bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelle zur Vorhersage des Schwindens und Kriechens von Beton – Teil 2b: Kriechen – Neuer Ansatz im Eurocode 2 prEN 1992‐1‐1:2021
Authors: Müller Harald S. , Acosta Urrea Fernando , Kvitsel Vladislav
Published: October 2021

Im Herbst 2020 wurde die Überarbeitung der EN 1992‐1‐1:2004 (Eurocode 2) abgeschlossen und damit der Entwurf prEN 1992‐1‐1:2021 vorgelegt. Er stellt der Praxis zahlreiche verbesserte und neue Bemessungskonzepte zur Verfügung. Dies gilt auch für die Modelle zum Schwinden und Kriechen von Konstruktionsbeton, die zum Teil erhebliche Veränderungen erfahren haben. In diesem dreiteiligen Aufsatz (Teil 1 Schwinden, Teile 2a und 2b Kriechen) werden die neuen Modelle zur Prognose des Verformungsverhaltens von Beton vorgestellt. Er beleuchtet auch die Hintergründe, die zur Entwicklung der verbesserten Ansätze geführt haben. Die Teile 1 und 2a sind bereits veröffentlicht (Beton‐ und Stahlbetonbau 116 (2021), Hefte 1 und 9). Im vorliegenden Beitrag (Teil 2b) wird die vorausgegangene Behandlung des Kriechens von Beton fortgeführt und abgeschlossen. Dabei werden zunächst die Zeitfunktionen zur Beschreibung des Kriechens und die mit ihnen verbundenen Implikationen aufgezeigt. Im Weiteren werden verschiedene Aspekte zum linearen und nichtlinearen Kriechen beleuchtet. Im Mittelpunkt des Beitrags steht das neue Prognosemodell der prEN 1992‐1‐1:2021, welches vorgestellt und begründet wird. Statistische Betrachtungen zur Zuverlässigkeit des neuen Modells und die Darstellung eines Konzepts für den Einbezug von Laborversuchsdaten zur Verbesserung der Prognose des Modells bilden den Abschluss des vorliegenden Beitrags sowie des gesamten Aufsatzes.
Bhimamycin J, a Rare Benzo[f]isoindole‐dione Alkaloid from the Marine‐Derived Actinomycete Streptomyces sp. MS180069
Authors: Song Fuhang , Yang Na , Khalil Zeinab G. , Salim Angela A. , Han Jiahui , Bernhardt Paul V. , Lin Rui , Xu Xiuli , Capon Robert J.
Published: October 2021

Chemical investigation on a Streptomyces sp. strain MS180069 isolated from a sediment sample collected from the South China Sea, yielded the new benzo[f]isoindole‐dione alkaloid, bhimamycin J (1). The structure was determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HRMS, 1D, 2D NMR, and X‐ray diffraction techniques. A molecular docking study revealed 1 as a new molecular motif that binds with human angiotensin converting enzyme2 (ACE2), recently described as the cell surface receptor responsible for uptake of 2019‐CoV‐2. Using enzyme assays we confirm that 1 inhibits human ACE2 79.7 % at 25 μg/mL.
Adjunctive rifampin therapy for native valve Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in a neonate: A case report and literature review
Authors: Almatrafi Mohammed A. , Alsahaf Nouf , Alsharif Elaf J. , Sayed Jamal A. , Telmesani Abdulwahab M. A. , Alidrisi Dhuha , Mohammed Alkhayat , Mosalli Rafat , Albaihani Ahmed
Published: October 2021

Infective endocarditis in neonates can be fatal. Adjunctive rifampin therapy might be effective as salvage therapy in critically ill patients with Staphylococcus aureus native valve endocarditis (NVE). We present a case of a full‐term neonate with NVE who had a favorable clinical outcome after adding rifampin to standard therapy.
Complete agenesis of the corpus callosum in paranoid schizophrenia—a case report
Authors: Neupane Hari , Adhikari Suresh , Dhungana Saraswati
Published: October 2021

Corpus callosum agenesis is a rare condition and is sometimes associated with schizophrenia. The co‐existence of these two conditions adds value to the neurodevelopmental theory of schizophrenia.
Subsequent malignant neoplasms in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study: Occurrence of cancer types in which human papillomavirus is an established etiologic risk factor
Authors: Henderson Tara O. , Fowler Brynn W. , Hamann Haley A. , Nathan Paul C. , Whitton Jillian , Leisenring Wendy M. , Oeffinger Kevin C. , Neglia Joseph P. , Turcotte Lucie M. , Arnold Michael A. , Conces Miriam R. , Howell Rebecca M. , Robison Leslie L. , Armstrong Gregory T. , Alexander Kenneth A.
Published: October 2021

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV)‐associated subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNHPV) in childhood cancer survivors are poorly understood.

Methods

The cumulative risk of SMNHPV was assessed among 24,363 Childhood Cancer Survivor Study participants. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and absolute excess risk were calculated using age‐matched, sex‐matched, and calendar year rates from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Poisson regression models identified SMNHPV risk factors, evaluating relative SIRs (rSIR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

Results

In total, 46 survivors developed an SMNHPV (median age, 31 years [range, 10‐56 years]; median time from primary cancer, 21 years [range, 9‐35 years]). SMNHPV sites included oropharynx (N = 44), anorectum (N = 6), uterine cervix (N = 2), and vulva (N = 2). The 33‐year cumulative incidence was 0.3% (95% CI, 0.2%‐0.4%), and the SIR was nearly 3‐fold that of the general population (SIR, 2.86; 95% CI, 2.05‐4.00). Female survivors were not at increased risk of cervical or vulvar cancers compared with the general population. All survivors had an elevated risk of oropharyngeal SMNHPV (males: SIR, 4.06; 95% CI, 2.37‐6.97; females: SIR, 8.44; 95% CI 4.88‐14.61) and anorectal SMNHPV (males: SIR, 13.56; 95% CI, 5.09‐36.13; females: SIR, 9.15; 95% CI, 2.29‐36.61). Males (vs females: rSIR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.00‐3.94); head, neck, and pelvic radiotherapy doses >3000 centigray (vs none: rSIR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.11‐4.97); and cisplatin‐equivalent doses >400 mg/m2 (vs none: rSIR, 4.51; 95% CI, 1.78‐11.43) were associated with increased SMNHPV SIRs in multivariable analysis.

Conclusions

Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk for SMN in sites susceptible to HPV‐associated malignancies. Further research examining HPV in the etiology of SMN and the promotion of HPV vaccination and surveillance guidelines for SMNHPV in cancer survivors is warranted.
The glocalization of the shared society concept in Israel
Authors: Rosen Rolly
Published: October 2021

In November 2008, the Madrid Club's Shared Societies Project published “A Call to Action for Shared Societies” (Club de Madrid 2009). It included a list of commitments, among them, creating opportunities for consultation of minorities, monitoring structures and policies, etc. (ibid, p. 37). The present article seeks to

Follow the glocalization process of the principles and describe the ways the concept of “shared society” reached Israeli civil society

Describe these through the example of one conference.

Follow narratives regarding the “birth of the concept’

Explore the dissemination strategies.

Understand the different interpretations attached to it and compare them to the parallel global discourse

Describe the implementations and/or rejections.

Explore the challenges involved.

(While the Club de Madrid recommendations were written to serve governments, in Israel, they were used mainly by civil society organizations, sometimes in cooperation with local authorities. The Israeli government was nor particularly interested in the principles, which was one of the reasons the Club de Madrid ceased its work in the country around 2015).
Wildfire and topography drive woody plant diversity in a Sky Island mountain range in the Southwest USA
Authors: Barton Andrew M. , Poulos Helen
Published: October 2021

Aim

Drastic changes in fire regimes are altering plant communities, inspiring ecologists to better understand the relationship between fire and plant species diversity. We examined the impact of a 90,000‐ha wildfire on woody plant species diversity in an arid mountain range in southern Arizona, USA. We tested recent fire‐diversity hypotheses by addressing the impacts on diversity of fire severity, fire variability, historical fire regimes, and topography.

Location

Chiricahua National Monument, Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, USA, part of the Sky Islands of the US–Mexico borderlands.

Taxon

Woody plant species.

Methods

We sampled woody plant diversity in 138 plots before (2002–2003) and after (2017–2018) the 2011 Horseshoe Two Fire in three vegetation types and across fire severity and topographic gradients. We calculated gamma, alpha, and beta diversity and examined changes over time in burned versus unburned plots and the shapes of the relationships of diversity with fire severity and topography.

Results

Alpha species richness declined, and beta and gamma diversity increased in burned but not unburned plots. Fire‐induced enhancement of gamma diversity was confined to low fire severity plots. Alpha diversity did not exhibit a clear continuous relationship with fire severity. Beta diversity was enhanced by variation in fire severity among plots and increased with fire severity up to very high severity, where it declined slightly.

Main Conclusions

The results reject the intermediate disturbance hypothesis for alpha diversity but weakly support it for gamma diversity. Spatial variation in fire severity promoted variation among plant assemblages, supporting the pyrodiversity hypothesis. Long‐term drought probably amplified fire‐driven diversity changes. Despite the apparent benign impact of the fire on diversity, the replacement of two large conifer species with a suite of drought‐tolerant shrubs signals the potential loss of functional diversity, a pattern that may warrant restoration efforts to retain these important compositional elements.
Food availability, temperature, and day length drive seasonal variations in the positional behavior of white‐headed langurs in the limestone forests of Southwest Guangxi, China
Authors: Zheng Jingjin , Zhang Kechu , Liang Jipeng , Li Youbang , Huang Zhonghao
Published: October 2021

Information on positional behavior contributes to the understanding of the ecological adaptation mechanisms in animals. We collected data on the positional behavior of white‐headed langurs (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) at the Guangxi Chongzuo White‐Headed Langur National Nature Reserve from September 2016 to August 2017 via instantaneous scan sampling method. This study aimed to examine the importance of positional behavior flexibility in limestone forests characterized by seasonal variations in climate and food resources. Our results indicated that langurs adopted leaping (47.92% ± 5.50%) and vertical climbing (40.13% ± 6.20%) as their predominant locomotor modes and sitting (83.08% ± 4.70%) as their predominant posture. Their positional behavior exhibited marked seasonal variations. More specifically, langurs used quadrupedal walking more frequently during the dry season than during the rainy months. In the stationary state, they sat more frequently during the dry season, whereas they laid and suspended more often during the rainy season. Their positional behavior was affected by fruit availability, day length, and temperature. Quadrupedal walking increased with the decrease in fruit availability, whereas leaping was positively correlated with fruit availability. Moreover, sitting was positively correlated with average temperature but negatively correlated with day length. Lying was also negatively correlated with temperature but positively correlated with day length. We conclude that white‐headed langurs adapt to limestone forests with positional behavior flexibility in response to seasonality. Our research provides evidence of the effects of food availability, ambient temperature, and day length on the positional behavior of white‐headed langurs, highlighting the need to understand their behavioral ecology and the influence of ecological factors on behavioral adaptation.
A review: Dielectrophoresis for characterizing and separating similar cell subpopulations based on bioelectric property changes due to disease progression and therapy assessment
Authors: Duncan Josie L. , Davalos Rafael V.
Published: October 2021

This paper reviews the use of dielectrophoresis for high‐fidelity separations and characterizations of subpopulations to highlight the recent advances in the electrokinetic field as well as provide insight into its progress toward commercialization. The role of cell subpopulations in heterogeneous clinical samples has been studied to deduce their role in disease progression and therapy resistance for instances such as cancer, tissue regeneration, and bacterial infection. Dielectrophoresis (DEP), a label‐free electrokinetic technique, has been used to characterize and separate target subpopulations from mixed samples to determine disease severity, cell stemness, and drug efficacy. Despite its high sensitivity to characterize similar or related cells based on their differing bioelectric signatures, DEP has been slowly adopted both commercially and clinically. This review addresses the use of dielectrophoresis for the identification of target cell subtypes in stem cells, cancer cells, blood cells, and bacterial cells dependent on cell state and therapy exposure and addresses commercialization efforts in light of its sensitivity and future perspectives of the technology, both commercially and academically.
Probabilistic estimation of inelastic displacement demands in soil–structure interaction systems on cohesive soils
Authors: Avcı Yaşar , Yazgan Ufuk
Published: October 2021

Inelastic displacement ratios (IDRs) of nonlinear soil–structure interaction (SSI) systems located at sites with cohesive soils are investigated in this study. To capture the effects of inelastic cyclic behavior of the supporting soil, the Beam on Nonlinear Winkler Foundation (BNWF) model is used. The superstructure is modeled using an inelastic single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDOF) system model. Nonlinear SSI systems representing various combinations of unconfined compressive strengths and shear wave velocities are considered in the analysis. A set of strong ground motions recorded at sites with soft to stiff soils is used for considering the record‐to‐record variability of IDRs. It is observed that IDRs for nonlinear SSI systems are sensitive to the strength and the stiffness properties of both the soil and the structure. For the case of SSI systems on the top of cohesive soils, the compressive strength of the soil has a significant impact on the IDRs, which cannot be captured by considering only the shear wave velocity of the soil. Based on the results of nonlinear time‐history analysis, a new equation is proposed for estimating the mean and the dispersion of IDRs of SSI systems depending on the characteristic properties of the supporting soil, dimensions of the foundation, and properties of the superstructure. A probabilistic framework is presented for the performance‐based seismic design of SSI systems located at sites with cohesive soils.
Energy efficiency analysis of narrowband Internet of Things with auxiliary active cycles for small data transmission
Authors: Rastogi Eshita , Kumar Maheshwari Mukesh , Roy Abhishek , Saxena Navrati , Ryeol Shin Dong
Published: October 2021

Narrowband Internet of Things (NB‐IoT) is a cellular‐based technology standardized by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in Release‐13 with the primary focus to support low‐power, low‐data rate, and delay‐tolerant applications. The main contributions of this article are: (a) we describe the architecture of NB‐IoT and its evolution in further 3GPP Releases and (b) we develop a semi‐Markov based energy‐saving model for the NB‐IoT device. Different from the other existing approaches which focus on the optimization of power consumption of the NB‐IoT device, we propose the addition of a novel Auxiliary State to the conventional NB‐IoT Discontinuous Reception (DRX) mechanism. This state facilitates the reduction in energy consumption of the NB‐IoT device, especially in case of small data transmission. The performance of the proposed scheme is analyzed in terms of power saving factor and average delay experienced by the device for varying eDRX timer, PSM timer, DRX cycle duration, and DRX active duration values. The proposed model is also evaluated for different arrival rates of the data packets and thresholds on the number of data packets. In this study, we claim that the newly introduced Auxiliary State improves the power saving of the NB‐IoT user on the arrival of very small data packets. Numerical results show that the power saving factor increases up to and by varying the eDRX timer and PSM timer, respectively.
Large eddy simulation for improving smoke extraction efficiency by inverted V‐shaped baffle in the urban tunnel
Authors: Deng Hongjie , Sun Qianlong , He Peixiang , Tao Changfa , Liu Xiaoping , Cong Haiyong
Published: October 2021

In order to reduce the undesirable effect of boundary layer separation and plug‐holing in a naturally ventilated tunnel with shaft for smoke extraction, a new design of baffle has been proposed in this paper. Large eddy simulation (LES) was performed with fire dynamics simulator (FDS), the influence of the angle formed by the boards () and the distance between the baffle top and the shaft bottom () has been investigated. The simulation results show that the smoke extraction efficiency is not simply a monotonic function of the distance or the angle , the influence of and has been discussed, and the mechanism has been investigated. With proper configuration of the inverted V‐shaped baffle, the negative effect of plug‐holing can be eliminated, and the boundary layer separation can also be alleviated; the maximal smoke extraction efficiency is 2.04 times of that in the traditional shaft.
Lateral entorhinal cortex supports the development of prefrontal network activity that bridges temporally discontiguous stimuli
Authors: Yu Xiaotian (Tag) , Yu Jessica , Choi Allison , Takehara‐Nishiuchi Kaori
Published: October 2021

The lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) is an essential component of the brain circuitry supporting long‐term memory by serving as an interface between the hippocampus and neocortex. Dysfunction of the LEC affects sensory coding in the hippocampus, leading to a view that the LEC provides the hippocampus with highly processed sensory information. It remains unclear, however, how the LEC modulates neural processing in the neocortical regions. To address this point, we pharmacologically inactivated the LEC of male rats during a temporal associative learning task and examined its impact on local network activity in one of the LEC's efferent targets, the prelimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Rats were exposed to two neutral stimuli, one of which was paired with an aversive eyelid shock over a short temporal delay. The LEC inhibition reduced the expression of anticipatory blinking responses to the reinforced stimuli without increasing responses to nonreinforced stimuli. In control rats, both the reinforced and nonreinforced stimuli evoked a short‐lived, wide‐band increase in the prelimbic network activity. With learning, the initial increase of gamma‐band activity started to extend into the interval between the reinforced neutral stimulus and the eyelid shock. LEC inhibition attenuated the learning‐induced sustained activity, without affecting the initial transient activity. These results suggest that the integrity of LEC is necessary for the formation of temporal stimulus associations and its neural correlates in the mPFC. Given the minimal effects on the innate network responses to sensory stimuli, the LEC appears not to be the main source of sensory inputs to the mPFC; rather it may provide a framework that shapes the mPFC network response to behaviorally relevant cues.
TNF‐α increases the risk of bleeding in patients after CAR T‐cell therapy: A bleeding model based on a real‐world study of Chinese CAR T Working Party
Authors: Qi Jiaqian , Lv Xin , Chen Jia , Wang Hong , Chu Tiantian , Tang Yaqiong , Pan Tingting , Zhou Meng , Cai Chengsen , Ren Yuan , Liu Yuejun , Fan Yi , Shen Wenhong , Ma Xiao , Qiu Huiying , Tang Xiaowen , Fu Chengcheng , Wu Depei , Han Yue
Published: October 2021

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy has shown excellent clinical efficacy in patients with hematologic malignancies. However, severe bleeding after this treatment is a life‐threatening complication for most patients. This study evaluated the risk factors associated with bleeding in CAR T treatment and developed a predictive model for this complication. Analysis performed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University and external validation launched in Suzhou Hongci Hematology Hospital (Jiangsu, China). We conducted a real‐world study incorporating data from 400 patients with hematologic malignancies treated with CAR T between 1 November 2015 and 1 September 2019. Also, 39 patients from another hospital were selected for external validation. Patients with severe bleeding (hazard ratio [HR] 13.04, 95% confidence interval 5.82–29.18; p < 0.001) had a higher risk of death after CAR T. Stage III and IV cytokine release syndrome (CRS) (odds ratio [OR] 6.07, 95% CI 2.35–16.76; p < 0.001) and higher tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels (OR 4.00, 95% CI 1.53–11.35; p < 0.001) were independent factors of bleeding in patients after CAR‐T treatment. The predictive model developed by Lasso regression, which selected factors such as CRS period, transfusion volume, platelet percentage, platelet count, thrombinogen time, interleukin 6, and TNF‐α levels, and showed Nomogram, yielded excellent agreement (C‐statistics = 0.905) with the calibration curve, which improved clinical benefit with respect to established bleeding scores such as outpatient bleeding risk index (MOBRI). External validation was performed using 39 patients from another hospital with an AUC of 0.700. Patients with severe bleeding after Car‐T therapy had increased the risk of death. A cross‐validated bleeding risk score based on CRS stages and TNF‐α level show significant prognostic value in patients undergoing CAR‐T treatment.
Point‐of‐care assessment of combined umbilical arterial and venous lactate: A potential screening test for neonatal acidosis
Authors: Torres Yordán Nora C. , Lewis Ayodele G. , McElrath Thomas F. , Tolan Nicole V. , Greenberg James A.
Published: October 2021

Objective

To examine the relationship between point‐of‐care (POC) measurement of combined umbilical arterial and venous (CUAV) lactate and umbilical artery (UA) lactate to determine whether POC assessment of this sample could be an alternative screening modality for neonatal acidosis and aid prediction of neonatal morbidity.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional pilot study, UA and CUAV cord blood samples were collected from live, singleton neonates delivered between June and August 2019, at a tertiary care center. UA samples were analyzed for pH and lactate using a blood gas analyzer. CUAV lactate was also assessed on a blood gas analyzer and at the POC. Linear regression was used to determine the correlation between these samples.

Results

A total of 152 neonates were included. There was a statistically significant correlation between CUAV lactate concentrations and UA lactate concentrations (R2 = 0.744). Additionally, CUAV lactate concentration measured at the POC was significantly correlated with that measured on a traditional blood gas analyzer (R2 = 0.928).

Conclusion

POC testing of CUAV lactate is reliable and closely correlated with UA lactate concentrations, making POC testing of CUAV lactate a potential screening test for neonatal acidosis. More data are needed to establish standardization of this test relative to its predictive value in clinical neonatal outcomes.
Gene polymorphisms of insulin secretion signaling pathway associated with clopidogrel resistance in Han Chinese population
Authors: Zhong Jinyan , Yu Qinglin , Zheng Nan , Su Jia , Zheng Xiaowei , Zheng Liangrong , Chen Xiaomin
Published: October 2021

Background

Due to the loss of responsiveness to insulin, diabetes mellitus (DM) patients develop increased platelet reactivity and reduced response to antiplatelet agents. Nevertheless, the relationship between the single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the signal pathway gene of insulin secretion and the effect of clopidogrel is elusive.

Methods

Blood samples were collected from patients administered with dual‐antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel, 75 mg, once daily and aspirin, 100 mg, once daily) after 5 days and completed test within 4 h. The VerifyNow P2Y12 assay was used to measure the platelet functions, and the results were expressed as a P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU). Notably, the selected SNPs were analyzed to demonstrate the functionality of genetic variants.

Results

Analysis of the study population showed that old age, lower plasma albumin (ALB) level, higher creatinine (CREA) level, higher uric acid (UA) level, lower platelet (PLT) count, and lower plateletcrit (PCT) potentially increased the risk of clopidogrel resistance. In a single‐nucleotide polymorphism rs6056209 of the PCLB1 gene, the AG genotype was a risk factor for clopidogrel resistance (p < 0.05, OR = 1.574). Similarly, the CC and AG genotype in GNAS rs7121 and CCKAR rs1800857 were protective factors (p < 0.05, OR = 0.094;p <0.05, OR = 0.491). TT was a protective factor in rs10814274 of the CREB3 gene (p < 0.05, OR = 0.444). In the RAPGEF4 gene polymorphism rs17746510, TG was the protective genotype, and the TT genotype was a risk factor for clopidogrel resistance. GCG rs5645 was confirmed; there was a relationship between genotypes containing A or G and clopidogrel resistance.

Conclusion

Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms of insulin secretion signaling pathway genes trigger clopidogrel resistance.
Fast impedance prediction for power distribution network using deep learning
Authors: Zhang Ling , Juang Jack , Kiguradze Zurab , Pu Bo , Jin Shuai , Wu Songping , Yang Zhiping , Fan Jun , Hwang Chulsoon
Published: October 2021

Modeling and simulating a power distribution network (PDN) for printed circuit boards with irregular board shapes and multi‐layer stackup is computationally inefficient using full‐wave simulations. This paper presents a new concept of using deep learning for PDN impedance prediction. A boundary element method (BEM) is applied to efficiently calculate the impedance for arbitrary board shape and stackup. Then over one million boards with different shapes, stackup, integrated circuits (IC) location, and decap placement are randomly generated to train a deep neural network (DNN). The trained DNN can predict the impedance accurately for new board configurations that have not been used for training. The consumed time using the trained DNN is only 0.1 s, which is over 100 times faster than the BEM method and 10 000 times faster than full‐wave simulations.
The Role of Transvaginal Two‐Dimensional Ultrasound Combined With Color Doppler in the Evaluation of Ovarian Function and Fertility After Uterine Artery Embolization
Authors: Shi Jing , Ge Yu Rong , Ni Jiana , Dong Xueqin
Published: October 2021

Objective

Our study seeks to assess the value of transvaginal two‐dimensional ultrasound combined with color Doppler in evaluating ovarian function and reproductive function after uterine artery embolization (UAE).

Methods

Totally 64 cases with cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) were collected. Their information was recorded, including baseline information, intraoperative and postoperative information, preoperative and postoperative uterine receptivity, and preoperative and postoperative levels of sex hormones in serum. Finally, the patients were followed up to observe whether they were pregnant after treatment.

Results

In comparison with 24 hours after UAE, decreases were found in endometrial blood flow pulsatility index (PI), endometrial thickness, ovarian artery peak end‐systolic velocity (Vs), ovarian artery resistance index (RI), and the ratio of Vs to peak end‐diastolic velocity (S/D) 1 and 3 months after embolization, while Vd increased markedly 3 months after embolization. In addition, in terms of sex hormones, a significant increase was revealed in the level of follicle‐stimulating hormone, while the reduction in the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), estrogen (E2), prolactin (PRL), and progesterone (P) in the first month and the third month of menstrual resumption compared with those before treatment. From the follow‐up data, there were 50 cases of pregnancy, including 45 cases of intrauterine pregnancy, 2 cases of tubal pregnancy, and 3 cases of recurrent CSP.

Conclusion

UAE is a safe and effective method to prevent massive hemorrhage of CSP. Transvaginal two‐dimensional ultrasound combined with color Doppler can more accurately evaluate its therapeutic effect and provide a basis for effective treatment.
Expanding Nature: Product line and brand extensions of a scientific journal
Authors: Khelfaoui Mahdi , Gingras Yves
Published: October 2021

Academic publishers now market their most prestigious journals as commercial brands. This paper investigates this trend in the scholarly publishing market, by analyzing how the successive owners of the journal Nature have capitalized on its reputation to generate additional profits to those already accumulated through university library subscriptions. Two branding strategies of the journal Nature are analyzed: the first one, product line extension, consists in extending the Nature brand in the same product category, by creating an ever‐increasing number of derived Nature journals; the second one, brand extension, consists in extending the Nature brand to other categories of products and services, such as academic rankings, sponsored supplements, feature advertisements, or webinars and trainings. The Nature brand leveraging strategy has been imitated by many other journal publishers. These branded products and services are well suited to the particular dynamics of the scientific field, which is based on the continuous quest for recognition. They are thus sold at all stages of the research cycle, from writing grants to popularizing research results, to scientists and academic institutions competing to accumulate symbolic capital. In this respect, academic publishers that engage in scholarly journal branding contribute to the transformation of the scientific ‘community’ into a scientific market.
Fully automated multiorgan segmentation of female pelvic magnetic resonance images with coarse‐to‐fine convolutional neural network
Authors: Zabihollahy Fatemeh , Viswanathan Akila N , Schmidt Ehud J , Morcos Marc , Lee Junghoon
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Brachytherapy combined with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is the standard treatment for cervical cancer and has been shown to improve overall survival rates compared to EBRT only. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is used for radiotherapy (RT) planning and image guidance due to its excellent soft tissue image contrast. Rapid and accurate segmentation of organs at risk (OAR) is a crucial step in MR image‐guided RT. In this paper, we propose a fully automated two‐step convolutional neural network (CNN) approach to delineate multiple OARs from T2‐weighted (T2W) MR images.

Methods

We employ a coarse‐to‐fine segmentation strategy. The coarse segmentation step first identifies the approximate boundary of each organ of interest and crops the MR volume around the centroid of organ‐specific region of interest (ROI). The cropped ROI volumes are then fed to organ‐specific fine segmentation networks to produce detailed segmentation of each organ. A three‐dimensional (3‐D) U‐Net is trained to perform the coarse segmentation. For the fine segmentation, a 3‐D Dense U‐Net is employed in which a modified 3‐D dense block is incorporated into the 3‐D U‐Net‐like network to acquire inter and intra‐slice features and improve information flow while reducing computational complexity. Two sets of T2W MR images (221 cases for MR1 and 62 for MR2) were taken with slightly different imaging parameters and used for our network training and test. The network was first trained on MR1 which was a larger sample set. The trained model was then transferred to the MR2 domain via a fine‐tuning approach. Active learning strategy was utilized for selecting the most valuable data from MR2 to be included in the adaptation via transfer learning.

Results

The proposed method was tested on 20 MR1 and 32 MR2 test sets. Mean ± SD dice similarity coefficients are 0.93 ± 0.04, 0.87 ± 0.03, and 0.80 ± 0.10 on MR1 and 0.94 ± 0.05, 0.88 ± 0.04, and 0.80 ± 0.05 on MR2 for bladder, rectum, and sigmoid, respectively. Hausdorff distances (95th percentile) are 4.18 ± 0.52, 2.54 ± 0.41, and 5.03 ± 1.31 mm on MR1 and 2.89 ± 0.33, 2.24 ± 0.40, and 3.28 ± 1.08 mm on MR2, respectively. The performance of our method is superior to other state‐of‐the‐art segmentation methods.

Conclusions

We proposed a two‐step CNN approach for fully automated segmentation of female pelvic MR bladder, rectum, and sigmoid from T2W MR volume. Our experimental results demonstrate that the developed method is accurate, fast, and reproducible, and outperforms alternative state‐of‐the‐art methods for OAR segmentation significantly (p < 0.05).
A data‐driven semantic segmentation model for direct cardiac functional analysis based on undersampled radial MR cine series
Authors: Wech Tobias , Ankenbrand Markus Johannes , Bley Thorsten Alexander , Heidenreich Julius Frederik
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Image acquisition and subsequent manual analysis of cardiac cine MRI is time‐consuming. The purpose of this study was to train and evaluate a 3D artificial neural network for semantic segmentation of radially undersampled cardiac MRI to accelerate both scan time and postprocessing.

Methods

A database of Cartesian short‐axis MR images of the heart (148,500 images, 484 examinations) was assembled from an openly accessible database and radial undersampling was simulated. A 3D U‐Net architecture was pretrained for segmentation of undersampled spatiotemporal cine MRI. Transfer learning was then performed using samples from a second database, comprising 108 non‐Cartesian radial cine series of the midventricular myocardium to optimize the performance for authentic data. The performance was evaluated for different levels of undersampling by the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) with respect to reference labels, as well as by deriving ventricular volumes and myocardial masses.

Results

Without transfer learning, the pretrained model performed moderately on true radial data [maximum number of projections tested, P = 196; DSC = 0.87 (left ventricle), DSC = 0.76 (myocardium), and DSC =0.64 (right ventricle)]. After transfer learning with authentic data, the predictions achieved human level even for high undersampling rates (P = 33, DSC = 0.95, 0.87, and 0.93) without significant difference compared with segmentations derived from fully sampled data.

Conclusion

A 3D U‐Net architecture can be used for semantic segmentation of radially undersampled cine acquisitions, achieving a performance comparable with human experts in fully sampled data. This approach can jointly accelerate time‐consuming cine image acquisition and cumbersome manual image analysis.
Genotype‐related respiratory progression in Duchenne muscular dystrophy—A multicenter international study
Authors: Trucco Federica , Ridout Deborah , Domingos Joana , Maresh Kate , Chesshyre Mary , Munot Pinki , Sarkozy Anna , Robb Stephanie , Quinlivan Rosaline , Riley Mollie , Wallis Colin , Chan Elaine , Abel Francois , De Lucia Silvana , Hogrel Jean‐Yves , Niks Erik H. , de Groot Imelda , Servais Laurent , Straub Volker , Ricotti Valeria , Manzur Adnan , Muntoni Francesco ,   for the UK NorthStar Clinical Network and AFM Network
Published: October 2021

Introduction/Aims

Mutations amenable to skipping of specific exons have been associated with different motor progression in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Less is known about their association with long‐term respiratory function. In this study we investigated the features of respiratory progression in four DMD genotypes relevant in ongoing exon‐skipping therapeutic strategies.

Methods

This was a retrospective longitudinal study including DMD children followed by the UK NorthStar Network and international AFM Network centers (May 2003 to October 2020). We included boys amenable to skip exons 44, 45, 51, or 53, who were older than 5 years of age and ambulant at first recorded visit. Subjects who were corticosteroid‐naive or enrolled in interventional clinical trials were excluded. The progression of respiratory function (absolute forced vital capacity [FVC] and calculated as percent predicted [FVC%]) was compared across the four subgroups (skip44, skip45, skip51, skip53).

Results

We included 142 boys in the study. Mean (standard deviation) age at first visit was 8.6 (2.5) years. Median follow‐up was 3 (range, 0.3‐8.3) years. In skip45 and skip51, FVC% declined linearly from the first recorded visit. From the age of 9 years, FVC% declined linearly in all genotypes. Skip44 had the slowest (2.7%/year) and skip51 the fastest (5.9%/year) annual FVC% decline. The absolute FVC increased progressively in skip44, skip45, and skip51. In skip53, FVC started declining from 14 years of age.

Discussion

The progression of respiratory dysfunction follows different patterns for specific genotype categories. This information is valuable for prognosis and for the evaluation of exon‐skipping therapies.
Timing of oral intake after esophagectomy: A narrative review of the literature and case report
Authors: Johnson Stephani , Ziegler Jane , August David A.
Published: October 2021

Esophagectomy, a treatment modality for esophageal cancer, is associated with high rates of morbidity, the most common being anastomotic leaks and pulmonary complications. The current standard of care for nutrition support after esophagectomy includes a period of nothing by mouth with enteral nutrition support via jejunostomy tube owing to the concern of increasing the risk of anastomotic leak as a result of early postoperative oral intake. However, the optimal timing of oral diet initiation remains controversial. This narrative review presents a patient who incurred an anastomotic leak following esophagectomy after initiation of oral intake on postoperative day 5 and evaluates the current literature on the timing of oral diet initiation after esophagectomy. A systematic literature search was performed to assess current evidence evaluating early oral diet (EOD) initiation after esophagectomy. Over the past 5 years, 11 studies have evaluated the impact of EOD initiation after esophagectomy in comparison with a conventional feeding regimen, including a period of nothing by mouth with enteral or parenteral nutrition support. The available evidence suggests that EOD initiation does not increase rates of complications after esophagectomy. However, the evidence is limited by the lack of a standardized definition of what constitutes EOD initiation, patient selection bias, variations in nutrition support provided in the studies, and lack of statistical analyses evaluating the impact of potential confounding variables. Additional research with larger, high‐quality randomized controlled trials is needed to determine the optimal timing of diet initiation after esophagectomy.
Transition to motherhood for Japanese primiparas from delivery to 6 months postpartum: A qualitative study
Authors: Katou Youko , Okamura Mitsuko , Ohira Mitsuko
Published: October 2021

Aim

This study investigates aspects of the socio‐culturally influenced Japanese primiparas’ transition to motherhood.

Design

A qualitative descriptive study approach with interviews of Japanese primiparas was used.

Methods

Individual interviews with 21 Japanese primiparas were conducted, with a focus on their transition to motherhood and familiarization with the maternal role. The interviews were analysed, and categories and subcategories were established. This paper was developed using the COREQ guidelines for reporting qualitative studies.

Results

Seven major categories with 26 subcategories were identified in the transition to motherhood. The seven categories are listed as follows: “confusion with first childcare experience,” “suffering related to childcare,” “clinging to the image of an ideal mother,” “internal conflict while comparing oneself to other mothers,” “undertaking childcare by disengaging from one's stereotype,” “realization of becoming a mother” and “changing relationship with surrounding people.”
Crude oil price and government effectiveness: The determinants of corruption in oil abundant states
Authors: Madathil Johnson Clement , Palaniyappa Shanmugam Velmurugan , Thippillikat Ashitha
Published: October 2021

This research investigates the impact of crude oil price and government effectiveness on control of corruption measures in the oil abundant countries. By using a panel dataset of 18 oil‐producing countries from 2002 to 2017, and panel data regressions, the paper finds that crude oil price and government effectiveness can significantly decrease corruption in the oil‐producing countries. Besides, the findings show that crude oil prices with weaker governments can significantly increase corruption in oil‐producing countries. The results imply that crude oil prices with the institutions that control private investments, public funds, and public employment can significantly determine corruption in the oil abundant countries. In addition, the findings also substantiate rent‐seeking and patronage behaviors in the governments of oil abundant countries. The findings suggest that oil abundant countries must move further from rent‐seeking and patronage motives by promoting private investments in the non‐oil sectors, and create independent public services to reduce corruption. The paper suggests that the reforms should be pressured from international communities and policymakers to reduce corruption in oil abundant states.
Insight into acetylene plasma deposition using molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Brault Pascal , Ji Marisol , Sciacqua Dario , Poncin‐Epaillard Fabienne , Berndt Johannes , Kovacevic Eva
Published: October 2021

Molecular dynamics simulations are carried out for studying the growth and properties of polymers from pure acetylene plasma. A mixture of H, C2H, and C2H2 is the initial composition used for running the molecular dynamics simulations. The resulting films are characterized by determining the bond order, [H]/[C] ratio, and simulated infrared spectrum. The latter is qualitatively compared with three different experiments: IR peak identification and positions are recovered.
Green chemical production of biocompatible conductive poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) by nonthermal plasma‐activated water
Authors: Chen Tungpo , Tseng Yu‐Ting , Wan Chieh‐Hao , Gu Yesong
Published: October 2021

To synthesize a conductive polymer poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) using a more environmentally friendly approach, we have previously used a nonthermal plasma (NTP) to activate H2O2 for the initiation of water‐soluble PEDOT:PSS synthesis, which has been confirmed to be degradable. Considering the instability of H2O2, we have attempted to use NTP to activate water instead of H2O2 and optimize the polymerization to achieve better effectiveness. In this study, we have also demonstrated that for the synthesis of PEDOT, an acidic condition is more suitable for more radical formation and a mild heating procedure could be used for better polymerization. Further characterizations revealed that the final product of PEDOT:PSS was not only biocompatible but also comparable to other approaches regarding conductivity.
The use of GA‐RxODE (Genetics Algorithms and Running simulations from Ordinary Differential Equations‐based model) method to optimize bioequivalence studies
Authors: Nuske Ezequiel Omar , Morozov Mikhail , Alejandro Serra Héctor
Published: October 2021

Bioequivalence (BE) studies are prerequisite in generic products approval. Normally, they are quite simple in design and expensive in execution, and sometimes suffer ethical questioning. Genetics Algorithms and Running simulations from Ordinary Differential Equations‐based model (GA‐RxODE) is a multipurpose method used in pharmacokinetic (PK) optimization. It can be used to complete concentration–time (C–T) missing data. In this investigation, GA‐RxODE was applied in BE field. For this purpose, three BE studies were selected as a source data comprising formulations of metformin, alprazolam and clonazepam. From them, five blood samples values per volunteer‐round from specific preset times were chosen as if BE study was carried out with five instead of the classic 10–20 samples. With the five values of each volunteer a complete C–T curve was simulated by GA‐RxODE and certain PK estimation parameters (as maximum concentration,Cmax, and area under C–T curve from zero to infinite, AUCinf) were elicited. Finally, with these modeled parameters, a BE analysis was performed according to certain regulatory agencies guidances. Some results, expressed as geometric mean ratios of compared formulations and their 90% confidence intervals (CI90), were as follows: MetforminCmax = 0.954 (0.878–1.035), AUCinf = 0.949 (0.881–1.022); AlprazolamCmax = 1.063 (0.924–1.222), AUCinf = 1.036 (0.857–1.249), ClonazepamCmax = 0.927 (0.831–1.034), and AUCinf = 1.021 (0.931–1.119). All CI90 were inside the 0.8–1.25 BE range. In summary, the simulated data were bioequivalent and non‐significantly different from original studies’ data. This raises the opportunity to perform more economic BE studies to build reliable PK estimation parameters from a few samples per volunteer.
Structural, Magnetic, and Optical Studies of Ni–Mg Ferrites Synthesized by Polyol Method
Authors: Dhanyaprabha KrishnaPillai Chandrikamma , Jacob Bibin , Mohan Manoj , Al-Omari Imaddin A. , Al-Harthi Salim H. , Myint Myo T.Z. , Thomas Hysen
Published: October 2021

Magnesium and nickel‐substituted ferrites belong to an important class of spinel ferrites with wide variety of applications. Herein, preparation and characterization of pure, single‐phase Ni–Mg ferrites using a cost‐effective method, which yield high‐quality nanosized particles with good chemical homogeneity, are reported. A series of NixMg(1−x)Fe2O4 nanocrystalline powders (x = 1,0.75,0.5,0.25,0) is prepared using polyol method and a detailed investigation on the effect of dopant substitution on microstructural magnetic as well as optical properties is conducted. The as‐prepared samples are subsequently characterized using X‐ray diffractometer (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field‐emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET), Mossbauer spectroscopy, Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Rietveld refinement confirms the single‐phase cubic structure with Fd‐3m (227) space group of NixMg(1−x)Fe2O4 series. The cation distribution can be represented as [Mg(1−x−y)Fe(δ)]A[Mg(x)Ni(y)Fe(2−δ)]BO4. FTIR bands at the finger print region of ferrites and Mossbauer analysis confirms the proposed cation distribution from Rietveld refinement. The magnetic nature is confirmed from Mossbauer and VSM analysis. In VSM, the saturation magnetization of the samples exhibits an increasing trend with nickel substitution. The optical studies of the series NixMg(1−x)Fe2O4 are conducted by UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.
Critical parameters for a class of integral difference equations
Authors: Ochoa‐Ortega Gilberto , Gomez Marco A.
Published: October 2021

This contribution addresses the problem of calculating the critical parameters of a class of integral delay systems. The starting point of the analysis is a neutral‐type system with distributed delay that results from the application of a differential operator, and whose spectrum contains the spectrum of the integral system. Based on recent results concerning the delay Lyapunov matrix for the class of obtained neutral‐type systems, it is shown that the set of critical frequencies of the integral delay system is contained in the set of critical frequencies of a delay‐free system of matrix equations.