bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An endoluminal cylindrical sectored‐ring ultrasound phased‐array applicator for minimally‐invasive therapeutic ultrasound
Authors: Zubair Muhammad , Adams Matthew S. , Diederich Chris J.
Published: November 2022

Background

The size of catheter‐based ultrasound devices for delivering ultrasound energy to deep‐seated tumors is constrained by the access pathway which limits their therapeutic capabilities.

Purpose

To devise and investigate a deployable applicator suitable for minimally‐invasive delivery of therapeutic ultrasound, consisting of a 2D cylindrical sectored‐ring ultrasound phased array, integrated within an expandable paraboloid‐shaped balloon‐based reflector. The balloon can be collapsed for compact delivery and expanded close to the target position to mimic a larger‐diameter concentric‐ring sector‐vortex array for enhanced dynamic control of focal depth and volume.

Methods

Acoustic and biothermal simulations were employed in 3D generalized homogeneous and patient‐specific heterogeneous models, for three‐phased array transducers with 32, 64, and 128 elements, composed of sectored 4, 8, and 16 tubular ring transducers, respectively. The applicator performance was characterized as a function of array configuration, focal depth, phasing modes, and balloon reflector geometry. A 16‐element proof‐of‐concept phased array applicator assembly, consisting of four tubular transducers each divided into four sectors, was fabricated, and characterized with hydrophone measurements along and across the axis, and ablations in ex vivo tissue.

Results

Simulation results indicated that transducer arrays (1.5 MHz, 9 mm OD × 20 mm long), balloon sizes (41–50 mm expanded diameter, 20–60 mm focal depth), phasing mode (0–4) and sonication duration (30 s) can produce spatially localized acoustic intensity focal patterns (focal length: 3–22 mm, focal width: 0.7–8.7 mm) and ablative thermal lesions (width: 2.7–16 mm, length: 6–46 mm) in pancreatic tissue across a 10–90 mm focal depth range. Patient‐specific studies indicated that 0.1, 0.46, and 1.2 cm3 volume of tumor can be ablated in the body of the pancreas for 120 s sonications using a single axial focus (Mode 0), or four, and eight simultaneous foci in a toroidal pattern (Mode 2 and 4, respectively). Hydrophone measurements demonstrated good agreement with simulation. Experiments in which chicken meat was thermally ablated indicated that volumetric ablation can be produced using single or multiple foci.

Conclusions

The results of this study demonstrated the feasibility of a novel compact ultrasound applicator design capable of focusing, deep penetration, electronic steering, and volumetric thermal ablation. The proposed applicator can be used for compact endoluminal or laparoscopic delivery of localized ultrasound energy to deep‐seated targets.
Natural source compatibilizers for olive waste/recycled polypropylene matrix composites
Authors: Rapoport Zohar , Levy Galy , Dotan Ana
Published: November 2022

A simple, environmentally friendly process was developed for surface hydrophobization of cellulose‐rich waste to improve their compatibility with recycled polypropylene (rPP), helping reduce costs while recycling environmentally problematic waste such as solid olive waste (also called olive pomace). In this study, an improvement of the interfacial bonding strength between the hydrophilic waste particles and the hydrophobic matrix was achieved by surface hydrophobization of the waste using a ring‐opening polymerization reaction of epoxidized soy‐bean oil (ESBO) with SnCl2 as a catalyst. The treatment on cellulose based filter paper led to a contact angle of 128°. The composite containing treated olive pomace has shown an increase in the elongation of 92% and an increase in the stress at yield of 15%, indicating improved compatibility.
In vitro characterization of the intramelanosomal domain of human recombinant TYRP1 and its oculocutaneous albinism type 3‐related mutant variants
Authors: Dolinska Monika B. , Anderson David E. , Sergeev Yuri V.
Published: November 2022

Tyrosinase related protein 1 (TYRP1) is the most abundant melanosomal protein of the melanocyte, where plays an important role in the synthesis of eumelanin, possibly catalyzing the oxidation of 5,6‐dihydroxyindole‐2‐carboxylic acid to 5,6‐quinone‐2‐carboxylic acid. Mutations to the TYRP1 gene can result in oculocutaneous albinism type 3 (OCA3), a rare disease characterized by reduced synthesis of melanin in skin, hair, and eyes. To investigate the effect of genetic mutations on the TYRP1 structure, function, and stability, we engineered the intramelanosomal domain of TYRP1 and its mutant variants mimicking either OCA3‐related changes, C30R, H215Y, D308N, and R326H or R87G mutant variant, analogous to OCA1‐related pathogenic effect in tyrosinase. Proteins were produced in Trichoplusia Ni larvae, then purified, and analyzed by biochemical methods. Data shows that D308N and R326H mutants keep the native conformations and demonstrate no change in their stability and enzymatic activity. In contrast, mutations C30R and R87G localized in the Cys‐rich domain show the variants misfolding during the purification process. The H215Y variant disrupts the binding of Zn2+ in the active site and thus reduces the strength of the enzyme/substrate interactions. Our results, consistent with the clinical and in silico studies, show that mutations at the protein surface are expected to have a negligible phenotype change compared to that of TYRP1. For the mutations with severe phenotype changes, which were localized in the Cys‐rich domain or the active site, we confirmed a complete or partial protein misfolding as the possible mechanism of protein malfunction caused by OCA3 inherited mutations.
Toxicity assessment of two IGR insecticides on eggs and larvae of the ladybird Eriopis connexa
Authors: Noelia Fogel Marilina , Clara Scorsetti Ana , Graciela Minardi , Inés Schneider Marcela
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND

Eriopis connexa is an important predator in the Neotropical region, associated with pests of economic relevance on horticultural crops in Argentina. The use of broad‐spectrum insecticides could reduce the biodiversity of these natural enemies in agroecosystems and put at risk its conservation. New, selective “risk reduced” insecticides could be an alternative to conventional chemical control to promote sustainable agriculture. The goal of this work was to assess the lethal and sublethal effects of two insect growth regulator (IGR) insecticides on eggs and two larval instars of E. connexa exposed to insecticides.

RESULTS

Pyriproxyfen and cypermethrin significantly affected egg hatching by 28.8% and 70.4%, respectively. Pyriproxyfen reduced the survival of larvae that emerged by ≈52% from Day (D3)3 after hatching and caused the lengthening of developmental time for both larval and pupal stages. By contrast, teflubenzuron did not reduce hatching and survival but shortened the developmental time of the pupae stage. Cypermethrin reduced the survival of 2nd (L2) and 4th (L4) larval instars by 36.4% and 74.6%, respectively, and lengthened the development time of L2. Pyriproxyfen lengthened the development time of L4 and reduced the fecundity and fertility of females. Teflubenzuron reduced survival of L2 and L4 larval instars by 46.9% and 28.6%, respectively, and lengthened the total development time for the larval stage. In addition, teflubenzuron reduced the fecundity and fertility of females.

CONCLUSIONS

Both eggs and larvae were susceptible to exposure to IGR, showing lethal and sublethal effects. This study highlights, once again, the higher toxicity of cypermethrin to E. connexa. The toxicity of both IGR insecticides could impair the performance of E. connexa as a biological control agent in agroecosystems. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Si‐Doping of Low‐Temperature‐Grown GaAs Heterostructures on (100) and (111)A GaAs Substrates
Authors: Klochkov Aleksey Nikolaevich , Galiev Galib Barievich , Klimov Evgenyi Aleksandrovich , Pushkarev Sergey Sergeevich
Published: November 2022

Utilizing the amphoteric property of silicon impurity in GaAs (111)A for acceptor doping of low‐temperature‐grown (LTG‐) GaAs films and LTG‐GaAs‐based heterostructures for THz photoconductive applications is proposed and realized. The electronic properties of superlattice structures {LTG‐GaAs/GaAs:Si} grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (100) and (111)A GaAs substrates are experimentally investigated, where GaAs:Si are silicon‐doped GaAs layers grown at standard conditions. The use of GaAs substrates with surface orientation (111)A results in spatially indirect p‐type doping of LTG‐GaAs layers. In addition, the charge redistribution at the LTG‐GaAs/GaAs:Si interfaces, due to the presence of silicon atoms in GaAs:Si layers and antisite point defects in adjacent LTG‐GaAs layers, is also analyzed by means of band structure modeling.
Helium Stability and its Interaction with H in B2‐FeAl: A First‐Principles Study
Authors: Yang Feilong , Zhang Guikai , Xiang Xin , Hu Li , Tang Tao , Chen Chang'an
Published: November 2022

Helium stability and its contribution to H blistering resistance in B2‐FeAl are investigated by a density functional theory (DFT) method, and the results obtained are compared with the H interaction with a Fe vacancy (VFe) in FeAl. He is more energetically favorable to occupy a VFe site, forming a He substituent (HeFe), in comparison with H occupying the first‐nearest‐neighbor (1NN) octahedral interstitial site of VFe in FeAl. At most, six H atoms can be trapped in the vicinity of HeFe one by one, forming HeFe–nH complexes (n is the number of trapped H atoms), similar to the case of VFe in the formation of VFe–nH complexes. HeFe–5H is the main species among the HeFe–nH complexes, whereas VFe–6H is the dominant one in the VFe–nH complexes. No H2 molecule forms inside the cluster unit of the HeFe–5H complex, due to the H–H repulsion caused by He. Strategies for H blistering resistance in iron aluminides are thus proposed.
Optimum degradation test sampling plan for the Wiener process
Authors: Hu Cheng‐Hung , Huang Chih‐Yuan
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we propose degradation test sampling plans (DTSPs) used to determine the acceptability of a product in a Wiener process model. A test statistic and the acceptance criterion based on Wiener process parameter estimates are proposed. The design of a degradation test is investigated using a model incorporating test cost constraint to minimize the asymptotic variance of the proposed test statistic. Some important variables, including the sample size, measurement frequency, and the total test time, are chosen as decision variables in a degradation test plan. The asymptotic variance of the test statistic and the approximate functional forms of the optimal solutions are derived. A search algorithm is also represented in a flow chart for the purpose of finding the optimal DTSPs. In addition, we assess the minimum cost requirement for the result of the test procedure to satisfy the minimum requirements for the producer's risk and the consumer's risk. When the given test budget is not large enough, we suggest some methods to find appropriate solutions. Finally, a numerical example is used to illustrate the proposed methodology. Optimum DTSPs are obtained and tabulated for some combinations of commonly used producer and consumer risk requirements. A sensitivity analysis is also conducted to investigate the sensitivity of the obtained DTSPs to the cost parameters used.
Examination of amino acid hydrogen isotope measurements of scalp hair for region‐of‐origin studies
Authors: Mancuso Christy J. , Ehleringer James R. , Newsome Seth D.
Published: November 2022

Rationale

Hydrogen isotope (δ2H) analysis of keratinaceous bulk tissues has been used in forensic science to reconstruct an individual's travel history or determine their region‐of‐origin. Here, we use a compound‐specific approach to examine patterns of individual amino acid δ2H values in relation to those of local tap water, bulk scalp hair tissues, and region‐of‐origin.

Methods

We measured δ2H values of amino acids in anonymously collected scalp hair (n = 67) and tap water from 28 locations in the United States. Samples were hydrolyzed into their constituent amino acids, derivatized alongside in‐house reference materials, and analyzed in triplicate using a GC‐C‐IRMS system.

Results

Non‐essential amino acid (AANESS) δ2H values and their corresponding tap water samples varied systematically across continental regions. Hydrogen isotope values of alanine, glutamic acid, and glycine were significantly correlated with tap water and an estimated 42%–51% of the hydrogen atoms in these AANESS were derived from tap water. We used linear discriminate analysis (LDA) to explore regional patterns in scalp hair bulk tissue and amino acid δ2H values. For the model that included AANESS data, 87% of the variance was explained by the first linear discriminant axis (LD1), and was driven by bulk hair tissue, alanine, and proline. This model had an overall 72% successful reclassification with samples from the south and northwest regions reclassifying correctly 92% and 78% of the time, respectively. For the model that included AAESS data, LD1 explained 81% of the variation and was driven bulk hair, threonine, valine, phenylalanine, and isoleucine. The overall reclassification rate for the model that included AAESS was 70%.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that δ2H analyses of AANESS and AAESS could help improve geolocation models for human and wildlife forensics by simultaneously providing information about both dietary and tap water inputs of hydrogen to tissue synthesis.
A meta‐analysis and model comparison of juvenile salmon growth across different habitat types
Authors: Dudley Peter N. , Hendrix Albert Noble , Osterback Ann‐Marie K.
Published: November 2022

The size of an organism is an important factor for a variety of physiological and ecological processes. For fishes, larger size can increase long‐term survival and provide a population level benefit. Therefore, threatened and endangered species management often focuses on supporting high quality habitat that provides growth opportunities. There are numerous habitat characteristics that can affect growth, including food availability, temperature, and habitat complexity. Understanding how growth responds to habitat types of different quality is the first step in determining what could lead to increased growth and potentially increased individual survival. We use Bayesian techniques to determine which of the differing methods is best for modeling the effects of habitat type and temperature on growth. To apply this method, we gather data from previous studies of the growth benefits of differing habitats and temperature regimes on Chinook salmon on the Sacramento River, CA, USA. We find a consistent growth benefit of floodplain rearing across multiple studies and show that a Ratkowsky model is the best for modeling this growth data. This information can specifically help managers model and protect the endangered and threatened Chinook populations in this system and more generally understand fish growth across differing habitat types.
Revisiting laboratory methods for measuring soil water retention curves
Authors: Parker Nathaniel , Patrignani Andres
Published: November 2022

Traditional laboratory methods for measuring soil water retention curves (SWRCs) typically consist of suction tables, pressure cells, and pressure plate apparatus (i.e., traditional methods). However, technological advancement has resulted in newer methods based on precision mini‐tensiometers and dew point water potential meters (i.e., modern methods). This study investigated the discrepancy between SWRCs measured using traditional and modern methods in three soil textures. Our results showed that SWRCs from both traditional and modern methods were similar at the wet end (i.e., matric potentials 0 to −10 kPa) and at the dry end (−500 to −1,500 kPa) of the SWRC, with an average mean absolute difference (MAD) across all three soils of 0.033 and 0.017 cm3 cm−3, respectively. The largest discrepancy between methods was consistently observed at moderate tensions of −33 and −70 kPa for the three soils, with an average MAD of 0.059 cm3 cm−3 for −33 kPa and a MAD of 0.083 cm3 cm−3 for −70 kPa. Plant available water capacity differed by up to 20% between the traditional and modern methods in a clay loam soil. While previous studies have mostly focused on the dry end of the SWRC, our study suggests that additional research comparing traditional and modern methods is required at moderate (−70 and −500 kPa) tension levels.
Soil degradation and crop yield declines persist 5 years after pipeline installations
Authors: Brehm Theresa , Culman Steve
Published: November 2022

Degradation of natural resources, including increased soil compaction, soil horizon mixing, and decreased crop yields have been common outcomes of underground pipeline installation. However, most of the research documenting the impacts of pipeline installation on soil and crops was conducted before contemporary best management practices were developed and implemented. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of pipeline installation on soils and field crops after a 4‐ to 5‐year remediation period, coinciding with the end of landowner compensation and when sites are considered fully remediated by pipeline companies. We report soil properties and corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yields from three independently operated pipelines at 29 sites across 8 Ohio counties. We observed significant degradation in soil physical properties, such as surface penetration resistance (15.3% increase) and mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (13.6% decrease) in right‐of‐way (ROW) areas compared with adjacent (ADJ) areas, respectively. Soils in ROW showed evidence of soil horizon mixing, with 25.0 g kg−1 higher clay compared with ADJ areas. Soil degradation resulted in decreases of 23.8% and 19.5% in corn yields and 7.4% and 12.5% in soybean yields during 2020 and 2021, respectively. Widespread disturbance persisted 5 years following pipeline installation in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Current best management practices of pipeline installation and remediation employed by three companies were insufficient to combat widespread soil degradation and crop yield loss.
Fracture behavior of basalt fiber‐reinforced concrete subjected to high temperatures
Authors: Wang Lei , Zhao Yanru , Song Bo , Xing Yongming , He Xiaoyan
Published: November 2022

The three‐point bending test was conducted and the digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used to observe the full‐field displacement and strain of the notched beam. The initial cracking load and the crack mouth opening displacement were determined based on the deformation field near the tip and mouth of the notch. The initial cracking toughness Kini and the unstable fracture toughness Kun calculated according to the double‐K fracture model, the fracture energy GF and the ductility index Du determined with a modified method, and the equivalent fracture toughness K at four different deformation stages, were analyzed under different temperatures and basalt fiber contents. The results showed that Kini exhibited a monotonic decrease trend with the increasing temperature, indicating that the notched beam was prone to initial cracking after high temperatures. However, Kini rose slowly with the increase of the fiber content, suggesting that the basalt fiber had little influence on Kini. At the temperatures below 400°C, the Kun, GF, Du, and K at each deformation stage increased with the rise of temperature. At the temperatures above 400°C, the Kun, GF, Du, and K at each deformation stage apparently decreased with the increase of temperature. Under the current test conditions, the basalt fiber content of 0.4% by volume had the greatest improvement on the fracture performances of concrete after high temperatures.
EF‐24 inhibits TPA‐induced cellular migration and MMP‐9 expression through the p38 signaling pathway in cervical cancer cells
Authors: Lee Chung‐Yuan , Ho Yung‐Chuan , Lin Chiao‐Wen , Hsin Min‐Chieh , Wang Po‐Hui , Tang Ya‐Cheng , Yang Shun‐Fa , Hsiao Yi‐Hsuan
Published: November 2022

Diphenyl difluoroketone (EF‐24), a synthetic curcumin analog, has enhanced bioavailability over curcumin. EF‐24 acts more powerful bioactivity for anti‐inflammatory and anti‐cancer activity. However, the effects and mechanism of EF‐24 on cervical cancer has not been fully investigated. Herein, this study evaluated the effects of EF‐24 on TPA‐induced cellular migration of cervical cancer. The results showed that EF‐24 substantially reduced the cellular migration and cellular invasion of the HeLa and SiHa cells. Moreover, gelatin zymography, western blotting analyses and real‐time PCR revealed that EF‐24 suppressed Matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) activity, protein expression and mRNA levels. Mechanistically, EF‐24 inhibited the phosphorylation of the p38 signaling pathway. In conclusion, EF‐24 inhibited TPA‐induced cellular migration and cellular invasion of cervical cancer cell lines through modulating MMP‐9 expression via downregulating signaling p38 pathway and EF‐24 may have potential to serve as a chemopreventive agent of cervical cancer.
Identification of genomic regions associated with the plasticity of carbon 13 ratio in soybean
Authors: Chamarthi Siva K. , Kaler Avjinder S. , Abdel‐Haleem Hussein , Fritschi Felix B. , Gillman Jason D. , Ray Jeffery D. , Smith James R. , Purcell Larry C.
Published: November 2022

Improving water use efficiency (WUE) for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] through selection for high carbon isotope (C13) ratio may increase drought tolerance, but increased WUE may limit growth in productive environments. An ideal genotype would be plastic for C13 ratio; that is, be able to alter C13 ratio in response to the environment. Our objective was to identify genomic regions associated with C13 ratio plasticity, C13 ratio stability, and overall C13 ratio in two panels of diverse Maturity Group IV soybean accessions. A second objective was to identify accessions that differed in their C13 ratio plasticity. Panel 1 (205 accessions) was evaluated in seven irrigated and four drought environments, and Panel 2 (373 accessions) was evaluated in four environments. Plasticity was quantified as the slope from regressing C13 ratio of individual genotypes against an environmental index calculated based on the mean within and across environments. The regression intercept was considered a measure of C13 ratio over all environments, and the root mean square error was considered a measure of stability. Combined over both panels, genome‐wide association mapping (GWAM) identified 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for plasticity, 39 SNPs for C13 ratio, and 16 SNPs for stability. Among these SNPs, 71 candidate genes had annotations associated with transpiration or water conservation and transport, root development, root hair elongation, and stomatal complex morphogenesis. The genomic regions associated with plasticity and stability identified in the current study will be a useful resource for implementing genomic selection for improving drought tolerance in soybean.
Instigation of the epoch of nanovaccines in cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Shah Saurabh , Famta Paras , Tiwari Vinod , Kotha Arun K. , Kashikar Rama , Chougule Mahavir Bhupal , Chung Young Hun , Steinmetz Nicole F. , Uddin Mohammad , Singh Shashi Bala , Srivastava Saurabh
Published: November 2022

Cancer is an unprecedented proliferation of cells leading to abnormalities in differentiation and maturation. Treatment of primary and metastatic cancer is challenging. In addition to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapies have been conventionally used; however, they suffer from severe toxicity and non‐specificity. Immunotherapy, the science of programming the body's own defense system against cancer has gained tremendous attention in the last few decades. However, partial immunogenic stimulation, premature degradation and inability to activate dendritic and helper T cells has resulted in limited clinical success. The era of nanomedicine has brought about several breakthroughs in various pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. Hereby, we review and discuss the interplay of tumor microenvironment (TME) and the immunological cascade and how they can be employed to develop nanoparticle‐based cancer vaccines and immunotherapies. Nanoparticles composed of lipids, polymers and inorganic materials contain useful properties suitable for vaccine development. Proteinaceous vaccines derived from mammalian viruses, bacteriophages and plant viruses also have unique advantages due to their immunomodulation capabilities. This review accounts for all such considerations. Additionally, we explore how attributes of nanotechnology can be utilized to develop successful nanomedicine‐based vaccines for cancer therapy.

This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease
Dynamic contact problem with moderate displacement and time‐dependent normal
Authors: Wu Shen R.
Published: November 2022

In the publications on existence of solutions to the dynamic contact problems, small displacement was basically assumed. To extend the qualitative study for more general applications with moderate displacement and general shape of surfaces, the normal of contact surface is treated as time‐dependent variable in the contact mechanics model. The frictional dynamic contact problem with unilateral constraint is formulated in a variational inequality. The penalized variational equation is derived with two penalty terms, verifying contact condition and applying constraint on the normal velocity, respectively. For given penalty parameter the penalized variational equation is proved to have solution, which converges to the solution of the variational inequality. The true contact boundary, varying in time, is determined in the process and the constraint condition is satisfied. The regularity of the solution is similar to the results by others under the assumption of small displacement.
Selected Topics in Deep Learning
Authors: Wüthrich Mario V. , Merz Michael
Published: November 2022

This chapter presents a selection of different topics. We discuss forecasting under model uncertainty, deep quantile regression, deep composite regression and the LocalGLMnet which is an interpretable FN network architecture. Moreover, we provide a bootstrap example to assess prediction uncertainty, we discuss mixture density networks, and we give an outlook to studying variational inference.
Appendix A: Technical Results on Networks
Authors: Wüthrich Mario V. , Merz Michael
Published: November 2022

This chapter is a technical chapter that discusses universality theorems for networks and sieve estimators, which are useful for studying asymptotic normality within a network architecture. In particular, this chapter is a useful outlook for studying variable selection in the framework of networks.
Exponential Dispersion Family
Authors: Wüthrich Mario V. , Merz Michael
Published: November 2022

This chapter introduces and discusses the exponential family (EF) and the exponential dispersion family (EDF). The EF and the EDF are by far the most important classes of distribution functions for regression modeling. They include, among others, the Gaussian, the binomial, the Poisson, the gamma, the inverse Gaussian distributions, as well as Tweedie’s models. We introduce these families of distribution functions, discuss their properties and provide several examples. Moreover, we introduce the Kullback–Leibler (KL) divergence and the Bregman divergence, which are important tools in model evaluation and model selection.
Generalized Linear Models
Authors: Wüthrich Mario V. , Merz Michael
Published: November 2022

This chapter discusses state-of-the-art statistical modeling in insurance and actuarial science, which is the generalized linear model (GLM). We discuss GLMs in the light of claim count and claim size modeling, we present feature engineering, model fitting, model selection, over-dispersion, zero-inflated claim counts problems, double GLMs, and insurance-specific issues such as the balance property for having unbiasedness.
Noise Coupling
Authors: Keller Reto B.
Published: November 2022

Noise coupling is one of the essential and constantly recurring topics in EMC. An EMC design engineer must consider any noise coupling paths constantly during the design and when troubleshooting.

First of all, this chapter discusses coupling paths. Then it is shown which coupling leads typically to differential-mode noise and which coupling does typically lead to common-mode noise.
Shielding
Authors: Keller Reto B.
Published: November 2022

In the field of EMC, shields are used to:

Reduce electromagnetic emissions from a product.

Increase immunity against electric, magnetic, and/or electromagnetic radiation.

The shielding theory presented in this book is based on the accepted shielding theory for electromagnetic waves, initially proposed by Schelkunoff ((1943) Electromagnetic waves. D. van Nostrand Company Inc, New York, pp 303–312) in 1943. The formulas in this chapter are approximations for shields with high electrical conductivity. Before we jump into the theory of shielding, here are two practical pieces of advice:

Cables and wires. Every single signal which enters and/or leaves a shielded enclosure must be filtered or shielded. In case the cable is shielded, contact the cable shield 360∘ with the shielded enclosure.

Slots and apertures. Slots and apertures reduce the shielding effectiveness SE or even lead to higher emissions than without the shield in case of resonances inside a shielding enclosure Hubing ((2021) EMC Question of the Week: 2017–2020. LearnEMC, LLC, Stoughton). If the linear dimension l [m] of a slot or aperture is larger than λ∕2, the shield is assumed to be useless Ott ((2009) Electromagnetic compatibility engineering. Wiley, New York).
Filtering
Authors: Keller Reto B.
Published: November 2022

In EMC, filtering helps to minimize emissions of a product and increase the product’s immunity against electromagnetic interference. This chapter presents the concepts of determining the right filter type and ensuring the proper components are chosen regarding power dissipation, noise current type, and high-frequency behavior.

Filters can be classified according to their attenuation in the frequency-domain:

Low-pass filters

High-pass filters

Band-pass filters

Band-stop filters

or according to active components involved or not:

Passive filters

Active filters

or according to the noise current type:

Differential-mode noise filters

Common-mode noise filters

or according to the suppression of transients:

ESD filters

Burst filters

Surge filters

or according to the implementation in hardware or software:

Analog filters (hardware)

Digital filters (software)

In this chapter, all the filter types listed above are explained in further detail.
Transmission Lines
Authors: Keller Reto B.
Published: November 2022

In EMC, it is essential to understand the concept of transmission lines and when to apply it. Because once a signal interconnection line exceeds a critical length lcritical [m], impedance matching (
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) must be considered to prevent reflections and ringing, thus preventing unwanted radiated emissions and bad signal quality—a signal integrity topic.

This chapter introduces transmission lines and their most important properties.
Electromagnetic Fields
Authors: Keller Reto B.
Published: November 2022

Abstract
English Medium Instruction: Expanding Notions of English Hegemony and Colonization
Authors: Han Jinghe
Published: November 2022

This Chapter provides the background to the EMI research undertaken which has provided the evidence base for this book. It acknowledges internationalization of higher education within the current neoliberal global economy, and the swift move in the countries of the Expanding Circle towards EMI delivery as a strategy to expand academics’ and universities’ global agendas. This Chapter points to the theoretical and methodological limitations in current EMI research as convenient and unsystematic. Consequently, the knowledge generation to inform EMI teaching is limited. It concludes with an outline of the structure of the book highlighting the key foci for each Chapter.
Queen reflections: a modification of Wythoff Nim
Authors: Fokkink Robbert , Rust Dan
Published: November 2022

Wythoff Nim is a classical combinatorial game of queen moves on a chessboard. There are many ways to describe its P-positions (safe positions to move to). One way is to code them by the Fibonacci word 010010100100101..., which is the unique fixed point of the substitution of 0 by 01, and of 1 by 0. The coordinates of the n-th P-position are encoded by the location of the n-th zero and the n-th one in the Fibonacci word. We show that a minor modification of the rules of Wythoff Nim leads to a game with P-positions that are coded by 010010010010100100... This word can be derived by deleting all 2’s from the Tribonacci word, which is the unique fixed point of the substitution of 0 by 01, of 1 by 02, and of 2 by 0.
Highly multiplexed spatial profiling with CODEX: bioinformatic analysis and application in human disease
Authors: Kuswanto Wilson , Nolan Garry , Lu Guolan
Published: November 2022

Multiplexed imaging, which enables spatial localization of proteins and RNA to cells within tissues, complements existing multi-omic technologies and has deepened our understanding of health and disease. CODEX, a multiplexed single-cell imaging technology, utilizes a microfluidics system that incorporates DNA barcoded antibodies to visualize 50 + cellular markers at the single-cell level. Here, we discuss the latest applications of CODEX to studies of cancer, autoimmunity, and infection as well as current bioinformatics approaches for analysis of multiplexed imaging data from preprocessing to cell segmentation and marker quantification to spatial analysis techniques. We conclude with a commentary on the challenges and future developments for multiplexed spatial profiling.
Genome-wide screening for genetic variants in polyadenylation signal (PAS) sites in mouse selection lines for fatness and leanness
Authors: Šimon Martin , Mikec Špela , Morton Nicholas M. , Atanur Santosh S. , Konc Janez , Horvat Simon , Kunej Tanja
Published: November 2022

Alternative polyadenylation (APA) determines mRNA stability, localisation, translation and protein function. Several diseases, including obesity, have been linked to APA. Studies have shown that single nucleotide polymorphisms in polyadenylation signals (PAS-SNPs) can influence APA and affect phenotype and disease susceptibility. However, these studies focussed on associations between single PAS-SNP alleles with very large effects and phenotype. Therefore, we performed a genome-wide screening for PAS-SNPs in the polygenic mouse selection lines for fatness and leanness by whole-genome sequencing. The genetic variants identified in the two lines were overlapped with locations of PAS sites obtained from the PolyASite 2.0 database. Expression data for selected genes were extracted from the microarray expression experiment performed on multiple tissue samples. In total, 682 PAS-SNPs were identified within 583 genes involved in various biological processes, including transport, protein modifications and degradation, cell adhesion and immune response. Moreover, 63 of the 583 orthologous genes in human have been previously associated with human diseases, such as nervous system and physical disorders, and immune, endocrine, and metabolic diseases. In both lines, PAS-SNPs have also been identified in genes broadly involved in APA, such as Polr2c, Eif3e and Ints11. Five PAS-SNPs within 5 genes (Car, Col4a1, Itga7, Lat, Nmnat1) were prioritised as potential functional variants and could contribute to the phenotypic disparity between the two selection lines. The developed PAS-SNPs catalogue presents a key resource for planning functional studies to uncover the role of PAS-SNPs in APA, disease susceptibility and fat deposition.
Influence of convective processes on weather research and forecasting model precipitation biases over East Asia
Authors: Sugimoto Shiori , Xue Yongkang , Sato Tomonori , Takahashi Hiroshi G.
Published: November 2022

Dynamical downscaling with a 20 km horizontal resolution was undertaken over East Asia for the period May–August in 1991–2015 using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with Grell-3D ensemble cumulus parameterization as a product of the Impact of Initialized Land Temperature and Snowpack on Sub-Seasonal to Seasonal Prediction (LS4P) program. Simulated climatological precipitation biases were investigated over land during June when heavy precipitation occurred. Simulations underestimated precipitation along the Meiyu/Baiu rainband, while overestimating it farther north. Dry and wet biases expanded to south and north of the Yangtze River in China, respectively, marking years with poor precipitation simulations. Model biases in synoptic-scale circulation patterns indicate a weakened clockwise circulation over the western North Pacific in the model due to active convection there, and suppressed northward moisture transport to the Meiyu/Baiu rainband. Moisture convergence was slightly enhanced over central China due to an apparent anticyclonic circulation bias over northern China. In years with large biases, positive feedback between reduced moisture inflow and inactive convection occurred over southern China, while moisture transport to central China intensified on regional scales, with amplification of dry and wet biases over China. The Kain–Fritch scheme was used to test the influence of cumulus parameterization, improving the dry bias over southern China due to the modification of synoptic-scale circulation patterns in the lower troposphere. However, precipitation was further overestimated over central China, with the accuracy of precipitation distribution deteriorating.
Heterogeneity of persisting symptoms after sport-related concussion (SRC): exploring symptom subtypes and patient subgroups
Authors: Langdon S. , Goedhart E. , Inklaar M. , Oosterlaan J. , Königs M.
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to explore the heterogeneity of persisting symptoms after sport-related concussion (SRC). We examined the structure of symptom subtypes within 163 patients with SRC (M = 16.7 weeks post-injury). Subsequently, we investigated the existence of subgroups of patients based on comparable configuration of co-occurring symptom subtypes. To explore factors that may contribute to the emergence of SRC patient subgroups, subgroups were compared on pre-injury (i.e., demographics and medical history), personality (Severity Indices of Personality Problems Short Form) and SRC characteristics (i.e., history of prior concussions, loss of consciousness and post-traumatic amnesia). To investigate the relevance of SRC subgrouping for clinical outcome, subgroups were compared on symptom severity (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5). The results provide empirical evidence for the existence of symptom subtypes, characterized as a: neurocognitive, fatigue, emotional, migraine and vestibular-ocular symptom subtype in patients with persisting SRC. Study results also showed evidence for the existence of SRC subgroups of patients with a comparable configuration of co-occurring prevailing symptom subtypes, including a neurocognitive-migraine, fatigue, migraine-emotional and neurocognitive-emotional subgroup. The subgroups differed on pre-injury, personality and SRC characteristics, suggesting that these factors may contribute to the emergence of specific SRC patient subgroups. The subgroups also differed in the severity of persisting symptoms, highlighting the clinical relevance of SRC subgrouping. These results support the idea that patient subgroups with persisting SRC with a comparable pattern of co-occurring symptom subtypes exists, which may require targeted prognosis, clinical management and treatment to optimize recovery.
Plasma cell neoplasms and related entities—evolution in diagnosis and classification
Authors: Fend Falko , Dogan Ahmet , Cook James R.
Published: November 2022

Plasma cell neoplasms including multiple myeloma (MM) and related terminally differentiated B-cell neoplasms are characterized by secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulin and stepwise development from a preneoplastic clonal B and/or plasma cell proliferation called monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Diagnosis of these disorders requires integration of clinical, laboratory, and morphological features. While their classification mostly remains unchanged compared to the revised 2016 WHO classification and the 2014 International Myeloma Working Group consensus, some changes in criteria and terminology were proposed in the 2022 International Consensus Classification (ICC) of mature lymphoid neoplasms. MGUS of IgM type is now divided into IgM MGUS of plasma cell type, precursor to the rare IgM MM and characterized by MM-type cytogenetics, lack of clonal B-cells and absence of MYD88 mutation, and IgM MGUS, NOS including the remaining cases. Primary cold agglutinin disease is recognized as a new entity. MM is now formally subdivided into cytogenetic groups, recognizing the importance of genetics for clinical features and prognosis. MM with recurrent genetic abnormalities includes MM with CCND family translocations, MM with MAF family translocations, MM with NSD2 translocation, and MM with hyperdiploidy, with the remaining cases classified as MM, NOS. For diagnosis of localized plasma cell tumors, solitary plasmacytoma of bone, and primary extraosseous plasmacytoma, the importance of excluding minimal bone marrow infiltration by flow cytometry is emphasized. Primary systemic amyloidosis is renamed immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL), and a localized AL amyloidosis is recognized as a distinct entity. This review summarizes the updates on plasma cell neoplasms and related entities proposed in the 2022 ICC.

Key points

• Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma can be diagnosed with lymphoplasmacytic aggregates in trephine biopsies < 10% of cellularity and evidence of clonal B-cells and plasma cells.

• IgM MGUS is subdivided into a plasma cell type and a not otherwise specified (NOS) type.

• Primary cold agglutinin disease is recognized as a new entity.

• The term “multiple myeloma” replaces the term “plasma cell myeloma” used in the 2016 WHO classification.

• Multiple myeloma is subdivided into 4 mutually exclusive cytogenetic groups and MM NOS.

• Minimal bone marrow infiltration detected by flow cytometry is of major prognostic importance for solitary plasmacytoma of bone and to a lesser extent for primary extraosseous plasmacytoma.

• Localized IG light chain amyloidosis is recognized as a separate entity, distinct from systemic immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis.
Remarkably high blue ring occurrence in Estonian Scots pines in 1976 reveals wood anatomical evidence of extreme autumnal cooling
Authors: Greaves Ciara , Crivellaro Alan , Piermattei Alma , Krusic Paul J. , Oppenheimer Clive , Potapov Aleksei , Hordo Maris , Metslaid Sandra , Kask Regino , Kangur Ahto , Büntgen Ulf
Published: November 2022

Key message

An exceptionally high number of blue rings were formed within and between Scots pine trees from Estonia in 1976: a year that is well known for its outstanding summer heatwave over Western Europe, but its extreme autumnal cooling over Eastern Europe has so far been neglected in scientific literature.

‘Blue rings’ (BRs) are visual indicators of less lignified cell walls typically formed towards the end of a tree’s growing season. Though BRs have been associated with ephemeral surface cooling, often following large volcanic eruptions, the intensity of cold spells necessary to produce BRs, as well as the consistency of their formation within and between trees still remains uncertain. Here, we report an exceptionally high BR occurrence within and between Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees at two sites in Estonia, including the first published whole-stem analysis for BRs. Daily meteorological measurements from a nearby station allowed us to investigate the role temperature has played in BR formation since the beginning of the twentieth century. The single year in which BRs were consistently formed within and amongst most trees was 1976. While the summer of 1976 is well known for an exceptional heatwave in Northwest Europe, mean September and October temperatures were remarkably low over Eastern Europe, and 3.8 °C below the 1961–1990 mean at our sites. Our findings contribute to a better eco-physiological interpretation of BRs, and further demonstrate their ability to reveal ephemeral cooling not captured by dendrochronological ring width and latewood density measurements.
SMT solving for the validation of B and Event-B models
Authors: Schmidt Joshua , Leuschel Michael
Published: November 2022

ProBprovides a constraint solver for the B-method written in Prolog and can make use of different backends based on SAT and SMT solving. One such backend translates B and Event-B operators to SMT-LIB using the Z3 solver. This translation uses quantifiers to axiomatize some operators, which are not well-handled by Z3. Several relational constraints such as the transitive closure are not supported by this translation. In this article, we substantially improve the translation to SMT-LIB by employing a more constructive rather than axiomatized style using Z3’s lambda function. Thereby, we are able both to translate more B and Event-B operators to SMT-LIB and improve the overall performance. We further extendProB’s interface to Z3 to run different solver configurations in parallel. In addition, we present a direct implementation of SMT solving in Prolog usingProB’s constraint solver as a theory solver. We hereby aim to combine the strengths of conflict-driven clause learning for identifying contradictions withProB’s constraint solver for finding solutions. We deem this implementation to be worthwhile sinceProB’s constraint solver is tailored toward solving B and Event-B constraints, and we herewith avoid the dependency on an external SMT solver. Empirical results show that the new integration of Z3 has improved performance of constraint solving and enables to solve several constraints which cannot be solved byProB’s constraint solver. Furthermore, the direct implementation of SMT solving inProBshows benefits compared toProB’s constraint solver and the integration of Z3.
Spectrum and mortality of opportunistic infections among HIV/AIDS patients in southwestern China
Authors: Meng Sirun , Tang Qiao , Xie Zhiman , Wu Nianning , Qin Yingmei , Chen Rongfeng , Chen Xiaoyu , Chen Xiu , Li Yueqi , Shi Minjuan , Ye Li , Liang Hao , Jiang Junjun , Zhou Bo , Lin Jianyan
Published: November 2022

We describe the opportunistic infections (OIs) of HIV/AIDS to understand the spectrum, mortality, and frequency of multiple coinfected OIs among HIV/AIDS patients in southern China, where OIs are severe. We carried out a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized HIV-infected individuals at the Fourth People’s Hospital of Nanning, Guangxi, China, from Jan. 2011 to May. 2019. The chi-square test was used to analyze cross-infection; the Kaplan‒Meier analysis was used to compare mortality. A total of 12,612 HIV-infected patients were admitted to this cohort study. Among them, 8982 (71.2%) developed one or more OIs. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 9.0%. Among the patients, 35.6% coinfected one OI, and 64.4% coinfected more than two OIs simultaneously. Almost half of the patients (60.6%) had CD4 + T-cell counts < 200 cells/μL. Pneumonia (39.8%), tuberculosis (35.3%), and candidiasis (28.8%) were the most common OIs. Coinfected cryptococcal meningitis and dermatitis are the most common combined OIs. The rate of anaemia (17.0%) was highest among those common HIV-associated complications. Multiple OIs are commonly found in hospitalized HIV/AIDS patients in southwestern China, which highlights the need for improved diagnosis and treatment.