bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Achieving caloric goal in postoperative management of CHD surgery
Authors: Tanyildiz Murat , Erden Selin Ece , Yakici Asli Ece , Ozden Omer , Otrav Ipek , Bicer Mehmet , Akcevin Atif , Odemis Ender
Published: February 2025

Background:

This study investigated the prevalence of malnutrition, time to achieve caloric goals, and nutritional risk factors after surgery for CHD in a cardiac ICU.

Method:

This retrospective study included patients with CHD (1 month-18 years old) undergoing open-heart surgery (2021–2022). We recorded nutritional status, body mass index-for-age z-score, weight-for-length/height z-score, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp time, Paediatric Risk of Mortality-3 score, Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 score, vasoactive inotropic score, total duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the cardiac ICU, mortality, and time to achieve caloric goals.

Results:

Of the 75 included patients, malnutrition was detected in 17% (n= 8) based on the body mass index-for-age z-score and in 35% (n= 10) based on the weight-for-length/height z-score. Sex, mortality, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp time, Paediatric Risk of Mortality-3, Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2, and vasoactive inotropic score, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of cardiac ICU stay were similar between patients with and without malnutrition. Patients who achieved caloric goals on the fourth day and those who achieved them beyond the fourth day showed statistical differences in mortality, maximum vasoactive inotropic score, duration of mechanical ventilation, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp time, Paediatric Risk of Mortality-3, Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2, and length of cardiac ICU and hospital stay (p< 0.05). Logit regression analysis indicated that the duration of mechanical ventilation, Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 and Paediatric Risk of Mortality-3 score was a risk factor for achieving caloric goals (p< 0.05).

Conclusions:

Malnutrition is prevalent in patients with CHD, and concomitant organ failure and duration of mechanical ventilation play important roles in achieving postoperative caloric goals.
Aetiological distribution and clinical features in children with large pericardial effusion who underwent pericardiocentesis
Authors: Donbaloğlu Furkan , Doğan Vehbi , Çelebi Serpil Kaya , Beyazal Meryem , Sayıcı İlker U. , Donbaloğlu Zeynep
Published: February 2025

Background:

We aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics and aetiological factors of patients who underwent pericardiocentesis for moderate to large pericardial effusion.

Method:

A total of 38 patients who underwent pericardiocentesis due to moderate-severe pericardial effusion and not related to cardiac surgery were included in the study.

Results:

The male-to-female ratio was 2.16, and found to be 7.5 in patients over 3 years of age. Mean age and body weight of the patients were 69.4 ± 74.9 months and 22.5 ± 22.4 kg. Dyspnoea (51.7%) was the most common complaint, followed by chest pain (37.9%). Tamponade was present in 23.7% of the patients. The largest diameter of effusion was 24.4 ± 10.4 mm. The amount of fluid drained was 279.24 ± 279 ml. Macroscopic appearance was serous in 12 (34.3%), and haemorrhagic in 18 (51.4%). No complication related to procedure was seen. Aetiology for efusion was infectious in 26%, idiopathic in 18%, iatrogenic in 11%, rheumatological in 11%, malignancy in 8%, cardiomyopathy in 8%, and other factors related in 18%. Of the 38 patients, 16 received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), and colchicine and corticostreoid were added in nine and two patients, respectively. A total of eight (21%) patients died during follow-up.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, percutaneous pericardiocentesis can be applied safely and the underlying aetiology is decisive in the prognosis of the patient. Although pericardial effusion in children is often due to inflammation of the pericardium, it can develop as a finding of many local or systemic diseases that should be kept in mind.
Population-based assessment of major congenital malformations in the United States: smoking risk association
Authors: de Andrade Diancarlos P. , Marques Camila M. , Andrade Dayane C.R. , Laureano Henrique , Lenzi Luana , Oliveira Cláudia S. , Pereira Meire E. , Figueiredo Bonald C.
Published: February 2025

The incidence of congenital malformations (CM) among non-Hispanic White American (NHWA) mothers was reviewed to identify and evaluate the geographic differences in the most frequent CM subtypes associated with smoking and other risk factors. Data on CM were obtained from 150,775 children (2000-2004) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk factors associated with CM development were the mother’s age < 21 and > 35 years, body weight gain during pregnancy, anemia, diabetes mellitus, eclampsia (cases of preeclampsia were omitted), smoking, and alcohol use during pregnancy. Among smoking mothers, the most common CM was omphalocele, club foot, cleft lip, and polydactyly. The highest incidences (CM/10,000 births/year) of observed CM in children of smoking mothers were clubfoot, 25.51 cases (Utah), cleft lip, 22.47 (South Dakota), polydactyly, 21.23 (North Dakota), and omphalocele, 13.14 (Montana). The presence of maternal comorbidities, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and their association with other environmental factors can affect the incidence of CM in NHWA mothers. Further comparisons among the American states regarding the overall changes in CM over the last two decades should uncover crucial outcomes in terms of CM and smoking.
Capturing ultrafast molecular motions and lattice dynamics in spin crossover film using femtosecond diffraction methods
Authors: Vinci Doriana , Ridier Karl , Qi Fengfeng , Ardana-Lamas Fernando , Zalden Peter , Liu Lai Chung , Eklund Tobias , Jakobsen Mads Sielemann , Schubert Robin , Khakhulin Dmitry , Deiter Carsten , Bottin Nicolas , Yousef Hazem , von Stetten David , Łaski Piotr , Kamiński Radosław , Jarzembska Katarzyna N. , Wallick Rachel F. , Stensitzki Till , van der Veen Renske M. , Müller-Werkmeister Henrike M. , Molnár Gábor , Xiang Dao , Milne Christopher , Lorenc Maciej , Jiang Yifeng
Published: February 2025

A comprehensive insight into ultrafast dynamics of photo-switchable materials is desired for efficient control of material properties through light excitation. Here, we study a polycrystalline spin crossover thin film as a prototypical example and reveal the sequential photo-switching dynamics, from local molecular rearrangement to global lattice deformation. On the earliest femtosecond timescale, the local molecular structural rearrangement occurs within a constant unit-cell volume through a two-step process, involving initial Fe−ligand bond elongation followed by ligand rotation. The highly-oriented structure of the nanocrystalline films and the experimental geometry enables resolving the full anisotropic lattice structural dynamics in and out of the sample plane separately. While both molecular switching and lattice heating influence lattice volume, they exert varying degrees of impact at disparate time scales following photoexcitation. This study highlights the opportunities provided by Mega-electron-volt electron and X-ray free electron laser to advance the understanding of ultrafast dynamics of photo-switchable materials.
Detection of human activities using multi-layer convolutional neural network
Authors: Abdellatef Essam , Al-Makhlasawy Rasha M. , Shalaby Wafaa A.
Published: February 2025

Human Activity Recognition (HAR) plays a critical role in fields such as healthcare, sports, and human-computer interaction. However, achieving high accuracy and robustness remains a challenge, particularly when dealing with noisy sensor data from accelerometers and gyroscopes. This paper introduces HARCNN, a novel approach leveraging Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to extract hierarchical spatial and temporal features from raw sensor data, enhancing activity recognition performance. The HARCNN model is designed with 10 convolutional blocks, referred to as “ConvBlk.” Each block integrates a convolutional layer, a ReLU activation function, and a batch normalization layer. The outputs from specific blocks “ConvBlk_3 and ConvBlk_4,” “ConvBlk_6 and ConvBlk_7,” and “ConvBlk_9 and ConvBlk_10” are fused using a depth concatenation approach. The concatenated outputs are subsequently passed through a 2 × 2 max-pooling layer with a stride of 2 for further processing. The proposed HARCNN framework is evaluated using accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and f-score as key metrics, reflecting the model’s ability to correctly classify and differentiate between human activities. The proposed model’s performance is compared to traditional pre-trained Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and other state-of-the-art techniques. By leveraging advanced feature extraction and optimized learning strategies, the proposed model demonstrates its efficacy in achieving accuracy of 97.87%, 99.12%, 96.58%, and 98.51% for various human activities datasets; UCI-HAR, KU-HAR, WISDM, and HMDB51, respectively. This comparison underscores the model’s robustness, highlighting improvements in minimizing false positives and false negatives, which are crucial for real-world applications where reliable predictions are essential. The experiments were conducted with various window sizes (50ms, 100ms, 200ms, 500ms, 1s, and 2s). The results indicate that the proposed method achieves high accuracy and reliability across these different window sizes, highlighting its ability to adapt to varying temporal granularities without significant loss of performance. This demonstrates the method’s effectiveness and robustness, making it well-suited for deployment in diverse HAR scenarios. Notably, the best results were obtained with a window size of 200ms.
Enhancing gel electromembrane extraction using glycine-doped agarose to mitigate electroendosmosis flow: application to tramadol extraction from biological specimens
Authors: Navaser Mehdi , Shokrollahi Ardeshir , Zarghampour Fereshteh , Saeidi Fatemeh
Published: February 2025

A gel electromembrane extraction method featuring a novel glycine-doped agarose matrix is introduced, enabling efficient tramadol extraction from biological samples and effectively mitigating the electroendosmosis (EEO) phenomenon.
Modulating the surface chemistry of gold nanoparticles produced via laser ablation in liquids by favored oxidative processes in the presence of Br anions
Authors: Lévy Anna , Blanchet Valérie , Bozek John , Cabailh Gregory , De Anda Villa Manuel , Gaudin Jérôme , Guilet Stéphane , Lamour Emily , Macé Stéphane , Milosavljević Aleksandar R. , Prigent Christophe , Robert Emmanuel , Steydli Sébastien , Trassinelli Martino , Vernhet Dominique , Amans David
Published: February 2025

In gold nanoparticle colloids produced by the pulsed laser ablation in liquid method, surface oxidation can be controlled by adjusting the bromide coverage when synthesized in halide saline solutions.
Integrated Air Quality Information for Kampala: Analysis of PM2.5, Emission Sources, Modelled Contributions, and Institutional Framework
Authors: Okure Deo , Guttikunda Sarath , Sserunjogi Richard , Adong Priscilla , Dammalapati Sai Krishna , Lsoto Dorothy , Green Paul P , Bainomugisha Engineer , Xie Jian
Published: February 2025

Kampala, the political and economic capital of Uganda and one of the fastest urbanizing cities in sub-Saharan Africa, is experiencing a deteriorating trend in air quality. This decline is driven...
Effect of peroxymonosulfate pre-oxidation coupled with subsequent Fe-based coagulation on the mitigation of organic matter and the formation of disinfection by-products
Authors: Li Xuan , Liu Keyan , Ren Zhe , Du Zhenqi , Xiao Rong , Jiang Ruixue , Li Xiaochen , Chen Tiantian
Published: February 2025

Effect of PMS pre-oxidation coupled with subsequent Fe-based coagulation on DOC removal and the DBP formation.
Investigating visible range photoresponse of organic single-crystal of green fluorescent protein analogue
Authors: Virole Vishal Digambar , Dabke Niteen B , Verma Sahil , Kumar Ajay , Pandya Rinu , Husale Sudhir , Vanka Kumar , Gonnade Rajesh G. , Kanawade Rajesh
Published: February 2025

The growing demand for lightweight, flexible, semi-transparent and low-cost photodetectors (PDs) in wearable electronics and optical communication systems has promoted studies to investigate organic materials as feasible alternatives to conventional...
Mechanism of Formation of Chiral Allyl SCF3 Compounds via Selenium-Catalyzed Sulfenofunctionalization of Allylboronic Acids
Authors: Wei Wen-Jie , Szabo Kalman J. , Himo Fahmi
Published: February 2025

The detailed reaction mechanism of diphenyl selenide-catalyzed sulfenofunctionalization of chiral α-CF3 allylboronic acids is investigated by means of density functional theory calculations. It is demonstrated that the reaction starts with...
Fusion of Nitro Isomers of Naphthoquinone Enhances Capacity and Cyclability in Zn-ion Batteries
Authors: Gupta Richa , Mohan Nikhil George , Bell John , Nanjundan Ashok Kumar , Ramanujam Kothandaraman
Published: February 2025

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries because of their inherent safety, raw material abundance (10 million metric tons of zinc in India and Australia is the...
Microplastics in the Rough: Using Data Augmentation to Identify Plastics Contaminated by Water and Plant Matter
Authors: Shirley Joseph C , Rex Kobiny  Antony , Iqbal Hassan , Claudel Christian G , Baiz Carlos
Published: February 2025

Microplastics are present in nearly all environments. The detection of microplastics in the field is an important step toward understanding and regulating the proliferation of plastic waste, particularly in natural...
Enhanced performance of a-GaOx thin-film transistor photodetectors via in situ hydrogen incorporation using water vapor
Authors: Lei Minghang , Ren Junyan , Sun Jingting , Chen Hongyu , Fu Zhaoxing , Chen Zhipeng , Jin Tingting , Tang Huize , Jing Liang , Liang Lingyan , Cao Hongtao
Published: February 2025

This study uses H2O vapor deposition to enhance a-GaOx photodetectors. In situ hydrogen incorporation and vacuum annealing boost responsivity and speed, resolving the responsivity-response time trade-off.
Regulated TiO2@NC@ZCS Photocatalyst for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution: Insights into the Role of Carbon Layer Positioning
Authors: Zhang Guoxiang , Fu Wenguang , Lv Tiaolong , Liu Wei , Han Xi-Guang , Yi Jianjian
Published: February 2025

In this study, a TiO2@NC@ZCS ternary photocatalyst with a well-defined hexahedral morphology was synthesized via MOF-derived pyrolysis and sulfidation methods, and its photocatalytic hydrogen production performance was thoroughly investigated. The...
Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of clinical and biological materials, foods and beverages
Authors: Patriarca Marina , Barlow Nicola , Cross Alan , Hill Sarah , Milde David , Tyson Julian
Published: February 2025

This review discusses developments in elemental mass spectrometry, atomic absorption, emission and fluorescence, XRF and LIBS, as applied to the analysis of specimens of clinical interest, foods and beverages. Sample preparation procedures and quality assurance are also included.
Preparation and characterization of a novel interlayer expanded zeolite with a 12 × 12-ring structure
Authors: Yang Boting , Wang Feijie , Zhao Yutong , Sun Mengmeng , Li Jiayang , Qiu Yong-Qing , Liu Chun-Guang
Published: February 2025

Preparation and characterization of a novel interlayer expanded zeolite with a 12 × 12-ring structure.
Photo-induced dehalogenative deuteration and elimination of alkyl halides enabled by phosphine-mediated halogen-atom transfer
Authors: Shi Wei , Guan Bin , Tian Jian , Yang Chao , Guo Lin , Zhao Yating , Xia Wujiong
Published: February 2025

Dehalogenative deuteration of organic halides is an efficient and straightforward method for incorporating deuterium atoms at specific locations within target molecules. However, utilizing organic halides in photoredox chemistry, particularly with...
A Transparent, Tough, Highly Stretchable and Self-Adhesive Zwitterionic Dual-Network Eutectogel for Wearable Flexible Sensors
Authors: Ma Zhuangzhuang , Zhang Jiale , Ma Zelin , Lou Minghao , Zou Peijin , Wang Hongqiang , Jia Lichao
Published: February 2025

Eutectogels possess significant potential for use in wearable flexible sensors due to their low volatility, chemical stability, and high ionic conductivity. However, most eutectogels face challenges such as intransparency, non-adhesion,...
Dynamical organization of vimentin intermediate filaments in living cells revealed by MoNaLISA nanoscopy
Authors: Smoler Mariano , Pennacchietti Francesca , De Rossi María Cecilia , Bruno Luciana , Testa Ilaria , Levi Valeria
Published: February 2025

Intermediate filaments are intimately involved in the mechanical behavior of cells. Unfortunately, the resolution of optical microscopy limits our understanding of their organization. Here, we combined nanoscopy, single-filament tracking, and numerical simulations to inspect the dynamical organization of vimentin intermediate filaments in live cells. We show that a higher proportion of peripheral versus perinuclear vimentin pools are constrained in their lateral motion in the seconds time window, probably due to their cross-linking to other cytoskeletal networks. In a longer time scale, active forces become evident and affect similarly both pools of filaments. Our results provide a detailed description of the dynamical organization of the vimentin network in live cells and give some cues on its response to mechanical stimuli.
Comparing the Effects of Sensory Tricks on Voice Symptoms in Patients With Laryngeal Dystonia and Essential Vocal Tremor
Authors: Dwenger Kaitlyn , Roy Nelson , Jennings Skyler G. , Smith Marshall E. , Mathy Pamela , Simonyan Kristina , Barkmeier-Kraemer Julie M.
Published: February 2025

Purpose:

This pilot study systematically compared voice symptomatology across varied sensory trick conditions in those with laryngeal dystonia (LD), those with essential vocal tremor (EVT), and vocally normal controls (NCs). Sensory tricks are considered signature characteristics of dystonia and were hypothesized to reduce voice symptoms in those with LD compared to EVT and NC groups.

Method:

Five participants from each group (LD, EVT, and NC) completed speech recordings under control and sensory trick conditions (delayed auditory feedback [DAF], vibrotactile stimulation [VTS], and nasoendoscopic recordings with and without topical anesthesia). Comparisons between groups and conditions were made using (a) a paired-comparison paradigm (control vs. sensory condition) listener ratings of voice quality, (b) participant-perceived vocal effort ratings, and (c) average smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS).

Results:

Participants with EVT displayed significantly worse listener ratings under most sensory trick conditions, whereas participants with LD were rated significantly worse for DAF and VTS conditions only. However, participant vocal effort ratings were similar across all sensory trick conditions. Average CPPS values generally supported listener ratings across conditions and speakers except during DAF, wherein CPPS values increased (i.e., measurably improved voice quality), whereas listener ratings indicated worsened voice quality for both voice disorder groups.

Conclusions:

Outcomes of this study did not support the hypothesized influences of sensory trick conditions on LD voice symptoms, with both LD and EVT groups experiencing worsened symptoms under VTS and DAF conditions. These adverse effects on voice symptoms warrant further research to further evaluate neural pathways and associated sensorimotor response patterns that distinguish individuals with LD and EVT.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28462292
Numerical study of solar eruption, extreme-ultraviolet wave propagation, and wave-induced prominence dynamics
Authors: Liakh V. , Keppens R.
Published: February 2025

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) waves, frequently produced by eruptions, propagate through the non-uniform magnetic field of the solar corona and interact with distant prominences, inducing their global oscillations. However, the generation, propagation, and interaction of these waves with distant prominences remain poorly understood. We aim to study the influence of an eruptive flux rope (EFR) on a distant prominence by means of extreme-resolution numerical simulations. We cover a domain of a horizontal extent of 1100 Mm, while capturing details down to 130 km using automated grid refinement. We performed a 2.5D numerical experiment using the open-source MPI-AMRVAC 3.1 code, modeling an eruption as a 2.5D catastrophe scenario augmented with a distant dipole magnetic field to form a flux rope prominence. Our findings reveal that the EFR becomes unstable and generates a quasi-circular front. The primary front produces a slow secondary front when crossing the equipartition lines where the Alfvén speed is close to the sound speed. The resulting fast (primary) and slow (secondary) EUV waves show different behaviors: the fast EUV wave slightly decelerates as it propagates through the corona, while the slow EUV wave forms a stationary front. The fast EUV wave interacts with the remote prominence, driving both transverse and longitudinal oscillations. Additionally, magnetic reconnection at a null point below the prominence-hosting flux rope is triggered by the fast EUV wave, affecting the flux rope magnetic field and the prominence oscillations. Our study unifies important results of the dynamics of eruptive events and their interactions with distant prominences, including details of (oscillatory) reconnection and chaotic plasmoid dynamics. We demonstrate for the first time the full consequences of remote eruptions on prominence dynamics and clarify the damping mechanisms of prominence oscillations.
Influence of spring wheat seed treatment with low-temperature plasma on growth processes
Authors: Khuzina R.R. , Nafikov Man. Mak. , Nafikov M.M. , Khismatullin Mars M. , Khismatullin Marsel M.
Published: February 2025

In the Russian Federation in recent years, fallow lands have been actively put into circulation. On fallow lands a complex of agromeliorative measures is carried out. The demand for high quality seeds for sowing in the newly introduced into turnover lands is also increasing. The purpose of our research is to study the influence of corona discharge of low-temperature plasma on seeds and growth processes of spring wheat. The research was conducted on the basis of the Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Systems Engineering KFU To conduct experiments in the laboratory of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Artificial Intelligence in Biotechnical Systems of the Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Systems Engineering KFU in 2022–2024 developed a scheme and assembled the installation of corona discharge generation of low-temperature atmospheric plasma. The experiments were carried out in tenfold repetition. Seeds were treated with corona discharge at the following parameters: voltage 4 and 8 kV; frequency 0.2 kHz; 0.3 kHz; 0.5 kHz; seed distance from the plasmatron 3 cm; seed treatment time: 20, 25, 30, 35 seconds. Seeds of control variant and variants with corona atmospheric plasma treatment were germinated by roll method in Lamsystem laminar flow cabinet. The data obtained show that at a voltage of 4 kV, the highest growth of wheat seedlings was observed at a frequency of 0.5 kHz and a treatment time of 30 seconds. The length of seedlings for seven days, on this variant of seeds treated with corona discharge on average reaches up to 34.4 cm, and the length on the control variant of the experiment 11.7 cm, which is 22.7 cm shorter. The greatest length of seedlings at a voltage of 8 kV is observed at a treatment time of 30 seconds, where the length of the seedling reaches 36.2 cm, which is 24.5 cm more from the control variant of the experiment.
Estimation of the impact of solar flare spectra on the Earth’s ionosphere using the GAIA model
Authors: Kitajima Shinnosuke , Watanabe Kyoko , Jin Hidekatsu , Tao Chihiro , Nishioka Michi
Published: February 2025

The rapid increase in X-ray and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emissions owing to solar flares enhances ionization in the ionosphere, increasing radio wave attenuation. Among these phenomena, the shortwave communication disturbance caused by the increased electron density in the ionospheric D region is known as the shortwave fadeout (SWF). We investigated the relationship between SWF's magnitude and solar flare emission, and evaluated the electron density variation in the ionospheric D region associated with flare. We defined the minimum frequency (fmin) observed in Japan’s ionograms as the SWF’s magnitude. We analyzed ionosonde data for 38 SWF events observed during daytime in Japan between May 2010 and May 2014. To investigate the relationship between flares and SWF, we compared the observed X-ray and EUV emissions during flares with the dfmin (background subtracted fmin). X-ray (0.1-0.8 nm) and EUV (11-14 nm) emissions correlate with dfmin. Then, using the GAIA model, a numerical model that treats the entire Earth’s atmosphere, we investigated the effect of the ray and EUV solar flare emissions on the ionosphere, which affects the SWF. The results showed that the main ionization source in the ionospheric D region was X-ray emission, and shortwaves were attenuated by ∼90 %. In contrast, in the ionospheric E and F regions, the primary ionization source was EUV emission, with only ∼10 % shortwave attenuation. Finally, we estimated the fmin values and blackout (total fadeout of the ionospheric echo observed in ionograms) and compared the simulated and observed fmin values. The hit rate of blackouts was 35 % when we only used the GAIA calculations. Therefore, we estimated fmin using the electron density variation in the ionospheric D region corresponding to X-ray solar emission. As a result, the hit rate of the blackout was 68 %, and the linear correlation coefficient between the simulated and observed fmin values was 0.85. The estimated magnitude of the SWF was improved by incorporating the effects of X-ray emissions into the ionospheric D region of GAIA. We are the first to implement a method for evaluating the electron density in the ionospheric D region using the fmin value.
Comparison of Analytical Methods for the Validation of the Sterility of Autologous Serum Eye Drops
Authors: Blaser Frank , Meneau Isabelle , Schneider Jana , Wiedler Jürg , Hinrikson Hanspeter , Barthelmes Daniel , Zweifel Sandrine , Bajka Anahita , Said Sadiq , Wiest Maximilian Robert Justus
Published: February 2025

Purpose For specific samples, there are different methods and requirements for testing sterility. Blood and blood products are analyzed using automated blood culture methods, while pharmacopeial sterility is assessed using membrane filtration or direct inoculation according to the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur. 2.6.1.) to detect microbial growth. As autologous serum eye drops (ASEDs) may be viewed as both a blood product and a classical drug, the Swiss legislator has classified these as non-standardizable drugs, and thus, the pharmacopeial requirements apply. This study investigates ASED preparations with respect to the performance of a common automated blood culture system, BD BACTEC, in detecting aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi in ASED preparations, with pharmacopeial sterility testing using agar plate cultures.

Methods Based on the European Pharmacopoeia, we inoculated sterile filtered blood serum with BioBalls of the six reference strains at a low concentration of three colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL). A test battery of three different BD BACTEC culture media (hereafter referred to as Trio-BACTEC : BD BACTEC Plus Aerobic/F-Medium, BD BACTEC Lytic/10 Anaerobic/F-Medium, BD BACTEC Mycosis IC/F-Medium) and three agar plates [Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA), Chocolate Blood Agar, Sabouraudʼs Dextrose Agar] were inoculated per strain. We incubated the Trio- BACTEC in the BD BACTEC Blood Culture System at 35 °C for 5 days, the TSA and Chocolate plates at 35 °C for 5 days, and the Sabouraud plates at 25 °C for 7 days. We confirmed positive growth signals by microscopy or MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry and included negative controls.

Results We detected all reference strains using BACTEC and agar plates. No growth was observed in the negative controls. Overall, growth detection by BACTEC and agar plates was comparable, except for Aspergillus brasiliensis and Candida albicans, which was detected after 1 day on solid media and after 2 days on BACTEC.

Conclusion This study demonstrates the comparability of sensitivity and detection speed using the automated blood culture method and agar plates for sterility validation of ASED, even at low bacterial and fungal contamination levels.
Beyond guilt: deploying ‘Lived Experience’ for solidarity and social change
Authors: Moore-Ponce Jody
Published: February 2025

‘Lived experience’ is a pivotal concept in activism, highlighting the rights of marginalised individuals to share their stories and gain recognition within broader societal discourse. Social movements and social justice activism have leveraged the knowledge derived from marginalised ‘lived experience’ to challenge systemic authority, disrupt neoliberal hegemony, and amplify silenced voices. However, contemporary discourse often calls on activists to either ‘speak their truth’ about marginalisation or confess their privilege, depending on their positionality. This paper examines the role of ‘lived experience’ in activism through twenty in-depth qualitative interviews with activists, integrating historical and genealogical insights on ‘parrhesia’ (truth-telling) and ‘confession’. By addressing concepts such as ‘dysphoric guilt’, this study explores how ‘lived experience’ can be harnessed to inspire solidarity and drive political and societal ‘transformative action’.
Stability and instability of Langmuir waves via active subspace decompositions
Authors: Mattingly G. , Longaker B. , Palmer N. , Pankavich S. , Silantyev D.
Published: February 2025

We study the stability and instability of Langmuir waves propagating in a hot, unmagnetized plasma modeled by the Vlasov–Poisson system and encompassing a variety of velocity distributions, including perturbations of Lorentzian, Kappa, and incomplete Maxwellian steady states. The influence of both high-frequency spatial perturbations and physical parameters on the rate of growth or decay of the plasma response to the initial perturbation is elucidated. Our methods do not rely upon analytic approximation, but instead feature a numerical approximation of the roots of the associated dielectric function that can be accurately quantified without the need for prior assumptions on the parameter regimes under consideration. In this way, the computational discovery of so-called “active” subspaces in the parameter space allows one to identify and quantify the uncertainty generated by physical parameters on the stability properties of wave-like perturbations in a collisionless plasma.
Temperature-dependent random telegraph signal in Co/CoO/Co point contact devices
Authors: Ren Zhongyang , Li Muchan , Tian Jiaojiao , Xia Chenhao , Ren Liming , Liu Fei , Fu Yunyi
Published: February 2025

Nanoscale Co/CoO/Co point contact devices are promising for spintronics, magnetic sensors, single-electron transistors, and memory devices. We fabricated Co/CoO/Co point contact devices and studied their random telegraph signal (RTS) characteristics at various temperatures. In the time domain, the current fluctuates asymmetrically with respect to zero bias, with RTS behavior emerging above a certain voltage threshold. In the frequency domain, the RTS power spectral density exhibits Lorentzian lines. As temperature increases from 50 to 300 K, two RTS behaviors are observed: at ≤100 K, the high current state dominates; at ≥200 K, the low current state prevails, with RTS absent at 150 K. Single exponential fitting shows that RTS state lifetimes decrease with temperature. The charge capture and release model explains the RTS origins and temperature-dependent behavior from an energy band perspective. This study provides insights into charge dynamics, single-electron transport, and the noise mechanisms affecting the reliability of nanoscale devices.
Frequency-resolved high-pressure transient absorption spectroscopy based on a double-chopper configuration
Authors: Cheng Zi-Qian , Yin Xiao-Shuang , Yang Liu-Xiang , Dong Hui
Published: February 2025

Dynamics of materials under high-pressure conditions has been an important focus of materials science, especially in the timescale of pico- and femto-second electronic and vibrational motion, which is typically probed by ultrafast laser pulses. To probe such dynamics, it requires an integration of high-pressure devices with the ultrafast laser system. The combination of transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy with diamond anvil cells (DACs) is a novel solution, yet the intense pump scattering light resulting from the small cross section of the DAC may limit the spectral range of the detected signal. In this work, we construct a unique frequency-resolved high-pressure TA spectroscopy system based on a double-chopper configuration, which allows for real-time scattering noise collection and effective elimination. This enables us to freely select the pump wavelength based on the sample’s dynamics and obtain complete spectral signals. We test a system with a Rhodamine B solution with the probe wavelength range of 450–750 nm and the 550 nm pump and observe that the intensity of the signal peak corresponding to the monomer at 560 nm continuously decreased relative to the signal peak corresponding to the dimer at 530 nm. This indicates that the portion of Rhodamine B molecules in the dimer form increases under increasing pressure. In addition, we find two dynamic components of the signal peaks for both monomer and dimer: the short-lifetime component increases as the pressure is increased, and the long-lifetime component decreases.
Preparation and characterization of inorganic foam modified with nano-magnesium hydroxide for inhibiting coal spontaneous combustion
Authors: Tang Jingxia , Cai Jiawen , Yang Shengqiang , Yu Zhaoyang , Chen Kexin , Hu Xincheng
Published: February 2025

To overcome the poor stability of currently employed foam material in preventing coal spontaneous combustion, the nano-stabilized foam was proposed in this study. Considering foamability and stability, the optimized concentration ranges and the interaction effect of each component were determined through single-factor experiments and response surface analysis. In the appropriate concentration range, the addition of nano-magnesium hydroxide further enhanced the foam stability. The optimal composition of nano-stabilized foam was obtained using the parametric optimization function. The stability coefficient of nano-stabilized foam was up to 99.91%. It can maintain the foam form for the longest time (>48 h), providing long-term wetting and oxygen insulation. Compared with other comparative foam materials, the nano-stabilized foam treated coal sample exhibited the minimal oxygen consumption rate and index gas release amount. Nano-stabilized foam can play the largest role in inhibition, and the inhibition rate was 70.61% at 100 °C. The inhibition rate of coal samples treated with nano-stabilized foam was also observed to be the biggest at each temperature. The coal sample treated with nano-stabilized foam had the highest cross-point temperature (242.3 °C), which was 31.47% than the raw coal. These experimental findings exhibit that the nano-stabilized foam has superior foam stability and inhibitory effect.
Rheology in novel egg cooking methods
Authors: Di Lorenzo Emilia , Pasquino Rossana , Grizzuti Nino , Di Maio Ernesto
Published: February 2025

Heat-induced gelation of egg proteins, influenced by factors such as temperature and time, affects texture. This study compares three cooking methods—hard-boiling, sous vide, and periodic cooking—using rheological measurements to investigate the sol–gel transition and texture development in both egg phases. The goal is to understand how thermal histories of actual cooking conditions impact gel formation and egg texture. Differences between texture development in egg yolk and albumen as a result of rheological measurement and mathematical modeling are highlighted. An optimum is found when they are cooked at their corresponding denaturation temperatures of about 65 and 84 °C for yolk and albumen, as it happens in the newly designed periodic cooking.
S-Nitrosylation of CRTC1 in Alzheimer’s disease impairs CREB-dependent gene expression induced by neuronal activity
Authors: Zhang Xu , Vlkolinsky Roman , Wu Chongyang , Dolatabadi Nima , Scott Henry , Prikhodko Olga , Zhang Andrew , Blanco Mayra , Lang Nhi , Piña-Crespo Juan , Nakamura Tomohiro , Roberto Marisa , Lipton Stuart A.
Published: February 2025

cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1) plays an important role in synaptic plasticity, learning, and long-term memory formation through the regulation of neuronal activity-dependent gene expression, and CRTC1 dysregulation is implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we show that increased S-nitrosylation of CRTC1 (forming SNO-CRTC1), as seen in cell-based, animal-based, and human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cerebrocortical neuron-based AD models, disrupts its binding with CREB and diminishes the activity-dependent gene expression mediated by the CRTC1/CREB pathway. We identified Cys216 of CRTC1 as the primary target of S-nitrosylation by nitric oxide (NO)-related species. Using CRISPR/Cas9 techniques, we mutated Cys216 to Ala in hiPSC-derived cerebrocortical neurons bearing one allele of the APP
Swe
mutation (AD-hiPSC neurons). Introduction of this nonnitrosylatable CRTC1 mutant rescued defects in AD-hiPSC neurons, including decreased neurite length and increased neuronal cell death. Additionally, expression of nonnitrosylatable CRTC1 in vivo in the hippocampus rescued synaptic plasticity in the form of long-term potentiation in 5XFAD mice. Taken together, these results demonstrate that formation of SNO-CRTC1 contributes to the pathogenesis of AD by attenuating the neuronal activity-dependent CREB transcriptional pathway, and suggests a therapeutic target for AD.
Tandem metabolic reaction–based sensors unlock in vivo metabolomics
Authors: Cheng Xuanbing , Li Zongqi , Zhu Jialun , Wang Jingyu , Huang Ruyi , Yu Lewis W. , Lin Shuyu , Forman Sarah , Gromilina Evelina , Puri Sameera , Patel Pritesh , Bahramian Mohammadreza , Tan Jiawei , Hojaiji Hannaneh , Jelinek David , Voisin Laurent , Yu Kristie B. , Zhang Ao , Ho Connie , Lei Lei , Coller Hilary A. , Hsiao Elaine Y. , Reyes Beck L. , Matsumoto Joyce H. , Lu Daniel C. , Liu Chong , Milla Carlos , Davis Ronald W. , Emaminejad Sam
Published: February 2025

Mimicking metabolic pathways on electrodes enables in vivo metabolite monitoring for decoding metabolism. Conventional in vivo sensors cannot accommodate underlying complex reactions involving multiple enzymes and cofactors, addressing only a fraction of enzymatic reactions for few metabolites. We devised a single-wall-carbon-nanotube-electrode architecture supporting tandem metabolic pathway–like reactions linkable to oxidoreductase-based electrochemical analysis, making a vast majority of metabolites detectable in vivo. This architecture robustly integrates cofactors, self-mediates reactions at maximum enzyme capacity, and facilitates metabolite intermediation/detection and interference inactivation through multifunctional enzymatic use. Accordingly, we developed sensors targeting 12 metabolites, with 100-fold-enhanced signal-to-noise ratio and days-long stability. Leveraging these sensors, we monitored trace endogenous metabolites in sweat/saliva for noninvasive health monitoring, and a bacterial metabolite in the brain, marking a key milestone for unraveling gut microbiota–brain axis dynamics.
New Hausdorff-type dimensions and optimal bounds for bilipschitz invariant dimensions*
Authors: Balka Richárd , Keleti Tamás
Published: February 2025

We introduce a new family of fractal dimensions by restricting the set of diameters in the coverings in the usual definition of the Hausdorff dimension. Among others, we prove that this family contains continuum many distinct dimensions, and they share most of the properties of the Hausdorff dimension, which answers negatively a question of Fraser. On the other hand, we also prove that among these new dimensions only the Hausdorff dimension behaves nicely with respect to Hölder functions. We also consider the supremum of these new dimensions, which turns out to be another interesting notion of fractal dimension. We prove that among those bilipschitz invariant, monotone dimensions on the compact subsets of

R

n

that agree with the similarity dimension for the simplest self-similar sets, the modified lower dimension is the smallest and when n = 1 the Assouad dimension is the greatest, and this latter statement is false for n > 1. This answers a question of Rutar.
Prospects for Systematic Planetary Nebulae Detection with the Census of the Local Universe Narrowband Survey
Authors: Du Rong , Cook David O. , Bhattacharjee Soumyadeep , Kulkarni Shrinivas R. , Fremling Christoffer , Kaplan David L. , Kasliwal Mansi M. , Laher Russ R. , Masci Frank J. , Shupe David L. , Zhang Chaoran
Published: February 2025

We investigate the efficacy of a systematic planetary nebula (PN) search in the Census of the Local Universe (CLU) narrowband (Hα) survey that covers a considerably larger sky region of above decl.  −20° than most previous surveys. Using PNe observed by the Isaac Newton Telescope Photometric Hα Survey as validation, we are able to visually recover 432 out of 441 cataloged PNe (98%) within the CLU data set, with 5 sources having unusable CLU images and 4 missed due to limitations of imaging quality. Moreover, the reference PNe are conventionally divided into three PN classes in decreasing order of identification confidence given their spectra and morphologies. We record consistently high recovery rate across all classes: 95% of True, 71% of Likely, and 81% of Possible sources are readily recovered. To further demonstrate the ability of CLU to find new PNe, we undertake a preliminary search of compact PNe within a sub-region of the validation catalog, mainly utilizing the significance of narrow-band colors (Σ) as a metric for identification. In a 200 deg2 region, we search the CLU source catalog and find 31 PN candidates after automated and visual scrutiny, of which 12 are new sources not appearing in previous studies. As a demonstration of our ongoing follow-up campaign, we present medium-resolution optical spectra of six candidates and notice that four of them show emission signatures characteristic of confirmed PNe. As we refine our selection methods, CLU promises to provide a systematic catalog of PNe spanning 2/3 of the sky.
Parameter-dependent cell-type specific effects of transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation in an awake head-fixed rodent model
Authors: Ramachandran Sandhya , Gao Huan , Yttri Eric , Yu Kai , He Bin
Published: February 2025

Objective.Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a promising neuromodulation technique able to target shallow and deep brain structures with high precision. Previous studies have demonstrated that tFUS stimulation responses are cell-type specific, specifically tFUS can elicit time-locked neural activity in regular spiking units (RSUs) that is sensitive to increases in pulse repetition frequency (PRF), while time-locked responses are not seen in fast spiking units (FSUs). These findings suggest a unique capability of tFUS to alter circuit network dynamics with cell-type specificity; however, these results could be biased by the use of anesthesia, which significantly modulates neural activities. Approach. In this study we developed an awake head-fixed rat model specifically designed for simultaneous tFUS stimulation using a customized 128-element ultrasound array transducer, and recording of spiking data. Using this novel animal model, we examined a series of PRFs and burst duty cycles (DCs) to determine their effects on neuronal subpopulations without anesthesia.Main Results.We observed cell type specific responses to varying PRF and DC in the awake setting as well as the anesthetized setting, with time locked responses observed in RSU and delayed responses in FSU. Anesthesia broadly was found to dampen responses to tFUS, and affected the latency of delayed responses. Preferred parameters for inducing time-locked responses appear to be 1500 Hz PRF and 60% DC. Significance. We conclude that despite some differences in response, isoflurane anesthesia is not a major confound in studying the cell-type specificity of ultrasound neuromodulation, but may affect studies of circuit dynamics and FSU. Our developed awake model will allow for future investigations without this confound.
Stabilization of Ce3+ cations via U-Ce charge transfer in mixed oxides: consequences on the thermochemical water splitting to hydrogen
Authors: Morales Carlos , Tschammer Rudi , Gouder Thomas , Choi YongMan , Anjum Dalaver , Baunthiyal Aman , Krisponeit Jon-Olaf , Falta Jens , Flege Jan Ingo , Idriss Hicham
Published: February 2025

The work's objective is to enhance the generation of H2 via the thermochemical water splitting (TCWS) reaction over nanocrystalline mixed oxide Ce1-xUxO2. While CeO2 is the most active and stable known reducible oxide for the TCWS reaction, it is below par to make it practical. This has motivated many works to enhance its reduction capacity and therefore increase its activity. In this work the presence of both metal cations (Ce4+ and U4+) has allowed for the charge transfer reaction to occur (Ce4+ + U4+ → Ce3+ + U5+) and therefore increased its capacity to generate oxygen vacancies, VO (2 Ce3+ + VO), needed for the TCWS reaction. Test reactions on the polycrystalline mixed oxides indicated that small atomic percentages of U (<10 %) were found to be optimal for H2 production due to a considerable increase of Ce3+ states. Further studies of the Ce-U interaction were performed on thin epitaxial Ce1-xUxO2 (111) films of about 6 nm deep. In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed clear evidences of charge transfer at low U content. Moreover, it was found that while increasing the content of U decreased the charge transfer efficiency it protected reduced Ce3+ from being oxidized. Our computational results using the DFT + U method gave evidence of charge transfer at 3.5 and 6.2 at.% of U. In agreement with experiments, theoretical calculations also showed that the charge transfer is sensitive to the distribution of U4+ around the Ce4+ cations, which in turn affected the creation of VO needed for water splitting. Our results point out to the important yet often neglected effect of statistical entropy (cations distribution in the lattice), in addition to composition, in increasing the density of reduced states and consequently enhancing H2 production from water.