bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used by parents for the treatment of functional constipation in children
Authors: Nelson Jana , Mayer Steffi , Neininger Martina P. , Bertsche Astrid , Lacher Martin , Gosemann Jan‐Hendrik
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has gained increasing attention as a supportive treatment for chronic diseases such as epilepsy, migraine, autism, and cancer in children. This study aimed to determine the frequency, motivation, and outcomes of CAM in children with functional constipation.

Methods

From January 2018 till September 2019, parents of patients (0–18 years) who were treated for functional constipation (ROME IV‐criteria) at our colorectal center were asked to complete a questionnaire on the utilization of CAM. Demographic data and clinical assessments were documented and analyzed for patients with and without CAM treatment.

Results

A total of 115 patients were included (mean age: 5.1 years; 49% males), of whom 29 (25%) used CAM as an alternative (4/29,14%) or in addition to conventional therapy (CT), including osteopathy (48%), homeopathy (45%), and natural/herbal remedies (17%). The main reason parents reported for the use of CAM was the urge to leave no treatment option unattempted (76%). Multivariate analysis also identified persistent constipation under CT (72%), adverse effects of CT (24%), and parental use of CAM themselves (83%) as independent variables associated with CAM use. Parents reported positive changes in stool frequency (38%) and fecal incontinence (21%) with CAM. The vast majority (93%) plan to use CAM in the future, and even non‐CAM users showed high interest (60%).

Conclusion

One in four children with functional constipation receives CAM. Significant improvement in stool frequency and continence is missing in the majority. However, parental interest in CAM remains high. Physicians should be aware of CAM when counseling families for functional constipation in children.
Racial and ethnic differences in diagnosis age and blood biomarkers in a pediatric inflammatory bowel disease cohort
Authors: Kemp Keri M. , Nagaraj Pooja K. , Orihuela Catheryn A. , Lorenz Robin G. , Maynard Craig L. , Pollock Jennifer S. , Jester Traci
Published: January 2024

Objective

Prompt diagnosis of pediatric‐onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is crucial for preventing a complicated disease course; however, it is not well understood how social determinants of health might affect pediatric IBD diagnosis. This study examined differences in diagnosis age, biomarkers of disease severity, and anthropometrics with sociodemographic factors in a pediatric IBD cohort.

Methods

Pediatric IBD patients (n = 114) and their parents/caregivers were enrolled from the Children's of Alabama Pediatric IBD Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. Primary analyses examined associations of child race and ethnicity, parental income, parental education, single‐parent household status, insurance type, and distance to a tertiary pediatric gastroenterology referral center with diagnosis age. Secondary analyses examined differences in biomarker levels, height, and body mass index at the time of diagnosis.

Results

Racial and ethnic minority children were diagnosed at an older age compared to Non‐Hispanic White children (14.4 ± 0.40 vs. 11.7 ± 0.38 years; p < 0.001), and this trend was robust to adjustment with other sociodemographic variables. Parental attainment of a college education attenuated the link between minority race and ethnicity and the likelihood of older age at diagnosis, while other sociodemographic variables had no moderating effect. Racial and ethnic minority children were 5.7 times more likely to have clinically elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate at diagnosis compared to Non‐Hispanic White children (p = .024).

Conclusions

These results suggest that child race and ethnicity may exert a primary effect on the age at diagnosis with pediatric‐onset IBD. This study highlights the need for further research on racial and ethnic disparities to promote health equity in pediatric‐onset IBD.
Mucosal prolapse syndrome mimicking Peutz–Jeghers syndrome in a pediatric patient
Authors: Do Phinga , Phen Claudia , Alkalay Michele , Singh Vivekanand , Rojas Isabel
Published: January 2024

Mucosal prolapse syndrome (MPS) is a rare group of benign conditions characterized by a set of unifying histologic findings thought to be the result of repeated mucosal shearing and submucosal vascular congestion caused by straining. This set of conditions is often misdiagnosed as other polyposis syndromes, inflammatory bowel disease, or malignancy due to its clinical presentation, appearance, and rarity. We report a case of a 15‐year‐old male who presented with painless rectal bleeding. He was found to have four rectal polyps thought to be due to Peutz–Jeghers syndrome. A repeat colonoscopy with biopsies a year later revealed a diagnosis of MPS. Our case highlights the morphologic similarity between hamartomatous polyp and mucosal prolapse histology. Since MPS is a rare diagnosis even among the adult population, it has not been well described in pediatrics. This syndrome should be on the differential diagnosis for pediatric rectal polyps to prevent unnecessary invasive testing and a delay in treatment.
Impact of the outer‐sphere and inner‐sphere association in the surface enhanced Raman spectra of metal complexes and gold nanoparticles
Authors: Franciscato Douglas S. , Nakamura Marcelo , Mangoni Ana P. , Toma Henrique E.
Published: January 2024

Transition metal complexes, such as the low‐spin bis (phenylterpyridine) (A) and bis (pyridylterpyrazine)iron (II) (B) complexes, provide didactic chromophore species for demonstrating the Raman, resonance Raman, and the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) behavior in coordination chemistry, as well as for elucidating the nature of inner‐sphere and outer‐sphere association with plasmonic nanoparticles. Their electrostatically stabilized ion pairs with citrate–gold nanoparticles have been studied in an aqueous solution, from the pronounced changes in the plasmonic band at 540 nm. Complex A, lacking any coordinating site, can only generate outer‐sphere complexes with citrate–gold nanoparticles, but they are stable enough to give a strong SERS response, even at 10−8 M. At 10−6 M, agglomeration accompanies the decrease of the electrostatic repulsion, resulting in a sharp decay of the plasmon resonance band at 540 nm. This is followed by the rise of a plasmon coupling band above 700 nm. However, at 10−4 M, the excess of the complex in the adsorption layer produces a reverse effect, decreasing agglomeration. The observed Raman spectra are essentially similar for the several concentrations employed because the outer‐sphere interaction implies a SERS electromagnetic mechanism. In contrast, complex B exhibits several pyridine and pyrazine N‐atoms available to form inner‐sphere‐associated species. A selective enhancement of the SERS signals is observed at 10−8 M, clearly indicating a chemical mechanism, consistent with a bridging mode. At 10−6 M and above, the agglomeration leads to a plasmon coupling band at 800 nm, while the SERS response indicates a change in the binding modes dictated by the excess of the complexing molecules.
Synergetic effects and inhibition mechanisms of the polysaccharide‐selenium nanoparticle complex in human hepatocarcinoma cell proliferation
Authors: Wu Qingxi , Wang Xiaohui , Hao Siwei , Wu Yingchao , Zhang Wenna , Chen Lei , Yan Chao , Lu Yongming , Chen Yan , Ding Zhifeng
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Active components from natural fungal products have shown promising potential as anti‐tumor therapeutic agents. In the search for anti‐tumor agents, research to overcome the drawbacks of high molecular weight and low bioavailability of pure polysaccharides, polysaccharide‐conjugated selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) has attracted much attention.

RESULTS

A novel polysaccharide‐selenium nanoparticle complex was produced, in which SeNPs were decorated with polysaccharide obtained from fermented mycelia broth of Lactarius deliciosus (FLDP). Transmission electron microscope, dynamic light scattering, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy were utilized to characterize the FLDP‐SeNPs; and human hepatocarcinoma cell line (HepG2) was used to assess growth inhibition efficacy. The FLDP‐SeNPs that were prepared had a spherical shape with the smallest mean diameter of 32 nm. The FLDP‐SeNPs showed satisfactory dispersibility and stability after combination, demonstrating that a reliable consolidated structure had formed. The results revealed that FLDP‐SeNPs had notable growth inhibition effects on HepG2 cells. They reduced the membrane potential of mitochondria significantly, increased the generation of reactive oxygen species, enhanced levels of both Caspase‐3 and Caspase‐9, and led to the nucleus in a wrinkled form.

CONCLUSION

The FLDP‐SeNPs could exert a synergetic toxicity reduction and inhibition enhancement effect on HepG2 cells by inducing early apoptosis, through mitochondria‐mediated cytochrome C‐Caspases and reactive oxygen species‐induced DNA damage pathways. These results indicate that FLDP‐SeNP treatment of HepG2 cells induced early apoptosis with synergetic efficacy, showing that FLDP‐SeNPs can be useful as natural anti‐tumor agents. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Optimizing the winemaking process: NIR spectroscopy and e‐nose analysis for the online monitoring of fermentation
Authors: Littarru Eleonora , Modesti Margherita , Alfieri Gianmarco , Pettinelli Stefano , Floridia Giuseppe , Bellincontro Andrea , Sanmartin Chiara , Brizzolara Stefano
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

In the winemaking process, the rapid determination of specific quality parameters such as sugar content, pH, acidity, concentrations of phenolic compounds, anthocyanins and volatile organic compounds is crucial for high‐quality wine production. Traditional analytical methods allow for precise quantification of these parameters but are time‐consuming and expensive. This article explores the potential application of non‐destructive analytical technique (NDAT) (near infra‐red [NIR] and e‐nose), as efficient alternatives for online monitoring of fermentation working on two different winemaking tanks and applying chemometrics to develop predictive models to correlate non‐destructive and analytical data.

RESULTS

NIR measurements have been used to build principal components regression models, showing good prediction capability for polyphenols, anthocyanins, glucose and fructose. Both offline and online e‐nose applications demonstrate good capability of discriminating different fermentation phases, in agreement with aromatic profile changes observed via gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis. Moreover, correlation analysis reveals the potential of quartz microbalances, Taguchi Gas Sensors and H2S sensors in predicting the concentration of compounds of great interest for winemaking (e.g. C6 alcohols, ketones, terpenes and ethyl esters) highlighting the robust connection between sensor data and specific chemical classes.

CONCLUSION

This research aims to showcase the potential employment of NDAT for online monitoring the evolution of must composition during fermentation. The proposed methods could potentially fulfil a longstanding requirement of winemakers, enabling them to closely monitor fermentation allowing the timely making of important technical decisions aimed at achieving oenological objectives in wine production. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Effect of a novel alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal morphology of white feather broilers
Authors: Yi Wuzhou , Liu Yanjie , Fu Shijun , Zhuo Jianshu , Zhang Wenye , Liu Shiqi , Tu Yunang , Shan Tizhong
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary novel alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis on the growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant status and intestinal morphology of broilers. In total, 4000 broilers were randomly assigned into five groups and treated with normal control, normal control + 100 mg kg−1 protease, normal control + 200 mg kg−1 protease, normal control + 300 mg kg−1 protease and normal control + 400 mg kg−1 protease.

RESULTS

Supplementing protease impacted final body weight (linear, P = 0.003; quadratic, P = 0.006) and decreased feed conversion rate (linear, P = 0.036) in broilers. Moreover, dietary protease significantly increased breast muscle rate (linear, P = 0.005; quadratic, P = 0.021) and decreased drip loss (linear, P < 0.001; quadratic, P < 0.001). In addition, dietary protease notably increased protein digestibility (linear, P = 0.001; quadratic, P = 0.006) and trypsin activity (linear, P = 0.002; quadratic, P = 0.009) in jejunum. Light microscopy revealed that the jejunum villi in the 300 mg kg−1 and 400 mg kg−1 groups exhibited greater height and a denser arrangement compared to those in the control group. The addition of protease decreased malondialdehyde content (linear, P < 0.001; quadratic, P < 0.001) and increased total antioxidant capacity (linear, P = 0.001; quadratic, P < 0.001) in pectoral muscles.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study suggest that dietary novel alkaline protease from B. licheniformis improved growth performance by affecting trypsin activity, protein digestibility, antioxidant capacity and intestinal health. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Green micellar liquid chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of antihistaminic drugs tripelennamine hydrochloride and diphenhydramine in pharmaceutical gel
Authors: Hammad Sherin F. , El‐Malla Samah F. , El‐Khateeb Basma Z.
Published: January 2024

A new green micellar liquid chromatographic method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of diphenhydramine (DPH) and tripelennamine hydrochloride (TRP) using a micellar mobile phase consisting of 1 mM Tween 20 in phosphate buffer pH 4:isopropanol (85:15, %v/v). The method was linear in the range of 4–150 and 5–120 μg/mL for TRP and DPH, respectively. The method was successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of DPH and TRP in a laboratory‐prepared gel containing all possible excipients with mean percent recoveries ± standard deviation of 100.346 ± 1.265 and 100.754 ± 1.117 for TRP and DPH, respectively. The method was validated according to the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The method is confirmed to have excellent greenness.
An optimization strategy for charged aerosol detection to linearize the detector response in the multicomponent quantitative analysis of Qishen Yiqi dripping pills
Authors: Wu Linlin , Gong Xingchu , Qu Haibin
Published: January 2024

Charged aerosol detection, increasingly recognized for quantifying pharmaceutical compounds with weak ultraviolet absorption, is a universal detection technique for high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Charged aerosol detection shows a non‐linear response with increasing analyte concentration over a wide range, limiting its versatility in various analytical applications. In this work, a co‐optimization strategy for power function value (PFV) and power laws was proposed and applied to broaden the linear range of the standard curve of saccharides in Qishen Yiqi dripping pills using the HPLC‐charged aerosol detection (HPLC‐CAD) method. Power function values for all analytes were optimized based on empirical models. Subsequently, the optimum power laws were investigated based on a preferred PFV. Additionally, various regression equations were evaluated to ensure the accuracy and precision of the results. With the optimized PFV and power law, the ordinary least squares model demonstrated a satisfactory fit. The optimal PFVs and power laws expanded the standard curve's linear range by 2.7 times compared to default settings, reducing model uncertainty. This paper presents a vital method for developing a multi‐component quantitative HPLC‐CAD approach without external data transformation outside the provided software, especially suitable for analytical applications of traditional Chinese medicine with significant quality differences.
State of the science: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
Authors: de Jongh Ad , de Roos Carlijn , El‐Leithy Sharif
Published: January 2024

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence‐based psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with support from more than 30 published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrating its effectiveness in both adults and children. Most international clinical practice guidelines recommend EMDR therapy as a first‐line treatment for PTSD. This paper describes the current state of the evidence for EMDR therapy. We begin with a brief description of EMDR therapy and its theoretical framework. Next, we summarize the scientific support for its efficacy, effectiveness, and safety and discuss its applicability across cultures and with diverse populations. We conclude with suggestions for future directions to develop the research base and applications of EMDR therapy.
Implication of abandoned post‐quarry sites on avifauna composition for strategic landscape restoration in Ndarugu, Kiambu, Kenya
Authors: Mukundi John Bosco , Waweru Stephen Waringo , Ndang'ang'a Paul Kariuki
Published: January 2024

Abandoned post‐quarry sites have potentiality to be remodeled into natural‐wilderness areas, a desire especially in rapidly urbanizing and transforming landscapes. However, paucity of ecological information on post‐quarry sites limits nature‐based restoration, especially in the sub‐Saharan tropical landscape. This study investigated avifauna composition of post‐quarry sites in Ndarugu, Kenya, relative to non‐quarried sites for conservation role prioritization. Birds were censused in 166 point count stations using the fixed‐radius distance method. Land use land cover types within each point provided the variables for explaining bird occurrence. Observed bird species were classified into functional guilds, avifaunal composition assessed, and bird data subjected to multivariate analysis. In total 158 species, 128 in post‐quarry and 123 in non‐quarried sites, were recorded. Bush‐ and forest‐related species were dominant, constituting over 55% of total observed birds, in both site categories. Six wetland‐related species were detected only in quarried sampling sites. Mann–Whitney statistical tests returned a significant effect of land use category on bird species richness, abundance, and diversity, all higher in post‐quarried than in non‐quarried sites (p < 0.05). Emergent natural shrubs, quarry cliffs, and cultivated farms were most influential to bird community structuring. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis revealed four functional groups of birds whose species richness increased with number of post‐quarried sampling sites in a cluster. Unique physical features of post‐quarry sites and emergent vegetation types, can be partially mimicked in nature‐oriented rehabilitation planning for long‐term social and ecological benefits.
Enhanced stream greenhouse gas emissions at night and during flood events
Authors: Woodrow Rebecca L. , White Shane A. , Conrad Stephen R. , Wadnerkar Praktan D. , Rocher‐Ros Gerard , Sanders Christian J. , Holloway Ceylena J. , Santos Isaac R.
Published: January 2024

Headwater streams play a large role in aquatic greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and dissolved oxygen in streams often undergo changes through diel cycles. However, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) have unknown diel dynamics. Here, we reveal consistent patterns in CO2, CH4, and N2O over diel cycles and during flood events using high‐frequency continuous observations in a subtropical headwater stream. Diel cycles were most pronounced during baseflow. Increased nighttime discharge due to higher groundwater inputs enhanced gas transfer velocities and concentrations. Overall nocturnal emissions were 31%, 68%, and 32% greater than daytime for CO2, CH4, and N2O, respectively. Floods dampened diel signals. If both flood events and diel patterns are neglected, estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from headwaters may be greatly underestimated. Overall, CH4 and N2O emissions from headwater streams may be underestimated by ~ 20–40% due to a lack of observations during nighttime, floods, and in warmer climates.
Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy‐Based Optical Biosensor for Liquid Biopsy: Toward Precision Medicine
Authors: Fan Min , Weng Youliang , Liu Yi , Lu Yudong , Xu Luyun , Ye Jianqing , Lin Duo , Qiu Sufang , Feng Shangyuan
Published: January 2024

Liquid biopsy is regarded as a promising strategy for assisting precision medicine because of its convenience, noninvasiveness, and ability to overcome tumor heterogeneity and achieve early detection. Recently, impressive advancements in plasmonic biosensors, artificial intelligence, and portable Raman equipment have yielded unprecedented progress in surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)–based point‐of‐care testing (POCT) systems for liquid biopsy. The development of these systems presents a paradigm shift in on‐site liquid biopsy applications by leveraging the unique benefits of efficiency, fast analysis, portability, affordability, and user‐friendliness. Herein, these advances are introduced over the last 3 years in the field of SERS‐based POCT systems for labeled and label‐free biomarker analysis in body fluids, including tumor circulating proteins and cells, exosomes, micro‐RNA, and circulating tumor DNA. Additionally, powerful machine learning algorithms (including deep learning algorithms) are integrated with SERS to effectively extract potential data features and generate precise diagnostic models. The review highlights the use of handheld and portable Raman devices in significantly promoting the application of SERS‐based POCT in clinical scenarios. Finally, the review outlines the challenges and future perspectives of this technology.
Solutions and continuum limits to nonlocal discrete modified Korteweg‐de Vries equations
Authors: Zhao Song‐lin , Xiang Xiao‐bo , Shen Shou‐feng
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we take advantage of the bilinearization reduction method to consider the local and nonlocal reduction of a discrete Ablowitz‐Kaup‐Newell‐Segur equation. Exact solutions in double Casoratian form to the reduced nonlocal discrete modified Korteweg‐de Vries equations are constructed. The dynamics of soliton solutions are analyzed and illustrated by asymptotic analysis. Moreover, both semi‐continuous limit and full continuous limit are applied to obtain the local and nonlocal semi‐discrete modified Korteweg‐de Vries equations, as well as the local and nonlocal continuous modified Korteweg‐de Vries equations.
Lp‐theory of linear canonical transforms and related uncertainty principles
Authors: Chen Xuan , Dang Pei , Mai Weixiong
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we revisit some fundamental properties of linear canonical transform (abbreviated as LCT). In particular, we prove the additive property rigorously for LCT in the higher dimensional case (abbreviated as MLCT). We also consider the
‐theory of MLCT with
. Specifically, the inversion theorem of MLCT by the related Gauss and Abel means is studied, and the pointwise convergence of approximate identities with respect to convolution for MLCT is also obtained. As applications, we study the
‐type Heisenberg‐Pauli‐Weyl uncertainty principles and the
‐type Donoho‐Stark uncertainty principles for MLCT.
Correcting CT misregistration in data‐driven gated (DDG) PET with PET self‐gating and deformable image registration
Authors: Sun Peng , Thomas M. Allan , Luo Dershan , Pan Tinsu
Published: January 2024

Background

Misregistration between CT and PET data can result in mis‐localization and inaccurate quantification of functional uptake in whole body PET/CT imaging. This problem is exacerbated when an abnormal inspiration occurs during the free‐breathing helical CT (FB CT) used for attenuation correction of PET data. In data‐driven gated (DDG) PET, the data selected for reconstruction is typically derived from the end‐expiration (EE) phase of the breathing cycle, making this potential issue worse.

Purpose

The objective of this study is to develop a deformable image registration (DIR)‐based respiratory motion model to improve the registration and quantification between misregistered FB CT and PET.

Methods

Twenty‐two whole‐body 18F‐FDG PET/CT scans encompassing 48 lesions in misregistered regions were analyzed in this study. End‐inspiration (EI) and EE PET data were derived from −10% to 15% and 30% to 80% of the breathing cycle, respectively. DIR was used to estimate a motion model from the EE to EI phase of the PET data. The model was then used to generate PET images at any phase of up to four times the amplitude of motion between EE and EI for correlation with the misregistered FB CT. Once a matched phase of the FB CT was determined, FB CT was deformed to a pseudo CT at the EE phase (DIR CT). DIR CT was compared with the ground truth DDG CT for AC and localization of the DDG PET.

Results

Between DDG PET/FB CT and DDG PET/DIR CT, a significant increase in ∆%SUV was observed (p < 0.01), with median values elevating from 26.7% to 42.4%. This new method was most effective for lesions ≤3 cm proximal to the diaphragm (p < 0.001) but showed decreasing efficacy as the distance increased. When FB CT was severely misregistered with DDG PET (>3 cm), DDG PET/DIR CT outperformed DDG PET/FB CT alone (p < 0.05). Even when patients showed varied breathing patterns during the PET/CT scan, DDG PET/DIR CT still surpassed the efficiency of DDG PET/FB CT (p < 0.01). Though DDG PET/DIR CT couldn't match the performance of the DDG PET/CT ground truth (42.4% vs. 53.6%, p < 0.01), it reached 84% of its quantification, demonstrating good agreement and a strong overall correlation (regression coefficient of 0.94, p < 0.0001). In some cases, anatomical distortion and blurring, and misregistration error were observed in DIR CT, rendering it still unable to correct inaccurate localization near the boundaries of two organs.

Conclusions

Based on the motion model derived from gated PET data, DIR CT can significantly improve the quantification and localization of DDG PET. This approach can achieve a performance level of about 84% of the ground truth established by DDG PET/CT. These results show that self‐gated PET and DIR CT may offer an alternative clinical solution to DDG PET and FB CT for quantification without the need for additional cine‐CT imaging. DIR CT was at times inferior to DDG CT due to some distortion and blurring of anatomy and misregistration error.
A diffusion‐leakage model coupled with dose point kernels (DPK) for dosimetry of diffusing alpha‐emitters radiation therapy (DaRT)
Authors: Khan Ahtesham Ullah , Jollota Sean , DeWerd Larry A.
Published: January 2024

Background

Diffusing alpha‐emitters radiation therapy (DaRT) is a novel brachytherapy technique that leverages the diffusive flow of 224Ra progeny within the tumor volume over the course of the treatment. Cell killing is achieved by the emitted alpha particles that have a short range in tissue and high linear energy transfer. The current proposed absorbed dose calculation method for DaRT is based on a diffusion‐leakage (DL) model that neglects absorbed dose from beta particles.

Purpose

This work aimed to couple the DL model with dose point kernels (DPKs) to account for dose from beta particles as well as to consider the non‐local deposition of energy.

Methods

The DaRT seed was modeled using COMSOL multiphysics and the DL model was implemented to extract the spatial information of the diffusing daughters. Using Monte–Carlo (MC) methods, DPKs were generated for 212Pb, 212Bi, and their progenies since they were considered to be the dominant beta emitters in the 224Ra radioactive decay chain. A convolution operation was performed between the integrated number densities of the diffusing daughters and DPKs to calculate the total absorbed dose over a 30‐day treatment period. Both high‐diffusion and low‐diffusion cases were considered.

Results

The calculated DPKs showed non‐negligible energy deposition over several millimeters from the source location. An absorbed dose >10 Gy was deposited within a 1.8 mm radial distance for the low diffusion case and a 2.2 mm radial distance for the high diffusion case. When the DPK method was compared with the local energy deposition method that solely considered dose from alpha particles, differences above 1 Gy were found within 1.3 and 1.8 mm radial distances from the surface of the source for the low diffusion and high diffusion cases, respectively.

Conclusions

The proposed method enhances the accuracy of the dose calculation method used for the DaRT technique.
Unsupervised motion artifact correction of turbo spin‐echo MRI using deep image prior
Authors: Lee Jongyeon , Seo Hyunseok , Lee Wonil , Park HyunWook
Published: January 2024

Purpose

In MRI, motion artifacts can significantly degrade image quality. Motion artifact correction methods using deep neural networks usually required extensive training on large datasets, making them time‐consuming and resource‐intensive. In this paper, an unsupervised deep learning‐based motion artifact correction method for turbo‐spin echo MRI is proposed using the deep image prior framework.

Theory and Methods

The proposed approach takes advantage of the high impedance to motion artifacts offered by the neural network parameterization to remove motion artifacts in MR images. The framework consists of parameterization of MR image, automatic spatial transformation, and motion simulation model. The proposed method synthesizes motion‐corrupted images from the motion‐corrected images generated by the convolutional neural network, where an optimization process minimizes the objective function between the synthesized images and the acquired images.

Results

In the simulation study of 280 slices from 14 subjects, the proposed method showed a significant increase in the averaged structural similarity index measure by 0.2737 in individual coil images and by 0.4550 in the root‐sum‐of‐square images. In addition, the ablation study demonstrated the effectiveness of each proposed component in correcting motion artifacts compared to the corrected images produced by the baseline method. The experiments on real motion dataset has shown its clinical potential.

Conclusion

The proposed method exhibited significant quantitative and qualitative improvements in correcting rigid and in‐plane motion artifacts in MR images acquired using turbo spin‐echo sequence.
Frequency shifts of free water signals from compact bone: Simulations and measurements using a UTE‐FID sequence
Authors: Fischer Anja , Martirosian Petros , Machann Jürgen , Fränkle Bernd , Schick Fritz
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Free water in cortical bone is either contained in nearly cylindrical structures (mainly Haversian canals oriented parallel to the bone axis) or in more spherically shaped pores (lacunae). Those cavities have been reported to crucially influence bone quality and mechanical stability. Susceptibility differences between bone and water can lead to water frequency shifts dependent on the geometric characteristics. The purpose of this study is to calculate and measure the frequency distribution of the water signal in MRI in dependence of the microscopic bone geometry.

Methods

Finite element modeling and analytical approaches were performed to characterize the free water components of bone. The previously introduced UTE‐FID technique providing spatially resolved FID‐spectra was used to measure the frequency distribution pixel‐wise for different orientations of the bone axis.

Results

The frequency difference between free water in spherical pores and in canals parallel to B0 amounts up to approximately 100 Hz at 3T. Simulated resonance frequencies showed good agreement with the findings in UTE‐FID spectra. The intensity ratio of the two signal components (parallel canals and spherical pores) was found to vary between periosteal and endosteal regions.

Conclusion

Spatially resolved UTE‐FID examinations allow the determination of the frequency distribution of signals from free water in cortical bone. This frequency distribution indicates the composition of the signal contributions from nearly spherical cavities and cylindrical canals which allows for further characterization of bone structure and status.
A new cube movement test for verification of simulations of contact processes of blocks of different size in geological hazards
Authors: Wang Xinquan , Feng Chun , Lahayne Olaf , Zhang Yiming , Mang Herbert A. , Pichler Bernhard L. A.
Published: January 2024

In many geological hazards, such as landslides, a large number of irregular blocks start moving. Their interaction on the way down renders prediction of disaster scopes difficult. To study this process and to provide a novel method for validation and calibration of numerical tools for its simulation, a cube movement test is designed. The goal of this research is to obtain patterns of movement of cubes, starting from different initial stacking arrangements. Cubes of four sizes are inserted into a hollow cylinder. Their distribution after lifting the cylinder is determined. Three categories of tests refer to three different strategies of filling the cubes into the cylinder. In order to simulate cube movement tests, a numerical tool is developed in the framework of the continuum–discontinuum element method (CDEM). The contact between the individual cubes is modeled by the contact‐pairs‐based algorithm. Both the contact state and type are detected by determining the half‐space relation between contact pairs. The final positions of the cubes are strongly related to their initial arrangement. The latter is different in every test, even if the same strategy is used to fill the cubes into the cylinder. It is found that at least 20 experiments/simulations are required to obtain statistically representative results. The new test provides valuable data for validation of numerical tools used for the simulation of mass movement processes. The proposed numerical method captures the complicated movements of blocks.
A longitudinal study to determine if all critically ill patients should be considered at nutrition risk or is there a highly accurate screening tool to be adopted?
Authors: Razzera Elisa L. , Milanez Danielle S. J. , Silva Flávia M.
Published: January 2024

Background

Nutrition risk is prevalent in intensive care unit (ICU) settings and related to poor prognoses. We aimed to evaluate the concurrent and predictive validity of different nutrition risk screening tools in the ICU.

Methods

Data were collected between 2019 and 2022 in six ICUs (n = 450). Nutrition risk was evaluated by modified Nutrition Risk in Critically ill (mNUTRIC), Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS‐2002), Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST), Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), and Nutritional Risk in Emergency (NRE‐2017). Accuracy and agreement of the tools were assessed; logistic regression was used to verify the association between nutrition risk and prolonged ICU stay; Cox regression was used for mortality in the ICU, both with adjustment for confounders.

Results

NRS‐2002 ≥5 showed the best accuracy (0.63 [95% CI, 0.58–0.69]) with mNUTRIC, and MST with NRS‐2002 ≥5 (0.76 [95% CI, 0.71–0.80]). All tools had a poor/fair agreement with mNUTRIC (k = 0.019–0.268) and moderate agreement with NRS‐2002 ≥5 (k = 0.474–0.503). MUST (2.26 [95% CI 1.40–3.63]) and MST (1.69 [95% CI, 1.09–2.60]) predicted death in the ICU, and the NRS‐2002 ≥5 (1.56 [95% CI 1.02–2.40]) and mNUTRIC (1.86 [95% CI, 1.26–2.76]) predicted prolonged ICU stay.

Conclusion

No nutrition risk screening tool demonstrated a satisfactory concurrent validity; only the MUST and MST predicted ICU mortality and the NRS‐2002 ≥5 and mNUTRIC predicted prolonged ICU stay, suggesting that it could be appropriate to adopt the ESPEN recommendation to assess nutrition status in patients with ≥48 h in the ICU.
Behavior reallocations within 24‐h movement profiles and change in cardiometabolic biomarkers during pregnancy
Authors: Badon Sylvia E. , Ferrara Assiamira , Gabriel Kelley Pettee , Dooley Erin E. , Quesenberry Charles P. , Avalos Lyndsay A. , Hedderson Monique M.
Published: January 2024

Objective

The goal of this study was to investigate associations of reallocations within 24‐h movement profiles and changes in cardiometabolic biomarkers from early to late pregnancy.

Methods

In 137 individuals with prepregnancy overweight/obesity, waking movement was measured using wrist‐worn accelerometers, sleep was self‐reported, and biomarkers were measured in fasting serum samples at 12 and 32 weeks’ gestation. We used compositional isotemporal substitution models.

Results

On average, biomarkers increased 21%–83% across pregnancy. For those with guideline‐recommended moderate/vigorous‐intensity physical activity (MVPA) in early pregnancy, reallocating 30 min from MVPA to sleep, sedentary behavior, or light‐intensity physical activity (LPA) was associated with a 0.6 mmol/L greater increase in total cholesterol (95% CI: −0.1 to 1.2) and a 0.7 mmol/L greater increase in low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (95% CI: 0.1 to 1.3) from early to late pregnancy. For those with low MVPA in early pregnancy, reallocating 30 min from sleep, sedentary behavior, or LPA to MVPA was associated with a 0.6 mmol/L lower increase in total cholesterol (95% CI: −1.3 to 0.1) and a 0.8 mmol/L lower increase in LDL cholesterol (95% CI: −1.4 to −0.1) from early to late pregnancy. There were no associations with change in glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, very low‐density lipoprotein, or high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, or free fatty acids.

Conclusions

Maintaining or achieving a 24‐h movement profile with guideline‐recommended amounts of MVPA may be beneficial for reducing pregnancy‐induced increases in total and LDL cholesterol.
A mechanical model for predicting the thermal expansion behavior of spherical particle reinforced epoxy composites
Authors: Peng Liang , Zhang Ruoyu , Fan Yixuan , Yang Yuanyuan , Fu Kexin , Li Gang , Sun Rong , Zhu Pengli
Published: January 2024

Modeling and theoretical prediction of thermal expansion property of particulate reinforced polymer composite are important hot issues in composite science and engineering. In this article, the thermomechanical interaction between spherical particle and polymer matrix and its contribution to the thermal expansion behavior of spherical particle reinforced polymer composite have been studied theoretically. A mechanical interphase resulted from the thermomechanical interaction is observed in radial distribution of effective coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) around the particle with an isotropic assumption of the particle and polymer matrix, and with necessary simplification of the thermomechanical interference among particles, an analytical equation for predicting the CTE of the composite has been proposed. Compared with other models, good fits by this model with finite element (FE) simulated CTE value of particle reinforced composite and previously reported CTE data of particulate reinforced epoxy composites with particle size from micron to nanometer scale are observed. This study would deepen the understanding of the interphase in particle reinforced composites and be favorable for mechanism analysis of other physical properties of polymer composites.

Highlights

Thermomechanical interaction between spherical particle and matrix is studied

A new model for the CTE of particle reinforced polymer composite is proposed

FE simulation been carried out to examine the reasonability of the proposed model

Present model well fits the reported reinforced epoxy composites CTE data

A new perspective for analyzing other properties of reinforced composites
Numerical modeling on load bearing and bypass behavior of bolted single lap joints of laminates
Authors: Zhang Fa , Liu Tierang , Chen Jian , Liu Meina , Wan Yumin , Xu Jifeng
Published: January 2024

Bolted joints are widely used in aircraft structures. Proper design and accurate strength assessment of these joints are of great importance in aircraft design. In this paper, to investigate the mechanical behavior of single lap shear joints of carbon fiber reinforce plastic, four types of fastener of numerical model methods are developed. Based on the same principle of lap joint, different double bolt, and single‐lap joint structures with three distinct width‐diameter ratios (w/D) are designed and manufactured. Each specimen is loaded under tension until complete failure. The experimental results are used not only to verify the fastener models, but also to investigate the failure transformation induced from the composite load bypass and the bolt‐hole load bearing. It is found that the increase of w/D, the failure model could transfer from the net cross section damage caused by load bypass to the bolt hole failure caused by load bearing. By comparison, the numerical results show that the Cbush+RBE3 model has high adaptability and good fidelity in elastic stage without increasing the model scale in terms of the level of details. To improve the accuracy in nonlinear stage, hole geometry details need to be considered. Additionally, single bolt is created to reveal the nonlinear deformation affected by laminate thickness. Three/four/five row of bolt models are used to show the bolt load distribution characteristics. Finally, the influences of the element size and the bolt modeling methods on the bolt load distribution are analyzed, respectively.
Enhancing energy release of aluminized propellants and explosives through fluorinated binder
Authors: Shen Chen , Yan Shi , Tan Yanwei , Ou Yapeng , Jiao Qingjie , Luo Yunjun
Published: January 2024

The use of fluorinated binders can enhance the combustion properties of Al in energetic materials. The underlying mechanism is under investigation and a rational strategy in terms of application has yet to be fully developed. In this study, we have investigated the effect of using a fluorine‐modified hydroxy‐terminated polyether (HTPE) binder to cast aluminized propellants and explosives. We have focused on the combustion behavior and energy release characteristics of Al particles with and without the fluorinated binder during propellant combustion and explosive detonation. The propellants combustion process was recorded using a high‐speed camera and an infrared thermometer. The heat of detonation, detonation velocity and thermal stability of the explosives were investigated using a constant temperature calorimeter, an electrometric method and a small‐scale thermal cook‐off test, respectively. The fluorine‐modified HTPE propellant has exhibited a higher flame temperature and greater energy release efficiency than the HTPE propellant. Moreover, the fluorine‐modified HTPE propellant is characterized by smaller particle agglomerates, leading to a reduction in the mass percentage of agglomerates from 73 wt% to 42 wt%. The detonation heat of fluorine‐modified HTPE explosive increases from 75.2 % to 81 %, but the detonation velocity decreased from 7745 m/s to 7622 m/s. In addition, the fluorine‐modified HTPE binder maintained the thermal stability of explosives due to a milder decomposition before thermal runaway.
Diphenyl ethers from endophytic fungus Rhexocercosporidium sp. Dzf14 and their antibacterial activity by affecting homeostasis of cell membranes
Authors: Gu Gan , Hou Xuwen , Xue Mengyao , Pan Xiaoqian , Dong Jie , Yang Yonglin , Amuzu Prosper , Xu Dan , Lai Daowan , Zhou Ligang
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Phytopathogenic bacteria cause severe losses to crops every year. The management of crop bacterial diseases with chemical agents has been considered as the main strategy. In order to cope with the bactericide resistance made by the pathogens, new antibacterials need to be continuously developed.

RESULTS

A chemical investigation from the endophytic fungus Rhexocercosporidium sp. Dzf14 has led to the isolation of 12 diphenyl ethers including two new ones named rhexocerin E (1) and rhexocercosporin G (2), along with two new depsides named rhexocerdepsides A (3) and B (4). The structures and absolute configurations of the new compounds were determined through comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data and quantum chemical ECD calculations. Diphenyl ethers showed obviously antibacterial activity on Gram‐positive bacteria. The structure–activity relationship of diphenyl ethers revealed that prenylation was critical to the antibacterial activity. Among them, rhexocercosporin D (12) possessed the strongest activity against Clavibacter michiganensis and Bacillus subtilis, and was selected for further mechanistic studies. It was found that rhexocercosporin D displayed bactericidal activity by affecting homeostasis of cell membranes. In addition to its rapid bactericidal effects on Gram‐positive bacteria, rhexocercosporin D could restore the susceptibility against Gram‐negative Agrobacterium tumefaciens by synergistic action with colistin.

CONCLUSION

Twelve diphenyl ethers and two depsides were isolated from endophytic fungus Rhexocercosporidium sp. Dzf14. Isopentenyl was critical for diphenyl ethers against Gram‐positive bacteria. Rhexocercosporin D could affect homeostasis of bacterial cell membrane to exert rapid bactericidal activity. These findings highlight the antibacterial potential of the diphenyl ethers in crop bacterial disease management. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Emulsifiable oil‐formulated Beauveria bassiana competes with imidacloprid for seasonal control of cereal aphids in Zhejiang, China
Authors: Qi Dan‐Yi , Shao Yan‐Zhi , Yang Ru , Liu Chun‐Ling , Feng Guan‐Hua , Pan Wen‐Yue , Feng Ming‐Guang , Tong Sen‐Miao
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Alternatives to neonicotinoids against cereal aphids are needed to mitigate aphid resistance and non‐target effects. The emulsifiable oil formulations of two Beauveria bassiana strains, namely Bb registered as a mycoinsecticide and TBb overexpressing an endogenous virulence factor, were tested for seasonal control of cereal aphids at the elongating (April 7) to milk ripening (May 12) stages of winter wheat crop in Yuhang, Zhejiang. Each of three field trials consisted of blank control and the treatments (three randomized 100‐m2 plots per capita) of each fungal strain sprayed biweekly at rates of 1.0 × 1013 and 1.5 × 1013 conidia ha−1 and 10% imidacloprid WP sprayed biweekly at a label rate.

RESULTS

Tiller infestation percentage and aphid density in the 5‐week field trials after the first spray were reduced to 18.7–22.4% and 9.1–12.4 aphids per tiller in the fungal treatments, and 12.8–25.3% and 2.8–20.9 aphids per tiller in the chemical treatment, contrasting with 49.2–60.3% and 37.1–108.5 aphids per tiller in the control. Percent control efficacies (±SD) computed with weekly aphid densities over the period averaged 84.0 ± 1.6 and 85.3 ± 1.8 versus 78.0 ± 4.0 and 79.9 ± 3.2 in the high‐rate versus low‐rate treatments of Bb and TBb, respectively, and 84.5 ± 7.8 in the chemical treatment. Imidacloprid showed faster kill action but more variable efficacy than the fungal treatments throughout the trials.

CONCLUSION

Either Bb or TBb formulation competes with imidacloprid in reducing percent infestation and aphid density. The overall efficacy was significantly higher in the treatments of TBb than of Bb. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.