bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is high adaptation to the Mediterranean diet effective in increasing ecological footprint awareness? A cross‐sectional study from Turkey
Authors: Yardimci Hülya , Demirer Büşra
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND

The effect of diet type on sustainable environment is known. It is important to understand the adaptation of individuals with high ecological footprint awareness to the Mediterranean type diet, especially under the assumption that the Mediterranean diet will reduce the ecological footprint. In the study, it is aimed to examine the relationship between the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and Ecological Footprint awareness of adults.

RESULTS

The sample of the study consisted of 395 individuals with a mean age of 26.2 ± 8.7 years: 293 females (74.2%) and 102 males (25.8%). As the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MDAS) score of individuals increased, the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale score also increased. Similarly, a positive correlation was found between the participants' MDAS score and the awareness of food (r = 0.157; P = 0.002), energy (r = 0.133; P = 0.008), waste (r = 0.149; P = 0.003) and water consumption (r = 0.101; P = 0.045), which are sub‐factors of the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale.

CONCLUSION

As far as is known, this cross‐sectional study is one of the first studies on compliance with the Mediterranean diet and awareness of the ecological footprint. The findings of the study show that as individuals' compliance with the Mediterranean diet increases, their awareness of their ecological footprint will also increase. To reach a conclusion on this issue, future studies should evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and awareness of food–environmental impact on different samples. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Development of a multivariate model with desirability‐based optimization for determination of atenolol and hydrochlorothiazide by eco‐friendly HPLC method with fluorescence detection
Authors: Hemdan Ahmed , Al‐Tannak Naser F. , Mohamed Ekram H.
Published: December 2021

Determination of a widely used antihypertensive combination of atenolol and hydrochlorothiazide was achieved by rapid and eco‐friendly high‐performance liquid chromatography method combined with fluorescence detection. The response surface methodology is conducive to the complete separation of the two drugs in a shorter analysis time. The separation of the mixture was achieved using an Inertsil C18 analytical column (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 µ). The mobile phase used was ethanol: potassium dihydrogen phosphate at pH 3 (65:35 v/v) and the flow rate was 0.7 mL/min. The fluorescence detector operated at excitation and emission wavelengths of 230 and 310 nm (atenolol) and 270 and 375 nm (hydrochlorothiazide). The linearity of the developed method covered a concentration of atenolol of 0.05–5 µg/mL and a concentration of hydrochlorothiazide of 0.02–1 µg/mL. The greenness of the developed method was evaluated by analytical eco‐scale and the recently reported evaluation method, that is, green analytical procedure index, and it was found to be an excellent, sensitive, and green alternative to the reported methods. The developed method was validated according to the ICH guidelines and compared with the reference method. No significant difference was found in terms of accuracy.
Melt‐Extruded Sensory Fibers for Electronic Textiles
Authors: Tabor Jordan , Thompson Brendan , Agcayazi Talha , Bozkurt Alper , Ghosh Tushar K.
Published: December 2021

Textile‐based flexible sensors are key to the development of personal wearable electronic devices and systems for a wide range of applications including physiological monitoring, communication, and entertainment. Textiles, for their many desirable characteristics and use, offer a natural interface between electronics and the human body. A wide range of fabrication techniques have been explored for textile‐based sensors; however, most are not compatible or readily adaptable to textile manufacturing processes. Here, a practical and scalable method of producing textile‐based sensory fibers using a common manufacturing technique, melt extrusion, is proposed. An overview of the fabrication method as well as the mechanical and electrical properties of the fibers is presented. Subsequently, the fibers’ ability to sense changes in pressure is studied in detail using assembled fibers. Methods to improve the sensor performance by altering the geometry of the fiber assembly are also presented. As a proof‐of‐concept demonstration, the fibers are woven into a pressure‐sensing fabric mat consisting of 64 sensing elements. The woven substrate can detect the location and level of pressure, thereby illustrating the fibers' potential use as sensors in textile structures.
Technical note: 3D‐printed phantom for dedicated cardiac protocols and geometries in nuclear medicine
Authors: Green Samantha , Grice Jared
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to create and validate a 3D‐printed nuclear cardiac phantom for low cost, user‐friendly design and easy implementation with modern cardiac SPECT systems. This new phantom design aims to address common problems with commercial phantoms such as lengthy setup, prohibitive cost, and overly large size, while improving the overall functionality of the phantom.

Methods

The phantom was developed using computer aided design software and fabricated with a 3D printer using optimized watertight printing protocols. The phantom design includes six low perfusion lesions within a stylized myocardium of the left ventricle that are placed in the common quantitation sectors for polar maps. The validation of this phantom was completed with two dedicated cardiac SPECT systems; a dual head gamma camera and a multi‐pinhole CZT system. Multiple SPECT acquisitions were used to demonstrate the functionality of the phantom. Polar maps were reconstructed and used to score the contrast detectability based on the number of visible low contrast objects representing "lesions."

Results

The images reconstructed from the various acquisitions on both SPECT systems closely resemble a clinical examination. Lesion visibility followed the expected relationships between protocol changes affecting contrast and spatial resolution. Lesion visibility improved with iterative reconstruction against filtered back projection.

Conclusion

A phantom of a stylized left ventricle with fillable myocardium was developed, 3D printed, and implemented for cardiac nuclear medicine. The phantom simulates the task of perfusion imaging and successfully demonstrates differences in image quality depending on imaging protocol. This study validates the 3D‐printed design as a low cost and user‐friendly phantom that can be easily scanned and scored using various systems, in particular those implementing a nontraditional cardio‐centric geometry.
Reduced order models for material non‐linearities in FEM applications
Authors: Özmen Yasemin , Scheunemann Lisa , Nigro Paulo S. B. , Schröder Jörg
Published: December 2021

In this paper, an adaptive reduced order method for small strain elasto‐plasticity is discussed. This method works purely online, meaning no preliminary offline calculations have to be conducted. Using a GALERKIN projection, the high‐fidelity problem is reduced to a lower vector space. For this, the basis is extracted from an initial POD after the first few load steps of the simulation. Later on, POD is used again to check the relevance of new snapshots gained from the load stepping. Corrections of the basis ensure the best performance of the current basis.
Physics informed neural networks for continuum micromechanics
Authors: Henkes Alexander , Wessels Henning , Mahnken Rolf
Published: December 2021

The present work proposes a Physics Informed Neural Network (PINN) for solving boundary value problems in continuum micromechanics. The presented technique is therefore an alternative to the finite element method or Fourier transform based methods. In this context, a neural network is used to approximate the function solving the partial differential equation. The theory of PINN in the context of micromechanics is developed.
Simulations of a multiscale bone material model
Authors: Blaszczyk Mischa , Hackl Klaus
Published: December 2021

An important application of simulating wave propagation in bone is the early detection of osteoporosis. During the course of this bone disease cortical bone is reduced and replaced by bone marrow, weakening the bone and increasing the likelihood of fractures [1]. Commonly, in modeling the problem is reduced to only mechanical effects. Recent research includes electrical and magnetic effects as well [2‐4]. In our previous contributions we introduced a two‐phase material model for bone, which considers mechanical, electrical and magnetic effects [5,6].

In this contribution we use the introduced material model to perform multiscale simulations of bone. For this purpose we resort to the multiscale finite element method (FE2). To apply this method, we constructed a representative volume element (RVE) incorporating both material phases. We show numerical results of a cylinder model and a true to scale model of a human femur bone.
Probability of Hitting the Target with an Imperfectly Manufactured Projectile
Authors: Trzun Zvonko , Vrdoljak Milan
Published: December 2021

The effect of individual projectile production errors on the probability of hitting a target is analyzed. The intensity of errors is linked to the level of production quality. The consequences of manufacturing errors are estimated by a comprehensive Monte Carlo (MC) simulation where a 3D CAD model of a missile and a modified 6DOF model of its flight are coupled. A 122 mm rocket is selected as a case study. The MC simulation gives the estimation of the probability that rocket will destroy the target.
Efficient two‐scale simulations of microstructured materials using deep material networks
Authors: Gajek Sebastian , Schneider Matti , Böhlke Thomas
Published: December 2021

Deep material networks (DMN) are a promising piece of technology for accelerating concurrent multiscale simulations. DMNs are identified by linear elastic pre‐computations on representative volume elements, and serve as high‐fidelity surrogates for full‐field simulations on microstructures with inelastic constituents. The offline training phase is independent of the online evaluation, such that a pre‐trained DMN may be applied for varying material behavior of the constituents. In this contribution, we investigate a two‐scale component simulation of industrial complexity accelerated by DMNs. To this end, a DMN is solved implicitly at every Gauss point to include the microstructure information into the macro simulation.
Efficient Computation of the Sharpest Bounds on the Probability of Failure of a Sheet Metal Forming Process
Authors: Miska Niklas , Balzani Daniel
Published: December 2021

The determination of the sharpest bounds on the probability of failure (PoF) based on the Optimal Uncertainty Quantification (OUQ) framework relies on the solution of non‐convex global optimization problems. These problems are subjected to non‐linear constraints to reflect moment constraints from available data, which impedes the numerical efficiency of the method. A different parameterization approach of the optimization problem utilizing canonical moments allows the transformation to only bound constraints and hence, an improved numerical efficiency can be reached. The performance of this new approach is contrasted with the performance of the original approach on the basis of a numerical simulation of a sheet metal forming process.
Space‐time stabilized FEM applied on the hyperbolic heat conduction equation for high speed frictional contact
Authors: Feike Marvin C. , Mundt Christian
Published: December 2021

Frictional contact results in dissipation of energy, wherein one part is transformed into thermal energy. This leads to heating under the surface, where the resulting transient temperature fields at short times and high Peclet numbers are of interest. Therefore, the numerical method of finite elements with space‐time stabilization technique is applied on the 2D hyperbolic heat conduction equation of Cattaneo‐Vernotte with respect to a moving frame. It is shown, that the combination of the θ‐Method with Streamline‐Upwind‐Petrov‐Galerkin‐FEM gives satisfying solutions for a wide broadband of Peclet numbers.
Efficient simulation of heterogeneous materials with the finite cell method
Authors: Gorji Mahan , Düster Alexander
Published: December 2021

The finite cell method (FCM) represents a combination of high‐order finite elements with the fictitious domain approach. Due to it's simple mesh generation the FCM reduces the pre‐processing effort. For heterogeneous problems of solid mechanics however, discontinuities occur at the material interfaces, which cannot be captured by the smooth shape functions of the FCM anymore, whereby the convergence deteriorates. Thus, to recover the optimal convergence rate, we extend the FCM ansatz by specially designed shape functions, which are able to capture discontinuities at the material interfaces. To get more insight into the problem, we study the performance of the proposed method by means of a two‐dimensional example.
Goal oriented error control for stationary incompressible flow coupled to a heat equation
Authors: Beuchler Sven , Endtmayer Bernhard , Wick Thomas
Published: December 2021

In this work, we apply goal oriented error estimation to a stationary Navier‐Stokes benchmark problem coupled with the heat equation. Furthermore, we compare three different methods for the sensitivity weight recovery.
Influence of thermally induced changes in lubricating gap clearance and oil viscosity on nonlinear oscillations of hydrodynamically supported rotors
Authors: Irmscher Cornelius , Ziese Christian , Woschke Elmar
Published: December 2021

Despite many advantages, hydrodynamic bearings tend to induce nonlinear vibrations on rotor systems at low external loads. The occurrence and also the amplitudes of these vibrations are very sensible to the operating conditions of the system such as occurrence of gaseous cavitation, oil viscosity (strongly dependent on oil temperature), bearing clearance (dependent on metal temperature and thermal expansion coefficients) or rotor imbalance. This contribution shows the calculation of nonlinear rotor oscillations with the help of a detailed transient 3D‐thermo‐hydrodynamic bearing model. Referring to experimental data of a real exhaust turbocharger with semi‐floating ring bearings, this holistic approach is used for a separate investigation of a) the influences of the temperature‐dependent oil viscosity in the lubricating films and b) the influences of temperature‐related changes in the lubricating gap on the nonlinear oscillations of the rotor.
A parallel matrix‐free finite element solver for phase separation in electrode particles of lithium ion batteries
Authors: Castelli Giuseppe Fabian , Dörfler Willy
Published: December 2021

We consider a Cahn–Hilliard‐type phase field model for phase separation in electrode particles of lithium ion batteries. For the numerical solution we employ a finite element solver together with a variable‐step, variable‐order time integration method. To overcome the large computational requirements we use a parallel matrix‐free approach with a specialized preconditioner. Numerical experiments demonstrate the capabilities of our solver. In particular, we show the dependence of the phase morphology on the applied insertion rate in a two‐dimensional circular particle example.
Stability Score for Local Solutions of Unconstrained Parametric Nonlinear Programs
Authors: Mykhailiuk Ivan , Schäfer Kai , Büskens Christof
Published: December 2021

In many application areas that involve solving parametric optimization problems, it is desirable that solutions of perturbed problems do not deviate too much from the original ones. In this work, we develop a criterion which characterizes the stability of a local solution of an unconstrained parametric nonlinear program with respect to parameter perturbations. It is defined as the solution of an optimization problem, which we approximate using parametric sensitivity analysis. The presented approach is illustrated with the help of an example.
Alternating bio‐based pyridinic copolymers modified with hydrophilic and hydrophobic spacers as sorbents of aromatic pollutants
Authors: Jlalia Ibtissem , Chabbah Taha , Chatti Saber , Schiets Frédéric , Casabianca Hervé , Marestin Catherine , Mercier Regis , Weidner Steffen M. , Kricheldorf Hans R. , Errachid Abdelhamid , Vulliet Emmanuelle , Hammami Mohamed , Jaffrezic‐Renault Nicole
Published: December 2021

The main objective of this work was to design new advanced sorbent phases, alternating copolymers, derived from isosorbide and 2,6‐difluorpyridine, to be used for the removal of aromatic organic pollutants present in water at low concentrations. Six different monomers, dianhydrohexitols isomers and bisphenol derivatives, were synthesized in order to make it possible to study their hydrophilic and hydrophobic effect on the sorption efficiency of the resulting polymeric phases. Before this study, we have confirmed the chemicals structures, molecular weights, and thermal properties of the obtained polymeric phases. Sorption results show a higher adsorption efficiency of P6 co‐poly(ether‐pyridine) based on bisphenol substituted with pyridine units, for all tested pollutants, hydrophobic and hydrophilic ones, due to its less compact structure. Two aromatic organic pollutants, p‐hydroxybenzoic acid and toluic acid, were selected as sorbates to study the adsorption characteristic, kinetics and isotherms of the co‐poly(ether pyridine) P6. Langmuir model led to a better fitting of the sorption isotherms; the sorption of toluic acid is easier than of that p‐hydroxybenzoic acid. Comparing 1/n values for benzoic acid was two time lower for P6 compared to that for biochar and for cross‐linked methacrylate resin, showing a higher efficiency.
Immune‐related gene expression signatures: a step forward in the stratification of patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma†
Authors: Pérez‐Mies Belén , Carretero‐Barrio Irene , Palacios José
Published: December 2021

Clear cell carcinoma of the ovary (CCC) is one of the five major histological types of ovarian cancer and presents specific clinicopathological features, such as a higher prevalence in the Asian population and a poor response to conventional chemotherapy. In a recent publication in The Journal of Pathology, Heong, Tan, Miwa et al demonstrated the heterogeneity of the immune landscape of CCC. They reported the immune signatures observed in a large cohort of CCC, including tumours from both Asian and Caucasian women. The authors analysed three cohorts from Europe, Japan, and Singapore, with a total of 246 tumours, and evaluated 730 immune‐related genes using NanoString technology. The study revealed four main transcriptional subtypes characterised by the expression of specific sets of genes: PD1‐high (11%), CTLA4‐high (29%), antigen‐presentation (42%), and a pro‐angiogenic subtype (18%). The two main conclusions of the study were: (1) that CCCs in women of Asian and Caucasian descent share significant molecular similarities, since all four molecular signatures are present in all the cohorts analysed, without any evident differences in frequency; and (2) that the PD1‐high and CTLA4‐high subtypes were associated with worse clinical outcomes and may be useful when stratifying treatment in early‐stage tumours. The immune signature could represent a promising biomarker of immunotherapy response if future prospective studies confirm it. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Changes in cancer incidence and survival among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia, 1997–2016
Authors: Youlden Danny R. , Baade Peter D. , McBride Craig A. , Pole Jason D. , Moore Andrew S. , Valery Patricia C. , Young Angela , Aitken Joanne F.
Published: December 2021

Background

This study reports cancer incidence and survival among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and other Australian children, and assesses changes over time.

Procedure

Data were from the population‐based Australian Childhood Cancer Registry. The study comprised children aged under 15 diagnosed between 1997 and 2016 and with mortality follow‐up until 31 December 2017. Incidence trends were analysed using JoinPoint regression. Five‐year cancer‐specific survival was calculated using the semi‐complete approach with survival comparisons made using multivariable flexible parametric models.

Results

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children accounted for 506 of 13,299 eligible cases (3.8%). Incidence rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children across the study period increased by 2.3% annually (95% confidence interval [CI]: +0.6% to +4.0%) and for other Australian children increased by 0.6% annually (95% CI: +0.3% to +0.9%; p = .05). Nonetheless, cancer incidence was consistently lower for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, with an incidence rate ratio of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.62–0.85; p < .01) between 2012 and 2016. Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with solid tumours was 70.6% (95% CI: 62.5%–77.3%) and for other Australian children was 83.5% (95% CI: 82.3%–84.7%; p < .01), with indications of this difference diminishing in recent years.

Conclusions

Improvements in identification, particularly in urban areas, most likely accounts for the greater increase in cancer incidence rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Examination of data on stage at diagnosis and treatment may provide important insights into survival for children with solid tumours.
Outcomes of Wilms tumor treatment in western Kenya
Authors: Uittenboogaard Aniek , Njuguna Festus , Mostert Saskia , Langat Sandra , van de Velde Mirjam E. , Olbara Gilbert , Vik Terry A. , Kaspers Gertjan J. L.
Published: December 2021

Background/objectives

Wilms tumor (WT) is a curable type of cancer with 5‐year survival rates of over 90% in high‐income countries, whereas this is less than 50% in low‐ and middle‐income countries. We assessed treatment outcomes of children with WT treated at a large Kenyan teaching and referral hospital.

Design/methods

We conducted a retrospective record review of children diagnosed with WT between 2013 and 2016. Treatment protocol consisted of 6 weeks of preoperative chemotherapy and surgery, and 4–18 weeks of postoperative chemotherapy depending on disease stage. Probability of event‐free survival (pEFS) and overall survival (pOS) was assessed using Kaplan–Meier method with Cox regression analysis. Competing events were analyzed with cumulative incidences and Fine–Gray regression analysis.

Results

Of the 92 diagnosed patients, 69% presented with high‐stage disease. Two‐year observed EFS and OS were, respectively, 43.5% and 67%. Twenty‐seven percent of children died, 19% abandoned treatment, and 11% suffered from progressive or relapsed disease. Patients who were diagnosed in 2015–2016 compared to 2013–2014 showed higher pEFS. They less often had progressive or relapsed disease (p = .015) and borderline significant less often abandonment of treatment (p = .09). Twenty‐nine children received radiotherapy, and 2‐year pEFS in this group was 86%.

Conclusion

Outcome of children with WT improved over the years despite advanced stage at presentation. Survival probabilities of patients receiving comprehensive therapy including radiation are approaching those of patients in high‐income countries. Additional improvement could be achieved by ensuring that patients receive all required treatment and working on earlier diagnosis strategies.
Prenatal work‐up, associated anomalies and postnatal outcomes of foetuses with 9–9.9 mm cerebral ventricular atria width
Authors: Sharon‐Weiner Maya , Gluska Hadar , Farladansky‐Gershnabel Sivan , Schreiber Hanoch , Biron‐Shental Tal , Markovitch Ofer
Published: December 2021

Objective

To analyse prenatal work‐up, associated anomalies and postnatal outcomes of foetuses with cerebral lateral ventricular width 9–9.9 mm.

Method

This retrospective, observational, case‐control study included 121 foetuses with initial presentation of isolated cerebral lateral ventricular width 9–9.9 mm detected during routine ultrasound scans, 21–24 weeks' gestation, in a tertiary referral centre, January 2001–December 2018. Controls included 123 foetuses with lateral ventricular width <9 mm measured under the same parameters. Clinical characteristics, obstetrical history, ultrasound findings, prenatal work‐up and pregnancy outcomes were collected from medical records. Information about postnatal functional and neurodevelopmental sequelae were obtained from telephone‐based questionnaires.

Results

The study group had more males (82/116 (70.6%) versus 65/123 (52.8%), p = 0.004), more prenatal testing, including brain magnetic resonance imaging (28/116 (24.1%) versus 0/123 (0%), p < 0.001), echocardiography (46/116 (39.7%) versus 15/123 (12.2%), p < 0.001) and targeted anomaly scans (102/116 (87.9%) versus 1/123 (0.008%), p < 0.001). Long‐term follow‐up did not reveal more neurodevelopmental sequelae compared to controls. Gender‐based analysis found more males with ventricular dilatation 9–9.9 mm treated for developmental delay compared to females with similar findings (15/82 (18.2%) versus 1/34 (2.9%), p = 0.010).

Conclusion

Foetuses with 9–9.9 mm cerebral lateral ventricular width versus <9 mm underwent more prenatal testing but had similar rates of neurodevelopmental sequelae.
Validity of self‐reports of medication treatment of depression in general population surveys
Authors: Mojtabai Ramin , Amin‐Esmaeili Masoumeh
Published: December 2021

Purpose

To assess the concurrent validity of a single question on medication use for depression in a general population survey.

Methods

Using data from 2015 to 2016 and 2017 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we compared responses to a single question on medication use for depression with responses to a detailed questionnaire confirmed by inspecting medication packages or pharmacy printouts.

Results

There was a strong agreement (96.4%) between response to a single question about using medication for depression and responses to questions about using antidepressants or other psychiatric medications for depression on the detailed questionnaire. The single‐question assessment had excellent sensitivity (93.8%) and specificity (96.7%), positive predictive value (71.5%), and kappa (0.79). Psychometric properties were mostly consistent across population subgroups.

Conclusions

Single‐question assessments of medication use for depression have acceptable concurrent validity against more detailed assessments and provide an efficient method for assessing medication treatment of depression in population health surveys.
High‐throughput cell‐free screening of eukaryotic membrane protein expression in lipidic mimetics
Authors: Bruni Renato , Laguerre Aisha , Kaminska Anna‐Maria , McSweeney Sean , Hendrickson Wayne A. , Liu Qun
Published: December 2021

Membrane proteins play essential roles in cellular function and metabolism. Nonetheless, biophysical and structural studies of membrane proteins are impeded by the difficulty of their expression in and purification from heterologous cell‐based systems. As an alternative to these cell‐based systems, cell‐free protein synthesis has proven to be an exquisite method for screening membrane protein targets in a variety of lipidic mimetics. Here we report a high‐throughput screening workflow and apply it to screen 61 eukaryotic membrane protein targets. For each target, we tested its expression in lipidic mimetics: two detergents, two liposomes, and two nanodiscs. We show that 35 membrane proteins (57%) can be expressed in a soluble fraction in at least one of the mimetics with the two detergents performing significantly better than nanodiscs and liposomes, in that order. Using the established cell‐free workflow, we studied the production and biophysical assays for mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) complexes. Our studies show that the complexes produced in cell‐free are functionally competent in complex formation and substrate binding. Our results highlight the utility of using cell‐free systems for screening and production of eukaryotic membrane proteins.
Improved hospitalization rates in a specialty center for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Kosanovich Chad M. , Pi Hongyang , Handen Adam , Schikowski Erin , Chen Yimin , Thoma Floyd W. , Mulukutla Suresh , Koscumb Steve , Nouraie Mehdi , Chan Stephen Y.
Published: December 2021

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction can be complicated by pulmonary hypertension. We designed a retrospective study to provide supporting evidence for referral to specialty care centers. Specialty care centers improved hospitalizations but not mortality—in part due to more aggressive medication management and guideline‐directed monitoring.
Inflammatory pseudotumor mimicking chronic pulmonary embolism or pulmonary artery sarcoma: Report of five cases
Authors: Liao Xiaoyan , Bojanowski Christine M. , Yen Andrew , Kerr Kim M. , Dumouchel Justin , Auger William R. , Madani Michael M. , Pretorius Victor , Wang Huan‐You , Yi Eunhee S. , Lin Grace Y.
Published: December 2021

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT), also known as plasma cell granuloma, is a rare lesion of unknown etiology that occurs in many organs, especially in the lung. Here we report five cases of IPT arising in pulmonary artery mimicking chronic thromboembolic disease, not previously documented in the literature. Those cases were identified at our institute among over 2500 pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) specimens acquired from 2000 to 2017. The cohort included three men and two women with a median age of 41 years (range: 23–54). All patients presented with dyspnea and radiologic findings of pulmonary artery thromboembolism, some concerning for intimal sarcoma. The duration between disease onset and PEA ranged from 6 months to approximately 3 years. Histologically, all cases showed proliferation of spindle cells with marked inflammatory infiltrates composed predominantly of plasma cells, histiocytes, and small lymphocytes. Ancillary studies were performed in each case and ruled out other possibilities, such as sarcoma, lymphoma, plasmacytoma, IgG4‐related disease, and infection. IPT arising in pulmonary artery presenting clinically as acute or chronic thromboembolic disease is very unusual, in which clinical data, radiographic findings, and histopathologic features have to be integrated for reaching the proper diagnosis.
A novel single composite Shewhart‐EWMA control chart for monitoring the process mean
Authors: Malela‐Majika Jean‐Claude , Shongwe Sandile C. , Castagliola Philippe , Mutambayi Ruffin M.
Published: December 2021

Statistical process monitoring (SPM) literature recommends the combination of Shewhart and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) schemes to improve the ability of the standalone Shewhart and EWMA monitoring schemes in detecting small to large shifts. The resulting scheme is named combined (or composite) Shewhart‐EWMA (CSEWMA) scheme. In this paper, a new single composite Shewhart‐EWMA (denoted as SCSEWMA) scheme for monitoring the mean when the process parameters are known or unknown is proposed using an additive weighted model. The flexibility of the proposed scheme is made possible by an additional weighing parameter that regulates its sensitivity towards shifts of different sizes. The new scheme is compared to the existing Shewhart, EWMA and CSEWMA schemes, and the results reveal the superiority of the proposed scheme over the latter schemes. Simulated and real‐life data are used to demonstrate the application and implementation of the proposed scheme.
On the line shape of the total rovibronic absorption in laser‐dressed diatomic molecules
Authors: Halász Gábor J. , Szidarovszky Tamás , Vibók Ágnes
Published: December 2021

Recently, the rovibronic absorption and emission spectra of diatomic molecules dressed by medium‐intensity laser fields have been discussed. By computing the total absorption probability as a function of dressing wavelength an asymmetric line shape has been obtained strongly resembling to the well‐known Fano line shape. Applying two‐state analytical and three‐state numerical models the shape of the total absorption probability function is explained. Further confirmation of the model based results is provided by high resolution accurate numerical computations using large number of basis functions.
Lingual Raynaud's phenomenon in a patient with mixed connective tissue disease
Authors: Gilbert Emily L.
Published: December 2021

Key points

Raynaud's phenomenon may occur as a primary problem or secondary to an autoimmune disease such as scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, SLE, or Sjogren's.

Lingual Raynaud's is rare, but it is important to recognize as it is often attributed to autoimmune disease.

There is a wide range of symptoms in lingual Raynaud's from asymptomatic to severe, throbbing pain. Meticulous history taking is essential.
Electroless Deposition to Fabricate Radiation Protection Suits for Pregnant Women: Effect of Water Bath Temperature on the Electromagnetic Shielding Performance
Authors: Liu Wenya , Sun Di , Ma Haodong , Huang Junjun , Chen Zhenming , Gui Chengmei
Published: December 2021

Electroless plating (EP) has great potential application in fabricating low‐cost metallized material. Here, EP‐Ni on cotton surface to fabricate radiation protection suits for pregnant women was established. The cotton fiber could absorb Sn, Pd particles and acted as catalytic center for EP‐Ni. Ni particle with (111) crystal plane preferential oriented crystal structure deposited on cotton surface with a coarse microstructure. The fabricated material exhibited an shielding effectiveness of 29.5 dB. Studies also shown that higher bath temperature would facilitate the enhancement of the crystallinity, electrical and electromagnetic shielding performance by 7 %, and the maximum cleaning temperature could reach 80 °C.
Design and Synthesis of Hydrazone‐Bearing Benzenesulfonamides as Carbonic Anhydrase VB Inhibitors
Authors: Urbelytė Liucija , Bagdonas Martynas , Grybaitė Birutė , Vaickelionienė Rita , Mickevičiūtė Aurelija , Michailovienė Vilma , Matulis Daumantas , Mickevičius Vytautas , Zubrienė Asta
Published: December 2021

The α‐amino acid derivatives are constituents of many bioactive compounds and display a wide variety of biological activities. We have synthesized a series of new benzenesulfonamide derivatives bearing α‐amino acid moiety at para‐position and evaluated their binding affinity to human carbonic anhydrase isozymes by fluorescent thermal shift assay. The dichloro‐ and monobromo‐substitutions on the benzenesulfonamide ring have been introduced to determine the halogenation effect on the binding affinity. Chloro substituents at 3,5‐positions of benzenesulfonamide derivatives increased the affinity for all carbonic anhydrases as compared to non‐chlorinated compounds. The hydrazone‐bearing 3,5‐dichlorobenzenesulfonamides 9 a, 9 d, and 12 exhibited a low nanomolar affinity for CA VB (Kd in the range of 6.6–8.1 nM), an isozyme implicated in diseases of the central nervous system and obesity.
Photoresponsive Solid Nanochannels Membranes: Design and Applications
Authors: Cheng Shi‐Qi , Zhang Si‐Yun , Min Xue‐Hong , Tao Ming‐Jie , Han Xiao‐Le , Sun Yue , Liu Yi
Published: December 2021

Light stimuli have notable advantages over other environmental stimuli, such as more precise spatial and temporal regulation, and the ability to serve as an energy source to power the system. In nature, photoresponsive nanochannels are important components of organisms, with examples including the rhodopsin channels in optic nerve cells and photoresponsive protein channels in the photosynthesis system of plants. Inspired by biological channels, scientists have constructed various photoresponsive, smart solid‐state nanochannels membranes for a range of applications. In this review, the methods and applications of photosensitive nanochannels membranes are summarized. The authors believe that this review will inspire researchers to further develop multifunctional artificial nanochannels for applications in the fields of biosensors, stimuli‐responsive smart devices, and nanofluidic devices, among others.
MOF‐Enabled Ion‐Regulating Gel Electrolyte for Long‐Cycling Lithium Metal Batteries Under High Voltage
Authors: Fu Xuewei , Hurlock Matthew J. , Ding Chenfeng , Li Xiaoyu , Zhang Qiang , Zhong Wei‐Hong
Published: December 2021

High‐voltage lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are a promising high‐energy‐density energy storage system. However, their practical implementations are impeded by short lifespan due to uncontrolled lithium dendrite growth, narrow electrochemical stability window, and safety concerns of liquid electrolytes. Here, a porous composite aerogel is reported as the gel electrolyte (GE) matrix, made of metal–organic framework (MOF)@bacterial cellulose (BC), to enable long‐life LMBs under high voltage. The effectiveness of suppressing dendrite growth is achieved by regulating ion deposition and facilitating ion conduction. Specifically, two hierarchical mesoporous Zr‐based MOFs with different organic linkers, that is, UiO‐66 and NH2‐UiO‐66, are embedded into BC aerogel skeletons. The results indicate that NH2‐UiO‐66 with anionphilic linkers is more effective in increasing the Li+ transference number; the intermolecular interactions between BC and NH2‐UiO‐66 markedly increase the electrochemical stability. The resulting GE shows high ionic conductivity (≈1 mS cm−1), high Li+ transference number (0.82), wide electrochemical stability window (4.9 V), and excellent thermal stability. Incorporating this GE in a symmetrical Li cell successfully prolongs the cycle life to 1200 h. Paired with the Ni‐rich LiNiCoAlO2 (Ni: Co: Al = 8.15:1.5:0.35, NCA) cathode, the NH2‐UiO‐66@BC GE significantly improves the capacity, rate performance, and cycle stability, manifesting its feasibility to operate under high voltage.
Mapping Conductance and Switching Behavior of Graphene Devices In Situ
Authors: Dyck Ondrej , Swett Jacob L. , Evangeli Charalambos , Lupini Andrew R. , Mol Jan A. , Jesse Stephen
Published: December 2021

Graphene is proposed for use in various nanodevice designs, many of which harness emergent quantum properties for device functionality. However, visualization, measurement, and manipulation become nontrivial at nanometer and atomic scales, representing a significant challenge for device fabrication, characterization, and optimization at length scales where quantum effects emerge. Here, proof of principle results at the crossroads between 2D nanoelectronic devices, e‐beam‐induced modulation, and imaging with secondary electron e‐beam induced currents (SEEBIC) is presented. A device platform compatible with scanning transmission electron microscopy investigations is introduced. Then how the SEEBIC imaging technique can be used to visualize conductance and connectivity in single layer graphene nanodevices, even while supported on a thicker substrate (conditions under which conventional imaging fails) is shown. Finally, it is shown that the SEEBIC imaging technique can detect subtle differences in charge transport through time in nonohmic graphene nanoconstrictions indicating the potential to reveal dynamic electronic processes.
Molecular Engineering of Thienyl Functionalized Ullazines as Hole‐Transporting Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Xia Jianxing , Cavazzini Marco , Igci Cansu , Momblona Cristina , Orlandi Simonetta , Ding Bin , Zhang Yi , Kanda Hiroyuki , Klipfel Nadja , Khan Sher Bahadar , Asiri Abdullah Mohamed , Dyson Paul Joseph , Pozzi Gianluca , Nazeeruddin Mohammad Khaja
Published: December 2021

Organic hole‐transporting materials (HTMs) based on the Ullazine core yield so far only moderate power conversion efficiencies of up to 13.08% in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Aiming to fabricate efficient and stable PSCs, novel Ullazine derivatives bearing thiophene units were designed and synthesized, allowing modulation of the electronic states of the HTMs and further providing defect passivation of the perovskite surface. Experimental and theoretical analysis show that thiophene units with ‐N(p‐MeOC6H4)2 groups improve the conductivity of Ullazine HTMs, boosting the efficiency of PSCs to 20.21%. This value is the highest reported to date for Ullazine‐based HTMs, and is close to the performance of Spiro‐OMeTAD. In addition, unencapsulated PSCs based on the champion Ullazine exhibit superior stability with respect to Spiro‐OMeTAD, retaining nearly 90% of the initial efficiency following 1000 h aging, which is ascribed to a combination of higher water repellency and passivation of defects on the perovskite surface. This work demonstrates the high potential of HTMs based on Ullazine core as substitutes to Spiro‐OMeTAD.
Emergent unitarity in de Sitter from matrix integrals
Authors: Cotler Jordan , Jensen Kristan
Published: December 2021

Abstract

We study Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity with positive cosmological constant as a model for de Sitter quantum gravity. We focus on the quantum mechanics of the model at past and future infinity. There is a Hilbert space of asymptotic states and an infinite-time evolution operator between the far past and far future. This evolution is not unitary, although we find that it acts unitarily on a subspace up to non-perturbative corrections. These corrections come from processes which involve changes in the spatial topology, including the nucleation of baby universes. There is significant evidence that this 1+1 dimensional model is dual to a 0+0 dimensional matrix integral in the double-scaled limit. So the bulk quantum mechanics, including the Hilbert space and approximately unitary evolution, emerge from a classical integral. We find that this emergence is a robust consequence of the level repulsion of eigenvalues along with the double scaling limit, and so is rather universal in random matrix theory.
Endovascular Treatment of Cavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas. Institutional Series, Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Alexandre Andrea M. , Sturiale Carmelo Lucio , Bartolo Andrea , Romi Andrea , Scerrati Alba , Flacco Maria Elena , D’Argento Francesco , Scarcia Luca , Garignano Giuseppe , Valente Iacopo , Lozupone Emilio , Pedicelli Alessandro
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Endovascular treatment represents the first-line therapy for cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (CS-dAVF); however, different approaches and embolic agents as well as occlusion rates, complications and clinical outcomes are reported among the published series. In this study we performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to investigate clinical and radiological outcomes after endovascular treatment of CS-dAVFs.

Methods

PubMed, Ovid Medline, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science were screened for a comprehensive literature review from 1990 to 2020 regarding series of patients treated for CS-dAVF with endovascular approaches. We performed a proportion meta-analysis estimating the pooled rates of each outcome also including data of patients treated in our center.

Results

A total of 22 studies reporting 1043 patients and 1066 procedures were included. Chemosis was reported in 559 out of 1043 patients (45.9%), proptosis in 498 (41.5%), and ophthalmoplegia in 344 (23.5%). A transvenous embolization was preferred in 753 cases (63.2%) and coils were used in 712 out of 1066 procedures (57.8%). Overall, 85% (95% confidence interval, CI 69.5–96.1%) of patients had a complete resolution of symptoms, while complications occurred in 7.75% (95% CI 3.82–12.7%) with minimal permanent deficits (0.15%). The mortality rate was 1 out of 1043 patients (< 0.001).

Conclusion

A transvenous coiling is the most common endovascular approach for CS-dAVF, achieving a high percentage of radiological and clinical resolution and low complication rates. Transvenous approaches show less complications than transarterial ones, and coils appear safer than liquid embolic agents.
Allocation costs of regeneration: tail regeneration constrains body growth under low food availability in juvenile lizards
Authors: Fernández-Rodríguez Irene , Braña Florentino
Published: December 2021

The balance of energy allocated to development and growth of different body compartments may incur allocation conflicts and can thereby entail physiological and evolutionary consequences. Regeneration after autotomy restores the functionality lost after shedding a body part but requires a strong energy investment that may trade-off with other processes, like reproduction or growth. Caudal autotomy is a widespread antipredator strategy in lizards, but regeneration may provoke decreased growth rates in juveniles that could have subsequent consequences. Here, we assessed the growth of intact and regenerating hatchling wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) exposed to different food regimens. Regenerating juveniles presented slightly but significantly lower body growth rates than individuals with intact tails when facing low food availability, but there were no differences when food was supplied ad libitum. Regenerating individuals fed ad libitum increased their ingestion rates compared to intact ones during the period of greatest tail growth, which also reveals a cost of tail regeneration. When resources were scarce, hatchlings invested more in tail regeneration in relation to body growth, rather than delay regeneration to give priority to body growth. We propose that, in juvenile lizards, regeneration could be prioritized even at the expense of body growth to restore the functionality of the lost tail, likely increasing survivorship and the probability to reach reproductive maturity. Our study indicates that food availability is a key factor for the occurrence of trade-offs between regeneration and other growth processes, so that environmental conditions would be determinant for the severity of the costs of regeneration.
„Entrustable professional activities“ für NotfallsanitäterInnen
Authors: Flentje Markus , Enax Sascha , Albers Thomas , Meyer Lennart , Eismann Hendrik
Published: December 2021

Hintergrund

Wie in vielen medizinischen Berufen wird auch bei den NotfallsanitäterInnen (NotSan) der Kompetenzbegriff verwendet. Eine Möglichkeit, diese Kompetenz schrittweise entwickeln und messen zu können, steht aus. Ten Cate et al. schlagen hier das Konzept der „entrustable professional activities“ (EPA) vor. Ziel der Studie war, einen Katalog von relevanten Einsatzsituationen zu entwickeln, der die Grundlage für eine EPA-Integration in die Ausbildung ermöglicht.

Methode

Die Erarbeitung des EPA-Katalogs erfolgte über ein 2‑stufiges Verfahren mittels webbasierter Fragebögen. Nach einer eDelphi-Analyse mit Praxisanleitenden im Rettungsdienst, wurden die Items in einem großen Kollektiv hinsichtlich der Relevanz validiert. Anschließend wurden Faktoren identifiziert und Skalen gebildet.

Ergebnisse

Nach Validierung der Ergebnisse der eDelphi-Analyse ergaben sich fünf Skalen mit 22 Items. Sie umfassen die Bereiche „Behandlung spezieller Krankheitsbilder-NACA IV“, „Kommunikation“, „Einbinden von Medizinprodukten in die Patientenbehandlung“, „symptomorientiertes Handeln“ und „Leitsymptom Schmerz“. Die Items beschreiben 59 % der Gesamtvarianz und entsprechen einer stabilen Faktorenlösung.

Schlussfolgerung

Es konnte ein Katalog von relevanten Einsatzsituationen in der NotSan-Ausbildung entwickelt werden, der sich zur weiteren Entwicklung von EPA eignet. Diese sollten flächendeckend und organisationsübergreifend einheitlich genutzt werden. Die Nutzung sollte didaktisch wissenschaftlich begleitet werden.