference dienogest tablets was determined if the 90% confidence intervals of the geometric mean ratio of the test to reference formulations were within the predefined range of 80%‐125%. The safety assessment included incidence of adverse events and serious adverse events and others. Twenty‐four healthy Chinese participants were enrolled in this trial. The geometric mean ratios of maximum plasma concentration, AUC from time zero to the last quantifiable concentration, and AUC from time zero to infinity between the 2 formulations, and corresponding 90% confidence intervals, all fell within the range of 80%‐125% under fed conditions. The test and reference dienogest tablets were well tolerated, and no severe adverse events were reported in the trial. It was shown that the test and the reference dienogest tablets were bioequivalent and well tolerated under fed conditions in healthy Chinese female participants.
Preparation of a 4′‐Thiouridine Building‐Block for Solid‐Phase Oligonucleotide Synthesis
Authors: Benckendorff Caecilie M. M. , Sanghvi Yogesh S. , Miller Gavin J.
Published: September 2023

Starting from a commercially available thioether, we report a nine‐step synthesis of a 4′‐thiouridine phosphoramidite building‐block. We install the uracil nucleobase using Pummerer‐type glycosylation of a sulfoxide intermediate followed by a series of protecting group manipulations to deliver the desired phosphite. Notably, we introduce a 3′,5′‐O‐di‐tert‐butylsilylene protecting group within a 4′‐thiosugar framework, harnessing this to ensure regiospecific installation of the 2′‐O‐silyl protecting group. We envisage this methodology will be generally applicable to other 4′‐thionucleosides and duly support the exploration of their inclusion within related nucleic acid syntheses. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: (2R,3S,4R)‐2,3‐O‐Isopopropylidene‐5‐O‐tert‐butyldiphenylsilyl‐1‐(4‐sulfinyl)cyclopentane: Sulfoxidation

Basic Protocol 2: 2′,3′‐O‐Isopropylidene‐5′‐O‐tert‐butyldiphenylsilyl‐4′‐thiouridine: Pummerer glycosylation

Basic Protocol 3: 4′‐Thiouridine: Deprotection

Basic Protocol 4: 2′‐O‐tert‐Butyldimethylsilyl‐3′,5′‐di‐tert‐butylsiloxy‐4′‐thiouridine: 2′,3′,5′‐O‐silylation

Basic Protocol 5: 2′‐O‐tert‐Butyldimethylsilyl‐4′‐thiouridine: Selective 3′‐5′‐desilylation

Basic Protocol 6: 2′‐O‐tert‐Butyldimethylsilyl‐5′‐O‐dimethoxytrityl‐4′‐thiouridine: 5′‐O‐dimethoxytritylation

Basic Protocol 7: 2′‐O‐tert‐butyldimethylsilyl‐3′‐O‐[(2‐cyanoethoxy)(N,N‐diisopropylamino)phosphino]‐5′‐O‐dimethoxytrityl‐4′‐thiouridine: 3′‐O‐phosphitylation
Coupled inductor‐based triple output bi‐polar converter with duty cycle estimation
Authors: Karuppusamy Suganthi , Somalinga Sethuraman S , Kumaraswami Sundararaman
Published: September 2023

Multi‐output converters have been accepted in many portable and display applications due to their ability to optimize hardware both in terms of number of switches as well as on the inductances. Many of these applications require the input voltage to be both stepped up and stepped down, and some applications also require negative outputs. This paper proposes a non‐isolated converter topology which can generate positive buck and boost outputs and also a negative output using a coupled inductor. The converter can operate in continuous and discontinuous conduction modes (DCMs). A detailed analysis of the converter is done in both modes, and it is shown that the outputs can be controlled by direct real‐time analytical estimation of the duty cycle in DCM. Coupled inductor enables the possibility that more than one output can be simultaneously supplied, reducing the cycle time and increasing throughput. Independent control of all three outputs confirms that cross‐regulation is avoided due to real‐time continuous estimation of the duty cycles. The proposed converter is verified by building a hardware model for multi‐output voltages of 5, 24, and −5 V with an input voltage of 12 V using a Spartan‐6 FPGA controller. Experimental results validate that 94% converter efficiency and regulated output voltages under full load conditions. Steady state and dynamic performance of the converter illustrate the effect of suggested control technique to alleviate cross‐regulation in multi‐output converters.
On the fractional domain analysis of negative group delay circuits
Authors: Banchuin Rawid
Published: September 2023

In this work, the analysis of negative group delay circuits in fractional domain has been conducted. The low pass and the high pass negative group delay circuits constructed based on passive network have been chosen as our candidate circuits. For performing the analysis in fractional domain, the novel Caputo–Fabrizio derivative‐based fractional impedance have been introduced to both circuits. The crucial parameters, the necessary conditions, and the existence conditions of both candidate negative group delay circuits have been formulated. The simulations have been conducted based on the formulated results where the comparisons with the conventional prototypes have been made. The verifications by the proof‐of‐concept circuits have also been performed. In addition, the effects of variation in the order of fractional impedances have been investigated. In summary, it has been found that considering these negative group delay circuits in the fractional domain, which effectively taking unavoidable nonidealities that cannot be modeled in conventional domain into account, significantly alters their characteristics especially the low pass circuit. However they can retain their low pass and high pass negative group delay functions.
Fine‐scale genetic structure in rhizosphere microbial communities associated with Chamaecrista fasciculata (Fabaceae)
Authors: Nobarinezhad Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh , Wallace Lisa E.
Published: September 2023

Soil microbiota of the rhizosphere are an important extension of the plant phenotype because they impact the health and fitness of host plants. The composition of these communities is expected to differ among host plants due to influence by host genotype. Given that many plant populations exhibit fine‐scale genetic structure (SGS), associated microbial communities may also exhibit SGS. In this study, we tested this hypothesis using Chamaecrista fasciculata, a legume species that has previously been determined to have significant SGS. We collected genetic data from prokaryotic and fungal rhizosphere communities in association with 70 plants in an area of ~400 square meters to investigate the presence of SGS in microbial communities. Bacteria of Acidobacteria, Protobacteria, and Bacteroidetes and fungi of Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Mortierellomycota were dominant members of the rhizosphere. Although microbial alpha diversity did not differ significantly among plants hosts, we detected significant compositional differences among the microbial communities as well as isolation by distance. The strongest factor associated with microbial distance was genetic distance of the other microbial community, followed by geographic distance, but there was not a significant association with plant genetic distance for either microbial community. This study further demonstrates the strong potential for spatial structuring of soil microbial communities at the smallest spatial scales and provides further insight into the complexity of factors that influence microbial composition in soils and in association with host plants.
Research on improving the durability performance of damaged concrete with mineral admixtures
Authors: Jing Jing , Liu Shuai , Guo Chunhui , Guo Baolin
Published: September 2023

Concrete can be damaged under long‐term chloride ion action. This article uses mineral admixtures to repair the damaged concrete, and then conducts durability performance tests. Multi‐dimensional chloride ion diffusion tests were conducted under different salt solution immersion environments. The resistance of concrete to chloride ion corrosion was evaluated through RCM chloride ion penetration test, and the internal chloride ion concentration of concrete with different diffusion dimensions was detected through chemical titration analysis. Taking the SW test group as an example, after soaking for 3 months, the three‐dimensional diffusion chloride ion concentration of the SW test group is 2.55 times that of the one‐dimensional diffusion. Under the same three‐dimensional diffusion conditions, at a depth of 10 mm of concrete erosion, the chloride ion concentration of the SW test group after soaking for 3 months is 1.76 times that of the chloride ion concentration after soaking for 1 month. Experiments have shown that multi‐dimensional diffusion can significantly increase the concentration of chloride ions inside concrete, and this effect becomes more pronounced with the increase of erosion time and dimension.
The effect of different prebiotics on intestinal probiotics in newly diagnosed diabetic patients
Authors: Zhang Yu , Yang Lidan , Wu Yitian , He He , Zeng Yuping , An Zhenmei , Jia Weiguo
Published: September 2023

Prebiotics exert favorable effects on the host through interactions with probiotics, and their beneficial impacts have been extensively validated across various chronic ailments, including diabetes. This study presents findings from a case–control investigation involving 10 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 10 healthy counterparts. Fresh stool specimens were collected from all participants. Following a 24‐h fermentation period in mediums containing xylitol and mannitol, the observed increase in Lactobacillus abundance within the case group exceeded that of the control group. Similarly, in mediums containing soluble starch, choline, and L‐carnitine, the augmentation of Bifidobacterium within the case group surpassed that of the controls. Notably, a statistically significant divergence in sugar degradation rate emerged between the case and control groups, specifically in the medium harboring lactulose and isomalto‐oligosaccharides. Remarkably, the degradation rate of lactulose exhibited a positive correlation with the expansion of Bifidobacterium (R2 = .147, p = .037). Likewise, the degradation rate of isomalto‐oligosaccharides demonstrated a positive correlation with Bifidobacterium proliferation (R2 = .165, p = .041). In conclusion, prebiotics like xylitol and mannitol exhibit the capacity to enhance intestinal probiotic populations in individuals newly diagnosed with diabetes. The modifications in the intestinal flora homeostasis of diabetic patients may be evidenced by alterations in the degradation rate of specific prebiotic substrates.
Microglia induce auditory dysfunction after status epilepticus in mice
Authors: Araki Tasuku , Hiragi Toshimitsu , Kuga Nahoko , Luo Cong , Andoh Megumi , Sugao Kohtaroh , Nagata Hidetaka , Sasaki Takuya , Ikegaya Yuji , Koyama Ryuta
Published: September 2023

Auditory dysfunction and increased neuronal activity in the auditory pathways have been reported in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, but the cellular mechanisms involved are unknown. Here, we report that microglia play a role in the disinhibition of auditory pathways after status epilepticus in mice. We found that neuronal activity in the auditory pathways, including the primary auditory cortex and the medial geniculate body (MGB), was increased and auditory discrimination was impaired after status epilepticus. We further demonstrated that microglia reduced inhibitory synapses on MGB relay neurons over an 8‐week period after status epilepticus, resulting in auditory pathway hyperactivity. In addition, we found that local removal of microglia from the MGB attenuated the increase in c‐Fos+ relay neurons and improved auditory discrimination. These findings reveal that thalamic microglia are involved in auditory dysfunction in epilepsy.
Utility and safety of a novel method using a Wingman catheter for patients with lower extremity arterial disease complicated with severely calcified lesions: Wingman's bevel tip inner catheter removal technique—A prospective cohort study
Authors: Tokuda Takahiro , Hirano Keisuke , Takemura Akinobu , Oba Yasuhiro
Published: September 2023

Background and Aims

In cases of lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) accompanied by heavily calcified lesions, endovascular treatment becomes necessary at times. To effectively address these challenging calcified lesions, we developed an innovative approach named WINNER (Wingman's bevel tip inner catheter removal) technique. This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of a novel method using the WINNER technique.

Methods

This was a two‐center, prospective observational study. We analyzed the clinical data of patients with LEAD complicated with severely calcified lesions who underwent the WINNER technique between January 2021 and December 2022. We investigated the patients' characteristics, target lesions, and intervention results in terms of crossing device rates and periprocedural complications.

Results

A total of 35 patients were treated using the WINNER technique for LEAD complicated by severely calcified lesions. Key patient characteristics were a mean age of 75 ± 9 years, 83% male, 71% hemodialysis, 60% chronic limb‐threatening ischemia, and mean lesion length of 147 ± 88 mm. Using the WINNER technique, a device crossing was achieved in 34 patients (97.1%). Wire perforation occurred in one patient, and WINNER catheter rupture occurred in three patients.

Conclusions

The WINNER technique is useful for treating severely calcified lesions, and we should consider using this technique to cross devices for lesions with severe calcifications.
Impact of Beyond Fistula programming on economic, psychosocial and empowerment outcomes following female genital fistula repair: A retrospective study
Authors: El Ayadi Alison M. , Alway Jessica , Matityahu Debra , Kichwen Celine , Wilson Susan , Mabeya Hillary
Published: September 2023

Objective

To retrospectively assess changes in economic status, psychosocial status and empowerment among women who participated in Beyond Fistula reintegration programming following fistula repair.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study among 100 Beyond Fistula program participants capturing sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric and fistula history, program participation, and our primary outcomes: economic status, psychosocial status, and empowerment via quantitative survey at two time points: before program participation and currently. Data were collected from November 2020 to July 2021 from 2013 to 2019 program participants. We compared outcomes across these two time points using paired t tests or McNemar's tests.

Results

The proportion of individuals owning property (28.0% vs. 38.0%, P = 0.006), having a current source of income (19.0% vs. 56.0%, P < 0.001), and saving or investing income (11.0% vs. 37.0%, P < 0.001) increased significantly from pre‐ to post‐programming. We also identified statistically significant increases from pre‐ to post‐programming in self‐esteem (5.0 [IQR 4.0–5.0] vs. 5.0 [IQR 5.0–5.0], P < 0.001), reintegration (53.0 [IQR 43.0–69.0] vs. 65.0 [IQR 51.0–72.0], P < 0.001) and level of input into household economic decision making (2.0 [SD 1.0] vs. 2.3 [SD 1.0], P = 0.004).

Conclusion

Beyond Fistula programming likely improved economic status, psychosocial status, and empowerment of participants. Post‐surgical interventions incorporating a holistic approach can advance recovery through supporting psychosocial and economic wellbeing and should be offered to women undergoing genital fistula repair.
Urethral hemangioma: How to investigate as a cause of hematuria after male sexual activities
Authors: Ishikawa Kimiyasu , Sasaki Haruaki , Shimoyama Hideaki , Yamagishi Motoki , Sugishita Hiroo , Hashimoto Yu , Ichimura Yuki , Doguchi Ayana , Oshinomi Kazuhiko , Morita Jun
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Urethral hemangioma is an extremely rare occurrence and is not typically considered a common cause of hematuria. Since 2000, only 22 male cases have been reported.

Case presentation

A 45‐year‐old man presented with recurrent painless gross hematuria and the passage of blood clots after ejaculation. The patient underwent a transurethral resection of a 6‐mm hemangioma. This isolated sessile lesion was situated between the distal end of the verumontanum and the external sphincter, following an induced erection. The patient remained asymptomatic during the 1‐month follow‐up visit.

Conclusion

This study included the assessment of patient symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments and the literature review of 22 patients. We propose that relaxation of the external urethral sphincter muscle under general anesthesia and artificially inducing an erection can aid in the identification of urethral hemangiomas near the verumontanum during cystourethroscopy.
Towards Improved Identification of Vertebral Fractures in Routine Computed Tomography (CT) Scans: Development and External Validation of a Machine Learning Algorithm
Authors: Nicolaes Joeri , Skjødt Michael Kriegbaum , Raeymaeckers Steven , Smith Christopher Dyer , Abrahamsen Bo , Fuerst Thomas , Debois Marc , Vandermeulen Dirk , Libanati Cesar
Published: September 2023

Vertebral fractures (VFs) are the hallmark of osteoporosis, being one of the most frequent types of fragility fracture and an early sign of the disease. They are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. VFs are incidentally found in one out of five imaging studies, however, more than half of the VFs are not identified nor reported in patient computed tomography (CT) scans. Our study aimed to develop a machine learning algorithm to identify VFs in abdominal/chest CT scans and evaluate its performance. We acquired two independent data sets of routine abdominal/chest CT scans of patients aged 50 years or older: a training set of 1011 scans from a non-interventional, prospective proof-of-concept study at the Universitair Ziekenhuis (UZ) Brussel and a validation set of 2000 subjects from an observational cohort study at the Hospital of Holbæk. Both data sets were externally reevaluated to identify reference standard VF readings using the Genant semiquantitative (SQ) grading. Four independent models have been trained in a cross-validation experiment using the training set and an ensemble of four models has been applied to the external validation set. The validation set contained 15.3% scans with one or more VF (SQ2-3), whereas 663 of 24,930 evaluable vertebrae (2.7%) were fractured (SQ2-3) as per reference standard readings. Comparison of the ensemble model with the reference standard readings in identifying subjects with one or more moderate or severe VF resulted in an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85–0.90), accuracy of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.91–0.93), kappa of 0.72 (95% CI, 0.67–0.76), sensitivity of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.76–0.85), and specificity of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93–0.96). We demonstrated that a machine learning algorithm trained for VF detection achieved strong performance on an external validation set. It has the potential to support healthcare professionals with the early identification of VFs and prevention of future fragility fractures. © 2023 UCB S.A. and The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Abstract

Vertebral fractures are the landmark of osteoporosis and are associated with increased risk of further fractures. Yet they commonly go undiagnosed, and the underlying osteoporosis untreated. We developed a machine learning algorithm for automated vertebral fracture detection and demonstrated strong performance on an external validation set of 2000 CT scans. This method can improve the identification and reporting of vertebral fractures by opportunistically screening for them in routine CT scans.
Restructuring cost and its prediction analysis
Authors: Ren Yi , Xiao Dong
Published: September 2023

Given the ever‐increasing occurrence of corporate restructuring, the relevance of accounting information related to restructuring became more important in financial reporting. We first examine how restructuring cost affects stock returns and find firms with significant restructuring costs have worse stock performance compared with firms without significant restructuring costs. We then establish prediction model to predict the incurrence of future restructuring cost. The performance of the prediction model achieves an AUC (the area under curve) of .84 on the training data and an AUC of .77 when using out‐of‐sample validation.
Earnings management around reverse stock splits
Authors: Jategaonkar Shrikant P. , Shi Yuan , Song Xiaoxiao
Published: September 2023

Utilizing a sample of 1258 reverse stock splits from 1988 to 2019, we contrast earnings management by firms that initiate reverse splits for diverse reasons. Literature suggests that the incentives for reverse splits vary based on firms' stock price ranges. As such, we use the pre‐split and target‐price ranges to separate the sample into three groups. We find a stark difference in discretionary accruals across these groups. While previous studies have treated earnings management and reverse splits as substitutes, we hypothesize that firms at risk of delisting may employ these two mechanisms as complements. Consistent with the hypothesis, we document a strong positive association between reverse splits and post‐split discretionary accruals for firms with pre‐split prices below $1. This relationship, however, is non‐existent among the remaining two groups. Our findings have two important implications for investors: (i) firms with different motives behind reverse splits exhibit different earnings management behavior and (ii) firms that are likely facing exchange delisting use discretionary accruals in complement with reverse stock splits.
Integrating extracellular vesicle and circulating cell‐free DNA analysis using a single plasma aliquot improves the detection of HER2 positivity in breast cancer patients
Authors: Mugoni Vera , Ciani Yari , Quaini Orsetta , Tomasini Simone , Notarangelo Michela , Vannuccini Federico , Marinelli Alessia , Leonardi Elena , Pontalti Stefano , Martinelli Angela , Rossetto Daniele , Pesce Isabella , Mansy Sheref S. , Barbareschi Mattia , Ferro Antonella , Caffo Orazio , Attard Gerhardt , Di Vizio Dolores , D'Agostino Vito Giuseppe , Nardella Caterina , Demichelis Francesca
Published: September 2023

Multi‐analyte liquid biopsies represent an emerging opportunity for non‐invasive cancer assessment. We developed ONCE (One Aliquot for Circulating Elements), an approach for the isolation of extracellular vesicles (EV) and cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) from a single aliquot of blood. We assessed ONCE performance to classify HER2‐positive early‐stage breast cancer (BrCa) patients by combining EV‐associated RNA (EV‐RNA) and cfDNA signals on n = 64 healthy donors (HD) and non–metastatic BrCa patients. Specifically, we isolated EV‐enriched samples by a charge‐based (CB) method and investigated EV‐RNA and cfDNA by next‐generation sequencing (NGS) and by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). Sequencing of cfDNA and EV‐RNA from HER2‐ and HER2+ patients demonstrated concordance with in situ molecular analyses of matched tissues. Combined analysis of the two circulating analytes by ddPCR showed increased sensitivity in ERBB2/HER2 detection compared to single nucleic acid components. Multi‐analyte liquid biopsy prediction performance was comparable to tissue‐based sequencing results from TCGA. Also, imaging flow cytometry analysis revealed HER2 protein on the surface of EV isolated from the HER2+ BrCa plasma, thus corroborating the potential relevance of studying EV as companion analyte to cfDNA. This data confirms the relevance of combining cfDNA and EV‐RNA for HER2 cancer assessment and supports ONCE as a valuable tool for multi‐analytes liquid biopsies’ clinical implementation.
Three decadal large‐scale ecological restoration projects across the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhao Hui , Wei Da , Wang Xiaodan , Hong Jiangtao , Wu Jianbo , Xiong Donghong , Liang Yuling , Yuan Zhengrong , Qi Yahui , Huang Lin
Published: September 2023

Averaged over 4000 m in elevation, Tibetan Plateau (TP) functions as an important ecological security barrier in China. Alpine ecosystems present a trend of overall improvement under the influence of climate change and human activities, yet there are localized deteriorations. To improve the ecological function of the TP, large‐scale ecological restoration projects (ERPs) have been carried out over the past 30 years, which could be classified into three stages, that is, Exploration (1989–2003), Rapid Growth (2004–2014), and Comprehensive Development Stage (2015−present). With a total area of 850,000 km2, the ERPs include forest protection and construction, grassland protection and construction, water and soil erosion control, and desertification land management. The positive effect at the local scale has been widely verified, but the responses of productivity and species diversity were inconsistent. The positive effect at the regional scale gradually emerges, yet the spatial heterogeneity is significant, and the quantification of driving forces is an important prerequisite. There is a significant increase of rare wild animals in natural reserves, though it failed to curb the loss of animal and plant diversity in artificially planted areas. The long‐term effects of various ERPs on biodiversity should be taken into account so as to optimize the ecological measures and build a sustainable management model after project restoration. By summarizing the above achievements and problems of ERPs, we proposed a stepwise ecological restoration and adaptive management scheme by different restoration goals and reference modes, that is, “Environmental treatment—Ecological restoration projects—Adaptive management.”
PLLA‐Based Block Copolymers via Raft Polymerization—Impact of the Synthetic Route and Activation Mechanism
Authors: Alsawaf Ahmad , Kanehira Yuya , Bapolisi Alain M. , Bald Ilko , Hartlieb Matthias
Published: September 2023

Designing supramolecular structures with well‐defined dimensions and diverse morphologies via the self‐assembly of block copolymers is renowned. Specifically, the design of 1D fiber nanostructures is extensively emphasized, due to their unique properties in many areas, such as microelectronics, photonics, and particularly in the biomedical field. Herein, amphiphilic diblock copolymers of P(l‐lactide)‐b‐P(N‐t‐butoxy‐carbonyl‐N´‐acryloyl‐1,2‐diaminoethane)‐co‐P(N‐isopropylacrylamide) PLLAn‐b‐P(BocAEAm)m‐co‐ P(NiPAAm)Ɩ are developed. Two synthetic strategies are investigated to equip PLLA with a chain transfer agent (CTA), either by Steglich esterification of PLLA‐OH or via the ring‐opening polymerization of l‐lactide using a CTA containing a hydroxyl functional group. The second strategy proves to be superior in terms of degree of functionalization. The corona‐forming blocks, with degrees of polymerization of 200 and above are achieved in good definition by photo‐iniferter RAFT polymerization (Đ ≤ 1.25), while a Đ of 1.75 is obtained by conventional RAFT polymerization. The self‐assembly of the developed system leads to the formation of nanofibers with a height of 11 nm and a length of ≈300 nm, which is determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). These fibers are the basis for new antimicrobial nanomaterials after deprotection, as the subject of upcoming work.
Strict Arakelov‐type inequalities for a family of curves
Authors: Xu Wan‐Yuan
Published: September 2023

In this note, we prove some strict Arakelov‐type inequalities which bound the degree of the pushfoward of the relative pluricanonical sheaf for a family of curves. We give an analogous result in positive characteristic.
Detecting agricultural drought risks: A case study of the rice crop (Oryza sativa) and the TAMSAT‐ALERT system in Guyana
Authors: David Donessa L.
Published: September 2023

Drought‐related risks pose a threat to the agricultural sector of Guyana despite the country's wealth of freshwater resources. As a result, the advancement of the understanding of soil moisture deficits as a means of forecasting agricultural drought is needed to aid farmers, extension officers, and other agricultural decision‐makers. Hence, this study has been motivated by the following research question: Can the Tropical Applications of Meteorology using SATellite data—AgriculturaL Early waRning sysTem (TAMSAT‐ALERT) be used to assess the meteorological risk to cultivation at key points in the growing season? Due to the absence of in situ soil moisture data for the area of study, the Joint UK Land and Environment Simulator (JULES) model was used to model the historical soil moisture, based on gauge precipitation data and NCEP reanalysis data. A case study approach during the 1997 growing seasons of the rice crop was taken to determine whether the TAMSAT‐ALERT can be used to detect drought‐related risks during the growing season of the crop. Additionally, the skill of the TAMSAT‐ALERT drought forecasting system was highly dependent on the land surface state at the initialization of the forecast period. Therefore, the meteorological conditions over the area of interest mainly precipitation in the months or weeks leading up to the initialization of the forecast will have a strong influence on the soil moisture at that period.
Single‐field identification of inclusions and cavities in an elastic medium
Authors: Rabinovich Daniel , Givoli Dan , Turkel Eli
Published: September 2023

The inverse problem of identifying a small unknown inclusion or cavity in an elastic medium is considered. Important applications are structural damage identification, medical imaging and geophysical exploration; the latter is the focus of the present investigation. It is assumed that the (isotropic but possibly heterogeneous) material properties of the medium are known, except for the presence of a small inclusion of a different material or of a small cavity. The goal is to find the location, size and shape of the inclusion or cavity. Identification is performed using full waveform inversion (FWI) and the adjoint method for the efficient calculation of the gradient of the misfit function. The identification is accomplished by considering a single unknown material‐property field. The inclusion manifests itself in the inverse solution as a local region where the unknown material property becomes significantly different than the known background property. The limiting case of cavity identification requires special treatment in the minimization process to avoid failure, as Bürchner et al. showed empirically for the scalar wave equation. Their ‐scaling approach, whose success is explained mathematically here for the first time, is extended to elastodynamics. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated via numerical examples, involving two geophysical models: a homogeneous model and the heterogeneous Marmousi model, which is a standard testing model in geophysical research.
Visceral adipocyte size links obesity with dysmetabolism more than fibrosis, and both can be estimated by circulating miRNAs
Authors: Pincu Yair , Makarenkov Nataly , Tsitrina Alexandra A. , Rosengarten‐Levine Marina , Haim Yulia , Yoel Uri , Liberty Idit F. , Dukhno Oleg , Kukeev Ivan , Blüher Matthias , Veksler‐Lublinsky Isana , Rudich Assaf
Published: September 2023

Objective

In obesity, adipocyte hypertrophy is detrimental to health, but its' interrelation with fibrosis in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) depot remains unclear. Because VAT is less accessible via biopsy, biomarkers for VAT quality are needed. The authors hypothesized that VAT adipocyte size and fibrosis are interrelated and can be estimated by circulating microRNAs (circ‐miRNAs), contributing to subphenotyping obesity.

Methods

Adipocyte size and AT fibrosis were estimated in n = 43 participants (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Circ‐miRNAs were sequenced (Next Generation Sequencing).

Results

Participants with above‐ versus below‐median VAT adipocyte area exhibited metabolic dysfunction but lower total and pericellular fibrosis. VAT adipocyte size remained associated with metabolic dysfunction even when controlling for BMI or VAT fibrosis in the entire cohort, as in matched‐pairs subanalyses. Next Generation Sequencing uncovered 22 and 6 circ‐miRNAs associated with VAT adipocyte size and fibrosis, respectively, with miRNA‐130b‐3p common to both analyses. The combination of miRNA‐130b‐3p + miR‐150‐5p + high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol discriminated among those with large versus small VAT adipocytes (receiver operating characteristic‐area under the curve: 0.872 [95% CI: 0.747–0.996]), whereas miRNA‐130b‐3p + miRNA‐15a‐5p + high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol discriminated among those with low and high fibrosis (receiver operating characteristic‐area under the curve: 0.823 [95% CI: 0.676–0.97]).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that VAT adipocyte size and fibrosis are inversely correlated in obesity and can be estimated by distinct circ‐miRNAs, providing a potential tool to subphenotype obesity via a liquid biopsy‐like approach to assess VAT health in nonsurgical patients.
Hearing Loss, Hearing Aids, and Satisfaction With Health Care in the National Health Interview Survey
Authors: Anthony Teresa , Assi Sahar , Garcia Morales Emmanuel E. , Jiang Kening , AuD Danielle Powell , Martinez‐Amezcua Pablo , Oh Esther S. , Deal Jennifer A. , Reed Nicholas S.
Published: September 2023

Objective

Hearing loss may negatively impact satisfaction with health care via patient‐provider communication barriers and may be amenable to hearing care treatment.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional.

Setting

National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative survey of noninstitutionalized US residents, 2013 to 2018 pooled cycles.

Methods

Participants described satisfaction with health care in the past year, categorized as optimal (very satisfied) versus suboptimal (satisfied, dissatisfied, very dissatisfied) satisfaction. Self‐report hearing without hearing aids (excellent, good, a little trouble, moderate trouble, a lot of trouble) and hearing aid use (yes, no) were collected. Weighted Poisson regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and health covariates were used to estimate prevalence rate ratios (PRRs) of satisfaction with care by hearing loss and hearing aid use.

Results

Among 137,216 participants (mean age 50.9 years, 56% female, 12% black), representing 77.2 million Americans in the weighted model, 19% reported trouble hearing. Those with good (PRR = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18‐1.23), a little trouble (PRR = 1.27, 95% CI, 1.23‐1.31), moderate trouble (PRR = 1.29, 95% CI, 1.24‐1.35), and a lot of trouble hearing (PRR = 1.26, 95% CI, 1.18‐1.33) had a higher prevalence rate of suboptimal satisfaction with care relative to those with excellent hearing. Among all participants with trouble hearing, hearing aid users had a 17% decrease in the prevalence rate of suboptimal satisfaction with care (PRR = 0.83, 95% CI, 0.78‐0.88) compared to nonusers.

Conclusion

Hearing loss decreases patient satisfaction with health care, which is tied to Medicare hospital reimbursement models. Hearing aid use may improve patient‐provider communication and patient satisfaction, although prospective studies are warranted to truly establish their protective effect.
A note on the predictive control of non‐holonomic systems and underactuated vehicles in the presence of drift
Authors: Ebel Henrik , Rosenfelder Mario , Eberhard Peter
Published: September 2023

Motion planning and control of non‐holonomic systems is challenging. Only very recently, it has become clear how model predictive controllers for such systems can be generally furnished in the driftless case, where the key is to design a cost function conforming to the geometry arising from the non‐holonomic constraints. However, in some applications, one cannot neglect drift since the time needed to accelerate is non‐negligible, for example, when operating vehicles with high inertia or at high velocities. Therefore, this contribution extends our previous work on the class of driftless non‐holonomic systems to systems with simple kinds of actuator dynamics that allow to represent the boundedness of acceleration in the model. Moreover, we show in a prototypical example of a simple boat‐like vehicle model that a similar procedure can also work for systems that are not non‐holonomic but still under‐actuated. While the contribution is rather technical in nature, to the knowledge of the authors, it is the first time that MPC controllers with theoretical guarantees are proposed for these kinds of models. Moreover, we expect that the resulting controllers are directly of practical value since even the simpler driftless models are employed successfully in various approaches to motion planning.
Simulation of the mechanical behaviour of coated particles using DEM‐BPM
Authors: Safdar Wasif , Rotter Sonja , Orth Maike , Heinrich Stefan , Düster Alexander
Published: September 2023

In previous years, research into the use of granular media as crash absorbers in a ship double hull has led to an increased interest in further optimisation to improve their energy absorption. One way is to add a coating layer on the outside surface of these particles. This work provides an introduction to the numerical modelling of coated particles to simulate their crushing behaviour. Depending upon the type of coating material, the compressive behaviour differs. Therefore, a sound methodology needs to be developed. For that purpose, the discrete element method in combination with the bonded particle method was utilised using the open‐source code MUSEN. The bonded particle method helps to simulate the crushing behaviour of coated particles. However, for this high‐fidelity model, the number of parameters needs to be reduced and afterwards optimised. A sensitivity analysis is performed for that objective followed by optimisation using particle swarm algorithm. The results illustrate a good approximation of the experimental force‐displacement curve by the optimised model on a uniaxial single particle compression test.
Gradient‐based determination of principal design influences on composite structures
Authors: Liedmann Jan , Barthold Franz‐Joseph , Gerzen Nikolai
Published: September 2023

This work deals with the computation of design sensitivities of elastic solid‐shell structures extended to anisotropic layered composite structures. Design sensitivities concerning fiber angles and layer thicknesses are derived and quantitatively determined in the context of the finite element method. The anisotropic analysis model is founded on a sophisticated solid‐shell formulation based on reduced integration and is extended to discretize the composite with only one element over the element thickness by means of multiple integration points. This can be understood as a special case of equivalent‐single‐layer theories. Examination of system response sensitivity matrices using methods from principal component analysis, such as singular value decomposition, is used to identify crucial design changes corresponding to major changes in the structural behavior of the composite. This procedure is termed as sensitivity based design exploration. Results are discussed by reference to simple academic examples.
Find the maximum thermal conductivity of graphene reinforced polymer composite: A molecular dynamics approach
Authors: Chen Shaohua , Xu Nuo , Gorbatikh Larissa , Seveno David
Published: September 2023

The ultrahigh in‐plane thermal conductivity makes the graphene nanoplatelet a promising reinforcement filler for improving the thermal conductivity of polymer materials. Up to now, the highest thermal conductivity enhancement has been achieved by aligning the nanoplatelets along the heat flux direction. In this work, extensive molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to understand the thermal conductivity enhancement capabilities of different architectures of the graphene nanoplatelets within the polyamide‐6 matrix. Surprisingly, we find that the orthogonally arranged graphene nanoplatelets offer even better thermal conductivity enhancement than the simply aligned graphene nanoplatelets. An in‐depth investigation shows that the orthogonal structure can achieve a balance between the global percolation and the alignment of graphene nanoplatelets. Specifically, such an orthogonal structure can take advantage of both thermal percolation and graphene's ultrahigh in‐plane thermal conductivity. Moreover, we have systematically investigated the effects of the size and number density of the nanoplatelets on the thermal conductivity enhancement capability of the orthogonal configuration. Finally, by proposing a validated analytical model, we have identified the pathways to maximize the thermal conductivity of the orthogonally arranged graphene nanoplatelets. The conclusion of this work points out the possible way to develop the graphene‐polymer composite system with exceedingly high thermal conductivity.

Highlights

Different graphene configurations are constructed for polymer composite.

Chemical reactions at the edge of graphene nanoplatelets are considered.

High‐throughput molecular dynamics simulations are conducted to measure thermal conductivity.

Competition between graphene alignment and thermal percolation is identified.

A theoretical model is established for graphene‐polymer composite.
Life philosophy of Bin Kimura
Authors: Fukao Kenjiro
Published: September 2023

Bin Kimura, the most internationally renowned Japanese psychopathologist, developed a unique life‐theoretical position in his later years. The concept of “aida” or “betweenness,” which was in the social dimension in his earlier thought, came to be called “horizontal betweenness,” and the “vertical betweenness” in the vital dimension came to be emphasized. In relation to his time theory, the “intra festum,” which signifies the tendency to immerse oneself in the present, has come to be highlighted as a direct contact with life. He used many coupled concepts, such as “mizukara/onozukara” and “reality/actuality,” to contrast his life‐theoretical position with the scientific‐epistemological one. He was also heavily influenced by the ideas of Viktor von Weizsäcker, and superimposed his concept of “vertical betweenness” over Weizsäcker's concept of “ground relationship” by interpreting it as expressing the dependence of individual life (bios) on life in general (zoé). However, the strongest influences on his life theory were the ideas of Kitaro Nishida, the leading philosopher of the Kyoto School, with whom he had been familiar since his youth. In his last years, Kimura, under Nishida's influence, came to equate life in general with generalized death. Kimura's life philosophy might provide the foundation of psychotherapy by deepening subjective and empathetic understanding of psychiatric patients.