bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Equal Access to Organ Transplantation for People with Disabilities
Authors: Pendo Elizabeth
Published: July 2021

People with disabilities are often denied equal access to organ transplantation despite long‐standing federal nondiscrimination mandates. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, people cannot be excluded from consideration for organ transplantation because of disability itself, or because of stereotypes or assumptions about the value or quality of life with a disability. Instead, decisions concerning whether an individual is a candidate for organ transplantation should be based on an individualized assessment of the patient and on objective medical evidence. Recent legal developments underscore these basic guarantees and signal a new focus on the policies, practices, and attitudes that continue to compromise equal access to life‐saving organ transplants for people with disabilities.
Care Ethics versus the CARES Act
Authors: Sontan Oluwatomisin
Published: July 2021

One of the biggest policy interventions during the last year of the COVID‐19 pandemic was the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities Act, instituting a novel form of economic relief similar to a universal basic income. The economic impact payments, colloquially known as “stimulus checks,” were distributed based on the socioeconomic status of American citizens and legal residents and provided much‐needed financial aid. However, the distribution of these payments paid little attention to other important factors that might determine the economic security of said individuals, such as race and gender. This article calls for policy‐makers to pay particular attention to how structural inequity and discrimination based on identity could affect the efficacy of proposed policies and demonstrate an ethic of care informed by an understanding of intersectionality.
Activism and the Clinical Ethicist
Authors: Meyers Christopher
Published: July 2021

Although clinical ethics scholarship and practice has largely avoided assuming an activist stance, the many health care crises of the last eighteen months motivated a distinct change: On listserves, in blog postings, and in published essays, activist language has permeated conversations over such issues as the impact of triage policies on persons with disabilities and of color, and how the health care system has historically failed African Americans.

In this paper, I defend this turn, arguing that clinical ethicists should embrace activism—generally, and with particular emphasis on institutional, mesolevel concerns. Ethicists are often uniquely situated to understand the structural factors that regularly motivate clinical ethics cases, and they are often in a privileged position to be effective change agents. In making this case, I also stress the need not to overstep one's skills and to be acutely cognizant of the political risks associated with such work.
Antiracist Activism in Clinical Ethics: What's Stopping Us?
Authors: Vo Holly , Campelia Georgina D.
Published: July 2021

Although justice is a central principle in clinical ethics, work that centers social justice is often marginalized in clinical ethics. In addition to institutional barriers that may be preventing clinical ethicists from becoming the activists that Meyers argues we should be, we must also recognize the barriers embedded in the field of clinical ethics itself. As clinical ethicists, we have an opportunity to support anti‐racism work in particular by altering our own organizational structures to be more inclusive and reflective of the Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color we serve, enhancing clinical ethics education and training by making critical theories foundational, and decolonizing our clinical ethics consultation tools and practices.
Why Clinical Ethicists Are Not Activists
Authors: Elliott Carl
Published: July 2021

Activism is rare among clinical ethicists because the position of ethics consultant is constructed in a way that makes activism very difficult. Clinical ethicists have little formal power and few job protections; they work in organizations in which dissent is discouraged if not punished; and as institutional insiders, they often become blind to the injustices that outsiders protest against.
Chemically reactive and radiative flow of ferro‐aluminum (AA7075) hybrid nanofluid past a stretching cylinder
Authors: Nagaraja Basavarajappa , Gireesha Bijjanal Jayanna , Sindhu Sundar
Published: July 2021

The present investigation throws light on the heat transfer behavior of hybridized (ferro‐aluminum alloy [AA7075]) nanofluid. In addition to that, influences of thermal radiation, magnetic effect, and chemical reaction are also considered for the exploration. Here, the flow is deliberated due to a porous stretching cylinder. The equations that portray the fluid flow are transfused to simple ordinary differential equations by applying similarity elements. Then, the procured equations have been solved by adopting the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg 4th–5th order tool. The extracted solution are exported to plot graphs for velocity, thermal, and solutal profiles with the concerned parameters, and using these plots, the discussion has been produced for the behavior of all flow fields. The behavior of the thermal profile shows substantial enhancement with an increase in the solid volume fraction of hybrid nanofluid. The velocity and concentration panel de‐escalates for larger values of Reynolds number. A significant discussion on the skin friction drag, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number has been produced.
Correlation between serum markers in the second trimester and preterm birth before 34 weeks in asymptomatic twin pregnancies
Authors: Kim Mi Ju , Kim Hyun Mi , Cha Hyun Hwa , Kim Jong In , Seong Won Joon
Published: July 2021

Objective

To determine the correlation between the levels of serum markers in the second trimester and preterm birth before 34 weeks in asymptomatic twin pregnancies.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 102 asymptomatic twin pregnancies delivered at Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital between March 2014 and February 2020. Participants were divided into two groups, based on delivery before and after 34 weeks of gestation. Results of the quad test performed at 15–18 weeks and the complete blood count done at 24–28 weeks were compared.

Results

Preterm birth before 34 weeks of pregnancy was associated with higher levels of maternal α‐fetoprotein (1.04 vs 0.98, multiple of median [MoM], P = 0.006), human chorionic gonadotropin (1.76 vs 1.31, MoM, P = 0.000), and inhibin A (1.78 vs 1.04, MoM, P = 0.000). Positive correlations were observed between gestational age at delivery and white blood cell (WBC) markers. Women with preterm delivery had decreased WBC counts (8180 vs 9405 × 103/µl, P = 0.019) and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios (3.85 vs 4.92, P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Serum marker levels in the second trimester can be indicators of preterm delivery before 34 weeks in asymptomatic twin pregnancies.
The golden hour for postpartum hemorrhage: Results from a prospective cohort study
Authors: Pacagnella Rodolfo C. , Borovac‐Pinheiro Anderson , Silveira Carla , Siani Morais Sirlei , Argenton Juliana Luz Passos , Souza Joao Paulo , Weeks Andrew D. , Cecatti José G.
Published: July 2021

Objective

To evaluate the predictive capacity of vital signs for the diagnosis of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

Methods

A prospective cohort study performed at the University of Campinas, Brazil, between February 2015 and March 2016 with women who delivered vaginally. Vital signs and postpartum bleeding were collected over 24 h. Exploratory data analysis was performed plus receiver operating characteristic curve analysis where the areas under the curve was used to determine the best cutoff points for sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio.

Results

For the 270 women recruited, mean blood loss after 120 min was 427.49 ± 335.57 ml, while 84 (31.1%) and 22 (8.1%) women had blood loss ≥500 and ≥1000 ml, respectively. Heart rate cutoff point of 105 bpm measured between 21–40 min after birth identified blood loss ≥1000 ml with 90% specificity. A shock index (SI) of 0.965 at 41–60 min after birth identified blood loss ≥500 and ≥1000 ml within 2 h with approximately 95% specificity.

Conclusion

Shock index and heart rate measured after birth showed high specificity with low sensitivity to identify PPH. In clinical practice, “The rule of 1s” should receive special attention: SI ≥1, or heart rate >100 bpm, or estimated blood loss ≥1 L.
Unpacking negative attitudes towards Moroccans: The interactive effect of ethnicity and gender on perceived morality
Authors: Cuadrado Isabel , Brambilla Marco , López‐Rodríguez Lucía
Published: July 2021

Research on stereotyping has mainly focused on single social categories such as ethnicity or gender. Extending prior work, here we analyse the effects of the intersection of ethnicity and gender on stereotyping considering the descriptive and prescriptive components of positive and negative stereotype dimensions of morality, sociability and competence. We also examine these interaction effects on the stereotypes–emotions–facilitation behavioural tendencies link. Following a 2 × 2 between‐subjects design, Spanish participants evaluated Moroccan immigrant (vs. Spaniard) women (vs. men). We found interaction effects only on descriptive moral character: Moroccan men are perceived as less moral than Spanish men, and less moral and more immoral than Moroccan women. Moreover, (im)morality has a driving role in predicting less facilitation tendencies towards Moroccan men (vs. Moroccan women and Spanish men) via positive emotions. Our findings reveal the primacy of (im)morality in social perception and helping intentions towards targets varying on gender and ethnicity.
Case of vaginal cuff dehiscence and small bowel evisceration after laparoscopic radical cystectomy
Authors: Meguro Satoru , Kirihana Yusuke , Kumekawa Tomoyuki , Kobayashi Masato , Kameoka Hiroshi
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Vaginal cuff dehiscence and small bowel evisceration after laparoscopic radical cystectomy, although rare, can be a critical complication. However, little has been reported about it by urologists.

Case presentation

A 79‐year‐old woman underwent laparoscopic radical cystectomy for invasive bladder carcinoma. Thirteen months postoperatively, she experienced vaginal cuff dehiscence and small bowel evisceration, and underwent emergency surgery. Intraoperatively, we detached the vaginal apex from the surrounding tissue to lengthen it and performed vaginal uterosacral ligament suspension, with no subsequent recurrence.

Conclusion

Urologists should pay attention to vaginal cuff dehiscence and small bowel evisceration after laparoscopic radical cystectomy in female patients. In this case, the short vaginal length without vaginal uterosacral ligament suspension might have led to vaginal dehiscence.
Computational intelligence applied to the least limiting water range to estimate soil water content using GIS and geostatistical approaches in alluvial lands*
Authors: Alaboz Pelin , Başkan Oğuz , Dengiz Orhan
Published: July 2021

The use of machine learning methods in pedotransfer functions has attracted considerable attention in recent years. These methods are fast and effective in solving complex events. The least limiting water range (LLWR) feature is very important in terms of water uptake by the plant and root development in agricultural production. In this study, the predictability of the LLWR feature was investigated with artificial neural networks, deep learning (DL) and the k‐nearest neighbour (k‐NN) algorithm from machine learning methods. Estimated values obtained from the model with the best estimation accuracy and observed values were evaluated through a geostatistical method from which their spatial distribution maps were created. In the present study, which was carried out on alluvial lands with different soil properties, the LLWR values of soils vary between 5.5% and 25.9%. Field capacity, bulk density, clay, organic matter, and lime content properties, which have a high correlation with the LLWR, were taken into consideration in the estimation methods. DL was determined as the best estimation method (mean absolute error [MAE]: 0.94%; root mean square error [RMSE]: 1.45%; coefficient of determination [R2]: 0.93), and the worst was k‐NN (MAE: 2.00%; RMSE: 2.55%; R2: 0.77) for the LLWR. In addition, the LLWR can be estimated with high accuracy by using ReLU and softmax functions in the DL method. The study shows that distribution maps created with LLWR values obtained by observed data and the DL method have a very similar pattern.
Curcumin in decellularized goat small intestine submucosa for wound healing and skin tissue engineering
Authors: Singh Hemant , Purohit Shiv Dutt , Bhaskar Rakesh , Yadav Indu , Bhushan Sakchi , Gupta Mukesh Kumar , Mishra Narayan Chandra
Published: July 2021

Biomaterials derived from extracellular matrices (ECMs) were extensively used for skin tissue engineering and wound healing. ECM is a complex network of biomolecules (e.g., proteins), which provide organizational support to cells for growth. Thus, ECM could be an ideal biomaterial for fabricating the scaffold. However, oxidative stress and biofilm formation at the wound site remains a major challenge that could be neutralized using herbal ingredients (e.g., curcumin). In this study, ECM was extracted from the biowaste of the goat abattoir by using decellularization. The goat small intestine submucosa (G‐SIS) is decellularized to obtain the decellularized G‐SIS (DG‐SIS) and curcumin (in different concentrations) was incorporated in the DG‐SIS to fabricate curcumin‐embedded DG‐SIS scaffolds. Changes brought by increasing the concentrations of the curcumin in DG‐SIS were observed in various properties, including free radical scavenging and antibacterial properties. Results depicted that the scaffolds are porous, biodegradable, biocompatible, antibacterial, and hydrophilic and showed sustained release of curcumin. Besides, it showed free radicals scavenging property. The porosity and hydrophilicity of the scaffolds were decreased with an increase in the curcumin content. However, biodegradability, free radical scavenging, biocompatibility, and antibacterial properties of the scaffolds increased with an increase in the curcumin content. The DG‐SIS scaffold containing 1 wt % of curcumin may be a potential biomaterial for wound‐healing and skin tissue engineering.
Transcriptional regulation of human DUSP4 gene by cancer‐related transcription factors
Authors: Varela Tatiana , Conceição Natércia , Laizé Vincent , Cancela M. Leonor
Published: July 2021

Dual specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), a member of the dual specificity phosphatase family, is responsible for the dephosphorylation and inactivation of ERK, JNK and p38, which are mitogen‐activated protein kinases involved in cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, but also in inflammation processes. Given its importance for cellular signalling, DUSP4 is subjected to a tight regulation and there is growing evidence that its expression is dysregulated in several tumours. However, the mechanisms underlying DUSP4 transcriptional regulation remain poorly understood. Here, we analysed the regulation of the human DUSP4 promoters 1 and 2, located upstream of exons 1 and 2, respectively, by the cancer‐related transcription factors (TFs) STAT3, FOXA1, CTCF and YY1. The presence of binding sites for these TFs was predicted in both promoters through the in silico analysis of DUSP4, and their functionality was assessed through luciferase activity assays. Regulatory activity of the TFs tested was found to be promoter‐specific. While CTCF stimulated the activity of promoter 2 that controls the transcription of variants 2 and X1, STAT3 stimulated the activity of promoter 1 that controls the transcription of variant 1. YY1 positively regulated both promoters, although to different extents. Through site‐directed mutagenesis, the functionality of YY1 binding sites present in promoter 2 was confirmed. This study provides novel insights into the transcriptional regulation of DUSP4, contributing to a better comprehension of the mechanisms of its dysregulation observed in several types of cancer.
Theoretical design on a series of new cage‐shaped high energy density compounds
Authors: Tang Li , Zhu Weihua
Published: July 2021

A series of new cage compounds with high energy and low sensitivity by introducing –C(R2)–, –N(R)–, and –O– were designed. Then their properties including electronic structures, heats of formation, densities, detonation performances, thermal stability, and impact sensitivity were investigated using density functional theory. The results show that most of the designed compounds show excellent performance comparable with CL‐20, indicating that designing novel cage compounds is a very effective way to obtain potential energetic compounds with outstanding detonation properties. Taking both the detonation performance and stability into consideration, six compounds may be selected as attractive potential candidates of high energy density compounds. It may be expected that our results would contribute to the theoretical design of new‐generation energetic explosives.
Evolution of hemoglobin function in tropical air‐breathing catfishes
Authors: Andersen Niels Christian Moth , Fago Angela , Damsgaard Christian
Published: July 2021

The evolution of hemoglobin function in the transition from water‐ to air‐breathing has been highly debated but remains unresolved. Here, we characterized the hemoglobin function in five closely related water‐ and air‐breathing catfishes. We identify distinct directions of hemoglobin evolution in the clades that evolved air‐breathing, and we show strong selection on hemoglobin function within the catfishes. These findings show that the lack of a general direction in hemoglobin function in the transition from water‐ to air‐breathing may have resulted from divergent selection on hemoglobin function in independent clades of air‐breathing fishes.
Influence of Interface trap distributions over the device characteristics of AlGaN/GaN/AlInN MOS‐HEMT using Cubic Spline Interpolation technique
Authors: Viswanathan Sandeep , Pravin Charles , Arasamudi Ramesh Babu , Pavithran Prajoon
Published: July 2021

Traps present at the interface of oxide and barrier layers influence the device's DC and RF parameters. An investigation is carried out on the distribution of interface traps present in the AlGaN/GaN/AlInN Metal Oxide Semiconductor‐High Electron Mobility Transistor (MOS‐HEMT) structures. By incorporating Hafnium Oxide (HfO2) as a dielectric layer, the DC and RF parameters like current drive and Power‐Added Efficiency (PAE) for the device are evaluated. The Capacitance‐Voltage (C–V) curves showed a shift in its values upon increase in trap density, which attributes to the position of fermi level once the threshold voltage is reached. A theoretical estimation of interface trap densities revealed distributions in the magnitude of 9.52 × 1012 cm−2 eV−1 near the mid‐gap and around 3.4 × 1013 cm−2 eV−1 at the Conduction Band (CB) edge. Carrier concentration at the Two‐Dimensional Electron Gas (2DEG) influences the distribution of traps at the interface, which in turn affects the on‐resistance of the device. Cubic Spline Interpolation (CSI) technique is employed here to model the device parameters precisely. The higk‐K dielectric material causes a high cut‐off of 201 GHz for the MOS‐HEMT. There is about 42% improvement in the PAE compared to the conventional MOS‐HEMT device. The comparably low trap density values (1012 cm−2 eV−1) than the conventional ones, prove the high quality gate passivation features of the HfO2/AlGaN interface and could serve as a potential candidate for high power and microwave applications.
Effective treatment of acute hepatitis E by ribavirin in a patient complicated with renal impairment: a case report
Authors: Fu Sophia
Published: July 2021

Background

Hepatitis E infections are the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. High‐risk patients such as the immunocompromised or those with a background of liver disease co‐infected with hepatitis E virus (HEV) have particularly high morbidity and mortality rates. Currently, there are no approved treatments for acute infections. Although ribavirin is proposed as a viable option, dosing in renally impaired patients is not well established.

Aim

To present a case describing ribavirin use in the treatment of acute hepatitis E infection, complicated by acute kidney injury.

Clinical details

A 56‐year‐old man presented to hospital with severely deranged liver function tests and jaundice. Serology tests confirmed diagnoses of acute hepatitis E and ribavirin was commenced. Acute renal impairment developed and ribavirin was reduced to 200 mg p.o. in the morning and 400 mg p.o. at night for a total of four weeks. A total of 12 weeks’ therapy was completed.

Outcomes

Liver function tests (LFTs) showed drastic and significant improvement within one week of commencing ribavirin. Levels largely normalised by four weeks of therapy. No adverse events were reported throughout ribavirin therapy and HEV reactivation was not observed.

Conclusion

Ribavirin may be an effective and safe treatment for acute hepatitis E infections with concurrent acute kidney impairment. In this case, adjusting ribavirin doses to renal function led to a good clinical outcome, as highlighted by the normalisation of LFTs. Further studies are required to establish an appropriate ribavirin dosing regimen among patients with HEV, particularly in the context of renal impairment.
Optimization method for quantification of sunscreen organic ultraviolet filters in coastal sands
Authors: Rodrigues Alice M. S. , Lebaron Philippe , Downs C. A. , Stien Didier
Published: July 2021

Most organic ultraviolet filters are very lipophilic and some of them are difficult to quantify in the environment. This article describes an optimization method for the quantification of these compounds in sand samples with diverse compositions. The standard additions method was used. The search for a unique high‐performance liquid chromatography method to analyze all these filters along with the search for optimal detection conditions are presented in detail. The best extraction solvent was methanol, and the best conditions for analysis and detection involved the use of a high‐performance liquid chromatography system equipped with a biphenyl column (2.6 μm, 150 × 4.6 mm), and an Orbitrap MS detector. We also demonstrated that sample freeze‐drying can induce significant loss of some of the ultraviolet filters.
Words matter: How privacy concerns and conspiracy theories spread on twitter
Authors: Visentin Marco , Tuan Annamaria , Di Domenico Giandomenico
Published: July 2021

The use of contact‐tracing apps to curb the spreading of the COVID‐19 pandemic has stimulated social media debates on consumers' privacy concerns about the use and storage of sensitive data and on conspiracy theories positing that these apps are part of plans against individuals' freedom. By analyzing the type of language of tweets, we found which words, linguistic style, and emotions conveyed by tweets are more likely to be associated with consumers' privacy concerns and conspiracy theories and how they affect virality. To do so, we analyze a set of 5615 tweets related to the Italian tracing app “Immuni”. Results suggest that consumers' privacy concerns and conspiracy theories belong to different domains and exert different effects on the virality of tweets. Furthermore, the characteristics of the text (namely, complexity, certainty and emotions) cue different Twitter users' behaviors. This study helps researchers and managers to infer the psychological mechanisms that lead people to spread tweets about privacy concerns and conspiracy theories as well as how these texts impact the user who receives it.
Preparation Strategies and Applications of MXene‐Polymer Composites: A Review
Authors: He Shaoshuai , Sun Xia , Zhang Hong , Yuan Caideng , Wei Yuping , Li Junjie
Published: July 2021

As a new member of the 2D material family, MXene integrates high metallic conductivity and hydrophilic property simultaneously. It shows tremendous potential in fields of energy storage, sensing, electromagnetic shielding, and so forth. Due to the abundant surface functional groups, the physical and chemical properties of MXene can be tuned by the formation of MXene‐polymer composites. The introduction of polymers can expand the interlayer spacing, reduce the distance of ion/electron transport, improve the surface hydrophilicity, and thus guide the assembly of MXene‐polymer structures. Herein, the preparation strategies of MXene‐polymer composites including physical mixing, surface modification, such as anchoring through TiN and Ti–O–C bonds, bonding through esterification, grafting functional groups through TiOSi/TiOP bonds, photograft reaction, as well as in situ polymerization are highlighted. In addition, the possible mechanisms for each strategy are explained. Furthermore, the applications of MXene‐polymer composites obtained by different preparation strategies are summarized. Finally, perspectives and challenges are presented for the designs of MXene‐polymer composites.
Temporally aware volumetric generative adversarial network‐based MR image reconstruction with simultaneous respiratory motion compensation: Initial feasibility in 3D dynamic cine cardiac MRI
Authors: Ghodrati Vahid , Bydder Mark , Bedayat Arash , Prosper Ashley , Yoshida Takegawa , Nguyen Kim‐Lien , Finn J. Paul , Hu Peng
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Develop a novel three‐dimensional (3D) generative adversarial network (GAN)‐based technique for simultaneous image reconstruction and respiratory motion compensation of 4D MRI. Our goal was to enable high‐acceleration factors 10.7X‐15.8X, while maintaining robust and diagnostic image quality superior to state‐of‐the‐art self‐gating (SG) compressed sensing wavelet (CS‐WV) reconstruction at lower acceleration factors 3.5X‐7.9X.

Methods

Our GAN was trained based on pixel‐wise content loss functions, adversarial loss function, and a novel data‐driven temporal aware loss function to maintain anatomical accuracy and temporal coherence. Besides image reconstruction, our network also performs respiratory motion compensation for free‐breathing scans. A novel progressive growing‐based strategy was adapted to make the training process possible for the proposed GAN‐based structure. The proposed method was developed and thoroughly evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively based on 3D cardiac cine data from 42 patients.

Results

Our proposed method achieved significantly better scores in general image quality and image artifacts at 10.7X‐15.8X acceleration than the SG CS‐WV approach at 3.5X‐7.9X acceleration (4.53 ± 0.540 vs. 3.13 ± 0.681 for general image quality, 4.12 ± 0.429 vs. 2.97 ± 0.434 for image artifacts, P < .05 for both). No spurious anatomical structures were observed in our images. The proposed method enabled similar cardiac‐function quantification as conventional SG CS‐WV. The proposed method achieved faster central processing unit‐based image reconstruction (6 s/cardiac phase) than the SG CS‐WV (312 s/cardiac phase).

Conclusion

The proposed method showed promising potential for high‐resolution (1 mm3) free‐breathing 4D MR data acquisition with simultaneous respiratory motion compensation and fast reconstruction time.
Regularized joint water–fat separation with B0 map estimation in image space for 2D‐navigated interleaved EPI based diffusion MRI
Authors: Dong Yiming , Koolstra Kirsten , Riedel Malte , van Osch Matthias J. P. , Börnert Peter
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To develop a new water–fat separation and B0 estimation algorithm to effectively suppress the multiple resonances of fat signal in EPI. This is especially relevant for DWI where fat is often a confounding factor.

Methods

Water–fat separation based on chemical‐shift encoding enables robust fat suppression in routine MRI. However, for EPI the different chemical‐shift displacements of the multiple fat resonances along the phase‐encoding direction can be problematic for conventional separation algorithms. This work proposes a suitable model approximation for EPI under B0 and fat off‐resonance effects, providing a feasible multi‐peak water–fat separation algorithm. Simulations were performed to validate the algorithm. In vivo validation was performed in 6 volunteers, acquiring spin‐echo EPI images in the leg (B0 homogeneous) and head‐neck (B0 inhomogeneous) regions, using a TE‐shifted interleaved EPI sequence with/without diffusion sensitization. The results are numerically and statistically compared with voxel‐independent water–fat separation and fat saturation techniques to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.

Results

The reference separation algorithm without the proposed spatial shift correction caused water–fat ambiguities in simulations and in vivo experiments. Some spectrally selective fat saturation approaches also failed to suppress fat in regions with severe B0 inhomogeneities. The proposed algorithm was able to achieve improved fat suppression for DWI data and ADC maps in the head–neck and leg regions.

Conclusion

The proposed algorithm shows improved suppression of the multi‐peak fat components in multi‐shot interleaved EPI applications compared to the conventional fat saturation approaches and separation algorithms.
Neurophysiological patterns of acute and post‐acute foodborne botulism
Authors: Boccagni Cristina , Prestandrea Caterina , D'Agostino Tiziana , Rubino Francesca , Renda Maurizio , Sesti Emanuele , Bagnato Sergio
Published: July 2021

Introduction/Aims

Neurophysiological patterns in patients with foodborne botulism are rarely described after the acute phase. We report data from a large Italian outbreak of botulism, with patients evaluated at different timepoints after poisoning.

Methods

Eighteen male patients (mean age 47 ± 8.4 y) underwent 22 clinical and neurophysiological evaluations (4 patients were re‐evaluated). The resting compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude, postexercise CMAP amplitude, CMAP change after high‐frequency (50 Hz) repetitive nerve stimulation (HFRNS), and motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) were assessed in the acute (4–8 days after poisoning; 5 patients), early post‐acute (32–39 days after poisoning; 5 patients), and late post‐acute (66–80 days after poisoning; 12 patients) phases.

Results

In the acute, early post‐acute, and late post‐acute phases, respectively, reduced CMAP amplitudes were found in 100%, 20%, and 17% of patients; abnormal postexercise CMAP facilitation was observed in 100%, 40%, and 0% of patients; and pathological incremental responses to HFRNS were found in 80%, 50%, and 8% of patients. Baseline CMAP amplitudes, postexercise CMAP facilitation, and CMAP increases in response to HFRNS differed significantly between the acute and post‐acute phases. Small MUAPs were found in 100% of patients in the acute and early post‐acute phases and in 50% of patients in the late post‐acute phase.

Discussion

The neurophysiological findings of foodborne botulism vary considerably according to the evaluation time point. In the post‐acute phase, different neurophysiological techniques must be applied to support a diagnosis of botulism.
A fractional differential scheme for the effective transport properties of multiscale reactive porous media: Applications to clayey geomaterials
Authors: Cosenza Philippe , Giot Richard , Giraud Albert , Hedan Stephen
Published: July 2021

A new homogenization scheme is proposed to model the effects of surface phenomena occurring at the pore fluid/solid interface on the effective transport properties of multiscale and reactive geosystems, e.g., clayey geomaterials. This new scheme is a generalization of the so‐called differential scheme (DS) used to infer the effective properties of a composite made up of several materials. It is named the fractional differential scheme and is based on two key elements: (i) the concept of realizability of the DS itself and (ii) a fractional integral formulation of the DS for a porous medium considered as a two‐component composite. The formulation of the fractional DS introduces two parameters: a cementation exponent m and a fractional order α. The cementation exponent m is related to the microstructure of the material. The fractional order α accounts for the amplitude of the “surface” transport of ions resulting from the physico‐chemical interactions between hydrated cations and swelling clay minerals. Both parameters m and α are inverted from two sets of data: electrical conductivity measurements obtained on clayey rocks and effective diffusion coefficient measurements acquired from a Na‐montmorillonite geomaterial. The inversion results demonstrate that the fractional DS model is able to capture the dependence of the cation concentration on the effective transport properties of the clayey materials under study. Our results also show that the fractional order α can be considered an indirect indicator of the amplitude of physico‐chemical interactions between hydrated cations and swelling clay minerals occurring at the pore fluid/solid interface.
SSRIs: Applications in inflammatory lung disease and implications for COVID‐19
Authors: Meikle Claire Kyung Sun , Creeden Justin Fortune , McCullumsmith Cheryl , Worth Randall G.
Published: July 2021

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have anti‐inflammatory properties that may have clinical utility in treating severe pulmonary manifestations of COVID‐19. SSRIs exert anti‐inflammatory effects at three mechanistic levels: (a) inhibition of proinflammatory transcription factor activity, including NF‐κB and STAT3; (b) downregulation of lung tissue damage and proinflammatory cell recruitment via inhibition of cytokines, including IL‐6, IL‐8, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β; and (c) direct suppression inflammatory cells, including T cells, macrophages, and platelets. These pathways are implicated in the pathogenesis of COVID‐19. In this review, we will compare the pathogenesis of lung inflammation in pulmonary diseases including COVID‐19, ARDS, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), describe the anti‐inflammatory properties of SSRIs, and discuss the applications of SSRIS in treating COVID‐19‐associated inflammatory lung disease.
Immune cell analyses of the tumor microenvironment in prostate cancer highlight infiltrating regulatory T cells and macrophages as adverse prognostic factors
Authors: Andersen Line B , Nørgaard Maibritt , Rasmussen Martin , Fredsøe Jacob , Borre Michael , Ulhøi Benedicte P , Sørensen Karina D
Published: July 2021

Improved risk stratification is needed for patients with localized prostate cancer. This study characterized and assessed the prognostic potential of distinct immune cell infiltration patterns in the prostate tumor microenvironment. Using tissue microarrays, multiplex immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence, and automated digital pathology, we analyzed radical prostatectomy specimens from two large patient cohorts (training: n = 470; validation: n = 333) to determine infiltration levels of seven immune cell types in malignant versus benign prostate tissue: CD3+CD8−FoxP3− T helper cells, CD3+CD8+FoxP3− cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), CD3+CD8−FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), CD20+ B cells, CD68+CD163− M1 macrophages, CD68+CD163+ M2 macrophages, and tryptase+ mast cells. Results were further validated by cell type enrichment analyses of bulk tumor RNAseq data from a third independent patient cohort (n = 99). Prognostic potential was assessed by Kaplan–Meier and uni‐/multi‐variate Cox regression analyses. Clinical endpoint was biochemical recurrence. All seven immune cell types were enriched in prostate cancer versus benign stroma, while there was selective enrichment for B cells, Tregs, M1 and M2 macrophages, and depletion of mast cells and CTLs in prostate cancer epithelium. In all three cohorts, high levels of infiltrating Tregs, M1, and M2 macrophages in stroma and/or epithelium were associated with biochemical recurrence (p < 0.05; log‐rank test). After adjustment for routine clinical variables, Tregs and M2 macrophages remained significant adverse predictors of biochemical recurrence (p < 0.05; multivariate Cox regression). Our comprehensive analyses of immune cell infiltration patterns in the prostate tumor microenvironment highlight infiltrating Tregs, M1, and M2 macrophages as adverse predictors of prostate cancer outcome. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Plywood‐like structures of injection‐molded polypropylene
Authors: Wang Guanglong , Cao Junhui , Hou Shusen , Ding Peng , Yu Weixin , Yang Zhijun , Chen Jingbo
Published: July 2021

N,N′‐dicyclohexyl‐2,6‐naphthalenedicarboxamide, a commercial nucleating agent, can dissolve into molten polypropylene (PP) and self‐organize into needle‐like crystals when the melt temperature reaches 260°C. As temperature decreases, PP molecules crystallize on the surface of the needle‐like crystals with their c‐axis perpendicular to the long axis of the crystal. Under a flow field in injection molding, PP chains are parallel or perpendicular to the flow direction at different depths owing to the difference in crystallization kinetics and applied shear rate in the melt, forming a plywood‐like material. This unique structure can simultaneously improve the toughness and strength of plastic parts. Herein, we present a novel method of producing high‐performance plastic articles based on general plastics by manipulating their morphology and structure.
Genetic polymorphisms at 19q13.33 are associated with [−2]proPSA (p2PSA) levels and provide additional predictive value to prostate health index for prostate cancer
Authors: Huang Da , Ruan Xiaohao , Wu Yishuo , Lin Xiaoling , Huang Jingyi , Ye Dingwei , Gao Yi , Ding Qiang , Xu Danfeng , Na Rong
Published: July 2021

Background

Prostate health index (phi), a derivative of [−2]proPSA (p2PSA), has shown better accuracy than prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer (PCa) detection. The present study was to investigate whether previously identified PSA‐associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influence p2PSA or phi levels and lead to potential clinical utility.

Methods

We conducted an observational prospective study with 2268 consecutive patients who underwent prostate biopsy in three tertiary medical centers from August 2013 to March 2019. Genotyping data of the 46 candidate genes with a ± 100 kb window were tested for association with p2PSA and phi levels using linear regression. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed and internally validated using repeated tenfold cross‐validation. We further calculated personalized phi cutoff values based on the significant genotypes. Discriminative performance was assessed using decision curve analysis and net reclassification improvement (NRI) index.

Results

We detected 11 significant variants at 19q13.33 which were p2PSA‐associated independent of PCa. The most significant SNP, rs198978 in KLK2 (Pcombined = 5.73 × 10−9), was also associated with phi values (Pcombined = 3.20 × 10−6). Compared to the two commonly used phi cutoffs of 27.0 and 36.0, the personalized phi cutoffs had a significant NRI for PCa ranged from 5.23% to 9.70% among men carrying variant types (all p < .01).

Conclusion

Rs198978, is independently associated with p2PSA values, and can improve the diagnostic ability of phi for PCa using personalized cutoff values.
Understanding the phytochemistry and molecular insights to the pharmacology of Angelica archangelica L. (garden angelica) and its bioactive components
Authors: Kaur Anudeep , Bhatti Rajbir
Published: July 2021

Plant‐derived molecules have enduring usefulness in treating diseases, and herbal drugs have emerged as a vital component of global therapeutic demand. Angelica archangelica L. (A. archangelica), commonly known as garden angelica, is an aromatic food plant used in culinary procedures as a flavoring agent. In the traditional medicine system, it is regarded as an “Angel plant” due to its miraculous curative power. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the plant's taxonomic profile, ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities. Various in vivo and in vitro experiments have validated that the plant possesses broad pharmacological potential. The biological activities attributed to the plant include anti‐anxiety activity, anti‐convulsant activity, cognition enhancer, antiviral activity, cholinesterase inhibitory potential, antiinflammatory activity, gastroprotective activity, and radioprotective activity. The beneficial effects of the plant are credited to its bioactive components, that is, coumarins and volatile oils. The review summarizes the pharmacological activities of crude extract and its bioactive fractions and has also explored their target‐oriented effects. This review will be of value in undertaking further investigations on the plant with regard to exploring mechanism‐based pharmacological approaches on A. archangelica.
Experimental Progress on Quantum Coherence: Detection, Quantification, and Manipulation
Authors: Wu Kang‐Da , Streltsov Alexander , Regula Bartosz , Xiang Guo‐Yong , Li Chuan‐Feng , Guo Guang‐Can
Published: July 2021

Quantum coherence is a fundamental property of quantum systems, separating quantum from classical physics. Recently, there has been significant interest in the characterization of quantum coherence as a resource, investigating how coherence can be extracted and used for quantum technological applications. In this work, the progress of this research is reviewed, focusing in particular on recent experimental efforts. After a brief review of the underlying theory, the main platforms for realizing the experiments are discussed: linear optics, nuclear magnetic resonance, and superconducting systems. Experimental detection and quantification of coherence, experimental state conversion and coherence distillation, and experiments investigating the dynamics of quantum coherence are then considered. Experiments exploring the connections between coherence and uncertainty relations, path information, and coherence of operations and measurements are also reviewed. Experimental efforts on multipartite and multilevel coherence are also discussed.
Data‐enabled predictive control for quadcopters
Authors: Elokda Ezzat , Coulson Jeremy , Beuchat Paul N. , Lygeros John , Dörfler Florian
Published: July 2021

We study the application of a data‐enabled predictive control (DeePC) algorithm for position control of real‐world nano‐quadcopters. The DeePC algorithm is a finite‐horizon, optimal control method that uses input/output measurements from the system to predict future trajectories without the need for system identification or state estimation. The algorithm predicts future trajectories of the quadcopter by linearly combining previously measured trajectories (motion primitives). We illustrate the necessity of a regularized variant of the DeePC algorithm to handle the nonlinear nature of the real‐world quadcopter dynamics with noisy measurements. Simulation‐based analysis is used to gain insights into the effects of regularization, and experimental results validate that these insights carry over to the real‐world quadcopter. Moreover, we demonstrate the reliability of the DeePC algorithm by collecting a new set of input/output measurements for every real‐world experiment performed. The performance of the DeePC algorithm is compared to Model Predictive Control based on a first‐principles model of the quadcopter. The results are demonstrated with a video of successful trajectory tracking of the real‐world quadcopter.
Resilient control of cyber‐physical systems under sensor and actuator attacks driven by adaptive sliding mode observer
Authors: Nateghi Shamila , Shtessel Yuri , Edwards Christopher
Published: July 2021

The problem of resilient control of linear cyber‐physical systems with cyber‐attacked sensor measurements and actuator commands is studied in this article. Online reconstruction of unknown cyber‐attacks is accomplished by an adaptive sliding mode observer with a novel injection term in the form of a dynamically extended equivalent control. Then, the attacked/corrupted sensor's measurements and the actuators are proposed to be cleaned up using the reconstructed attacks. The performance of the system prior to the attacks is shown to be retained after a transient response required for the attack reconstruction/estimation. The efficacy of the proposed algorithms is validated on an electrical power network.
Atomic Pyridinic Nitrogen Sites Promoting Levulinic Acid Hydrogenations over Double‐Shelled Hollow Ru/C Nanoreactors
Authors: Liu Xiaoyan , Ye Sheng , Lan Guojun , Su Panpan , Zhang Xiaoli , Price Cameron Alexander Hurd , Li Ying , Liu Jian
Published: July 2021

Nitrogen‐doped nanocarbons are widely used as supports for metal‐heterogeneous catalytic conversions. When nitrogen‐doped nanocarbon supports are used to disperse metallic nanoparticles (MNPs), the nitrogen dopant can enhance MNPs electron density to reach higher catalytic activity and promote MNPs stability through anchoring effects. However, the precise identification of active nitrogen species between N‐dopants and reactants is rarely reported. Herein, a proof‐of‐concept study on the active N species for levulinic acid hydrogenation is reported. A double‐shell structured carbon catalyst (DSC) is designed with selectively locating ultrafine Ru NPs only on inner carbon shell, specifically, different N species on the external carbon shell. Through the design of such a nanostructure, it is demonstrated that the alkaline pyridinic N species on the outer shell serves as an anchor point for the spontaneous binding of the acidic reactant. The pyridinic N content can be modulated from 7.4 to 29.2 mg gcat−1 by selecting different precursors. Finally, the Ru‐DSC‐CTS (using chitosan as the precursor) catalyst achieves a 99% conversion of levulinic acid under 70 °C and 4 MPa hydrogen pressure for 1 h. This work sheds light on the design of nanoreactors at the atomic scale and investigates heterogeneous catalysis at the molecular level.
Type I AIE photosensitizers: Mechanism and application
Authors: Li Jianqing , Zhuang Zeyan , Zhao Zujin , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: July 2021

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with plenty of advantages is expected to become a promising modality for cancer treatment, but challenges still remain. In the past decade, abundant photosensitizers (PSs) with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) property make the development of PSs enter upon a new phase, offering incomparable merits. Recently, Type I AIE PSs with capability of generating radical reactive oxygen species (ROS) have emerged as strong candidates to overcome the inherent hypoxia nature of solid tumors. In this review, detailed discussions on the mechanisms of PDT are drawn to highlight the basic advantages of Type I pathway over Type II one in hypoxic PDT, followed by a summary of frequently‐used detection methods for the accurate distinguishing of the nature of ROS. Finally, the latest representative advances are summarized, and future perspectives of Type I AIE PSs are discussed.