bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A third‐order sliding mode controller for nonlinear multivariable systems
Authors: Chawengkrittayanont Panitnart , Moore Elvin J. , Kuntanapreeda Suwat
Published: February 2023

This paper proposes a third‐order sliding mode controller for nonlinear multivariable systems with uncertain parameters and subject to external disturbances. The controller achieves fast convergence rate, high tracking accuracy, and a reduced level of chattering. The stability of the controller and its global ultimately uniform convergence is proved by the Lyapunov stability theory. Simulation results on a single inverted pendulum system are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme by comparing it with methods such as a second‐order supertwisting controller, a third‐order supertwisting controller, and an integral terminal third‐order sliding mode controller.
Relativistic scenario for a binary black hole system in blazars
Authors: Larios Bryan , Pérez Hector , Sacahui José Rodrigo , Morazán Bryant , Toralla Miguel , Ávalos Jorge
Published: February 2023

Blazars are a type of active galactic nuclei whose jet points toward the observer. Their emission is variable along different time scales and at different wavelengths. Some objects show periodicity in their emission, like the blazar PG 1553+113. In this work, we obtain a periodicity of ∼2.19 years using 12.5 years of data of Fermi‐LAT and then we study a scenario to explain blazar periodicities with timescales of a few years. The scenario is built on a binary supermassive black hole (SMBHs) system where one of the two SMBHs carries a jet. We also assume that one of the two SMBHs has angular momentum and is described by a Kerr metric. We have found estimates for the masses of the sources and the distance separating the two SMBHs.
Validating angiographically derived FFR in the NSTEMI patient: An important step forward
Authors: Kern Morton J. , Seto Arnold H.
Published: February 2023

Key Points

Despite concerns of altered physiology impacting fractional flow reserve (FFR) values in acute coronary syndrome, angiographic FFR compared with wire‐based FFR in patients with NSTEMI demonstrated excellent correlations.

Limits to the accuracy of FFRangio include the need for optimal angiographic angles to avoid vessel overlap and assumptions for myocardial resistance, mass, and blood flow.

Clinical outcome studies will be required before FFRangio becomes a standard of care.
The ENEA′s 2019–2021 Three‐Year Research Project on Electrochemical Energy Storage
Authors: Prosini Pier Paolo , Aurora Annalisa , Bozza Francesco , Di Carli Mariasole , Gislon Paola , Moreno Margherita , Paoletti Claudia , Silvestri Laura
Published: February 2023

This work describes the research activities carried out by ENEA in the three‐year period 2019–2021 as a part of the Electrochemical Storage project. The project was part of a larger and more integrated project for energy storage, itself contained in the Electric System Research program. Within the project, various research lines were carried out: From the development of materials for electrodes to the testing of electrolytes and separators, both for lithium and sodium‐ion batteries, evaluation of the use of lithium metal batteries, and studying how to give a second life to used batteries. Dissemination of the results was an integral part of the program. The reasons that have been adduced to articulate the research plan and the main results obtained are reviewed in this concept.
Cyclic or Linear? Parameters Determining the Outcome of Glycine Polymerization in Silica Surface Prebiotic Scenarios
Authors: El Samrout Ola , Mezzetti Alberto , Berlier Gloria , Lambert Jean‐François
Published: February 2023

The parameters that determine the formation of linear peptides and cyclic dimers (diketopiperazine, DKP) on silica surfaces of different surface area, silanol and siloxane ring populations, controlled by thermal treatments, are investigated upon glycine deposition from gas and liquid phases. The formed products were characterized by infrared and Raman spectroscopies, X‐ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The results reveal the importance of “nearly‐free” silanols to form ester centers as primers for the formation of linear peptides over DKP, on surfaces with medium silanol density (1.4 to 2.7 nm−2). Quenched reactivity is seen on isolated silanols (density≤0.7 nm−2), while silanols involved in hydrogen bonding (density of 4.5 nm−2) weakly interact with Gly resulting in its cyclization to DKP. Deposition of glycine from liquid phase may also form both DKP and linear polymers, depending on its loading and silica surface. These conclusions demonstrate the complexity of glycine surface chemistry in the polymerization reaction and highlight the interest of a surface science approach to evaluate geochemical prebiotic scenarios.
Design of Aurone‐Based Dual‐State Emissive (DSE) Fluorophores
Authors: Berdnikova Daria V. , Steup Sören , Bolte Michael , Suta Markus
Published: February 2023

The development of dual‐state emissive (DSE) fluorophores, i. e. organic molecules showing balanced emission in both solution and as molecular solids, has recently become an emerging approach in material science, biology, sensing, and optoelectronics. However, the majority of existing DSE fluorophores represents structural modifications of the scaffolds known for their aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) properties, e. g., tetraphenylethylenes (TFE), triphenylamines (TFA), and others. In this study, we introduce aurones as an easily accessible scaffold for the construction of DSE fluorophores and describe the main design principles allowing to achieve the balanced emission in both solution and solid state. Herein, we present the solid‐state fluorescence in a systematic series of aurone derivatives for the first time. We propose that the newly found DSE properties of aurones in combination with their established biological activity can be applied efficiently in biomedical studies and diagnostic tools.
A modified fuzzy clustering framework for catalyst activity monitoring in the selective catalytic reduction system
Authors: Gu Hui , Zhu Hongxia , Yang Jiapeng
Published: February 2023

The catalyst activity monitoring in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system is of great importance for safety and economic operation in the power plant. To address the problem, a framework based on clustering considering time delay has been proposed. A compound parameter, , is put forward in this paper as a strategy to remove the influences from gas volume (power output), inlet NOx concentration, and outlet NOx concentration to the ammonia amount. A modified entropy‐based fuzzy clustering (EFC) method is proposed by a threshold varying model and then tested for its efficiency by four datasets from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) machine learning repository. With the maximum mutual information entropy coefficient (MIC) method for detecting time delay and the modified EFC method, process data from three working levels are handled for automatically obtained clustering centres. The proposed activity value, , is then calculated based on 1440 process data before and after the catalyst replacement shown in boxplot figures. The results of the framework are analyzed to be in accordance with the real working conditions, with values and fluctuation ranges starting to fall near first from the 721st sample in the 24th box.
Multifaceted Target Specificity Analysis as a Tool in Antimicrobial Drug Development: Type III Pantothenate Kinases as a Case Study
Authors: Brigg Siobhan Ernan , Koekemoer Lizbé , Brand Leisl A. , Strauss Erick
Published: February 2023

The research and development of a new antimicrobial drug using a target‐based approach raises the question of whether any resulting hits will also show activity against the homologous target in other closely related organisms. While an assessment of the similarities of the predicted interactions between the identified inhibitor and the various targets is an obvious first step in answering this question, no clear and consistent framework has been proposed for how this should be done. Here we developed Multifaceted Target Specificity Analysis (MTSA) and applied it to type III pantothenate kinase (PanKIII) – an essential enzyme required for coenzyme A biosynthesis in a wide range of pathogenic bacteria – as a case study to establish if targeting a specific organism's PanKIII would lead to a narrow‐ or broad‐spectrum agent. We propose that MTSA is a useful tool and aid for directing new target‐based antimicrobial drug development initiatives.
Morphological and metabolic differences between turfgrass and row‐crop biotypes of goosegrass (Eleusine indica)
Authors: Patel Jinesh , Hall Nathan D. , Harris James R. , McElroy J. Scott
Published: February 2023

The research was conducted to evaluate Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. (goosegrass) phenotypic diversity in biotypes collected from managed turfgrass, noncrop, and row crop environments. A common‐garden experiment was conducted to quantify morphological characteristics. Biotypes were primarily distinguished along a single principal component that separated taller growing crop types with lower tiller numbers, larger leaves, and more spikelets per seedhead, contrasted with managed turfgrass and noncrop types with shorter height, greater tillering, fewer spikelets per seedhead but more total seedheads. A dwarf phenotype of E. indica (Texas‐GCPG) collected from a golf course putting green having shorter internodes, shorter leaves, and fewer spikelets per seedhead was distinct phenotypically compared with all other biotypes. Plant growth regulators were tested on biotypes collected from a cropping environment (PBU‐crop) and managed turfgrass (RB‐GC and Texas‐GCPG). Gibberellin inhibitors (paclobutrazol, flurprimidol, and trinexapac‐ethyl) had a negative impact on the growth of all three biotypes. Furthermore, the application of GA3 (gibberellin A3) increased Texas‐GCPG height compared with nontreated plants, suggesting it is a GA‐sensitive mutant. Molecular and biochemical research on such biotypes could shed light on pathways and mutations in any causal gene/s that prohibit or reduce active gibberellic acid production.
Alignment, segmentation and neighborhood analysis in cyclic immunohistochemistry data using CASSATT
Authors: Brockman Asa A. , Khurana Rohit , Bartkowiak Todd , Thomas Portia L. , Sivagnanam Shamilene , Betts Courtney B. , Coussens Lisa M. , Lovly Christine M. , Irish Jonathan M. , Ihrie Rebecca A.
Published: February 2023

Cyclic immunohistochemistry (cycIHC) uses sequential rounds of colorimetric immunostaining and imaging for quantitative mapping of location and number of cells of interest. Additionally, cycIHC benefits from the speed and simplicity of brightfield microscopy, making the collection of entire tissue sections and slides possible at a trivial cost compared to other high dimensional imaging modalities. However, large cycIHC datasets currently require an expert data scientist to concatenate separate open‐source tools for each step of image pre‐processing, registration, and segmentation, or the use of proprietary software. Here, we present a unified and user‐friendly pipeline for processing, aligning, and analyzing cycIHC data ‐ Cyclic Analysis of Single‐Cell Subsets and Tissue Territories (CASSATT). CASSATT registers scanned slide images across all rounds of staining, segments individual nuclei, and measures marker expression on each detected cell. Beyond straightforward single cell data analysis outputs, CASSATT explores the spatial relationships between cell populations. By calculating the log odds of interaction frequencies between cell populations within tissues and tissue regions, this pipeline helps users identify populations of cells that interact—or do not interact—at frequencies that are greater than those occurring by chance. It also identifies specific neighborhoods of cells based on the assortment of neighboring cell types that surround each cell in the sample. The presence and location of these neighborhoods can be compared across slides or within distinct regions within a tissue. CASSATT is a fully open source workflow tool developed to process cycIHC data and will allow greater utilization of this powerful staining technique.
Impacts of blockchain in software‐defined Internet of Things ecosystem with Network Function Virtualization for smart applications: Present perspectives and future directions
Authors: Rahman Anichur , Islam Jahidul , Kundu Dipanjali , Karim Razaul , Rahman Ziaur , Band Shahab S. , Sookhak Mehdi , Tiwari Prayag , Kumar Neeraj
Published: February 2023

As an emerging technology, blockchain (BC) has been playing a promising role in today's software‐defined networking (SDN)‐enabled Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Because of the salient feature of the network function virtualization (NFV) techniques, SDN can ensure an IoT system runs efficiently and smoothly in a cloud‐driven ecosystem. When cloud‐enabled systems encounter immense security and operational challenges caused mainly by third‐party dependency, large‐scale data communication, and maintenance, BC offers effective and robust data transfer solutions without incorporating intermediaries over the distributed network. With the increased SDN‐BC convergence in the IoT domain, the underlying challenges and perspectives deserve proper attention methodically and structurally. From the motivation of addressing such issues, this study provides necessary insights to combine those for successful plug‐and‐play. Therefore, the study includes purposefully investigating current state‐of‐the‐art to extract the research trends, future directions, and perspectives in this domain. This study provides a comprehensive survey of IoT, SDN, NFV, and BC‐enabled emerging technologies. More importantly, the authors intelligently integrated the four different technologies—IoT, SDN, BC, and NFV based on characteristics, scopes, challenges, taxonomies, and tables in numerous areas. Initially, the authors introduce the SDN‐IoT ecosystem in brief and address the features and applications. We took a close look at the SDN's overall taxonomy based on security, environment, scopes, and challenges. We also briefly describe the integration of SDN‐IoT with the NFV ecosystems. Moreover, we review the prospect of BC technology from security perspectives, its extent, challenges of practical implementation, and the possible integration of IoT regarding smart applications. Finally, this study highlights several future directions based on these technologies.
Best practice guidelines for environmental DNA biomonitoring in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: De Brauwer Maarten , Clarke Laurence J. , Chariton Anthony , Cooper Madalyn K. , de Bruyn Mark , Furlan Elise , MacDonald Anna J. , Rourke Meaghan L. , Sherman Craig D. H. , Suter Leonie , Villacorta‐Rath Cecilia , Zaiko Anastasija , Trujillo‐González Alejandro
Published: February 2023

Environmental DNA (eDNA)‐based methods are increasingly used by government agencies to detect pests and threatened species, and for broader biodiversity monitoring. Given rapid technological advances and a growing number of commercial service providers, there is a need to standardize methods for quality assurance and to maintain confidence in eDNA‐based results. Here, we introduce two documents to provide best‐practice guidelines for Australian and New Zealand eDNA researchers and end‐users (available from https://sednasociety.com/publications): the Environmental DNA protocol development guide for biomonitoring provides minimum standard considerations for eDNA and environmental RNA projects across the complete workflow, from ethical considerations and experimental design to interpreting and communicating results. The Environmental DNA test validation guidelines outline key steps to be used in assay development and validation for species‐specific testing and metabarcoding. Both guidelines were developed as an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and led by the Southern eDNA Society in a collaborative process including multiple consultation rounds with eDNA experts, end‐users, and stakeholders to adapt the guidelines to Australian and New Zealand needs. The aim of these guidelines is not to be prescriptive, but to set minimum standards to support a consistent and best‐practice approach to eDNA testing. We anticipate that the guidelines will be reviewed and regularly updated as required. Our aspiration is that these best‐practice guidelines will ensure environmental managers are provided with robust scientific evidence to support decision‐making.
Hypocapnia is an independent predictor of in‐hospital mortality in acute heart failure
Authors: Tang Wen‐Jing , Xie Bai‐Kang , Liang Wei , Zhou Yan‐Zhao , Kuang Wen‐Long , Chen Fen , Wang Min , Yu Miao
Published: February 2023

Aims

Acute heart failure (AHF) poses a major threat to hospitalized patients for its high mortality rate and serious complications. The aim of this study is to determine whether hypocapnia [defined as the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) below 35 mmHg] on admission could be associated with in‐hospital all‐cause mortality in AHF.

Methods and results

A total of 676 patients treated in the coronary care unit for AHF were retrospectively analysed, and the study endpoint was in‐hospital all‐cause mortality. The 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) analysis, Kaplan–Meier curve, and Cox regression model were used to explore the association between hypocapnia and in‐hospital all‐cause mortality in AHF. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Delong's test were used to assess the performance of hypocapnia in predicting in‐hospital all‐cause mortality in AHF. The study cohort included 464 (68.6%) males and 212 (31.4%) females, and the median age was 66 years (interquartile range 56–74 years). Ninety‐eight (14.5%) patients died during hospitalization and presented more hypocapnia than survivors (76.5% vs. 45.5%, P < 0.001). A 1:1 PSM was performed between hypocapnic and non‐hypocapnic patients, with 264 individuals in each of the two groups after matching. Compared with non‐hypocapnic patients, in‐hospital mortality was significantly higher in hypocapnic patients both before (22.2% vs. 6.8%, P < 0.001) and after (20.8% vs. 8.7%, P < 0.001) PSM. Kaplan–Meier curve showed a significantly higher probability of in‐hospital death in patients with hypocapnia before and after PSM (both P < 0.001 for the log‐rank test). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that hypocapnia was an independent predictor of AHF mortality both before [hazard ratio (HR) 2.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23–3.98; P = 0.008] and after (HR 2.19; 95% CI 1.18–4.07; P = 0.013) PSM. Delong's test showed that the area under the ROC curve was improved after adding hypocapnia into the model (0.872, 95% CI 0.839–0.901 vs. 0.855, 95% CI 0.820–0.886, P = 0.028). PaCO2 was correlated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = 0.20, P = 0.001), left ventricular ejection fraction (r = 0.13, P < 0.001), B‐type natriuretic peptide (r = −0.28, P < 0.001), and lactate (r = −0.15, P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier curve of PaCO2 tertiles and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the lowest PaCO2 tertile was associated with increased risk of in‐hospital mortality in AHF (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Hypocapnia is an independent predictor of in‐hospital mortality for AHF.
Six years of fluvial response to a large dam removal on the Carmel River, California, USA
Authors: East Amy E. , Harrison Lee R. , Smith Douglas P. , Logan Joshua B. , Bond Rosealea M.
Published: February 2023

Measuring river response to dam removal affords a rare, important opportunity to study fluvial response to sediment pulses on a large field scale. We present a before–after/control–impact study of the Carmel River, California, measuring fluvial geomorphic and grain‐size evolution over 8 years, six of which postdated removal of a 32 m‐high dam (one of the largest dams removed worldwide) and included 11 flow events exceeding the 2‐year flood magnitude. We find that the reservoir‐sediment pulse following dam removal was relatively small (97 000 ± 24 000 t over 4 years), owing to deliberate reservoir‐sediment stabilization. Scaled to the size of the Carmel River watershed and compared against long‐term bedrock denudation rates, the post‐dam‐removal sediment release was slightly less than the annualized long‐term sediment export from this basin. New sediment transited >30 km to the river mouth in less than 2 years, assisted by floods 2 and 4 years after dam removal. The sediment pulse fined the downstream riverbed while causing mostly low‐magnitude bed‐elevation changes: commonly 0.5 to 1 m or smaller, occurring as discontinuous sediment patches or interstitial deposits, aside from the filling and subsequent partial scour of deep pools. There was no major geomorphic reset downstream from the dam site. Geomorphic changes were driven almost entirely by flow rather than by the modest increase in sediment supply, in contrast to recent examples from other large dam removals. The relatively minor disturbance caused by dam removal on the Carmel River is likely analogous to many future dam removals: a relatively small sediment pulse after deliberate limitation of reservoir‐sediment erosion, and with an upstream dam remaining in place. Thus, a large dam removal need not lead to major downstream impacts.
Metal Template Synthesis of ‘Broken’ Aromatic Preorganized Terdentate Hosts for the Recognition of Lanthanide Tris‐β‐Diketonate Guests
Authors: Le‐Hoang Giau , Guénée Laure , Naseri Soroush , Besnard Céline , Piguet Claude
Published: February 2023

The binding of the terdentate precursor 2,2′‐(4‐methyl‐3,5‐divinylpyridine‐2,6‐diyl)bis(1‐allyl‐5‐bromo‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazole) (1) to the lanthanide container [Ln(hfac)3] (Ln=La, Eu, Gd, Y, Er; H‐hfac=1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoropentane‐2,4‐dione) ensures the cis‐cis orientation of the two adjacent α,α′‐diimine units that is required for the successful intramolecular Grubb ring‐closing metathesis generating the target rigid 6‐methyl‐9,11‐dihydro‐1H,3H‐2λ2,10λ2‐pyrido[2,3‐c:6,5‐c′]bis(azepine) scaffold decorated with two terminal 5‐bromo‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazole in ligand L7. The bond valence analysis of the crystal structures of the associated nine‐coordinate adducts [L7Ln(hfac)3] (Ln=La, Eu, Gd, Er, Y) reveals a satisfying match between the rigid terdentate cavity and the size of the bound lanthanide metal, with a pronounced preference for the largest lanthanum cation. Thermodynamic studies in dichloromethane confirm the formation of [L7Ln(hfac)3] adducts with unprecedented stabilities due to the removal of the energy penalty associated with trans‐trans to cis‐cis reorganization. The introduction of saturated methylene groups within the polyaromatic ligand backbone breaks extended aromatic delocalization and clears the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum from emission arising from low‐energy ligand‐based excited states.
Antibiotic resistance and mecA characterization of Staphylococcus hominis from filarial lymphedema patients in the Ahanta West District, Ghana: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Kini Priscilla , Wireko Solomon , Osei‐Poku Priscilla , Asiedu Samuel O. , Amewu Emmanuel K. A. , Asiedu Ebenezer , Amanor Ernest , Mensah Caleb , Wilson Mary B. , Larbi Amma , Boahen Kennedy G. , Sylverken Augustina A. , Amato Katherine R. , Kwarteng Alexander
Published: February 2023

Background and Aim

Filarial infections affect over 150 million people in the tropics. One of the major forms of filarial pathologies is lymphedema; a condition where the immune response is significantly altered, resulting in changes in the normal flora. Staphylococcus hominis, a human skin commensal, can also be pathogenic in immunocompromised individuals. Therefore, there is the possibility that S. hominis could assume a different behavior in filarial lymphedema patients. To this end, we investigated the levels of antibiotic resistance and extent of mecA gene carriage in S. hominis among individuals presenting with filarial lymphedema in rural Ghana.

Method

We recruited 160 individuals with stages I–VII lymphedema, in a cross‐sectional study in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region of Ghana. Swabs from lymphedematous limb ulcers, pus, and cutaneous surfaces were cultured using standard culture‐based techniques. The culture isolates were subjected to Matrix‐Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometry for bacterial identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed using the Kirby–Bauer method. mecA genes were targeted by polymerase chain reaction for strains that were cefoxitin resistant.

Results

In all, 112 S. hominis were isolated. The AST results showed resistance to chloramphenicol (87.5%), tetracycline (83.3%), penicillin (79.2%), and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (45.8%). Of the 112 strains of S. hominis, 51 (45.5%) were resistant to cefoxitin, and 37 (72.5%) of the cefoxitin‐resistant S. hominis haboured the mecA gene.

Conclusion

This study indicates a heightened level of methicillin‐resistant S. hominis isolated among filarial lymphedema patients. As a result, opportunistic infections of S. hominis among the already burdened filarial lymphedema patients in rural Ghana may have reduced treatment success with antibiotics.
Relationships between Obesity and Incidence of Fractures in a Middle‐Aged Population: A Study from the CARTaGENE Cohort
Authors: Turcotte Anne‐Frédérique , Jean Sonia , Morin Suzanne N. , Mac‐Way Fabrice , Gagnon Claudia
Published: February 2023

The association between obesity and fracture risk is complex and may vary by definition of obesity, skeletal site, and sex. We aimed to evaluate the relationships between obesity, defined using body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference (WC), and fracture incidence at any site and by skeletal site (i.e., major osteoporotic fractures [MOFs], distal lower limb fractures [tibia, ankle, feet], and distal upper limb fractures [forearm/elbow, wrist]). The secondary aim was to assess the aforementioned relationships by sex. We used CARTaGENE, a large population‐based cohort of individuals aged 40–70 years from Quebec, Canada, who were assessed in 2009–2010. Incident fractures were identified via linkage with healthcare administrative databases over a 7‐year period. Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for several potential confounders were used to estimate the relationships, with exposures treated as continuous variables. Results are reported as adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals. We identified 19 357 individuals (mean ± standard deviation: age 54 ± 8 years, BMI 27 ± 5 kg/m2, WC 94 ± 14 cm; 51.6% women). During follow‐up, 497 women and 323 men sustained a fracture. There was a linear relationship between fracture incidence and WC, while cubic splines best fitted the relationship for BMI. Greater WC was associated with an increased risk of fracture at the distal lower limbs in the whole cohort and in the subgroup of women: aHR for each 10 cm increased in WC of 1.12 (1.03, 1.21) and 1.12 (1.01, 1.24), respectively. In men, WC was not significantly associated with any fracture outcome. Higher BMI was also significantly associated with distal lower limb fracture risk in the whole cohort (p = 0.018). No significant relationships were found between either WC or BMI and the risk of any fracture, MOFs, and distal upper limb fractures. In middle‐aged individuals, obesity, and mainly abdominal obesity, was associated with distal lower limb fracture risk. © 2023 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Hypoxia promotes EV secretion by impairing lysosomal homeostasis in HNSCC through negative regulation of ATP6V1A by HIF‐1α
Authors: Wang Xiaoning , Wu Ruoyi , Zhai Peisong , Liu Zheqi , Xia Ronghui , Zhang Zhen , Qin Xing , Li Chuwen , Chen Wantao , Li Jiang , Zhang Jianjun
Published: February 2023

Tumour cells under hypoxia tend to modulate the number and contents of extracellular vesicles (EVs) to regulate the tumour microenvironment (TME) and thus promote tumour progression. However, the mechanism of how hypoxia influences the secretion of EVs remains to be elucidated. Here, we confirm the increased production of EVs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells under hypoxia, where endosome‐derived EVs are the main subtype affected by insufficient O2. The accumulation of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) under hypoxia directly downregulates the expression of ATP6V1A, which is pivotal to maintain the homeostasis of lysosomes. Subsequently, impaired lysosomal degradation contributes to the reduced fusion of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) with lysosomes and enables the secretion of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) as EVs. These findings establish a HIF‐1α‐regulated lysosomal dysfunction‐EV release axis and provide an exquisite framework to better understand EV biogenesis.
Role of psychological background in cancer susceptibility genetic testing distress: It is not only about a positive result
Authors: López‐Fernández Adrià , Villacampa Guillermo , Salinas Mònica , Grau Elia , Darder Esther , Carrasco Estela , Solanes Ares , Velasco Angela , Torres Maite , Munté Elisabet , Iglesias Silvia , Torres‐Esquius Sara , Tuset Noemí , Diez Orland , Lázaro Conxi , Brunet Joan , Corbella Sergi , Balmaña Judith
Published: February 2023

Clinical and familial factors predict psychological distress after genetic testing for cancer susceptibility. However, the contribution of an individual's psychological background to such distress is unclear. This study aims to analyze the psychological impact of genetic testing and to identify the profile of individuals at higher risk. This is a longitudinal multicenter study of individuals undergoing genetic testing for cancer susceptibility. Demographic, clinical, genetic, familial, and psychological (personality types, cancer worry) characteristics were assessed by validated questionnaires the day of genetic testing. Distress, uncertainty, and positive experience perception (MICRA scale) were evaluated at the results disclosure visit, and 3 and 12 months afterwards. Multivariate analysis was performed. A total of 714 individuals were included. A high neuroticism score, high baseline cancer worry, and a positive genetic test result were independently associated with higher psychological impact (p‐value < 0.05). The highest risk profile (10% of the cohort) included women with high level of neuroticism and a positive result. Uncertainty was mainly associated with a high level of neuroticism, regardless of the genetic test result. A holistic approach to personalized germline genetic counseling should include the assessment of personality dimensions.
Suppressed Self‐Reduction of Manganese in Mg2SnO4 via Li+ Incorporation with Polychromatic Luminescence for Versatile Applications
Authors: Xue Junpeng , Hu Tao , Li Fuqiang , Liu Fengwu , Noh Hyeon Mi , Lee Bo Ram , Choi Byung Chun , Park Sung Heum , Jeong Jung Hyun , Du Peng
Published: February 2023

Herein, the self‐reduction behavior of manganese (Mn) in Mg2SnO4 (MSO) host lattices prepared by using the solid‐state reaction technique in air atmosphere is reported. Excited by 282 nm, only the emission of Mn2+ is seen, and the observed results are confirmed by theoretical calculation based on the density functional theory. Noteworthy, with the codoping of Li+, the self‐reduction process of Mn is suppressed, leading to the coexistence of Mn2+ and Mn4+ in MSO host lattices along with the multicolor emissions. For the suppressed self‐reduction behavior, possible hypotheses are proposed to elucidate the corresponding mechanisms. Furthermore, benefiting from the different thermal quenching behaviors of Mn2+ and Mn4+, ratiometric optical thermometers with high sensitivity of 6.59% K−1 are designed. Moreover, the prepared phosphors possess a good green afterglow phenomenon, in which their trap depth are 0.71 and 0.91 eV. In addition, via using the designed phosphors, applications in anti‐counterfeiting, fingerprint identification, and optical information storage are also realized.
Fractional carbon dioxide vaginal laser treatment of stress urinary incontinence: Remodeling of vaginal tissues and improving pelvic floor structures
Authors: Gao Lin , Wang Yuanli , Wen Wei , Duan Yunyan , Li Zhaoyang , Dang Erle , Li Peng , Yu Lei , Zhou Chenxi , Lu Meiheng , Wang Gang
Published: February 2023

Objective

To demonstrate remodeling of vaginal biomechanical and physiological properties using vaginal fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Materials and Methods

The study cohort included 26 patients with SUI between October 2019 and November 2020. Patients were treated with two sessions of FemTouch vaginal fractional CO2 laser with a one‐month interval. Three subjective assessments were administered to all patients: female sexual function index (FSFI), vaginal health index score (VHIS), and international consultation on incontinence questionnaire‐short form (ICIQ‐SF). Vaginal tissue biopsies were taken from 6 patients before treatment and one‐month after the final treatment. Vaginal tactile imaging (VTI) measurements, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed before treatment and 10–12‐months after treatment in 10, 9, and 6 patients, respectively.

Results

The average age of the cohort was 39.5 ± 12.0 years. The overall scores for FSFI, VHIS, and ICIQ‐SF significantly improved in patients after each treatment sessions as compared with baseline scores. VTI showed significantly increased pressure resistance of both the anterior and posterior vaginal walls after treatment. Ultrasonography showed significant decreases in bladder neck mobility and urethrovesical angle during the Valsalva maneuver after treatment. MRI scans showed significant decreases in the length of the vaginal anterior wall after treatment. Histological examination confirmed that the laser treatment led to a thicker stratified squamous epithelium layer as compared to the baseline.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that vaginal fractional CO₂ laser treatment can restore vaginal biomechanical and physiological properties by increasing vaginal tightening and improving pelvic floor structures.
Expert Consensus on the Use of On‐Demand Treatments for OFF Episodes in Parkinson's Disease: A Modified Delphi Panel
Authors: Isaacson Stuart H. , Achari Madhureeta , Bhidayasiri Roongroj , Comella Cynthia , Farmer Jill Giordano , Gupta Fiona , Jones Sarah , Kreitzman David , Kremens Daniel , Lewis Simon J.G. , Poewe Werner , Tolosa Eduardo , Campos Cynthia , Gibbs Sarah N. , Broder Michael S.
Published: February 2023

Background

On‐demand treatments can treat OFF episodes in Parkinson's disease, however, there is limited information regarding when to prescribe them.

Objective

Develop expert consensus to determine appropriate clinical factors for considering on‐demand treatments.

Methods

Using a RAND/UCLA modified Delphi panel method, a panel developed consensus on the use of on‐demand treatments for OFF episodes.

Results

The panel agreed on‐demand treatments were appropriate when OFF episodes were associated with greater functional impact and interfered with basic daily activities. The panel also agreed on‐demand treatment may be appropriate for patients with morning akinesia and/or delayed ON of first levodopa dose and >1 type of OFF episode (eg, early morning OFF or wearing OFF regardless of frequency).

Conclusions

Experts agreed on‐demand treatment is appropriate for many patients with OFF episodes. The greater the functional impact of OFF episodes, the more likely experts agreed that on‐demand treatment is appropriate to prescribe.
Opportunistic screening for low bone density using abdominopelvic computed tomography scans
Authors: Tariq Amara , Patel Bhavik N. , Sensakovic William F. , Fahrenholtz Samuel J. , Banerjee Imon
Published: February 2023

Background

While low bone density is a major burden on US health system, current osteoporosis screening guidelines by the US Preventive Services Task Force are limited to women aged ≥65 and all postmenopausal women with certain risk factors. Even within recommended screening groups, actual screening rates are low (<26%) and vary across socioeconomic groups. The proposed model can opportunistically screen patients using abdominal CT studies for low bone density who may otherwise go undiagnosed.

Purpose

To develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model for opportunistic screening of low bone density using both contrast and non‐contrast abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) exams, for the purpose of referral to traditional bone health management, which typically begins with dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Methods

We collected 6083 contrast‐enhanced CT imaging exams paired with DXA exams within ±6 months documented between May 2015 and August 2021 in a single institution with four major healthcare practice regions. Our fusion AI pipeline receives the coronal and axial plane images of a contrast enhanced abdominopelvic CT exam and basic patient demographics (age, gender, body cross section lengths) to predict risk of low bone mass. The models were trained on lumbar spine T‐scores from DXA exams and tested on multi‐site imaging exams. The model was again tested in a prospective group (N = 344) contrast‐enhanced and non‐contrast‐enhanced studies.

Results

The models were evaluated on the same test set (1208 exams)—(1) Baseline model using demographic factors from electronic medical records (EMR) ‐ 0.7 area under the curve of receiver operator characteristic (AUROC); Imaging based models: (2) axial view ‐ 0.83 AUROC; (3) coronal view‐ 0.83 AUROC; (4) Fusion model—Imaging + demographic factors ‐ 0.86 AUROC. The prospective test yielded one missed positive DXA case with a hip prosthesis among 23 positive contrast‐enhanced CT exams and 0% false positive rate for non‐contrast studies. Both positive cases among non‐contrast enhanced CT exams were successfully detected. While only about 8% patients from prospective study received a DXA exam within 2 years, about 30% were detected with low bone mass by the fusion model, highlighting the need for opportunistic screening.

Conclusions

The fusion model, which combines two planes of CT images and EMRs data, outperformed individual models and provided a high, robust diagnostic performance for opportunistic screening of low bone density using contrast and non‐contrast CT exams. This model could potentially improve bone health risk assessment with no additional cost. The model's handling of metal implants is an ongoing effort.
Feature‐guided attention network for medical image segmentation
Authors: Zhou Hao , Sun Chaoyu , Huang Hai , Fan Mingyu , Yang Xu , Zhou Linxiao
Published: February 2023

Background

U‐Net and its variations have achieved remarkable performances in medical image segmentation. However, they have two limitations. First, the shallow layer feature of the encoder always contains background noise. Second, semantic gaps exist between the features of the encoder and the decoder. Skip‐connections directly connect the encoder to the decoder, which will lead to the fusion of semantically dissimilar feature maps.

Purpose

To overcome these two limitations, this paper proposes a novel medical image segmentation algorithm, called feature‐guided attention network, which consists of U‐Net, the cross‐level attention filtering module (CAFM), and the attention‐guided upsampling module (AUM).

Methods

In the proposed method, the AUM and the CAFM were introduced into the U‐Net, where the AUM learns to filter the background noise in the low‐level feature map of the encoder and the CAFM tries to eliminate the semantic gap between the encoder and the decoder. Specifically, the AUM adopts a top‐down pathway to use the high‐level feature map so as to filter the background noise in the low‐level feature map of the encoder. The AUM uses the encoder features to guide the upsampling of the corresponding decoder features, thus eliminating the semantic gap between them. Four medical image segmentation tasks, including coronary atherosclerotic plaque segmentation (Dataset A), retinal vessel segmentation (Dataset B), skin lesion segmentation (Dataset C), and multiclass retinal edema lesions segmentation (Dataset D), were used to validate the proposed method.

Results

For Dataset A, the proposed method achieved higher Intersection over Union (IoU) (), dice (), accuracy (), and sensitivity () than the previous best method: CA‐Net. For Dataset B, the proposed method achieved higher sensitivity (83.50%) and accuracy (97.55%) than the previous best method: SCS‐Net. For Dataset C, the proposed method had highest IoU () and dice () than those of all compared previous methods. For Dataset D, the proposed method had highest dice (average: 81.53%; retina edema area [REA]: 83.78%; pigment epithelial detachment [PED] 77.13%), sensitivity (REA: 89.01%; SRF: 85.50%), specificity (REA: 99.35%; PED: 100.00), and accuracy (98.73%) among all compared previous networks. In addition, the number of parameters of the proposed method was 2.43 M, which is less than CA‐Net (3.21 M) and CPF‐Net (3.07 M).

Conclusions

The proposed method demonstrated state‐of‐the‐art performance, outperforming other top‐notch medical image segmentation algorithms. The CAFM filtered the background noise in the low‐level feature map of the encoder, while the AUM eliminated the semantic gap between the encoder and the decoder. Furthermore, the proposed method was of high computational efficiency.
A practice‐based nursing emergency management system model for public health emergencies: A descriptive qualitative study
Authors: Zhang Ruixue , You Congyu , Wang Lei , Jiang Yan , He Lingxiao , Wang Cong , Chen Fengjiao , Huang Yujia , Han Hui
Published: February 2023

Aim

This study aims to explore nursing emergency management system under public health emergencies.

Design

A descriptive qualitative study.

Method

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted during March–November 2020 with 11 nursing emergency management administrators from 11 COVID‐19 designated hospitals and infectious disease hospitals under four administrative divisions in China, who were recruited through convenience and purposive sampling. Interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed. Data were analysed with Braun and Clarke's inductive thematic analysis. The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research.

Results

Three main themes emerged from data analysis: (1) Five core elements of nursing emergency management system: Structure, Staff, System, Setting, and Supply (5S); (2) Four phases of nursing emergency management system: Reduction, Readiness, Response and Recovery (4R); and (3) operational process of nursing emergency management system (5S*4R). The findings generated a conceptual model of a nursing emergency management system.

Public Contribution

This study provides a theoretical basis for nursing emergency management system for public health emergencies in the future. Nurse administrators could refer to this model to either review or develop their system and develop viable interventions to prepare for future public health emergencies.
Prevalence of Cochlear Nerve Deficiency and Hearing Device Use in Children With Single‐Sided Deafness
Authors: Ward Kristina M. , Coughran Alanna J. , Lee Monterosa , Fitzgerald Matthew B. , Cheng Alan G. , Chang Kay W. , Ahmad Iram N.
Published: February 2023

Objective

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cochlear nerve deficiency (CND) in a cohort of pediatric patients with single‐sided deafness (SSD). A secondary objective was to investigate trends in intervention and hearing device use in these children.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Pediatric tertiary care center.

Methods

Children ages 0 to 21 years with SSD (N = 190) who underwent computerized tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. Diagnostic criteria for SSD included unilateral severe‐to‐profound sensorineural hearing loss with normal hearing sensitivity in the contralateral ear. Diagnostic criteria for CND included neuroradiologist report of an “aplastic or hypoplastic nerve” on MRI or a “stenotic cochlear aperture” on CT.

Results

The prevalence of CND was 42% for children with CT only, 76% for children with MRI only, and 63% for children with both MRI and CT. Of the children with MRI and CT, there was a 90% concordance across imaging modalities. About 36% of children with SSD had hearing devices that routed sound to the normal hearing ear (ie, bone conduction hearing device/contralateral routing of signal), while only 3% received a cochlear implant. Approximately 40% did not have a hearing device. Hearing device wear time averaged 2.9 hours per day and did not differ based on cochlear nerve status.

Conclusion

There is a high prevalence of CND in children with SSD. Cochlear nerve status should be confirmed via MRI in children with SSD. The limited implementation and use of hearing devices observed for children with SSD reinforce the need for increased support for early and continuous intervention.
Perception and appreciation of plant biodiversity among experts and laypeople
Authors: Breitschopf Eva , Bråthen Kari Anne
Published: February 2023

Plant biodiversity, which is fundamental for the delivery of ecosystem services, is in decline. Yet, knowledge about how plant biodiversity is perceived and appreciated is scarce.

We studied biologists' and laypeople's perception and appreciation for plant communities that differ in plant biodiversity, using ranges of plant biodiversity known to affect ecosystem services. We investigate species richness, species turnover and species evenness. A questionnaire based on photographs displaying artificial plant communities was used.

Perceived biodiversity was 12% more often congruent with actual biodiversity for biologists than for laypeople. Species richness was perceived congruently with actual species richness by 77% of all respondents, compared with 27% for species evenness and 29% for species turnover. Appreciation for the displayed communities correlated positively with their actual plant biodiversity, except for species turnover. Appreciation always correlated positively with perceived plant biodiversity and even stronger than with actual plant biodiversity. This was not the case for species richness, for which perceived and actual biodiversity were most often congruent.

Our results suggest that plant biodiversity is perceived most accurately when changes in species richness are considered, while changes in species evenness and species turnover are perceived less accurately. The respondents' answers indicate that perceived higher plant biodiversity is appreciated more than perceived lower plant biodiversity, even when perceived and actual plant biodiversity are not congruent.

We corroborate findings that people value plant biodiversity per se. But we also find that people largely perceive species evenness and turnover with low accuracy; and that people have low appreciation for these biodiversity dimensions that are lesser known but essential to ecosystem functioning. Our finding that biologists have higher accuracy in perceiving biodiversity suggests that biodiversity literacy is key to increasing people's awareness of changes in plant biodiversity.

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