bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on characteristics and mechanism of re‐entrainment in intake filtration components of the gas turbine
Authors: Fei Yunda , Wang Jianhua , Liu Yanming , Sun Shijun
Published: January 2024

Aiming at the problem that the droplet re‐entrainment in the intake filtration components affects the gas intake quality and the safe operation of gas turbines, the characteristics and mechanism of the re‐entrainment in a marine double‐hook inertial stage filter are studied, and the distribution of liquid film and re‐entrainment under different inlet air velocities and droplet size distributions are compared. The results show that, due to the influence of inertia and turbulent dispersion, droplets tend to deposit on draining hooks and the lower surface of the leeward side of the blade to form a liquid film. Film stripping is the main form of re‐entrainment under ship‐driving conditions. Due to the high airflow velocity and the large film thickness, hook peaks are the most prone to film stripping, and the critical airflow for film stripping velocity is 14.8 m/s. With the increase of the inlet air velocity, the film thickness at the draining hooks increased first and then decreased, and the film stripping positions were extended from the hook peaks to the rear. Different droplet size distributions mainly affect the liquid film thickness at the draining hook and leeward side of the blade, which in turn affects the film stripping mass.
What's in your PIE? Understanding the contents of personalized information environments with PIEGraph
Authors: Freelon Deen , Pruden Meredith L. , Malmer Daniel , Wu Qunfang , Xia Yiping , Johnson Daniel , Chen Emily , Crist Andrew
Published: January 2024

Social media have long been studied from platform‐centric perspectives, which entail sampling messages based on criteria such as keywords and specific accounts. In contrast, user‐centric approaches attempt to reconstruct the personalized information environments users create for themselves. Most user‐centric studies analyze what users have accessed directly through browsers (e.g., through clicks) rather than what they may have seen in their social media feeds. This study introduces a data collection system of our own design called PIEGraph that links survey data with posts collected from participants' personalized X (formerly known as Twitter) timelines. Thus, in contrast with previous research, our data include much more than what users decide to click on. We measure the total amount of data in our participants' respective feeds and conduct descriptive and inferential analyses of three other quantities of interest: political content, ideological skew, and fact quality ratings. Our results are relevant to ongoing debates about digital echo chambers, misinformation, and conspiracy theories; and our general methodological approach could be applied to social media beyond X/Twitter contingent on data availability.
Palladium‐Catalyzed Cyclization/Alkenylation of Ynone Oximes with Vinylsilanes for the Assembly of Isoxazolyl Vinylsilanes
Authors: Li Jianxiao , Hong Chenjing , Niu Yanan , Wang Bowen , Jiang Huanfeng
Published: January 2024

A palladium‐catalyzed cascade cyclization/alkenylation for the assembly of synthetically valuable isoxazolyl vinylsilane derivative has been accomplished. Easily accessible ynone oximes, and available vinylsilane agents were used as the reaction starting materials This protocol features broad substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, and good step‐ and atom‐economy. Remarkably, this approach provides a new approach for the construction of structurally diverse isoxazolyl‐containing vinylsilanes with high molecular complexity, showing a promising application in synthetic and pharmaceutical chemistry.
Heterogeneous hydroxylation optimization of epoxidized soybean oil using a sustainable route for the production of sustainable polyols
Authors: Gallego Diego , Arias Sandra , Calviño Rebeca , Quintana Sara , Corral‐Escudero Adrián , Limones‐Herrero Daniel , Sánchez Marcos , Noguerol Rosalía
Published: January 2024

The purpose of this article is to provide a study of the hydroxylation reaction optimization of epoxidized soybean oil using a mathematical model based on surface response methodology. The variables were selected based on previous studies of the reaction. The three most influential factors are the time, the methanol ratio, and the catalyst ratio. Potentiometric characterization of the hydroxyl index allowed the influence of these factors and their interactions to be measured. It was possible to quantify these influences using multivariate regression. The results show that the three selected factors influenced the reaction yield positively; however, there were some interactions, such as an interaction between time and methanol and the interaction between time and catalyst, which had a negligible influence. The coefficients of the formulas used to construct the mathematical model were obtained from the influence values. The model was able to predict the optimum variable levels for an acceptable reaction yield efficiently and accurately. These levels were: time 244.4 min; methanol:oil ratio 1:4, and catalyst percentage 15.34%. The characterization of the hydroxylated oil product was carried out using Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) and carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C‐NMR) spectroscopy.
The influence of board interlocks and sustainability experience on transparent sustainability disclosure
Authors: Lu Jing , Yu Dongning , Mahmoudian Fereshteh , Nazari Jamal A. , Herremans Irene M.
Published: January 2024

We investigate board interlocks and their relationship to the transparency of sustainability disclosure, drawing on the theoretical perspectives of resource dependence theory and agency theory. We ascertain that board members who gain sustainability experience by serving on another board will influence the transparency of sustainability disclosure for the focal firm. The study analyzes data from S&P 1500 firms in the U.S. from 2009 to 2018, using ordinary least squares regressions. Our findings demonstrate that the focal firms' sustainability disclosure will be more transparent if their boards have interlocking directors with experience gained from other boards in current or prior years. Furthermore, we find that the sustainability experience of interlocked firms interacts with both gender diversity and board independence, leading to an enhancement in the transparency of sustainability disclosure. In addition, we conduct robustness tests such as performing propensity score matching, controlling for firm fixed effects, and applying entropy matching. These additional tests provide consistent results to confirm and strengthen our findings.
Fostering computer programming and digital skills development: An experimental approach
Authors: Omeh Christian B. , Olelewe Chijioke J. , Nwangwu Emmanuel C.
Published: January 2024

Available records of computer programming results from the universities in southeast Nigeria for the period under review (2016–2020) show that 70% of the students marginally passed the course. This, therefore, raises a concern to re‐examine the instructional strategy used in the teaching and learning process, hence the adoption of innovative pedagogy that involved the use of digital tools like Google Classroom and Google Meet in their instructional delivery process of a computer programming course. This study adopted quasi‐experimental research design involving intact classes with a nonequivalent group. Total population sampling technique was used to select all the 152 second‐year computer education students made up of 60 males and 92 females drawn from the three private universities in Southeast Nigeria that offer computer programming. Data was collected using computer achievement test, digital skill development scale and engagement level scale. The findings of the study showed that students' academic achievement and level of engagement increased significantly in a computer programming course. Also, digital skills development and self‐efficacy in the experimental group were higher than in the control group. Implementing innovative teaching strategies helped to facilitate the timely development of digital skills required by students to attain sufficient learner engagement in the learning process. It was recommended that computer educators should be encouraged to adopt innovative teaching techniques that blend with Classroom, Google Meet and MS Teams, among others to influence students' active engagement in the learning process.
“Delaying Rot Emergence in Persian Lime (Citrus×latifolia) Through Antifungal Hybrid Films Containing Litsea glaucescens Essential Oil”
Authors: Villa‐Ruano Nemesio , Evangelista‐Castro Juan Daniel , Coyotl‐Pérez Wendy Abril , Pacheco‐Hernández Yesenia , Lozoya‐Gloria Edmundo , Varela‐Caselis Jenaro Leocadio , Mosso‐González Clemente , Ramírez‐García Sergio A.
Published: January 2024

Herein we describe the in situ inhibitory activity of three hybrid films (FL1, FL2, and FL3) against two wild strains of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Penicillium digitatum as causal agents of rot in Persian limes. The films FL2 and FL3 contained 1.0 and 1.3 % weight/volume Litsea glaucescens essential oil (LgEO) and significantly (p<0.05) delayed rot emergence in Persian limes caused by both pathogens up to 10 days. The physicochemical properties of LgEO and hybrid films were obtained, whereas detailed HPLC profiling revealed that fruit covered with these films significantly (p<0.01) preserved reducing sugars (sucrose, fructose, and glucose), organic acids (citric acid, ascorbic acid, malic acid, and oxalic acid), and flavonoids with nutraceutical activity (hesperidin, eriocitrin, naruritin, neohesperidin, diosmin, vitexin, rutin, and quercetin). This evidence sustains that the composites generated in this investigation improve the shelf life of Persian limes and conserve their nutraceutical content.
Two Omics Methods Expose Anti‐Depression Mechanism of Raw and Vinegar‐Baked Bupleurum Scorzonerifolium Willd
Authors: Qu Zhongyuan , Zheng Yan , Wu Shuang , Bing Yifan , Sun Zhiwei , Zhu Shiru , Li Wenlan , Zou Xiang
Published: January 2024

Bupleurum scorzonerifolium willd. (BS) and its vinegar‐baked product (VBS) has been frequently utilized for depression management in clinical Chinese medicine. This paper aims to elucidate the antidepressant mechanism of BS and VBS from the perspectives of metabonomics and gut microbiota. A rat model of depression was established by CUMS combined with feeding alone to evaluate the antidepressant effects of BS and VBS. UPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS/MS‐based metabolomics and 16S rRNA sequencing of rat feces were applied and the correlation of differential metabolic markers and intestinal floras was analyzed. The result revealed that BS and VBS significantly improved depression‐like behaviors and the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in CUMS rats. There were 27 differential endogenous metabolites between CUMS and normal rats, which were involved in 8 metabolic pathways. Whereas, BS and VBS could regulate 18 and 20 metabolites respectively, wherein fifteen of them were shared metabolites. On the genus level, BS and VBS could regulate twenty‐five kinds of intestinal floras in CUMS rats, that is, they increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria and decreased the abundance of harmful bacteria. In conclusion, both BS and VBS exert excellent antidepressant effects by regulating various metabolic pathways and ameliorating intestinal microflora dysfunction.
Flowmicro In‐Line Analysis‐Driven Design of Reactions Mediated by Unstable Intermediates: Flash Monitoring Approach
Authors: Ashikari Yosuke , Yoshioka Rikako , Yonekura Yuya , Yoo Dong‐eun , Okamoto Kazuhiro , Nagaki Aiichiro
Published: January 2024

The direct observation of reactive intermediates is an important issue for organic synthesis. However, intermediates with an extreme instability are hard to be monitored by common spectroscopic methods such as FTIR. We have developed synthetic method utilizing flow microreactors, which enables a generation and reactions of unstable intermediates. Herein we report that, based on our flowmicro techniques, we developed an in‐line analysis method for reactive intermediates in increments of milliseconds. We demonstrated the direct observation of the living and dead species of the anionic polymerization of alkyl methacrylates. The direct information of the living species enabled the anionic polymerization and copolymerization of oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylates, which is the important but difficult reaction in the conventional method.
Is Simultaneous Binding to DNA and Gyrase Important for the Antibacterial Activity of Cystobactamids?
Authors: Solga Danny , Wieske Lianne H. E. , Wilcox Scott , Zeilinger Carsten , Jansen‐Olliges Linda , Cirnski Katarina , Herrmann Jennifer , Müller Rolf , Erdelyi Mate , Kirschning Andreas
Published: January 2024

Cystobactamids are aromatic oligoamides that exert their natural antibacterial properties by inhibition of bacterial gyrases. Such aromatic oligoamides were proposed to inhibit α‐helix‐mediated protein‐protein interactions and may serve for specific recognition of DNA. Based on this suggestion, we designed new derivatives that have duplicated cystobactamid triarene units as model systems to decipher the specific binding mode of cystobactamids to double stranded DNA. Solution NMR analyses revealed that natural cystobactamids as well as their elongated analogues show an overall bent shape at their central aliphatic unit, with an average CX‐CY‐CZ angle of ~110 degrees. Our finding is corroborated by the target‐bound structure of close analogues, as established by cryo‐EM very recently. Cystobactamid CN‐861‐2 binds directly to the bacterial gyrase with an affinity of 9 μM, and also exhibits DNA‐binding properties with specificity for AT‐rich DNA. Elongation/dimerization of the triarene subunit of native cystobactamids is demonstrated to lead to an increase in DNA binding affinity. This implies that cystobactamids’ gyrase inhibitory activity necessitates not just interaction with the gyrase itself, but also with DNA via their triarene unit.
Enhancing the Catalytic Efficiency of D‐lactonohydrolase through the Synergy of Tunnel Engineering, Evolutionary Analysis, and Force‐Field Calculations
Authors: Sun Ruobin , Zheng Pu , Chen Pengcheng , Wu Dan , Zheng Jiangmei , Liu Xueyu , Hu Yunxiang
Published: January 2024

Computational design advances enzyme evolution and their use in biocatalysis in a faster and more efficient manner. In this study, a synergistic approach integrating tunnel engineering, evolutionary analysis, and force‐field calculations has been employed to enhance the catalytic activity of D‐lactonohydrolase (D‐Lac), which is a pivotal enzyme involved in the resolution of racemic pantolactone during the production of vitamin B5. The best mutant, N96S/A271E/F274Y/F308G (M3), was obtained and its catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) was nearly 23‐fold higher than that of the wild‐type. The M3 whole‐cell converted 20 % of DL‐pantolactone into D‐pantoic acid (D‐PA, >99 % e.e.) with a conversion rate of 47 % and space‐time yield of 107.1 g L−1 h−1, demonstrating its great potential for industrial‐scale D‐pantothenic acid production. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the reduction in the steric hindrance within the substrate tunnel and conformational reconstruction of the distal loop resulted in a more favourable“catalytic” conformation, making it easier for the substrate and enzyme to enter their pre‐reaction state. This study illustrates the potential of the distal residue on the pivotal loop at the entrance of the D‐Lac substrate tunnel as a novel modification hotspot capable of reshaping energy patterns and consequently influencing the enzymatic activity.
Novel quantitative immunohistochemistry method using histone H3, family 3B as the internal reference standard for measuring human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression in breast cancer
Authors: Wang Jie , Xia Ye‐Chen , Tian Bao‐Xing , Li Ju‐Tang , Li Heng‐Yu , Dong Hui , Li Xiao‐Guang , Yu Hua , Zhu Yu‐Yao , Ma Jun , Jiang Ying‐Jie , Jin Guang‐Zhi
Published: January 2024

Background

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is an essential technique in surgical and clinical pathology for detecting diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers for personalized cancer therapy. However, the lack of standardization and reference controls results in poor reproducibility, and a reliable tool for IHC quantification is urgently required. The objective of this study was to describe a novel approach in which H3F3B (histone H3, family 3B) can be used as an internal reference standard to quantify protein expression levels using IHC.

Methods

The authors enrolled 89 patients who had human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)‐positive breast cancer (BC). They used a novel IHC‐based assay to measure protein expression using H3F3B as the internal reference standard. H3F3B was uniformly expressed at the protein level in all tumor regions in cancer tissues. HER2 expression levels were measured with the H‐score using HALO software.

Results

Kaplan–Meier analysis indicated that, among patients who had HER2‐positive BC in The Cancer Genome Atlas data set and the authors' data set, the subgroup with low HER2 expression had a significantly better prognosis than the subgroup with high HER2 expression. Furthermore, the authors observed that HER2 expression levels were precisely evaluated using the proposed method, which can classify patients who are at higher risk of HER2‐positive BC to receive trastuzumab‐based adjuvant therapy. Dual‐color IHC with H3F3B is an excellent tool for internal and external quality control of HER2 expression assays.

Conclusions

The proposed IHC‐based quantification method accurately assesses HER2 expression levels and provides insights for predicting clinical prognosis in patients with HER2‐positive BC who receive trastuzumab‐based adjuvant therapy.
Determination of Optimal Phage Load and Administration Time for Antibacterial Treatment
Authors: Plunder Steffen , Burkard Markus , Helling Thomas , Lauer Ulrich M. , Hoelzle Ludwig E. , Marongiu Luigi
Published: January 2024

Using phages as antibacterials is becoming a customary practice in Western countries. Nonetheless, successful treatments must consider the growth rate of the bacterial host and the degradation of the virions. Therefore, successful treatments require administering the right amount of phage (viral load, Vφ) at the right moment (administration time, Tφ). The present protocols implement a machine learning approach to determine the best combination of Vφ and Tφ to obtain the elimination of the target bacterium from a system. © 2024 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: One bacterium, one phage

Alternate Protocol 1: One bacterium, one phage (wrapping function)

Alternate Protocol 2: One bacterium, one phage (wrapping function, alternative growing model)

Basic Protocol 2: Two bacteria, one phage

Alternate Protocol 3: Two bacteria, one phage (launch from terminal)
Design and practical implementation of non‐fragile controller for non‐isolated on‐board battery charger for electric vehicle
Authors: Kumar Bonela Anil , Sarkar Mrinal Kanti , Kumar Kundan
Published: January 2024

This paper proposes a non‐fragile control approach for a non‐isolated two‐switch buck‐boost converter used as an on‐board charger for electric vehicles. The control scheme is based on a cascaded two‐loop configuration with non‐fragile Proportional Integral controllers in the inner current and the outer voltage loop. The control approach is based on designing a control law that can stabilize the closed‐loop system subject to uncertainties in the controller parameters while satisfying the H∞ norm bound constraint on disturbance attenuation. The proposed control technique helps to deal with inevitable uncertainties during the implementation of any control scheme. The proposed control technique is compared with the conventional approach and validated through experimental results. The experimental results are obtained from a 1‐kW laboratory prototype of a TSBB converter with an output voltage range of 150–400 V. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively achieves good robustness against controller parameter variations and disturbances under various operating conditions.
On‐board charger applications: A new hybrid control strategy for bidirectional CLLC resonant converter
Authors: Shi Zhe , Tang Yu , Davari Pooya
Published: January 2024

This paper proposes a new hybrid control strategy to solve the problem of bidirectional wide voltage range regulation in CLLC converters. On the (LLC) side (G2V direction), the SSSA control method is employed for voltage boost, combined with bus voltage and burst control to achieve wide voltage regulation. On the (C) side (V2G direction), the SSSA and full/half‐bridge mode switching control are used to achieve V2G direction wide voltage regulation. This hybrid control strategy also enables high conversion efficiency in both directions without the need for additional components to reduce the converter power density. This is particularly suitable for OBC applications with strict requirements for converter volume and weight. A detailed analysis with mathematical derivation, hybrid control strategy, and converter operation principles is introduced in this paper. The following subchapters supplement the converter voltage gain, soft switching implementation conditions, and design considerations. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed control strategy was verified through an experimental prototype with an input voltage ranging from 340 to 430 V to an output voltage ranging from 225 to 450 V and bidirectional rated power of 6.6/3.3 kW. This prototype achieved a maximum conversion efficiency of 97.7% in the G2V direction and 97.1% in the V2G direction.
Long Short Term Memory Tracker‐Based Modified DC‐DC Converter for Power Quality Improvement in Grid‐PV Systems under Uniform and Partial Shading Environments
Authors: Kuppusamy Mohan , Balaraman Sujatha
Published: January 2024

In previous era, coal and oil like non‐renewable resources were mostly used for power generation, thus causing a severe environmental problem as well as high economic. An intelligent maximum power point tracking (MPPT) system was proposed to overwhelm the above‐mentioned impacts, which tracks the maximum generation of photovoltaic (PV) under various atmospheric conditions. Moreover, a modified DC‐DC converter was introduced to low inrush current and switching oscillation. The proposed model working process was split into three steps: first, design the normal PV with a grid‐integrated power system. Second, create a dataset with the aid of a designed PV model, and finally, design an intelligent MPPT controller based on that dataset. The difference among the MPPT and PV voltage was fed to an optimal controller that generates an appropriate pulse signal of the modified DC‐DC converter. The proposed intelligent tracking system was analyzed under various circumstances like static, dynamic and combined shading conditions. The proposed model offers 99.5% efficiency and very low harmonics values like 0.15% current total harmonic distortion (THD) and 0.46% voltage THD. The outcome verifies that the intelligent MPPT approach performs well than that of the currently used controllers in solar power generation and conditioning systems.
Biomechanics in anthropology
Authors: Berthaume Michael , Elton Sarah
Published: January 2024

Biomechanics is the set of tools that explain organismal movement and mechanical behavior and links the organism to the physicality of the world. As such, biomechanics can relate behaviors and culture to the physicality of the organism. Scale is critical to biomechanical analyses, as the constitutive equations that matter differ depending on the scale of the question. Within anthropology, biomechanics has had a wide range of applications, from understanding how we and other primates evolved to understanding the effects of technologies, such as the atlatl, and the relationship between identity, society, culture, and medical interventions, such as prosthetics. Like any other model, there is great utility in biomechanical models, but models should be used primarily for hypothesis testing and not data generation except in the rare case where models can be robustly validated. The application of biomechanics within anthropology has been extensive, and holds great potential for the future.
Self‐ignition of forest soil samples demonstrated through hot storage tests
Authors: Piechnik Kira , Hofmann Anja , Klippel Andrea
Published: January 2024

The increasing threat of forest fires on a global scale is not only a matter of concern due to the potential harm they may cause to both human and animal life but also due to their significant role in exacerbating climate change. In light of these circumstances, one might inquire as to whether forest soil can self‐ignite and, if so, under what conditions and at what temperatures this phenomenon may occur. This question is being addressed in the German pilot “Fire science of wildfires and safety measures” of the EU project TREEADS, and the first results are presented below. The importance of basic research into the self‐ignition of forest soil cannot be underestimated, as it provides crucial knowledge to prevent forest fires and protect human and animal health. Furthermore, mitigating the occurrence of forest fires can also play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global efforts to combat climate change. The procedure of the hot storage test is an effective means of determining whether a material can self‐ignite. During the investigation of six soil samples, it was found that five of them were indeed capable of self‐ignition. In addition to determining whether the material ignites, the modified hot storage test also analyzed the resulting smoke gases and measured their concentration. The research question of whether regional forest soil is capable of self‐ignition can be answered with yes based on these initial tests. Further experiments are needed to determine if self‐ignition causes forest fires.
The risk of developing dementia in the COVID‐19 pandemic; a cohort study
Authors: Baron Daniel Hendrik , Coulthard Elizabeth , David Carslake , Sinclair Lindsey Isla
Published: January 2024

Objectives

The effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on cognitive decline are not fully understood. Higher social activity and relationships have been associated with decreased risk of dementia. We hypothesised that risk of transition to dementia would increase after the start of the first national lockdown.

Methods

We obtained data from the Brains for Dementia (BDR) cohort, which has collected roughly annual data on 3726 older adults with and without dementia since 2008. Data continued to be collected during the lockdowns, although by telephone and/or video call instead of in person. Individuals diagnosed with dementia at study entry were excluded from this study as were individuals with only one visit. Cognitive status was classified using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) global score. Poisson regression with cubic splines to account for differences in age was used to compare the incidence of dementia before and after March 1st 2020.

Results

Out of 2242 individuals, 208 individuals developed dementia before and 50 developed dementia after 01/03/20. The incidence rate ratio of developing dementia after 01/03/20 was 0.847 (0.538–1.335) p = 0.570. In our secondary analysis we found that the positive association between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia incidence decreased after 1/3/20 (interaction effect p = 0.031).

Conclusion

The incidence of dementia as defined using the CDR global score did not change significantly after the first lockdown began, but we found evidence that lockdown decreased the positive association between MCI and dementia incidence. This may reflect that individuals were progressing to dementia more rapidly and thus missing the MCI stage or that assessing patients over the phone made diagnosing MCI more challenging.
An investigation of endometrial vascularity in normally menstruating women and those in other physiological states using 3D ultrasound imaging
Authors: Khan Ammar Ahmed , Al‐Motawa Aisha , Halabi Najeeb , Ahmed Badreldeen , Rafii Jeremie Arash , Konje Justin C.
Published: January 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the normal vasculature indices of the endometrium and to correlate them with those in various physiological states.

Methods

Women undergoing ultrasound at the Feto‐Maternal Center, Qatar in 2020–2021 as part of their gynecologic evaluation were enrolled into the study. They were divided into those with normal menses and no additional pathology, those following spontaneous miscarriage, postpartum and menopausal. Three‐dimensional (3D) evaluation of the endometrial vasculature was done and the parameters quantified included vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), vascularization flow index (VFI), endometrial thickness, endometrial volume and uterine volume. JASP, an open‐source statistical analysis software, was used for analysis and an independent t‐test to compare the vascularity indices. A multivariate regression analysis was also done to look at the factors affecting the endometrial vascular indices within the luteal phase.

Results

A total of 461 women were studied: 122 in the follicular phase, 199 in the luteal phase, 90 after a spontaneous miscarriage, 29 postpartum, and 16 menopausal. The vascularity indices were highest after miscarriage and lowest postnatally. There were no significant effects of age, gravida, para, or abortions on VI and VFI. However, there was a significant positive effect of age on FI (P = 0.019) There was a significant increase in endometrial volume and thickness in the luteal phase as compared to follicular phase (P < 0.01), but there was no difference in the vascularity indices. The uterine and endometrial volume in the postnatal group were nearly double that of the luteal group (P value <0.01 and 0.014, respectively). There was a significant decrease in flow index in the postnatal group compared to the luteal group (P < 0.01), suggesting low flow intensity in the postnatal group.

Conclusions

Endometrial vascular indices measured using 3D Doppler can be used to determine normal vascular indices and vary with physiological states such as after miscarriages, postnatally and in the menopausal states.
CGS‐Net: A classification‐guided framework for automated infection segmentation of COVID‐19 from CT images
Authors: Zhou Wen , Wang Jihong , Wang Yuhang , Liu Zijie , Yang Chen
Published: January 2024

Automated segmentation of lung lesions in CT images of COVID‐19 based on deep learning holds great potential for comprehending the advancement of the disease and establishing suitable treatment approaches. However, the complex background, indistinct boundaries, varying sizes and distributions of infected regions, and high similarity to other lung diseases pose substantial challenges. To address these issues, we propose a joint deep learning‐based framework, named Classification‐Guided Segmentation Network (CGS‐Net), for COVID‐19 segmentation. The framework comprises a classification and a segmentation sub‐network, which are trained sequentially. Initially, the classification sub‐network learns the feature information of COVID‐19 and other pneumonia classifications. Subsequently, the trained classification sub‐network assists in the training of the segmentation sub‐network. In addition, several key modules are employed to construct the network, including the Multi‐scale Feature Mapping Module (MSFM), the Context Information Module (Context), and the Axial Attention Fusion Module (AAFM). The MSFM employs dilated convolutions to extract multi‐scale features with an emphasis on spatial and channel information. The Context combines strip pooling and average pooling to aggregate contextual and global information. Finally, the AAFM is employed to incorporate contextual information through an axial attention mechanism. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms competing approaches in the segmentation task.
Binary endogenous treatment in stochastic frontier models with an application to soil conservation in El Salvador
Authors: Centorrino Samuele , Pérez‐Urdiales María , Bravo‐Ureta Boris , Wall Alan
Published: January 2024

Numerous programs exist to promote productivity, alleviate poverty, and enhance food security in developing countries. Stochastic frontier analysis can be helpful to assess their effectiveness. However, challenges can arise when accounting for treatment endogeneity, often intrinsic to these interventions. We study maximum likelihood estimation of stochastic frontier models when both the frontier and inefficiency depend on a potentially endogenous binary treatment. We use instrumental variables to define an assignment mechanism and explicitly model the density of the first and second‐stage error terms. We provide empirical evidence using data from a soil conservation program in El Salvador.
Label‐free assessment of pathological changes in pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia by biomedical multiphoton microscopy
Authors: Miao Jikui , Zhang Zheng , Zhang Xiong , Huang Xingxin , Zhang Shichao , Zhan Zhenlin , Chen Jianxin , Chen Linying , Li Lianhuang
Published: January 2024

Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) is the most common precursor lesion that has the potential to progress to invasive pancreatic cancer, and early and rapid detection may offer patients a chance for treatment before the development of invasive carcinoma. Therefore, the identification of PanIN holds significant clinical importance. In this study, we first used multiphoton microscopy (MPM) combining two‐photon excitation fluorescence and second‐harmonic generation imaging to label‐free detect PanIN and attempted to differentiate between normal pancreatic ducts and different grades of PanIN. Then, we also developed an automatic image processing strategy to extract eight morphological features of collagen fibers from MPM images to quantify the changes in collagen fibers surrounding the ducts. Experimental results demonstrate that the combination of MPM and quantitative information can accurately identify normal pancreatic ducts and different grades of PanIN. This study may contribute to the rapid diagnosis of pancreatic diseases and may lay the foundation for further clinical application of MPM.
Bacterial cellulose as a promising material for pulmonary valve prostheses: In vivo study in a sheep model
Authors: Siondalski Piotr , Kołaczkowska Magdalena , Bieńkowski Michał , Pęksa Rafał , Kowalik Maciej M. , Dawidowska Kinga , Vandendriessche Katrien , Meuris Bart
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Currently, no consensus exists regarding the most durable prosthesis for pulmonary valve replacement. Bacterial cellulose is a resistant, nonbiodegradable, nonpyrogenic bioimplant with low hemolysis and clotting properties. We hypothesized that bacterial cellulose heart valve prostheses could be an attractive alternative for pulmonary valve replacement.

Methods

We conducted a large animal model experiment in three adult sheep. The animals underwent open‐heart surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass for bacterial cellulose conduit implantation in the pulmonary position. The sheep were followed for seven months, and clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed. Echocardiographic evaluations were performed at 3 and 7 months. After seven months, the sheep were sacrificed and an autopsy was performed. The explanted conduits were radiologically and histopathologically analyzed.

Results

All sheep survived the operation, showing good recovery and normal health status; no adverse events were noted during the 7‐month postoperative follow‐up. Interval laboratory findings were normal with no signs of hemolysis or infection. Echocardiographic analysis after 7 months revealed a normal mean pressure gradient with excellent cusp motion and coaptation; a trace of regurgitation was found in two sheep. X‐ray analysis of the explanted conduits revealed no structural defects in the leaflets with minimal calcification. Histological examination showed slight thickening of the conduit by pannus formation. No material failure, no calcification inside the material, and only minor calcification extrinsic to the matrix were observed.

Conclusions

This pilot study provides evidence that bacterial cellulose may be suitable for pulmonary valve prostheses and surgical pulmonary artery plasty. Further studies on the high pressure side of the left heart are needed.
Unraveling the effect of aromaticity for the dynamics of excited states of single benzene fluorophores
Authors: Filatov Michael , Mironov Vladimir , Kraka Elfi
Published: January 2024

The photophysical properties of a series of recently synthesized single benzene fluorophores were investigated using ensemble density functional theory calculations. The energetic stability of the ground and excited state species were counterposed against the aromaticity index derived from local vibrational modes. It was found that the large Stokes shift of the fluorophores (up to ca. 5800 cm) originates from the effect of electron donating and electron withdrawing substituents rather than ‐delocalization and related (anti‐)aromaticity. On the basis of nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations, the absence of fluorescence from one of the regioisomers was explained by the occurrence of easily accessible S/S conical intersections below the vertical excitation energy level. It is demonstrated in the manuscript that the analysis of local mode force constants and the related aromaticity index represent a useful tool for the characterization of ‐delocalization effects in ‐conjugated compounds.
A customized table‐top aging simulation exercise to augment gerodontology teaching
Authors: Lee Gabriel Keng Yan , Tada Sayaka , Wong Mun Loke
Published: January 2024

While aging simulation suits have been used in healthcare education to promote empathy for older adults, little has been published on learning outcomes specific to geriatric dental patients. We designed a seminar utilising a customised ageing simulation suit to help dental students empathise with several disabilties their older adult patients may face.
An actively stabilized, miniaturized epi‐fluorescence widefield microscope for real‐time observation in vivo
Authors: Nuerbahati Ayiben , Liao Jiasheng , Lyu Jing , Abduwali Serk , Chiang Li‐Yang
Published: January 2024

Recent developments in real‐time, in vivo micro‐imaging have allowed for the visualization of tissue pathological changes, facilitating rapid diagnosis. However, miniaturization, magnification, the field of view, and in vivo image stabilization remain challenging factors to reconcile. A key issue for this technology is ensuring it is user friendly for surgeons, enabling them to use the device manually and obtain instantaneous information necessary for surgical decision‐making. This descriptive study introduces a handheld, actively stabilized, miniaturized epi‐fluorescence widefield microscope (MEW‐M) for real‐time observation in vivo with high resolution. The methodology of MEW‐M system includes high resolution microscopy miniaturization technology, thousandfold shaking suppression (actively stabilized), ultra‐photosensitivity, and tailored image signal processing cell image capture and processing technology, which support for the excellent real‐time imaging performance of MEW‐M system in brain, mammary, liver, lung, and kidney tissue imaging of rats in vivo. With a single‐objective and high‐frame‐rate imaging, the MEW‐M system facilitates roving image acquisition, enabling contiguous analysis of large tissue areas.

Research Highlights

A handheld, actively stabilized MEW‐M system was introduced.

Excellent real‐time, in vivo imaging with high resolution and active stabilization in brain, mammary, liver, lung, and kidney tissue of rats.
18F‐Fluorination of a supported 2‐(aryl‐di‐tert‐butylsilyl)‐N‐methyl‐imidazole for indirect 18F‐labeling of a VHH single‐variable domain
Authors: Steffann Marine , Bluet Guillaume , Roy Sébastien , Aubert Catherine , Fouquet Eric , Hermange Philippe
Published: January 2024

Anchoring an imidazole‐di‐tert‐butyl‐arylsilane possessing an azido group to a polystyrene resin provided a heterogeneous precursor that was radiolabeled easily using aqueous [18F]fluoride. After optimizing the conditions (i.e., using DMSO as solvent and heating at 160°C for 15 min), the desired [18F]fluorosilane was obtained in 24% radiochemical yield (RCY) and 78% radiochemical purity (RCP) using solid‐phase extraction as sole purification. Then, this compound was conjugated by strain‐promoted alkyne–azide cycloaddition to a model single‐variable domain possessing a cyclooctyne tag, yielding to the desired 18F‐labeled bioconjugate in 2% RCY and >95% RCP after purification by a size exclusion chromatography.
Decadal variability of precipitation and moisture source attribution over India
Authors: Vishwakarma Vijay , Pattnaik Sandeep , Baisya Himadri
Published: January 2024

The seasonal variability of precipitation has a profound impact on water demand for India's agricultural and socio‐economic sectors which are associated with continental and surrounding oceanic moisture sources controlled by dynamic and thermodynamic processes. In this study, moisture sources have been tracked by the Lagrangian trajectory approach over four homogeneous regions: Northwest India (NWI), Central India (CEI), Northeast India (NEI) and South Peninsular India (SPI). ERA‐Interim reanalysis data are used throughout the study for three decades from 1989 to 2018. The results indicate that the multidecadal variability of precipitation has strengthened towards the mid‐decade (1999–2008), mainly attributable to moisture source transport from the Arabian Sea. These enhancement patterns of moisture sources have been widespread over Central India for all three decades. Moisture availability in the boundary layer highly affects the precipitation and it is found that 80% of the moisture above the boundary layer contributes >10% of monsoonal precipitation occurrences. Further, the NEI drying trend in monsoonal rainfall is found to be related to the consequent weakening of the land–ocean temperature gradient (LOTG) during all three decades in this region and the absence of low cloud cover over the region throughout the study period. In addition, the moisture sources are regulated by prevailing large‐scale features such as frequency of La Niña, northward shifting of low‐level jet and strengthening of Hadley cell.
Effects of soil physicochemical environment on the plasticity of root growth and land productivity in maize soybean relay strip intercropping system
Authors: Peng Xinyue , Ren Junbo , Chen Ping , Yang Lida , Luo Kai , Yuan Xiaoting , Lin Ping , Fu Zhidan , Li Yiling , Li Yuze , Yang Wenyu , Yong Taiwen
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Soil is a key foundation of crop root growth. There are interactions between root system and soil in multiple ways. The present study aimed to further explore the response of root distribution and morphology to soil physical and chemical environment under maize (Zea mays L.) soybean (Glycine Max L. Merr.) relay strip intercropping (MS) An experiment was carried out aiming to examine the effects of nitrogen (N) applications and interspecific distances on root system and soil environment in MS. The two N application levels, referred to as no N application (NN) and conventional N application (CN), were paired with different interspecific distances: 30, 45 and 60 cm (MS30, MS45 and MS60) and 100 cm of monoculture maize and soybean (MM/SS100).

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that MS45 increased the distribution of soil aggregates (> 2 mm) near the crop roots and maize soil nutrients status, which increased by 20.3% and 15.6%. Meanwhile, MS reduced soil bulk density, increased soil porosity and improved soil oxygen content. Optimization of the soil environment facilitated root growth. The MS45 achieved a better result on root distribution and morphology than the other configuration and also increased land productivity.

CONCLUSION

Relay intercropped soybean with maize in interspecific row spacing of 45 cm, improved soil physicochemical environment, reshaped root architecture and optimized root spatial distribution of crops to achieve greater land productivity. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Broadband low radar cross section antennas based on H‐shaped metasurface
Authors: Yang Huanhuan , Li Tong , Gao Kun , Guo Zexu , Li Qi , Li Sijia , Cao Xiangyu
Published: January 2024

This paper presents a novel metasurface antenna element and a novel metasurface antenna array, both of which have broadband low radar cross section (RCS) performance. The antenna element is constructed by two kinds of H‐shaped metasurface unit cells. One kind of H‐shaped metasurface unit cells is properly fed to radiate, and the other unit cells are used to cancel the scattering field from the former. Thus, an integration of metasurface and antenna is performed and broadband low RCS is obtained. Furthermore, a H‐shaped metasurface antenna array is also proposed by deliberately introducing metallic vias for isolation. Both the proposed antenna element and the array have almost the same radiation performance with conventional patch antennas. Numerical calculations and experimental measurements are conducted. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed novel antennas.
Equivalent source of reflector in finite‐different time‐domain for rapid analysis of corner scattering in terahertz computed tomography imaging
Authors: Feng Tianqi , Cha Xingzeng , Shi Yu , Li En , Yu Chengyong , Zhang Yunpeng , Gao Chong , Gao Yong , Lai Dakun
Published: January 2024

We propose the equivalent source of reflector in finite‐different time‐domain (ESR‐FDTD) for rapid analysis of corner scattering in terahertz computed tomography (THz‐CT) imaging. The ESR‐FDTD is used instead of the reflector in the THz‐CT imaging system, which can significantly reduce the computational domain of the THz‐CT imaging system and effectively reduce the computational time and memory usage. The electric field distribution of the beam reflected by the reflector and that of the beam radiated from the ESR of the reflector are compared, and the results show that the electric field distributions of the reflector and its ESR are almost the same. The results of the corner scattering show that the phenomenon of corner scattering does not fully satisfy the behaviors of reflection and refraction. Therefore, the corner scattering cannot be accurately analyzed by the ray‐tracing method.
Using generative model for intelligent design of dielectric resonator antennas
Authors: Liu Mingdian , Zhang Hui , Song Jiming , Lu Meng
Published: January 2024

In the advancing field of 5G technologies, particularly at the 60 GHz band, dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) stand out for their low conduction loss and high radiation efficiency. However, the traditional design process for DRAs, predominantly reliant on intuitive reasoning and trial‐and‐error methods, is notably inefficient and resource‐intensive. Addressing this critical challenge, our research introduces a pioneering approach: a generative adversarial network (GAN)‐based model specifically tailored for automating DRA structure design. This novel model represents the first of its kind in the domain, marking a significant departure from conventional methods. Our GAN model uniquely integrates a simulator for DRA modeling and a generator for DRA structure design, streamlining the design process. To effectively train this model, we created a simulated data set comprising pattern–annotation pairs of geometric shapes and S11 parameters. This data set enabled the GAN to capture the intrinsic principles underlying DRA design. The practical impact of our model is profound; it significantly expedites the DRA design process, aligning it more closely with specific user requirements while conserving valuable time and resources. This breakthrough approach not only enhances the efficiency of DRA design but also sets a new standard in antenna technology development for future wireless communications.