bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experiments on and Simulations of Hollow Cylinders Falling through Quiescent Liquids
Authors: Lu Menghua , Zhang Lijuan , Li Jiayi , Lu Jie , Liu Fengjiao , Derksen Jos J.
Published: December 2023

Quantitative visualization experiments of hollow cylinders falling through a Newtonian liquid were performed. The Archimedes number was in the range 5 to 105, the length/outer diameter ratio of the cylinders was in the range 2.5–10, and the inner/outer diameter ratio was 0–0.85. The definition of the Archimedes number includes the inner and outer cylinder diameters, and it is shown that cylinders with the same Archimedes number having different diameter ratios behave similarly. Particle‐resolved simulations were used to enhance the insight into the fluid flow generated by the settling cylinder. They were also used to assess the flow through a hollow cylinder during settling.
Covalent Organic Frameworks: Cutting‐Edge Materials for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Water Harvesting from Air
Authors: Mabuchi Haruna , Irie Tsukasa , Sakai Jin , Das Saikat , Negishi Yuichi
Published: December 2023

The implacable rise of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere and acute water stress are one of the central challenges of our time. Present‐day chemistry is strongly inclined towards more sustainable solutions. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), attributable to their structural designability with atomic precision, functionalizable chemical environment and robust extended architectures, have demonstrated promising performances in CO2 trapping and water harvesting from air. In this Review, we discuss the major developments in this field as well as sketch out the opportunities and shortcomings that remain over large‐scale COF synthesis, device engineering, and long‐term performance in real environments.
Recent Progress in Synthesis and Application of Chiral Organoselenium Compounds
Authors: Lai Shuyan , Liang Xiayu , Zeng Qingle
Published: December 2023

Chiral organoselenium compounds have shown an important role as intermediates in many areas, such as drug discovery, organic catalysis, and nanomaterials. A lot of different methods have been developed to synthesize chiral compounds which contain selenium, because they have interesting properties and can be used in real life. Over the last few decades, a lot of progress has been made in synthesizing chiral organoselenium compounds. This work gives an overview of the progress made in creating new ways to synthesize chiral organoselenium compounds by categorizing them into groups based on the reactions they undergo. In addition, the use of chiral organoselenium compounds is also discussed.
The cilium like region of the Drosophila bifurca spermatocyte: Elongation of a giant axoneme without intraflagellar transport
Authors: Riparbelli Maria Giovanna , Pratelli Ambra , Callaini Giuliano
Published: December 2023

The growth of the ciliary axonemes mainly depends on the evolutionary conserved intraflagellar transport (IFT) machinery. However, insect spermatocytes are characterized by cilium‐like regions (CLRs) that elongate in the absence of IFT. It is generally believed that the dynamics of these structures relies on the free diffusion of soluble tubulin from the cytoplasm. However, this passive process could allow the elongation of short ciliary axonemes, but it is unclear whether simple diffusion of tubulin molecules can ensure the correct assembly of elongated ciliary structures. To decipher this point we analyzed the assembly of the CLRs held by the primary spermatocytes of Drosophila bifurca. These ciliary structures consist of a very elongated axoneme that grows without IFT and, therefore, could represent a good model in which to evaluate the role played by the free diffusion of soluble tubulin. The observation of wavy microtubules in the axonemal lumen of fully elongated CLRs of D. bifurca may be consistent with the diffusion of tubulin within the axonemal lumen. Progressive consumption of soluble tubulin used for axoneme growth at the apical tip of the CLRs could result in a gradient sufficient to move tubulin from the cytoplasm to the apical end of the forming ciliary structure. When the axoneme reaches its full length, tubulin molecules are not drawn to the tip of the CLRs and accumulate at the base of the axoneme, where its concentration may exceed the threshold need for microtubule polymerization. The presence of γ‐TuRCs at the proximal ends of the supernumerary microtubules could enhance their nucleation.
A multicenter retrospective analysis: Factors influencing hepatic adverse events induced by immunotherapy in advanced liver cancer
Authors: Zou Rui , Hao Yunhe , Wang Yiyao , Yan Feihu , Peng Xu , Huang Zepeng , Chen Gang
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To analyze the clinical characteristics and influencing factors of hepatotoxicity in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with programmed cell death protein‐1 (PD‐1) inhibitors, and to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of immune‐related hepatotoxicity in patients with advanced HCC.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of clinical data of patients with advanced HCC from February 2021 to February 2023, in order to summarize and statistically analyze the influencing factors of immune‐related liver adverse reactions.

Results

A total of 135 patients met the inclusion criteria, among whom 46 patients experienced varying degrees of immune‐related liver adverse reactions, with an incidence rate of 34.1% (46/135). The time range of immune‐related liver adverse reactions was 3–26 weeks, with a median time of 4 weeks. The age range of immune‐related liver adverse reactions was 34–73 years, with a median age of 62 years. Statistical analysis of the influencing factors and liver adverse reactions showed that age, total bilirubin level, and Child–Pugh (C–P) grading were influencing factors for the occurrence of liver adverse reactions (p < .05), and among these three influencing factors, the proportion of males with ≥2 influencing factors was higher than that of females; liver function C–P B was an independent influencing factor for liver adverse reactions (p < .05).

Conclusion

For male patients over 60 years old, with bilirubin levels ≥51 μmol/L and liver function C–P B, close observation of the occurrence of immune‐related adverse reactions during treatment is recommended.
Hybrid interleaved DC‐DC step‐up converter based on coupled inductor
Authors: Alizadeh Darioush , Babaei Ebrahim , Sabahi Mehran , Cecati Carlo
Published: December 2023

In this paper, a high voltage gain hybrid interleaved DC‐DC converter (HIC) with quadratic voltage gain is proposed that is suitable for renewable energy systems. The hybrid technique is used in this converter to increase the output voltage. The proposed DC‐DC converter utilizes the interleaved boost converter on the input side, and the input current is shared with a low ripple that lengthens the lifetime of the renewable power source. In addition, the proposed converter has low voltage stress across the components that can be adopted to reduce conduction losses and the cost of the elements. In addition, the proposed converter share ground between the input and output and has high efficiency. The operation modes of the proposed converter are analyzed, and its equations are calculated. Then, the elements of the proposed converter are designed in continuous conduction mode. A comprehensive comparison of the proposed converter with other recently presented existing converters is discussed to show the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed structure. Finally, to verify the performance of the proposed converter and the obtained relations, a 400 W prototype is built to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed converter.
Behavioral responses to natural rewards in developing male and female rats
Authors: Oak Sasha , Nguyen Christine , Rodney‐Hernández Paolaenid , Rincón‐Cortés Millie
Published: December 2023

Reward deficits are a hallmark feature of multiple psychiatric disorders and often recapitulated in rodent models useful for the study of psychiatric disorders, including those employing early life stress. Moreover, rodent studies have shown sex differences during adulthood in response to natural and drug rewards under normative conditions and in stress‐based rodent models. Yet, little is known about the development of reward‐related responses under normative conditions, including how these may differ in rats of both sexes during early development. Comparing reward‐related behavioral responses between developing male and female rats may be useful for understanding how these processes may be affected in rodent models relevant to psychiatric disorders. To this end, we tested behavioral responses to natural rewards in male and female rats using sucrose consumption, sweet palatable food intake and social play tests at two timepoints (peripuberty, adolescence). Our results suggest comparable responses to consummatory and social rewards in male and female rats during peripuberty and adolescence as no sex differences were found for sucrose preference, chocolate candy intake or a subset of play behaviors (dorsal contacts, pins). These findings suggest that sex differences in response to these natural rewards emerge and may be more robust during adulthood.
Decline in small mammal species richness in coastal‐central California, 1997–2013
Authors: Ghimirey Yadav P. , Tietje William D. , Polyakov Anne Y. , Hines James E. , Oli Madan K.
Published: December 2023

The richness and composition of a small mammal community inhabiting semiarid California oak woodland may be changing in response to climate change, but we know little about the causes or consequence of these changes. We applied a capture‐mark‐recapture model to 17 years (1997–2013) of live trapping data to estimate species‐specific abundances. The big‐eared woodrat was the most frequently captured species in the area, contributing 58% of total captures. All small mammal populations exhibited seasonal fluctuations, whereas those of the California mouse, brush mouse, and pinyon mouse declined during the study period. We also applied a multispecies dynamic occupancy model to our small mammal detection history data to estimate species richness, occupancy (), detection (p), local extinction (), and colonization () probabilities, and to discern factors affecting these parameters. We found that decreased from 0.369 ± 0.088 in 1997 to 0.248 ± 0.054 in 2013; was lower during the dry season (May–September) than the wet season (October–April) and was positively influenced by total seasonal rainfall (slope parameter,  = 0.859 ± 0.371; 95% CI = 0.132–1.587). Mean mammalian species richness decreased from 11.943 ± 0.461 in 1997 to 7.185 ± 0.425 in 2013. With highly variable climatic patterns expected in the future, especially increased frequency and intensity of droughts, it is important to monitor small mammal communities inhabiting threatened California oak woodlands.
Eastern redcedar roots create legacy effects that suppresses growth of prairie species
Authors: Bennion Leland D. , Ward David
Published: December 2023

The expansion of woody species from their historical ranges into grasslands is a global problem. Understanding the mechanisms that enable species to successfully establish and then re‐encroach following their removal is critical to effectively managing problem species. Legacy effects are a mechanism that could be critical to the reestablishment of woody encroachers following their removal. Legacy effects occur when a species alters the biotic and abiotic environment in a way that affects communities that establish subsequently. In this study, we assess whether the eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), a North American woody encroacher, generates legacy effects that affect communities that establish following removal of this species from an experimental grass community. We conducted a series of experiments to evaluate the effects of J. virginiana, roots on the germination and growth of grasses and to determine if the effects of root‐addition treatments were derived from a microbial or allelopathic origin. Aqueous extracts of J. virginiana roots were found to inhibit the germination of grasses. We found escalating suppression of overall community biomass and the biomass of each individual species with increasing root treatments. Finally, we determined the origin of the observed suppressive effect is unlikely to be of microbial origin. Synthesis: Our results suggest that J. virginiana exudes an allelochemical into soils that inhibits the growth of certain grasses and thus has the potential to have legacy effects on future occupants. We suggest that the inhibition of the development of grasses in areas where J. virginiana has been removed is a mechanism that may favor the reestablishment of J. virginiana. Our results indicate the legacy effects of J. virginiana must be considered when conducting removal and restoration of J. virginiana infested lands.
Research on the capacity cost allocation and the electricity capacity price optimization method for a power system based on the BARY‐GA algorithm
Authors: Liu Hang , Liu Qing , He Rui , Li Feng , Luo Kaiyan
Published: December 2023

Under the new power system, a high proportion of new energy is widely connected to the power grid, and it is necessary to increase investment in centralized and distributed energy storage, flexible resource regulation, and transmission and distribution grids, resulting in an increase in power system costs. The current electricity capacity price does not reflect the economic value of the added system adequately, and flexible capacity is needed to ensure the safety of the power grid under the new power system. In the context of the transformation of the new power system and investment function, it is increasingly difficult to recover the costs according to the traditional electricity price. It is necessary to establish a coordinated development mechanism for the electricity capacity price and the electricity price that recovers the fixed costs according to the investment function to ensure a reasonable return on investment in flexible resources and to provide effective investment signals. Therefore, this work first studied and proposed a mechanism for the formation of capacity and electricity prices based on the proportion of allowed income and fixed costs at different voltage levels and calculates the level of electricity capacity (demand) prices and electricity consumption prices. Then, using the BARY curve, genetic algorithm, and clustering of user load rates, a collaborative mechanism between the electricity capacity price and the electricity price was designed. With the goal of optimizing the electricity capacity price and considering constraints such as the flexibility and reliability of the new power system, the ratio of the capacity cost allocated to the electricity capacity price by voltage level users to the capacity cost allocated to the electricity price was calculated, and the optimal combination of electricity capacity price and electricity price for different load‐rate intervals was determined. Finally, the effectiveness of the model was verified through numerical simulations. On the basis of the investment characteristics of the new power system, suggestions for a capacity pricing mechanism under the new power system were proposed from the perspectives of transfer capacity function, transfer electricity function, grid reliability, and environmental and social benefits.
The Incredible HALK: Borrowing Data for Age Assignment
Authors: Frater Paul N , Feiner Zachary S , Hansen Gretchen J.A , Isermann Daniel A , Latzka Alexander W , Jensen Olaf P
Published: December 2023

Understanding age and growth are important for fisheries science and management; however, age data are not routinely collected for many populations. We propose and test a method of borrowing age–length data across increasingly broader spatiotemporal levels to create a hierarchical age–length key (HALK). We assessed this method by comparing growth and mortality metrics to those estimated from lake–year age–length keys ages using seven common freshwater fish species across the upper Midwestern United States. Levels used for data borrowing began most specifically by borrowing within lake across time and increased in breadth to include data within the Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 10 watershed, HUC8 watershed, Level III Ecoregion, and finally a species-wide data ALK using all available data with our study for a species. Median deviation in mean length of age-3 fish was within 1 cm for the most specific HALK levels, and median deviation in total annual mortality was close to 0 for most species when borrowing occurred within HUC10 and HUC8 watersheds. Percent error in growth curves increased with data borrowing, but plateaued—or even decreased—for some species when data borrowing expanded across spatial levels. We present the HALK as a method for gaining age information about a fishery when age data are unavailable.
Fish Diversity and Use of Nearshore and Open-Water Habitats in Terminal Lakes
Authors: Bess Zachary , Koning Aaron , Simmons James , Suenaga Erin , Pedro Aldo San , Culpepper Joshua , Scordo Facundo , Seitz Carina , Rhoades Suzanne , McKinnon Tara , McKim Ryan , Feher Karly , Tromboni Flavia , Regan Julie W. , Chandra Sudeep
Published: December 2023

Terminal lakes face conservation challenges due to consumptive water use and changes in climate. We quantified the extent of the littoral and open water zones in 18 terminal lakes spanning five continents and show that lake level declines produce variable changes in littoral zone surface area. While littoral zones account for a small portion of the habitat in these lakes, 77% of the fish species inhabit these zones and 87.5% consume littoral–benthic organisms. We found that littoral zone surface area correlates with littoral zone fish species richness (P < 0.01; R2 = 0.47) as well as the number of species relying on benthos (P < 0.01; R2 = 0.44). However, we found (1) no correlation between the percent of the lake's surface area that is littoral and the percent of the fish community that inhabits the littoral zone (Pearson's r = 0.3; P = 0.3), and (2) no correlation between the percent of the lake's surface area that is littoral and the percent of the fish community that consumes benthic organisms (Pearson's r = −0.1; P = 0.8). Because many terminal lakes are desiccating, conservation of biodiversity in the nearshore zones of these lakes may be warranted.
Dual‐branch feature extraction network combined with Transformer and CNN for polyp segmentation
Authors: Liu Qiaohong , Lin Yuanjie , Han Xiaoxiang , Chen Keyan , Zhang Weikun , Yang Hui
Published: December 2023

To overcome the difficulty of accurate polyp segmentation, a novel encoder–decoder network DFETC‐Net is proposed, in which two encoders based on Swin Transformer and CNN are utilized to extract the global and local features respectively. Further, a new self‐attention and convolution feature fusion module is designed to fuse the two branch features to enhance the feature representative capability and alleviate the influence of the semantic gap. In the bottleneck, a new multi‐feature pyramid pooling module fuses all deep features from two branches to obtain multi‐scale information and promote segmentation accuracy. The coordinate attention is used in the skip connections between two shallow CNN blocks and corresponding decoder blocks to pay more attention to doubtful and complicated regions. Extensive experiments demonstrate the proposed network outperforms several state‐of‐the‐art methods in terms of both qualitative effects and quantitative measurements. All codes are available on https://github.com/LYJieH/DFETC-NET.
Optimal management of severe mpox in patients with uncontrolled human immunodeficiency virus
Authors: Shishido Akira A. , Street Stacy
Published: December 2023

In May 2022, a cluster of nontravel‐related cases of human mpox were reported in the United Kingdom. The outbreak has since spread worldwide infecting over 85 000 patients and causing over 100 deaths. Recent data clearly suggest that patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with CD4 counts less than 200 cells per mm3 suffer significantly worse outcomes than immunocompetent patients. The available countermeasures lack robust clinical data and are deployed based on in vitro and animal studies as well as extrapolations from use against other poxviruses. In many cases, despite administration of these available treatments, initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and management of suspected immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome after initiating ART, patients die. This review summarizes available data, identifies knowledge gaps and proposes recommendations on the management of severe mpox in people living with HIV.
Phosphorus fertiliser equivalent value of dairy processing sludge‐derived STRUBIAS products using ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Authors: Shi W. , Fenton Owen , Ashekuzzaman S. M. , Daly K. , Leahy J. J. , Khalaf N. , Chojnacka K. , Numviyimana C. , Warchoł J. , Healy M. G.
Published: December 2023

Background

Struvite, biochar and ash products (collectively known as STRUBIAS) derived from different waste streams are used as fertilisers in agriculture. Raw dairy processing sludge (DPS) shows promise as bio‐based fertilisers, but secondary STRUBIAS‐derived products need further testing as fertilisers.

Aims

The objective of this study was to calculate the phosphorus mineral fertiliser equivalency (P‐MFE) for some STRUBIAS products derived from DPS.

Methods

Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) pot trials were used to determine the P‐MFE using the apparent P recovery (APR) method for Fe‐DPS and DPS‐derived struvites (Struvite 1–4), hydrochars (HC1–3) and ash.

Results

The tested STRUBIAS products can be divided into two groups: (1) a range of products that can (i.e. Struvite 1–3) and (2) cannot (i.e., Struvite 4, HC1–3, ash and Fe‐DPS) be considered fertilisers. In the first group, the P‐MFE ranged from 66.8% to 76.7% for ryegrass and from 77.9% to 93.5% for spring wheat grain. In the second group, the P‐MFE ranged from 7.8% to 58.3% for ryegrass and from −34.5% to −151.3% for spring wheat grain. The negative agronomic effects of some products for wheat grain (struvite and HC) in this study were mainly caused by high Fe content, which could be overcome by improved treatment processes.

Conclusions

Future policy and research must be aware that not all the DPS‐derived STRUBIAS products are suitable as fertilisers and therefore need to be tested individually.
'Nine Steaming Nine Sun‐drying' processing enhanced properties of Polygonatum kingianum against inflammation, oxidative stress and hyperglycemia
Authors: Zhou Lanqi , Liu Tianqi , Yan Tao , Yang Minmin , Wang Peng , Shi Lin
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Polygonatum kingianum Coll. & Hemsl (PK), a prominent medicine and food homology plant, has been consumed as a decoction from boiling water for thousands of years. 'Nine Steaming Nine Sun‐drying' processing has been considered an effective method for enriching tonic properties, but studies investigating such impacts on PK and underlying mechanisms are extremely rare.

RESULTS

We first demonstrated substantial improvements in the anti‐oxidative, anti‐inflammatory and anti‐hyperglycemia effects of the Nine Steaming Nine Sun‐drying processed PK water extracts compared with crude PK in cell models (i.e., HepG2 and Raw 264.7 cells). We then integrated foodomics and network pharmacology analysis to uncover the key compounds responsible for the improved benefits. A total of 551 metabolites of PK extracts were identified, including polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and organic acids. During processing, 204 metabolites were enhanced, and 32 metabolites were recognized as key constituents of processed PK responsible for the improved health‐promoting activities, which may affect PI3K‐Akt‐, MAPK‐, and HIF‐1 pathways. We further confirmed the high affinity between identified key constituents of processed PK and their predicted acting targets using molecular docking.

CONCLUSION

Our results provide novel insights into bioactive compounds of processed PK, elaborating the rationality of processing from the perspective of tonic effects. Consuming processed PK could be an efficacious strategy to combat the high prevalence of metabolic diseases that currently affect millions of people worldwide. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Three‐dimensional simulation of green soybean infrared‐assisted spouted bed drying
Authors: Hou Zhiyun , Duan Xu , Zhao Yike , Ren Guangyue , Li Linlin , Cao Weiwei , Liu Zhenbin , Liu Wenchao
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

The current study introduces a novel infrared‐assisted spouted bed drying technique for the dehydration of green soybeans, which aims to enhance the drying quality and efficiency. The investigation involves an examination of the flow pattern in the spouted bed to obtain relevant data, followed by an optimization of the entire drying process. The drying process of green soybeans was simulated using SolidWorks and ANSYS Fluent software, based on the principles of computational fluid dynamics.

RESULTS

The simulation test results showed that the simulation outcomes were consistent with the experimental data. The optimal conditions for the process of green soybean infrared‐assisted spouted bed drying were found to be an inlet speed of 8 m/s and a temperature of 50 °C with the wavelength and power settings of the infrared board at 10 μm and 500 W, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The simulation method selected in this article, based on gas–solid two‐phase flow dynamics, is feasible for green soybean infrared‐assisted spouted bed drying process. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Histopathology of Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis Versus Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps
Authors: Simpson Tamara , Talati Vidit , Baird Ali M. , Gattuso Paolo , Allen‐Proctor Mary K. , Papagiannopoulos Peter , Batra Pete S. , Filip Peter , Tajudeen Bobby A.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Structured histopathology (SHP) is a method of analyzing sinonasal tissue to characterize endotypes of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) shares several features with certain endotypes of CRSwNP. Our objective was to compare the histopathology of AFRS and eosinophilic CRSwNP to further understand whether they are separate endotypes or disease entities altogether.

Methods

A retrospective review of AFRS and CRSwNP patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery was performed. Data were collected on demographics, comorbidities, subjective and objective severity scores, and 13‐variable SHP reports. CRSwNP patients with >10 eosinophils per high‐power field (eCRSwNP) were included. Chi‐squared and t‐tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results

A total of 29 AFRS and 108 eCRSwNP patients were identified. AFRS patients were younger and more often Black. Symptom severity scores (SNOT‐22, Lund‐MacKay, and Lund‐Kennedy) were uniform between groups. AFRS patients had a higher rate of Charcot–Leyden crystals (41.4% vs. 10.2%; p < 0.001). Severe degree of inflammation, eosinophilic inflammatory predominance, eosinophil aggregates, subepithelial edema, and basement membrane thickening were common in both groups, and their rates were not statistically significantly different between groups. Metaplasia, ulceration, fibrosis, and hyperplastic/papillary change rates were low (<30%) and similar between groups.

Conclusion

The SHP of eCRSwNP and AFRS are highly consistent, which suggests AFRS is a severe subtype of CRSwNP overall rather than a separate disease entity. This also lends credence to AFRS belonging on the endotypic spectrum of CRSwNP.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 134:2617–2621, 2024
Subdiffraction 3D Nanolithography by Two‐Photon Two‐Step Absorption and Photoinhibition
Authors: Ding Chenliang , Liu Xi , Liu Qiulan , Zhu Dazhao , Luo Mengdi , Gao XiuJun , Yang Zhenyao , Sun Qiuyuan , Qian Quanli , Shen Xiaoming , Cao Chun , You Shangting , Xu Liang , He Minfei , Liu Yong , Kuang Cuifang , Liu Xu
Published: December 2023

Improving the 3D resolution is a decisive step in the transition of direct laser writing from being limited to research use to being a powerful tool. Three‐color (3CL) lithography is expected to result in significantly higher resolution with two‐color lasers initiating polymerization in two steps and one‐color laser inhibiting polymerization. However, the 3CL process increases the complexity of the system and makes the influence of chromatic aberration worse which leads to non‐ideal writing results, which is ≈80 nm linewidth (≈λ/10) at present. In this study, the 3CL lithography is improved by introducing almost one color (1CL) instead of three colors to achieve subdiffraction 3D nanolithography based on two‐photon two‐step absorption and photoinhibition (T2A‐PI). Using benzil as a photoinitiator, a sub‐30 nm (<λ/17.5) lateral feature size, minimum 80 nm lateral, and 160 nm axial pitches are achieved, which, to our knowledge, is the best to be fabricated using the laser in the visible region. 3D woodpile photonic crystals and other high‐quality nanostructures are fabricated, demonstrating the unique advantages over existing direct laser writing technologies.
Preparation and Properties of Novel Mucilage Composite Films Reinforced with Polydimethylsiloxane
Authors: Bilican Ismail
Published: December 2023

Recently, there is an increasing interest in research on biodegradable, non‐toxic, and high‐strength biomaterials that can replace plastics, especially in the food industry. In this study, mucilage obtained from Linum usitatissimum seeds is used to develop a natural biodegradable biomaterial by reinforcing it with different concentrations of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The biomaterials produced in the form of films are thoroughly investigated in terms of physicochemical (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectrum (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), contact angle, and mechanical), biodegradable (in soil and water), and antibacterial properties. SEM‐EDX and AFM demonstrate the homogeneous distribution of PDMS throughout the mucilage matrix. The incorporation of PDMS improves the water solubility of the mucilage composite films, thereby enhancing their strength. It also imparts hydrophobic characteristics to the composite films. Thus, PDMS ensures the high barrier property of the composite films against water vapor. Furthermore, the addition of PDMS increases the antimicrobial properties of the mucilage composite films. The obtained results indicate that the first‐time produced mucilage‐PDMS composite films can serve as an alternative product for food packaging applications.
Media richness effectiveness: Humanoid robots with or without voice, or just a tablet kiosk?
Authors: Brengman Malaika , Willems Kim , De Gauquier Laurens , Vanderborght Bram
Published: December 2023

Humanoid robots can serve as in‐store communication medium, providing functional as well as hedonic value. Previous studies have demonstrated their proficiency in providing functional value, such as guiding customers, advertising products, or carrying groceries. However, in a retailing context, engaging customers often requires more than meeting their basic functional needs. This study is the first to examine the potential of humanoid service robots (HSRs) in providing hedonic value as well, comparing their performance to that of more traditional in‐store media in entertaining customers. Based on media richness effectiveness theory, the role of robot voice is also investigated. An experimental field study was performed administering a fun quiz to passers‐by at an airport store considering three conditions (via tablet, robot with voice, or robot without voice). The results show that the quiz via a humanoid robot (as compared to via a tablet kiosk) provides customers more functional and hedonic value. While functional value favorably affects loyalty intentions mainly via enhanced store image, hedonic value has a direct and indirect effect mainly via store attitude. Adding voice to the HSR does not seem to provide significant added value. Data on actual purchase behavior also hint at superiority of the robot over a traditional tablet kiosk.
Asymmetric PIFA antenna decoupling based on common and differential modes cancellation
Authors: Li Lei , Wu WanYing , Xiong HuiDong , Fu AnBang , Han JiaYing
Published: December 2023

This article proposes a method to solve the decoupling problem between asymmetric antennas based on common mode and differential mode cancellation theory. The coupling between two asymmetric antennas can be analyzed and mitigated by exciting two signals simultaneously. To verify the feasibility of this theory, a pair of asymmetrically coupled planar inverted‐F antennas are proposed in this paper. Simulation and experimental results show that this method provides a good theoretical foundation for decoupling between asymmetric antennas. Compared with traditional decoupling techniques, it can obtain good performance, and the design scheme is simple and easy to implement.
Unsupervised deep learning model for correcting Nyquist ghosts of single‐shot spatiotemporal encoding
Authors: Bao Qingjia , Liu Xinjie , Xu Jingyun , Xia Liyang , Otikovs Martins , Xie Han , Liu Kewen , Zhang Zhi , Zhou Xin , Liu Chaoyang
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To design an unsupervised deep learning (DL) model for correcting Nyquist ghosts of single‐shot spatiotemporal encoding (SPEN) and evaluate the model for real MRI applications.

Methods

The proposed method consists of three main components: (1) an unsupervised network that combines Residual Encoder and Restricted Subspace Mapping (RERSM‐net) and is trained to generate a phase‐difference map based on the even and odd SPEN images; (2) a spin physical forward model to obtain the corrected image with the learned phase difference map; and (3) cycle‐consistency loss that is explored for training the RERSM‐net.

Results

The proposed RERSM‐net could effectively generate smooth phase difference maps and correct Nyquist ghosts of single‐shot SPEN. Both simulation and real in vivo MRI experiments demonstrated that our method outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art SPEN Nyquist ghost correction method. Furthermore, the ablation experiments of generating phase‐difference maps show the advantages of the proposed unsupervised model.

Conclusion

The proposed method can effectively correct Nyquist ghosts for the single‐shot SPEN sequence.
Continent catheterizable urinary channels: Lessons for lifelong urological care from a comparative analysis of very long‐term complications and revision‐free survival of three different types
Authors: Polm Pepijn D. , Christiaans Coen H. H. , Dik Pieter , Wyndaele Michel I. A. , de Kort Laetitia M. O.
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Continent catheterizable channels (CCC) provide an alternative route to the bladder in both pediatric and adult patients. This study compared very long‐term complications and revision‐free survival of three different CCC techniques: appendicovesicostomy (AVS), ileum (Monti), and tubularized bladder flap (TBF).

Materials and Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed. Data from adult patients with CCC under surveillance at our academic tertiary referral urological center in 2020 and 2021 were collected. Both patients who acquired the CCC as a child and as an adult were included. The primary outcome was revision‐free survival of the three CCC types. The secondary outcome was the prevalence of complications requiring surgical revision. Revisions were categorized as major (open subfascial or complete revisions) and minor (open suprafascial or endoscopic).

Results

We included 173 CCCs (AVS 90, Monti 51, TBF 32). Median follow‐up was 12.4 years (4.8–18). Mean revision‐free survival was 162 ± 13 months, with no significant difference between the three types. Ninety‐two individual CCCs (53%) required surgical revision and a total of 157 surgical revisions were performed. Seventy CCCs (40%) required major surgical revision: AVS (27/90%–30%), Monti (31/51%–61%), TBF (12/32%–38%).

Conclusion

Complications of CCCs are common; in this study with very long‐term follow‐up, more than half of CCCs required surgical revision. Revisions were more common in Monti channels compared with AVS and TBF. The mean revision‐free survival of >13 years illustrates the sustained long‐term durability of CCCs which is important in the lifelong urological care of this population with high life expectancy.
A consensus statement on when to start clean intermittent self‐catheterization: An untapped resource?
Authors: Chapple Christopher , Abrams Paul , Lam Thomas , Mangera Altaf , Belal Mohammed , Curtis Carmel , Emkes Jacqueline , Hillery Sarah , Irwin Karen , Logan Karen , Weston Polly , Yates Ann
Published: December 2023

Background

Clean intermittent self‐catheterisation (CISC or ISC) is used by patients/carers to empty the bladder if needed. Sometimes the urethral lumen leading out of the bladder is blocked; sometimes, the bladder (detrusor) muscle itself or the autonomic motor nerves innervating the bladder are damaged, resulting in a failure of the detrusor muscle to work, leading to a failure of the bladder being able to empty adequately. Prior consensus as to the indications and timing of CISC has yet to be provided. This article aims to provide a multidisciplinary consensus view on this subject.

Conclusion

It is evident that every patient needs to be considered individually, bearing in mind the symptoms and investigations to be considered. We emphasise the importance of considering the term Bladder Voiding Efficiency (BVE). One group of patients who might find CISC helpful are those with a neurological disorder; these include spinal injury patients, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, and a condition called cauda equina. Sometimes bladder problems are treated with anticholinergics, and others may be treated with Botox. These may cause the bladder not to empty at all, which is good for leaks but needs self‐catheterisation to empty the bladder. In the past, hospitals used a permanent catheter called an ‘indwelling’ or a ‘suprapubic’ catheter. These can have side effects, including infections, stones, and pain. For CISC, disposable catheters are the best option for patients as they come in different sizes and styles to provide individualised care. In conclusion, we would like hospitals to consider each patient separately and not use a general ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ bladder function for these patients.
4‐Octyl itaconate alleviates experimental autoimmune prostatitis by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome‐induced pyroptosis through activating Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway
Authors: Zhao Xiaohu , Feng Rui , Chen Juan , Jiang Qing , Hua Xiaoliang , Liang Chaozhao
Published: December 2023

Background

Chronic prostatitis demonstrates a prevalence rate of nearly 5%–10% among young and middle‐aged individuals, significantly affecting their daily lives. Researchers have obtained significant outcomes investigating the anti‐inflammatory properties of itaconic acid (IA) and its derivative, 4‐Octyl itaconate (4‐OI), against diverse chronic inflammatory disorders, such as osteoarthritis and airway inflammation. Nevertheless, whether IA can also exert anti‐inflammatory effects in chronic prostatitis requires extensive research and validation.

Methods

Human prostate tissues obtained through transurethral prostate resection (TURP) from individuals were divided into three groups based on different levels of inflammation using hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E). Subsequently, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was employed to detect the expression of immune‐responsive gene 1 (IRG‐1) in these different groups. The animal experiment of this study induced experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) in nonobese diabetic mice through intradermal prostate antigen injection and complete Freund's adjuvant. Then, the experimental group received intraperitoneal injections of different doses of 4‐OI, while the control group received injections of saline. Western blot (WB), H&E staining, and TUNEL staining helped analyze the prostate tissues, while enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) helped evaluate serum inflammatory factors. Reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed for oxidative stress across experimental groups.

Results

IHC analysis of human prostate tissue depicts that IRG‐1 expression enhances as prostate inflammation worsens, highlighting the critical role of IA in human prostatitis. The application of 4‐OI increased Nrf2/HO‐1 expression while inhibited NLRP3 expression following the WB results, and its application resulted in a decrease in cell pyroptosis in prostate tissue, demonstrated by the results of TUNEL staining. Administering a Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 1 h before intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg 4‐OI reversed the previous conclusion, further confirming the above conclusion from another perspective. Meanwhile, the ELISA results of serum inflammatory factors (IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α), as well as the measurements of oxidative stress markers MDA and SOD, further confirmed the specific anti‐inflammatory effects of 4‐OI in EAP.

Conclusions

The present study indicates that 4‐OI can alleviates EAP by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome‐induced pyroptosis through activating Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway, which may facilitate a novel approach toward prostatitis treatment.
The combined influence of west Pacific subtropical high and tropical cyclones over the northwest Pacific on Indian summer monsoon rainfall
Authors: Chaluvadi Roja , Varikoden Hamza , Mujumdar Milind , Ingle Sopan T.
Published: December 2023

We examined the interrelationship between the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR), the west Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), and tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the western north Pacific (WNP) Ocean during the peak monsoon season in 1951–2019. When WNP TCs are inactive (active), there is a noticeable 10° westward (eastward) shift observed along with intensification (weakening) of the WPSH. The WPSH and WNP TC activities are divided into four categories—an eastward shift of WPSH with active TCs (EA) and inactive TCs (EI), and a westward shift of WPSH with active TCs (WA) and inactive TCs (WI)—in order to investigate the combined influence of the WPSH and WNP TCs on ISMR during non‐El Niño–Southern Oscillation (non‐ENSO), El Niño, and La Niña phases. In the EA non‐ENSO cases, a surplus (deficit) rainfall was noticed over central (southern peninsular) India as a result of moisture convergence (low convective available potential energy, abnormal moisture divergence and downdraft); however, the rainfall is above normal over the Indian subcontinent. During the EI non‐ENSO case, an excess (deficit) regional rainfall activity was observed over east‐central India and parts of north India (southern peninsular India) through regional changes in atmospheric circulations and midtropospheric vertical velocity. In contrast, in WI (WA) non‐ENSO cases, the majority of India (southern peninsular and northeast India) experiences excessive precipitation while east‐central India (east and west central India) undergoes a deficit rainfall. This pattern is consistent with the spatial distribution of moisture flux convergence, convective available potential energy, and midtropospheric vertical velocity. In the case of non‐ENSO, the westward shift of the WPSH associated with inactive TCs is one of the favourable conditions for ISMR. In general, the effect of an eastward (westward) shift of the WPSH along with more (less) TCs during the non‐ENSO case is favourable to ISMR. On the other hand, rainfall patterns during ENSO are significantly associated with the circulation changes teleconnected to El Niño and La Niña conditions.
QSPR analysis to predict some quantum chemical properties of 2‐phenylindol derivatives as anticancer drugs using molecular descriptor and genetic algorithm multiple linear regression
Authors: Bahrami Samira , Shafiei Fatemeh , Marjani Azam , Momeni Isfahani Tahereh
Published: December 2023

Thermodynamic properties of molecules provide fundamental information for binding in fragment‐based drug discovery programs and for understanding complex interactions. Experimental measurements of some thermodynamic properties are not always feasible. Quantum mechanical methods and group contribution methods are the major toolboxes to obtain some theoretical quantities. In drug discovery and development, computational studies can reduce the costs and risks of bringing a new medicine to market. Computational methods have been widely used to optimize promising new ligands by estimating their binding affinity to proteins using the thermodynamic ligand binding parameters (Gibbs energy, enthalpy, entropy, and heat capacity). In this article, the relationship between molecular descriptors and quantum chemical properties, such as the Gibbs free energy (ΔG kJ mol−1) and enthalpy of formation (ΔHf kJ mol−1) of 2‐phenylindole derivatives as anticancer drugs is studied. These properties were calculated at the DFT‐B3LYP/6‐311G (d,p) level of quantum chemistry by Gaussian 09 software. Molecular descriptors were calculated by Dragon 5.4 software, and the stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR) and the Genetic algorithm (GA) techniques were used to select the best descriptors and build QSPR models. To evaluate the predictive ability of developed quantitative structure‐property relationship (QSPR) models, different internal and external validation methods were adopted. The predictive powers of the models were found to be satisfactory. The models revealed that 3D matrix‐based descriptors (H3D, SEig) are useful to predict the Gibbs free energy and enthalpy of formation of the investigated compounds respectively.
Structure, stability and reactivity of inverse sandwich complexes M‐Be3‐M and M‐Zn3‐M (M = Li, Na, K, Cu, Ag, Au)
Authors: Borah Ritam R. , Deka Rinu P.
Published: December 2023

Quantum chemical calculations have b‐een carried out on the inverse sandwich type complexes formed between coinage and alkali metals with Be3 and Zn3 rings. Calculations reveal that the complexes are stable toward dissociation. Their Lewis acidic character has been evaluated using fluoride ion affinity (FIA) calculation, which reveals their strong acidic character. Topological analysis of electron density has also been performed to investigate the nature of the bond between the metal and the fluoride ion. Calculations reveal non covalent nature in case of alkali series and covalent nature in case of coinage metal series.