bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene‐Enhanced UV‐C LEDs
Authors: Meier Johanna , Zhang Hehe , Kaya Umut , Mertin Wolfgang , Bacher Gerd
Published: May 2024

Light‐emitting diodes in the UV‐C spectral range (UV‐C LEDs) can potentially replace bulky and toxic mercury lamps in a wide range of applications including sterilization and water purification. Several obstacles still limit the efficiencies of UV‐C LEDs. Devices in flip‐chip geometry suffer from a huge difference in the work functions between the p‐AlGaN and high‐reflective Al mirrors, whereas the absence of UV‐C transparent current spreading layers limits the development of UV‐C LEDs in standard geometry. Here it is demonstrated that transfer‐free graphene implemented directly onto the p‐AlGaN top layer by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition approach enables highly efficient 275 nm UV‐C LEDs in both, flip‐chip and standard geometry. In flip‐chip geometry, the graphene acts as a contact interlayer between the Al‐mirror and the p‐AlGaN enabling an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 9.5% and a wall‐plug efficiency (WPE) of 5.5% at 8 V. Graphene combined with a ≈1 nm NiOx support layer allows a turn‐on voltage <5 V. In standard geometry graphene acts as a current spreading layer on a length scale up to 1 mm. These top‐emitting devices exhibit a EQE of 2.1% at 8.7 V and a WPE of 1.1%.
An Equalized Flow Velocity Strategy for Perovskite Colloidal Particles in Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Gong Chenxiang , Wang Cong , Meng Xiangchuan , Fan Baojin , Xing Zhi , Shi Siyi , Hu Ting , Huang Zengqi , Hu Xiaotian , Chen Yiwang
Published: May 2024

The non‐uniform distribution of colloidal particles in perovskite precursor results in an imbalanced response to the shear force during flexible printing process. Herein, it is observed that the continuous disordered migration occurring in perovskite inks significantly contributes to the enlargement of colloidal particles size and diminishes the crystallization activity of the inks. Therefore, a molecular encapsulation architecture by glycerol monostearate to mitigate colloidal particles collisions in the precursor ink, while simultaneously homogenizing the size distribution of perovskite colloids to minimize their diffusion disparities, is devised. The utilization of colloidal particles with a molecular encapsulation structure enables the achievement of uniform deposition during the printing process, thereby effectively balancing the crystallization rate and phase transition in the film and facilitating homogeneous crystallization of perovskite films. The large‐area flexible perovskite device (1.01 cm2 and 100 cm2) fabricated through printing processes, achieves an efficiency of 24.45% and 15.87%, respectively, and manifests superior environmental stability, maintaining an initial efficiency of 91% after being stored in atmospheric ambiences for 150 days (unencapsulated). This work demonstrates that the dynamic evolution process of colloidal particles in both the precursor ink and printing process represents a crucial stride toward achieving uniform crystallization of perovskite films.
Inhibiting Demetalation of Fe─N─C via Mn Sites for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Zinc‐Air Batteries
Authors: Hu Chuan , Xing Gengyu , Han Wentao , Hao Yixin , Zhang Chenchen , Zhang Ying , Kuo Chun‐Han , Chen Han‐Yi , Hu Feng , Li Linlin , Peng Shengjie
Published: May 2024

Demetalation caused by the electrochemical dissolution of metallic Fe atoms is a major challenge for the practical application of Fe─N─C catalysts. Herein, an efficient single metallic Mn active site is constructed to improve the strength of the Fe─N bond, inhibiting the demetalation effect of Fe─N─C. Mn acts as an electron donor inducing more delocalized electrons to reduce the oxidation state of Fe by increasing the electron density, thereby enhancing the Fe─N bond and inhibiting the electrochemical dissolution of Fe. The oxygen reduction reaction pathway for the dissociation of Fe─Mn dual sites can overcome the high energy barriers to direct O─O bond dissociation and modulate the electronic states of Fe─N4 sites. The resulting FeMn─N─C exhibits excellent ORR activity with a high half‐wave potential of 0.92 V in alkaline electrolytes. FeMn─N─C as a cathode catalyst for Zn‐air batteries has a cycle stability of 700 h at 25 °C and a long cycle stability of more than 210 h under extremely cold conditions at −40 °C. These findings contribute to the development of efficient and stable metal‐nitrogen‐carbon catalysts for various energy devices.
Enhancing Capacitance of Carbon Cloth Electrodes via Highly Conformal PEDOT Coating Fabricated by the OCVD Method Utilizing SbCl5 Oxidant
Authors: Heydari Gharahcheshmeh Meysam , Chowdhury Kafil
Published: May 2024

Carbon cloth shows potential for flexible energy storage electrodes but encounters challenges such as low specific capacitance and limited wettability. This study addresses these limitations by fabricating a highly conformal coating of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) around 3D carbon fibers via the oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) method, employing antimony pentachloride (SbCl5) as the oxidant. The oCVD stands out as a robust manufacturing technique for fabricating highly conformal conducting polymer films on porous structures, ensuring the preservation of geometric features and the maintenance of active sites for redox reactions. The resulting PEDOT‐coated carbon cloth electrodes exhibit improved pseudocapacitance and specific capacitance compared to their pristine counterparts. Particularly, oCVD PEDOT‐coated carbon cloth fabricated at various deposition temperatures exhibit a substantial 1.5‐ to 2.3‐fold enhancement in specific capacitance compared to pristine carbon cloth. The highest specific capacitance (170.94 F g⁻¹) is attained in the oCVD PEDOT‐coated carbon cloth fabricated at a deposition temperature of 80 °C, representing a 2.3‐fold enhancement over its pristine counterpart. The PEDOT‐coated carbon cloths demonstrate lower charge transfer resistance compared to their pristine counterparts, further confirming their superior electrochemical performance. This investigation highlights oCVD's effectiveness in fabricating highly conformal PEDOT coating on carbon cloth electrodes for electrochemical energy storage devices.
Can Aluminum Impurity from Current Collectors Upgrade Spent Li1‐xCoO2 into a High‐Performing Cathode for Lithium‐Ion Batteries?
Authors: Kong Lingyu , Wang Duo , Zhang Fang , Hu Xianwei , Liu Aimin , Cao Yulong , Shi Zhongning , Abdelkader Amr. M. , Kamali Ali Reza
Published: May 2024

The recycling of spent lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) is gaining considerable attention for its potential to address resource scarcity and mitigating environmental pollution. Therefore, the recycling process of spent LIBs should be simple and efficient and minimize the input of raw materials. This work uses residual Al impurities from current collectors combined with high‐temperature Li supplementation to directly repair spent Li1‐xCoO2 cathode into regenerated materials enhanced with Al doping and LiF coating without additional synthesis steps or cost. The regenerated materials demonstrate an enhanced electrochemical performance compared to commercial cathode material. The modified materials exhibit a notable initial discharge capacity of 181 mA h g−1, with a commendable capacity retention of 80.4% after 400 cycles at a 4.5 V cut‐off voltage. The improved electrochemical performance is attributed to the enhanced crystalline and structural stability of the regenerated materials. Furthermore, the superiority of spent materials over commercial materials modification is clarified for the first time through characterizations and theoretical calculations due to their degraded crystalline structure and abundant Li vacancies. This up‐cycling strategy not only contributes to sustainable waste management of spent LIBs but also provides a potential “shortcut” for advancing next‐generation high‐performance batteries.
Over 60 h of Stable Water‐Operation for N‐Type Organic Electrochemical Transistors with Fast Response and Ambipolarity
Authors: Pan Tao , Jiang Xinnian , van Doremaele Eveline R. W. , Li Junyu , van der Pol Tom P. A. , Yan Chenshuai , Ye Gang , Liu Jian , Hong Wenjing , Chiechi Ryan C. , de Burgt Yoeri van , Zhang Yanxi
Published: May 2024

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are of great interest in low‐power bioelectronics and neuromorphic computing, as they utilize organic mixed ionic‐electronic conductors (OMIECs) to transduce ionic signals into electrical signals. However, the poor environmental stability of OMIEC materials significantly restricts the practical application of OECTs. Therefore, the non‐fused planar naphthalenediimide (NDI)‐dialkoxybithiazole (2Tz) copolymers are fine‐tuned through varying ethylene glycol (EG) side chain lengths from tri(ethylene glycol) to hexa(ethylene glycol) (namely P‐XO, X = 3–6) to achieve OECTs with high‐stability and low threshold voltage. As a result, the NDI‐2Tz copolymers exhibit ambipolarity, rapid response (<10 ms), and ultra‐high n‐type stability. Notably, the P‐6O copolymers display a threshold voltage as low as 0.27 V. They can operate in n‐type mode in an aqueous solution for over 60 h, maintaining an on‐off ratio of over 105. This work sheds light on the design of exceptional n‐type/ambipolar materials for OECTs. It demonstrates the potential of incorporating these ambipolar polymers into water‐operational integrated circuits for long‐term biosensing systems and energy‐efficient brain‐inspired computing.
Visualizing the Structure‐Property Nexus of Wide‐Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells under Thermal Stress
Authors: Ding Degong , Yao Yuxin , Hang Pengjie , Kan Chenxia , Lv Xiang , Ma Xiaoming , Li Biao , Jin Chuanhong , Yang Deren , Yu Xuegong
Published: May 2024

Wide‐bandgap perovskite solar cells (PSCs) toward tandem photovoltaic applications are confronted with the challenge of device thermal stability, which motivates to figure out a thorough cognition of wide‐bandgap PSCs under thermal stress, using in situ atomic‐resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM) tools combing with photovoltaic performance characterizations of these devices. The in situ dynamic process of morphology‐dependent defects formation at initial thermal stage and their proliferations in perovskites as the temperature increased are captured. Meanwhile, considerable iodine enables to diffuse into the hole‐transport‐layer along the damaged perovskite surface, which significantly degrade device performance and stability. With more intense thermal treatment, atomistic phase transition reveals the perovskite transform to PbI2 along the topo‐coherent interface of PbI2/perovskite. In conjunction with density functional theory calculations, a mutual inducement mechanism of perovskite surface damage and iodide diffusion is proposed to account for the structure‐property nexus of wide‐bandgap PSCs under thermal stress. The entire interpretation also guided to develop a thermal‐stable monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell.
A Plasmonic Optoelectronic Resistive Random‐Access Memory for In‐Sensor Color Image Cryptography
Authors: Yang Quan , Kang Yu , Zhang Cheng , Chen Haohan , Zhang Tianjiao , Bian Zheng , Su Xiangwei , Xu Wei , Sun Jiabao , Wang Pan , Xu Yang , Yu Bin , Zhao Yuda
Published: May 2024

The optoelectronic resistive random‐access memory (RRAM) with the integrated function of perception, storage and intrinsic randomness displays promising applications in the hardware level in‐sensor image cryptography. In this work, 2D hexagonal boron nitride based optoelectronic RRAM is fabricated with semitransparent noble metal (Ag or Au) as top electrodes, which can simultaneous capture color image and generate physically unclonable function (PUF) key for in‐sensor color image cryptography. Surface plasmons of noble metals enable the strong light absorption to realize an efficient modulation of filament growth at nanoscale. Resistive switching curves show that the optical stimuli can impede the filament aggregation and promote the filament annihilation, which originates from photothermal effects and photogenerated hot electrons in localized surface plasmon resonance of noble metals. By selecting noble metals, the optoelectronic RRAM array can respond to distinct wavelengths and mimic the biological dichromatic cone cells to perform the color perception. Due to the intrinsic and high‐quality randomness, the optoelectronic RRAM can produce a PUF key in every exposure cycle, which can be applied in the reconfigurable cryptography. The findings demonstrate an effective strategy to build optoelectronic RRAM for in‐sensor color image cryptography applications.
Longitudinal trajectories of Alzheimer's disease CSF biomarkers and blood pressure in cognitively healthy subjects
Authors: Biskaduros Adrienne , Glodzik Lidia , Saint Louis Leslie A. , Rusinek Henry , Pirraglia Elizabeth , Osorio Ricardo , Butler Tracy , Li Yi , Xi Ke , Tanzi Emily , Harvey Patrick , Zetterberg Henrik , Blennow Kaj , de Leon Mony J.
Published: May 2024

INTRODUCTION

We examined whether hypertension (HTN) was associated with Alzheimer's disease‐related biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and how changes in blood pressure (BP) related to changes in CSF biomarkers over time.

METHODS

A longitudinal observation of cognitively healthy normotensive subjects (n = 134, BP < 140/90, with no antihypertensive medication), controlled HTN (n = 36, BP < 140/90, taking antihypertensive medication), and 35 subjects with uncontrolled HTN (BP ≥ 140/90). The follow‐up range was 0.5to15.6 years.

RESULTS

Total tau (T‐tau) and phospho‐tau181 (P‐tau 181) increased in all but controlled HTN subjects (group×time interaction: p < 0.05 for both), but no significant Aβ42 changes were seen. Significant BP reduction was observed in uncontrolled HTN, and it was related to increase in T‐tau (p = 0.001) and P‐tau 181 (p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

Longitudinal increases in T‐tau and P‐tau 181 were observed in most subjects; however, only uncontrolled HTN had both markers increase alongside BP reductions. We speculate cumulative vascular injury renders the brain susceptible to relative hypoperfusion with BP reduction.

Highlights

Over the course of the study, participants with uncontrolled HTN at baseline showed greater accumulation of CSF total tau and phospho‐tau181 (P‐tau 181) than subjects with normal BP or with controlled HTN.

In the group with uncontrolled HTN, increases in total tau and P‐tau 181 coincided with reduction in BP.

We believe this highlights the role of HTN in vascular injury and suggests decline in cerebral perfusion resulting in increased biomarker concentrations in CSF.

Medication use was the main factor differentiating controlled from uncontrolled HTN, indicating that earlier treatment was beneficial for preventing accumulations of pathology.
Post‐GWAS multiomic functional investigation of the TNIP1 locus in Alzheimer's disease highlights a potential role for GPX3
Authors: Panyard Daniel J. , Reus Lianne M. , Ali Muhammad , Liu Jihua , Deming Yuetiva K. , Lu Qiongshi , Kollmorgen Gwendlyn , Carboni Margherita , Wild Norbert , Visser Pieter J. , Bertram Lars , Zetterberg Henrik , Blennow Kaj , Gobom Johan , Western Dan , Sung Yun Ju , Carlsson Cynthia M. , Johnson Sterling C. , Asthana Sanjay , Cruchaga Carlos , Tijms Betty M. , Engelman Corinne D. , Snyder Michael P.
Published: May 2024

INTRODUCTION

Recent genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have reported a genetic association with Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the TNIP1/GPX3 locus, but the mechanism is unclear.

METHODS

We used cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteomics data to test (n = 137) and replicate (n = 446) the association of glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) with CSF biomarkers (including amyloid and tau) and the GWAS‐implicated variants (rs34294852 and rs871269).

RESULTS

CSF GPX3 levels decreased with amyloid and tau positivity (analysis of variance P = 1.5 × 10−5) and higher CSF phosphorylated tau (p‐tau) levels (P = 9.28 × 10−7). The rs34294852 minor allele was associated with decreased GPX3 (P = 0.041). The replication cohort found associations of GPX3 with amyloid and tau positivity (P = 2.56 × 10−6) and CSF p‐tau levels (P = 4.38 × 10−9).

DISCUSSION

These results suggest variants in the TNIP1 locus may affect the oxidative stress response in AD via altered GPX3 levels.

Highlights

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) levels decreased with amyloid and tau positivity and higher CSF phosphorylated tau.

The minor allele of rs34294852 was associated with lower CSF GPX3. levels when also controlling for amyloid and tau category.

GPX3 transcript levels in the prefrontal cortex were lower in Alzheimer's disease than controls.

rs34294852 is an expression quantitative trait locus for GPX3 in blood, neutrophils, and microglia.
SADNet: Generating immersive virtual reality avatars by real‐time monocular pose estimation
Authors: Jiang Ling , Xiong Yuan , Wang Qianqian , Chen Tong , Wu Wei , Zhou Zhong
Published: May 2024

Generating immersive virtual reality avatars is a challenging task in VR/AR applications, which maps physical human body poses to avatars in virtual scenes for an immersive user experience. However, most existing work is time‐consuming and limited by datasets, which does not satisfy immersive and real‐time requirements of VR systems. In this paper, we aim to generate 3D real‐time virtual reality avatars based on a monocular camera to solve these problems. Specifically, we first design a self‐attention distillation network (SADNet) for effective human pose estimation, which is guided by a pre‐trained teacher. Secondly, we propose a lightweight pose mapping method for human avatars that utilizes the camera model to map 2D poses to 3D avatar keypoints, generating real‐time human avatars with pose consistency. Finally, we integrate our framework into a VR system, displaying generated 3D pose‐driven avatars on Helmet‐Mounted Display devices for an immersive user experience. We evaluate SADNet on two publicly available datasets. Experimental results show that SADNet achieves a state‐of‐the‐art trade‐off between speed and accuracy. In addition, we conducted a user experience study on the performance and immersion of virtual reality avatars. Results show that pose‐driven 3D human avatars generated by our method are smooth and attractive.
Direct Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Liquid Hydrocarbons over Cobalt Catalyst Supported on Lanthanum(III) Ion‐Doped Cerium(IV) Oxide
Authors: Tashiro Keigo , Konno Hikaru , Yanagita Akihide , Mikami Shunta , Shimoda Shuhei , Taira Erika , Rivera Rocabado David S. , Shimizu Ken‐ichi , Ishimoto Takayoshi , Satokawa Shigeo
Published: May 2024

Direct CO2 conversion to liquid hydrocarbons (HCs) in a single process was achieved using cobalt (Co) catalysts supported on lanthanum ion (La3+)‐doped cerium oxide (CeO2) under a gas stream of H2/CO2/N2=3/1/1. The yield of liquid HCs was the highest for 30 mol% of La3+‐doped CeO2, which was because extrinsic oxygen vacancy formed by doping La3+ could act as an effective reaction site for reverse water gas shift reaction. However, the excess La3+ addition afforded surface covering lanthanum carbonates, resulting in depression of the catalytic performance. On the other hand, bare CeO2 lead to an increase in the selectivity of undesirable methane, which arose from reduction of CO2 to CO proceeding by intrinsic oxygen vacancy generated by only Ce3+, and weaker CO2 capture ability of intrinsic oxygen vacancy than extrinsic one, resulting in the proceeding of Sabatier reaction on Co catalyst. The rational design of reaction sites presented in this study will contribute to sustainability.
Multi‐lingual encryption technique using Unicode and Riemann zeta function and elliptic curve cryptography for secured routing in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Yesodha K. , Viswanathan S. , Krishnamurthy M. , Kannan A.
Published: May 2024

Secure routing and communication with confidentiality based on encryption of texts in multiple natural languages are challenging issues in wireless sensor networks which are widely used in recent applications. The existing works on Elliptic Curve Cryptography based secured routing algorithms are focused only on the encryption and decryption of single language text encrypted over a Prime finite field. In this article, a new algorithm called Multi‐Language ECC encrypted Secure Routing algorithm with trust management is proposed, in order to ensure confidentiality and integrity which focuses on the encryption of plain text using Riemann's zeta function and Elliptic Curve Cryptography for improving the key strength which is applied for encryption over a range of multi languages namely Tamil, English, Hindi French and German which are supported by Unicode and routing the text security. From the experiments conducted using the proposed multi‐lingual encryption algorithm with network routing, we prove that the suggested method provides greater security than the current secure routing algorithms due to the use of Zeta function and Gamma function with ECC key and trust management. but also boasts reduced complexity compared to other existing multi‐lingual encryption algorithms.
Green entrepreneurship orientation and environmental, social, and governance performance: Do contractual strategic alliances matter?
Authors: Wang Siying , Hu Haiqing , Wang Xianzhu
Published: May 2024

The driving forces that enable firms to achieve better environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance have been a popular topic in academia. However, in the context of increasing numbers of entrepreneurial teams engaging in green entrepreneurship, whether a green entrepreneurial orientation (GEO) enhances ESG performance from an overall strategic orientation is still unclear. If so, what are the mechanisms by which a GEO influences ESG performance? To determine the potential relationship and influencing mechanism between a GEO and ESG performance, we use Chinese listed firms from 2009 to 2022 as our research sample and fixed effects and difference‐in‐difference models to explore how a GEO affects ESG performance. The results show that a GEO significantly and positively affects ESG performance, especially for nonstate‐owned enterprises (nonSOEs), firms with high digital transformation, and firms in the manufacturing industry. Further research shows that participation in contractual strategic alliances (SAs) can strengthen the effect of a GEO on ESG performance. Moreover, we find that a GEO can efficiently encourage firms to engage in contractual SAs, that the link between the two is moderated by financial constraints (FCs) in an inverse‐U manner, and that this relationship is evident only for nonSOEs. In conclusion, our study provides a nuanced understanding of how a GEO, contractual SAs, and FCs collectively shape corporate ESG activities and elucidates their far‐reaching implications for enhancing ESG performance. Our empirical findings also have practical implications for firms seeking to improve their ESG performance.
Electromagnetohydrodynamic (EMHD) flow of Jeffrey fluid through a rough circular microchannel with surface charge–dependent slip
Authors: Li Dongsheng , Dong Jiayin , Li Haibin
Published: May 2024

This research examines the electromagnetohydrodynamic (EMHD) flow of Jeffrey fluid in a rough circular microchannel while considering the effect of surface charge on slip. The channel wall corrugations are described as periodic sinusoidal waves with small amplitudes. The perturbation method is employed to derive solutions for velocity and volumetric flow rate, and a combination of three‐dimensional (3D) and two‐dimensional (2D) graphical representations is utilized to effectively illustrate the impacts of relevant parameters on them. The significance of the Reynolds number in investigations of EMHD flow is particularly emphasized. Furthermore, the effect of wall roughness and wave number on velocity and the influence of wall roughness and surface charge density on volumetric flow rate are primarily focused on, respectively, at various Reynolds numbers. The results suggest that increasing the wall roughness leads to a reduction in velocity at low Reynolds numbers () and an increment at high Reynolds numbers (). For any Reynolds number, a roughness with an odd multiple of wave number () will result in a more stable velocity profile compared to one with an even multiple of wave number (). Decreasing the relaxation time while increasing the retardation time and Hartmann number can diminish the impact of wall roughness and surface charge density on volumetric flow rate, independent of the Reynolds number. Interestingly, in the existence of wall roughness, further consideration of the effect of surface charge on slip leads to a 15% drop in volumetric flow rate at and a 32% slippage at . However, in the condition where the effect of surface charge on slip is considered, further examination of the presence of wall roughness only results in a 1.4% decline in volumetric flow rate at and a 1.6% rise at . These findings are crucial for optimizing the EMHD flow models in microchannels.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) for wireless networks with software‐defined networking
Authors: Hadi Hayder Sabeeh , Obaid Ahmed J.
Published: May 2024

Network management has been significantly transformed by software‐defined networking (SDN), which consolidates control and improves adaptability. As a result of this paradigm shift, security concerns have emerged concurrently. Within SDN environments, maintaining service path integrity is of utmost importance because malicious entities can exploit network flows to gain access to data, resulting in security breaches. Thus, QKD networks require a management plane that can control and manage the QKD resources. Quantum key distribution networks can be controlled and managed separately by SDN, allowing quantum key forwarding to be separated from their control and management. The paper provides an overview of QKD networks enabled by SDN, along with an overview of its architecture, interfaces, and protocols. This paper elaborates on the overall architecture and related interfaces and protocols of QKD networks assisted by SDN. Then, three important paradigms for simulation are presented using three use cases.
Artificial Intelligence Quantification of Enhanced Synovium Throughout the Entire Hand in Rheumatoid Arthritis on Dynamic Contrast‐Enhanced MRI
Authors: Mao Yijun , Imahori Kiko , Fang Wanxuan , Sugimori Hiroyuki , Kiuch Shinji , Sutherland Kenneth , Kamishima Tamotsu
Published: May 2024

Background

Challenges persist in achieving automatic and efficient inflammation quantification using dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) MRI in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Purpose

To investigate an automatic artificial intelligence (AI) approach and an optimized dynamic MRI protocol for quantifying disease activity in RA in whole hands while excluding arterial pixels.

Study Type

Retrospective.

Subjects

Twelve RA patients underwent DCE‐MRI with 27 phases for creating the AI model and tested on images with a variable number of phases from 35 RA patients.

Field Strength/Sequence

3.0 T/DCE T1‐weighted gradient echo sequence (mDixon, water image).

Assessment

The model was trained with various DCE‐MRI time‐intensity number of phases. Evaluations were conducted for similarity between AI segmentation and manual outlining in 51 ROIs with synovitis. The relationship between synovial volume via AI segmentation with rheumatoid arthritis magnetic resonance imaging scoring (RAMRIS) across whole hands was then evaluated. The reference standard was determined by an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist.

Statistical Test

Area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC), Dice and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, and interclass correlation coefficient (ICC). A P‐value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A minimum of 15 phases (acquisition time at least 2.5 minutes) was found to be necessary. AUC ranged from 0.941 ± 0.009 to 0.965 ± 0.009. The Dice score was 0.557–0.615. Spearman's correlation coefficients between the AI model and ground truth were 0.884–0.927 and 0.736–0.831, for joint ROIs and whole hands, respectively. The Spearman's correlation coefficient for the additional test set between the model trained with 15 phases and RAMRIS was 0.768.

Conclusion

The AI‐based classification model effectively identified synovitis pixels while excluding arteries. The optimal performance was achieved with at least 15 phases, providing a quantitative assessment of inflammatory activity in RA while minimizing acquisition time.

Evidence Level

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
TMPRSS13 promotes the cell entry of swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus
Authors: Han Yutong , Ma Yanlong , Wang Ziqiao , Feng Fei , Zhou Ling , Feng Hui , Ma Jingyun , Ye Rong , Zhang Rong
Published: May 2024

Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS‐CoV) has caused severe intestinal diseases in pigs. It originates from bat coronaviruses HKU2 and has a potential risk of cross‐species transmission, raising concerns about its zoonotic potential. Viral entry‐related host factors are critical determinants of susceptibility to cells, tissues, or species, and remain to be elucidated for SADS‐CoV. Type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) family is involved in many coronavirus infections and has trypsin‐like catalytic activity. Here we examine all 18 members of the TTSPs family through CRISPR‐based activation of endogenous protein expression in cells, and find that, in addition to TMPRSS2 and TMPRSS4, TMPRSS13 significantly facilitates SADS‐CoV infection. This is confirmed by ectopic expression of TMPRSS13, and specific to trypsin‐dependent SADS‐CoV. Infection with pseudovirus bearing SADS‐CoV spike protein indicates that TMPRSS13 acts at the entry step and is sensitive to serine protease inhibitor Camostat. Moreover, both human and pig TMPRSS13 are able to enhance the cell‐cell membrane fusion and cleavage of spike protein. Overall, we demonstrate that TMPRSS13 is another host serine protease promoting the membrane‐fusion entry of SADS‐CoV, which may expand its host tropism by using diverse TTSPs.
Much ado about nothing: Applying Lacan's philosophy in work with anxious clients
Authors: Givens Joel
Published: May 2024

Existential‐humanistic counselors attend to the deeper meanings of the anxious client's experience. The author proposes Lacan's psychoanalytic theory as an integrative, humanistic approach that connects the intrapsychic, interpersonal, and developmental aspects of anxious experience. Anxiety is discussed in terms of the client's gap, lack, nothing, or breathing room, the expectations or desires of other people, and the client's disrupted sense of self. Following an application of the approach with a case example, implications for practice and research are provided.
Navigating disenfranchised grief: Women's experiences caring for family with brain injury
Authors: Meixner Cara , O'Donoghue Cynthia R. , Erickson Anne
Published: May 2024

A leading cause of disability, brain injury entails long‐term recovery that often necessitates in‐home caregiving provided by a spouse, partner, or parent. Women tend to shoulder such caregiving roles, yet few studies investigate the triumphs and obstacles associated with their lived experiences—including counseling and other supports. Anchored in a constructivist tradition aligned with humanistic principles, we utilized narrative inquiry and grounded theory to explore, via interviews, the experiences of 20 women caregivers to family members with brain injury. Our analyses yielded four intersected categories reinforced by a guiding perspective of disenfranchised grief: (1) experiencing dissonance, (2) navigating ambiguous loss, (3) falling in and out of isolation, and (4) losing and reclaiming personal identity. We discuss counselor education and development, individual therapy and psychoeducation, and group considerations.
Prediction of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) in fish meal using a metal‐oxide semiconductor electronic nose based on the VMD‐SSA‐LSTM algorithm
Authors: Li Pei , Li Zhaopeng , Hu Yangting , Huang Shiya , Yu Na , Niu Zhiyou , Wang Zhenhe , Zhou Hua , Sun Xia
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) is the main indicator for evaluating the freshness of fish meal, and accurate detection and monitoring of TVB‐N is of great significance for the health of animals and humans. Here, to realize fast and accurate identification of TVB‐N, in this article, a self‐developed electronic nose (e‐nose) was used, and the mapping relationship between the gas sensor response characteristic information and TVB‐N value was established to complete the freshness detection.

RESULTS

The TVB‐N variation curve was decomposed into seven subsequences with different frequency scales by means of variational mode decomposition (VMD). Each subsequence was modelled using different long short‐term memory (LSTM) models, and finally, the final TVB‐N prediction result was obtained by adding the prediction results based on different frequency components. To improve the performance of the LSTM, the sparrow search algorithm (SSA) was used to optimize the number of hidden units, learning rate and regularization coefficient of LSTM. The prediction results indicated that the high accuracy was obtained by the VMD‐LSTM model optimized by SSA in predicting TVB‐N. The coefficient of determination (R2), the root‐mean‐squared error (RMSE) and relative standard deviation (RSD) between the predicted value and the actual value of TVBN were 0.91, 0.115 and 6.39%.

CONCLUSIONS

This method improves the performance of e‐nose in detecting the freshness of fish meal and provides a reference for the quality detection of e‐nose in other materials. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Moth Bean (Vigna aconitifolia) Starch: Properties, Modifications and Applications—A Review
Authors: Dhull Sanju Bala , Rani Jyoti , Rohilla Shashi , Rose Pawan Kumar , Chawla Prince , Kidwai Mohd. Kashif , Chandak Ankita , Bamel Pooja , Kumar Manoj , Kirrolia Anita Singh
Published: May 2024

Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia) is considered an underutilized legume but has drawn considerable attention to researchers in recent years owing to its good nutritional value, lower glycemic index, and numerous health benefits. Despite the dietary importance of mung bean as well as starch, the starch extraction processes from moth bean seeds remain inadequately understood. This review discusses recent developments in starch extractability, physico‐chemical and structural characteristics, and different food and non‐food application to utilize moth bean as potential starch source. The starch properties depend mainly on its composition (amylose and amylopectin) and branched chains distribution. Moth bean starch (MBS) exhibited around 15% amylose content and a typical C‐type crystalline structure with granules of diverse sizes and shapes. Different studies exhibited a positive correlation among amylose content and different characteristics of MBS including pasting profile, thermal properties, and its cooking quality. The modification of MBS has been done using some chemical treatments for functionality improvement. MBS possesses good techno‐functional properties that can be exploited for different food product development and non‐food applications. Owing to the promising potential exhibited by native and modified MBS, these can be explored as valuable functional ingredients in various food and non‐food products. Finally, an outlook on potential utilization of MBS in the future is given.
Development of fungal biocomposites for construction applications
Authors: Brudny K. , Łach M. , Kozub B. , Korniejenko K.
Published: May 2024

Mycelium materials represent a new class of environmentally friendly materials for structural applications that can grow on low‐cost organic waste while achieving satisfactory thermal or acoustic insulation properties. The aim of this study is to grow a biocomposite of mycelium on flax tows and then use it as a reinforcement with a geopolymer matrix. To achieve this, three species of mycelium were selected, a culture process was carried out, and then samples of the composite were synthesized with a geopolymer matrix. To determine the utility in terms of structural applications, the density, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity of the samples were tested. Scanning electron microscope images were also taken to observe the microstructure. The results indicate that it is possible to produce a mycelium composite with a geopolymer matrix. A lower density was achieved for all samples than for the geopolymer without reinforcement. The coefficient of thermal conductivity was reduced only for the sample with one of the mycelia. The compressive strength for biocomposites was between 12.1 MPa–14.2 MPa, this value is enough for some engineering applications.
Stability analysis of the stochastic Grey‐Scott model using spectral method
Authors: Khan Sami Ullah , Altanji Mohamed , Jari Hassan A. , Faqihi Abdullah A.
Published: May 2024

The Grey‐Scott model is a prominent reaction–diffusion system that has sustain consequential recent research about patterning creation in the reaction–diffusion systems. The present research work, explore the stability analysis of a proposed stochastic Grey‐Scott model, which recommend the randomness or unpredictability into the complex system. To take into account the different variations in reactant concentrations profiles, the stochasticity is modeled using the additive white noise terms. To investigate the stability characteristics of the stochastic Grey‐Scott model, we use the spectral collocation technique. Such mathematical perspective sheds light on the different system's behavior in the addition of white noise, and also it may have significance for comprehending processes in the real world that are controlled by comparable dynamics.
Analytical poro‐elastic solution of deep lined tunnels in anisotropic rock with consideration of tunnel face advance
Authors: Tran Nam‐Hung , Do Duc‐Phi , Hoxha Dashnor , Vu Minh‐Ngoc , Nguyen Thi‐Thu‐Nga
Published: May 2024

This paper aims at deriving a closed‐form solution for deep lined tunnels within a saturated anisotropic poro‐elastic medium. The derivation of the solution is carried out with the assumption of plane strain conditions along the tunnel axis, an isotropic elastic liner, a steady‐state flow, and perfect contact between the liner and rock. For this purpose, the complex potential function approach pioneered by Lekhnitskii for the anisotropic elastic body was used to develop the mechanical response of the rock mass. A complex hydraulic potential function is also introduced to solve the steady state fluid flow. Then the well‐known Biot theory is chosen to describe the hydro‐mechanical coupling of the anisotropic saturated rock. The stress and displacement solutions of both the liner and the surrounding rock, considering the tunnel face advance with respect to the considered section, are derived based on the principle of the convergence‐confining method. Comparisons with previous closed‐form solutions for isotropic case and finite element solution for anisotropic case were made to show the accuracy of the current closed form solution. Sensitivity analysis is performed based on this analytical solution to highlight the effect of some rock parameters on the stress and displacement of the liner.
Research on the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites doped with different sizes carbon nanotubes: A combination of experiments, numerical simulations and multi‐objective optimization
Authors: Wang Bing , Li Nan , Liu Zehao , Bao Qingguang , Cheng Shan , Feng Jingyao , Wang Ning , Li Mengting , Wang Zaiyu , Jiang Binlin , Chen Lei , Hong Houquan , Jian Xigao
Published: May 2024

While improving the thermal conductivity of composites, single‐size carbon nanotubes (CNT) often degrade their mechanical properties due to the agglomerates. To overcome this limitation, this study reported thermoplastic resin matrix composites synergistically reinforced with small, medium, and large‐size carbon nanotubes (S‐CNT, M‐CNT, and L‐CNT). Using the thermal conductivity (λ) and mechanical properties (flexural strength [F], compressive strength [C] and tensile strength [T]) as the response values, we conducted 21 sets of mixing design experiments and developed the associated quadratic term models. Further multi‐objective optimization was carried out for the above response values. Optimized multiscale CNT synergistically modified composites (S‐CNT, M‐CNT, and L‐CNT contents of 1.25, 7.02, and 2.56 wt%) exhibited a λ value of 1.168 W/mK, which was 121% higher than that of pure composite and also superior to the same content of S‐CNT‐ (1.031 W/mK), M‐CNT‐ (1.016 W/mK), and L‐CNT‐modified composites (0.983 W/mK). Additionally, the optimized composite demonstrated excellent mechanical properties (F = 1482 MPa, C = 848 MPa, and T = 1759 MPa), which were 13%, 11%, and 13% higher than those of the pure composites, respectively, and also surpassed those of the S‐CNT‐, M‐CNT‐and L‐CNT‐modified composites.

Highlights

Using three different scales of carbon nanotubes modified CF/PPBESK composites.

Polynomial modeling of composite's thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.

Synergistic interactions between carbon nanotubes to improve the composite's thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.
Chemometric‐based drug discovery approaches from natural origins using hyphenated chromatographic techniques
Authors: Mahboubifar Marjan , Zidorn Christian , Farag Mohamed A. , Zayed Ahmed , Jassbi Amir Reza
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Isolation and characterization of bioactive components from complex matrices of marine or terrestrial biological origins are the most challenging issues for natural product chemists. Biochemometric is a new potential scope in natural product analytical science, and it is a methodology to find the compound's correlation to their bioactivity with the help of hyphenated chromatographic techniques and chemometric tools.

Objectives

The present review aims to evaluate the application of chemometric tools coupled to chromatographic techniques for drug discovery from natural resources.

Methods

The searching keywords “biochemometric,” “chemometric,” “chromatography,” “natural products bioassay,” and “bioassay” were selected to search the published articles between 2010‐2023 using different search engines including “Pubmed”, “Web of Science,” “ScienceDirect,” and “Google scholar.”

Results

An initial stage in natural product analysis is applying the chromatographic hyphenated techniques in conjunction with biochemometric approaches. Among the applied chromatographic techniques, liquid chromatography (LC) techniques, have taken up more than half (53%) and also, mass spectroscopy (MS)‐based chromatographic techniques such as LC–MS are the most widely used techniques applied in combination with chemometric methods for natural products bioassay. Considering the complexity of dataset achieved from chromatographic hyphenated techniques, chemometric tools have been increasingly employed for phytochemical studies in the context of determining botanicals geographical origin, quality control, and detection of bioactive compounds.

Conclusion

Biochemometric application is expected to be further improved with advancing in data acquisition methods, new efficient preprocessing, model validation and variable selection methods which would guarantee that the applied model to have good prediction ability in compound relation to its bioactivity.
Thin disks with a wedge
Authors: Speiser Jochen , Lorbeer Raoul‐Amadeus , Schweizer Pirmin , Ewers Benjamin
Published: May 2024

Over the last decade, multipass thin‐disk amplifiers have allowed astonishing laser properties to be achieved, but one drawback of these systems lies in their size and complexity. We show here an alternative approach with a wedged thin‐disk crystal significantly shrinking and simplifying multipass thin‐disk amplification.
Beam shaping to tackle laser powder bed fusion challenges
Authors: Paillier Gwenn , Prätzsch Niklas
Published: May 2024

Additive manufacturing (AM), a term synonymous with the future of fabrication, has revolutionized industries by offering unparalleled flexibility in design and production. At the heart of this transformative technology is laser‐based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF‐LB/M), the process with the highest geometrical resolution having the largest market share (86 %, Wohlers) amongst all AM processes. By selectively melting and fusing powder material layer by layer with a laser, PBF‐LB/M enables the creation of complex and high‐strength components, previously unthinkable with traditional subtractive manufacturing methods.
Informing future quarantine practices through the experiences of COVID‐19 quarantine facility staff
Authors: Sheedy Angela , Stephens Dianne , Vermeulen Lisa
Published: May 2024

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic necessitated the rapid development of quarantine sites, prompting the need for new staff models and scopes of practice. This project surveyed health and non‐health staff at a large outdoor quarantine facility in regional Australia to gather insights for future quarantine facility guidelines based on their experiences and perceptions.

Methods

This translational research project implemented a mixed‐methods approach to analyse staff perceptions of working at a quarantine facility to inform the development of a policy and practice guide. An anonymous online survey utilising purposive sampling was distributed to 410 multidisciplinary survey participants over an 8‐week period. Survey questions focussed on site processes, challenges and recommendations for future implementation of quarantine services. Qualitative data was thematically analysed with the aid of Leximancer, and a descriptive statistical method was used for quantitative data analysis.

Results

There were 92 survey respondents from health and non‐health roles; of these, 85% indicated they would work at the quarantine facility again, and 90% agreed residents were well cared for. There was a lack of anxiety of acquiring COVID‐19, with 95% feeling safe from COVID‐19 transmission onsite. Challenges staff identified highlighted future investment areas, including leadership communication models, information technology (IT) management systems specific for quarantine services and site processes to better accommodate weather elements.

Conclusion

Overall, staff validated the primary health model of quarantine care with key challenges highlighting the importance of leadership and investment in communication and IT. The results were aligned with site functions and operations and will inform the development of a pandemic quarantine facility guide.