bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a prediction score for in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients with acute kidney injury: a machine learning approach
Authors: Ponce Daniela , de Andrade Luís Gustavo Modelli , Claure-Del Granado Rolando , Ferreiro-Fuentes Alejandro , Lombardi Raul
Published: December 2021

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently associated with COVID-19 and it is considered an indicator of disease severity. This study aimed to develop a prognostic score for predicting in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients with AKI (AKI-COV score). This was a cross-sectional multicentre prospective cohort study in the Latin America AKI COVID-19 Registry. A total of 870 COVID-19 patients with AKI defined according to the KDIGO were included between 1 May 2020 and 31 December 2020. We evaluated four categories of predictor variables that were available at the time of the diagnosis of AKI: (1) demographic data; (2) comorbidities and conditions at admission; (3) laboratory exams within 24 h; and (4) characteristics and causes of AKI. We used a machine learning approach to fit models in the training set using tenfold cross-validation and validated the accuracy using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). The coefficients of the best model (Elastic Net) were used to build the predictive AKI-COV score. The AKI-COV score had an AUC-ROC of 0.823 (95% CI 0.761–0.885) in the validation cohort. The use of the AKI-COV score may assist healthcare workers in identifying hospitalized COVID-19 patients with AKI that may require more intensive monitoring and can be used for resource allocation.
CD105+CD90+CD13+ identifies a clonogenic subset of adventitial lung fibroblasts
Authors: Kadefors Måns , Rolandsson Enes Sara , Åhrman Emma , Michaliková Barbora , Löfdahl Anna , Dellgren Göran , Scheding Stefan , Westergren-Thorsson Gunilla
Published: December 2021

Mesenchymal cells are important components of specified niches in the lung, and can mediate a wide range of processes including tissue regeneration and repair. Dysregulation of these processes can lead to improper remodeling of tissue as observed in several lung diseases. The mesenchymal cells responsible remain poorly described, partially due to the heterogenic nature of the mesenchymal compartment and the absence of appropriate markers. Here, we describe that CD105+CD90+ mesenchymal cells can be divided into two populations based on their expression of CD13/aminopeptidase N (CD105+CD90+CD13− and CD105+CD90+CD13+). By prospective isolation using FACS, we show that both these populations give rise to clonogenic fibroblast-like cells, but with an increased clonogenic and proliferative capacity of CD105+CD90+CD13+ cells. Transcriptomic and spatial analysis pinpoints an adventitial fibroblast subset as the origin of CD105+CD90+CD13+ clonogenic mesenchymal cells in human lung.
Recurrent erosion of COA1/MITRAC15 exemplifies conditional gene dispensability in oxidative phosphorylation
Authors: Shinde Sagar Sharad , Sharma Sandhya , Teekas Lokdeep , Sharma Ashutosh , Vijay Nagarjun
Published: December 2021

Skeletal muscle fibers rely upon either oxidative phosphorylation or the glycolytic pathway with much less reliance on oxidative phosphorylation to achieve muscular contractions that power mechanical movements. Species with energy-intensive adaptive traits that require sudden bursts of energy have a greater dependency on glycolytic fibers. Glycolytic fibers have decreased reliance on OXPHOS and lower mitochondrial content compared to oxidative fibers. Hence, we hypothesized that gene loss might have occurred within the OXPHOS pathway in lineages that largely depend on glycolytic fibers. The protein encoded by the COA1/MITRAC15 gene with conserved orthologs found in budding yeast to humans promotes mitochondrial translation. We show that gene disrupting mutations have accumulated within the COA1 gene in the cheetah, several species of galliform birds, and rodents. The genomic region containing COA1 is a well-established evolutionary breakpoint region in mammals. Careful inspection of genome assemblies of closely related species of rodents and marsupials suggests two independent COA1 gene loss events co-occurring with chromosomal rearrangements. Besides recurrent gene loss events, we document changes in COA1 exon structure in primates and felids. The detailed evolutionary history presented in this study reveals the intricate link between skeletal muscle fiber composition and the occasional dispensability of the chaperone-like role of the COA1 gene.
The value of lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan assay and empirical treatment in Xpert MTB/RIF ultra negative patients with presumptive TB: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Kebede Wakjira , Abebe Gemeda , Gudina Esayas Kebede , Van Rie Annelies
Published: December 2021

The value of Lateral Flow urine Lipoarabinomannan (LF-LAM) assay and the role of empiric tuberculosis (TB) treatment in the era of the highly sensitive Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra) assay is unclear. This study aimed to assess the additional yield of LF-LAM assay when used in combination with Xpert Ultra, and the role of empiric TB treatment when Xpert Ultra used as the initial diagnostic in presumptive TB cases admitted to a tertiary hospital in Ethiopia. We performed a secondary analysis of a cohort of hospitalized Xpert MTB/RIF-negative patients. Sputum samples were examined for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by culture and Xpert Ultra. In HIV positive and severely ill patients, a urine sample was collected for the LF-LAM assay. Treatment outcome was assessed six months after enrollment. Logistic regression was used to identify factors predictive of deaths among Xpert Ultra negative patients. The Xpert Ultra assay diagnosed 31 of the 35 culture positive among the 250 hospitalized Xpert MTB/RIF-negative participants. The LF-LAM assay did not identify any case not detected by Xpert Ultra among the 52 (21.4%) participants living with HIV and the 16 patients with severe disease. Among Xpert Ultra negative patients, those who received empirical TB treatment had a similar odds of death (aOR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.1–2.7) as those not started on TB treatment. Low body mass index (≤ 18.5 kg/m2) was the only significant predictor of death in Xpert Ultra negative patients (aOR 4. 0, 95% CI: 1.08–14.6). In this prospective cohort, LF-LAM did not improve the diagnostic yield when used in combination with Xpert Ultra. Empiric TB treatment for Xpert Ultra negative presumptive TB cases was not associated with death at six months. Future studies in diverse settings should be to determine the optimal management of Xpert Ultra negative patients.
Modulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by Sars-CoV-2 Envelope protein
Authors: Yalcinkaya Mustafa , Liu Wenli , Islam Mohammad N. , Kotini Andriana G. , Gusarova Galina A. , Fidler Trevor P. , Papapetrou Eirini P. , Bhattacharya Jahar , Wang Nan , Tall Alan R.
Published: December 2021

Despite the initial success of some drugs and vaccines targeting COVID-19, understanding the mechanism underlying SARS-CoV-2 disease pathogenesis remains crucial for the development of further approaches to treatment. Some patients with severe Covid-19 experience a cytokine storm and display evidence of inflammasome activation leading to increased levels of IL-1β and IL-18; however, other reports have suggested reduced inflammatory responses to Sars-Cov-2. In this study we have examined the effects of the Sars-Cov-2 envelope (E) protein, a virulence factor in coronaviruses, on inflammasome activation and pulmonary inflammation. In cultured macrophages the E protein suppressed inflammasome priming and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Similarly, in mice transfected with E protein and treated with poly(I:C) to simulate the effects of viral RNA, the E protein, in an NLRP3-dependent fashion, reduced expression of pro-IL-1β, levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid, and macrophage infiltration in the lung. To simulate the effects of more advanced infection, macrophages were treated with both LPS and poly(I:C). In this setting the E protein increased NLRP3 inflammasome activation in both murine and human macrophages. Thus, the Sars-Cov-2 E protein may initially suppress the host NLRP3 inflammasome response to viral RNA while potentially increasing NLRP3 inflammasome responses in the later stages of infection. Targeting the Sars-Cov-2 E protein especially in the early stages of infection may represent a novel approach to Covid-19 therapy.
Mimicking B and T cell epitopes between Mycobacterium leprae and host as predictive biomarkers in type 1 reaction in leprosy
Authors: Pathak Vinay Kumar , Singh Itu , Singh Shoor Vir , Sengupta Utpal
Published: December 2021

Several Mycobacterial infections including leprosy and tuberculosis are known to evoke autoimmune responses by modulating homeostatic mechanism of the host. Presence of autoantibodies like, rheumatoid factor, anti-nuclear factor and antibodies to host, collagen, keratin, myelin basic protein (MBP) and myosin, have been earlier reported in leprosy patients. In the present study, we detected the role of mimicking epitopes between Mycobacterium leprae and host components in the induction of autoimmune response in leprosy. Based on our previous findings, we predicted and synthesized a total of 15 mimicking linear B cell epitopes (BCE) and 9 mimicking linear T cell epitopes (TCE) of keratin and MBP. Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against these epitopes were investigated in Non-reaction (NR), Type 1 reaction (T1R) leprosy patients, and healthy controls. We observed significantly higher levels of antibodies against 8 BCE in T1R in comparison to NR leprosy patients. Further, we also found 5 TCE significantly associated with lymphocyte proliferation in the T1R group. Our results indicated that these epitopes play a key role in the induction of autoimmune response in leprosy and are also strongly associated with the inflammatory episodes of T1R. Conclusively, these molecules may be employed as a biomarker to predict the inflammatory episodes of T1R.
Urchin-like PtNPs@Bi2S3: synthesis and application in electrochemical biosensor
Authors: Shi Feng , Li Jiayin , Xiao Jiaxiang , Ma Xinxi , Xue Yadong , Li Juan , Shen Ming , Yang Zhanjun
Published: December 2021

Novel urchin-like Pt nanoparticles@Bi2S3 composite materials were prepared by a simple route. The composite nanomaterial was used to modify an electrode for the immobilization of enzyme molecules to construct a sensitive electrochemical biosensor.
Biodegradable celastrol-loaded albumin nanoparticles ameliorate inflammation and lipid accumulation in diet-induced obese mice
Authors: Fan Ni , Zhao Jia , Zhao Wei , Shen Yanting , Song Qingchun , Shum Ho Cheung , Wang Yu , Rong Jianhui
Published: December 2021

Biocompatible celastrol-loaded bovine serum albumin nanoparticles effectively ameliorated inflammation and lipid accumulation in diet-induced obese mice.
Heteroatom oxidation controls singlet–triplet energy splitting in singlet fission building blocks
Authors: Blaskovits J. Terence , Fumanal Maria , Vela Sergi , Cho Yuri , Corminboeuf Clémence
Published: December 2021

N- and S-heteroatom oxidation is shown to induce appropriate energy splitting between the first singlet and triplet excited states in conjugated building blocks, making singlet fission thermodynamically possible.
Nitrogen-doped biomass carbon fibers with surface encapsulated Co nanoparticles for electrocatalytic overall water-splitting
Authors: Hong Shihuan , Song Ning , Sun Jingxue , Chen Gang , Dong Hongjun , Li Chunmei
Published: December 2021

N-Doped biomass carbon fibers with surface encapsulated Co nanoparticles (Co/N-BCFs) are prepared by the in situ structure-directing effect of the Co-complex formed with 2,2-bipyridine.
Non-stoichiometry and point native defects in non-oxide non-linear optical large single crystals: advantages and problems
Authors: Vasilyeva Inga G. , Nikolaev Ruslan E.
Published: December 2021

Advances and limitations in the field of growing large, high optical quality single crystals of AgGaS2(AGS), AgGaGeS4(AGGS), ZnGeP2(ZGP), LiInS2(LIS), LiGaS2(LGS), LiInSe2(LISe), LiGaSe2(LGSe) and LiGaTe2(LGT) are considered in this article.
Auger electron angular distributions following excitation or ionization from the Xe 3d and F 1s levels in xenon difluoride
Authors: Forbes Ruaridh , Hockett Paul , Powis Ivan , Bozek John D. , Pratt Stephen T. , Holland David M. P.
Published: December 2021

Electron spectroscopy following Xe 3d and F 1s ionization in XeF2 elucidates the influence of core electrons on molecular bonding.
Pathways to fluorescence via restriction of intramolecular motion in substituted tetraphenylethylenes
Authors: Li Yingchao , Aquino Adélia J. A. , Siddique Farhan , Niehaus Thomas A. , Lischka Hans , Nachtigallová Dana
Published: December 2021

Functionalization is used to restrict the torsional, excited-state proton transfer and cyclization modes in UV-excited tetraphenylethylenes.
Activatable fluorescent probes for in situ imaging of enzymes
Authors: Wu Xiaofeng , Wang Rui , Kwon Nahyun , Ma Huimin , Yoon Juyoung
Published: December 2021

This tutorial review provides an overview of activatable fluorescent probes for in situ imaging of enzymes, including design strategies, sensing mechanisms, and bioapplications.
Efficient interface modification via multi-site coordination for improved efficiency and stability in organic solar cells
Authors: Yu Runnan , Wei Xueqi , Wu Guangzheng , Zhang Tao , Gong Yongshuai , Zhao Biao , Hou Jianhui , Yang Chunhe , Tan Zhan'ao
Published: December 2021

An anthraquinone derivative is developed to modify the SnO2 interface in organic solar cells via the multi-site coordination effect, yielding outstanding photovoltaic performances and device stability.
MFI, BEA and FAU zeolite scavenging role in neonicotinoids and radical species elimination
Authors: Milojević-Rakić M. , Popadić D. , Janošević Ležaić A. , Jevremović A. , Nedić Vasiljević B. , Uskoković-Marković S. , Bajuk-Bogdanović D.
Published: December 2021

Regarding the environmental and ecotoxic aspects of pesticide persistence, MFI, FAU and BEA zeolites act as promising adsorbents for neonicotinoids and radical species scavengers.
A UV-visible-NIR active smart photocatalytic system based on NaYbF4:Tm3+ upconverting particles and Ag3PO4/H2O2 for photocatalytic processes under light on/light off conditions
Authors: Serge-Correales York E. , Ullah Sajjad , Ferreira-Neto Elias P. , Rojas-Mantilla Hernan D. , Hazra Chanchal , Ribeiro Sidney J. L.
Published: December 2021

A smart photocatalytic assembly based on Ag3PO4/H2O2/NaYbF4:Tm3+ upconverting particles acts as a UV-visible-NIR active photocatalyst under light on/light off conditions, with high visible/NIR photoactivity and improved stability/recyclability.
Fe and Mn mixed oxide catalysts supported on Sn-modified TiO2 for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 at low temperature
Authors: Han Zhitao , Du Huan , Xu Duo , Gao Yu , Yang Shaolong , Song Liguo , Dong Jingming , Pan Xinxiang
Published: December 2021

FeMn/SnxTiO2 catalysts were synthesized by introducing Sn as an additive to modify TiO2 supports, and the Sn doping could improve the SO2 tolerance and low-temperature SCR activity significantly.
Anthracyclines: biosynthesis, engineering and clinical applications
Authors: Hulst Mandy B. , Grocholski Thadee , Neefjes Jacques J. C. , van Wezel Gilles P. , Metsä-Ketelä Mikko
Published: December 2021

Anthracyclines are important anticancer drugs. We discuss recent insights into the biosynthetic pathways and bioactivities of anthracyclines, and evaluate the discovery and engineering of effective derivatives with less severe side effects.
Design, synthesis, crystal structure, in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation, density functional theory calculations and docking studies of 2-(benzamido) benzohydrazide derivatives as potent AChE and BChE inhibitors
Authors: Kausar Naghmana , Murtaza Shahzad , Arshad Muhammad Nadeem , Zaib Saleem Rahman Shah , Asiri Abdullah M. , Kausar Samia , Altaf Ataf Ali , Tatheer Adina , Elnaggar Ashraf Y. , El-Bahy Salah M.
Published: December 2021

2-(Benzamido) benzohydrazide derivatives: synthesis from methyl anthranilate and application as potent anti-Alzheimer's agents.
Structural, magnetic and hyperthermia properties and their correlation in cobalt-doped magnetite nanoparticles
Authors: Phong L. T. H. , Manh D. H. , Nam P. H. , Lam V. D. , Khuyen B. X. , Tung B. S. , Bach T. N. , Tung D. K. , Phuc N. X. , Hung T. V. , Mai Thi Ly , Phan The-Long , Phan Manh Huong
Published: December 2021

The interrelation among chemical compositions, structure, and heating properties of cobalt doped magnetite nanoparticles (CoxFe3−xO4 NPs) for their potential hyperthermia application.
Pd-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition of cyclic ketimines and trimethylenemethanes toward N-fused pyrrolidines bearing a quaternary carbon
Authors: Choi Seoung-Mi , Kim Kyeong Do , Park Jong-Un , Xuan Zi , Kim Ju Hyun
Published: December 2021

A facile route to access N-fused pyrrolidines bearing a quaternary carbon from N-sulfonyl ketimines and commercially available trimethylenemethanes has been developed.
Tailoring atomically dispersed cobalt–nitrogen active sites in wrinkled carbon nanosheets via “fence” isolation for highly sensitive detection of hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Hu Yue , Bai Chen , Li Meng , Hojamberdiev Mirabbos , Geng Dongsheng , Li Xiaoguang
Published: December 2021

Wrinkled CNSs with abundant mesopores, high N-doping, and atomically dispersed Co–Nx active sites through “fence” isolation enable efficient H2O2 detection.
A dopant-free hole transport material boosting the performance of inverted methylamine-free perovskite solar cells
Authors: Wan Li , Tan Yulin , Zhao Yang , Lou Lingyun , Wang Zhong-Sheng
Published: December 2021

A polymer PFDTS is adopted as a dopant-free hole-transport material for inverted methylamine-free perovskite solar cells, which achieves a power conversion efficiency of 20.15% with good air and thermal stability.
NiMoOx as a highly protective layer against photocorrosion for solar seawater splitting
Authors: Guo Xiaotian , Liu Xianhu , Wang Lei
Published: December 2021

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) seawater splitting is a promising alternative for solar energy conversion and storage.
Carbon dot composites for bioapplications: a review
Authors: Wu Jiajia , Chen Gonglin , Jia Yinnong , Ji Chunyu , Wang Yuting , Zhou Yiqun , Leblanc Roger M. , Peng Zhili
Published: December 2021

Recent advancements in the synthesis of carbon dot composites and their applications in biomedical fields (bioimaging, drug delivery and biosensing) have been carefully summarized. The current challenges and future trends of CD composites in this field have also been discussed.
A subspace regenerating code with minimum decoding bandwidth
Authors: Liu Yantao , Qin Na
Published: December 2021

Hollmann built a theoretical framework for subspace regenerating storage code. In this framework, a storage node is equipped with a constant dimension subspace chosen from an overall message space . The projection of user message on the subspace is stored on the corresponding node. A subspace code needs to fulfil decoding and repairing functionality. The framework stipulates the property for subspace storage code, but a simple implementable construction is still missing. To decrease the complexity of code design as well as encoding and decoding, this article proposed a subspace code implementation over F2 with the parameters of . It is proved theoretically the code is characterized by minimum decoding bandwidth, minimum storage, and exact repair. Still, the code is explicit, feasible and lightweight. A series of examples are given to elucidate the encoding, decoding and repairing procedures, which show in cases of m ≤ 5, the code could achieve high repair efficiency by combining with network coding.
Block‐sparse recovery network for two‐dimensional harmonic retrieval
Authors: Fu Rong , Huang Tianyao , Wang Lei , Liu Yimin
Published: December 2021

Block‐sparse signals, whose non‐zero entries appear in clusters, have received much attention recently. An unfolded network, named Ada‐BlockLISTA, was proposed to recover a block‐sparse signal at a small computational cost, which learns an individual weight matrix for each block. However, as the number of network parameters is increasingly associated with the number of blocks, the demand for parameter reduction becomes very significant, especially for large‐scale multidimensional harmonic retrieval (MHR) problems. Based on the dictionary characteristics in two‐dimensional (2D) harmonic retrieve problems, the authors introduce a weight coupling structure to shrink Ada‐BlockLISTA, which significantly reduces the number of weights without performance degradation. In simulations, the proposed block‐sparse reconstruction network, named AdaBLISTA‐CP, shows excellent recovery performance with a smaller number of learned parameters.
Data‐driven cooperative load frequency control method for microgrids using effective exploration‐distributed multi‐agent deep reinforcement learning
Authors: Li Jiawen , Yang Shengchun , Yu Tao
Published: December 2021

To reduce the total power generation cost and improve the frequency stability of an island microgrid integrating renewable energy generation sources, a data‐driven cooperative load frequency control (DC‐LFC) method is proposed for solving the coordination control problem occurring between the controller and power distributor of the system. A novel algorithm, termed the effective exploration‐distributed multiagent twin‐delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (EED‐MATD3) algorithm, is further proposed, the design of which is structured based on the concepts of imitation learning, ensemble learning, and curriculum learning. The EED‐MATD3 method employs various exploration strategies, and the controller and power distributor are treated as two agents. Through centralized training and decentralized execution, a robust cooperative control strategy is realized. The performance of the proposed algorithm is verified in an LFC model of Zhuhai Tandang Island, an island microgrid in the China Southern Power Grid.
Exergy optimization of a multi‐stage solar micro‐cogeneration system
Authors: Kallio Sonja , Siroux Monica
Published: December 2021

This paper proposes a dynamic model of a solar‐based micro‐cogeneration system called photovoltaic‐thermal (PVT) collector to perform a design optimization of the multi‐stage PVT system. The parametric study reveals the most important design parameters influencing the water‐based flat‐plate PVT system performance. The analysis also shows an existing trade‐off between thermal and electrical efficiencies during the PVT operation. A novel exergy‐based multi‐objective design optimization method is demonstrated to find a trade‐off design solution of the multi‐stage PVT collector which compromises between the electrical and thermal exergy efficiencies under different weather conditions. The electrical and thermal exergy efficiencies are defined to be the objective functions of the Matlab gamultiobj‐function, which is a multi‐objective evolutionary algorithm using non‐dominated sorting genetic algorithm‐II (NSGA‐II). As a result of the algorithm, the Pareto optimal sets were derived that revealed the optimal solutions taking into account the trade‐off nature of the optimization problem. The decision‐making method called an ideal point method was used in the decision‐making process to find the final optimal solutions for different weather conditions. The results revealed that the optimal number of the PVT collectors in series depended on the weather conditions and decreased from 3 to 2 if the conditions got cooler.
A three‐dimensional physical model for calculating the corona onset voltage of a large‐diameter alternating‐current shielding ball under different ambient conditions
Authors: Huang Shilong , Yan Xiaoliang , Liu Yunpeng , Zhang Yuqing , Quan Shanshan , Tang Jian , Liu Chen , Li Yongshuang
Published: December 2021

For an alternating‐current (AC) shielding ball with a large radius of curvature, a three‐dimensional (3‐d) physical model for the corona onset voltage (COV) of the large‐diameter shielding ball under different ambient conditions was established according to numerical calculation in concert with the theory governing gas discharge. At first, distribution of the spatial 3‐d electric field around the shielding ball was calculated by using the ring charge simulation method. Then, a calculation criterion suitable for the COV of the shielding ball was derived and the area factor of the geometric absorption function for photons applicable to such structures was proposed in detail based on the theory of secondary photoelectron emission. Moreover, tests on COVs of shielding balls with different diameters were conducted in an extra‐high voltage (EHV) AC test‐base. The test results show that the model was found to show a favourable effect in calculating the COV of a large‐diameter shielding ball under different ambient conditions. Finally, in combination with the thickness of the ionosphere and effective ionization coefficient, the influence and mechanism of action of various parameters (such as atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature) on the COV of the shielding ball were investigated.
Joint dictionary and deep learning for cosparse recovery of the millimeter wave massive MIMO channels
Authors: Hajjaj Moufida
Published: December 2021

The channel estimation (CE) for millimeter wave (mmW) massive multiple input multiple output (mMIMO) is a challenging task because of the important number of transmit and receive antennas, which results in high pilot overhead. In conventional CE algorithms, the channel is modeled using pre‐constructed dictionary. This often leads to a suboptimal solution which cannot guarantee CE accuracy. In this paper, an iterative two‐stage CE algorithm is presented. In the first stage, training measurements under different conditions are collected and it is proposed to estimate the virtual sparse mmW mMIMO channel using a deep residual learning based orthogonal approximate message passing (DRL‐OAMP) algorithm from these measurements. The estimated channel is used in the second stage to learn the dictionary via a projected gradient algorithm. Simulation results show that the proposal improves the CE accuracy with low pilot overhead.
On Chip Rapid Control Prototyping for DC motor
Authors: Delpoux Romain , Kerhuel Lubin , Léchappé Vincent
Published: December 2021

This paper proposes a method for Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP) targeting microcontrollers. The methodology relies on a Matlab/Simulink interface which makes the target configuration and coding easier. Developing low level embedded code is bypassed by a high-level implementation which is straightforward for control system engineers. This article is intended for students, engineers or researchers looking to validate the effectiveness of their control algorithms on industrial targets. The design procedure is illustrated by testing various speed and current feedback loop on a DC motor.
Primary and Secondary Prevention of CAD: A Review
Authors: Short Lindsay , La Van T. , Patel Mandira , Pai Ramdas G.
Published: December 2021

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women, yet adequate control of risk factors can largely reduce the incidence and recurrence of cardiac events. In this review, we discuss various life style and pharmacological measures for both the primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. With a clear understanding of management options, health care providers have an excellent opportunity to educate patients and ameliorate a significant burden of morbidity and mortality.
SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infection-Related Arterial Thromboembolism Leading to Critical Limb Ischemia and Amputation
Authors: Smith Jenna , Mirza Aleem , Manunga Jesse , Skeik Nedaa
Published: December 2021

COVID-19 infection has been shown to increase risk for thromboembolism. With most studies reporting mainly venous thromboembolic events, there is a lack of literature regarding the incidence of arterial thromboses in patients with COVID-19 infection. We report a dramatic case of a 55-year-old male with confirmed COVID-19 infection who presented with acute left critical limb ischemia leading to amputation as a result of thromboembolism from a distal abdominal aortic thrombus. Our case report contributes to the limited body of literature on COVID-19-related arterial thromboembolism. The patient consented to publish this case.
Does Proximal Row Carpectomy Improve Union in Wrist Arthrodesis? A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Bartoletta John J. , Rioux-Forker Dana , Patel Raahil S. , Hinchcliff Katharine M. , Shin Alexander Y. , Rhee Peter C.
Published: December 2021

Background Some surgeons advocate for concomitant proximal row carpectomy (PRC) with total wrist arthrodesis (TWA), though there are limited data to support or oppose this view.

Questions/Purposes Does concomitant PRC improve rates of union, revision, hardware loosening, hardware failure, and hardware removal in TWA?

Patients and Methods A retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent TWA with and without concomitant PRC between January 2008 and December 2018 was undertaken. Patients were included if they underwent TWA using a dorsal spanning plate. Patients were excluded if they underwent partial wrist arthrodesis, revision TWA, or TWA with nondorsal spanning plate fixation.

Results A total of 183 wrists in 180 patients were included in the study, 96 (52.5%) in the TWA only and 87 (47.5%) in the TWA + PRC groups. Median clinical and radiographic follow-up was 18.0 months (3.0–133.0 months) in the TWA + PRC group and 18.5 months (2.0–126.0 months) in the TWA only group (p = 0.907). No difference in nonunion (TWA + PRC: 13/87 [14.9%], TWA only: 18/96 [18.8%], odds ratio: 0.76, p = 0.494), revision (TWA + PRC: 5/87 [5.75%], TWA only: 8/96 [8.33%], hazard ratio [HR]: 0.73, p = 0.586), loosening (TWA + PRC: 4/87 [4.60%], TWA only: 6/96 [6.25%], HR: 0.74, p = 0.646), failure (TWA + PRC: 5/87 [5.75%], TWA only: 4/96 [4.17%], HR: 1.55, p = 0.530), and removal (TWA + PRC: 12/87 [13.8%], TWA only: 16/96 [16.7%], HR: 0.84, p = 0.634) were identified.

Conclusion Concomitant PRC might not improve rates of union or diminish complications in patient undergoing TWA. The role of PRC and the rationale for its use in TWA need to be individualized and discussed with patients prior to surgery.

Level of Evidence This is a Level IV, therapeutic study.
Different Doses of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid in Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Chen Liyile , Zhao Chenchen , Luo Yue , Wang Qiuru , Li Qianhao , Kang Pengde
Published: December 2021

Purpose This article assessed the efficacy and safety of different doses of intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) in revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods We retrospectively identified 122 patients in our institution who underwent revision TKA with a history of perioperative intravenous TXA utilization. According to the sum of intravenous TXA documented, all patients were divided into three groups: 1 g intravenous TXA, 2 g intravenous TXA, and equal or greater than 3 g intravenous TXA. The primary outcomes included total blood loss (TBL), hidden blood loss (HBL), transfusion rate, and the incidence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism among the three groups. A correlation analysis was conducted to analyze the correlation between the dose of TXA and the blood loss.

Results In total, there was no significance difference in TBL and revised HBL (rHBL) between the first two groups (1 g/dL for intravenous TXA, 2 g/dL for intravenous TXA; p = 0.486; p = 0.525). Equal or greater than 3 g intravenous TXA (≥3 g/dL for intravenous TXA) reached a significant reduction in TBL, rHBL, and length of stay compared with the first two groups (p = 0.01; p = 0.01; p = 0.01). The rate of transfusion between the three groups did not differ significantly (p = 0.21). Due to the limitations in sample size, only one symptomatic venous thromboembolism was reported in the 1 g intravenous TXA group.

Conclusion Applying the dose of intravenous TXA equal or greater than 3 g in revision TKA might further reduce the blood loss and shorten the length of stay.
Are All Unloader Braces Created Equal? Recommendations for Evidence-Based Implementation of Unloader Braces for Patients with Unicompartmental Knee OA
Authors: Rucinski Kylee , Williams Jonathan , Crecelius Cory R. , Redington Lindsey , Guess Trent M. , Cook James L.
Published: December 2021

Unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis (UKOA) is a complex issue that is estimated to affect roughly 28% of patients with knee OA, and can result in severe cartilage degeneration, meniscus deficiency, and concomitant varus or valgus malalignment. This malalignment results in abnormally high joint reaction forces in the affected compartment, which can elicit pain, cause dysfunction, and exacerbate joint degradation. For more than two decades, the use of knee unloader braces has been advocated as a cost-effective option for symptomatic management of UKOA.

During bipedal ambulation with a normal lower extremity mechanical axis, ground reaction forces create a knee adduction moment (KAM) such that the medial compartment of the knee experiences approximately 60% of joint loading and the lateral compartment experiences approximately 40% of joint loading. UKOA disrupts the mechanical axis, altering KAM and joint loading and causing pain, dysfunction, and disease progression. In theory, knee unloader braces were designed to mitigate the symptoms of UKOA by normalizing KAM via shifts in the lever arms about the knee. However, studies vary, and suggest that push-mechanism knee unloaders do not consistently provide significant biomechanical benefits for medial or lateral UKOA. Current evidence suggests that pull-mechanism unloaders may be more effective, though contrasting data have also been reported, such that further validation is necessary. The purpose of our study was to synthesize current best evidence for use of knee unloader braces for management of UKOA to suggest evidence-based best practices as well as gaps in knowledge to target for future studies. Unloader bracing for patients with UKOA appears to be a cost-effective treatment option for patients with medial UKOA who have insurance coverage. Pull-mechanism unloader bracing should be considered in conjunction with other nonoperative management therapies for those who are willing to adhere to consistent brace use for weight-bearing activities.
Industrial-scale production of high-quality graphene sheets by millstone grinders
Authors: Lv Peng , Li Xiaoshi , Zhang Zihan , Nie Biao , Wu Yiliang , Deng Ningqin , Tian He , Ren Tian-Ling , Wang Guanzhong
Published: December 2021

Graphene exhibits a variety of unprecedented innate properties and has sparked great interest in both fundamental science and regarding prospective commercial applications. To meet the ever-increasing demand for high-quality graphene sheets, an industrial-scale, reliable, environmental-friendly, low-cost production process is required. However, large-scale production high quality graphene remains elusive. Here we demonstrate a scalable mechanical cleavage method for large-quantity production of high quality large-area and few-layer graphene sheets by introducing a millstone grinding process. The average thickness of the graphene sheets is around 5 nm. This procedure is simpler than the state-of-the-art methods that allows for scalable preparation of graphene dispersion in hundreds of litres by mechanical cleavage of graphite, and the yield is 30%–40%. The size of the prepared graphene sheets can be tuneable from few micrometers to tens of micrometers by varying the dimension of raw graphite, which is larger than that produced by the state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, comparing to conductive agents, the conductivity of wafers containing graphene can be increased by one order of magnitude, suggesting a high potential of the prepared graphene sheets for the application as conductive agent in lithium battery cathodes. This allows the requirements of different sizes graphene sheets for industry applications in different fields.
Enhanced electrical conductivity of anticorrosive coatings by functionalized carbon nanotubes: effect of hydrogen bonding
Authors: Lou Ding , Younes Hammad , Yang Jack , Jasthi Bharat K , Hong George , Hong Haiping , Tolle Charles , Bailey Craig , Widener Christian , Hrabe Rob
Published: December 2021

Carbon nanotubes and nanofibers (CNFs) are well-known nano additives to produce coating materials with high electrical and thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. In this paper, coating materials incorporating hydrogen bonding offered significantly lower electrical resistance. The hydrogen bonding formed between functionalized carbon nanotubes and ethanol helped create a well-dispersed carbon nanotube network as the electron pathways. Electrical resistivity as low as 6.8 Ω cm has been achieved by adding 4.5 wt% functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-OH) to 75%polyurethane/25%ethanol. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of polyurethane was improved by 332% with 10 wt% addition of CNF. Electrochemical methods were used to evaluate the anti-corrosion properties of the fabricated coating materials. 75%polyurethane/25%ethanol with the addition of 3.0 wt% of MWNT-OH showed an excellent corrosion rate of 5.105 × 10–3 mm year−1, with a protection efficiency of 99.5% against corrosive environments. The adhesion properties of the coating materials were measured following ASTM standard test methods. 75%polyurethane/25%ethanol with 3.0 wt% of MWNT-OH belonged to class 5 (ASTM D3359), indicating the outstanding adhesion of the coating to the substrate. These nanocoatings with enhanced electrical, thermal, and anti-corrosion properties consist of a choice of traditional coating materials, such as polyurethane, yielding coating durability with the ability to tailor the electrical and thermal properties to fit the desired application.
Investigating the key role of carrier transport mechanism in SnSe nanoflakes with enhanced thermoelectric power factor
Authors: Mandava Srikanth , Bisht Neeta , Saini Anjali , Kumar Bairwa Mukesh , Bayikadi Khasimsaheb , Katre Ankita , Sonnathi Neeleshwar
Published: December 2021

A novel SnSe nanoflake system is explored for its thermoelectric properties from both experiments and ab initio study. The nanoflakes of the low temperature phase of SnSe (Pnma) are synthesized employing a fast and efficient refluxing method followed by spark plasma sintering at two different temperatures. We report an enhanced power factor (12–67 μW mK−
2 in the temperature range 300–600 K) in our p-type samples. We find that the prime reason for a high PF in our samples is a significantly improved electrical conductivity (1050–2180 S m−1 in the temperature range 300–600 K). From our ab initio band structure calculations accompanied with the models of temperature and surface dependent carrier scattering mechanisms, we reveal that an enhanced electrical conductivity is due to the reduced carrier-phonon scattering in our samples. The transport calculations are performed using the Boltzmann transport equation within relaxation time approximation. With our combined experimental and theoretical study, we demonstrate that the thermoelectric properties of p-type Pnma-SnSe could be improved by tuning the carrier scattering mechanisms with a control over the spark plasma sintering temperature.
Reveal the large open-circuit voltage deficit of all-inorganic CsPbIBr2 perovskite solar cells
Authors: Hu Ying , Wang Jiaping , Zhao Peng , Lin Zhenhua , Zhang Siyu , Su Jie , Zhang Miao , Zhang Jincheng , Chang Jingjing , Hao Yue
Published: December 2021

Due to excellent thermal stability and optoelectronic properties, all-inorganic perovskite is one of the promising candidates to solve the thermal decomposition problem of conventional organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs), but the larger voltage loss (V
loss) cannot be ignored, especially CsPbIBr2, which limits the improvement of efficiency. To reduce V
loss, one promising solution is the modification of the energy level alignment between the perovskite layer and adjacent charge transport layer (CTL), which can facilitate charge extraction and reduce carrier recombination rate at the perovskite/CTL interface. Therefore, the key issues of minimum V
loss and high efficiency of CsPbIBr2-based PSCs were studied in terms of the perovskite layer thickness, the effects of band offset of the CTL/perovskite layer, the doping concentration of the CTL, and the electrode work function in this study based on device simulations. The open-circuit voltage (V
oc) is increased from 1.37 V to 1.52 V by replacing SnO2 with ZnO as the electron transport layer (ETL) due to more matching conduction band with the CsPbIBr2 layer.
Impact of gate offset in gate recess on DC and RF performance of InAlAs/InGaAs InP-based HEMTs
Authors: Cao Shurui , Feng Ruize , Wang Bo , Liu Tong , Ding Peng , Jin Zhi
Published: December 2021

A set of 100-nm gate-length InP-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were designed and fabricated with different gate offsets in gate recess. A novel technology was proposed for independent definition of gate recess and T-shaped gate by electron beam lithography. DC and RF measurement was conducted. With the gate offset varying from drain side to source side, the maximum drain current (I
ds,max) and transconductance (g
m,max) increased. In the meantime, f
T decreased while f
max increased, and the highest f
max of 1096 GHz was obtained. It can be explained by the increase of gate–source capacitance and the decrease of gate–drain capacitance and source resistance. Output conductance was also suppressed by gate offset toward source side. This provides simple and flexible device parameter selection for HEMTs of different usages.
Synergistic influences of titanium, boron, and oxygen on large-size single-crystal diamond growth at high pressure and high temperature
Authors: Zhou Guang-Tong , Mu Yu-Hu , Song Yuan-Wen , Zhang Zhuang-Fei , Zhang Yue-Wen , Shen Wei-Xia , Wang Qian-Qian , Wan Biao , Fang Chao , Chen Liang-Chao , Li Ya-Dong , Jia Xiao-Peng
Published: December 2021

The synergistic influences of boron, oxygen, and titanium on growing large single-crystal diamonds are studied using different concentrations of B2O3 in a solvent–carbon system under 5.5 GPa–5.7 GPa and 1300 °C–1500 °C. It is found that the boron atoms are difficult to enter into the crystal when boron and oxygen impurities are doped using B2O3 without the addition of Ti atoms. However, high boron content is achieved in the doped diamonds that were synthesized with the addition of Ti. Additionally, boron–oxygen complexes are found on the surface of the crystal, and oxygen-related impurities appear in the crystal interior when Ti atoms are added into the FeNi–C system. The results show that the introduction of Ti atoms into the synthesis cavity can effectively control the number of boron atoms and the number of oxygen atoms in the crystal. This has important scientific significance not only for understanding the synergistic influence of boron, oxygen, and titanium atoms on the growth of diamond in the earth, but also for preparing the high-concentration boron or oxygen containing semiconductor diamond technologies.
Control Ports Authorities’ Equipment Based on RFID and SQL Security System
Authors: Amgad Mirhan , Morsi Iman , Omar Mohamed M. M.
Published: December 2021

Equipment surveillance or tracking is a hard-to-accomplish mission for a multi-locations company. This study examines a complete security system in Alexandria and EL-Dekheila ports of Egypt, as case study, to track equipment location. The system uses RFID (radio frequency identification) and Arduino kit as hardware to detect equipment motion, and visual studio and SQL (structured query language) as software to produce reports. The original place of equipment is saved as a reference. IR and RFID sensors are used at every department’s gate for IT access and for detecting and decoding the received equipment’s RFID card and ID data. Visual studio and SQL help in issuing the report on each equipment’s location and movement time. The system sends instant email messages and cellular phone messages to the control room.
A Cepstrum-Based Spectrum Sensing Approach for Detecting Spread Spectrum Signals
Authors: Moawad Azza , Yao Koffi-Clément , Mansour Ali , Gautier Roland
Published: December 2021

In this manuscript, we introduce a semi-blind spectrum sensing technique based on cepstral analysis for interweave cognitive systems. The misdetection problem of spread spectrum signals leads to erroneous sensing results, which affect the quality-of-service of a legitimate user. The simplicity and accuracy of cepstral analysis approaches make them reliable for signals detection. Therefore, we formulate the averaged autocepstrum detection technique that utilizes the strength of the autocepstral features of spread spectrum signals. The proposed technique is compared with the energy detection and eigenvalue-based detection techniques and shows reliability and efficacy in terms of detection accuracy.
Efficient Brain Tumor Detection Based on Deep Learning Models
Authors: Shoaib Mohamed R. , Elshamy Mohamed R. , Taha Taha E. , El-Fishawy Adel S. , Abd El-Samie Fathi E.
Published: December 2021

Brain tumor is an acute cancerous disease that results from abnormal and uncontrollable cell division. Brain tumors are classified via biopsy, which is not normally done before the brain ultimate surgery. Recent advances and improvements in deep learning technology helped the health industry in getting accurate disease diagnosis. In this paper, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is adopted with image pre-processing to classify brain Magnetic Resonance (MR) images into four classes: glioma tumor, meningioma tumor, pituitary tumor and normal patients, is provided. We use a transfer learning model, a CNN-based model that is designed from scratch, a pre-trained inceptionresnetv2 model and a pre-trained inceptionv3 model. The performance of the four proposed models is tested using evaluation metrics including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1_score, Matthew’s correlation coefficient, error, kappa and false positive rate. The obtained results show that the two proposed models are very effective in achieving accuracies of 93.15% and 91.24% for the transfer learning model and BRAIN-TUMOR-net based on CNN, respectively. The inceptionresnetv2 model achieves an accuracy of 86.80% and the inceptionv3 model achieves an accuracy of 85.34%. Practical implementation of the proposed models is presented.