bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound measurement of perirenal adipose tissue indicates cardiovascular disease, but standardisation is needed: A systematic review
Authors: Baumann Victoria J. A. , Banati Richard , Clarke Jillian L.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

In both highly industrialised and developing countries, obesity is reaching epidemic proportions and increasingly becoming a critical indicator of general morbidity, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and renal dysfunction. A promising trend in detection and management of obesity is the measurement of perirenal adipose tissue (PRAT), increasingly recognised as a metabolically active endocrine organ in itself. Its measurement by ultrasound is used increasingly to indicate visceral obesity and its clinical management. This review synthesises current techniques for measuring PRAT and its potential use as an indicator of CVD.

Methods

We included clinical studies published between 2010 and 2023, investigating the current practice and use of specific ultrasonographic techniques and assessed the reliability and accuracy of included papers. The risk of bias was assessed using the Downs and Black Checklist, and the methodological quality examined using the Grade of Recommendations, Assessments, Development and Evaluation.

Results

It found, PRAT measures are predictive of CVD risk factors and the accuracy of ultrasound is comparable to CT and MRI, but there is no consistency in ultrasound technique. The lack of any randomised control trials and the use of 20 different non‐standardised ultrasound techniques across the 21 studies resulted in inconsistent and imprecise clinical observations and interpretations, which decreased the overall quality of the studies.

Conclusion

This review found the inclusion of ultrasound measures in routine abdominal imaging potentially invaluable but demonstrates the need for standardisation of the perirenal fat ultrasound measuring technique to improve reproducibility and reliability.
Continuous Wavelet Transform as a Signal Processing Technique for Spectrofluorimetric Analysis of Rosuvastatin and Losartan: Greenness and Blueness Assessment
Authors: Abduljabbar Maram H. , Alnemari Reem M. , Almalki Atiah H. , Alqarni Mohammed , Abdel Rahman Mona A. , Serag Ahmed
Published: October 2024

In this study, the application of continuous wavelet transform as a signal processing technique for the spectrofluorimetric determination of rosuvastatin and losartan is investigated. Both rosuvastatin and losartan exhibited native spectrofluorometric signals with severe overlapping peaks, making their simultaneous determination challenging. To address this issue, rbio 2.4 wavelet transformation was employed to obtain zero‐crossing points in the synchronous fluorescence spectra of losartan and rosuvastatin at 346 and 408 nm, respectively, making their quantification possible. The developed method was validated according to the ICH guidelines and displayed high accuracy, precision, and specificity. The method exhibited excellent linearity over concentration ranges 0.2–2.0 and 0.25–2.0 μg/mL for losartan and rosuvastatin, respectively. In addition, LOD and LOQ were 0.046 and 0.140 μg/mL for losartan and 0.036 and 0.110 μg/mL for rosuvastatin, respectively, indicating the high sensitivity of the developed method. Moreover, greenness and blueness assessments were carried, revealing a high AGREE score of 0.71 and BAGI score of 77.5 for the developed method, making it a promising greener alternative for the reported chromatographic methods. Finally, the developed method was applied to the determination of rosuvastatin and losartan in pharmaceutical formulations, posing it as a powerful greener alternative in quality control laboratories.
Mechanosensitive Piezo channels and their potential roles in peripheral auditory perception
Authors: Yi Zhangyi , Yin Ge , Wei Chunjiang , Quan Yizhou , Sun Yu
Published: October 2024

Hearing sound and responding to external and internal mechanical stimuli requires specific proteins as mechanotransducers that convert mechanical forces into biological signals. However, our understanding of the mechanotransduction process in the inner ear is still incomplete. Mechanically activated ion channels, PIEZO1 and PIEZO2, are widely distributed throughout the body and play essential roles. Recent studies have discovered that Piezo channels are expressed in inner ear hair cells, suggesting their potential involvement in auditory perception. This review summarizes the existing discoveries about the Piezo channels, including their structure, mechanogating mechanisms, and general physiological roles, explicitly focusing on Piezo channels in the auditory systems. Piezo channels play roles in ultrasound perception, generation of anomalous current, hair cell development, and potentially in the normal mechanoelectrical transduction process of hair cells. Collectively, this review aims to provide a new perspective on the Piezo channel and its potential roles in auditory perception.
Brain perfusion alterations in patients and survivors of COVID‐19 infection using arterial spin labeling: A systematic review
Authors: Mohammadi Sana , Ghaderi Sadegh , Fatehi Farzad
Published: October 2024

Coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) has been shown to impact the central nervous system, leading to various neurological complications. Arterial spin labeling (ASL), a non‐invasive magnetic resonance imaging technique, enables the measurement of cerebral blood flow and perfusion abnormalities. This systematic review aims to synthesize ASL findings in patients with COVID‐19 and assess the potential role of ASL in diagnosing and managing neurological complications. A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus for studies related to ASL in individuals with COVID‐19 or post‐COVID‐19 syndrome published between December 2019 and August 2024. Extracted data encompassed study characteristics, ASL protocols, cognitive assessments, and principal findings. The most consistent observation across studies was hypoperfusion detected in various brain regions, particularly within the frontal lobes, which may correlate with cognitive impairment and olfactory dysfunction. Additionally, some investigations reported hyperperfusion localized to the leptomeninges. These results may reflect underlying mechanisms such as hypoxic–ischemic injury, inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and neuronal damage attributable to COVID‐19. In conclusion, ASL has emerged as a valuable tool for evaluating brain perfusion among patients affected by or recovering from COVID‐19 since it offers critical insights into cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism. Further research is warranted to validate these ASL findings and elucidate whether post‐COVID‐19 syndrome contributes to persistent brain perfusion issues.
Optimal configuration of dynamic VAR compensators considering uncertainty and correlation
Authors: Mao Xiaoming , Qiu Zijing , Chen Shengbo
Published: October 2024

The transient voltage stability of modern power systems is challenged by the increasing uncertainty on source‐load dual sides. To cope with it, a robust optimal configuration method for dynamic VAR compensators (DVCs) is proposed. First, a series of power‐flow scenarios are generated with uncertainty and correlation considered, where nonparametric kernel density estimation is used to predict the marginal distribution of wind speeds and combined Copula function is employed to characterize correlations between nearby wind farms. Then, the variation‐of‐information indicator is introduced to assess the similarity among power‐flow (PF) scenarios, and representative PF (RPF) scenarios are screened with the help of Spectral clustering algorithm. Finally, locating and sizing of DVCs for RPF scenarios are achieved. By synthesizing the compensation schemes for RPF scenarios, the robust configuration scheme is suggested. Simulation studies in the modified New England 10‐machine 39‐bus system show the proposed method can ensure transient voltage security of the studied power system under source‐load uncertainty.
Rapid high‐dose cyclophosphamide as bridging treatment for advanced therapies in multiple myeloma
Authors: Marable Marcus , Kelly Kaitlin , Cooperrider Jennifer H. , Jakubowiak Andrzej , Derman Benjamin A.
Published: October 2024

Patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma proceeding with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy or bispecific antibodies (BsAb) may need bridging therapy to realize their benefits. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of rapid, peripheral, high‐dose cyclophosphamide (TurboCy) in 15 patients intending to proceed with CAR T‐cell therapy, BsAbs, or long‐term regimens. The overall response rate was 80% and the clinical benefit rate was 100% in a heavily pretreated high‐risk cohort. Cytopenias were common but no deaths occurred during bridging. All patients proceeded to their next line of intended therapy. TurboCy is an effective and safe bridging strategy.
A Facile Strategy for Preparing Flexible and Porous Hydrogel‐Based Scaffolds from Silk Sericin/Wool Keratin by In Situ Bubble‐Forming for Muscle Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Demiray Elif Beyza , Sezgin Arslan Tugba , Derkus Burak , Arslan Yavuz Emre
Published: October 2024

In the present study, it is aimed to fabricate a novel silk sericin (SS)/wool keratin (WK) hydrogel‐based scaffolds using an in situ bubble‐forming strategy containing an N‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl)‐N′‐ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) coupling reaction. During the rapid gelation process, CO2 bubbles are released by activating the carboxyl groups in sericin with EDC and NHS, entrapped within the gel, creating a porous cross‐linked structure. With this approach, five different hydrogels (S2K1, S4K2, S2K4, S6K3, and S3K6) are constructed to investigate the impact of varying sericin and keratin ratios. Analyses reveal that more sericin in the proteinaceous mixture reinforced the hydrogel network. Additionally, the hydrogels’ pore size distribution, swelling ratio, wettability, and in vitro biodegradation rate, which are crucial for the applications of biomaterials, are evaluated. Moreover, biocompatibility and proangiogenic properties are analyzed using an in‐ovo chorioallantoic membrane assay. The findings suggest that the S4K2 hydrogel exhibited the most promising characteristics, featuring an adequately flexible and highly porous structure. The results obtained by in vitro assessments demonstrate the potential of S4K2 hydrogel in muscle tissue engineering. However, further work is necessary to improve hydrogels with an aligned structure to meet the features that can fully replace muscle tissue for volumetric muscle loss regeneration.
Silk Composite‐Based Multifunctional Pellets for Controlled Release
Authors: Indrakumar Sushma , Gugulothu Sriram Bharath , Joshi Akshat , Dash Tapan Kumar , Mishra Vivek , Tandon Bharat , Chatterjee Kaushik
Published: October 2024

Chronic wounds present significant clinical challenges due to the high risk of infections and persistent inflammation. While personalized treatments in point‐of‐care settings are crucial, they are limited by the complex fabrication techniques of the existing products. The calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CSH)‐based drug delivery platform enables rapid fabrication but lacks antioxidant and antibacterial properties, essential to promote healing. To develop a multifunctional platform, a tannic acid (TA)‐silk fibroin (SF) complex is engineered and incorporated as an additive in CSH cement. This cement is then cast into pellets to create silk/bioceramic‐based composite drug delivery systems, designed for point‐of‐care use. Compared to neat CSH pellets, the composite pellets exhibit a 7.5‐fold increase in antioxidant activity and prolonged antibacterial efficacy (up to 13 d). Moreover, the subcutaneous implantation of the pellets shows no hallmarks of local or systemic toxicity in a rodent model. The pellets are optimized in composition and fabrication to ease market translation. Clinically, the pellets have the potential to be further developed into products to place on wound beds or fill into bone cavities that are designed to deliver the intended therapeutic effect. The developed multifunctional system proves to be a promising solution for personalized treatment in point‐of‐care settings.
Synthesis and Physicochemical Properties of Poly(2‐Alkyl‐2‐Oxazoline)‐Conjugated Hemoglobins as an Artificial O2 Carrier: Comparison with Polyethylene Glycol Conjugates
Authors: Wakabayashi Ryuhei , Ishii Kota , Yamada Taiga , Komatsu Teruyuki
Published: October 2024

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a biocompatible polymer extensively employed to prolong blood circulation and mitigate the immunogenicity of the protein therapeutics. Nonetheless, there are reports of anti‐PEG antibody production. Poly(2‐alkyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PROx) exhibits analogous immunological stealth properties and represents a potential substitute for PEG. This study details the synthesis of PROx‐conjugated hemoglobins (PROxm‐Hbs, R = Me, Et) as artificial O2 carriers, functioning as red blood cell (RBC) substitutes, and evaluates their O2 affinities and solution properties. The average number of polymers bound is designed to be 6 or 11. The O2 affinities (P50) of PMeOxm‐Hbs and PEtOxm‐Hbs are ascertained as 9 Torr, comparable to those of PEG‐conjugated Hbs (PEGm‐Hbs). The PEtOx6‐HbT, synthesized under an N2 atmosphere, exhibited a low O2 affinity (P50 = 57 Torr). Through the admixture of PEtOx6‐Hb and PEtOx6‐HbT, the P50 value of the formulation to range from 9 to 57 Tor can be tailored as desired. The colloid osmotic pressures and viscosities of PMeOxm‐Hb and PEtOxm‐Hb solutions are lower than those of the corresponding PEGm‐Hb solutions. Furthermore, the PROx conjugates evinced no cytotoxicity against normal cells. PMeOxm‐Hbs and PEtOxm‐Hbs, characterized by their appropriate O2 affinities and solution properties, present themselves as promising alternative materials to RBCs.
Polymerization‐Induced Self‐Assembly Providing PEG‐Gels with Dynamic Micelle‐Crosslinked Hierarchical Structures and Overall Improvement of Their Comprehensive Performances
Authors: Chang Zi‐Xuan , Hong Chun‐Yan , Zhang Wen‐Jian
Published: October 2024

Polymer gels are fascinating soft materials and have become excellent candidates for wearable electronics, biomedicine, sensors, etc. Synthetic gels usually suffer from poor mechanical properties, and integrating good mechanical properties, adhesiveness, stability, and self‐healing performances in one gel is more difficult. Herein, polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) providing PEG‐gels with an overall improvement in their comprehensive performances is reported. PISA synthesis is carried out in PEG (solvent) to efficiently produce various nanoparticles, which are used as the nanofillers in the subsequent synthesis of PEG‐gels with dynamic micelle‐crosslinked hierarchical structures. Compared to hydrogels, PEG‐gels show excellent long‐term stability due to the nonvolatile feature of PEG solvent. The hierarchical PEG‐gels (with nanofillers) exhibit better mechanical and adhesive properties than the homogeneous‐gels (without nanofillers). The energy dissipation mechanism of the PEG‐gels is analyzed via stress relaxation and cyclic mechanical tests. High‐density hydrogen bonds between the micelles and PAA matrix can be broken and reformed, endowing better self‐healing properties of the dynamic micelle‐crosslinked PEG gels. This work provides a simple strategy for producing hierarchical structural gels with enhanced properties, which offers fundamentals and inspirations for the designing of various advanced functional materials.
Autonomous Attack Mitigation Through Firewall Reconfiguration
Authors: Bringhenti Daniele , Pizzato Francesco , Sisto Riccardo , Valenza Fulvio
Published: October 2024

Packet filtering firewalls represent a main defense line against cyber attacks that target computer networks daily. However, the traditional manual approaches for their configuration are no longer applicable to next‐generation networks, which have become much more complex after the introduction of virtualization paradigms. Some automatic strategies have been investigated in the literature to change that old‐fashioned configuration approach, but they are not fully autonomous and still require several human interventions. In order to overcome these limitations, this paper proposes an autonomous approach for firewall reconfiguration where all steps are automated, from the derivation of the security requirements coming from the logs of IDSs to the deployment of the automatically computed configurations. A core component of this process is React‐VEREFOO, which models the firewall reconfiguration problem as a Maximum Satisfiability Modulo Theories problem, allowing the combination of full automation, formal verification, and optimization in a single technique. An implementation of this proposal has undergone experimental validation to show its effectiveness and performance.
Humanistic care ability and its influencing factors among Chinese surgical nurses
Authors: Teng Xiao‐Ju , Yan Miao‐Miao , Yan‐Qun X. U. , Yuan‐Zheng L. I. , Tao Xiu‐Bin , Zou Wei‐Zhen , Wang Xiao‐Ming , Wang Wenru , Jiang Ying
Published: October 2024

Aim

This paper aims to investigate the humanistic care ability among surgical nurses in China and identify its statistically significant influencing factors.

Design

A cross‐sectional, descriptive and correlational design was used.

Methods

A total of 210 surgical nurses were recruited from a tertiary public hospital in Wuhu, Anhui Province. Four with incomplete responses were excluded, leaving 206 participants for data analysis. Variables were measured using the general questionnaire, caring ability inventory (CAI), and General Self‐Efficacy Scale (GSES). Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to identify the statistically significant influencing factors of participants' humanistic caring ability.

Results

The overall average score of the CAI was 190.14 (SD = 19.24), and the average scores for the three dimensions of cognitive, courage, and patience were 70.46 (SD = 7.77), 62.12 (SD = 8.47) and 57.56 (SD = 6.02), respectively. The overall average score of the GSES was 26.05 (SD = 5.77). Professional attitude, perceived care from the department head nurse, perceived care from colleagues and self‐efficacy were the statistically significant factors influencing the humanistic care ability of surgical nurses (R2 = 0.45, adjusted R2 = 0.44, F = 40.64, p < 0.001).
Conceptual Considerations for Understanding Resilience in Healthcare Students
Authors: Donnellan Claire , Chakkittakandy Deepthi , Lydon Christina
Published: October 2024

Aims

Increasing attention has been given to the concept resilience in the context of healthcare especially during and post the COVID pandemic. Much of the inquiry and evidence reported has focused on promoting or enhancing resilience in healthcare for improving the quality of care and reducing medical negligence. This discursive paper aims to highlight how resilience is conceptualised and identify any potential limitations or gaps in the context of healthcare students, acknowledging considerations for further development and research into this topic.

Design and Methods

This discursive discussion draws on relevant theoretical underpinnings from the fields of adjustment and coping psychology, and research and evidence from health sciences, for facilitating an understanding of resilience in supporting healthcare students to adapt into professional practice.

Results

Investigation of resilience in healthcare students is mainly identified at an individual level as personal traits or skills for working within complex healthcare systems and clinical environments. Less attention has been given to examining resilience at the organisation or systemic level. This is primarily because of limited frameworks for investigating resilience from a multidimensional perspective recognising a wider systemic level influenced by external factors including socioecological determinants, for example, available support services for healthcare students.

Conclusions

The link between resilience and its function to mitigate against associated neuropsychological distress and subsequent pathopsychological disorders in healthcare student cohorts is recognised; however, greater understanding of resilience as a multidimensional construct is warranted.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

A multidimensional investigation of resilience is critical for the preparation and readiness of healthcare structures and organisations in facilitating the needs of healthcare students entering challenging and diverse healthcare working environments.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands
Authors: Leite Ana , Catarino Luís , Seck Sambu , Mbunhe Quintino , Cuní‐Sanchez Aida
Published: October 2024

The ecological impacts of landscape changes resulting in significant simplification of natural systems have been extensively studied worldwide. Yet, few studies have examined how such biophysical changes affect the value local communities place on nature and their relationships with it.

In this study, we delve into the case of Guinea‐Bissau, where woodland cover has been increasingly replaced by commercial cashew plantations. Using a sociocultural valuation approach, our empirical research provides a comprehensive assessment of the woodlands' contributions to local communities as well as the potential disruptions caused by the ongoing biophysical changes on the woodlands. We focused on 20 villages of four different ethnic groups—Manjack, Balanta, Mandinka and Fulani—and used a combination of focus group discussions and walks‐in‐the‐woods.

The study's participants identified 19 nature's contributions to people from the woodlands, which revealed a combination of instrumental, relational and intrinsic values in ways that reflect their subsistence needs and social–cultural contexts. We also found that these values are being impacted, mostly negatively, by the ongoing biophysical changes in the ‘natural’ landscapes tied to regional and global dynamics.

Moreover, our study reveals that local communities are aware of ongoing biophysical changes in their woodlands and perceive them as having negative ecological and psychological consequences for them.

Synthesis and applications: Our study highlights the significance of using a sociocultural perspective to investigate how changes in the landscape affect local peoples' values of nature and their relationships with it. This information can help shape policies and management decisions towards creating better futures that are meaningful for both humans and non‐humans.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Respiratory and functional benefits of manual diaphragmatic release for cleaning‐laborers exposed to occupational hazards
Authors: Azab Alshimaa R. , Elnaggar Ragab K. , Hamouda Dalia G , Aloraini Ghfren S. , Alhegaili Alaa S. , Ahmed Ahmed S. , Basha Maged A. , Alsharidah Ashwag S. , Kamel FatmaAlzahraa H. , Elshehawy Ahmed A.
Published: October 2024

Background and Purpose:

To examine the respiratory and functional benefits of manual diaphragmatic release for Cleaning‐Laborers Exposed to Occupational Hazards.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial of 36 participants aged 35–45 years was randomly allocated into two groups. The experimental group (n = 18); received manual diaphragm release along with respiratory training exercises, and the control group (n = 18); received respiratory training exercises only. Three times/week for 12 consecutive weeks. The serum immunoglobulin E level, pulmonary functions [forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, and peak expiratory flow (PEF) rate (PEF)], chest wall mobility, and 6 min walk‐test performance were assessed pre‐ and post‐intervention.

Results

There was a greater decline in serum immunoglobulin levels (p = 0.003; Partial η2 = 0.23) and enhancement in pulmonary functions [FEV1 (p = 0.025, Partial η2 = 0.14), FVC (p = 0.017, Partial η2 = 0.16), FEV1/FVC (p = 0.028, Partial η2 = 0.13), and PEF (p = 0.012, Partial η2 = 0.17) in the experimental group. Further, there was a greater increase in chest mobility at the xiphoid level (p = 0.002, Partial η2 = 0.25) in the experimental group, but this was not the case at the axillary level (p = 0.29, Partial η2 = 0.03). Still, the 6 min walk‐test performance improved more significantly in the experimental group (p = 0.002, Partial η2 = 0.24).

Conclusion

The diaphragmatic release technique may offer a promising approach for mitigating distressing respiratory symptoms, enhancing immune function, and improving 6 min walk‐test performance among cleaning laborers with work‐related respiratory hazards.

Trial registration

The study was retrospectively registered at XXX (ID: NCT05802355).
Riparian Vegetated Area in Pre‐Dam, Post‐Dam, and Environmental Flow Periods in Canyonlands National Park From 1940 to 2022
Authors: Perkins Dustin W. , Wight Aneth , Wondzell Mark , Friedman Jonathan M.
Published: October 2024

The Upper Colorado River Basin is the principal water supply of the western United States and includes a series of canyons that provide habitat for disproportionate numbers of flora and fauna. Following the closing of Flaming Gorge and Blue Mesa dams in 1963 and 1966, decreases in peak flows and elevated base flows allowed extensive vegetation encroachment, channel narrowing, and channel simplification. Since 1992, reservoir releases have been modified to increase the ratio of peak to base flows for environmental reasons, including protection of endangered fish. We used remote imagery from 1940 to 2022 to examine rates of vegetation encroachment along three river reaches in Canyonlands National Park during the pre‐dam (1940–1966), post‐dam (1967–1992), and environmental flows (1993–2022) periods. We found an increase in the vegetated area along the Colorado and Green Rivers upstream of their confluence since 1940. We documented a 6.1% and 4.0% increase in vegetated area in the post‐dam period and a 19.5% and 6.5% increase in vegetated area in the environmental flows period on the Colorado and Green Rivers, respectively. The Cataract Canyon reach (Colorado River below the confluence) has been stable since 1966. All three river reaches showed the slowest period of vegetation encroachment, indicative of channel narrowing, in the last 16 years of environmental flows that included a large peakflow in 2011. Environmental flows that mimic the natural hydrograph have not reversed decreases in peak flow and channel width, due in part to decreasing runoff and increasing flow diversion. Flow alterations that reduce the spring peak could cause further narrowing.
Entropy‐Driven Self‐Assembly of DNA Origami Isomers
Authors: Wu Hongrui , Xu Xiaojin , Wei Bryan , Lakerveld Richard
Published: October 2024

Entropy can be an important factor to direct the self‐assembly of biomolecules into specific configurations, which requires repeatable and predictable design principles. Herein, a DNA origami system is presented, which folds into isomers with similar enthalpy but different conformational entropy due to loop formation of the scaffold, which is described quantitatively by an entropy model. It is demonstrated that the equilibrium distribution of a basic system consisting of two isomers can be tuned by changing the length, position, and number of scaffold loops, which is in good agreement with the model predictions. It is also shown that the folding pathway can be controlled kinetically through simple changes in the assembly protocol. Finally, a demonstration is done on how the equilibrium distribution of a more complicated system with six isomers can also be tuned in good agreement with model predictions. Overall, a new system and model for synthesizing nanoscale structures through predictable entropy‐driven self‐assembly of DNA origami is demonstrated. Given that the model is based on first principles, it is anticipated that the framework can be extended to the self‐assembly of other macromolecules such as proteins and RNA.
Microfluidic Exploitation of Liquid Crystal Properties of Boron Nitride Nanotubes and Enhancing Neutron Shielding with Aligned Structure
Authors: Kim Young‐Kyeong , Kim Su‐Yeon , Joo Yongho , Jang Se Gyu , Choi Siyoung Q. , Lee Sang Seok
Published: October 2024

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are cylindrical nanostructures characterized by alternating boron and nitrogen atoms. Unlike carbon nanotubes (CNT), BNNTs are electrically insulating and exhibit high thermal stability and neutron shielding capabilities. Their unique tubular structure enables the formation of 1D arrays, which can achieve a nematic liquid crystal phase, ideal for fabricating high‐density structures. However, the widespread application of BNNTs has been hindered by challenges in purifying and dispersing high‐purity BNNTs. This study aims to exploit the liquid crystal properties of BNNTs by generating high‐purity BNNT dispersions through a series of dispersion and purification processes. Furthermore, this study utilizes microfluidics technology to encapsulate the BNNT dispersions. Using this approach, the transition of liquid crystal phases in relation to BNNT concentration is efficiently examined. This process results in the production of high‐density BNNT films characterized by pronounced anisotropy, which in turn provides significant thermal neutron shielding effects.
Exploring Metal‐Organic Molecular Beam Epitaxy as an Alternative Pathway towards 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WSe2 and WS2
Authors: Schütze Adrian , Schädlich Philip , Seyller Thomas , Göhler Fabian
Published: October 2024

A new approach for the growth of vertical 2D van‐der‐Waals heterostructures is reported: Using metal‐organic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE), aspects of chemical and physical vapor deposition are combined to grow ultrathin films of WX2 (X = Se, S) on epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001). Thorough investigation of the films using a variety of spectroscopy, diffraction, and microscopy techniques reveals an island‐like growth of predominantly mono‐ and bilayer regions with crystallite size up to 300 nm, which show a preferred epitaxial alignment with the graphene substrate. Angle‐resolved photoemission reveals a well‐developed band structure of the heterostructure, with the growth process showing minimal effect on the electronic structure of the graphene sheet.
Structural Design of Hybrid Fillers in a Polymer Matrix for Advanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
Authors: Hwang Uiseok , Lee Jinwoo , Kim Seunghyun , Yang Xin , Kim Soochan , Suhr Jonghwan , Nam Jae‐Do
Published: October 2024

The rapid development of modern advanced electronic systems has created a pressing need for multifunctional polymer composites that can withstand external adversities such as electromagnetic waves, flames, and mechanical stresses. Although these requirements can be satisfied by incorporating different types of fillers, high filler loadings often lead to issues such as poor processability and increased material costs. Herein, a multifunctional polyamide‐6 composite is introduced using a carbon‐fiber flame‐retardant hybrid filler to design a next‐generation electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding system. Based on the synergistic effect of the functionality and structural arrangement of these fillers in the composite, the EMI shielding system demonstrates high EMI shielding performance, improved mechanical properties, and excellent flame retardancy despite the low filler content. The scalability and multifunctionality of the proposed system highlight its potential for use in next‐generation applications, such as electric vehicles, aerospace, and 5G/6G telecommunications.
Cryoglobulinemia Associated With Multiple Myeloma in a Dog Presenting With Epistaxis and Skin Lesions
Authors: Spyropoulou Myrto , Montanes‐Sancho Ivan , Gow Adam G. , Bussey Suzanne
Published: October 2024

A 10‐year‐old female neutered Labrador Retriever presented with epistaxis, discoloration and crusting of the nose and a necrotic lesion on the lip. Bloodwork revealed pancytopenia, azotemia, hypoalbuminemia and hyperglobulinemia. Aggregates of amorphous basophilic material were seen in a room‐temperature blood smear which were not present in the sample after warming to 37°C, and grossly a cryoprecipitate was noted in the patient's serum at 4°C. This was interpreted as cryoglobulin. Computed tomography showed multiple heterogeneous lesions in the spleen. Cytology of the splenic lesions revealed marked plasma cell infiltration, consistent with neoplasia. Bone marrow aspiration revealed an increased proportion of plasma cells (approximately 38% of the total cells). Serum protein electrophoresis showed a monoclonal spike in the gamma globulin region. A diagnosis of multiple myeloma associated with cryoglobulinemia was made. The patient received palliative care with prednisolone while the owner was considering chemotherapy. However, she rapidly deteriorated and was euthanized. The combination of cryoglobulin precipitation and hyperviscosity syndrome was considered responsible for the patient's original symptoms. Cryoglobulinemia is an extremely rare phenomenon that is often associated with lymphoproliferative disorders. This report describes its association with multiple myeloma in a dog presenting with atypical initial signs.
Second-order electrogyration effect in BSO crystal
Authors: Guerrero-V María Alejandra , Rueda-P Jorge-Enrique
Published: October 2024

Using a non-holographic optical setup, we employed a Mueller–Stokes polarimeter to measure both the linear electro-optic and second-order electrogyration effects. The second-order electrogyration effect was observed in a $$Bi_{12}SiO_{20}$$

B

i
12

S
i

O
20

(BSO) crystal with a (110) cut. This response was found for the electric field applied both parallel and perpendicular to the [001] direction, where the values for the second-order electrogyration are $$4.86\times 10^{7} \, \text {pm}^{2}/\text {V}^{2}$$

4.86
×

10
7

pm
2

/

V
2

and $$1.87\times 10^{7} \, \text {pm}^{2}/\text {V}^{2}$$

1.87
×

10
7

pm
2

/

V
2

, respectively. Additionally, the linear electro-optic coefficient $$\gamma _{41}$$

γ
41

was measured to be $$1.17 \, \text {pm/V}$$

1.17

pm/V

for $$660.5 \, \text {nm}$$

660.5

nm

.
Optimizing risk stratification for intermediate-risk prostate cancer – the prognostic value of baseline health-related quality of life
Authors: Westhofen Thilo , Buchner Alexander , Lennartz Simon , Rodler Severin , Eismann Lennert , Aydogdu Can , Askari-Motlagh Darjusch , Berg Elena , Feyerabend Enya , Kazmierczak Philipp , Jokisch Friedrich , Becker Armin , Stief Christian G. , Kretschmer Alexander
Published: October 2024

Objective

To investigate the prognostic value of baseline health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for patients with intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer (IR-PCa) undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods

4780 patients with IR-PCa according to NCCN risk stratification were identified from a prospectively maintained database. All patients were treated with RP and had prospectively assessed baseline HRQOL. Main outcomes were oncologic endpoints metastasis-free survival (MFS); biochemical recurrence free survival (BRFS) and overall survival (OS). Multivariable Cox regression models assessed prognostic significance of baseline global health status (GHS) on survival outcomes. Harrell’s discrimination C-index was applied to calculate the predictive accuracy of the model. Decision curve analysis (DCA) tested the clinical net benefit associated with adding the GHS domain to our multivariable model (p < 0.05).

Results

Median follow-up was 51 months. Multivariable analysis confirmed baseline GHS as an independent predictor for increased MFS (HR 0.976, 95%CI 0.96–0.99; p < 0.001), increased BRFS (HR 0.993, 95%CI 0.99–1.00; p = 0.027) and increased OS (HR 0.969, 95%CI 0.95–0.99; p = 0.002), indicating a relative risk reduction of 2.4% for MFS, 0.7% for BRFS and 3.1% for OS per 1-point increase of baseline GHS. Baseline HRQOL improved discrimination in predicting MFS, BRFS and OS. DCA revealed a net benefit over all threshold probabilities.

Conclusions

We found baseline HRQOL to substantially improve risk stratification for the heterogeneous cohort of IR-PCa. Baseline HRQOL accurately predicts increased MFS, BRFS and OS. Our findings therefore support the role of preoperative HRQOL as an adjunct to established prognosticators for IR-PCa, potentially facilitating guidance of therapy.
Chasing sleep physicians: ChatGPT-4o on the interpretation of polysomnographic results
Authors: Seifen Christopher , Huppertz Tilman , Gouveris Haralampos , Bahr-Hamm Katharina , Pordzik Johannes , Eckrich Jonas , Smith Harry , Kelsey Tom , Blaikie Andrew , Matthias Christoph , Kuhn Sebastian , Buhr Christoph Raphael
Published: October 2024

Background

From a healthcare professional's perspective, the use of ChatGPT (Open AI), a large language model (LLM), offers huge potential as a practical and economic digital assistant. However, ChatGPT has not yet been evaluated for the interpretation of polysomnographic results in patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Aims/objectives

To evaluate the agreement of polysomnographic result interpretation between ChatGPT-4o and a board-certified sleep physician and to shed light into the role of ChatGPT-4o in the field of medical decision-making in sleep medicine.

Material and methods

For this proof-of-concept study, 40 comprehensive patient profiles were designed, which represent a broad and typical spectrum of cases, ensuring a balanced distribution of demographics and clinical characteristics. After various prompts were tested, one prompt was used for initial diagnosis of OSA and a further for patients with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy intolerance. Each polysomnographic result was independently evaluated by ChatGPT-4o and a board-certified sleep physician. Diagnosis and therapy suggestions were analyzed for agreement.

Results

ChatGPT-4o and the sleep physician showed 97% (29/30) concordance in the diagnosis of the simple cases. For the same cases the two assessment instances unveiled 100% (30/30) concordance regarding therapy suggestions. For cases with intolerance of treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) ChatGPT-4o and the sleep physician revealed 70% (7/10) concordance in the diagnosis and 44% (22/50) concordance for therapy suggestions.

Conclusion and significance

Precise prompting improves the output of ChatGPT-4o and provides sleep physician-like polysomnographic result interpretation. Although ChatGPT shows some shortcomings in offering treatment advice, our results provide evidence for AI assisted automation and economization of polysomnographic interpretation by LLMs. Further research should explore data protection issues and demonstrate reproducibility with real patient data on a larger scale.
Attrition between lines of therapy and real-world outcomes of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in Europe: a cohort study leveraging electronic medical records
Authors: Cottu Paul , Cheeseman Sue , Hall Peter , Wöckel Achim , Scholz Christian W. , Bria Emilio , Orlandi Armando , Ribelles Nuria , Vallet Mahéva , Niklas Nicolas , Hogg Catherine , Aggarwal Shivani , Moreira Joana , Lucerna Markus , Collin Simon M. , Logue Amanda , Long Gráinne H.
Published: October 2024

Purpose

To characterize real-world attrition rates across first-line (1L) to third-line (3L) therapies in patients with HER2-positive (HER2 +) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) receiving routine care in seven hospital systems across Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK).

Methods

This retrospective, observational, multi-country, cohort study collected electronic medical record data from women aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with HER2 + mBC from 2017–2021. The primary endpoint was attrition rate (the proportion of patients receiving a line of therapy [LOT] with no further evidence of subsequent LOTs). Key additional endpoints included treatment patterns, real-world time to treatment discontinuation (TTD), and time to next treatment (TTNT).

Results

29.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.0–34.6) and 34.2% (95% CI 27.5–41.5) of treated patients with HER2 + mBC had no further evidence of treatment beyond 1L and second-line (2L) therapy, respectively. Attrition was primarily owing to death, move to end-of-life palliative care, loss to follow up, and “other” reasons. Treatment patterns were generally aligned with clinical guidelines. Decreases in TTD (12.1 months [95% CI 10.4–14.5] for 1L, 8.9 months [95% CI 7.3–11.9] for 2L, 6.4 months [95% CI 5.2–8.9] for 3L) and TTNT (15.4 months [95% CI 13.6–20.6] for 1L, 13.5 months [95% CI 10.8–19.4] for 2L) were observed with each subsequent LOT.

Conclusion

Results unveil a large proportion of patients who do not benefit from state-of-the-art subsequent LOT, and suggest diminishing effectiveness with each subsequent LOT.
Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours in Pre-Schoolers with the SuperFIT Take-Home Kit
Authors: Harms Lisa S. E. , Gubbels Jessica S. , Bessems Kathelijne M. H. H. , Penders Sid , Pluim Daan , Gerards Sanne M. P. L.
Published: October 2024

Interventions targeting nutrition and physical activity levels of pre-schoolers through early childhood education and care (ECEC) increasingly aim to involve families and the home setting. How to optimise the reach and adoption of interventions by parents remains an important question. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a take-home kit to promote nutrition and physical activity (PA) of pre-schoolers at home, while exploring the participatory approach of its development, implementation and evaluation. Three successive versions of the take-home kit were developed and distributed among 21 ECEC centres and 199 families in South-Limburg, the Netherlands. Acceptability and feasibility of the kit were monitored and acted upon throughout the research period. The take-home kit included a stuffed toy, PA and nutrition cards with simple activities, a journal in which parents were asked to record their activities, and written instructions. One kit per ECEC centre rotated between families. Thirty-seven parents participated in open-ended questionnaires, and ECEC teachers from six centres and five implementers participated in interviews. Both questionnaires and interviews included questions about the acceptability (i.e. content, design), feasibility and self-reported impact of the take-home kit. Parents appreciated the tangible and practical aspects of the materials. Using children’s play experience and clear instructions from ECEC teachers facilitated implementation at home. Both implementers and ECEC teachers needed room for contextualised solutions to barriers to implementing the take-home kit in practice. Based on the present study, we conclude that take-home kits can be a valuable tool for ECEC to reach and support parents in adopting healthy energy balance-related behaviours at home.
Perspective: on the importance of extensive, high-quality and reliable deposition of biomolecular NMR data in the age of artificial intelligence
Authors: Higman Victoria A. , Płoskoń Eliza , Thompson Gary S. , Vuister Geerten W.
Published: October 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) models are revolutionising scientific data analysis but are reliant on large training data sets. While artificial training data can be used in the context of NMR processing and data analysis methods, relating NMR parameters back to protein sequence and structure requires experimental data. In this perspective we examine what the biological NMR community needs to do, in order to store and share its data better so that we can make effective use of AI methods to further our understanding of biological molecules. We argue, first, that the community should be depositing much more of its experimental data. In particular, we should be depositing more spectra and dynamics data. Second, the NMR data deposited needs to capture the full information content required to be able to use and validate it adequately. The NMR Exchange Format (NEF) was designed several years ago to do this. The widespread adoption of NEF combined with a new proposal for dynamics data specifications come at the right time for the community to expand its deposition of data. Third, we highlight the importance of expanding and safeguarding our experimental data repository, the Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank (BMRB), not only in the interests of NMR spectroscopists, but biological scientists more widely. With this article we invite others in the biological NMR community to champion increased (possibly mandatory) data deposition, to get involved in designing new NEF specifications, and to advocate on behalf of the BMRB within the wider scientific community.
Modelling and solving the university course timetabling problem with hybrid teaching considerations
Authors: Davison Matthew , Kheiri Ahmed , Zografos Konstantinos G.
Published: October 2024

The university course timetabling problem is a challenging problem to solve. As universities have evolved, the features of this problem have changed. One emerging feature is hybrid teaching where classes can be taught online, in-person or a combination of both in-person and online. This work presents a multi-objective binary programming model that includes common university timetabling features, identified from the literature, as well as hybrid teaching features. A lexicographic solution method is outlined and computational experiments using benchmark data are used to demonstrate the key aspects of the model and explore trade-offs among the objectives considered. The results of these experiments demonstrate that the model can be used to find demand-driven schedules for universities that include hybrid teaching. They also show how the model could be used to inform practitioners who are involved in strategic decision-making at universities.
Interweaving Insights: High-Order Feature Interaction for Fine-Grained Visual Recognition
Authors: Sikdar Arindam , Liu Yonghuai , Kedarisetty Siddhardha , Zhao Yitian , Ahmed Amr , Behera Ardhendu
Published: October 2024

This paper presents a novel approach for Fine-Grained Visual Classification (FGVC) by exploring Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) to facilitate high-order feature interactions, with a specific focus on constructing both inter- and intra-region graphs. Unlike previous FGVC techniques that often isolate global and local features, our method combines both features seamlessly during learning via graphs. Inter-region graphs capture long-range dependencies to recognize global patterns, while intra-region graphs delve into finer details within specific regions of an object by exploring high-dimensional convolutional features. A key innovation is the use of shared GNNs with an attention mechanism coupled with the Approximate Personalized Propagation of Neural Predictions (APPNP) message-passing algorithm, enhancing information propagation efficiency for better discriminability and simplifying the model architecture for computational efficiency. Additionally, the introduction of residual connections improves performance and training stability. Comprehensive experiments showcase state-of-the-art results on benchmark FGVC datasets, affirming the efficacy of our approach. This work underscores the potential of GNN in modeling high-level feature interactions, distinguishing it from previous FGVC methods that typically focus on singular aspects of feature representation. Our source code is available at https://github.com/Arindam-1991/I2-HOFI.