bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preliminary investigation on the effect of extracorporeal shock wave combined with traction on joint contracture based on PTEN‐PI3K/AKT pathway
Authors: Zhang Rui , Zhang Run , Zhou Ting , Wang Feng , Zhou Chen Xu , Wang Hua , Zhang Quan Bing , Zhou Yun
Published: September 2023

To investigate the intervention effect of extracorporeal shock wave combined with manual traction on fixation‐induced knee contracture and its influence on PTEN‐PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Thirty‐six SD male rats were randomly divided into six groups. The left knee joints were not fixed in the control group (C group). Rats in other groups underwent brace fixation in the extended position of the left knee. After 4 weeks of bracing, it is randomly divided into five groups: Model group (M group), natural recovery group (NR group), extracorporeal shock wave treatment group (ET group), manual traction group (MT group), and extracorporeal shock wave combined with manual traction group (CT group). Joint range of motion (ROM) of left knee was carried out to assess joint function. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining were respectively used to assess the cell number and collagen deposition expression. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were used to assess protein levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (AKT). The combined therapy was more effective than extracorporeal shock wave therapy or manual traction alone against the joint ROM, cell number and the collagen deposition, low‐expression of PTEN, and overexpression of PI3K/AKT in the anterior joint capsule of rats with knee extension contracture. Extracorporeal shock wave combined with manual traction can promote the histopathological changes of anterior joint capsule fibrosis, upregulate the protein expression of PTEN and downregulate the protein expression of PI3K/AKT in the fibrotic joint capsule in a rat joint contracture model.
Role of Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasound in Evaluation of Cystic Renal Mass
Authors: Das Chandan J. , Agarwal Keshav , Sharma Sanjay , Seth Amlesh
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) allows excellent delineation of perfusion in septa and nodules without exposure to ionizing radiation or nephrotoxic contrast media. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of CEUS for the assessment of cystic renal masses and compare its diagnostic performance with that of CECT.

Methods

Exactly 40 patients diagnosed to have cystic renal masses on CECT scan were prospectively evaluated with CEUS and were assigned a Bosniak class. Based on results of final histopathology and clinical follow‐up, internal validity of both CEUS and CECT was evaluated, including agreement between these two modalities.

Results

Out of the 40 patients (mean size 3.1 ± 2.5 cm), 23 patients had benign lesions and 17 patients had malignant lesions. For CEUS, the sensitivity and negative predictive value was 100%, the specificity and positive predictive value was 73.9%. For CECT, the sensitivity and negative predictive value were 88.2 and 83.3%, respectively, whereas the specificity and positive predictive value was 87 and 90.9%, respectively. Both imaging modalities had similar accuracy with fair to good agreement with the final diagnosis (Κ = 0.71 and 0.75 for CEUS and CECT, respectively). Concordance between CEUS and CECT was seen in 29 patients (72.5%) with fair agreement between the two modalities (K = 0.66).

Conclusion

CEUS has comparable accuracy with CECT and could be used as screening modality to rule out the presence of complex cystic renal masses without exposure of nephrotoxic contrast media and ionizing radiation.
Long‐Term Hearing Outcome of Cochlear Implantation in Cases with Simultaneous Intracochlear Schwannoma Resection
Authors: Di Micco Riccardo , Salcher Rolf , Lesinski‐Schiedat Anke , Lenarz Thomas
Published: September 2023

Objectives

The aim was to analyze the long‐term hearing results after simultaneous microsurgical extirpation via enlarged cochleostomy and cochlear implantation in intracochlear schwannoma as compared with non‐tumor single‐side deafness patients.

Methods

Microsurgical extirpation via enlarged cochleostomy with simultaneous cochlear implantation was performed in 15 cases of intracochlear schwannoma between 2014 and 2021. Speech recognition tests in German language and impedance performances were collected over 36 months of observation and compared with an internal cohort of 52 age matched non‐tumor single‐side deafness patients. Retrospective cohort study in a tertiary referral center.

Results

The surgery proved feasible and uneventful in all cases. In the case of intracochlear schwannoma, the hearing rehabilitation results were highly satisfactory and comparable to those of the non‐tumor single‐side deafness cohort. The speech recognition performance improved steadily in the first 12 months; afterward, it remained stable, providing indirect evidence against tumor recurrence during the follow‐up. One patient required implant revision surgery related to device failure, but no recurrence was registered in the 36 months of observation.

Conclusions

Cochlear implantation is the strategy of choice for hearing rehabilitation in case of intracochlear schwannomas in the long term. In particular, the combination of tumor extirpation via cochleostomy with a cochlear implantation in the same surgical time offers a viable therapy for intracochlear schwannoma, granting a sufficient degree of radicality without compromising the cochlear integrity. This technique allows for revision surgery if required.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 134:1854–1860, 2024
Effects of Thyroarytenoid Activation Induced Vibratory Asymmetry on Voice Acoustics and Perception
Authors: Chung Hye Rhyn , Lee Yoonjeong , Reddy Neha K. , Zhang Zhaoyan , Chhetri Dinesh K.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Asymmetry of vocal fold (VF) vibration is common in patients with voice complaints and also observed in 10% of normophonic individuals. Although thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle activation plays a crucial role in regulating VF vibration, how TA activation asymmetry relates to voice acoustics and perception is unclear. We evaluated the relationship between TA activation asymmetry and the resulting acoustics and perception.

Methods

An in vivo canine model of phonation was used to create symmetric and increasingly asymmetric VF vibratory conditions via graded stimulation of bilateral TA muscles. Naïve listeners (n = 89) rated the perceptual quality of 100 unique voice samples using a visual sort‐and‐rate task. For each phonatory condition, cepstral peak prominence (CPP), harmonic amplitude (H1‐H2), and root‐mean‐square (RMS) energy of the voice were measured. The relationships between these metrics, vibratory asymmetry, and perceptual ratings were evaluated.

Results

Increasing levels of TA asymmetry resulted in declining listener preference. Furthermore, only severely asymmetric audio samples were perceptually distinguishable from symmetric and mildly asymmetric conditions. CPP was negatively correlated with TA asymmetry: voices produced with larger degrees of asymmetry were associated with lower CPP values. Listeners preferred audio samples with higher values of CPP, high RMS energy, and lower H1‐H2 (less breathy).

Conclusion

Listeners are sensitive to changes in voice acoustics related to vibratory asymmetry. Although increasing vibratory asymmetry is correlated with decreased perceptual ratings, mild asymmetries are perceptually tolerated. This study contributes to our understanding of voice production and quality by identifying perceptually salient and clinically meaningful asymmetry.

Level of Evidence

N/A (Basic Science Study) Laryngoscope, 134:1327–1332, 2024
Ephemeral gully development in the hilly and gully region of China's loess plateau
Authors: Liu Boyang , Zhang Biao , Yin Ziming , Hao Bai , Wu Shufang , Feng Hao , Siddique Kadambot H. M.
Published: September 2023

Ephemeral gully erosion is a significant form of soil erosion that visibly impacts soil productivity and restricts land use. While watersheds are fundamental for controlling soil erosion, past studies have focused on individual ephemeral gully or slope types, which do not fully represent changes in ephemeral gullies at the watershed scale. This research used remote sensing images (0.5 m resolution), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and field investigations to analyze the spatial–temporal evolution and development rate of ephemeral gully erosion at the watershed scale on the Loess Plateau from 2009 to 2021. Using spatial information and morphological parameters of ephemeral gullies obtained from the SegNet model, we found that: (1) ephemeral gully numbers decreased from 4495 in 1999 to 2312 in 2021 due to improved vegetation coverage; (2) average growth rates of ephemeral gully frequency, length, density, dissection degree, and width were 2.87 km−2 year−1, 1.66 m year−1, 0.12 km km−2 year−1, 0.01% year−1, and 0.04 m year−1, respectively; (3) ephemeral gully erosion volume (V) and length (L) had a good power function relationship: . The root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) between measured and predicted ephemeral gully volumes indicated that the V–L relationship has a good predictive ability for ephemeral gully volume; thus, the V–L model was used to evaluate the development rate of ephemeral gully erosion volume in small watersheds from 2009 to 2021, revealing an average value of 743.20 m3 year−1. This study presents an empirical model for assessing ephemeral gully volume and volume changes at a watershed scale using high‐resolution remote sensing images, providing a reference for understanding the development of ephemeral gully erosion in small watersheds over time.
How do journals publishing palliative and end‐of‐life care research report ethical approval and informed consent?
Authors: Godskesen Tove , Vie Knut Jørgen , Bülow William , Holmberg Bodil , Helgesson Gert , Eriksson Stefan
Published: September 2023

This study explores how papers published in international journals in palliative and end‐of‐life care report ethical approval and informed consent. A literature search following PRISMA guidelines was conducted in PubMed, the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, the ProQuest Social Science Premium Collection, PsycINFO, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). A total of 169 empirical studies from 101 journals were deductively coded and analysed. The results showed that 5% of publications provided no information on ethical approval, 12% reported minimal information, 56% reported rudimentary information, and 27% reported comprehensive details. We also found that 13% did not report any information on informed consent, 17% reported minimal information, 50% reported rudimentary information, and 19% reported comprehensive details. The prevalence of missing and incomplete ethical statements and inadequate reporting of informed consent processes in recent publications raises concerns and highlights the need for improvement. We suggest that journals advocate high reporting standards and potentially reject papers that do not meet ethical requirements, as this is the quickest path to improvement.
Assessment of vocal fold movement through anterior–posterior view of videofluoroscopic swallowing study
Authors: Lee JoonHee , Ahn Hye Joon , Kang Min Soo , Choi Kyoung Hyo , Lee Yoon Se , Oh Byung‐Mo , Lee Seung Hak
Published: September 2023

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess the value of using videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) for assessing vocal fold paralysis.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent VFSS with a vocal fold testing maneuver from June 2020 to February 2022, and who had undergone laryngoscopy within 2 weeks before or after VFSS. The vocal fold testing maneuver consisted of making an ‘e’ sound for about 2–3 seconds during VFSS anterior–posterior (AP) view. The diagnostic value of the VFSS was evaluated by a trained reviewer, who assessed the presence and laterality of vocal fold paralysis by examining videos of the patients performing the vocal fold testing maneuver. Intra‐rater reliability was determined by evaluation of the videos by the same reviewer 2 weeks later, and inter‐rater reliability was determined by evaluation by a second reviewer.

Results

Seventy patients were enrolled in the study. The positive predictive value was 91.43% and the intra‐rater and inter‐rater reliabilities, as determined by Cohen's kappa value, were 0.746 and 0.824 respectively.

Conclusions

The presence and laterality of vocal fold paralysis were identified accurately and reliably by the reviewers, showing that VFSS can be used to assess vocal fold paralysis.

Level of evidence

2.
Associations between lipid profiles and late‐life cognitive impairment among oldest‐old and centenarian adults
Authors: Chen Yujian , Yang Kaidi , Huang Ya , Wang Xuejiao , Zhao Yali , Ping Ping , Guan Shasha , Fu Shihui
Published: September 2023

Dyslipidemia and cognitive impairment are common among old adults and the occurrence of them rises exponentially with increasing age. Evidences of the relationships between serum lipids and cognitive impairment are inconsistent or equivocal among older adults. This study aimed to investigate the associations between lipid profiles and late‐life cognitive impairment among oldest‐old and centenarian adults. In this cross‐sectional study, serum lipids were biochemically measured among 606 oldest‐old adults and 653 centenarians, and cognitive function was evaluated using mini‐mental state examination (MMSE). Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the associations between serum lipids and cognitive impairment. Results showed participants with cognitive impairment had lower total cholesterol (TC) levels compared with those without cognitive impairment (p < 0.05). TC levels were positively associated with MMSE (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a negative association was observed between TC levels and cognitive impairment (p for trend = 0.002). This negative association remained statistically significant after adjusting for confounders (p for trend = 0.028). These results suggested that older adults with higher TC levels were likely to have better cognitive function. Taking immoderate cholesterol‐lowering drugs among older adults is questionable and requires investigation, and cognitive performance of old adults with lower TC levels deserves more attention.
Reactivation of Ni‐TiO2 catalysts in hydrogen flow and in supercritical 2‐propanol—Comparative study by electron spin resonance in situ
Authors: Kandarakova Irina , Yakushkin Stanislav , Nesterov Nikolay , Philippov Alexey , Martyanov Oleg
Published: September 2023

Highly dispersed Ni‐TiO2 catalyst has been studied in the process of preparation and under catalytic transfer hydrogenation reaction conditions in supercritical 2‐propanol (250°C, 70 bar) using electron spin resonance in situ. Electron spin resonance in situ has been used to study the process of the catalyst passivation and subsequent reduction of the oxide layer in the gas flow. Reduction of the NiO layer on the surface of passivated Ni nanoparticles has been detected in supercritical 2‐propanol, which is in agreement with kinetic modeling data. It has been found that the reduction of the nickel oxide layer in supercritical 2‐propanol occurs at a lower temperature compared with the reduction in hydrogen flow, according to in situ electron spin resonance study.
Optimization of 3D dynamic speech MRI: Poisson‐disc undersampling and locally higher‐rank reconstruction through partial separability model with regional optimized temporal basis
Authors: Jin Riwei , Li Yudu , Shosted Ryan K. , Xing Fangxu , Gilbert Imani , Perry Jamie L. , Woo Jonghye , Liang Zhi‐Pei , Sutton Bradley P.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To improve the spatiotemporal qualities of images and dynamics of speech MRI through an improved data sampling and image reconstruction approach.

Methods

For data acquisition, we used a Poisson‐disc random under sampling scheme that reduced the undersampling coherence. For image reconstruction, we proposed a novel locally higher‐rank partial separability model. This reconstruction model represented the oral and static regions using separate low‐rank subspaces, therefore, preserving their distinct temporal signal characteristics. Regional optimized temporal basis was determined from the regional‐optimized virtual coil approach. Overall, we achieved a better spatiotemporal image reconstruction quality with the potential of reducing total acquisition time by 50%.

Results

The proposed method was demonstrated through several 2‐mm isotropic, 64 mm total thickness, dynamic acquisitions with 40 frames per second and compared to the previous approach using a global subspace model along with other k‐space sampling patterns. Individual timeframe images and temporal profiles of speech samples were shown to illustrate the ability of the Poisson‐disc under sampling pattern in reducing total acquisition time. Temporal information of sagittal and coronal directions was also shown to illustrate the effectiveness of the locally higher‐rank operator and regional optimized temporal basis. To compare the reconstruction qualities of different regions, voxel‐wise temporal SNR analysis were performed.

Conclusion

Poisson‐disc sampling combined with a locally higher‐rank model and a regional‐optimized temporal basis can drastically improve the spatiotemporal image quality and provide a 50% reduction in overall acquisition time.
Modelling the time‐dependent mechanical behaviour of clay rocks based on meso‐ and micro‐structural viscous properties
Authors: Sun Yufeng , Pardoen Benoît , van den Eijnden Bram , Wong Henry
Published: September 2023

Clay rocks are multiphase porous media having a complex structure and behaviour characterised by heterogeneity, damage and viscosity, existing on a wide range of scales. The mesoscopic scale of mineral inclusions embedded in a clay matrix has an important role in the mechanisms of deformation under mechanical loading by cracking and creeping. This study introduces a micromechanical approach to model the time‐dependent mechanical behaviour of clay rocks. A heterogeneous clay rock is represented at the mesoscopic scale as a composite material consisting of rigid elastic mineral inclusions (quartz, calcite and pyrite) embedded in a clay matrix. To describe the damageable rock behaviour and its failure modes at the small scale, interfaces between different mineral phases and within the clay matrix are considered. Viscous effects are incorporated inside the clay aggregates, with intergranular microfractures propagating in the clay matrix, in order to investigate their contribution to the creep behaviour of clay rock at the macroscale. The mesostructure of the clay rock is represented in digital 2D Representative Elementary Areas (REAs). The overall mesoscale behaviour of the clay rock under mechanical solicitation is numerically obtained from the REA by computational homogenisation within a two‐scale finite element squared framework. Then, the model is validated at mesoscale against experimental data. The variability of the material response and the time evolution of the mineral interfacial damage state are investigated in relation to the small‐scale properties and failure, while considering mesostructure variability. The results can give some valuable insights into creep behaviour of the clay rock from a small‐scale perspective.
Evaluation of alterations in interstitial fluid dynamics in cases of whole‐brain radiation using the diffusion‐weighted image analysis along the perivascular space method
Authors: Taoka Toshiaki , Ito Rintaro , Nakamichi Rei , Nakane Toshiki , Kawamura Mariko , Ishihara Shunichi , Ichikawa Kazushige , Kawai Hisashi , Naganawa Shinji
Published: September 2023

In the current study, we assessed changes in interstitial fluid dynamics resulting after whole‐brain radiotherapy using the diffusion‐weighted image analysis along the perivascular space (DWI‐ALPS) method, which is a simplified variation of the diffusion tensor image ALPS (DTI‐ALPS) method using diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) with orthogonal motion‐probing gradients (MPGs). This retrospective study included 47 image sets from 22 patients who underwent whole‐brain radiotherapy for brain tumors. The data for the normal control group comprised 105 image sets from 105 participants with no pathological changes. DWI was performed with the three MPGs applied in an orthogonal direction to the imaging plane, and apparent diffusion coefficient images for the x‐, y‐, and z‐axes were retrospectively generated. The ALPS index was calculated to quantify interstitial fluid dynamics. The independent t‐test was used to compare the ALPS index between normal controls and patients who underwent whole‐brain radiotherapy. Patients were compared in all age groups and individual age groups (20–39, 40–59, and 60–84 years). We also examined the correlation between biologically equivalent doses (BEDs) and the ALPS index, as well as the correlation between white matter hyperintensity and the ALPS index. In the comparison of all age groups, the ALPS index was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the postradiation group (1.32 ± 0.16) than in the control group (1.44 ± 0.17), suggesting that interstitial fluid dynamics were altered in patients following whole‐brain radiotherapy. Significant age group differences were found (40–59 years: p < 0.01; 60–84 years: p < 0.001), along with a weak negative correlation between BEDs (r = −0.19) and significant correlations between white matter hyperintensity and the ALPS index (r = −0.46 for periventricular white matter, r = −0.38 for deep white matter). It was concluded that the ALPS method using DWI with orthogonal MPGs suggest alteration in interstitial fluid dynamics in patients after whole‐brain radiotherapy. Further systematic prospective studies are required to investigate their association with cognitive symptoms.
Performance of single‐gene noninvasive prenatal testing for autosomal recessive conditions in a general population setting
Authors: Wynn Julia , Hoskovec Jennifer , Carter Rebecca D. , Ross Meredith J. , Perni Sriram C.
Published: September 2023

Objective

Carrier screening with reflex to single‐gene noninvasive prenatal testing (sgNIPT) is an alternative approach for identifying pregnancies at risk for inherited autosomal recessive conditions without the need for a sample from the reproductive partner. This study is the largest clinical validation of this approach in a general population setting.

Methods

The clinical performance of carrier screening with reflex to sgNIPT for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, alpha thalassemias, and beta hemoglobinopathies was assessed by collecting pregnancy outcome data on patients who underwent this testing and comparing the neonatal outcome to the assay‐predicted fetal risk.

Results

Of 42,067 pregnant individuals who underwent screening, 7538 carriers (17.9%) had reflex sgNIPT, and neonatal or fetal outcomes were obtained for 528 cases, including 25 affected pregnancies. Outcomes demonstrated high concordance with sgNIPT, for example, all pregnancies with 9 in 10 personalized fetal risk results were affected (positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% for the sub‐group) and the sgNIPT assay showed a sensitivity of 96.0% (95% CI: 79.65%–99.90%), specificity of 95.2% (95% CI: 92.98%–96.92%), average PPV of 50.0% (95% CI: 35.23%–64.77%), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.8% (95% CI: 98.84%–99.99%). The end‐to‐end performance of carrier screening with reflex to sgNIPT was calculated to have a sensitivity of 92.4% and specificity of 99.9%, which are unaffected by partner carrier screening or misattributed paternity unlike a traditional carrier screening workflow, which has a 35% sensitivity and a maximum of 25% PPV (1 in 4) in a real‐life setting.

Conclusion

This study builds upon earlier findings to confirm that carrier testing with reflex to sgNIPT is highly accurate for general population screening. Given this high accuracy and an NPV of 99.8%, this workflow should be considered as an option for most of the general pregnant population. When the biological partner sample is unavailable, this workflow should be recommended as the first‐line approach.
Water aging effects on the flexural properties of fully biobased coir fiber composites
Authors: Assis Eduardo Geraldo , dos Santos Júlio Cesar , da Silva Rodrigo José , de Oliveira Lívia Ávila , del Pino Gilberto Garcia , Scarpa Fabrizio , Panzera Túlio Hallak
Published: September 2023

This work describes the flexural behavior of biocomposites composed of a polyurethane matrix derived from castor oil plants and coir fibers. A statistical design is performed to identify the effects of fiber alkaline treatment and aging on the flexural modulus and strength of the composites. Physical tests and failure analyses are carried out to better assess their mechanical performance. A second experiment at 100% relative humidity is performed on treated fiber composites to compare with those obtained by immersion in water. The flexural modulus of the composites is not significantly affected by the fiber alkali treatment, while the strength is reduced by 35.17% when treated fibers are considered. Increasing the exposure time of composites under both aging conditions progressively reduces their flexural properties. The aging process of biocomposites in an environment with 100% relative humidity takes twice as long to reduce to the same flexural properties as those aged in water.

Highlights

Composites made with treated fibers showed higher apparent density and lower porosity.

Water aging reduces flexural modulus and strength of biobased coir composites.

The bending properties are strongly dominated by the properties of biobased polymer.

100% relative humidity takes twice as long to reduce to the flexural properties as those aged in water.

Untreated coir fibers achieve superior bending properties under moisture aging.
High flux and ultra‐thin poly‐dimethyldiethoxysilane/poly(vinylidene fluoride) composite membrane for alcohols recovery from aqueous solution by pervaporation
Authors: Chen Xiaole , Li Na , Liu Panfeng , Wen Du , Zhou Qulan , Zhong Huang
Published: September 2023

Pervaporation (PV) of membrane separation technology has become an efficient approach to separate alcohols from aqueous solution. In this study, focusing on increasing the total flux and breaking the trade‐off in PV, an ultra‐thin and high flux poly‐dimethyldiethoxysilane (PDMDES)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composite membrane was prepared. By employing various means, the characterizations of PDMDES/PVDF composite membrane were extensively investigated and the promising results indicated the high hydrophobicity and good affinity to alcohols. To be specific, PDMDES selective layer with different thicknesses, the thinnest of which was approximately 265 nm, were fabricated, and better PV performance can be achieved in a thickness range of 1.10 ~ 1.69 μm. The optimal PV performance of PDMDES/PVDF composite membrane was obtained in separating methanol from 5 wt% methanol/water solution at 40°C, resulting in a total high permeation flux of 5.38 kg m−2 h−1 and a higher pervaporation separation index (PSI) of 18.63 kg m−2 h−1.

Highlights

The ultra‐thin and high flux composite membranes for alcohols recovery via pervaporation (PV) are prepared by using monomer in membrane preparation through a simple fabrication method.

The trade‐off is broken in the ultra‐thin composite membrane compared with traditional composite membrane.

The influence between membrane thickness and PV performance is investigated through experimental tests, and the results show that the ultra‐thin composite membrane has a total high permeation flux of 5.38 kg m−2 h−1.
Laser Treatment of Dental Implants toward an Optimized Osseointegration: Evaluation via Tapping‐Mode Atomic Force Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy
Authors: Luczak Wiktor , Reiner-Rozman Ciril , Muck Martina , Heitz Johannes , Mitov Gergo , Pfaffeneder Florian , von See Constantin , Hassel Achim Walter , Kleber Christoph
Published: September 2023

Surface modifications of dental implants play a crucial role for material stability, durability, and patient contentment; hence optimization of the commonly used techniques can have significant impact. Surface properties affect the osseointegration of implants; however, the surface for the optimal osseointegration is still being researched. Herein, the surface roughness and topography of dental implant screws after polishing, sandblasting, and laser treatment via tapping‐mode atomic force microscopy are investigated. The measurements are performed at the implants’ shank, crest, and root sites and evaluated for surface roughness, kurtosis, and skew values. Laser‐treated and sandblasted samples have a significantly higher roughness compared to the machined sample. The roughness at the root of the samples is higher in case of the laser‐treated and machined samples, while lower for the sandblasted implant. It is found that laser treatment leads to a roughness lower than that of sandblasted dental screws but significantly higher than that of mechanically polished implants. Differences in the roughness at different topological sites show the need for more precise treatment of implants in order to optimize the roughness.
Hydrogen diffusion on (100), (111), (110) and (211) gold faces
Authors: Dokhlikova Nadezhda V. , Grishin Maxim V. , Doronin Sergey V.
Published: September 2023

Calculations showed that hydrogen adsorption into subsurface sites is most likely to occur on Au (110) and (211) faces. The presence of low‐coordinated Au atoms on significantly reduces the barrier of subsurface adsorption of H. The barriers of H surface diffusion increase in the following Au series: (110) < (111) < (100) < (211). An analysis of the dependence of the surface diffusion barriers on the electronic structure of gold atoms on the respective faces revealed a U‐shaped dependence of the centers of the s‐ and d‐bands. This dependence is the result of the filling of the s‐ and d‐bands on different faces of the gold. The results obtained suggest that it is possible to use band centers to determine surface diffusion barriers.
Optimizing cotton‐picking robotic manipulator and inverse kinematics modeling using evolutionary algorithm‐assisted artificial neural network
Authors: Singh Naseeb , Tewari Virendra Kumar , Biswas Prabir Kumar , Dhruw Laxmi Kant , Ranjan Rakesh , Ranjan Abhishek
Published: September 2023

This study presents a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm‐assisted neural‐network‐based inverse kinematics solution for a 4‐DoF (degree‐of‐freedom) cotton harvesting robot. A novel setup was developed to measure the three‐dimensional locations of in‐field cotton bolls. Dimensional optimization of the manipulator was conducted using the PSO algorithm to minimize torque requirements at joints. With the optimized links’ lengths, the targeted end‐effector positions were achieved effectively (coefficient of determination (R2) > 99.88). The genetic algorithm optimized the neural network architecture to include three hidden layers with [64 64 32] neurons, identifying the Tanh activation function as the optimal configuration. A custom loss function was used during the training of artificial neural network (ANN). Using angles predicted by the trained ANN, the end‐effector reached targeted positions with positioning errors below 13.0 mm. A hybrid model consisting of an ANN and PSO algorithm was developed to further reduce the error. This trained hybrid model resulted in a positioning error below 1.0 mm with inference time of 6.07 s during simulation phase. As compared to the ANN and PSO algorithm, hybrid model reduced the positioning error and inference time (>40.0%), respectively. For hybrid model, the mean percentage errors of 0.25%, 0.39%, and 0.84% were observed along the x‐, y‐, and z‐axis. A positioning error below 9.0 mm occurred during evaluation of the hybrid model with the fabricated manipulator. Hence, the developed hybrid model precisely determines the joint angles, allowing the end‐effector of the cotton harvesting robot to reach at targeted pose with minimum error.
An Investigation into the Efficacy of Low Temperature and UV Irradiated Citric Acid Crosslinked Zein/PEO Electrospun Membranes for Wound Healing Using Human Dermal Fibroblast Cells
Authors: Medha Surendranath , Resmi Rajalekshmi , Rekha M. R. , Nair Prakash , Ramesh P.
Published: September 2023

A key material capable of effective wound closure is a pertinent demand of the day. Citric acid (CA)‐based crosslinking involves pre‐crosslinking followed by post‐crosslinking at higher temperature. Unlike conventional higher temperature treatment, this piece of work discusses post‐crosslinking at low temperature or under UV irradiation of CAZein/Polyethylene oxide (PEO) blend membranes. A comparative analysis of the wound healing efficiency of both membranes was done. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) results showed that UV crosslinked CA Zein/PEO has a fast thermal degradation and the folded structure of the protein perturbed during UV crosslinking. More than 60 % of porosity and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 1500–2000 g m−2 day−1 for both membranes could facilitate faster exudate absorption and gas exchange through the wound site. Thermally crosslinked CA Zein/PEO stimulated 67 % more collagen production within 2 days compared to control cells. Percentage of wound closure is also high for thermally crosslinked CA Zein/PEO compared to UV crosslinked CA Zein/PEO. Though cytotoxicity evaluation confirmed the non‐cytotoxicity of both membranes, thermally crosslinked membrane proved as a better candidate for wound care management.
An Efficient Antimicrobial Performance of Hybrid Functionalized MWCNTs/GNPts Bionanocomposites Based on Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate)
Authors: Ibrahim Mohammad I. , Alamry Khalid A. , Hussein Mahmoud A. , Alsafadi Diya , Rafatullah Mohd
Published: September 2023

Haloferax mediterranei archaea has been utilized to biosynthesize Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) polyester from date waste as carbon source. The produced biopolymer has been composited with different percentages (1 %, 3 %, 5 % and 10 %) of a hybrid filler based on 1 : 1 carboxylated multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (CMWCNTs) and graphene nanoplates (GNPts). The synthesized bionanocomposites PHBV/(CMWCNTs‐GNPts)(1,3,5,10%) have been characterized by FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM and EDX. In addition, they were studied for their antibacterial properties against gram negative and gram positive strains of M. Luteus, S. Aureus, P. Aerugensa and E. Coli, and the results showed excellent antibacterial effect especially against gram negative strains of P. Aerugensa and E. Coli, showing inhibition zones of 52 % and 81 %, respectively, compared to chloramphenicol control that is used. Also, antifungal activities were investigated against G. Candidum and C. Albicans and showed that the produced bionanocomposites had inhibition zones of 32 % and 73 %, respectively, compared to the antifungal drug clotrimazole which was used as control.
Biogenic Synthesis, Characterization, and Antifungal Activity Studies of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Using Aqueous Extract of Moringa oleifera Leaves
Authors: Prasad Prajapati Jagdish , Toppo Anunay , Majhi Purusottam , Pradhan Umakant , Das Anirban , Das Debjit , Sriramulu G. , Mallick Sadhucharan , Katlakunta Sadhana , Shukla Awadhesh K.
Published: September 2023

The present study reports the green synthesis of cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) by an aqueous leaf extract of Moringa oleifera and the antifungal activity assessment of CuO NPs against the phytopathogenic fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. The CuO NPs showed variable fungitoxic effects against A. flavus and A. niger. At higher doses (1 mg/mL), 83.51 % of mycelial inhibition was found against A. flavus, but 43.51 % was found against A. niger. The percentage inhibition of mycelial growth was found to be dose dependent. The cell viability analysis was carried out to reveal the mechanism of the fungitoxic effect of synthesized NPs and it was revealed that the CuO NPs caused oxidative stress associated with increased ROS production, leading to fungal cell death. The synthesized CuO NPs showed single phase cupric oxide with a monoclinic structure and highly uniform in size (3–5 nm). As the synthesized CuO NPs showed good stability under open atmospheric conditions and a fungitoxicity effect against A. flavus, they may be used to control fungal diseases in an eco‐friendly manner.
Nitrogen‐containing Porous Organic Polymer Supported Rhodium Catalyst for Hydroformylation of Olefins
Authors: Lan Yongcheng , Lu Yanmei , Yun Dong , Xia Chungu , Qian Bo , Liu Jianhua
Published: September 2023

The hydroformylation reaction of olefins with syngas (CO/H2) to manufacture aldehydes is one of the largest homogeneous catalytic processes. However, it is important to extend the use of Rh catalysts promoted by nitrogen ligands to heterogeneous system. In this study, a nitrogen‐containing porous organic polymer supported Rh catalyst (Rh/TImT‐TBPT) was successfully synthesized, as well as showed excellent catalytic activity (TOF=216 h−1) and selectivity of aldehydes (98 %) in the hydroformylation of 1‐octene. Furthermore, the catalytic performance of Rh/TImT‐TBPT in the hydroformylation of various olefins was also investigated, displaying outstanding results. The catalytic material was characterized by FT‐IR, XRD, XPS, TEM, SEM and TGA in detail. The characterization data showed that Rh species were highly dispersed on the support, leading to the good stability. More importantly, the Rh/TImT‐TBPT catalyst could be separated from the reaction system at the end of the hydroformylation, and then reused in the next cycle under optimized conditions.
Hg(II)/Fe(III) Turn‐On Fluorescence Response of Rhodamine‐Anthracene Derivatives with Variable Diamine Chain Length
Authors: Gu Xiaofen , Xia Fangyuan , Ye Changqing , Chen Shuoran , Liang Zuoqin , Wang Xiaomei
Published: September 2023

Two rhodamine‐anthracene derivative probes (RA1 and RA2) were designed and synthesized to incorporate different lengths of diamine chains between the rhodamine and anthracene moieties. Among the 16 different metal ions tested, RA1 exhibited the highest fluorescence enhancement in response to Hg2+ with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.76×10−7 M, while RA2 showed the greatest fluorescence enhancement in the presence of Fe3+ with the LOD of 2.41×10−7 M. Notably, RA1 effectively eliminated the interference caused by Fe3+ during Hg2+ detection, whereas RA2 successfully eliminated the interference of Hg2+ during Fe3+ determination. This response difference between the two ions holds particular importance in scenarios where both heavy metal ions coexist. Additionally, fluorescence microscopy imaging of mouse mammary cancer cells (4T1) under the influence of Fe3+ demonstrated the potential applications of the probe. This study highlights the significance of a simple molecular design approach in tailoring probe selectivity by modifying the intramolecular flexible chain length.
Improved Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution using Sulfur‐Doped Graphite‐like Carbon Nitride (S‐G‐C3N4) Photocatalyst
Authors: Alharthi Fahad A. , Hasan Imran
Published: September 2023

Hydrogen (H2) production has received great attention because of its environmental‐friendly nature. Particularly, photocatalytic H2 production has been proven most efficient technology. Graphite‐like carbon nitride has excellent photocatalytic properties and has been widely used for H2 production. Herein, we report the fabrication of sulfur‐doped graphitic carbon nitride (S‐g‐C3N4) and its application in photocatalytic H2 production. The as‐synthesized S‐g‐C3N4 was authenticated by various advanced physical‐chemical techniques such as SEM, PXRD, and XPS. The optical properties of the as‐synthesized S‐g‐C3N4 was checked by UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy. Further, as‐synthesized S‐g‐C3N4 was explored as photocatalyst for H2 production. Effect of photocatalyst doses and type of solvents have been studied. The obtained results show that improved H2 production of 6002.54 μmol/g can be achieved via S‐g‐C3N4 photocatalyst. The as‐synthesized S‐g‐C3N4 also exhibit good stability, H2 evolution rate of 1200.5 μmol/g.h, and reasonable reusability.
Synthesis of Cobalt Oxide (Co3O4) Nanoparticles for Efficient Photocatalytic Water Splitting and Hydrogen Production
Authors: Hasan Imran , Alharthi Fahad A
Published: September 2023

In the recent years, photocatalytic hydrogen production using nanomaterials‐based photocatalysts have gained extensive attention. Various metal oxides have been widely explored in the photocatalytic hydrogen generation. It is interesting to prepare the efficient photocatalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen generation reactions. In present work, we used simple synthetic procedure for the preparation of cobalt oxide nanoparticles (Co3O4 NPs). The Co3O4 NPs were prepared using precipitation method. The surface structural features such as topological surface morphology was checked by scanning electron microscope. Presence of Co and O elements were authenticated by energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The phase purity or formation of Co3O4 NPs was evaluated by powder X‐ray diffraction approach. The optical band gap of the obtained Co3O4 NPs was determined by using ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy. Furthermore, we have explored the synthesized Co3O4 NPs as photocatalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen production reaction. The obtained results exhibited good photocatalytic behavior of Co3O4 NPs was towards hydrogen production. The hydrogen amount of 4565 μmol.g−1 was produced using Co3O4 NPs as photocatalyst. The reusability of the Co3O4 NPs photocatalyst was also checked and obtained results showed that Co3O4 NPs is stable for reusability.
Construction of Cu2O−Ag Nanocomposites for the Selective and Efficient Electrochemical Detection of Catechol
Authors: Liu Jingnan , Jia Haoran , Guo Jiawei , Zhang Wen
Published: September 2023

Highly sensitive and selective electrochemical sensors are essential for human health, especially for monitoring the state of environmental pollutant content. Here, Cu2O nanocubes uniformly decorated with Ag nanoparticles were synthesized by a tractable wet‐chemical method. The electrochemical studies confirm that the Cu2O‐Ag‐16 composite shows increased electrochemical activity for catechol determination compared with either the bare Cu2O or the other two as‐proposed Cu2O−Ag catalysts (Cu2O−Ag‐8, Cu2O−Ag‐24). More specifically, the Cu2O−Ag‐16 presents excellent electrochemical responses towards catechol detection over wide linear ranges of 0.05 μM – 1 mM and 1 mM – 5 mM, with high sensitivity and low detection limits (50 nM). Furthermore, the as‐proposed sensor also displays good reproducibility, with a relative standard deviation of 2.3 % (n=3). Satisfactory recoveries in the range of 98.3 % to 101.2 % or 98 % to 100.7 % for lake water and/or tap water indicate the reliability of the sensor for catechol detection in practical applications. Constructing such composite structures to manipulate the local charge distribution for outstanding electrochemical sensing properties would provide us with an innovative strategy to explore other highly efficient electrode materials.
In Silico Design of Freeform Solar Cell Structures from High‐Throughput Artificial Intelligence‐Generated Configurations
Authors: Guo Ruiqi , Wang Wenqing , Takakuwa Masahito , Fukuda Kenjiro , Someya Takao
Published: September 2023

Recent advances in artificial intelligence‐generated configurations (AIGC) have transformed various fields in science and technology domains and enabled the inverse design of materials and structures for enhanced performance with minimal human input. The patterned micro‐/nanostructures are widely adopted to increase power conversion efficiencies in thin‐film organic solar cells (OSCs), making these structures highly suitable for AIGC applications. Although the computational cost of traditional numerical simulations is a barrier to making AIGC high throughput, this issue is addressed by integrating the high‐speed automated machine learning (AutoML) Analyzer with genetic algorithm‐based topology optimization algorithms. Compared to standard numerical solutions, the AutoML Analyzer in the proposed system predicts outcomes ≈22 700 times faster, resulting in a 98.47% reduction in computation costs, while maintaining high average accuracies of ≈99%. By evaluating an extensive dataset of 600 000 AIGCs, an optimized PM6:Y6 OSC device design with a power conversion efficiency of 17.58% is identified, significantly outperforming the 14.70% baseline efficiency of the OSC device without the poly methyl methacrylate scattering and substrate layers. Results underscore the potential of AIGC techniques for efficiently enhancing the performance of photovoltaic devices in renewable energy applications.
Implementation of real‐time hybrid simulation based on Python‐graphics processing unit computing
Authors: Dong Xiaohui , Tang Zhenyun , Du Xiuli
Published: September 2023

Real‐time hybrid simulation is a testing method that combines physical experiments and numerical simulations, which can increase the dimensions of experimental specimens and reduce the error of scaling testing. Currently, the maximum degrees of freedom of numerical models are 7000 in real time. To improve the scale of numerical simulation in real time, a testing framework based on Python and graphics processing unit was proposed in this paper. The maximum degrees of freedom of the numerical model exceeded 24,000 with the testing framework. The testing capacity of real‐time hybrid simulation was significantly improved by the graphics processing unit calculations.
Status, typification, and synonymy of some early names for South Asian and Oceanian plants proposed in Urtica or in other genera now in the Urticaceae
Authors: Friis Ib , Wilmot‐Dear Christine Melanie , Moore Alison
Published: September 2023

Urtica stimulans L.f., the basionym of the currently accepted name Dendrocnide stimulans (L.f.) Chew, and Urtica fruticosa L.f., were both published in 1782 by Linné filius in Supplementum plantarum and are here lectotypified with specimens from original material collected by Thunberg on Java. After its publication, U. fruticosa has only been cited as a synonym of Dendrocnide stimulans, but that is a misidentification. “Urtica paniculata Gaudich.” was not validly published, appearing in the synonymy of Fleurya paniculata Gaudich. in 1830 (as “Urtica paniculata olim”), currently in Laportea ruderalis (G.Forst.) Chew, while Urtica paniculata Roxb. was validly published in 1832 as a legitimate name and is lectotypified here. Morus paniculata Roxb. was published in 1814 without a description, solely validated with reference to a description and a plate in Rumphius, Herbarium Amboinense. The information about the species Morus paniculata Roxb. and Urtica paniculata Roxb. may in part stem from the same trees grown in the Calcutta Botanic Garden, but the contexts in which Roxburgh published these two names are bibliographically distinct and without cross‐references; they stand as two independent names and are lectotypified on separate material. Urtica fruticosa L.f., Urtica paniculata Roxb., Morus paniculata Roxb. and Botrymorus paniculata (Roxb.) Miq. are all legitimate names and identified with Pipturus argenteus (G.Forst.) Wedd. (1869), a highly variable species occurring around and on islands in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. Its basionym, Urtica argentea G.Forst., published in 1786, is antedated by Urtica fruticosa L.f., published in 1782. To avoid an unfortunate change of the widely used name Pipturus argenteus, Urtica fruticosa L.f. is proposed separately as a nomen rejiciendum under Art. 56. Notes are provided on the original material of names that have been confused with the above‐mentioned names, including Urtica fruticosa Wright., sphalm. (based on mixed material).