bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a core outcome set for pediatric chronic intestinal failure
Authors: Demirok Aysenur , Nagelkerke Sjoerd C. J. , Benninga Marc A. , Köglmeier Jutta , Mutanen Annika , Arnell Henrik , Felcht Judith , Guimber Dominique , Wahlstedt Christina , Avitzur Yaron , Lambe Cécile , Tabbers Merit M. ,   ERNICA Intestinal Failure Working Group and ESPGHAN Network of Intestinal Failure and Intestinal Transplant in Europe
Published: December 2022

Background

In research on pediatric chronic intestinal failure, heterogeneity in reported definitions and outcomes exists. This leads to a risk of reporting bias and impossibility of evidence synthesis. Also, reported outcomes should be relevant to both healthcare providers and patients and their parents. Therefore, the aim of this study is to create a core outcome set (COS) to be used in studies on pediatric chronic intestinal failure.

Methods

Candidate outcomes were selected from a recent systematic review. A three‐round Delphi study among key stakeholders and a consensus meeting with an expert panel were undertaken to achieve consensus on the COS.

Results

Seventy‐two stakeholders (79%) completed all three rounds of the Delphi process. Ninety‐eight outcomes were assessed, and five new outcomes were added after the first round. Ten outcomes were included in the final COS: weaning from parenteral nutrition, growth, mortality, central line–related infection, central line longevity, sepsis not related to central line infection, central line–related thrombosis, intestinal failure–associated liver disease, (serious) adverse events, and health‐related quality of life.

Conclusion

This pediatric chronic intestinal failure COS consists of 10 outcomes important for all key stakeholders. Usage of this set in future research should minimize outcome heterogeneity and enhance the value of evidence synthesis. This will lead to better management in this field of rare gastrointestinal conditions.
Comparative analysis of sulfiredoxin and total oxidative stress levels in diabetic individuals with periodontitis: A case‐control study
Authors: TK Fayiza , Rao Ravi J. , S Srirangarajan , Prabhu Srikumar , Rudresh Vinaya , Oradiyath Deepika
Published: December 2022

Background

The delicate balance between oxidative stress and its antioxidant system can be disrupted in diabetes mellitus (DM), making the tissue susceptible to injury. Hence, this case‐control study aims to estimate and correlate the gingival tissue sulfiredoxin and crevicular total oxidative stress (TOS) levels in generalized periodontitis Stage II individuals Grade C (PSII) with and without type II DM.

Material and Methods

A total of 72 individuals were grouped based on their glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and clinical parameters: group I, periodontally healthy non‐diabetic (HbA1c < 5.7%) (n = 24); group II, non‐diabetic with PSII (n = 24); and group III, diabetic individuals (HbA1c > 6.5%) with PSII (n = 24). Gingival tissues and crevicular fluid samples were collected. The samples with adequate protein concentrations (n = 72) were further estimated for sulfiredoxin and TOS levels by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and calorimetric method, respectively.

Results

Tissue sulfiredoxin and crevicular TOS levels are increased significantly in the periodontitis group compared to the non‐periodontitis group (p < 0.001).The tissue sulfiredoxin levels did not vary significantly between the two periodontitis groups (p < 0.179). The TOS levels are significantly higher in the diabetic compared to non‐diabetic periodontitis group (p < 0.001). Correlation statistics showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.65 and p < 0.005) between sulfiredoxin and TOS levels in diabetes with PSII group, however, no such significant correlation was observed in the non‐diabetic PSII group (r = 0.255 and p < 0.422).

Conclusion

Diabetic individuals showed inadequate sulfiredoxin‐mediated antioxidant response to an increase in oxidative stress levels in periodontitis Stage II Grade C individuals.
Comparative analysis of proliferative and multilineage differentiation potential of human periodontal ligament stem cells from maxillary and mandibular molars
Authors: Mert Sinan , Malyaran Hanna , Craveiro Rogerio B. , Wolf Michael , Modabber Ali , Jahnen‐Dechent Willi , Neuss Sabine
Published: December 2022

Background

Clinical experience indicates that wounds in alveolar bone and periodontal tissue heal faster and more efficiently in the maxilla compared with the mandible. Since stem cells are known to have a decisive influence on wound healing and tissue regeneration, the aim of this study was to determine whether differences in proliferation and differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSC) from upper (u‐PDLSC) and lower jaw (l‐PDLSC) contribute to the enhanced wound healing in the maxilla.

Methods

u‐PDLSC and l‐PDLSC from the same donor were harvested from the periodontal ligament of extracted human maxillary and mandibular third molars. Cell differentiation potential was assessed by analyzing stem cell markers, proliferation rate, and multilineage differentiation among each other and bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Successful differentiation of PDLSC and MSC toward osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes was analyzed via reverse transcriptase‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction and histochemical staining (Alizarin Red, Oil Red O, Toluidine Blue).

Results

u‐PDLSC and l‐PDLSC expressed the MSC‐markers CD73+, CD90+, and CD105+ and lacked expression of CD34− and CD45−. Proliferation was significantly higher in u‐PDLSC than in l‐PDLSC, regardless of the culture conditions. Osteogenic (ALP, RunX2, and osteocalcin) and chondrogenic (SOX9 and ACAN) related gene expression as well as staining intensities were significantly higher in u‐PDLSC than in l‐PDLSC. No difference in adipogenic differentiation was observed.

Conclusion

u‐PDLSC showed a significantly higher proliferative and differentiation potential than l‐PDLSC, offering a possible cell‐based explanation for the differences in periodontal wound healing efficacy between maxilla and mandible.
The local crystallization thresholds under laser irradiation of the Cu+‐ion implanted Ge layers with various thicknesses
Authors: Pavlikov Alexander V. , Rogov Alexey M. , Sharafutdinova Alfia M. , Zoteyev Andrey V. , Khantimerov Sergey M. , Gavrilova Tatiana P. , Stepanov Andrey L.
Published: December 2022

Porous Ge layers were fabricated by implanting Cu+ ions of various acceleration energies into c‐Ge substrate. This made it possible to form amorphous porous Ge layers of thicknesses from 18.6 to 50.5 nm. The distribution depth profiles of implanted Cu+ ions in Ge were simulated by SRIM‐2013 program. The formed layers were studied by Raman spectroscopy. The excitation was carried out by a laser with a wavelength of 488 nm, which has a small penetration depth of ∼20 nm. In the Raman spectra, there is a possibility to distinguish the contribution from the amorphous Ge film, the crystalline c‐Ge substrate, and Ge nanocrystals, which appear under intense laser excitation due to local crystallization. The decomposition of the spectra into individual components makes it possible to subtract the contribution of the substrate and estimate the crystalline volume fraction in the layers. The results obtained confirm the hypothesis of low thermal conductivity of the porous layer, due to which local crystallization occurs.
Aegilops sharonensis HMW‐GSs with unusually large molecular weight improves bread‐making quality in wheat‐Ae. sharonensis introgression lines
Authors: Li Yu , Li Qing , Hu Qian , Guzman Carlos , Lin Na , Xu Qiang , Zhang Yazhou , Lan Jingyu , Tang Huaping , Qi Pengfei , Deng Mei , Ma Jian , Wang Jirui , Chen Guoyue , Lan Xiujin , Wei Yuming , Zheng Youliang , Jiang Qiantao
Published: December 2022

Background

Eighteen wheat (Triticum aestivum‐Aegilops sharonensis) introgression lines were generated in the previous study. These lines possessed four types of high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW‐GS) combinations consisting of one glutenin from Ae. sharonensis (Glu‐1Ssh) plus one or more HMW‐GSs from common wheat (Glu‐A1, Glu‐B1, or Glu‐D1).

Results

In this study, we conducted quality tests to explore the effects of 1Sshx2.3 and 1Sshy2.9 on the processing quality of 18 wheat‐Aegilops sharonensis introgression lines. Our data showed that the 1Sshx2.3 and 1Sshy2.9 subunits had a positive effect on gluten and baking quality. The bread volume of all these lines was higher than that of the parental wheat line LM3. In these lines, the HMW‐GS content and the HMW/LMW ratio of 66‐36‐11 were higher than those of LM3, and the 66‐36‐11 line exhibited greatly improved quality parameters in comparison with the parent LM3.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that the 1Sshx2.3 and 1Sshy2.9 subunits from Ae. sharonensis contributed immensely to gluten strength and bread‐baking quality, and proved a positive relationship between the HMW‐GS sizes and their effects on dough strength in vivo. The materials developed could be used by breeding programs aiming to increase bread‐making quality. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Telemedicine and psoriasis: A review based on statements of the telemedicine working group of the International Psoriasis Council
Authors: El Komy Mohamed H. M. , Chiricozzi Andrea , van de Kerkhof Peter , Armstrong April , Diamei Vahid , Hsu Christophe , Gelfand Joel , Navarini Alexander A.
Published: December 2022

During the past few decades, classical in‐person communication has been enriched by opportunities for telemedicine. We are in a learning healthcare environment that takes advantage of the opportunities of telemedicine and in‐person consultations, reconciling the individuality of the patient and his/her psoriasis. A working group of experts in telemedicine was installed by the International Psoriasis Council (IPC) to formulate the opportunities and limitations of telemedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis. The working group formulated statements on various aspects of telemedicine according to the nominal group technique to reach a consensus on these statements and explore the variation of opinions. Thirty‐six statements regarding teledermatology and psoriasis were agreed upon by the IPC working group. The value and necessity for the implementation of teledermatology in dermatologic healthcare practices for psoriasis are essential. Management of psoriasis through teledermatology is feasible with a few exceptions. In this communication, the statements are presented and discussed in the context of the available literature, and finally, a call to action by IPC is formulated related to these statements.
Effects of exclosures on woody species composition and carbon stocks: Lessons drawn from the Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia
Authors: Degefa Habtamu , Tolera Motuma , Kim Dong‐Gill , Mekuria Wolde
Published: December 2022

Effects of exclosures on restoring degraded lands may vary with soil type, exclosure age, and conditions before the establishment of exclosures. Yet, studies investigating the effectiveness of exclosures in restoring degraded lands under different environmental conditions are lacking. This study aims at investigating the changes in woody species richness and diversity, and ecosystem carbon stocks after implementing exclosures in the Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia. Vegetation and soil data were gathered from 120 nested plots established in exclosures of eight and 30‐years‐old and adjacent grazing lands. Results showed that exclosures contained a higher number of economically important woody species compared to their respective adjacent grazing lands. However, the exclosures and respective adjacent grazing lands did not differ significantly in the diversity of tree and shrub species, and both the exclosures and adjacent grazing lands were dominated by few tree and shrub species. The older exclosure (30 years old) displayed significantly (p < 0.01) higher soil organic carbon and soil total nitrogen content and stocks than the adjacent grazing land, whereas the youngest exclosure (8 years old) did not show a significant difference in these variables. The results suggest that a longer time (e.g., ≥10 years) is needed to detect significant differences in soil organic carbon and total soil nitrogen. However, exclosures could bring considerable changes in woody species density in a relatively shorter period (e.g., ≤10 years) and support to restore degraded native woody species.
The combined profunda artery perforator‐gracilis flap for immediate facial reanimation and resurfacing of the radical parotidectomy defect
Authors: Yao Christopher M. K. , Jozaghi Yelda , Danker Sara , Karami Reem , Asaad Malke , Lai Stephen Y. , Hanna Ehab Y. , Esmaeli Bita , Gidley Paul W. , Chang Edward I.
Published: December 2022

Background

A radical parotidectomy with facial nerve sacrifice results in facial nerve paralysis as well as a volume and often cutaneous defect. Prior experience with nerve grafting and static suspension has yielded suboptimal results. The present report aims to examine the feasibility and outcomes of a combined free gracilis and profunda artery perforator (PAP) flap from a single donor site can reconstruct these extensive defects and potentially restore dynamic facial reanimation even in the setting of adjuvant radiation.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective review of 10 patients (6 males and 4 females) was performed from 2016 to 2020 that underwent a combined PAP‐gracilis reconstruction of a radical parotidectomy defect. All patients (mean age: 71.3 years; range: 52–83 years) received adjuvant radiation. A chimeric PAP‐gracilis flap requiring a single microvascular anastomosis was performed in three patients while the remaining patients underwent a double free flap reconstruction.

Results

The gracilis flap was innervated using the facial nerve stump, spinal accessory and massecteric nerve in three patients each. One patient's gracilis was innervated using the hypoglossal nerve. Three patients also underwent nerve grafting of the facial nerve. One patient was taken back to the operating room for a hematoma in the recipient site and there were not flap losses of either the PAP or gracilis flap. Two patients had delayed wound healing of the donor site that healed with conservative management. Average follow‐up was 11.1 months (range: 8.1–19.5 months). Six patients were able to achieve dynamic animation while the others obtained a static reconstruction and did not have issues with drooling, eating, or speaking.

Conclusions

Immediate functional muscle transfer can potentially restore dynamic facial reanimation even following radiation. Combining reconstruction using a PAP‐gracilis flap addresses the soft tissue deficit and facial paralysis using a single donor site in a single operation.
Enhanced fractional adaptive processing paradigm for power signal estimation
Authors: Chaudhary Naveed Ishtiaq , Khan Zeshan Aslam , Raja Muhammad Asif Zahoor , Chaudhary Iqra Ishtiaq
Published: December 2022

Fractional calculus tools have been exploited to effectively model variety of engineering, physics and applied sciences problems. The concept of fractional derivative has been incorporated in the optimization process of least mean square (LMS) iterative adaptive method. This study exploits the recently introduced enhanced fractional derivative based LMS (EFDLMS) for parameter estimation of power signal formed by the combination of different sinusoids. The EFDLMS addresses the issue of fractional extreme points and provides faster convergence speed. The performance of EFDLMS is evaluated in detail by taking different levels of noise in the composite sinusoidal signal as well as considering various fractional orders in the EFDLMS. Simulation results reveal that the EDFLMS is faster in convergence speed than the conventional LMS (i.e., EFDLMS for unity fractional order).
Total‐body low‐dose CT image denoising using a prior knowledge transfer technique with a contrastive regularization mechanism
Authors: Fu Minghan , Duan Yanhua , Cheng Zhaoping , Qin Wenjian , Wang Ying , Liang Dong , Hu Zhanli
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Reducing the radiation exposure experienced by patients in total‐body computed tomography (CT) imaging has attracted extensive attention in the medical imaging community. A low radiation dose may result in increased noise and artifacts that greatly affect the subsequent clinical diagnosis. To obtain high‐quality total‐body low‐dose CT (LDCT) images, previous deep learning‐based research works developed various network architectures. However, most of these methods only employ normal‐dose CT (NDCT) images as ground truths to guide the training process of the constructed denoising network. As a result of this simple restriction, the reconstructed images tend to lose favorable image details and easily generate oversmoothed textures. This study explores how to better utilize the information contained in the feature spaces of NDCT images to guide the LDCT image reconstruction process and achieve high‐quality results.

Methods

We propose a novel intratask knowledge transfer (KT) method that leverages the knowledge distilled from NDCT images as an auxiliary component of the LDCT image reconstruction process. Our proposed architecture is named the teacher–student consistency network (TSC‐Net), which consists of teacher and student networks with identical architectures. By employing the designed KT loss, the student network is encouraged to emulate the teacher network in the representation space and gain robust prior content. In addition, to further exploit the information contained in CT scans, a contrastive regularization mechanism (CRM) built upon contrastive learning is introduced. The CRM aims to minimize and maximize the L2 distances from the predicted CT images to the NDCT samples and to the LDCT samples in the latent space, respectively. Moreover, based on attention and the deformable convolution approach, we design a dynamic enhancement module (DEM) to improve the network capability to transform input information flows.

Results

By conducting ablation studies, we prove the effectiveness of the proposed KT loss, CRM, and DEM. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the TSC‐Net outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art methods in both quantitative and qualitative evaluations. Additionally, the excellent results obtained for clinical readings also prove that our proposed method can reconstruct high‐quality CT images for clinical applications.

Conclusions

Based on the experimental results and clinical readings, the TSC‐Net has better performance than other approaches. In our future work, we may explore the reconstruction of LDCT images by fusing the positron emission tomography (PET) and CT modalities to further improve the visual quality of the reconstructed CT images.
Clinical ultra‐high resolution CT scans enabled by using a generative adversarial network
Authors: Sun Yao , Pan Boyang , Li Qingchu , Wang JiaChen , Wang Xiang , Chen Honghua , Cao Qing , Liu Hui , Feng Tao , Sun Hongbiao , Xiao Yi , Gong Nan‐Jie
Published: December 2022

Background

Ultra‐high resolution computed tomography (UHRCT) has shown great potential for the detection of pulmonary diseases. However, UHRCT scanning generally induces increases in scanning time and radiation exposure. Super resolution is a gradually prosperous application in CT imaging despite higher radiation dose. Recent works have proved that the convolution neural network especially the generative adversarial network (GAN) based model could generate high‐resolution CT using phantom images or simulated low resolution data without extra dose. Research that used clinical CT particularly lung images are rare due to the difficulty in collecting paired dataset.

Purpose

To generate clinical UHRCT in lung from low resolution computed tomography (LRCT) using a GAN model.

Methods

43 clinical scans with LRCT and UHRCT were collected in this study. Paired patches were selected using the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) and the peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) threshold. A relativistic GAN with gradient guidance was trained to learn the mapping from LRCT to UHRCT. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated using PSNR and SSIM. A reader study with five‐point Likert score (five for the worst and one for the best) is also applied to assess the proposed method in terms of general quality, diagnostic confidence, sharpness and denoise level.

Results

Experimental results show that our method got PSNR 32.60 ± 2.92 and SSIM 0.881 ± 0.057 on our clinical CT dataset, outperforming other state‐of‐the‐art methods based on the simulated scenarios. Moreover, reader study shows that our method reached the good clinical performance in terms of general quality (1.14 ± 0.36), diagnostic confidence (1.36 ± 0.49), sharpness (1.07 ± 0.27) and high denoise level (1.29 ± 0.61) compared to other SR methods.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the feasibility of generating UHRCT images from LRCT without longer scanning time or increased radiation dose.
Exploring the potential of the novel imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxyamide chemical exchange saturation transfer scaffold for pH and perfusion imaging
Authors: Bo Shaowei , Stabinska Julia , Wu Yunkou , Pavuluri Kowsalya Devi , Singh Aruna , Mohanta Zinia , Choudhry Rehan , Kates Max , Sedaghat Farzad , Bhujwalla Zaver , Pomper Martin G. , McMahon Michael T.
Published: December 2022

Here, we describe and assess the potential of 14 newly synthesized imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxyamides (I45DCs) for pH and perfusion imaging. A number of these aromatic compounds possess large labile proton chemical shifts (up to 7.7 ppm from water) because of their intramolecular hydrogen bonds and a second labile proton to allow for chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) signal ratio‐based pH measurements. We have found that the contrast produced is strong for a wide range of substitutions and that the inflection points in the CEST signal ratio versus pH plots used to generate concentration‐independent pH maps can be adjusted based on these subsitutions to tune the pH range that can be measured. These I45DC CEST agents have advantages over the triiodobenzenes currently employed for tumor and kidney pH mapping, both preclinically and in initial human studies. Finally, as CEST MRI combined with exogenous contrast has the potential to detect functional changes in the kidneys, we evaluated our highest performing anionic compound (I45DC‐diGlu) on a unilateral urinary obstruction mouse model and observed lower contrast uptake in the obstructed kidney compared with the unobstructed kidney and that the unobstructed kidney displayed a pH of ~ 6.5 while the obstructed kidney had elevated pH and an increased range in pH values. Based on this, we conclude that the I45DCs have excellent imaging properties and hold promise for a variety of medical imaging applications, particularly renal imaging.
Nursing care provided at medical institutions to female victims immediately after a sexual assault incident: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Fukumoto Tamaki
Published: December 2022

Aim

To clarify the content of nursing care provided to sexually assaulted females when they present at a medical institution immediately after the assault.

Design

Qualitative descriptive study.

Methods

Individual semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 20 female nurses and midwives affiliated with medical institutions collaborating with the one‐stop Support Center for sexual violence victims. Data were analysed using content analysis.

Results

The study identified five forms of nursing care: providing safety and reassurance, supporting smooth physical exams, building trusting relationships, supporting the recovery of emotional/physical health and dignity, and ensuring continuity of support. There were three types of institutional systems in victim care: (a) male doctors are sometimes involved in care, (b) female doctors provide care with nursing supervisors, and (c) female doctors take the lead to provide care. Nursing care content extracted in this study was influenced by the structure of the medical institution with which the nurses were affiliated.
Caring for a child with retinoblastoma: Experience of Ethiopian parents
Authors: Sherief Sadik Taju , Girma Engida , Wu Fran , O'Banion Jacquelyn , Wondimagegn Dawit , Teshome Tiliksew , Dimaras Helen
Published: December 2022

Objective

This study explored the lived experience of parents of children with retinoblastoma.

Design and method

A phenomenological qualitative study design was used, and a purposive sampling technique to recruit parents of children with retinoblastoma. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted to document the lived experience of participants, who were asked to narrate their experiences caring for a child with retinoblastoma, thinking back to the day they learned about their child's condition, as well as their thoughts about the future. The interviews were conducted in Amharic and Oromo language, and audio recordings were transcribed and translated to English. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Thirteen parents (seven mothers, six fathers) participated in the study. Collectively, the children of the participants represented all the stages of the retinoblastoma journey (i.e., diagnosis, treatment, remission, and recurrence). Five major themes emerged from the thematic data analysis: (a) reactions when learning the child's condition; (b) receiving health care; (c) costs of caregiving; (d) support; and (e) uncertainties.

Conclusion

The lived experiences of parents of children with retinoblastoma revealed a significant mental health and psychosocial burden. The sources of mental distress were found to be complex and varied. Holistic care for retinoblastoma should include programs that address the biopsychosocial needs of caregivers.
Genetic code expansion to enable site‐specific bioorthogonal labeling of functional G protein‐coupled receptors in live cells
Authors: Mattheisen Jordan M. , Wollowitz Jaina S. , Huber Thomas , Sakmar Thomas P.
Published: December 2022

For use in site‐specific bioorthogonal labeling of expressed G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) in live cells, we developed a luciferase‐based reporter assay. The assay was used to compare amber codon suppression efficiency, receptor functionality, and efficiency of different bioorthogonal labeling chemistries. We used the assay system to compare side‐by‐side the efficiency of incorporation of three different noncanonical amino acids [4‐azido‐l‐phenylalanine (azF), cyclopropene‐l‐lysine (CpK), and trans‐cyclooct‐2‐en‐l‐lysine (TCOK)] at three different sites on a GPCR using three different genetic code expansion plasmid systems. As a model GPCR, we engineered an epitope‐tagged C‐C chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5)‐RLuc3 fusion for expression in HEK293T cells. Satisfactory incorporation of azF, CpK, and TCOK into heterologously expressed CCR5 was achieved. We also carried out cell‐based calcium mobilization assays to measure the function of the engineered CCR5, and in the same cells, we performed bioorthogonal labeling of the engineered mutants using heterobivalent compounds containing bioorthogonal tethering groups linked to either a small‐molecule fluorophore or a peptide. Favorable reaction kinetics of tetrazine‐containing compounds with CCR5 harboring TCOK was observed. However, bioorthogonal labeling in live cells of CCR5 harboring CpK with tetrazine‐containing compounds using the inverse electron demand Diels‐Alder ligation was overall slightly more efficient than other reactions tested.
Suitability of high‐molecular‐weight tissue‐derived elastin polypeptides and their particles as cosmetic biomaterials
Authors: Sakai Toma , Sodemoto Nanami , Inoue Asako , Taniguchi Suguru , Maeda Iori , Hikima Tomohiro
Published: December 2022

We aimed to determine the coacervation properties of high‐molecular‐weight (HMW) tissue‐derived elastin (TDE) and to examine the potential use of TDE particles as a cosmetic biomaterial. TDE solutions were filtered and divided into three fractions (1–3) according to the molecular weight of the elastin. The turbidity of fraction 2, which contained a large portion (58%) of HMW elastin polypeptides (>100 kDa), was measured under several pH values (3.0–11.0) and NaCl concentrations (0–1000 mM) to examine its coacervation ability. HMW TDE exhibited coacervation under the physiological conditions (temperature, pH, and NaCl concentration) of the skin surface. We performed inclusion and release experiments using three model chemicals with different molecular weights and measured the size and zeta potential of the fraction 3 particles to investigate the suitability of HMW elastin polypeptides. Fraction 3, which contained a larger portion (64%) of HMW elastin polypeptides, displayed a strong coacervation property at a phase transition temperature of 19.8 ± 0.1°C. The inclusion ratio of the model chemical Biebrich Scarlet (BS) with a molecular weight of <600 was approximately 92.1 ± 0.7%. The release profiles of BS from the particles linearly increased and reached a plateau after 15 days. Moreover, the average size of the particles with BS was 474.2 ± 24.6 nm. The low‐molecular‐weight (LMW) elastin peptides have moisturizing and whitening functions for the skin. We concluded that TDE, as a mixture of HMW polypeptides and LMW peptides, can potentially serve as a multifunctional and effective cosmetic biomaterial.
Statistical considerations for assessing precision of heterogeneous duplicate measurements: An application to pharmaceutical bioanalysis
Authors: Quiroz Jorge , Roychoudhury Satrajit
Published: December 2022

Duplicate analysis is a strategy commonly used to assess precision of bioanalytical methods. In some cases, duplicate analysis may rely on pooling data generated across organizations. Despite being generated under comparable conditions, organizations may produce duplicate measurements with different precision. Thus, these pooled data consist of a heterogeneous collection of duplicate measurements. Precision estimates are often expressed as relative difference indexes (RDI), such as relative percentage difference (RPD). Empirical evidence indicates that the frequency distribution of RDI values from heterogeneous data exhibits sharper peaks and heavier tails than normal distributions. Therefore, traditional normal‐based models may yield faulty or unreliable estimates of precision from heterogeneous duplicate data. In this paper, we survey application of the mixture models that satisfactorily represent the distribution of RDI values from heterogeneous duplicate data. A simulation study was conducted to compare the performance of the different models in providing reliable estimates and inferences of percentile calculated from RDI values. These models are readily accessible to practitioners for study implementation through the use of modern statistical software. The utility of mixture models are explained in detail using a numerical example.
Prescribed‐time regulation of nonlinear uncertain systems with unknown input gain and appended dynamics
Authors: Krishnamurthy Prashanth , Khorrami Farshad
Published: December 2022

The prescribed‐time stabilization problem for a general class of uncertain nonlinear systems with unknown input gain and appended dynamics (with unmeasured state) is addressed. Unlike the asymptotic stabilization problem, the prescribed‐time stabilization objective requires convergence of the state vector to the origin in a finite time interval that can be arbitrarily picked (i.e., “prescribed”) by the control system designer irrespective of the system's initial condition. The class of systems considered is allowed to have general nonlinear uncertain terms throughout the system dynamics as well as uncertain appended dynamics (that effectively generate a time‐varying non‐vanishing disturbance signal input into the nominal system). The control design is based on a nonlinear transformation of the time scale, dynamic high‐gain scaling, adaptation dynamics with temporal forcing terms, and a composite control law that includes two components. The first component in the composite control law is analogous to prior dynamic high‐gain scaling‐based control designs, but with a time‐dependent function in place of the unknown input gain, while the second component has a non‐smooth form with time‐dependent terms that ensure prescribed‐time convergence in spite of the unknown input gain and the disturbances. The efficacy of the proposed control design is illustrated through numerical simulation studies on two example systems (a “synthetic” fifth‐order system and a “real‐world” electromechanical system).
Fault detection for Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems using multiple observers and ellipsoidal analysis
Authors: Zhang Wenhan , Wang Zhenhua , Raïssi Tarek , Shen Yi
Published: December 2022

This paper proposes a novel fault detection method for Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems via multiple observer design and ellipsoidal analysis. By considering only one fault distribution matrix at a time, the original system is divided into a limited number of fault modes. For each fault mode, an observer with finite‐frequency fault sensitivity performance and full‐frequency unknown inputs robustness performance is designed to generate the residual signal. Based on the designed observer, the ellipsoidal analysis is used to evaluate a residual and to give a fault detection index for each mode. In addition, the fault detection result is provided by combining “or” logical operation of the multiple indices. Numerical simulations and an AC servo motor experimental platform are used to verify the viability and validity of the proposed method.
Transferability of a large mid‐infrared soil spectral library between two Fourier‐transform infrared spectrometers
Authors: Sanderman Jonathan , Gholizadeh Asa , Pittaki‐Chrysodonta Zampela , Huang Jingyi , Safanelli José Lucas , Ferguson Richard
Published: December 2022

Large and publicly available soil spectral libraries, such as the USDA National Soil Survey Center–Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory (NSSC‐KSSL) mid‐infrared (MIR) spectral library, are enormously valuable resources enabling laboratories around the world to make rapid low‐cost estimates of a number of soil properties. A limitation to widespread sharing of soil spectral data is the need to ensure that spectra collected on a secondary spectrometer are compatible with the spectra in the primary or reference library. Various spectral preprocessing and calibration transfer techniques have been proposed to overcome this limitation. We tested the transferability of models developed using the USDA NSSC‐KSSL MIR library to a secondary instrument. For the soil properties, total carbon (TC), pH, and clay content, we found that good performance (ratio of performance to deviation [RPD] = 4.9, 2.0, and 3.6, respectively) could be achieved on an independent test set with Savitzky‐Golay smoothing and first derivative preprocessing of the secondary spectra using a memory‐based learning chemometric approach. We tested three calibration transfer techniques (direct standardization [DS], piecewise direct standardization [PDS], and spectral space transformation [SST]) using different size transfer sets selected to be representative of the entire NSSC‐KSSL library. Among the transfer methods, SST consistently outperformed DS and PDS with 50 transfer samples being an optimal number for transfer model development. For TC and pH, performance was improved using the SST transfer (RPD = 7.7 and 2.2, respectively) primarily through the elimination of bias. Calibration transfer could not improve predictions for clay. These findings suggest that calibration transfer may not always be necessary, but users should test to confirm this assumption using a small set of representative samples scanned at both laboratories.
The First Tetranuclear Iron(II)‐Gadolinium(III) Carboxylate Complex [Fe2Gd2(piv)10(bpy)2]: Synthesis, Structure Elucidation and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Astaf'eva Tatiana V. , Yambulatov Dmitriy S. , Nikolaevskii Stanislav A. , Shmelev Maxim A. , Babeshkin Konstantin A. , Efimov Nikolay N. , Poddel'sky Andrey I. , Eremenko Igor L. , Kiskin Mikhail A.
Published: December 2022

The interaction of in situ generated iron(II) complex {Fe(piv)2(bpy)} and gadolinium(III) pivalate [Gd(piv)3]n in the ratio Fe : Gd=1 : 1 leads to new tetranuclear heterometallic complex [Fe2Gd2(piv)10(bpy)2] (1) of the rare {FeII2GdIII2} type (piv is pivalate anion, bpy is 2,2′‐bipyridine). According to X‐ray analysis, a tetranuclear zig‐zag {FeGdGdFe} heterometallic core is formed from two {FeGd} fragments connected by two bridging piv‐anions. The coordination environments of two iron(II) (FeO4N2) can be described as strongly distorted octahedrons, while the environment of the gadolinium(III) (GdO7) – as capped trigonal prisms. The coordination environment of each iron(II) is supported by terminal bpy ligands. The measurements of the temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility of 1 show avery weak antiferromagnetic exchange between high‐spin Gd3+ (SGd=7/2) and Fe2+ (SFe=2) paramagnetic centers. The alternating current magnetic susceptibility measurements did not reveal any sign of magnetization slow relaxation in complex 1.
Tannin‐Capped Silver Nanoparticles: Mechanistic Insight on Biocidal Activities for Leather Processing
Authors: Saranya Kailasam , Jayakumar Gladstone Christopher , Usharani Nagarajan , Sundaramanickam Arumugam , Kanth Swarna Vinodh
Published: December 2022

The present study focusses on the bactericidal activity of nano‐silver particles synthesized using wattle and quebracho as reducing agents. The formation of wattle‐mediated nanoparticles (NW) and quebracho‐mediated nanoparticles (NQ) have been structurally and morphologically confirmed using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Bactericidal activity of NW and NQ showed 13 mm and 9 mm inhibition for E. coli and 19 mm and 18 mm for B. cerus. Molecular simulations are performed to identify the spatial positions of NQ responsible for its interaction with E. coli 5i5H. 5i5H possess 572 residues, which are subjected to docking with NQ ligand. GLN, HIS, ARG, LEU, PRO and VAL have been found to involve in hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions with NQ. The stable structure of 5i5H‐NQ complex after complete folding has been achieved with minimized energy (−2413 Kcal/Mol). The unfolding of receptor protein with NQ after docking simulations confirmed the inhibition of microbial growth of E. coli.
Construction of Light‐Harvesting Systems Based on a Fluorescent Probe that Self‐Assembles in the Presence of Zn2+
Authors: Ma Xinxian , Lai Yingshan , Wang Yipei , Tang Jiahong , Ren Tianqi , Geng Yutao , Gao Yang , Zhang Jiali , Qiao Bo
Published: December 2022

A light‐harvesting system based on the coordination of benzimidazole derivatives (G) and Zn2+ was successfully prepared. Compared with G, the G−Zn2+ assembly exhibited a noticeably enhanced fluorescence emission band. As such, it was employed as the donor in fabricating the artificial concentrating light‐harvesting systems, with acridine yellow and acridine orange employed as acceptors. In these two systems (G−Zn2+/acridine yellow and G−Zn2+/acridine orange), the occurrence of an energy‐transfer process was confirmed from the G−Zn2+ assembly to acridine yellow and acridine orange, separately. The findings of this study will facilitate the development of artificial light‐harvesting systems.
Organic N‐type Dopants with a Phenyl Tertiary Carbon Structure: Molecular Structure and Doping Properties
Authors: Gao Ran , Wu Qinggang , Zhang Jiyun , Cen Huan , Hai Jiefeng , Li Xueming , Zhang Jinxiao , Lu Zhenhuan
Published: December 2022

Doping is an effective method to improve the electrical properties of organic semiconductors or insulators. However, current progress in organic n‐doping is limited relative to pdoping. Benzimidazole derivatives are representative organic n‐type dopants that have been widely applied, e. g., 1,3‐dimethyl‐2‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐benzo [d] imidazole (DMBI); its active unit is the phenyl tertiary carbon structure. Here, we designed and synthesized 11 small organic molecules with different phenyl tertiary carbon structures that were constituted by different heteroatoms (O, S, N) and several tertiary carbons to adjust the n‐doping performance. These molecules were then applied to dope polyalkylfluorene‐based organic semiconductor PFN to get a composite solid film. After optimization, the electrical conductivities of the prepared films were all enhanced by about three orders of magnitude. After experimentation and analysis, we confirmed that those dopants can effectively transfer their electrons to the host material. In addition, introducing the N atom to tertiary carbon and conjugating heteroatom with an aromatic ring improved its doping efficiency, but strong phase separation performance may result in limits on further heightening of conductivity. Therefore, these results are important for research into organic n‐type dopants.
Microfluidic technologies for cell deformability cytometry
Authors: Chen Hanxu , Guo Jiahui , Bian Feika , Zhao Yuanjin
Published: December 2022

Microfluidic detection methods for cell deformability cytometry have been regarded as powerful tools for single‐cell analysis of cellular mechanical phenotypes, thus having been widely applied in the fields of cell preparation, separation, clinical diagnostics and so on. Featured with traits like easy operations, low cost and high throughput, such methods have shown great potentials on investigating physiological state and pathological changes during cellular deformation. Herein, a review on the advancements of microfluidic‐based cell deformation cytometry is presented. We discuss several representative microfluidic‐based cell deformability cytometry methods with their frontiers in practical applications. Finally, we analyze the current status and propose the remaining challenges with future perspectives and development directions.
Effect of Carbonaceous Residues on the Blast Furnace Operation Efficiency by PC Injection
Authors: Babich Alexander , Perret Fabian , Senk Dieter , Geyer Richard Wilhelm , Ho Hai Thong
Published: December 2022

Efficiency of pulverized coal (PC) injection determines the coke rate and, consequently, the environmental effect, and depends significantly on its conversion. At high injection rates over 200 kg tHM−1, a significant part of coal residues, named char, leave the raceway. Char properties and behavior are of great importance in view of their possible consumption outside the raceway. This study continues the investigations of previous works reported in 2020, and comprises numerous laboratory, analytical tests and simulations performed at RWTH Aachen University, as well as industrial measurements. First, the article focuses on the char formation and the temperature development in the raceway while injecting PC. In addition, the effect of alkali on the char reactivity is proven. Next, the effect of injected PC on the pressure drop and permeability in different blast furnace (BF) zones is examined. Also, the char effect on liquid products and the dripping zone is studied. Hot‐metal carburization, dynamic and static holdups in the dripping zone, and slag characteristics are investigated. Further available carbonaceous residues in the BF, such as coke fines and soot, are investigated to reveal their competitive consumption. Finally, a method for identification and quantification of carbon phases in BF dust is developed.
Bidirectional shear behavior of stud connectors in steel‐concrete composite monorail track beams
Authors: Li Junhui , Liu Zongchao , Deng Jun , Chen Fayang
Published: December 2022

Stud connectors in steel‐concrete composite track beams of straddle‐type monorail transits experience longitudinal and transverse shear forces. Little is known about the effect of transverse shear forces on stud connectors; thus, further research is needed to evaluate the serviceability of steel‐concrete composite track beams. This study investigated the shear performance of stud connectors subjected to bidirectional shear force by means of modified push‐out tests and finite element (FE) analyses. The test results demonstrated that the presence of transverse shear forces significantly decreased the vertical shear strength and stiffness of the stud connectors. In addition, the group stud effect aggravated the reduction in shear strength and shear stiffness per stud under bidirectional shear forces. The transverse shear force also considerably affected the failure modes of the stud root and the damage range of the concrete. Furthermore, the numerical results were verified using the test results in terms of the load‐slip relationship and failure modes. Based on the verified FE model, the strength reduction factor of stud connectors was proposed incorporating the presence of transverse shear force, and the decreasing trend of stud shear strength under bidirectional shear force was presented. This study provides additional data for formulating design rules of stud connectors in monorail steel‐concrete composite track beams.
Predicting undergraduate career goal change in aresearch‐intensivecommunity
Authors: Stiles Thomas W. , Adams Thaddeus H. , Yalvac Bugrahan , Quick Christopher M.
Published: December 2022

Providing infrastructure to support student‐led research teams at research‐extensive universities has been an effective way of dramatically increasing the number of research opportunities available to all undergraduates. While cocurricular, team‐based programs are able to scale‐up and sustain undergraduate research, their ability to promote participation in the STEM research workforce has not been firmly established. The present work has therefore aimed to characterize the types of undergraduates who get involved in these programs and the team structures that predict their decision to pursue a research‐oriented career. Surveys were used to collect data on undergraduates' vocational identity beliefs, team leader qualities, and the time spent doing research with a faculty‐mentor and other team members. Cluster analysis of survey data (n = 407) revealed that those with relatively high levels of career exploration formed a majority of participants in this community. Logistic modeling predicted that these undergraduates are more likely than others to pursue research careers after a semester of team‐based research. Cross‐discipline interactions between team members and team leaders also predicted career goal change. For Hispanic students, participating in student‐led, faculty‐mentored research teams had mixed effects. When spending 4 h/week or more working with others team members, Hispanic team members were found to be more likely than non‐Hispanic students to pursue a research career. Hispanic students, however, were less likely to report career goal changes when working with faculty mentors who were mainly non‐Hispanic. Implications for designing undergraduate research programs to amplify and diversify the STEM workforce are also discussed.