bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biodegradable, Strong, and Hydrophobic Regenerated Cellulose Films Enriched with Esterified Lignin Nanoparticles
Authors: Tian Rui , Wang Chao , Jiang Weikun , Janaswamy Srinivas , Yang Guihua , Ji Xingxiang , Lyu Gaojin
Published: March 2024

The scientific community is pursuing significant efforts worldwide to develop environmentally viable film materials from biomass, particularly transparent, high‐performance regenerated cellulose (RC) films, to replace traditional plastics. However, the inferior mechanical performance and hydrophilic nature of RC films are generally not suitable for use as a substitute for plastics in practical applications. Herein, lignin homogenization is used to synthesize high‐performance composite films. The esterified lignin nanoparticles (ELNPs) with dispersible and binding advantages are prepared through esterification and nanometrization. In the presence of ELNPs, RC films exhibit a higher tensile strength (110.4 MPa), hydrophobic nature (103.6° water contact angle, 36.6% water absorption at 120 min, and 1.127 × 10−12 g cm cm−2 s−1 Pa−1 water vapor permeability), and exciting optical properties (high visible and low ultraviolet transmittance). The films further display antioxidant activity, oxygen barrier ability, and thermostability. The films completely biodegrade at 12 and 30% soil moisture. Overall, this study offers new insights into lignin valorization and regenerated cellulose composite films as novel bioplastic materials.
Removing Conjugated Polymers from Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays
Authors: Han Jie , Xu Xiaoguang , Zhang Zhiyong
Published: March 2024

Aligned carbon nanotube (A‐CNT) with high semiconducting purity and high‐density have been considered as one of the most promising active channels for field‐effect transistors (FETs), but conjugated polymer dispersant residues on the surface of A‐CNT have become the main obstacle for its further development in electronics applications. In this work, a series of removable conjugated polymers (CPs) are designed and synthesized to achieve favorable purification and alignment for CNT arrays with a high density of ≈360 CNTs/µm. Furthermore, a removal process of CPs on the CNT array film is developed. Raman spectra show that the CNTs in array film are almost not damaged after the removal process, and the G/D ratio is as high as 35. The field‐effect transistors (FETs) are fabricated with a saturation current density up to 600 µA µm−1 and a current on–off ratio of ≈105, even with a relatively long channel length of ≈3 µm.
Evolutionary Optimized, Monocrystalline Gold Double Wire Gratings as a Novel SERS Sensing Platform
Authors: Sweedan Amro O. , Pavan Mariela J. , Schatz Enno , Maaß Henriette , Tsega Ashageru , Tzin Vered , Höflich Katja , Mörk Paul , Feichtner Thorsten , Bashouti Muhammad Y.
Published: March 2024

Achieving reliable and quantifiable performance in large‐area surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates poses a formidable challenge, demanding signal enhancement while ensuring response uniformity and reproducibility. Conventional SERS substrates often made of inhomogeneous materials with random resonator geometries, resulting in multiple or broadened plasmonic resonances, undesired absorptive losses, and uneven field enhancement. These limitations hamper reproducibility, making it difficult to conduct comparative studies with high sensitivity. This study introduces an innovative approach that addresses these challenges by utilizing monocrystalline gold flakes to fabricate well‐defined plasmonic double‐wire resonators through focused ion‐beam lithography. Inspired by biological strategy, the double‐wire grating substrate (DWGS) geometry is evolutionarily optimized to maximize the SERS signal by enhancing both excitation and emission processes. The use of monocrystalline material minimizes absorption losses and ensures shape fidelity during nanofabrication. DWGS demonstrates notable reproducibility (RSD = 6.6%), repeatability (RSD = 5.6%), and large‐area homogeneity > 104 µm2. It provides a SERS enhancement for sub‐monolayer coverage detection of 4‐Aminothiophenol analyte. Furthermore, DWGS demonstrates reusability, long‐term stability on the shelf, and sustained analyte signal stability over time. Validation with diverse analytes, across different states of matter, including biological macromolecules, confirms the sensitive and reproducible nature of DWGSs, thereby establishing them as a promising platform for future sensing applications.
Giant Deformation Induced Staggered‐Layer Structure Promoting the Thermoelectric and Mechanical Performance in n‐Type Bi2(Te, Se)3
Authors: Zhang Fudong , Zhu Lujun , Song Mingzhen , Cao Xiaofang , Pang Xiaohui , Liang Pengfei , Peng Zhanhui , Chao Xiaolian , Yang Zupei , Wu Di
Published: March 2024

Bismuth telluride has long been recognized as the most promising near‐room temperature thermoelectric material for commercial application; however, the thermoelectric performance for n‐type Bi2(Te, Se)3‐based alloys is far lagging behind that of its p‐type counterpart. In this work, a giant hot deformation (GD) process is implemented in an optimized Bi2Te2.694Se0.3I0.006+3 wt%K2Bi8Se13 precursor and generates a unique staggered‐layer structure. The staggered‐layered structure, which is only observed in severely deformed crystals, exhibits a preferential scattering on heat‐carrying phonons rather than charge‐carrying electrons, thus resulting in an ultralow lattice thermal conductivity while retaining high‐weight carrier mobility. Moreover, the staggered‐layer structure is located adjacent to the van der Waals gap in Bi2(Te, Se)3 lattice and is able to strengthen the interaction between anion layers across the gap, leading to obviously improved compressive strength and Vickers hardness. Consequently, a high peak figure of merit ZT of ≈ 1.3 at 423 K, and an average ZT of ≈ 1.2 at 300–473 K can be achieved in GD sample. This study demonstrates that the GD process can successfully decouple the electrical and thermal transports with simultaneously enhanced mechanic performance.
Revealing the Charge Storage Mechanism in Porous Carbon to Achieve Efficient K Ion Storage
Authors: Jiang Mingchi , Sun Ning , Li Tianyu , Yu Jiaxu , Somoro Razium Ali , Jia Mengqiu , Xu Bin
Published: March 2024

Constructing a porous structure is considered an appealing strategy to improve the electrochemical properties of carbon anodes for potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs). Nevertheless, the correlation between electrochemical K‐storage performance and pore structure has not been well elucidated, which hinders the development of high‐performance carbon anodes. Herein, various porous carbons are synthesized with porosity structures ranging from micropores to micro/mesopores and mesopores, and systematic investigations are conducted to establish a relationship between pore characteristics and K‐storage performance. It is found that micropores fail to afford accessible active sites for K ion storage, whereas mesopores can provide abundant surface adsorption sites, and the enlarged interlayer spacing facilitates the intercalation process, thus resulting in significantly improved K‐storage performances. Consequently, PCa electrode with a prominent mesoporous structure achieves the highest reversible capacity of 421.7 mAh g−1 and an excellent rate capability of 191.8 mAh g−1 at 5 C. Furthermore, the assembled potassium‐ion hybrid capacitor realizes an impressive energy density of 151.7 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 398 W kg−1. The proposed work not only deepens the understanding of potassium storage in carbon materials with distinctive porosities but also paves a path toward developing high‐performance anodes for PIBs with customized energy storage capabilities.
Unveiling the Potential of Single‐Cell Encapsulation in Biomedical Applications: Current Advances and Future Perspectives
Authors: Pires‐Santos Manuel , Nadine Sara , Mano João F.
Published: March 2024

The encapsulation of single cells has emerged as a promising field in recent years, owing to its potential applications in cell‐based therapeutics, bioprinting, in vitro cell culture, high‐throughput screening, and diagnostics. Single‐cell units offer several advantages, including compatibility with standard imaging techniques, superior diffusion rates, and lower material‐to‐cell volume ratios. They also serve as effective carriers for targeted drug delivery, allowing precise administration of therapeutics in cell‐mediated quantities. Moreover, single‐cell units exhibit improved circulation potential throughout the vasculature, with a reduced likelihood of entrapment compared to multicell strategies. However, the production of single‐cell units from random dispersion of cells follows the Poisson distribution, requiring the separation of empty and multicell units from single‐cell ones. Various methods have been developed to address this challenge; nevertheless, the majority of these strategies are either expensive or time‐consuming. This review provides an in‐depth analysis of the advantages and limitations of single‐cell units and their applications, as well as a comprehensive overview of the most used techniques for single‐cell encapsulation and sorting strategies.
High‐Throughput and Scalable Exfoliation of Large‐Sized Ultrathin 2D Materials by Ball‐Milling in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide
Authors: Navik Rahul , Tan Huijun , Zhang Hao , Shi Liyun , Li Jia , Zhao Yaping
Published: March 2024

The 2D materials exhibit numerous technological applications, but their scalable production is a core challenge. Herein, ball milling exfoliation in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) and polystyrene (PS) is demonstrated to completely exfoliate hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs), graphene, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), and tungsten disulfide (WS2). The exfoliation yield of 91%, 93%, 92%, and 92% and average aspect ratios of 743, 565, 564, and 502 for BNNSs, graphene, MoS2, and WS2, respectively, are achieved. Integrating exfoliated BNNSS in the polystyrene matrix, 3768 % thermal conductivity in the axial direction and 316% in the cross‐plane direction at 12 wt.% loading is increased. Also, the in‐plane and cross‐plane electrical conductivity of 6.3 × 10−4 S m−1 and 6.6 × 10−3 S m−1, respectively, and the electromagnetic interference (EMI) of 63.3 dB is achieved by exfoliated graphene nanosheets based composite. High thermal and electrical conductivities and EMI shielding are attributed to the high aspect ratio and ultrathin morphology of the exfoliated nanosheets, which exert high charge mobility and form better the percolation network in the composite films due to their high surface area. The process demonstrate herein can produce substantial quantities of diverse 2D nanosheets for widespread commercial utilization.
2D Copper–Porphyrin Metal–Organic Framework Nanosheet‐Photosensitized TiO2 for Efficiently Broadband Light‐Driven Conversion of CO2 to CH4
Authors: Xu Xiaoqian , Wang Hui , Gao Ting , Luo Tian , Zvereva Irina , Orudzhev Farid , Wang Chuanyi , Bahnemann Detlef Wemer
Published: March 2024

The effective utilization of light is crucial in the use of the solar energy for CO2 conversion into valuable fuels and chemicals, in which improving the photocatalytic materials’ capacity to absorb light is a key. Herein, a 2D copper–porphyrin metal−organic framework (MOF)‐photosensitized titania, TiO2/Zn–CuTCPP, is reported, which can absorb wide range of light and photoreduce CO2 with high efficiency under full spectrum irradiation. Fluorescence spectral analysis elucidates the relationship between the photocatalytic activity and the electron–hole separation efficiency. In addition, mechanistic information obtained from electron paramagnetic resonance and in situ infrared analyses demonstrates that the presence of Cu–N4 site in the MOF structure is conducive to the generation of hydrogen free radicals (•H), which plays a key role in the formation of intermediates, thus facilitating the hydrogenation in the reaction process. Consequently, TiO2/Zn–CuTCPP significantly enhances the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into CH4 with a yield 14 times higher than that of P25.
Sinapic acid protects against lead acetate‐induced lung toxicity by reducing oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress damage
Authors: Akaras Nurhan , Kucukler Sefa , Gur Cihan , Ileriturk Mustafa , Kandemir Fatih Mehmet
Published: March 2024

Lead acetate (PbAc) is a compound that produces toxicity in many tissues after exposure. Sinapic acid (SNP) possesses many biological and pharmacological properties. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of SNP on the toxicity of PbAc in lung tissue. PbAc was administered orally at 30 mg/kg and SNP at 5 or 10 mg/kg for 7 days. Biochemical, genetic, and histological methods were used to investigate inflammatory, apoptotic, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and oxidative stress damage levels in lung tissue. SNP administration induced PbAc‐reduced antioxidant (GSH, SOD, CAT, and GPx) and expression of HO‐1 in lung tissue. It also reduced MDA, induced by PbAc, and thus alleviated oxidative stress. SNP decreased the inflammatory markers NF‐κB, TNF‐α and IL‐1β levels induced by PbAc in lung tissue and exhibited anti‐inflammatory effect. PbAc increased apoptotic Bax, Apaf‐1, and Caspase‐3 mRNA transcription levels and decreased anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 in lung tissues. SNP decreased apoptotic damage by reversing this situation. On the other hand, SNP regulated these markers and brought them closer to the levels of the control group. PbAc caused prolonged ER stress by increasing the levels of ATF6, PERK, IRE1α, GRP78 and this activity was stopped and tended to retreat with SNP. After evaluating all the data, While PbAc caused toxic damage in lung tissue, SNP showed a protective effect by reducing this damage.
Lifecycle of surgical devices: Global, environmental, and regulatory considerations
Authors: Wahlstedt Eric R. , Wahlstedt John C. , Rosenberg Jenna S. , deVries Catherine R.
Published: March 2024

Background

Technological advancements, improved surgical access, and heightened demand for surgery have fueled unprecedented device and supply turnover impelling wealthy hospitals to upgrade continually and sell, donate, recycle, or dispose of used, expired, antiquated, or surplus goods. This paper reviews the issues related to device and supply lifecycles and discusses the opportunities and challenges they present for sustainable surgical growth in low‐ and middle‐income (LMICs) countries.

Observations

This review found, in LMICs countries, regulatory disparities persist that limit effective harmonization secondary to highly variable national policies and a lack of prioritized enforcement. Heterogeneity in the regulatory landscape, specifically in the classification, nomenclature, and identification of medical devices, encumbers effective regulation and distribution. Once devices are sold, donated, or reused in LMICs countries, complexities arise in regulatory compliance, maintenance, and appropriate use of these technologies. At the end of the lifecycle, waste management poses significant obstacles with limited resources hindering the implementation of best practices.

Conclusion

There are major disparities in access to quality surgical equipment and supplies around the world. Improved communication between relevant stakeholders and harmonization of manufacture and disposal regulations will be needed to ensure adequate and appropriate responses to these challenges.

Trial registration number: Not applicable.
Nanotechnology in development of next generation of stent and related medical devices: Current and future aspects
Authors: Islam Paromita , Schaly Sabrina , Abosalha Ahmed Kh. , Boyajian Jacqueline , Thareja Rahul , Ahmad Waqar , Shum‐Tim Dominique , Prakash Satya
Published: March 2024

Coronary stents have saved millions of lives in the last three decades by treating atherosclerosis especially, by preventing plaque protrusion and subsequent aneurysms. They attenuate the vascular SMC proliferation and promote reconstruction of the endothelial bed to ensure superior revascularization. With the evolution of modern stent types, nanotechnology has become an integral part of stent technology. Nanocoating and nanosurface fabrication on metallic and polymeric stents have improved their drug loading capacity as well as other mechanical, physico‐chemical, and biological properties. Nanofeatures can mimic the natural nanofeatures of vascular tissue and control drug‐delivery. This review will highlight the role of nanotechnology in addressing the challenges of coronary stents and the recent advancements in the field of related medical devices. Different generations of stents carrying nanoparticle‐based formulations like liposomes, lipid‐polymer hybrid NPs, polymeric micelles, and dendrimers are discussed highlighting their roles in local drug delivery and anti‐restenotic properties. Drug nanoparticles like Paclitaxel embedded in metal stents are discussed as a feature of first‐generation drug‐eluting stents. Customized precision stents ensure safe delivery of nanoparticle‐mediated genes or concerted transfer of gene, drug, and/or bioactive molecules like antibodies, gene mimics via nanofabricated stents. Nanotechnology can aid such therapies for drug delivery successfully due to its easy scale‐up possibilities. However, limitations of this technology such as their potential cytotoxic effects associated with nanoparticle delivery that can trigger hypersensitivity reactions have also been discussed in this review.

This article is categorized under:

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Cardiovascular Disease

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Navigating the landscapes of spatial transcriptomics: How computational methods guide the way
Authors: Li Runze , Chen Xu , Yang Xuerui
Published: March 2024

Spatially resolved transcriptomics has been dramatically transforming biological and medical research in various fields. It enables transcriptome profiling at single‐cell, multi‐cellular, or sub‐cellular resolution, while retaining the information of geometric localizations of cells in complex tissues. The coupling of cell spatial information and its molecular characteristics generates a novel multi‐modal high‐throughput data source, which poses new challenges for the development of analytical methods for data‐mining. Spatial transcriptomic data are often highly complex, noisy, and biased, presenting a series of difficulties, many unresolved, for data analysis and generation of biological insights. In addition, to keep pace with the ever‐evolving spatial transcriptomic experimental technologies, the existing analytical theories and tools need to be updated and reformed accordingly. In this review, we provide an overview and discussion of the current computational approaches for mining of spatial transcriptomics data. Future directions and perspectives of methodology design are proposed to stimulate further discussions and advances in new analytical models and algorithms.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Methods > RNA Analyses in Cells

RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA

RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization
Londoner Reaktionen auf die Querelle des Anciens et des Modernes. John Evelyns Übersetzung von Fréart de Chambrays Parallèle, Christopher Wren, Antonio Verrio und das Royal Hospital in Chelsea (1682‒1689)
Authors: Strunck Christina
Published: March 2024

This article cites the example of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea endowed by King Charles II of England in 1681 to discuss interlingual, inter- and intramedial translations processes that apply not only to that hospital (a home for war veterans), but to the entire replanning of London after the major conflagration of 1666. John Evelyn’s English translation of the Parallèle de l’architecture antique et de la moderne by Roland Fréart de Chambray, published in 1664, forms a frame of reference enabling a more precise understanding of the guidelines of urbanist design and the characteristics of the architecture and interior decoration of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. Both the architect Christopher Wren and the painter Antonio Verrio made reference to the Querelle et Anciens und des Modernes in their contributions to the hospital’s design, thus addressing the political and cultural competition between England and France in the late phase of the Stuart reign by visual means.
Translation Policy and the Politics of Translation: Introductory Remarks on Dimensions and Perspectives
Authors: Gipper Andreas , Greilich Susanne
Published: March 2024

The semantic field denoted by the two terms ‘policy’/‘politics’ of translation is of central importance because it allows us to focus on two complexes: 1. translation policy in the sense of translational norms and thus the question of the socio-cultural, economic and intercultural conditions that are responsible for the fact that translation takes place and in what form; and 2. the role of translation in the context of political processes of negotiation. Heuristically, three aspects of the political are thus of interest: cultural norms and criteria that decide on the fact and the type of translation (cultural filters); political, religious or economic interests that are linked to translations (calculation) and the significance of translations for all forms of interaction in the political sphere in the narrower sense (diplomacy).
Of Heroines and Housewives: How Johannes Spreng’s German Translation of the Metamorphoses (1564) Conveys Gender-Specific Norms
Authors: Toepfer Regina
Published: March 2024

Translations are part of gender history. Early Modern translations of the classics not only offer insights into the contributions men and women of that period made to accessing and building knowledge. They also show how gender concepts were reconfigured and adapted to the ideals of the target culture. This article examines the myths of Europa and Alcyone as examples of how Johannes Spreng’s German translation of the Metamorphoses shifted emphases in gender-specific power relations. With the aid of comparative analysis, the author reveals the linguistic and literary techniques Spreng employed to turn Ovid’s heroines into Early Modern housewives. In competing Metamorphoses interpretations as well, idealization and the cautionary example prove to have been key strategies for negotiating the transfer of culture and ideology from antiquity to the Early Modern age and conveying gender-specific norms.
Translation Policies, Material Book Culture and the Contempt for the World in the Early Jesuit Mission in Japan
Authors: Triplett Katja
Published: March 2024

Japanese Jesuit prints of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries bear witness to early attempts to translate both well-known and newly composed texts for the Catholic mission in Japan. The Jesuits followed various translation policies for their missionary project during the “Christian century” in Japan. After 1590, recognizing the importance of the book medium in Japan, they relied on the distribution of their texts mainly in the form of printed books and experimented with the printing of various scripts to represent the Japanese language. This article examines the cultural filters that controlled the selection of the texts to be translated and the manner in which core Catholic teachings were presented. It analyzes missionary letters and reports about translation policies and cultural accommodation as well as selected editions of the Japanese translation of the Contemptus mundi (1596, 1610), a popular devotional book. The analysis shows that the translation policies of the early Jesuit missions in Japan were highly experimental and dynamic.
Impact of early follow-up CT in the conservative management of traumatic brain injury on surgical decision making: A retrospective, single-center analysis with special respect to coagulopathy
Authors: Moskopp Mats L. , Moskopp Dag , Sannwald Lennart W.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Initial management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) without immediate need for surgical therapy varies across centers. The additional value of routine repeat cranial computerized tomography (CT) to neurological monitoring is controversial. This retrospective study investigates the impact of routine follow-up CT after 6 h (CT6h) in initially conservatively managed TBI on surgical decision making. Furthermore, the impact of coagulopathy on lesion size and progression was examined.

Methods

We reviewed charts of patients admitted to our clinic in the time between 1st January 2020 and 30th June 2022 for the ICD10 diagnosis S06.3 (traumatic brain contusion), S06.4 (epidural hematoma), S06.5 (subdural hematoma), and S06.6 (traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage). Baseline characteristics as well as timing, reason, and consequences of first and second cranial CT, clinical course, lesion size at first and second CT as well as presence and type of coagulopathy (standard laboratory testing and prior medical history) were noted among others. Significance testing was carried out using Student’s t-test. The significance level was set to p < 0.005.

Results

A total of 213 patients were included, 78 were operated after first CT, 123 underwent clinical and imaging surveillance, and 12 patients were not treated. CT6h did not anticipate imminent neurological deterioration. Early secondary deteriorating patients (9/123, 7.3%) did so before 6 h after admission clustering between 3 and 4 h (6/9, 66.7%). CT6h changed surgical decision making in one case (1/114, < 1%). Nine out of 106 (8.5%) patients managed conservatively after CT6h showed a late secondary clinical deterioration or failure of conservative treatment, eight out of which had stable size of hemorrhage in CT6h. There was no significant difference in lesion size at first CT related to the presence of coagulopathy, antiplatelet agents, or anticoagulant drugs for SDH or contusions. In patients with radiological progression of SDH in combined brain injury (CBI), coagulopathy was associated with a higher increase of lesion size (diameter increase > 6 mm: 11.1% with vs. 2.8% without coagulopathy). This effect was not observed for contusions in CBI (volume increase > 6 ml: 17.4% with vs. 22.7% without coagulopathy).

Conclusion

Early routine follow-up CT does neither anticipate imminent neurological deterioration nor impact surgical decision making. A substantial number of patients with initially stable follow-up imaging need delayed surgery due to conservative treatment failure. If patients can be monitored clinically, surgical decision making depends on clinical status. Patients with coagulopathy do not present with larger lesions, but show a higher ratio of drastic increase in SDH in contrast to contusions.
Management of pancreatic and duodenal trauma in childhood: a university hospital experience over a 10-year period
Authors: Mansiroglu Agah Koray , Cesur Emrullah , Firinci Binali , Caglar Ozgur , Yigiter Murat , Salman Ahmet Bedii
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Duodenal/pancreatic injuries occur in less than 10% of intra-abdominal injuries in pediatric blunt trauma. Isolated duodenal/pancreatic injuries occur in two-thirds of cases, while combined injuries occur in the remaining. This study aimed to investigate pediatric patients with pancreatic and duodenal trauma.

Methods

Data from 31 patients admitted to Atatürk University, Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Surgery for pancreatic/duodenal trauma between 2010 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Age/gender, province of origin, duration before hospital admission, trauma type, injured organs, injury severity, diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, complications, hospitalization duration, blood transfusion requirement, and mortality rate were recorded.

Results

Twenty-four patients were male, and 7 were female. The mean age was 9 years. The leading cause was bicycle accidents, with 12 cases, followed by traffic accidents/bumps, with 7 cases each. Comorbid organ injuries accompanied 18 cases. Duodenal trauma was most commonly accompanied by liver injuries (4/8), whereas pancreatic injury by pulmonary injuries (7/23). Serum amylase at initial hospital presentation was elevated in 83.9% of the patients. Thirty patients underwent abdominal CT, and FAST was performed in 20. While 54.8% of the patients were conservatively managed, 45.2% underwent surgery.

Conclusion

Because of the anatomical proximity of the pancreas and the duodenum, both organs should be considered being co-affected by a localized trauma. Radiologic confirmation of perforation in duodenal trauma and an intra-abdominal pancreatic pseudocyst in pancreatic trauma are the most critical surgical indications of pancreaticoduodenal trauma. Conservative management’s success is increased in the absence of duodenal perforation and cases of non-symptomatic pancreatic pseudocyst.
A new resistance insert spot welding method for injection-molded FRP–steel component
Authors: Xu Hongli , Fang Xiangfan
Published: March 2024

For weight reduction, multi-material designs comprising metal and fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) components in vehicle body structures have been increasingly used. However, the commonly used resistance spot welding (RSW) technology for car body assembly cannot be employed to join sheet metal and FRPs, limiting the use of FRPs. To solve this problem, a novel resistance insert spot welding (RISW) technique was developed in this work for RSW of steel parts and FRP structure parts made by injection molding. Small inserts were developed by using finite element method and experiments that may be welded to different micro-alloyed and dual-phase sheet steels using the projection welding method. The usual flange width of original equipment manufacturers could be kept unchanged. Using the developed insert and welding parameters, the maximum temperature in the FRPs surrounding the inserts was limited to 255 °C, minimizing the damage to polyamide 6 (PA6) material (with 40 wt% glass fiber). A weldability range between 2.5 and 7 kA could be achieved. The joining strength of RISW between a micro-alloyed HC340 steel in 0.75 mm and 1.5 mm thickness and a 2.5 mm/3.0 mm PA6-GF40 material is 20 to 80% higher than self-piercing riveting (SPR). For high-speed loading, RISW strength increases by 39 to 56% further. Finally, RISW was successfully applied to an FRP–steel roof-frame sub-assembly that consists of 19 simultaneously integrated inserts, achieving 10% weight reduction.
Long-Term Mesh Exposure 5 Years Following Minimally Invasive Total Hysterectomy and Sacrocolpopexy
Authors: Bretschneider C. Emi , Myers Erinn R. , Geller Elizabeth J. , Kenton Kimberly S. , Henley Barbara R. , Matthews Catherine A.
Published: March 2024

Introduction and Hypothesis

The objective was to assess long-term mesh complications following total hysterectomy and sacrocolpopexy.

Methods

In this second extension study, women from a multicenter randomized trial were followed for more than 36 months after surgery. Owing to COVID-19, participants were assessed through either in-person visits or telephone questionnaires. The primary outcome was the incidence of permanent suture or mesh exposure. Secondary outcomes included surgical success and late adverse outcomes.

Results

Out of the 200 initially enrolled participants, 82 women took part in this second extension study. Among them, 46 were in the permanent suture group, and 36 in the delayed absorbable group. The mean follow-up duration was 5.3 years, with the cumulative mesh or suture exposure of 9.9%, involving 18 cases, of which 4 were incident cases. Surgical success after more than 5 years stood at 95%, with few experiencing bothersome bulge symptoms or requiring retreatment. No serious adverse events occurred, including mesh erosion into the bladder or bowel. The most common adverse events were vaginal pain, bleeding, dyspareunia, and stress urinary incontinence, with no significant differences between suture types.

Conclusion

The study found that mesh exposure risk gradually increased over time, reaching nearly 10% after more than 5 years post-surgery, regardless of suture type. However, surgical success remained high, and no delayed serious adverse events were reported.
Agrarian and $$\ell ^2$$-Betti numbers of locally indicable groups, with a twist
Authors: Kielak Dawid , Sun Bin
Published: March 2024

We prove that twisted $$\ell ^2$$

ℓ
2

-Betti numbers of locally indicable groups are equal to the usual $$\ell ^2$$

ℓ
2

-Betti numbers rescaled by the dimension of the twisting representation; this answers a question of Lück for this class of groups. It also leads to two formulae: given a fibration E with base space B having locally indicable fundamental group, and with a simply-connected fiber F, the first formula bounds $$\ell ^2$$

ℓ
2

-Betti numbers $$b_i^{(2)}(E)$$

b
i

(
2
)

(
E
)

of E in terms of $$\ell ^2$$

ℓ
2

-Betti numbers of B and usual Betti numbers of F; the second formula computes $$b_i^{(2)}(E)$$

b
i

(
2
)

(
E
)

exactly in terms of the same data, provided that F is a high-dimensional sphere. We also present an inequality between twisted Alexander and Thurston norms for free-by-cyclic groups and 3-manifolds. The technical tools we use come from the theory of generalised agrarian invariants, whose study we initiate in this paper.
Opportunistic Identification of Vertebral Compression Fractures on CT Scans of the Chest and Abdomen, Using an AI Algorithm, in a Real-Life Setting
Authors: Bendtsen Magnus Grønlund , Hitz Mette Friberg
Published: March 2024

This study evaluated the performance of a vertebral fracture detection algorithm (HealthVCF) in a real-life setting and assessed the impact on treatment and diagnostic workflow. HealthVCF was used to identify moderate and severe vertebral compression fractures (VCF) at a Danish hospital. Around 10,000 CT scans were processed by the HealthVCF and CT scans positive for VCF formed both the baseline and 6-months follow-up cohort. To determine performance of the algorithm 1000 CT scans were evaluated by specialized radiographers to determine performance of the algorithm. Sensitivity was 0.68 (CI 0.581–0.776) and specificity 0.91 (CI 0.89–0.928). At 6-months follow-up, 18% of the 538 patients in the retrospective cohort were dead, 78 patients had been referred for a DXA scan, while 25 patients had been diagnosed with osteoporosis. A higher mortality rate was seen in patients not known with osteoporosis at baseline compared to patients known with osteoporosis at baseline, 12.8% versus 22.6% (p = 0.003). Patients receiving bisphosphonates had a lower mortality rate (9.6%) compared to the rest of the population (20.9%) (p = 0.003). HealthVCF demonstrated a poorer performance than expected, and the tested version is not generalizable to the Danish population. Based on its specificity, the HealthVCF can be used as a tool to prioritize resources in opportunistic identification of VCF’s. Implementing such a tool on its own only resulted in a small number of new diagnoses of osteoporosis and referrals to DXA scans during a 6-month follow-up period. To increase efficiency, the HealthVCF should be integrated with Fracture Liaison Services (FLS).
Biochemical characterization of a multiple prenyltransferase from Tolypocladium inflatum
Authors: Han Haiyan , Peng Shuang , Wang Qian , Wang Hongwei , Wang Pengchao , Li Chang , Qi Jianzhao , Liu Chengwei
Published: March 2024

Prenylation plays a pivotal role in the diversification and biological activities of natural products. This study presents the functional characterization of TolF, a multiple prenyltransferase from Tolypocladium inflatum. The heterologous expression of tolF in Aspergillus oryzae, coupled with feeding the transformed strain with paxilline, resulted in the production of 20- and 22-prenylpaxilline. Additionally, TolF demonstrated the ability to prenylated the reduced form of paxilline, β-paxitriol. A related prenyltransferase TerF from Chaunopycnis alba, exhibited similar substrate tolerance and regioselectivity. In vitro enzyme assays using purified recombinant enzymes TolF and TerF confirmed their capacity to catalyze prenylation of paxilline, β-paxitriol, and terpendole I. Based on previous reports, terpendole I should be considered a native substrate. This work not only enhances our understanding of the molecular basis and product diversity of prenylation reactions in indole diterpene biosynthesis, but also provides insights into the potential of fungal indole diterpene prenyltransferase to alter their position specificities for prenylation. This could be applicable for the synthesis of industrially useful compounds, including bioactive compounds, thereby opening up new avenues for the development of novel biosynthetic strategies and pharmaceuticals.

Key points

• The study characterizes TolF as a multiple prenyltransferase from Tolypocladium inflatum.

• TerF from Chaunopycnis alba shows similar substrate tolerance and regioselectivity compared to TolF.

• The research offers insights into the potential applications of fungal indole diterpene prenyltransferases.

Graphical abstract
The Desire for Being Liked and the Fear of Negative Evaluation in Rhinoplasty Patients
Authors: Albayrak Eda , Uzdil Nurcan , Kökoğlu Kerem
Published: March 2024

Objective

The study was conducted to determine patients’ desire for being liked and the fear of negative evaluation before and after surgery.

Materials and Method

The study was conducted quasi-experimentally using a one-group pretest-posttest (sixth month) design. The study population consisted of rhinoplasty patients hospitalized in the ear, nose, and throat service. The study was completed with 60 people. Participant information form, the desire for being liked scale, and the brief fear of negative evaluation scale were used as data collection tools. The data of the study were collected face-to-face between November 15, 2021, and March 15, 2023.

Findings

It was determined that the mean scores of the desire for being liked were 19.43 ± 7.44 in the pretest and 12.15 ± 4.76 in the posttest, and the difference between the measurements was highly significant. Furthermore, it was determined that the mean score of fear of negative evaluation was 27.78 ± 9.81 in the pretest and 17.72 ± 6.91 in the posttest, and the difference between the measurements was highly significant. It was observed that there was a high, statistically significant, and positive relationship between the pretest and posttest fear of negative evaluation and desire for being liked scores.

Conclusion

Patients’ desire for being liked and fear of negative evaluation, which were high before surgery, decreased significantly six months after surgery.

Level of Evidence IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these evidence-based medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of contents or the online instructions to authors www.springer.com/00266.
Artificial Intelligence for Identification of Images with Active Bleeding in Mesenteric and Celiac Arteries Angiography
Authors: Barash Yiftach , Livne Adva , Klang Eyal , Sorin Vera , Cohen Israel , Khaitovich Boris , Raskin Daniel
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to identify active bleeding in digital subtraction angiography images for upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Methods

Angiographic images were retrospectively collected from mesenteric and celiac artery embolization procedures performed between 2018 and 2022. This dataset included images showing both active bleeding and non-bleeding phases from the same patients. The images were labeled as normal versus images that contain active bleeding. A convolutional neural network was trained and validated to automatically classify the images. Algorithm performance was tested in terms of area under the curve, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1 score, positive and negative predictive value.

Results

The dataset included 587 pre-labeled images from 142 patients. Of these, 302 were labeled as normal angiogram and 285 as containing active bleeding. The model’s performance on the validation cohort was area under the curve 85.0 ± 10.9% (standard deviation) and average classification accuracy 77.43 ± 4.9%. For Youden’s index cutoff, sensitivity and specificity were 85.4 ± 9.4% and 81.2 ± 8.6%, respectively.

Conclusion

In this study, we explored the application of AI in mesenteric and celiac artery angiography for detecting active bleeding. The results of this study show the potential of an AI-based algorithm to accurately classify images with active bleeding. Further studies using a larger dataset are needed to improve accuracy and allow segmentation of the bleeding.

Graphical abstract
Fatty acid profiles and stable isotope composition of Antarctic macroalgae: a baseline for a combined biomarker approach in food web studies
Authors: Whippo Ross , Iken Katrin , Amsler Charles D. , Lowe Alexander T. , Schram Julie B. , Klein Andrew G. , Heiser Sabrina , Amsler Margaret O. , McClintock James B. , Galloway Aaron W. E.
Published: March 2024

The Western Antarctic Peninsula supports a diverse assemblage of > 100 described macroalgal species that contribute to the base of coastal food webs, but their contribution to local nearshore food webs is still uncertain across larger spatial scales. The analysis of biomarkers, specifically fatty acids and stable isotopes, offers a tool to clarify the trophic role of Antarctic macroalgae. The aim of this study was to describe the fatty acid profiles and stable isotope values of 31 algal species from three divisions (Chlorophyta—1, Ochrophyta—8, Rhodophyta—22) collected at the same sites for both biomarkers. Of these, 13 species had no previously published fatty acid profiles. Most species were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), suggesting they are highly nutritious and could be a resource of essential fatty acids for consumers. This was specifically noticeable in the overall low PUFA ratio (∑ω6/∑ω3 ratio), with low ratios being an indicator of high nutritional quality for consumers. Fatty acid profiles of macroalgae grouped strongly by phylogeny (at the levels of division, order, and family), while stable isotope groupings were more driven by the physiological properties of the species. Specifically, some closely related red algal species exhibited very different stable isotope values based on their carbon concentrating mechanisms, with highly 13C-depleted values in several Rhodophyta species. The fact that the two biomarker approaches created different groupings of Antarctic macroalgae collected at the same locations emphasizes that their combined application can be a powerful tool in Antarctic coastal food web studies.
Plant Protection by Tannins Depends on Defence-Related Phytohormones
Authors: Iqbal Nadeem , Poór Péter
Published: March 2024

Plants produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites to sustain and protect themselves against a wide range of stresses. Among these metabolites, tannins are one of the most abundant polyphenolic compounds, accounting for 25% of the dry weight of leaves, roots and bark of woody plants, but are also abundant in flowering and seed-producing plants. The presence of tannins in these organs serves to protect plants against herbivorous and pathogenic attack through their antidigestive and antimicrobial properties. In addition, tannins play a role in regulating plant growth and development by inhibiting the consumption of unripe fruits due to their astringency. In addition, several studies have also revealed various roles of them under environmental stresses. Tannins can be classified into condensed tannins (CTs), hydrolysable tannins (HTs) and phlorotannins. They are synthesised in plants via the acetate–malonate and shikimic acid pathways. Their accumulation is regulated by several transcription factors during normal development and under different stress conditions. Despite their multiple roles in plant life, information on the regulation of tannin metabolism by defence-related phytohormones is very limited. To cope with biotic and abiotic stresses, plant responses are regulated by defence-related phytohormones such as salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene (ET) and abscisic acid (ABA), which act as regulators of tannin production under adverse conditions. This review focuses on tannin production, moreover its occurrence, defence potential and regulation by phytohormones under different environmental and biotic stresses, based on the most recent and relevant data.

Graphical Abstract
Neighborhood Balanced Colorings of Graphs
Authors: Freyberg Bryan , Marr Alison
Published: March 2024

Given a simple graph G, we ask when V(G) may be partitioned into two sets such that every vertex has an equal number of neighbors from each set. We establish a number of results for common families of graphs and completely classify 4-regular circulants which posses this property.
Prediction of slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in coupled model simulations
Authors: Yamazaki Kuniko , Jackson Laura C. , Sexton David M. H.
Published: March 2024

In coupled perturbed parameter ensemble (PPE) experiments or for development of a single coupled global climate model (GCM) in general, models can exhibit a slowdown in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) that can result in unrealistically reduced transport of heat and other tracers. Here we propose a method that researchers running PPE experiments can apply to their own PPE to diagnose what controls the AMOC strength in their model and make predictions thereof. As an example, using data from a 25-member coupled PPE experiment performed with HadGEM3-GC3.05, we found four predictors based on surface heat and freshwater fluxes in four critical regions from the initial decade of the spinup phase that could accurately predict the AMOC transport in the later stage of the experiment. The method, to our knowledge, is novel in that it separates the effects of the drivers of AMOC change from the effects of the changed AMOC. The identified drivers are shown to be physically credible in that the PPE members exhibiting AMOC weakening possess some combination of the following characteristics: warmer ocean in the North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre, fresher Arctic and Tropical North Atlantic Oceans and larger runoff from the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers. These characteristics were further traced to regional responses in atmosphere-only experiments. This study suggests promising potential for early stopping rules for parameter perturbations that could end up with an unrealistically weak AMOC, saving valuable computational resources. Some of the four drivers are likely to be relevant to other climate models so this study is of interest to model developers who do not have a PPE.