bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on the rectangular clinching process for metal and polyoxymethylene sheets
Authors: Ouyang Yawen , Chen Chao
Published: May 2022

Polyoxymethylene (POM), as an energy‐saving material, is widely applied in the manufacturing field. Yet, research on the rectangular clinching process between metal and POM sheets is still lacking. In this paper, the rectangular clinching process for POM and Al5052‐H32 plates was investigated. The feasibility of the metal–polymer hybrid component had been analyzed in terms of diverse forming forces and diverse joint layout angles, respectively. The mechanical characteristics were appraised by the lap‐shear test. The failure modes of rectangular clinched joints produced under diverse forming conditions had also been analyzed. The results showed that the optimal forming force of rectangular clinched joints was 14 kN, in which the lap‐shear strength was 1090 N. Furthermore, the rectangular clinched joints produced under the joint layout angle of 90° could withstand the maximum lap‐shear load (1415 N) under the optimal forming force. The failure mode was the separation of two plates and the fracture of the bridge structures.
The preparation of cellulose nanocrystal/1,3‐butylene glycol composite structural color films and humidity‐responsive
Authors: Wang Tianhui , Meng Xiangnan , Lu Shuyu , Ma Tao , Hu Xinna , Song Yi
Published: May 2022

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) can self‐assemble in an aqueous solution to form a chiral nematic liquid crystal structure, which is maintained in the subsequent solid iridescent film and presents a unique structural color. In this study, in order to explore the effect of ultrasound on the optical properties of CNC, CNC films with a chiral nematic helix structure and different structural colors were prepared by ultrasonic‐assisted dispersion and natural static evaporation. Results showed that prolonging the ultrasonic duration significantly increased layer pitches and red‐shifted the color of CNC films, likely due to increased steric hindrance and a larger electric double layer. On this basis, CNC/1,3‐butylene glycol (BG) composite films were prepared with uniform and structural color. Results showed that BG was incorporated into CNCs most likely through hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the presence of BG increased the layer pitches and red‐shifted the structural color of CNC/BG composite films, which indicates that structural color of the film has a good stability response to humidity. On the whole, our work provides a new point of view in understanding the role of ultrasound and small‐molecule additives in the preparation of CNC‐based films.
Structured pattern hollow fiber membrane designed via reverse thermally induced phase separation method for ultrafiltration applications
Authors: Huyen Dao Thi Thanh , Ray Saikat Sinha , Kim In‐Chul , Kim Min‐Gyu , Kwon Young‐Nam
Published: May 2022

Membrane fouling is a major problem that hinders the application of the membrane in water filtration. To address this issue, a novel reversed thermally induced phase separation (RTIPS) process is applied to fabricate a patterned polyethersulfone (PES) hollow fiber (HF) membrane using a structured spinneret. Surface patterning could induce turbulence, thereby preventing the accumulation of foulants on membrane surface. The RTIPS method requires lesser material with similar mechanical strength compared to that of conventional TIPS method. The fabrication process is optimized by changing the spinning conditions. A dope composition of 24 wt% PES is chosen to prepare the membrane. The chemical composition of the membrane is confirmed via sophisticated techniques such as Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the sample indicates the successful formation of the pattern on the shell side of the HFs. The prepared patterned HF membranes exhibits a high rejection of 97% of bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is comparable to or higher than that of commercial membranes. Moreover, the patterned membrane demonstrates better performance, thereby confirming the effectiveness of this modification in enhancing the antifouling nature.
Advances in breast cancer screening modalities and status of global screening programs
Authors: Luo Chenyu , Wang Le , Zhang Yuhan , Lu Ming , Lu Bin , Cai Jie , Chen Hongda , Dai Min
Published: May 2022

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignancy worldwide, and a continued upward trend has been predicted in the coming decades. Screening in selected targeted populations, which is effective in reducing cancer‐related mortality, has been widely implemented in many countries. This review summarizes the advances in BC screening techniques, organized or opportunistic BC screening programs across different countries, and screening modalities recommended by different academic authorities. Mammography is the most widely used and effective technique for BC screening. Other complementary techniques include ultrasound, clinical breast examination, and magnetic resonance imaging. Novel screening tests, including digital breast tomosynthesis and liquid biopsies, are still under development. Globally, the implementation status of BC screening programs is uneven, which is reflected by differences in screening modes, techniques, and population coverage. The recommended optimal screening strategies varied according to the authoritative guidelines. The effectiveness of current screening programs is influenced by several factors, including low detection rate, high false‐positive rate, and unsatisfactory coverage and uptake rates. Exploration of accurate BC risk prediction models and the development of risk‐stratified screening strategies are highly warranted in future research.
Determination of active ingredients in alcohol‐based gel by spectroscopic techniques and chemometric analysis
Authors: Herculano Leandro S. , Lukasievicz Gustavo V. B. , Sehn Elizandra , Torquato Alex S. , Belançon Marcos P. , Simon Anna P. , Barison Andersson , de Fátima C. Santos Maria , Savi Elton L. , Malacarne Luis C. , Astrath Nelson G. C.
Published: May 2022

The international public health emergency related to COVID‐19 caused by the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus has altered several production and registration criteria for sanitary products, including alcohol‐based hand sanitizers. In this work, we investigate the concentration of alcohol in sanitizers presented in gel form applying the principal component regression method on measurements using Infrared and Raman spectroscopic methods. The chemometric calibration is performed using isopropanol or ethanol as active agents, and the method is used to characterize several commercial samples. Furthermore, the results of the prediction of alcohol concentration, obtained by applying the principal component regression and partial least squares methods, in the spectroscopic techniques, were compared with each other and with the results provided by nuclear magnetic resonance. Our results show that spectroscopic techniques coupled with principal component regression are fast, low‐cost, and safe tools for the determination of alcohol concentration, regardless the gelling agent used.
Additional cytogenetic features determine outcome in patients allografted for TP53 mutant acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Loke Justin , Labopin Myriam , Craddock Charles , Cornelissen Jan J. , Labussière‐Wallet Hélène , Wagner‐Drouet Eva Maria , Van Gorkom Gwendolyn , Schaap Nicolaas P.M. , Kröger Nicolaus M. , Veelken Joan Hendrik , Rovira Montserrat , Menard Anne Lise , Bug Gesine , Bazarbachi Ali , Giebel Sebastian , Brissot Eolia , Nagler Arnon , Esteve Jordi , Mohty Mohamad
Published: May 2022

BACKGROUND

The presence of TP53 mutations is associated with an unfavorable outcome in patients allografted for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), leading some to question the benefit of an allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo‐SCT) for this patient group, although this has not been studied in a large cohort.

METHODS

A total of 780 patients with AML in first complete remission, with either intermediate‐ or adverse‐risk cytogenetics, whose TP53 mutation status was reported, were included in this study from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

RESULTS

Two‐year overall survival (OS) was impaired in patients (n = 179) with evidence of a TP53 mutation at diagnosis (35.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 26.7–43.7) as compared to the cohort without (n = 601) (64%; 95% CI, 59.1–68.4; P = .001). In patients with mutant TP53 AML with no evidence of either chromosome 17p loss (17p–) and/or complex karyotype (CK) (n = 53, 29.6%), 2‐year OS was 65.2% (95% CI, 48.4–77.6). This was not significantly different to patients without TP53 mutations. In patients with mutant TP53 AML with either 17p– and/or CK (n = 126, 70.4%), the OS was lower (24.6%; 95% CI, 16.2–34; P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, the adverse prognostic effect of TP53 mutations in AML following an allo‐SCT is not evident in patients with neither co‐occurring 17p– and/or CK, and these data inform decisions regarding allo‐SCT in patients with TP53 mutant AML.
Demographic response of Northern Bobwhite to hardwood canopy management in pine savanna
Authors: Malone Kristen M. , Terhune Theron M. , Sieving Kathryn E.
Published: May 2022

Disruption of historic fire regimes has led to the expansion of hardwoods into pine savanna ecosystems in the southeastern United States. Management strategies that reduce mature mesophytic oaks in pine savanna that was previously fire suppressed may help restore understory vegetation and positively affect understory birds. Many private lands in the Southeast are managed intentionally for the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhite), a species with high cultural and economic importance to the region. Mechanical hardwood reduction is used to restore southeastern pine savanna and as a predation management tool to enhance populations of bobwhite although its utility has not been empirically tested. We measured the demographic response of bobwhite to a large‐scale hardwood reduction using a before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) study replicated at two properties in the Red Hills region of northern Florida, United States, that had a relatively low density of mature, mesophytic hardwoods and were already managed for bobwhite with 2‐year fire return intervals, supplemental feeding, and meso‐mammal control. We monitored reproduction at 561 nests and survival of 1529 adults tracked with radiotelemetry. In treated sites, mean daily nest survival was 0.98 and did not change following hardwood reduction. Reproductive effort declined each year (pre‐ and post‐treatment; 2015–2018) in one treated site and varied relatively little in the other. At both treated sites, weekly adult survival decreased to 0.93–0.94 immediately following the treatment, then increased gradually but did not exceed pretreatment weekly survival (0.98) within 2–3 years following the treatment. Our results suggest hardwood reduction may not benefit bobwhite adult survival or productivity within 2–3 years of application on sites that are already managed intensively with prescribed fire, predator control, and supplemental feeding and that hardwoods in this system may not have direct negative impacts on understory birds. Further study is necessary to determine under what conditions hardwood reduction may be beneficial and whether other metrics such as chick survival or immigration are affected. Our study sites represent typical land management in the Red Hills region, and we believe the inference of this study extends at least to properties with similar management schemes and similar bobwhite population density.
Flow cytometry‐based high‐throughput RNAi screening for miRNAs regulating MHC class II HLA‐DR surface expression
Authors: Houseman Maja , Huang Melody Ying‐Yu , Huber Markus , Staiger Matthias , Zhang Lan , Hoffmann Anneliese , Lippuner Christoph , Stüber Frank
Published: May 2022

HLA‐DR isotype is a MHC‐II cell‐surface receptor found on APCs and plays a key role in initiating immune responses. In severely immunocompromised patients with conditions like sepsis, the number of HLA‐DR molecules expressed on leukocytes is considered to correlate with infectious complications and patients’ probability of survival. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of HLA‐DR expression remain largely unknown. One probable path to regulation is through microRNAs (miRNAs), which have been implicated as regulatory elements of both innate and adaptive immune system development and function. In our study, flow cytometry‐based high‐throughput miRNA screening was performed in a stable HLA‐DR‐expressing human melanoma cell line, MelJuSo, for either up‐ or downregulating miRNAs of the surface HLA‐DR expression. By the end of the screening, the top ten upregulators and top five downregulators were identified, and both the HLA‐DR protein and mRNA regulations were further verified and validated. In‐silico approaches were applied for functional miRNA‐mRNA interaction prediction. The potential underlying gene regulations of different miRNAs were proposed. Our results promote the study of miRNA‐mediated HLA‐DR regulation under both physiological and pathological conditions, and may pave the way for potential clinical applications.
Assessment and conceptual design of a SOFC/TIG/TEG‐based hybrid propulsion system for a small UAV
Authors: Ren Xiaohui
Published: May 2022

Improving the electricity output of a propulsion configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be effective in achieving the targets of controlling fuel consumption and high flight endurance. Recently, fuel cell‐powered UAVs have been developed to achieve these goals. In addition, the use of an integrated fuel cell‐based electric propulsion system can further improve power generation rate. On the other hand, due to the limited reports on fuel cell‐powered UAVs (especially solid oxide fuel cell [SOFC]), it is necessary to conduct more and detailed studies. In this regard, the present article provides a conceptual analysis of a SOFC/thermionic generator (TIG)/thermoelectric generator (TEG) integrated propulsion configuration to produce electric energy of a small UAV. SOFC stack converts chemical energy into electric current and thermal energy. The thermal energy of the stack's exhaust is converted into electric power under two processes in downstream generators. The objective of this work is to calculate the needful power of an UAV at desired mission requirements. The present study presents a new propulsion configuration. In addition, the proposed system's design and modeling as well as provided results are in such a way that the propulsion system can be generalized for any desired size of UAV. The finding revealed that the introduced propulsion configuration could produce nearly 553.7 W of electricity. Moreover, the efficiency of electricity production was close to 49.3%. It was also found that the drone requires nearly 1.3 kW of electric power to perform the intended mission. According to the conceptual evaluation of the proposed propulsion configuration, five scenarios are also suggested to provide the necessary power to the UAV.
Resilient expansion planning of virtual power plant with an integrated energy system considering reliability criteria of lines and towers
Authors: Mishra Sambeet , Bordin Chiara , Wu Qiuwei , Manninen Henri
Published: May 2022

The portfolio of virtual power plants (VPP) is a flexible system for facilitating a wide range of resources with wide geographical coverage. A VPP can be placed at the intersection of electric power and energy systems by adding heat pumps to the portfolio, thereby accelerating the formation of integrated energy systems. VPPs, while virtual, still rely on a physical network for operations. The power transmission network has the responsibility of ensuring the security of supply, reliability of operation, and optimal planning for expansion. A vast majority of power network infrastructures, such as lines and towers, were installed in the last century, thus the existing infrastructure with aging components is not homogeneous. The transmission network covers a large geographical area which is expensive to maintain and requires large investments to avoid congestion. This work addresses the research question of how the condition of the existing network infrastructure affects the potential plans to expand the network. The condition of network infrastructure refers to the health of each line and tower. The decision of expansion includes both expansion with dismantling (restructuring) and without (reconfiguration) dismantling the existing lines and towers. The condition of the power network is determined by the maintenance cost of lines as well as a health index with associated risk factors of the tower. The investigation covers a range of cases where we research how the investment decisions change with the option of installing heat pumps in order to meet heating demand locally, and also when the condition of the network (health of lines and towers) is factored in, while also adding in the level of risk associated with each tower. Beyond the cases, extensive sensitivity analyses are conducted to evaluate the trade‐offs between decision variables, such as cost of heat pump, coefficient of performance of heat pump, risk factors, and line and tower costs. The results of this work lay the foundation for understanding how the condition of network infrastructure impacts optimal decisions for expansion.
High‐order modeling of interface interactions using level sets
Authors: Fleischmann Nico , Winter Josef M. , Adami Stefan , Adams Nikolaus A.
Published: May 2022

Most technological advancements in medicine, process and energy engineering, life and food science, mobility and environmental engineering involve mastering fluid mechanical effects. In particular, compressible flow physics including shockwaves and phase‐interface interactions exhibit multi‐scale phenomena spanning several orders of magnitude upwards from nanometer and nanosecond time scales. Clearly, detailed analysis of such effects is impossible by means of experimental techniques. On the contrary, numerical modeling and simulations allow to capture the aforementioned mechanisms and provide non‐invasive access to any quantity of interest. Yet, the complex fluid physics require powerful computational methods utilizing recent advancements for high‐order schemes. In this work, we provide an overview on latest high‐order low‐dissipation schemes using level sets to model discontinuous phase‐interface interactions.
The p97‐Nploc4 ATPase complex plays a role in muscle atrophy during cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Re Cecconi Andrea David , Barone Mara , Gaspari Simona , Tortarolo Massimo , Bendotti Caterina , Porcu Luca , Terribile Giulia , Piccirillo Rosanna
Published: May 2022

Background

The p97 complex participates in the degradation of muscle proteins during atrophy upon fasting or denervation interacting with different protein adaptors. We investigated whether and how it might also be involved in muscle wasting in cancer, where loss of appetite occurs, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where motoneuron death causes muscle denervation and fatal paralysis.

Methods

As cancer cachexia models, we used mice bearing colon adenocarcinoma C26, human renal carcinoma RXF393, or Lewis lung carcinoma, with breast cancer 4T1‐injected mice as controls. As ALS models, we employed 129/SvHsd mice carrying the mutation G93A in human SOD1. The expression of p97 and its adaptors was analysed in their muscles by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot. We electroporated plasmids into muscles or treated mice with disulfiram (DSF) to test the effects of inhibiting p97 and nuclear protein localization protein 4 (Nploc4), one of its adaptors, on atrophy.

Results

The mRNA levels of p97 were induced by 1.5‐fold to 2‐fold in tibialis anterior (TA) of all the cachectic models but not in the non‐cachectic 4T1 tumour‐bearing mice (P ≤ 0.05). Similarly, p97 was high both in mRNA and protein in TA from 17‐week‐old SOD1G93A mice (P ≤ 0.01). Electroporation of a shRNA for murine p97 into mouse muscle reduced the fibre atrophy caused by C26 (P = 0.0003) or ALS (P ≤ 0.01). When we interrogated a microarray, we had previously generated for the expression of p97 adaptors, we found Derl1, Herpud1, Nploc4, Rnf31, and Hsp90ab1 induced in cachectic TA from C26‐mice (Fold change > 1.2, adjusted P ≤ 0.05). By qPCR, we validated their inductions in TA of cachectic and ALS models and selected Nploc4 as the one also induced at the protein level by 1.5‐fold (P ≤ 0.01). Electroporation of a CRISPR/Cas9 vector against Nploc4 into muscle reduced the fibre atrophy caused by C26 (P = 0.01) or ALS (P ≤ 0.0001). Because DSF uncouples p97 from Nploc4, we treated atrophying myotubes with DSF, and found accumulated mono and polyubiquitinated proteins and reduced degradation of long‐lived proteins by 35% (P ≤ 0.0001), including actin (P ≤ 0.05). DSF halves Nploc4 in the soluble muscle fraction (P ≤ 0.001) and given to C26‐bearing mice limited the body and muscle weight loss (P ≤ 0.05), with no effect on tumour growth.

Conclusions

Overall, cancer cachexia and ALS seem to display similar mechanisms of muscle wasting at least at the catabolic level. The p97‐Nploc4 complex appears to have a crucial role in muscle atrophy during these disorders and disrupting this complex might serve as a novel drug strategy.
Effect of green synthesized ZnO nanoparticles using Paspalum scrobiculatum grains extract in biological applications
Authors: Velsankar K. , Parvathy G. , Mohandoss S. , Sudhahar Sakkarapani
Published: May 2022

In this report, ZnO nanoparticles were biosynthesized using Paspalum scrobiculatum grains extract for the first time. GC–MS analysis explicated that diethyl phthalate was the major phytocompound with 94.09% in aqueous extract. ZnO nanoparticles formation was confirmed by various physicochemical analyses. HR‐TEM images showed the hexagonal, rectangular shaped nanoparticles in 15–30 nm size. The antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐diabetic analyses showed the effective bioactivity of ZnO nanoparticles in 80 μg/ml concentration with 95.36%, 94.08%, and 91.96%, respectively. The morphological and tissue changes witnessed in larvicidal and insecticidal activities against Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Tribolium castaneum revealed the efficient nature of ZnO nanoparticles in 100 ppm at 48 h and 100 μg/kg at 72 h, respectively. The morphological changes in antibacterial activity demonstrated the bactericidal nature of ZnO nanoparticles against Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus in 150 μg/ml concentration. The morphological observations in anticancer activity against HepG2 liver cancer cells showed the potent drug features of ZnO nanoparticles in 100 μg/ml concentration with 97.18% of cytotoxicity. The ZnO nanoparticles showed no toxicity against HDF normal cells in lower concentrations and it explicated the biocompatible features of nanoparticles. The Vigna radiata plant growth was efficiently promoted by low (60 ppm) concentration of nanoparticles. The ZnO nanoparticles divulged effective degradation of IPA, EDTA, BQ, and DPBF in 75%, 45%, 55%, and 80% through ROS formation, respectively. Thus, the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles are biocompatible and inexpensive material compared to the traditional one and can be utilized as an efficient material in biological fields.

Research Highlights

Efficient larvicidal and insecticidal activities were evinced at low IC50 value.

The ZnO nanoparticles were non‐toxic to HDP (fibroblast) normal cells.

Efficient plant growth was attained at 60 ppm concentration.
Evaluation of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2019 and the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines' performances for choledocholithiasis prediction in clinically suspected patients: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Tunruttanakul Suppadech , Chareonsil Borirak , Verasmith Kotchakorn , Patumanond Jayanton , Mingmalairak Chatchai
Published: May 2022

Background and Aim

The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) have published guidelines for choledocholithiasis. However, the guidelines were formulated using data from a large number of patients with no to low risk of common bile duct (CBD) stones. This study aimed to assess the guidelines' predictive performance in a population with a high frequency of stones.

Methods

Data for three choledocholithiasis standard reference tests were retrospectively reviewed from January 2019 to June 2021. Clinical parameters were used to categorize patients into risk groups according to the guidelines, and then the guidelines' predictive abilities were calculated.

Results

Among 1185 patients, 521 were included. The stone prevalence was 61.0% (n = 318). Twelve (2.3%), 146 (28.0%), and 363 (69.7%) patients were classified into low‐, intermediate‐, and high‐risk groups according to the ASGE guidelines, and 30 (5.8%), 149 (28.6%), and 342 (65.6%) according to the ESGE guidelines. Focusing on the high‐risk group, the ASGE guidelines had a positive predictive value of 73.6 and a positive likelihood ratio of 1.78. The ESGE guidelines had a positive predictive value of 73.7 and positive likelihood ratio of 1.79. Both guidelines had equivalent areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65–0.73) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.64–0.72), respectively.

Conclusion

In the high‐risk group, the guidelines increased the chance of detecting choledocholithiasis by approximately 10% (61.0% prevalence to 73.6 and 73.7% positive predictive value). However, statistically, the guidelines had marginal discriminative performance in a population with high stone prevalence.
Advancing basic and translational research to deepen understanding of the molecular immune-mediated mechanisms regulating long-term persistence of HIV-1 in microglia in the adult human brain
Authors: Boucher Thomas , Liang Shijun , Brown Amanda M
Published: May 2022

Knowledge about the diversity microglia (MG) type and function in the rodent and human brain has advanced significantly in the last few years. Nevertheless, we have known for 40 years that MG, monocytes, and macrophages in the brain play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of the HIV-1 in all tissues. HIV enters and spreads in the brain early, long before the initiation of antiviral therapy. As a result, many people with HIV continue to experience neurologic and neuropsychiatric comorbid conditions collectively known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HIV pathogenic sequelae in the CNS pose a challenge for cure strategies. Detailed understanding at a mechanistic level of how low-level and latent HIV-1 infection in MG negatively impacts neuroglial function has remained somewhat elusive. Direct rigorous in vivo experimental validation that the virus can integrate into MG and assume a latent but reactivatable state has remained constrained. However, there is much excitement that human in vitro models for MG can now help close the gap. This review will provide a brief background to place the role of MG in the ongoing neurologic complications of HIV infection of the CNS, then focus on the use and refinement of human postmitotic monocyte-derived MG-like cells and how they are being applied to advance research on HIV persistence and proinflammatory signaling in the CNS. Critically, an understanding of myeloid plasticity and heterogeneity and rigorous attention to all aspects of cell handling is essential for reproducibility.

Summary Sentence: This review focuses on human postmitotic monocyte-derived microglia-like cells as tools to advance research on HIV persistence and neuroinflammatory signaling.
Is local food consumption memorable? Exploration of a multidimensional measurement scale to explain tourists' memorable local food consumption experiences
Authors: Badu‐Baiden Frank , Kim Seongseop (Sam)
Published: May 2022

Recent trends in local food consumption have stimulated research interest in what makes tourists' local food experiences memorable. Despite previous attempts at investigating this phenomenon, theoretical gaps exist regarding its dimensional structure and the measurement of memorable local food consumption experiences (MLFCEs). Therefore, this study sought to examine the underlying dimensionality and measurement of MLFCEs. An eight‐factor structure for MLFCEs was generated. The overall construct satisfied a series of convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity tests. Furthermore, the scale showed strong explanatory power with regard to attitude toward local food, subjective wellbeing, and destination loyalty. Future studies may benefit from using this scale in different contexts to understand tourists' psychological mechanisms for remembering their experiences.
Wave damping by seagrass meadows in combined wave‐current conditions
Authors: Beth Schaefer Rachel , Nepf Heidi
Published: May 2022

Laboratory experiments using an artificial seagrass meadow modeled after Zostera marina measured the impact of following currents on meadow‐induced wave decay as a function of the imposed current velocity , wave velocity , and wave Cauchy number , which is the ratio of hydrodynamic drag force to restoring force due to blade stiffness. For small wave‐induced reconfiguration of individual seagrass blades and the addition of current enhanced reconfiguration, which decreased wave decay relative to pure wave conditions. In contrast, when the wave‐induced reconfiguration was large , the addition of following current did not significantly enhance blade reconfiguration or impact wave damping. Due to canopy drag, the current velocity within the submerged meadow, , was significantly smaller than the depth‐averaged current , and a better prediction of wave decay was achieved using as the relevant velocity. The measured wave decay validated predictions based on a modified Cauchy number, defined for combined waves and current and using the in‐canopy velocity . Practical assumptions to facilitate the prediction of wave decay in the field are discussed and validated.
Synthesis and Linker‐Controlled Self‐Assembly of Dendritic Amphiphiles with Branched Fluorinated Tails
Authors: Singh Abhishek Kumar , Schade Boris , Rosati Marta , Rashmi Rashmi , Dichiarante Valentina , Cavallo Gabriella , Metrangolo Pierangelo , Haag Rainer
Published: May 2022

Amphiphiles containing fluorinated segments tend to aggregate in the aqueous solution into structure of lower curvature than their hydrocarbon analogs due to their larger diameter. A benefit of supramolecular structures incorporating fluorine moieties is their high electron density, which can be viewed in cryo‐TEM with better contrast than their hydrogenated forms. A modular approach has been developed for the synthesis of a new family of nonionic branched amphiphiles consisting of oligoglycerol units (G2) as the hydrophilic part and a branched fluorinated (F27) hydrophobic part. The design of this hydrophobic moiety allows to achieve a higher fluorine density than the previously used straight‐chain perfluoroalkanes. Two different chemical approaches, amide, and triazole, are used to link the hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments. In addition, the aggregation behavior is investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and cryo‐TEM. The measurements prove the formation of multivesicular (MVVs) and multilamellar (MLVs) vesicles as well as smaller unilamellar vesicles. Further, the cell viability test proves the low cell toxicity of these nanoarchitectures for potential biomedical applications.
Surgical and demographic predictors of free flap salvage after takeback: A systematic review
Authors: Odorico Scott K. , Reuter Muñoz Katie , J. Nicksic Peter , Gunderson Kirsten A. , Wood Kasey , H. Nkana Zeeda , Bond Evalina , Poore Samuel O.
Published: May 2022

Background

Microsurgical free tissue transfer (FTT) is a widely employed surgical modality utilized for reconstruction of a broad range of defects, including head and neck, extremity, and breast. Flap survival is reported to be 90%–95%. When FTT fails, salvage procedures aim at establishing reperfusion while limiting ischemia time—with salvage rates between 22% and 67%. There are limited data‐driven predictors of successful salvage present in the literature. This systematic review aims to identify predictors of flap salvage.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted per PRISMA guidelines. Articles included in the final analysis were limited to those investigating FTT salvage procedures and included factors impacting outcomes. Cohort and case series (>5 flaps) studies up until March 2021 were included. Chi‐square tests and linear regression modeling was completed for analysis.

Results

The patient‐specific factors significantly associated with salvage included the absence of hypercoagulability (p < .00001) and no previous salvage attempts (p < .00001). Case‐specific factors significantly associated with salvage included trunk/breast flaps (p < .00001), fasciocutaneous/osteocutaneous flaps (p = .006), venous compromise (p < .00001), and shorter time from index procedure to salvage attempt (R = .746). Radiation in the head and neck population was significantly associated with flap salvage failure.

Conclusions

Given the complexity and challenges surrounding free flap salvage procedures, the goal of this manuscript was to present data helping guide surgical decision‐making. Based on our findings, patients without documented hypercoagulability, no previous salvage attempts, fasciocutaneous/osteocutaneous flaps, trunk/breast flaps, and a shorter time interval post‐index operation are the best candidates for a salvage attempt.
DHNet: High‐resolution and hierarchical network for cross‐domain OCT speckle noise reduction
Authors: Zhou Yi , Li Jiang , Wang Meng , Peng Yuanyuan , Chen Zhongyue , Zhu Weifang , Shi Fei , Wang Lianyu , Wang Tingting , Yao Chenpu , Chen Xinjian
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging uses the principle of Michelson interferometry to obtain high‐resolution images by coherent superposing of multiple forward and backward scattered light waves with random phases. This process inevitably produces speckle noise that severely compromises visual quality of OCT images and degrades performances of subsequent image analysis tasks. In addition, datasets obtained by different OCT scanners have distribution shifts, making a speckle noise suppression model difficult to be generalized across multiple datasets. In order to solve the above issues, we propose a novel end‐to‐end denoising framework for OCT images collected by different scanners.

Methods

The proposed model utilizes the high‐resolution network (HRNet) as backbone for image restoration, which reconstructs high‐fidelity images by maintaining high‐resolution representations throughout the entire learning process. To compensate distribution shifts among datasets collected by different scanners, we develop a hierarchical adversarial learning strategy for domain adaption. The proposed model is trained using datasets with clean ground truth produced by two commercial OCT scanners, and then applied to suppress speckle noise in OCT images collected by our recently developed OCT scanner, BV‐1000 (China Bigvision Corporation). We name the proposed model as DHNet (Double‐H‐Net, High‐resolution and Hierarchical Network).

Results

We compare DHNet with state‐of‐the‐art methods and experiment results show that DHNet improves signal‐to‐noise ratio by a large margin of 18.137 dB as compared to the best of our previous method. In addition, DHNet achieves a testing time of 25 ms, which satisfies the real‐time processing requirement for the BV‐1000 scanner. We also conduct retinal layer segmentation experiment on OCT images before and after denoising and show that DHNet can also improve segmentation.

Conclusions

The proposed DHNet can compensate domain shifts between different data sets while significantly improve speckle noise suppression. The HRNet backbone is utilized to carry low‐ and high‐resolution information to recover fidelity images. Domain adaptation is achieved by a hierarchical module through adversarial learning. In addition, DHNet achieved a testing time of 25 ms, which satisfied the real‐time processing requirement.
Radiation shielding assessment of high‐energy proton imaging at a proton therapy facility
Authors: Penfold Scott N.
Published: May 2022

Background

Proton imaging makes use of high‐energy, low‐intensity proton beams that fully traverse the patient and has been suggested to reduce range uncertainty in proton therapy. Upright patient positioning with proton imaging is being considered for a fixed beam room of a new proton therapy facility currently under construction. Considering that the yield and energy spectrum of secondary radiation from high‐energy proton beams is proton beam energy dependent, an assessment of radiation shielding at the energies required for proton imaging should be performed prior to use. Furthermore, NCRP 144 recommends that pion production be considered for proton energies greater than 300 MeV, which are not typically utilized for proton therapy but may be required for proton imaging.

Purpose

The purpose of this work was to determine whether proton treatment and imaging with an upright patient positioning system on a fixed beamline were acceptable from a radiation shielding perspective. This is the first report on radiation shielding assessment of proton imaging applications and includes consideration of pion production at the proton beam energy of 330 MeV.

Methods

The Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit was used for the radiation shielding assessment. The calculations consisted of the generation of secondary particle phase‐space files by simulating the passage of high‐energy proton beams in two target materials, and subsequent simulation of the secondary particles in the proton therapy facility geometry. Particle fluence was converted to operational and protection radiation safety quantities with a custom python script for assessment of instantaneous and annual doses, respectively.

Results

The total yields of pions from a 330‐MeV proton beam were many orders of magnitude less than that of neutrons and photons. Three‐dimensional maps of ambient dose rate for a 330‐MeV proton beam showed doses arising from secondary neutrons and photons far exceed those arising from pion production. Incorporating representative annual workloads into the calculation demonstrated that proton imaging doses outside the shielded area were negligible compared to those arising from proton therapy.

Conclusions

Pion production has a negligible impact on the radiation shielding of proton imaging at 330 MeV relative to neutron and photon production. Radiation shielding designed for proton therapy is adequate for high‐energy proton imaging applications.
Myelin water imaging using a short‐TR adiabatic inversion‐recovery (STAIR) sequence
Authors: Ma Ya‐Jun , Jang Hyungseok , Lombardi Alecio F. , Corey‐Bloom Jody , Bydder Graeme M.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

To develop a new myelin water imaging (MWI) technique using a short‐TR adiabatic inversion‐recovery (STAIR) sequence on a clinical 3T MR scanner.

Methods

Myelin water (MW) in the brain has both a much shorter T1 and a much shorter T2* than intracellular/extracellular water. A STAIR sequence with a short TR was designed to efficiently suppress long T1 signals from intracellular/extracellular water, and therefore allow selective imaging of MW, which has a much shorter T1. Numerical simulation and phantom studies were performed to investigate the effectiveness of long T1 signal suppression. TheT2* in white matter (WM) was measured with STAIR and compared with T2* measured with a conventional gradient recall echo in in vivo study. Four healthy volunteers and 4 patients with multiple sclerosis were recruited for qualitative and quantitative MWI. Apparent MW fraction was generated to compare MW in normal WM in volunteers to MW in lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Results

Both simulation and phantom studies showed that when TR was sufficiently short (eg, 250 ms), the STAIR sequence effectively suppressed long T1 signals from tissues with a broad range of T1s using a single TR/TI combination. The volunteer study showed a short T2* of 9.5 ± 1.7 ms in WM, which is similar to reported values for MW. Lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis showed a significantly lower apparent MW fraction (4.5% ± 1.0%) compared with that of normal WM (9.2% ± 1.5%) in healthy volunteers (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The STAIR sequence provides selective MWI in brain and can quantify reductions in MW content in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Effects of particle morphology on the shear response of granular soils by discrete element method and 3D printing technology
Authors: Ma Xiongying , Lei Hang , Kang Xin
Published: May 2022

The development of quantitative correlation between particle morphology and shear responses of granular soils is an ongoing challenge. Herein, 3D printing technology, combined with the experiments and discrete element simulations were conducted to study the effects of different particle shapes on the particle migration, the development of shear zone, and the anisotropy of particle contact during shearing. Both numerical simulations and experimental tests confirmed that the increase of modified shape parameterShstrengthens the interlock between particles, which in turn limits the shear deformation in the direction of shearing. As the shear load increases further, the rotation of particles begins to develop from both sides of the shear box boundary, which gradually expands to the center, and finally forms a stable disturbance region in the center of the specimen; meanwhile, the positions of the maximum particle rotation appear at the center and boundary of the shear zone. Moreover, particle shape does not affect the distribution of fabric anisotropy before loading, however, the change of particle shape parameterShmakes the fabric anisotropy become prominent. In addition, particle shape is found to improve the shear resistance by changing the number and distribution of contacts between particles, rather than the contact force among particles.
Analysis of factors influencing the attitudes towards the elderly of nursing students based on empathy and end‐of‐life care: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Zhang Jinchan , Fu Yang , Zhang Hongli , Tang Tianwei , Yin Mei , Shi Lei
Published: May 2022

Aim

This study aimed to explore the factors associated with attitudes towards the older adults among nursing students, to clarify the impact of empathy and end‐of‐life care on the attitude of the older adults, and to provide a basis for the follow‐up of education courses related to older adults care and the training of older adults care talents.

Design

A cross‐sectional study.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards older adults was conducted from 24 December 2020–24 February 2021. The Chinese versions of the end‐of‐life Attitudes Scale, Jefferson Empathy Scale‐Nursing Version and Kogan Attitudes Scale for the Elderly were used for this cross‐sectional study. We used the purposive sampling method to conduct a questionnaire survey on nursing students at Heilongjiang Nursing College (n = 371, effective response rate: 64.52%).

Results

The average score of FATCOD‐B was 99.04 (7.71), and the score of C‐JSE‐HPS was 100.67 (12.90). The total average score of nursing students' attitudes towards older adults was 139.91 (15.79). The hierarchical regression analysis showed that education (β = −.125, p = .025) and personal experience (β = −.132, p = .008) correlated negatively with attitudes towards the older adults, while the end‐of‐life care (β = .140, p = .013) and empathy (β = .285, p < .001) correlated positively with attitudes towards the older adults.

Conclusions

Religion, end‐of‐life care and empathy were positively correlated with nursing students' attitudes towards older adults. It is necessary to set up end‐of‐life care, empathy and education related to the older adults, and combine a variety of training forms, increasing humanistic assessments and reducing the employment pressure on nursing students by relevant departments can improve their attitudes towards the older adults.
Synthesis, characterization, and thermoelectric properties of poly(p‐phenylenediamine)/poly(sulfonic acid diphenyl aniline) composites
Authors: Huner Keziban
Published: May 2022

Thermoelectric materials are of great importance as they are materials that can convert even a small waste heat in the environment into electrical energy. Today, interest in polymeric thermoelectric materials, which are low in cost, abundant in raw materials, and easy to process, has increased. In this study, PpPD, PSDA, and PpPD/PSDA composites were synthesized in aqueous medium by a simple method by chemical oxidative polymerization. The thermoelectric properties of the polymers were investigated and the PSDA ratio in the composite increased from 10% to 50%, while the Seebeck coefficient increased approximately 5 times from 70 μV/K to 340 μV/K. The highest Seebeck coefficient and power factor were obtained from PpPD/PSDA3 composite as 340 μV/K and 3.5 × 10−3 μW/mK2, respectively. It was observed that PpPD/PSDA composites had better thermoelectric properties and thermal stability than PpPD and PSDA.
Safety and efficacy of cefiderocol for off‐label treatment indications: A systematic review
Authors: Babidhan Riyan , Lewis Abigale , Atkins Cailin , Jozefczyk Nicolas J. , Nemecek Branden D. , Montepara Courtney A. , Gionfriddo Michael R. , Zimmerman David E. , Covvey Jordan R. , Guarascio Anthony J.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Cefiderocol is a siderophore cephalosporin recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of hospital‐ and ventilator‐acquired bacterial pneumonia and complicated urinary tract infections. However, there is potential for cefiderocol utility for a variety of other infections. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify literature examining the safety and efficacy of cefiderocol for off‐label indications.

Methods

The PRISMA guidelines were utilized for reporting. Databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, from inception to September 2021. Manuscripts describing cefiderocol off‐label use in clinical settings were included. Exclusion criteria were studies focused on labeled indications, animal studies, pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic studies, in vitro or laboratory studies, and manuscripts in languages other than English or Arabic. Each stage of review utilized two independent investigators, with conflicts resolved and critical appraisal performed. Data regarding presentation, clinical course, and infection characteristics were extracted and descriptively analyzed.

Results

The search identified a total of 985 records, narrowed to a final set of 27 studies. Among studies included were 18 (66.7%) case reports, 8 (29.6%) case series, and 1 (3.7%) phase 3 clinical trial. Cefiderocol was most frequently used off‐label for bacteremia/sepsis with or without an identified source in 51 (67.1%) out of a total of 76 included patients. Among case series/reports with available data, 43 of 53 patients (81.1%) received combination antibiotic therapy. The most common pathogens identified included multi/extensively drug‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and/or Acinetobacter baumannii. Various clinical end points were reported, while microbiological end points were reported in 18 (66.7%) studies. Cefiderocol‐related side effects were uncommon and rarely use‐limiting.

Conclusions

This systematic review depicts relative clinical effectiveness of off‐label cefiderocol, most commonly for P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii infections as combination antibiotic therapy. Further study is needed to elucidate the safety and efficacy of cefiderocol across an expanded set of patients and indications.