bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improvements to Stochastic Approaches for Simulating Agglomeration in Particle‐Laden Flows
Authors: Rupp David A. , Mortimer Lee F. , Fairweather Michael
Published: May 2023

Direct numerical simulation, facilitated by the spectral element method, has been used to study collisions and agglomeration in particle‐laden fluid flows through a channel at shear Reynolds number. The particulate phase is simulated by deterministic Lagrangian particle tracking alongside a stochastic technique to resolve collisions. Interestingly, the implementation of agglomeration in the deterministic approach caused a major reduction in the particle collision rate. To determine the cause of this effect, analysis of the collision rate and location across the channel for different particle properties was performed. For systems without agglomeration, collisions between particles tend to be located on consistent streamlines, occurring between single pairs of particles. A numerical analysis of this effect confirmed the result, where inter‐particle collisions across the channel mostly took place between consistent particle pairs in close proximity. Repeat collisions are shown to be almost eliminated with the addition of the agglomeration mechanism. The impact and implications of this effect on the accuracy of the stochastic technique is discussed, and modifications are suggested to offer improvements while accounting for the repeat collisions.
Rationale and design of the optimal antithrombotic treatment for acute coronary syndrome patients with concomitant atrial fibrillation and implanted with new‐generation drug‐eluting stent: OPtimal management of anTIthroMbotic Agents (OPTIMA)‐4 trial
Authors: Gong Xiaoxuan , Hua Rui , Bai Jianling , Wu Tianyu , Wang Qin , Zhang Jinhua , Zhang Wenhao , Ying Lianghong , Ke Yongsheng , Wang Xiaoyan , Zhang Xiwen , Liu Kun , Chen Yan , Zhang Boqing , Dong Peng , Xiao Jianqiang , Li Changling , Zhu Li , Li Chunjian
Published: May 2023

Background

About 5%–15% of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing stent implantation have concomitant atrial fibrillation and need both antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies. The optimal antithrombotic regimen remains uncertain in this scenario.

Hypothesis

A multicenter randomized controlled trial (OPtimal management of anTIthroMbotic Agents [OPTIMA]‐4) is designed to test the hypothesis that, for ACS patients with concomitant nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and having low‐to‐moderate risk of bleeding, clopidogrel is comparable in efficacy but superior in safety compared to ticagrelor while being used in combination with dabigatran after new‐generation drug‐eluting stent (DES) implantation.

Methods

ACS patients who have low‐to‐moderate risk of bleeding (e.g., HAS‐BLED score ≤ 2) and require anticoagulation therapy (CHA2DS2‐VASc score ≥ 2) will be recruited after implantation of new‐generation DES. A total of 1472 eligible patients will be randomly assigned to receive a 12‐month dual antithrombotic treatment of either clopidogrel 75 mg daily or ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily in combination with dabigatran 110 mg twice daily. Participants will be followed up for 12 months after randomization. The primary efficacy endpoint is a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, unplanned revascularization, ischemic stroke, and systemic thromboembolism. The primary safety endpoint is set as major bleeding or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding defined by the International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis. The enrollment and follow‐up have been launched.

Results

The first enrollment occurred on March 12, 2018. The recruitment is anticipated to be completed before December 31, 2024.

Conclusions

The OPTIMA‐4 trial offers an opportunity to assess the optimal dual antithrombotic regimen in ACS patients with concomitant NVAF after the implantation of new‐generation DES.
Typical cathode materials for lithium‐ion and sodium‐ion batteries: From structural design to performance optimization
Authors: Ren Jincan , Zhu He , Fang Yongjin , Li Weibao , Lan Si , Wei Shaochong , Yin Zijia , Tang Yu , Ren Yang , Liu Qi
Published: May 2023

Rechargeable lithium‐ion and sodium‐ion batteries (SIB) have dominated the energy storage fields such as electric vehicles and portable electronics due to their high energy density, long cycle life, and environmental friendliness. However, the critical bottleneck hindering the further improvement of their electrochemical performance is the unsatisfactory cathode materials, typically exhibiting inherent drawbacks such as low reversible capacity, initial capacity loss, fast capacity decay, and poor rate performance. These issues are mainly attributed to changes in the internal structure of cathode materials, such as irreversible transformation of particle morphology, evolution of crystal structure, and undesired physicochemical interfacial reactions during the electrochemical process. To address above obstacles, abundant research efforts have been devoted to stabilizing the structural evolution of cathode materials and enhancing their electrochemical performance. Herein, we reviewed the research progress on the cathode materials for lithium‐ion and SIBs. The typical cathodes and their structural characteristics, electrochemical behaviors, reaction mechanisms, and strategies for electrochemical performance optimization were summarized. This review aims to promote the understanding of the structure‐performance relationship in the cathode materials and provide some guidance for the design of advanced cathode materials for lithium‐ion and SIBs from the perspective of crystal structure.
5‐Nitrofuryl‐Containing Thiosemicarbazone Gold(I) Compounds: Synthesis, Stability Studies, and Anticancer Activity
Authors: Rodríguez‐Arce Esteban , Gavrilov Eric , Alvite Ximena , Nayeem Nazia , León Ignacio E. , Neary Michelle C. , Otero Lucía , Gambino Dinorah , Olea Azar Claudio , Contel María
Published: May 2023

This work describes the synthesis of four gold(I) [AuClL] compounds containing chloro and biologically active protonated thiosemicarbazones based on 5‐nitrofuryl (L=HSTC). The stability of the compounds in dichloromethane, DMSO, and DMSO/culture media solutions was investigated by spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and conductimetry, indicating the formation overtime of cationic monometallic [Au(HTSC)(DMSO)]± or [Au(HTSC)2]±, and/or dimeric species. Neutral [{Au(TSC)}2] species were obtained from one of the compounds in dichlomethane/n‐hexane solution and characterized by X‐ray crystallography revealing a Au−Au bond, and deprotonated thiosemicarbazone (TSC). The cytotoxicity of the gold compounds and thiosemicarbazone ligands was evaluated against selected cancer cell lines and compared to that of Auranofin. Studies of the most stable, cytotoxic, and selective compound on a renal cancer cell line (Caki‐1) demonstrated its relevant antimigratory and anti‐angiogenic properties, and preferential accumulation in the cell nuclei. Its mode of action seems to involve interaction with DNA, and subsequent cell death via apoptosis.
Developing an online accessibility course for health science educators
Authors: Wiley Brandie
Published: May 2023

The UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth has approximately 2,472 students in DO, PA, PT, pharmacy, public health, and biomedical sciences programs across five colleges and approximately 285 faculty members whose primary role is instruction. The Office of Disability Access manages disability accommodations for the university. Currently, there are 156 students receiving accommodations.
Supporting pregnant and parenting students: Legal responsibilities and student rights
Authors: Bowers Blaze M.
Published: May 2023

Countless pregnant and parenting students come to college and university campuses across the country every year. According to the Urban Institute, over 5.4 million parenting students were pursuing higher education as of December 2022. Whether a first‐time freshman or a doctoral‐level graduate student, these students are owed a robust support system by universities and colleges striving to achieve inclusive, developmental, and academic excellence.
Quantifying biodiversity using eDNA from water bodies: General principles and recommendations for sampling designs
Authors: Altermatt Florian , Carraro Luca , Antonetti Manuel , Albouy Camille , Zhang Yan , Lyet Arnaud , Zhang Xiaowei , Pellissier Loïc
Published: May 2023

Reliable and comparable estimates of biodiversity are the foundation for understanding ecological systems and informing policy and decision‐making, especially in an era of massive anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is at the forefront of technological advances in biodiversity monitoring, and the last few years have seen major progress and solutions to technical challenges from the laboratory to bioinformatics. Water eDNA has been shown to allow the fast and efficient recovery of biodiversity signals, but the rapid pace of technological development has meant that some important principles regarding sampling design, which are well established in traditional biodiversity inventories, have been neglected. Using a spatially explicit river flow model, we illustrate how sampling must be adjusted to the size of the watercourse to increase the quality of the biodiversity signal recovered. We additionally investigate the effect of sampling parameters (volume, number of sites, sequencing depth) on detection probability in an empirical data set. Based on traditional sampling principles, we propose that aquatic eDNA sampling replication and volume must be scaled to match the organisms' and ecosystems' properties to provide reliable biodiversity estimates. We present a generalizable conceptual equation describing sampling features as a function of the size of the ecosystem monitored, the abundance of target organisms, and the properties of the sequencing procedure. The aim of this formalization is to enhance the standardization of critical steps in the design of biodiversity inventory studies using eDNA. More robust sampling standards will generate more comparable biodiversity data from eDNA, which is necessary for the method's long‐term plausibility and comparability.
White tea: Its history, composition, and potential effects on body weight management
Authors: Yılmaz Birsen , Acar‐Tek Nilüfer
Published: May 2023

Obesity is a rapidly rising global public health concern in both developed and developing countries. Tea components, especially caffeine and catechins, may have beneficial effects in the treatment of obesity. Tea is a widely consumed beverage all over the world and it is a significant part of the culture, especially in Asian countries. Among the tea types, white tea is the least processed and the content of catechins is higher than the others. Many studies have been conducted on tea's health effects, especially on weight management. The beneficial effects of the consumption of tea containing polyphenols and caffeine such as helping to maintain body weight and playing crucial roles in fat metabolism have been shown in many studies. While there are many studies on green tea in the literature, interestingly, studies conducted with white tea are insufficient but showed significant results. Considering the positive health effects of bioactive components in tea species, the results of studies with white tea may be promising. Tea components have many promising health effects; however, these effects are not clearly understood yet, particularly regarding body weight management mechanisms such as fat oxidation and thermogenesis. Therefore, further well‐planned preclinical and clinical research is required to understand the effectiveness and mechanisms of white tea on body weight.
Prevalence, characteristics and cardiovascular and non‐cardiovascular outcomes in patients with heart failure with supra‐normal ejection fraction: Insight from the JROADHF study
Authors: Horiuchi Yu , Asami Masahiko , Ide Tomomi , Yahagi Kazuyuki , Komiyama Kota , Yuzawa Hitomi , Tanaka Jun , Aoki Jiro , Matsushima Shouji , Tohyama Takeshi , Enzan Nobuyuki , Tsutsui Hiroyuki , Tanabe Kengo
Published: May 2023

Aims

We aimed to investigate the characteristics and prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF) with supra‐normal ejection fraction (HFsnEF) compared to HF with normal ejection fraction (HFnEF).

Methods and results

Among 11 573 patients enrolled in the nationwide registry of hospitalized patients with HF in Japan, 1943 patients (16.8%) were classified as HFsnEF (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] >65%), 3277 (28.3%) as HFnEF (50% ≤ LVEF ≤65%), 2024 (17.5%) as HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (40% ≤ LVEF <50%) and 4329 (37.4%) as HF with reduced ejection fraction (LVEF <40%). Patients with HFsnEF were older, more likely to be women, had lower natriuretic peptide values, and had smaller left ventricles than those with HFnEF. The primary endpoint, the composite of cardiovascular death or HF readmission, did not differ between HFsnEF (802/1943, 41.3%) and HFnEF (1413/3277, 43.1%) during a median follow‐up period of 870 days (hazard ratio [HR] 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.88–1.05, p = 0.346). The incidence of secondary outcomes, including all‐cause, cardiovascular, and non‐cardiovascular deaths and HF readmission, did not differ between HFsnEF and HFnEF. In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, HFsnEF compared to HFnEF was associated with a lower adjusted HR for HF readmission but not with the primary and other secondary endpoints. HFsnEF was associated with a higher HR for the composite endpoint and all‐cause death in women, and a higher HR for all‐cause death in patients with renal dysfunction.

Conclusions

Heart failure with supra‐normal ejection fraction is a common and distinctive phenotype, and has different characteristics and prognoses from HFnEF.
Long‐range subjective‐probability forecasts of slow‐motion variables in world politics: Exploring limits on expert judgment
Authors: Tetlock Philip E. , Karvetski Christopher , Satopää Ville A. , Chen Kevin
Published: May 2023

Skeptics see long‐range geopolitical forecasting as quixotic. A more nuanced view is that although predictability tends to decline over time, its rate of descent is variable. The current study gives geopolitical forecasters a sporting chance by focusing on slow‐motion variables with low base rates of change. Analyses of 5, 10, and 25‐year cumulative‐risk judgments made in 1988 and 1997 revealed: (a) specialists beat generalists at predicting nuclear proliferation but not shifting nation‐state boundaries; (b) some counterfactual interventions—for example, Iran gets the bomb before 2022—boosted experts’ edge but others—for example, nuclear war before 2022—eliminated it; (c) accuracy fell faster on topics where expertise conferred no edge in shorter‐range forecasts. To accelerate scientific progress, we propose adversarial collaborations in which clashing schools of thought negotiate Bayesian reputational bets on divisive issues and use Lakatosian scorecards to incentivize the honoring of bets.
A monitoring and site visit intervention to reduce sales to minors at packaged liquor outlets
Authors: Bartman Hannah , Bauer Lyndon , Kajons Nicole , Batchelor Samantha , Juel Katrine
Published: May 2023

Issue Addressed

Selling alcohol to a minor is a serious offence in the New South Wales Liquor Act. However, minors report they can purchase alcohol easily. This study used an intersectoral partnership between the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) Health Promotion Service, and Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) Compliance Operations to test a site visit intervention to increase ID checks at packaged liquor outlets (PLOs).

Methods

As the current legislative framework does not allow minors to attempt to purchase alcohol from PLOs, even under compliance operations, this study employed pseudo‐minors aged 18–19 years. Pseudo‐minors visited all PLOs on the Central Coast, NSW in four survey rounds, attempting to purchase alcohol without ID. If a PLO sold alcohol to the pseudo‐minor, they received a visit from a Health Promotion Officer and L&GNSW Inspector to inform them of the sale and that they are at risk of selling alcohol to a minor.

Results

Site visits were an effective intervention to increase the rates of ID checking. Alcohol sales to pseudo‐minors without ID decreased from 34% in Round 1 to 7% in Round 4. Young sales staff and independent stores were less likely to check ID.

Conclusions

This intervention was associated with some of the lowest rates of underage alcohol purchasing reported to date. However, it may not be sustainable in the long term. It is recommended that: future studies randomise site visits to investigate their contribution to the observed reduction, cost effectiveness of the intervention is explored and legislative change to allow controlled purchase operations for alcohol is considered.

So What?

Young people under 18 years of age should not be able to purchase alcohol from liquor licence outlets, and strong laws apply if a sale is detected. However, despite these rules, young people still report they can access alcohol in this manner. Whilst our intervention of site visits with the regulatory body saw decreases in sales to our pseudo‐minors, we advocate for controlled purchase operations (similar to tobacco control) as a more sustainable and effective intervention to reduce sales to minors ‐ while this is not yet legislated for packaged liquor outlets in Australia, it is deemed best practice in other countries.
Thrifty effect of subanesthetic‐dose S‐ketamine on postoperative opioids and its safety and analgesic effectiveness: A prospective, triple‐blind, randomized controlled, polycentric clinical trial
Authors: Ding Jun , Yu Yun‐Mei , Luo Man , Fang Xu , Tan Dan‐Dan , Qin Han‐Rui , Ren Xue‐Feng , Zhang Yong‐Guo , Luo Tao , Chen Lei , Yu Wan‐Qiu , Zhu Zhao‐Qiong
Published: May 2023

Aim

To investigate the thrifty effects of subanesthetic‐dose S‐ketamine on postoperative opioids and its safety and analgesic efficacy.

Methods

Four‐hundred and twenty patients were divided into the control group (CON group), the S‐ketamine 0.2 mg/kg group (ES0.2 group), and the S‐ketamine 0.3 mg/kg group (ES0.3 group) randomly. Major indicators include the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the times of compression with analgesic pumps after surgery, and analgesic drug consumption from anesthesia induction to 48 h after surgery. Minor records include vital signs, the use of vasoactive drugs, the Ramsay scores, the occurrence of adverse events including nervous system reaction, and the patient's satisfaction with anesthesia.

Results

Compared with the CON group, VAS scores decreased in the ES0.2 and ES0.3 groups (p < 0.05). At 10 min after extubation, the VAS scores of the ES0.3 group were lower than that of the ES0.2 group (p < 0.05). The total number of compression with analgesic pumps of the ES0.3 group was lower than that of the CON group (p < 0.05). The opioid consumption after surgery of the ES0.3 group was lower than those of the CON group and the ES0.2 group (p < 0.05). The ES0.3 group's heart rate (HR) was faster but the use of vasoactive, drug consumption was less than the other two groups (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative adverse events and anesthetic satisfaction among the three groups.

Conclusion

Subanesthetic‐dose S‐ketamine at 0.2–0.3 mg/kg especially the 0.3 mg/kg in general anesthesia induction can safely and effectively reduce postoperative pain and save postoperative opioid consumption.
Halide‐based solid electrolytes: The history, progress, and challenges
Authors: Nie Xianhui , Hu Jiulin , Li Chilin
Published: May 2023

Lithium metal solid‐state batteries (LMSBs) have attracted extensive attention over the past decades, due to their fascinating advantages of safety and potential for high energy density. Solid‐state electrolytes (SEs) with fast ionic transport and excellent stability are indispensable components in LMSBs. Heretofore, a series of inorganic SEs have been extensively explored, such as sulfide‐ and oxide‐based electrolytes. Unfortunately, they both have difficulty in achieving a satisfactory balance of conductivity and stability, and oxides suffer from a high impedance of grain boundaries, while sulfides encounter poor stability. Halide‐based solid electrolytes are gradually emerging as one of the most promising candidates for LMSBs due to their advantages of decent room temperature ionic conductivity (>10−3 S cm−1), good compatibility with oxide cathode materials, good chemical stability, and scalability. Herein, research and development of the widely studied metal halide SEs including fluorides, chlorides, bromides, and iodides are reviewed, mainly focusing on the structures and ionic conductivities as well as preparation methods and electrochemical/chemical stabilities. And then, based on typical metal halide solid electrolytes, we emphasize the interface issues (grain boundaries, cathode−electrolyte and electrolyte–anode interfaces) that exist in the corresponding LMSBs and summarize the related work on understanding and engineering these interfaces. Furthermore, the typical (or in situ) characterization tools widely used for solid‐state interfaces are reviewed. Finally, a perspective on the future direction for developing high‐performance LMSBs based on the halide electrolyte family is put out.
Cancer incidence and mortality in 23 000 patients with type 1 diabetes in the UK: Long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Swerdlow Anthony J. , Jones Michael E. , Slater Stefan D. , Burden Andrew C. F. , Botha Johannes L. , Waugh Norman R. , Morris Andrew D. , Gatling Wendy , Gillespie Kathleen M. , Patterson Christopher C. , Schoemaker Minouk J.
Published: May 2023

Type 2 diabetes is associated with raised risk of several cancers, but for type 1 diabetes risk data are fewer and inconsistent We assembled a cohort of 23 473 UK patients with insulin‐treated diabetes diagnosed at ages <30, almost all of whom will have had type 1 diabetes, and for comparison 5058 diagnosed at ages 30 to 49, of whom we estimate two‐thirds will have had type 2, and followed them for an average of 30 years for cancer incidence and mortality compared with general population rates. Patients aged <30 at diabetes diagnosis had significantly raised risks only for ovarian (standardised incidence ratio = 1.58; 95% confidence interval 1.16‐2.11; P < .01) and vulval (3.55; 1.94‐5.96; P < .001) cancers, with greatest risk when diabetes was diagnosed at ages 10‐14. Risks of cancer overall (0.89; 0.84‐0.95; P < .001) and sites including lung and larynx were significantly diminished. Patients diagnosed with diabetes at ages 30 to 49 had significantly raised risks of liver (1.76;1.08‐2.72) and kidney (1.46;1.03‐2.00) cancers, and reduced risk of cancer overall (0.89; 0.84‐0.95). The raised ovarian and vulval cancer risks in patients with type 1 diabetes, especially with diabetes diagnosed around pubertal ages, suggest possible susceptibility of these organs at puberty to metabolic disruption at diabetes onset. Reduced risk of cancer overall, particularly smoking and alcohol‐related sites, might reflect adoption of a healthy lifestyle.
Observations of bony ongrowth and clinical fixation in two retrieved disc replacements
Authors: Wahbeh Jenna M. , Park Sang‐Hyun , Iyer Sumant , Ebramzadeh Edward , Sangiorgio Sophia N.
Published: May 2023

Total disc replacements utilize textured coatings to maximize bony ongrowth. However, the contribution of direct bony attachment to overall fixation for total disc replacements has not been reported. The goal of the present study was to document the extent of bony attachment to the surfaces of two clinically functional total disc replacements that were securely fixed at the time of revision. Two metal‐and‐polymeric disc replacements, one cervical and one lumbar, were evaluated following surgical retrieval. The cervical device was retrieved at 8 months and the lumbar device at 28 months post‐operative. Both devices were reported well‐fixed at the time of removal, with large bone masses attached to one endplate of each device. Visual inspections, non‐destructive gravimetric measurements, and surface metrology were performed to assess fixation. These inspections suggested that both devices had been fixed at the time of removal with little in vivo mechanical damage, as surgical extraction damage was noted on both devices and provided imaging showed a lack of device migration. Devices were then embedded and sectioned to evaluate the bone‐implant interface. High resolution photographs and contact microradiographs were taken to assess bony attachment. In contrast to initial analysis, these images revealed radiolucent gaps between the endplates and bone masses. Little direct contact between the bone and endplate surface was identified and the original surgical cuts were still visible. Both devices were clinically fixed at the time of removal and neither had complications associated with loosening. However, osseointegration was minimal in one of the devices and altogether absent from the other. The findings of the present study suggest that other factors may influence overall clinical fixation such as the surgical preparation of the vertebral bone or the surface roughness of the treated endplates. Despite the limitations of the present study, this information is unique to the current total disc replacement literature and the ongrowth and fixation of devices should be considered as a topic for future investigation.
Efficacy of 24‐epibrassinolide–chitosan composite coating on the quality of ‘Williams’ bananas during ripening
Authors: Elsayed Mohamed I. , Awad Mohamed A. , Al‐Qurashi Adel D.
Published: May 2023

Background

Banana fruit undergo rapid metabolic changes following the induction of ripening. They result in excessive softening, chlorophyll degradation, browning, and senescence during postharvest life. As part of a continuous effort to extend fruit shelf life and maintain the best possible quality, this study examined the effect of a 24‐epibrassinolide (EBR) and chitosan (CT) composite coating on ‘Williams’ bananas ripening in ambient conditions. Fruit were soaked in 20 μM EBR, 10 g L−1 CT (w/v), and 20 μM EBR + 10 g L−1 CT solutions for 15 min and were kept at 23 ± 1 °C and 85–90% (RH) for 9 days.

Results

The combined treatment (20 μM EBR + 10 g L−1 CT) clearly delayed fruit ripening; bananas treated with this showed less peel yellowing, weight loss, and total soluble solids, and greater firmness, titratable acidity, membrane stability index, and ascorbic acid content than the untreated control. After the treatment, the fruit also presented higher radical scavenging capacity, and higher total phenol and flavonoid content. The activity of polyphenoloxidase and hydrolytic enzymes was lower, and that of peroxidase was higher in both the peel and pulp of all the treated fruit than in the control.

Conclusion

The combined treatment (20 μM EBR + 10 g L−1 CT) is suggested as an effective composite edible coat to retain the quality of ‘Williams’ bananas during ripening. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Synthesis of Multiblock Copolymer Composed of Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) and Poly(2‐pyrrolidone): Impact of Each Block Length on the Mechanical Properties
Authors: Ono Hideaki , Kawai Yasutaka , Ata Seisuke , Minamikawa Hiroyuki , Kurihara Kazuma , Tanaka Shinji , Yoshida Masaru
Published: May 2023

A series of multiblock copolymers comprising a systematic combination of biomass‐originated and biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(2‐pyrrolidone) (PA4) units is synthesized with various mean degrees of polymerization (mDP) of each unit. Despite the inherent immiscibility of PBS and PA4, multiblock structure allows to mix the two components in the solution‐cast films from solution. The mechanical properties of the cast films are highly dependent on the mDP of each unit, as demonstrated by tensile tests. The film of the copolymer with the lowest mDP of each unit (PBS: 17, PA4: 10) is transparent and exhibits extremely high elongation at break (> 400%) and high tensile stress (39.5 MPa) with strain hardening. The films with 50% or higher crystallinity are brittle and opaque, while a decrease in crystallinity can result in higher elongation, as revealed by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurements.
Stability analysis for a coupled Schrödinger system with one boundary damping
Authors: Zhang Hua‐Lei
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we study the stability of a Schrödinger system with one boundary damping, which consists of two constant coefficients Schrödinger equations coupled through zero‐order terms. First, we show that when
the one‐dimensional Schrödinger system is not exponentially stable by the asymptotic expansions of eigenvalues. Then, by the frequency domain approach and the multiplier method, we show that the energy decay rate of the multidimensional Schrödinger system is
for sufficiently smooth initial data when

is sufficiently small, and the boundary of domain satisfies suitable geometric assumption. Next, by solving the characteristic equation of unbounded operator, we show that the strong stability of the one‐dimensional Schrödinger system is completely determined by
and
and give the necessary and sufficient condition that
and
satisfy. Finally, by solving the resolvent equation of unbounded operator and using the frequency domain approach, we show that when
and
is small enough, the energy of the one‐dimensional Schrödinger system decays polynomially and the decay rate depends on the arithmetic property of
Interleaved signal multiplexing readout in depth encoding Prism‐PET detectors
Authors: Li Yixin , LaBella Andy , Zeng Xinjie , Wang Zipai , Petersen Eric , Cao Xinjie , Zhao Wei , Goldan Amir H.
Published: May 2023

Background

Given the large number of readout pixels in clinical positron emission tomography (PET) scanners, signal multiplexing is an indispensable feature to reduce scanner complexity, power consumption, heat output, and cost.

Purpose

In this paper, we introduce interleaved multiplexing (iMux) scheme that utilizes the characteristic light‐sharing pattern of depth‐encoding Prism‐PET detector modules with single‐ended readout.

Methods

In the iMux readout, four anodes from every other silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) pixels across rows and columns, which overlap with four distinct light guides, are connected to the same application‐specific integrated circuit (ASIC) channel. The 4‐to‐1 coupled Prism‐PET detector module was used which consisted of a 16 ×  16 array of 1.5 × 1.5 × 20 mm3 lutetium yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) scintillator crystals coupled to an 8 × 8 array with 3 ×  3 mm2 SiPM pixels. A deep learning‐based demultiplexing model was investigated to recover the encoded energy signals. Two different experiments were performed with non‐multiplexed and multiplexed readouts to evaluate the spatial, depth of interaction (DOI), and timing resolutions of our proposed iMux scheme.

Results

The measured flood histograms, using the decoded energy signals from our deep learning‐based demultiplexing architecture, achieved perfect crystal identification of events with negligible decoding error. The average energy, DOI, and timing resolutions were 9.6 ± 1.5%, 2.9 ± 0.9 mm, and 266 ± 19 ps for non‐multiplexed readout and 10.3 ± 1.6%, 2.8 ± 0.8 mm, and 311 ± 28 ps for multiplexed readout, respectively.

Conclusions

Our proposed iMux scheme improves on the already cost‐effective and high‐resolution Prism‐PET detector module and provides 16‐to‐1 crystal‐to‐readout multiplexing without appreciable performance degradation. Also, only four SiPM pixels are shorted together in the 8 ×  8 array to achieve 4‐to‐1 pixel‐to‐readout multiplexing, resulting in lower capacitance per multiplexed channel.
Parameter robust higher‐order finite difference method for convection‐diffusion problem with time delay
Authors: Sahoo Sanjay Ku , Gupta Vikas
Published: May 2023

This paper deals with the study of a higher‐order numerical approximation for a class of singularly perturbed convection‐diffusion problems with time delay. The method combines a higher‐Order Difference with an Identity Expansion (HODIE) scheme over a piece‐wise uniform mesh in the spatial direction and the backward Euler method on a uniform mesh for discretization in the temporal direction. A priori bounds for the continuous solution and its derivatives are derived by splitting the solution into regular and singular components. These bounds are useful in the error analysis of the proposed scheme. The present scheme converges ‐uniformly with the order of convergence one in time and almost second‐order in space direction. Further, to increase the rate of convergence in the time variable, we implemented the Richardson extrapolation technique. Thus, finally, the resultant scheme with Richardson extrapolation in time becomes almost second‐order ‐uniformly convergent in both the space and time variable. The detailed stability and convergence analysis have been done using the derived a priori estimates. We consider three test problems to validate the predicted theory and show that numerical results are in good agreement with our theoretical findings.
Effect of temperature on the bending and creep properties of wood plastic composites
Authors: Xi Fei , Zhao Longlong , Wei Yang , Yi Jiyang , Zhao Kang
Published: May 2023

Five groups of three‐point bending tests of wood plastic composites (WPCs) at different temperatures were conducted. The test temperatures ranged from −40 to 40°C, and the temperature difference of each group was 20°C. The results show that the bending strength and elastic modulus of the specimens decrease continuously with increasing temperature. Twenty‐four‐hour bending creep tests of WPCs under a 50% stress level were completed at different temperatures. The Findley model predicted the short‐term creep of WPCs better. According to the results of the short‐term creep tests, the horizontal shift factor was introduced based on the Prony series model. Then, we proposed a formula for creep compliance over time at different temperatures to predict the long‐term creep performance of WPCs under a 50% stress level at different temperatures. The results indicate that when the test temperature is less than 0°C, WPCs can hold the load for 50 years without entering the tertiary creep stage; at 20°C, the WPC specimen will fail at 24 days, whereas at 40°C, the specimen can only last for 24 h and then enters the tertiary creep stage until fracture damage occurs.
2,3,5,6‐Tetrafluoro‐1,4‐phenylenedinitrene: A dinitrene with near degenerate singlet and triplet states
Authors: Portela‐Gonzalez Adrian , Mendez‐Vega Enrique , Sander Wolfram
Published: May 2023

The dinitrene 2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro‐1,4‐phenylenedinitrene was synthesized by photolysis of matrix‐isolated 1,4‐diazido‐2,3,5,6‐tetrafluorobenzene at 365 or 405 nm in high yields at cryogenic temperatures and characterized by FT‐IR, UV‐Vis, and EPR spectroscopy. The electronic structure of the dinitrene is described best as a quinoidal diradical with an open‐shell singlet ground state and a triplet state laying only 650 ± 5 cal/mol higher in energy. Irradiation with λ = 254 nm results in fragmentation of the dinitrene into FCCF and several olefins which on prolonged photolysis fragment into FCCCN, FCCNC, and FCN.
Response‐shift effects in childhood cancer survivors: A prospective study
Authors: Huang I‐Chan , Sim Jin‐ah , Srivastava DeoKumar , Krull Kevin R. , Ness Kirsten K. , Robison Leslie L. , Baker Justin N. , Hudson Melissa M. , Schwartz Carolyn E.
Published: May 2023

Background

Treatment‐related late effects can worsen over time among cancer survivors. Such worsening health states may trigger changes in internal standards, values, or conceptualization of quality‐of‐life (QOL). This “response‐shift” phenomenon can jeopardize the validity of QOL assessment, and misrepresent QOL comparisons over time. This study tested response‐shift effects in reporting future‐health concerns among childhood cancer survivors who experienced progression in chronic health conditions (CHCs).

Methods

2310 adult survivors of childhood cancer from St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study completed a survey and clinical assessment at two or more timepoints. Based on 190 individual CHCs graded for adverse‐event severity, global CHC burden was classified as “progression” or “non‐progression”. QOL was assessed using the SF‐36TM eight domains and physical‐ and mental‐component summary scores (PCS, MCS). A single global item measured concerns about future health. Random‐effects models comparing survivors with and without progressive global CHC burden (progressors vs. non‐progressors) evaluated response‐shift effects (recalibration, reprioritization, reconceptualization) in reporting future‐health concerns.

Results

Compared with non‐progressors, progressors were more likely to de‐emphasize (or downplay) overall physical and mental health in evaluating future‐health concerns (p‐values<0.05), indicating recalibration response‐shift, and more likely to de‐emphasize physical health earlier rather than later in follow‐up (p‐value<0.05), indicating reprioritization response‐shift. There was evidence for a reconceptualization response‐shift with progressor classification associated with worse‐than‐expected future‐health concerns and physical health, and better‐than‐expected pain and role‐emotional functioning (p‐values<0.05).

Conclusion

We identified three types of response‐shift phenomena in reporting concerns about future health among childhood cancer survivors. Survivorship care or research should consider response‐shift effects when interpreting changes in QOL over time.
Rapamycin treatment increases survival, autophagy biomarkers and expression of the anti‐aging klotho protein in elderly mice
Authors: Szőke Kitti , Bódi Beáta , Hendrik Zoltán , Czompa Attila , Gyöngyösi Alexandra , Haines Donald David , Papp Zoltán , Tósaki Árpád , Lekli István
Published: May 2023

Previous investigations have demonstrated that treatment of animals with rapamycin increases levels of autophagy, which is a process by which cells degrade intracellular detritus, thus suppressing the emergence of senescent cells, whose pro‐inflammatory properties, are primary drivers of age‐associated physical decline. A hypothesis is tested here that rapamycin treatment of mice approaching the end of their normal lifespan exhibits increased survival, enhanced expression of autophagic proteins; and klotho protein—a biomarker of aging that affects whole organism senescence, and systemic suppression of inflammatory mediator production. Test groups of 24‐month‐old C57BL mice were injected intraperitoneally with either 1.5 mg/kg/week rapamycin or vehicle. All mice administered rapamycin survived the 12‐week course, whereas 43% of the controls died. Relative to controls, rapamycin‐treated mice experienced minor but significant weight loss; moreover, nonsignificant trends toward decreased levels of leptin, IL‐6, IL‐1β, TNF‐α, IL‐1α, and IGF‐1, along with slight elevations in VEGF, MCP‐1 were observed in the blood serum of rapamycin‐treated mice. Rapamycin‐treated mice exhibited significantly enhanced autophagy and elevated expression of klotho protein, particularly in the kidney. Rapamycin treatment also increased cardiomyocyte Ca2+‐sensitivity and enhanced the rate constant of force re‐development, which may also contribute to the enhanced survival rate in elderly mice.
A probabilistic constant amplitude life diagram modeling method for composite materials considering spatial mapping relation
Authors: Shilong Zeng , Qiang Ma , Huidong Ma , Xuezong Bai , Zongwen An
Published: May 2023

Conventional constant amplitude life diagrams (CLDs) model cannot reasonably describe mean stress effect and stochastic uncertainty present in the fatigue failure process of composite materials. To address this problem, taking the spatial mapping relationship between probabilistic S‐N curves and probabilistic CLD model as an entry point, a probabilistic CLD modeling method is proposed under the assumption of linear equations and the assumption of equiprobable quantile point between static strength distributions and fatigue life distributions. The p‐S‐N curve is established using fatigue test data from different load zones divided by different stress ratios.

Subsequently, the p‐CLD model is derived through the spatial mapping relationship of the p‐S‐N curve. The method is validated by fatigue test data of glass fiber/polyester resin composites. The results indicate that the proposed method can offer an accurate description of the probabilistic behavior of composite materials.
Oriented electric field stabilized beryllium dimer
Authors: Guha Ankur K.
Published: May 2023

Oriented electric field (OEEF) has shown promises as smart reagent in many chemical phenomenons. Herein, calculations have shown that application of OEEF along the bond axis can create a strong interaction between beryllium dimer, which in general, is a very weakly bound dimer. OEEF induces significant charge polarization along the bond axis, which resulted in strongly bound beryllium dimer. However, optimum field is required to generate strong interaction. Magnesium and calcium dimers also showed similar strong interaction on application of OEEFs along the bond axis. Field strength required to induce strong interaction depends on the polarizability of the atoms. Significant increment in bond dissociation energies has been observed. Topological feature of electron density clearly reveals charge polarization responsible for such strong interaction.
Oxygen reduction activity of sulfur‐functionalized Ti3C2S2 supported single‐atom catalysts by first‐principles calculations
Authors: Cao Da , Shen Pengcheng , Liu Hui , Li Jice , Zhang Zhizhao , Li Ying
Published: May 2023

Developing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with high catalytic activity and low cost is necessary to improve the energy conversion efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells. MXenes with oxygen‐functional terminals have been extensively used as the substrate materials of single‐atom electrocatalytsts. Herein, the novel sulfur‐functionalized Ti3C2S2 supporting 3d, 4d, and 5d transition metal (TM) atoms (TM = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, Ir, Os, Pd, Pt, Rh, and Ru) are theoretically constructed and investigated for their ORR activity and stability by the first‐principles calculations. Ni/Ti3C2S2, Pd/Ti3C2S2, and Ir/Ti3C2S2 are screened as the potential ORR catalysts based on their lower overpotentials, while the single‐atom Fe, Ru, and Os with unfilled d electrons and Cu, Ag, and Pt with filled d electrons exhibit high overpotentials up to about 1 V. Compared with Ti3C2O2, Ti3C2S2‐based single‐atom catalysts show higher ORR activity due to the larger charge density and moderate adsorption ability to oxygen intermediates.
A 92‐year‐old patient with thoracic empyema successfully treated by CT‐guided insertion of a pigtail catheter
Authors: Fujita Kohei , Hirai Masataka , Saito Zentaro , Ito Takanori , Imakita Takuma , Oi Issei , Kanai Osamu , Tachibana Hiromasa , Mio Tadashi
Published: May 2023

We present a case report of a 92‐year‐old patient with thoracic empyema, who was successfully treated via CT‐guided insertion of a pigtail catheter. The advanced age of the patient often poses challenges in managing pyothorax due to limited physical activity and cognitive decline stemming from decreased activities of daily living. In instances where thoracic drainage is not feasible, the course of treatment is protracted and the prognosis is poor. Our case report exemplifies the successful treatment of pyothorax in a geriatric patient via CT‐guided insertion of a pigtail catheter. We believe that this educational case serves as a testament to the fact that even the most aged patients can be successfully treated with resourcefulness.
Effective Role of Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) Dendrimer Functionalized Nanomaterials in Anticancer Applications
Authors: Nandhabala Sundramoorthi , Hemalatha Jayachandran , Senthamil Chennappan , Sakthivel Chandrasekar , Nivetha Ambikapathi , Prabha Inbaraj
Published: May 2023

One of the most severe health diseases affect the mankind is cancer. The treatment methods such as magnetic hyperthermia, chemotherapy, photothermal therapy and MRI‐traced cancer drug delivery system have been available for cancer treatment. The prime of cancer treatment is Chemotherapy but it has not proved the proper satisfaction due to the resistance developed in the tumour. Now‐a‐days, dendrimers are the most important and powerful drug carriers in the anticancer applications. The polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers have played wider role and the addition of nanomaterials in polyamidoamine dendrimer provided great results in the anticancer properties and medicinal applications. In recent years, researchers have interested to undergo investigation on dendrimer supported nanomaterials due to the outstanding experimental results against the cancer cells. Therefore, the main goal of the article is to deliberate the comprehensive overview of the properties, anticancer applications of the nanomaterials supported dendrimer as the nanocarrier for the anticancer applications.
Efficient Adsorption and Mechanism of Organic Dyes on Freeze‐Dried Graphene
Authors: Jia Mingming , Liu Changyuan , Dang Zhenhua , Zhao Xuhao , Chen Kezheng
Published: May 2023

Organic dyes are widely existing in the waste of printing and dyeing industry, which cannot be ignored due to their potential threats to human health and the environment. Development a useful and simple technology to prepare high‐performance adsorbent to purify the dyes from the wastewater is always a challenging. In this work, the freeze‐drying graphene (FG) is prepared through freeze‐drying process method. In addition, the structural and chemical characteristics between the FG and graphene were comparatively analyzed. The results show that compare to the reference graphene, the FG is a high‐efficiency adsorbent. The theoretical maximum undertakes of rhodamine B and methyl blue were 358.62 and 547.81 mg g−1. The influence and mechanism of affecting factors were investigated, such as contact time, adsorbent dosage, pH, and temperature, to the adsorption. The results suggested that the adsorption of organic dyes on FG followed a homogeneous monolayer physical adsorption (HMPA) mechanism, and the adsorption rates were related to the number of unoccupied vacancies on the adsorbent surface. The characterization instruments of FTIR, XPS, and SEM‐EDS confirmed that the HMPA contains the formation of hydrogen‐bond and π–π interactions, electrostatic attraction, physical pore filling, and complexing adsorption. Our work, proposes a freeze‐drying graphene that is a promising candidate as high‐performance adsorbent to purify the dyes from the wastewater.
Fused 1,4‐Dihydropyridines and Their Corresponding Pyridines: Synthesis, Molecular Modeling and Cholinesterase Inhibition
Authors: Najafi Zahra , Alaei Meysam , Bahmani Asrin , Akbarzadeh Tahmineh , Hariri Roshanak , Chehardoli Gholamabbas
Published: May 2023

Novel series of fused 1,4‐dihydropyridine derivatives were designed and synthesized. Oxidized to the corresponding pyridines were these dihydropyridines. Both dihydropyridines and pyridines were evaluated as acetyl and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors. 1,4‐dihydropyridine derivatives outperformed pyridines against the butyrylcholinesterase enzyme, but none had a suitable inhibitory effect against acetylcholinesterase. Among the 1,4‐dihydropyridines, compounds derived from vanillin (4 j–p) inhibited butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) with IC50 values of 2.87–15.61 μM, but compounds derived from 4‐hydroxybenzaldehyde did not show a suitable inhibitory effect against butyrylcholinesterase. Among them, the compound 9‐(4‐((4‐Chlorobenzyl)oxy)‐3‐methoxyphenyl)‐3,4,6,7,9,10‐hexahydroacridine‐1,8(2H,5H)‐dione (4 p) showed appropriate inhibitory activity against BChE with an IC50 value of 2.87 μM compared with tacrine and donepezil as reference drugs (0.005 and 0.95 μM, respectively). The most outstanding results of kinetic and molecular modeling studies is that compound 4 p acts as a mixed and dual binding inhibitor, and binds to CAS and PAS of the BChE enzyme. These results show that with minor changes in the structure of fused 1,4‐dihydropyridines, new anti‐Alzheimer drugs with better performance can be achieved.