bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The humoral immune response to the BNT 162B2 vaccine in pediatrics on renal replacement therapy
Authors: Alshami Alanoud , Bahbah Hebattallah , Al Attas Rabab , Aldokhi Fatimah , Azzam Ahmad
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Since the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic, data published on the immunogenicity of the SARS‐CoV‐2 BNT 162B2 vaccine in pediatric patients receiving renal replacement therapy are scant. Our primary objective is to study this population's humoral immune response to the COVID‐19 vaccine.

Methods

Pediatric kidney transplant recipients (PKTRs) and hemodialysis recipients (HR) at our center who received two doses of the SARS‐CoV‐2 BNT 162B2 vaccine were included. Transplant and HR who had PCR‐positive COVID‐19 infections during the study, regardless of their vaccine status, were also included. SARS‐CoV‐2 anti‐spike protein (S1/S2) IgG was measured after the second dose of the vaccine and after any PCR‐positive COVID‐19 infection as routine clinical practice. Data on demographics, induction, maintenance immunosuppressants, type of transplant, and posttransplant or dialysis duration were included.

Results

Of the 61 patients included, 19 were dialysis recipients who received two doses of vaccine without subsequent infection (HV), and 42 were kidney transplant recipients. All dialysis patients and 33 (78.6%) transplant recipients received two doses of the SARS‐CoV‐2 BNT 162b2 vaccine. A total of 33.3% (11/33) of the transplant recipients who received vaccination developed COVID‐19 infection (KTH) at a median time of 13 days after the second dose of vaccine. Nine transplant patients had pure COVID‐19 infection without vaccination (KTI). The seroconversion rate in the HV group was 94.7% (18/19) compared to 50% (11/22) in the kidney transplant vaccine recipients who did not develop subsequent COVID‐19 infection (KTV) (p < .001). The median S1/S2 IgG titers for the HV group were 400 AU/mL versus 15 AU/mL in the KTV group (p < .0001). There was no significant difference in the duration of the test from the second dose of the vaccine between HV and KTV (55 vs. 33.5 days, p = .095). The KTH had higher titers than KTV group (370 vs. 15 p < .0001). The median duration of the test after vaccination in the vaccine group and those with hybrid immunity was similar (35 vs. 33.5 days, p = .2).There were no clear predictors for seroconversion in the PKTRs. Natural infection alone was as good as the vaccine in eliciting humoral immune response.

Conclusion

The humoral immune response to two doses of the SARS‐CoV‐2 BNT 162B2 vaccine in PKTRs without subsequent COVID‐19 infection is suboptimal compared to that in hemodialysis recipients and in PKTRs with hybrid immunity from both infection and vaccination.
Efficacy and safety of single‐dose anti‐thymocyte globulin versus basiliximab induction therapy in pediatric kidney transplant recipients: A retrospective comparative cohort study
Authors: Custodio Luciana de Fatima Porini , Martins Suelen Bianca Stopa , Viana Laila Almeida , Cristelli Marina Pontello , Requião‐Moura Lucio , Chow Charles Yea Zen , Camargo Suzana Friedlander Del Nero , Nakamura Monica Rika , Foresto Renato Demarchi , Tedesco‐Silva Helio , Medina‐Pestana Jose
Published: March 2024

Background

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of basiliximab (BAS) versus a single dose of anti‐thymocyte globulin (r‐ATG) induction therapy in pediatric kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).

Methods

This single‐center retrospective comparative cohort study included all pediatric KTRs from May 2013 to April 2018 and followed up to 12 months. In the first period, all recipients received BAS, while from May 2016, a single 3 mg/kg dose of r‐ATG was instituted. Maintenance therapy consisted of a calcineurin inhibitor plus prednisone plus azathioprine or mycophenolate.

Results

A total of 227 patients were included (BAS, n = 113; r‐ATG, n = 114). The main combination of immunosuppressive drugs was tacrolimus, prednisone, and azathioprine in both groups (87% vs. 88%, p = .718). Patients receiving r‐ATG showed superior survival‐free of the composite endpoint (acute rejection, graft loss, or death; 76% vs. 61%, p = .003; HR 2.08, 1.29–3.34, p = .003) and lower incidence of biopsy‐proven acute rejection (10% vs. 21%, p = .015). There was no difference in the overall incidence of CMV infection (33% vs. 37%, p = .457), PTLD (1% vs. 3%, p = .309), 30‐day hospital readmissions (24% vs. 23%, p = .847), and kidney function at 12 months (86 ± 29 vs. 84 ± 30 mL/min/1.73m2, p = .614).

Conclusions

These data suggest that induction therapy with a single 3 mg/kg dose of r‐ATG is associated with higher efficacy for preventing acute rejection and similar safety profile compared to BAS.
Human papillomavirus vaccination and contributing factors of vaccination intention among adolescents and young adults in China from a socio‐ecological perspective: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Luo Ying , Liu Ting , Yang Xiuling , Lu Mingqin , Kou Zhiru , Xu Xiaohan
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Adolescents and young adults are the main target population for human papillomavirus (HPV). The study aimed to investigate school students' HPV vaccination intentions and explore the contributing factors from a socio‐ecological perspective.

Design

A questionnaire survey was conducted in three secondary schools and three colleges in China.

Sample

A total of 1756 students aged 14–22 years participated in this study. Among the 1756 participants, 182 students have received the HPV vaccine. For the remaining 1574 students, we analyzed their HPV vaccination intentions and the influencing factors.

Measurements

Survey items for sociodemographics, knowledge and awareness of HPV, sexual intercourse and sexual knowledge, subjective socioeconomic status, self‐efficacy, eHealth literacy, perceived social support from family, and the availability of HPV vaccine information were measured.

Results

Only 182 (10.4%) had received the HPV vaccine among the 1756 participants. Among the remaining 1574 students, the majority of the students (1403, 89.1%) were willing to receive the HPV vaccine. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that students who were female, had lower self‐efficacy, scored higher on sexual knowledge, believed vaccination preventing related diseases, worried about side effects after vaccination, thought oneself at risk of contracting HPV, had higher family support, knew the availability of the HPV vaccine in Mainland China from healthcare institutions, and with family residence in rural areas were more willing to receive the HPV vaccine.

Conclusions

Students had high HPV vaccination intentions while had low vaccination rate. Intrapersonal, interpersonal and institutional or community factors predicted HPV vaccination intention. Public health nurses in communities and schools could target the modifiable factors to promote students’ HPV vaccine uptake.
CEO past distress experience and risk‐taking: Evidence from US property–liability insurance firms
Authors: Lonare Gunratan , Lai Gene , Han Sangyong , Ho Chia‐Ling
Published: March 2024

We investigate the relationship between CEOs' past distress experience and risk‐taking in US property–liability insurance companies. Our evidence shows that CEOs' past distress experience is negatively associated with insurers' risk‐taking behavior, suggesting that CEOs with distress experiences tend to take lower levels of risk in making financial decisions for their firms. The results are robust to using alternative measures of risk‐taking, including value at risk, expected shortfall, volatility of stock return, idiosyncratic volatility, systematic volatility, underwriting risk, and investment risk. Additionally, our results pass a placebo test, and we mitigate endogeneity concerns with the propensity score matching method.
A Swedish population‐based study to evaluate the usefulness of resting heart rate in the prediction of suicidal behavior among males
Authors: Lannoy Séverine , Ohlsson Henrik , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina , Edwards Alexis C.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Resting heart rate has been distinctly related to both internalizing (high pulse) and externalizing (low pulse) disorders. We aimed to explore the associations between resting heart rate and suicidal behavior (nonfatal suicide attempt [SA] and suicide death [SD]) and evaluate if such associations exist beyond the effects of internalizing/externalizing symptomatology.

Method

We used Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the associations between resting heart rate (age 19) and later SA/SD in 357,290 Swedish men. Models were controlled for internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders, and resilience (the ability to deal with adversity). Co‐relative analysis (comparing pairs of different genetic relatedness) was used to control for unmeasured family confounders and improve causal inference.

Results

In baseline models, low resting heart rate was associated with SA (HR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.95,0.98) and high resting heart rate with SD (HR = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.002,1.07). The association with SA remained after adjustment for all confounders (HR = 0.98). However, the association with SD did not persist after controlling for covariates. Co‐relative analysis did not support causal associations.

Conclusions

Our findings raise interesting etiological questions for the understanding of suicidal behaviors but do not support the usefulness of resting heart rate in suicide prediction.
Introduction: English in Europe
Authors: Modiano Marko
Published: March 2024

The European Union, with slightly >1% of the population having English as a mother tongue, is experiencing a surge in the importance of English as an additional language among its citizenries. This has economic, pedagogical, political as well as sociocultural implications. In this special issue on Europe, with reporting on the current state of the English language in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden, as well as Switzerland, which is not an EU member, there is deliberation on differing national approaches to the dissemination of English. The issue also includes a discussion of Europe with reference to applied linguistics and European identity. What is commonly shared among all the nations of Europe, and reported on in these articles, is that the acquisition and use of English across numerous domains continues to expand throughout the whole of the European Union.
Narrow systems revisited
Authors: Lambie‐Hanson Chris
Published: March 2024

We investigate connections between set‐theoretic compactness principles and cardinal arithmetic, introducing and studying generalized narrow system properties as a way to approach two open questions about two‐cardinal tree properties. The first of these questions asks whether the strong tree property at a regular cardinal implies the singular cardinals hypothesis () above . We show here that a certain narrow system property at that is closely related to the strong tree property, and holds in all known models thereof, suffices to imply above . The second of these questions asks whether the strong tree property can consistently hold simultaneously at all regular cardinals . We show here that the analogous question about the generalized narrow system property has a positive answer. We also highlight some connections between generalized narrow system properties and the existence of certain strongly unbounded subadditive colorings.
Are coagulation profiles in Andean highlanders with excessive erythrocytosis favouring hypercoagulability?
Authors: Champigneulle Benoit , Caton François , Seyve Landry , Stauffer Émeric , Pichon Aurélien , Brugniaux Julien V. , Furian Michael , Hancco Ivan , Deschamps Blandine , Kaestner Lars , Robach Paul , Connes Philippe , Bouzat Pierre , Polack Benoit , Marlu Raphael , Verges Samuel
Published: March 2024

Chronic mountain sickness is a maladaptive syndrome that affects individuals living permanently at high altitude and is characterized primarily by excessive erythrocytosis (EE). Recent results concerning the impact of EE in Andean highlanders on clotting and the possible promotion of hypercoagulability, which can lead to thrombosis, were contradictory. We assessed the coagulation profiles of Andeans highlanders with and without excessive erythrocytosis (EE+ and EE−). Blood samples were collected from 30 EE+ and 15 EE− in La Rinconada (Peru, 5100–5300 m a.s.l.), with special attention given to the sampling pre‐analytical variables. Rotational thromboelastometry tests were performed at both native and normalized (40%) haematocrit using autologous platelet‐poor plasma. Thrombin generation, dosages of clotting factors and inhibitors were measured in plasma samples. Data were compared between groups and with measurements performed at native haematocrit in 10 lowlanders (LL) at sea level. At native haematocrit, in all rotational thromboelastometry assays, EE+ exhibited hypocoagulable profiles (prolonged clotting time and weaker clot strength) compared with EE− and LL (all P < 0.01). At normalized haematocrit, clotting times were normalized in most individuals. Conversely, maximal clot firmness was normalized only in FIBTEM and not in EXTEM/INTEM assays, suggesting abnormal platelet activity. Thrombin generation, levels of plasma clotting factors and inhibitors, and standard coagulation assays were mostly normal in all groups. No highlanders reported a history of venous thromboembolism based on the dedicated survey. Collectively, these results indicate that EE+ do not present a hypercoagulable profile potentially favouring thrombosis.
Gender differences in alcohol drinking among adolescents: a school-based survey in China
Authors: Li Ling , Liu Yi , Chen Zhangming , Ren Silan , He Ruini , Liang Yudiao , Tan Youguo , Shao Xu , Chen Shanshan , Kong Xiangjuan , Tang Jinsong , Chen Xiaogang , Liao Yanhui
Published: March 2024

Background

Alcohol drinking among adolescents is associated with their health development. However, the prevalence of alcohol drinking among adolescents in Southwestern China remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of alcohol drinking, with a particular focus on gender differences, among primary and middle school students in Zigong, a city in Southwestern China. Additionally, we examined the association between alcohol consumption and demographic and family factors.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in a city in Southwestern China, encompassing a total of 89 360 students from 132 different ordinary schools, including both primary and middle schools. Participants were recruited through cluster sampling. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption was employed to assess alcohol consumption. Gender differences in the prevalence of alcohol drinkers across various schools and grades were analysed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to investigate factors associated with hazardous drinking.

Results

Out of the 89 360 participants, 19.0% reported alcohol drinking, with 2.1% classified as hazardous drinkers. There was a higher prevalence of alcohol drinking among boys compared with girls, as well as hazardous drinking. There were significant gender disparities in alcohol drinking observed across various schools and grade levels. A notable divergence between boys and girls was observed starting from grade 10, with a rising prevalence of hazardous drinking among boys and a decline among girls. Additionally, older age, male gender and being left-behind children were identified as risk factors for hazardous drinking, while belonging to a nuclear family and having parents who do not drink were protective factors against hazardous drinking.

Conclusions

Alcohol consumption is prevalent among Chinese adolescents, with some even classified as hazardous drinkers. These findings may offer valuable insights for policymakers and caregivers, guiding them in formulating appropriate interventions and support strategies.
Development and content validation of a financial and functional outcomes tool for diabetes-related foot disease in patients undergoing major lower limb amputation: a prospective observational study from Pakistan
Authors: Siddiqui Nadeem Ahmed , Khaliq Muhammad Anees , Pirzada Muhammad Ammar , Rehman Ziaur , Shaikh Fareed , Riaz Amna , Khan Sadaf
Published: March 2024

Objective

To develop and content validate a questionnaire to assess the financial and functional impact of major lower limb amputation in patients with diabetes-related foot disease.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Setting

This study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in Pakistan.

Participants

We conducted a thorough literature review and a group interview with 10 participants, resulting in domain identification and item generation. The group included seven patients with diabetes-related foot disease who underwent major lower limb amputation and three caregivers. Subsequently, a focused group discussion was held to assess overlap and duplication among the items, and two rounds of content validation were carried out by five content and five lay experts in both English and Urdu. Question items with a Content Validity Index (CVI) score of >0.79 were retained, items with a CVI score between 0.70 and 0.79 were revised and items with a CVI score of <0.70 were excluded.

Results

The initial literature review and group interview resulted in 61 items in the financial and functional domains. After the focused group discussion, the questionnaire was reduced to 37 items. Following two rounds of content validation, the English questionnaire achieved the Scale-Content Validity Index/Average (S-CVI/Ave) of 0.92 and 0.89 on relevance and clarity, respectively. Similarly, the Urdu questionnaire achieved the S-CVI-Ave of 0.92 and 0.95, respectively.

Conclusion

A 37-item multidimensional questionnaire was developed and rigorously content-validated to assess the financial and functional impact of major lower limb amputation in patients with diabetes-related foot disease. The questionnaire used in this study has shown robust content validity specifically for our population.
impHFrEF trial: study protocol for an open-label, multicentre study of improvement the outcome of patients with heart failure in China using a mobile hEalth-supported platForm
Authors: Chen Fuzhong , Li Guangjuan , Zhang Xinxin , Shen Qin , Wang Fangfang , Dong Xiaoyu , Zou Yu , Chen Wensen , Xu Bing , Wang Junhong
Published: March 2024

Background

Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) often have a long duration of illness, difficulty in attending follow-up visits, and poor adherence to treatment. As a result, they frequently cannot receive guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) at the desired or maximum tolerable drug dosage. This leads to high hospitalisation and mortality rates for HF patients. Therefore, effective management and monitoring of patients with HF to ensure they receive GDMT is crucial for improving the prognosis.

Design and methods

This is a multicentre, open-label, randomised, parallel-group study involving patients with CHF across five centres. The study aims to assess the impact of an optimised GDMT model for HF patients, established on a mobile health (mHealth) platform, compared with a control group. Patients must have a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 50% and be receiving medication titration therapy that has not yet reached the target dose, with a modest increase in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level. The primary composite outcome is worsening HF events (hospitalisation or emergency treatment with intravenous fluids) or cardiovascular death.

Ethics and dissemination

On 22 December 2021, this study received ethical approval from the Ethics Review Board of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, with the ethics number 2021-SR-530. All study participants will be informed of the research purpose and their participation will be voluntary. Informed consent will be obtained by providing and signing an informed consent form. We will ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations regarding privacy and data protection. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal. We will ensure that the dissemination of study results is accurate, clear and timely.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR2200056527.
Time elapsed from definitive diagnosis to surgery for osteonecrosis of the femoral head: a nationwide observational study in Japan
Authors: Nakamura Junichi , Fukushima Wakaba , Ando Wataru , Hagiwara Shigeo , Kawarai Yuya , Shiko Yuki , Kawasaki Yohei , Sakai Takashi , Ito Kazuya , Arishima Yoshiya , Chosa Etsuo , Fujimoto Yusuke , Fujiwara Kazuo , Hasegawa Yukiharu , Hayashi Shinya , Imagama Takashi , Inaba Yutaka , Ishibashi Yasuyuki , Ishidou Yasuhiro , Ito Hideya , Ito Hiroshi , Ito Juji , Jinno Tetsuya , Kabata Tamon , Kaku Nobuhiro , Kaneuji Ayumi , Kishida Shunji , Kobayashi Seneki , Komiya Setsuro , Kubo Toshikazu , Majima Tokifumi , Mashima Naohiko , Mawatari Masaaki , Miki Hidenobu , Miyatake Kazumasa , Motomura Goro , Nagoya Satoshi , Nakamura Hiroaki , Nakamura Yoshihide , Nakanishi Ryosuke , Nakashima Yasuharu , Nakasone Satoshi , Nishii Takashi , Nishiyama Takayuki , Ohta Yoichi , Ohzono Kenji , Osaki Makoto , Sasaki Kan , Seki Taisuke , Shishido Takaaki , Shoji Takeshi , Sudo Akihiro , Takagi Michiaki , Takahashi Daisuke , Takao Masaki , Tanaka Sakae , Tanaka Takeyuki , Tetsunaga Tomonori , Ueshima Keiichiro , Yamamoto Kengo , Yamamoto Takuaki , Yamamoto Yuji , Yamasaki Takuma , Yasunaga Yuji , Sugano Nobuhiko
Published: March 2024

Objectives

This study documents the time elapsed from the diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) to surgery, exploring the factors that influence ONFH severity.

Design

Retrospective observational study of a nationwide database.

Setting

The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank tests was applied to examine the period from definitive diagnosis of ONFH to surgery using any surgery as the end point. For bilateral cases, the date of the first surgery was the endpoint.

Participants

This study included 2074 ONFH cases registered in 34 university hospitals and highly specialised hospitals of the multicentre sentinel monitoring system of the Japanese Investigation Committee between 1997 and 2018.

Main outcome measure

The primary outcome was the time from diagnosis to surgery. The secondary outcome was the proportion of subjects remaining without surgery at 3, 6 and 9 months, and at 1, 2 and 5 years after diagnosis.

Results

The median time to surgery was 9 months (IQR 4–22 months) after diagnosis of ONFH. The time to surgery was significantly shorter in the alcohol alone group and the combined corticosteroid and alcohol group than in the corticosteroid alone group (p=0.018 and p<0.001, respectively), in early stage ONFH with no or mild joint destruction (stages II and III, p<0.001), and with joint preserving surgery (p<0.001). The proportion without surgery was 75.8% at 3 months, 59.6% at 6 months, 48.2% at 9 months, 40.5% at 1 year, 22.2% at 2 years and 8.3% at 5 years.

Conclusion

ONFH has been considered to be an intractable disease that often requires surgical treatment, but the fact that surgery was performed in more than half of the patients within 9 months from diagnosis suggests severe disease with a significant clinical impact.

Trial registration number

Chiba University ID1049.
Novel scoring system provides high separation of diploidy and triploidy to aid partial hydatidiform mole diagnosis: an adaption ofHER2D-DISH for ploidy analysis
Authors: Joyce Caroline M , Dineen Susan , Deane Julie , Conlon Niamh , O'Shea Paula M , Corcoran Paul , Coulter John , O'Donoghue Keelin , Fitzgerald Brendan
Published: March 2024

Aims

Diagnosis of hydatidiform mole or molar pregnancy based on morphology alone can be challenging, particularly in early gestation, necessitating the use of ancillary techniques for accurate diagnosis. We sought to adapt the VENTANAHER2dual-colour dual-hapten in-situ hybridisation (D-DISH) assay by using the internal chromosome 17 enumeration probe to determine ploidy status.

Methods

We selected 25 products of conception, consisting of molar and non-molar cases, to validate theHER2D-DISH assay. These cases had prior morphological assessment by a perinatal pathologist and ploidy analysis using molecular cytogenetics. Three independent observers, blinded to the original histopathological and genetic diagnosis, scored 10 representative areas on each slide. Interobserver variability was assessed by comparing the total scores of each observer using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the kappa statistic.

Results

Our ploidy scoring system accurately determined the correct number of diploid and triploid conceptuses, demonstrating complete concordance with pre-existing ploidy status and the initial diagnosis. Interobserver agreement between three independent scorers was robust: ANOVA (p=0.36) and kappa statistic (0.812, p<0.001). We achieved clear separation of average nuclear signals for diploid and triploid conceptuses, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). Employing our innovative scoring system, known as the ‘rule of 5’, we established ploidy decision thresholds for all 25 cases.

Conclusions

Our modifiedHER2D-DISH ploidy assay simplifies the process of ploidy determination and improves the accuracy of morphological diagnosis of molar pregnancy. TheHER2D-DISH assay was selected for ploidy analysis due to the widespread availability of in-situ hybridisation in pathology laboratories.
Exploring CP violation in $$\varvec{H \rightarrow \tau ^+\,\tau ^-\,\gamma }$$
Authors: Aakvaag Erlend , Fomin Nikolai , Lipniacka Anna , Pokorski Stefan , Rosiek Janusz , Sahoo Dibyakrupa
Published: March 2024

We propose a method of measuring the CP-odd part of the Yukawa interaction of Higgs boson and $$\tau $$
τ
leptons by observing the forward–backward asymmetry in the decay $$H \rightarrow \tau ^+ \, \tau ^- \, \gamma $$

H
→

τ
+

τ
-

γ

. The source of such asymmetry is the interference of the CP-even loop-level contribution coming from $$H \rightarrow Z \, \gamma \rightarrow \tau ^+ \, \tau ^- \, \gamma $$

H
→
Z

γ
→

τ
+

τ
-

γ

decay channel with the contribution from tree-level CP-odd Yukawa interaction. We find that the CP violating effect is maximum when the invariant mass of the $$\tau ^+\,\tau ^-$$

τ
+

τ
-

pair is equal to the mass of the Z boson. We propose and utilise various Dalitz plot asymmetries to quantify the maximal size of the asymmetry and perform Monte Carlo simulations to study the feasibility of measuring it in the high luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC).
Mechanical properties of CoCrFeNiV high-entropy alloys with different Cu element contents under different strain rates
Authors: Liu Chi-Fan , Shi Shih-Chen , Huang Wei-Ming , Chen Tao-Hsing
Published: March 2024

In this study, the alloys used contained Co, Cr, Fe, Ni, and V as the primary elements, while 6%–10% Cu was used as the added element. The high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were made in an electric-arc vacuum furnace from which specimens in the form of cylinders with a 5-mm diameter and 5-mm length were fabricated. An XRD analysis revealed that alloys with 6% and 8% Cu had a single-phase FCC structure, and a weak BCC peak only appeared in the (110) direction in alloys with 10% Cu. A universal testing machine was used for testing at the strain rates of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text], [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text], and the high strain rate was tested using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) under strain at 3000[Formula: see text][Formula: see text], 4000[Formula: see text][Formula: see text], and 5000[Formula: see text][Formula: see text], respectively. The specimens did not fracture during the quasi-static compression and dynamic impact tests, which displayed better ductility. The surface of the three alloys had extensive dendrites and non-equiaxed crystal structures. In an EDS composition analysis, the Cr and V elements were more frequently observed in the intergranular region than in the interdendritic region.
Synthesis of PANIHCl/ZnO conductive composite by in-situ polymerization and for humidity sensing application
Authors: Chen Cheng-Ho , Wu Jian-Fu , Lin Hung-Mao
Published: March 2024

In this study, the conductive polyaniline doped by hydrochloric acid (PANIHCl)/zinc oxide (PANIHCl/ZnO) conductive composite was synthesized by in-situ polymerization. The conductive PANIHCl solution or PANIHCl/ZnO conductive composite solution was coated on an interdigital electrode (IDE) by drop coating to make a humidity sensor. The synthesis process, chemical structure, surface morphology, and humidity sensing characteristics of PANIHCl and PANIHCl/ZnO conductive composite were investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images suggested that the surface morphology of the PANIHCl/ZnO conductive composite is fibrous or rod-shaped, with a diameter of about 100 nm. The sensing responses of PANIHCl and PANIHCl/ZnO were 40% and 87%, respectively. The humidity sensing response of PANIHCl/ZnO as the sensing material was more than twice that of PANIHCl as the sensing material. The response time (Tres) is 13 s, and the recovery time (Trec) is 171 s. Research results showed that adding ZnO to PANIHCl can effectively improve the response of the sensor to humidity detection. Therefore, using PANIHCl/ZnO conductive composite as a sensing material will have great potential for application in humidity or other gas sensing devices.
Temperature-dependent pinned joint tensile behavior and failure analysis of CF/PEKK composites
Authors: Li Xiaoqi , Kumar Sanjay , Hwang Dong-Wook , Kim Yun-Hae
Published: March 2024

The pinned joint tensile properties and failure behaviors of carbon-fiber-reinforced polyetherketoneketone (CF/PEKK) composites are sensitive to application temperatures. Herein, this study investigated the temperature-dependent mechanical behavior of CF/PEKK composites in a pinned joint configuration, emphasizing the impact on tensile behavior and bearing strength. Utilizing Solvay’s CF/PEKK prepreg with a quasi-isotropic stacking sequence, tensile tests were conducted at [Formula: see text]C and 230∘C. At [Formula: see text]C, increased load-pin displacement stiffness was observed, attributed to reduced polymer chain mobility, leading to increased peak load and concentrated bearing area around the pin contact region. Conversely, at 230∘C, a substantial reduction in stiffness and peak load was evident, emphasizing the severe deterioration of pin-load strength. Fracture analysis revealed distinct failure modes at different temperatures, highlighting localized compressive failure at [Formula: see text]C and severe permanent bearing failure at 230∘C. Understanding these temperature-dependent behaviors is critical for optimizing CF/PEKK composite applications in diverse industrial settings, providing insights for enhanced performance and reliability. The findings offer valuable information on the material’s behavior under extreme temperature conditions, contributing to the design and application of CF/PEKK composites in various industrial scenarios.
Terahertz ultra-broadband and multi-frequency narrowband perfect absorber based on compound metamaterial
Authors: Yang Ruihan , Liu Zhimin , Luo Xin , Ji Cheng , Yang Guangxin , Xie Yadong
Published: March 2024

A perfect absorber in the terahertz band with ultra-broadband and triple narrowband is achieved, using Vanadium Dioxide (VO2) and patterned graphene hybrid metamaterials, which can be converted by adjusting the temperature. When only VO2 is present in the structure, the absorption spectrum shows broadband absorption in metallic phases of VO2. Adding graphene to metallic VO2, the absorption bandwidth over 95% is expanded to 5.5[Formula: see text]THz, which is 1.9 times broader compared to the absence of graphene, and the absorption bandwidth over 99% increases to 1.72[Formula: see text]THz. Adding graphene to insulating VO2, three narrowband absorptions appear with absorption rates approaching 100%. Polarization characteristics show that ultra-broadband is insensitive to polarization angle, while multi-frequency narrowband exhibits sensitivity. Therefore, the proposed tunable multifunctional absorber can greatly optimize the absorption capacity of ultra-broadband and multi-frequency narrow bands, demonstrating great potential in future practical applications.
FusionTrack: Towards Accurate Device-free Acoustic Motion Tracking with Signal Fusion
Authors: Zhang Jiarui , Wang Jiliang
Published: March 2024

Acoustic motion tracking is rapidly evolving with various applications. However, existing approaches still have some limitations. Tracking based on single-frequency continuous wave (CW) faces cumulative errors in tracking and limited accuracy in tracking the absolute location of the target. Tracking based on frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) faces errors introduced by the Doppler and multipath effects. To overcome these limitations, we propose FusionTrack, a novel device-free motion-tracking approach that leverages the fusion of CW and FMCW signals. We eliminate the absolute tracking errors of FMCW-based tracking by compensating for Doppler frequency offsets with the results of CW-based relative tracking. Furthermore, we address the static multipath with down-sampling and filtering and mitigate the dynamic multipath with chirp aggregation. We employ a Kalman filter-based fusion of relative and absolute tracking to enhance accuracy further. We implement FusionTrack on Android smartphones for real-time tracking and perform extensive experiments. The results show that FusionTrack achieves real-time 1D tracking with an accuracy of 1.5 mm, which is 46% better than the existing approaches and extends the 1D tracking range to 2.2 m, which is 3.1× of the existing approaches. FusionTrack also achieves a 2D tracking accuracy of 4.5 mm.
Text-Guided Synthesis of Masked Face Images
Authors: T Anjali , V Masilamani
Published: March 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us all understand that wearing a face mask protects us from the spread of respiratory viruses. Face authentication systems, which are trained on the basis of facial key points such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, found it difficult to identify a person when the majority of the face is covered by a face mask. Removing the mask for authentication will cause the infection to spread. The possible solutions are (a) to train face recognition systems to identify the person with the upper face features, (b) reconstruct the complete face of the person with a generative model, and (c) train the model with a dataset of the masked faces of the people. In this article, we explore the scope of generative models for image synthesis. We used stable diffusion to generate masked face images of popular celebrities on various text prompts. A realistic dataset of 15K masked face images of 100 celebrities was generated and is called the Realistic Synthetic Masked Face Dataset (RSMFD). The model and the generated dataset will be made public so that researchers can augment the dataset. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest masked face recognition dataset with realistic images. The generated images were tested on popular deep face recognition models and achieved significant results. The dataset is also trained and tested on some of the famous image classification models, and the results are competitive. The dataset is available at
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yetcgUOL1TOP4rod1geGsOkIrIJHtcEw?usp=sharing
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Characterizing Parameter Scaling with Quantization for Deployment of CNNs on Real-Time Systems
Authors: Gealy Calvin B. , George Alan D.
Published: March 2024

Modern deep-learning models tend to include billions of parameters, reducing real-time performance. Embedded systems are compute-constrained while frequently used to deploy these models for real-time systems given size, weight, and power requirements. Tools like parameter-scaling methods help to shrink models to ease deployment. This research compares two scaling methods for convolutional neural networks, uniform scaling and NeuralScale, and analyzes their impact on inference latency, memory utilization, and power. Uniform scaling scales the number of filters evenly across a network. NeuralScale adaptively scales the model to theoretically achieve the highest accuracy for a target parameter count. In this study, VGG-11, MobileNetV2, and ResNet-50 models were scaled to four ratios: 0.25×, 0.50×, 0.75×, 1.00×. These models were benchmarked on an ARM Cortex-A72 CPU, an NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier GPU, and a Xilinx ZCU104 FPGA. Additionally, quantization was applied to meet real-time objectives. The CIFAR-10 and tinyImageNet datasets were studied. On CIFAR-10, NeuralScale creates more computationally intensive models than uniform scaling for the same parameter count, with relative speeds of 41% on the CPU, 72% on the GPU, and 96% on the FPGA. The additional computational complexity is a tradeoff for accuracy improvements in VGG-11 and MobileNetV2 NeuralScale models but reduced ResNet-50 NeuralScale accuracy. Furthermore, quantization alone achieves similar or better performance on the CPU and GPU devices when compared with models scaled to 0.50×, despite slight reductions in accuracy. On the GPU, quantization reduces latency by 2.7× and memory consumption by 4.3×. Uniform-scaling models are 1.8× faster and use 2.8× less memory. NeuralScale reduces latency by 1.3× and dropped memory by 1.1×. We find quantization to be a practical first tool for improved performance. Uniform scaling can easily be applied for additional improvements. NeuralScale may improve accuracy but tends to negatively impact performance, so more care must be taken with it.
Revisiting the Mapping of Quantum Circuits: Entering the Multi-core Era
Authors: Escofet Pau , Ovide Anabel , Bandic Medina , Prielinger Luise , van Someren Hans , Feld Sebastian , Alarcon Eduard , Abadal Sergi , Almudever Carmen
Published: March 2024

Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift in computation, offering the potential to solve complex problems intractable for classical computers. Although current quantum processors already consist of a few hundred qubits, their scalability remains a significant challenge. Modular quantum computing architectures have emerged as a promising approach to scale up quantum computing systems. This article delves into the critical aspects of distributed multi-core quantum computing, focusing on quantum circuit mapping, a fundamental task to successfully execute quantum algorithms across cores while minimizing inter-core communications. We derive the theoretical bounds on the number of non-local communications needed for random quantum circuits and introduce the Hungarian Qubit Assignment (HQA) algorithm, a multi-core mapping algorithm designed to optimize qubit assignments to cores with the aim of reducing inter-core communications. Our exhaustive evaluation of HQA against state-of-the-art circuit mapping algorithms for modular architectures reveals a 4.9× and 1.6× improvement in terms of execution time and non-local communications, respectively, compared to the best-performing algorithm. HQA emerges as a very promising scalable approach for mapping quantum circuits into multi-core architectures, positioning it as a valuable tool for harnessing the potential of quantum computing at scale.
Incremental Concolic Testing of Register-Transfer Level Designs
Authors: Witharana Hasini , Jayasena Aruna , Mishra Prabhat
Published: March 2024

Concolic testing is a scalable solution for automated generation of directed tests for validation of hardware designs. Unfortunately, concolic testing fails to cover complex corner cases such as hard-to-activate branches. In this article, we propose an incremental concolic testing technique to cover hard-to-activate branches in register-transfer level (RTL) models. We show that a complex branch condition can be viewed as a sequence of easy-to-activate events. We map the branch coverage problem to the coverage of a sequence of events. We propose an efficient algorithm to cover the sequence of events using concolic testing. Specifically, the test generated to activate the current event is used as the starting point to activate the next event in the sequence. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach can be used to generate directed tests to cover complex corner cases in RTL models while state-of-the-art methods fail to activate them.
Paying Attention to Vehicles: A Systematic Review on Transformer-Based Vehicle Re-Identification
Authors: Qian Yan , Barthélemy Johan , Du Bo , Shen Jun
Published: March 2024

Vehicle re-identification (v-reID) is a crucial and challenging task in the intelligent transportation systems (ITS). While vehicle re-identification plays a role in analysing traffic behaviour, criminal investigation, or automatic toll collection, it is also a key component for the construction of smart cities. With the recent introduction of transformer models and their rapid development in computer vision, vehicle re-identification has also made significant progress in performance and development over 2021-2023. This bite-sized review is the first to summarize existing works in vehicle re-identification using pure transformer models and examine their capabilities. We introduce the various applications and challenges, different datasets, evaluation strategies and loss functions in v-reID. A comparison between existing state-of-the-art methods based on different research areas is then provided. Finally, we discuss possible future research directions and provide a checklist on how to implement a v-reID model. This checklist is useful for an interested researcher or practitioner who is starting their work in this field, and also for anyone who seeks an insight into how to implement an AI model in computer vision using v-reID.
Overview on Radiation Damage Effects and Protection Techniques in Microelectronic Devices
Authors: Ren Yanru , Zhu Min , Xu Dongyu , Liu Minghui , Dai Xuehui , Wang Shengao , Li Longxian
Published: March 2024

With the rapid advancement of information technology, microelectronic devices have found widespread applications in critical sectors such as nuclear power plants, aerospace equipment, and satellites. However, these devices are frequently exposed to diverse radiation environments, presenting significant challenges in mitigating radiation‐induced damage. Hence, this review aims to delve into the intricate damage mechanisms of microelectronic devices within various radiation environments and highlight the latest advancements in radiation‐hardening techniques. The ultimate goal is to bolster the reliability and stability of these devices under extreme conditions. The review initiates by outlining the spectrum of radiation environments that microelectronic devices may confront, encompassing space radiation, nuclear explosion radiation, laboratory radiation, and process radiation. It also delineates the potential damage types that these environments can inflict upon microelectronic devices. Furthermore, the review elaborates on the underlying mechanisms through which different radiation environments impact the performance of microelectronic devices, which includes a detailed analysis of the characteristics and fundamental mechanisms of damage when microelectronic devices are subjected to total ionizing dose effects and single‐event effects. In addition, the review delves into the promising application prospects of several key radiation‐hardening techniques for enhancing the radiation tolerance of microelectronic devices.
Dynamics Analysis of Separation Mechanism for Rotating Projectiles at the End of Trajectory
Authors: Zhao Lei , Yue Shuai , Du Zhong-hua , Ma Teng-fei , Li Xing-xiao
Published: March 2024

Spin separation technology is a key technology for realizing the detection function at the end of the rotational trajectory. It is also a necessary condition for the fuse control system to adjust its control strategy according to actual combat needs. To explore a new type of proximity fuse detection method, this article first designs a detection separation mechanism for the end of the trajectory. An interior ballistic model of the separation mechanism was then established through closed bomb tests and equivalent interior ballistic equations, and the aerodynamic parameters of the front-stage separation body at the moment of separation were obtained based on computational fluid dynamics numerical simulation. Finally, a separation dynamics model of the separation mechanism was established to analyze the motion state after the separation action of the front-stage separation body. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed separation mechanism. The discrepancy between the simulation and experiment of the velocity increment for the front-stage separation body is about 1.07%. The attack angle for the front-stage separation body is below 2°, and the period with a displacement between two stage bodies greater than 3 m is around 0.365 s. This research can provide new ideas and theoretical references for the design of a similar fuse detection separation mechanism.
Analysis of the Electromagnetic Effect Mechanism of EED under Continuous Wave Radiation
Authors: Wang Biao , Sun Yongwei , Zhou Shuai , Li Xiaojian , Li Nan , Fan Zhiyou , Xiong Ying , Wang Tiannan
Published: March 2024

The electromagnetic radiation sensitivity of the electric explosive device (EED) and its installed use state is closely related to the size of the equipment and radiation field strength constraints. The use of the traditional all-level electromagnetic radiation method for the effect of the actual installed EED test in the electromagnetic environment simulation encountered a technical bottleneck. The microwave band is difficult to effectively assess through the current standing wave distribution and skin effect. The temperature rise of the EED bridge wire has no relationship with the frequency of the electromagnetic wave. In this paper, through the analysis of the electromagnetic effect mechanism of the EED, the coupled power model of electromagnetic irradiation of the EED is obtained, and the relationship between the temperature rise of the bridge wire of the EED and the electric field strength model is established. Under the action of high-frequency continuous waves, the electromagnetic effect of the device is tested to verify the correctness of the mechanism analysis of the electromagnetic effect of the device under the action of continuous waves. The results provide crucial technical support for the electromagnetic protection of the device under the harsh electromagnetic environment of the battlefield.