bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive treatment of uncertainties in risk‐targeted performance‐based seismic design and assessment of bridges
Authors: Deb Angshuman , Conte Joel P. , Restrepo José I.
Published: September 2022

This study complements and extends a recent work on the development of a rigorous framework for risk‐targeted performance‐based seismic design/assessment of ordinary standard bridges (OSBs) in California. Rooted in the formulation of this framework is an updated fully probabilistic performance‐based earthquake engineering (PBEE) assessment methodology wherein metrics of structural performance are formulated in terms of the mean return periods of exceedances for several strain‐based limit‐states (LSs). The originally proposed framework explicitly considering: (1) the uncertainty in the seismic input, and (2) the uncertainty in the capacity of the various LSs, is extended in this study to account for the following additional pertinent sources of uncertainty: (i) the aleatory uncertainty associated with finite element (FE) model parameters, and (ii) the epistemic parameter estimation uncertainty associated with using finite datasets to estimate the parameters of the probability distributions characterizing the FE model parameters and LS fragilities. These additional sources of uncertainty are commonly omitted or neglected in PBEE often by invoking that the earthquake ground motion uncertainty is the predominant source of uncertainty. However, their inclusion and consistent propagation in seismic performance‐based assessment of OSBs is imperative to obtain a more complete picture of seismic performance, thereby leading to a more comprehensive, transparent, and reliable design of these simple, yet essential bridges which represent an integral part of lifeline infrastructure systems especially in earthquake‐prone regions. The analytical and computational framework previously assembled is extended via modular incorporation of these additional sources of uncertainty. Four OSB testbeds and their risk‐targeted re‐designed versions are analyzed with and without these additional sources of uncertainty to evaluate their significance.
The salience network is activated during self‐recognition from both first‐person and third‐person perspectives
Authors: Asakage Shoko , Nakano Tamami
Published: September 2022

We usually observe ourselves from two perspectives. One is the first‐person perspective, which we perceive directly with our own eyes, and the other is the third‐person perspective, which we observe ourselves in a mirror or a picture. However, whether the self‐recognition associated with these two perspectives has a common or separate neural basis remains unclear. To address this, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain activity while participants viewed pretaped video clips of themselves and others engaged in meal preparation taken from first‐person and third‐person perspectives. We found that the first‐person behavioral videos of the participants and others induced greater activation in the premotor‐intraparietal region. In contrast, the third‐person behavioral videos induced greater activation in the default mode network compared with the first‐person videos. Regardless of the perspective, the videos of the participants induced greater activation in the salience network than the videos of others. On the other hand, the videos of others induced greater activation in the precuneus and lingual gyrus than the videos of the participants. These results suggest that the salience network is commonly involved in self‐recognition from both perspectives, even though the brain regions involved in action observation for the two perspectives are distinct.
Vertex‐disjoint cycles of the same length in tournaments
Authors: Wang Zhilan , Qi Yuzhen , Yan Jin
Published: September 2022

A tournament is a digraph which has exactly one arc between any two vertices. Let and be two positive integers with . A ‐cycle is a cycle of length . We prove that for any real number , there exists a constant such that for every , any tournament with minimum outdegree at least contains disjoint ‐cycles. This generalizes a result by Bang‐Jensen, Bessy, and Thomassé for disjoint 3‐cycles. The linear factor of minimum outdegree is the best possible.
Globally distributed technology projects thrive on experience working together apart: Impacts of team balance, task balance, and task heterogeneity
Authors: Alblas Alex
Published: September 2022

Enabling shared experiences could be key to managing technology projects successfully. The advantages gained from the experience of working together can be complemented, but also offset, by common aspects of technology projects—like the dispersion of team members and the integration of heterogeneous tasks across global sites. This study develops and tests a conceptual framework that scrutinizes the impact of team familiarity and task allocation challenges. It identifies three elements of task allocation in technology projects that affect the familiarization process: (i)team (im)balance, (ii)task (im)balance, and (iii)task heterogeneity. An examination of 27,948 software tasks in six projects involving teams working apart on heterogeneous and dispersed tasks in the Netherlands and India shows that the experience of working together apart reduces the average cost of software tasks. This positive effect is enhanced by task heterogeneity and team balance, despite being hampered by task balance. These findings shed new light on task allocation challenges in cross‐organizational technology projects distributed over the world.
Collapsed nanofingers by DNA functionalization as SERS platform for mercury ions sensing
Authors: Su Guangxu , Hu Pan , Hu Junzheng , Wang Xinluo , Wu Guoliang , Shang Yunpeng , Zhan Peng , Liu Fanxin , Wu Wei
Published: September 2022

Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is known as a powerful technique to provide label‐free analyses for chemical sensing. While the sensitivity of SERS is heavily dependent on the prepared SERS functional substrates, finding appropriate substrates is critical to achieve sufficient signal enhancement. Meanwhile, the capture of targets to such effective enhancing region becomes challenging especially for low concentration. Here, we report a coupled Au/DNAs/Au gap plasmon platform that provides remarkable SERS enhancement and sensitivity for mercury ion sensing. Through nanoimprint lithography, large area of Au nanofingers can be fabricated with excellent uniformity and flexibility. These Au nanofingers can be further modified by DNA aptamers to construct Au/DNAs/Au gap plasmon nanostructures with well‐defined gap sizes. Due to the subnanometer gap size, strong interaction between collapsed Au nanofingers can be induced to create extremely enhanced near‐field with nanoscale mode volume. When Hg2+ ions exist around the platform, they can specially bind to thymine (T) bases of DNA and form T‐Hg2+‐T pairs between adjacent single strand DNAs. As a result, DNAs that initially lie on the Au surface are forced to stand in rigid duplex‐structures. This morphology change can be directly indicated by the ratio between adenine (A) and guanine (G) SERS signals to reveal the Hg2+ concentration. Given the strong field enhancement as well as the close distance between DNA and hotspot, ultralow Hg2+ concentration down to 10−9 M is successfully detected. This work demonstrates a SERS platform with high selectivity and sensitivity, which exhibits significant potential for molecule sensing applications.
Intraoral Ultrasound in Early Stage Tongue Carcinoma
Authors: Manchanda Smita , Bhalla Ashu Seith , Ponneth Mohammed Sherif , Kumar Rajeev
Published: September 2022

Preoperative assessment of depth of invasion (DOI) is critical in the surgical management of early stage carcinoma tongue. Intraoral ultrasound (IOUS) has been recently described as a cost‐effective alternative to MRI in the accurate measurement of DOI. We describe the technique of IOUS in different types of lesions (surface, ulcerative, and exophytic); and provide key imaging pearls for the routine use of this novel ultrasound application.
Characteristic‐constrained accelerating MR T1rho mapping with blockwise infimal convolution of matrix elastic‐net regularization
Authors: Zhu Qingyong , Cui Zhuo‐Xu , Liu Yuanyuan , Cheng Jing , Zhao Kankan , Wang Haifeng , Zhu Yanjie , Liang Dong
Published: September 2022

Background

Magnetic resonance parameter mapping (MRPM) plays an important role in clinical applications and biomedical researches. However, the acceleration of MRPM remains a major challenge for achieving further improvements.

Purpose

In this work, a new undersampled k‐space based joint multi‐contrast image reconstruction approach named CC‐IC‐LMEN is proposed for accelerating MR T1rho mapping.

Methods

The reconstruction formulation of the proposed CC‐IC‐LMEN method imposes a blockwise low‐rank assumption on the characteristic‐image series (c‐p space) and utilizes infimal convolution (IC) to exploit and balance the generalized low‐rank properties in low‐and high‐order c–p spaces, thereby improving the accuracy. In addition, matrix elastic‐net (MEN) regularization based on the nuclear and Frobenius norms is incorporated to obtain stable and exact solutions in cases with large accelerations and noisy observations. This formulation results in a minimization problem, that can be effectively solved using a numerical algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Finally, T1rho maps are then generated according to the reconstructed images using nonlinear least‐squares (NLSQ) curve fitting with an established relaxometry model.

Results

The relative l2‐norm error (RLNE) and structural similarity (SSIM) in the regions of interest (ROI) show that the CC‐IC‐LMEN approach is more accurate than other competing methods even in situations with heavy undersampling or noisy observation.

Conclusions

Our proposed CC‐IC‐LMEN method provides accurate and robust solutions for accelerated MR T1rho mapping.
Clinically compatible subject‐specific dynamic parallel transmit pulse design for homogeneous fat saturation and water‐excitation at 7T: Proof‐of‐concept for CEST MRI of the brain
Authors: Lévy Simon , Herrler Jürgen , Liebert Andrzej , Tkotz Katharina , Fabian Moritz S. , Eisen Christian , Grodzki David , Uder Michael , Dörfler Arnd , Zaiss Moritz , Nagel Armin M.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the benefits and challenges of dynamic parallel transmit (pTx) pulses for fat saturation (FS) and water‐excitation (WE), in the context of CEST MRI.

Methods

“Universal” kT‐points
(for FS) and spiral non‐selective (for WE) trajectories were optimized
offline for flip angle (FA) homogeneity. Routines to optimize the pulse
shape online, based on the subject's fields maps, were implemented
(target FA of 110°/0° for FS, 0°/5° for WE at fat/water frequencies).

The pulses were inserted in a CEST sequence with a pTx readout. The different fat suppression schemes and their effects on CEST contrasts were compared in 12 volunteers at 7T.

Results

With
a 25%‐shorter pulse duration, pTx FS largely improved the FA
homogeneity (root‐mean‐square‐error (RMSE) = 12.3° vs. 53.4° with
circularly‐polarized mode, at the fat frequency). However, the spectral
selectivity was degraded mainly in the cerebellum and close to the
sinuses (RMSE = 5.8° vs. 0.2° at the water frequency). Similarly, pTx WE
showed a trade‐off between FA homogeneity and spectral selectivity
compared to pTx non‐selective pulses (RMSE = 0.9° and 1.1° at the fat
and water frequencies, vs. 4.6° and 0.5°).

In the brain, CEST metrics were reduced by up to 31.9% at −3.3 ppm with pTx FS, suggesting a mitigated lipid‐induced bias.

Conclusion

This clinically compatible implementation of dynamic pTx pulses improved the fat suppression homogeneity at 7T taking into account the subject‐specific B0 heterogeneities online. This study highlights the lipid‐induced biases on the CEST z‐spectrum. The results are promising for body applications where B0 heterogeneities and fat are more substantial.
CEST MR fingerprinting (CEST‐MRF) for brain tumor quantification using EPI readout and deep learning reconstruction
Authors: Cohen Ouri , Yu Victoria Y. , Tringale Kathryn R. , Young Robert J. , Perlman Or , Farrar Christian T. , Otazo Ricardo
Published: September 2022

Purpose

To develop a clinical CEST MR fingerprinting (CEST‐MRF) method for brain tumor quantification using EPI acquisition and deep learning reconstruction.

Methods

A CEST‐MRF pulse sequence originally designed for animal imaging was modified to conform to hardware limits on clinical scanners while keeping scan time under 2 min. Quantitative MRF reconstruction was performed using a deep reconstruction network (DRONE) to yield the water relaxation and chemical exchange parameters. The feasibility of the six parameter DRONE reconstruction was tested in simulations using a digital brain phantom. A healthy subject was scanned with the CEST‐MRF sequence, conventional MRF and CEST sequences for comparison. Reproducibility was assessed via test–retest experiments and the concordance correlation coefficient calculated for white matter and gray matter. The clinical utility of CEST‐MRF was demonstrated on four patients with brain metastases in comparison to standard clinical imaging sequences. Tumors were segmented into edema, solid core, and necrotic core regions and the CEST‐MRF values compared to the contra‐lateral side.

Results

DRONE reconstruction of the digital phantom yielded a normalized RMS error of ≤7% for all parameters. The CEST‐MRF parameters were in good agreement with those from conventional MRF and CEST sequences and previous studies. The mean concordance correlation coefficient for all six parameters was 0.98 ± 0.01 in white matter and 0.98 ± 0.02 in gray matter. The CEST‐MRF values in nearly all tumor regions were significantly different (P = 0.05) from each other and the contra‐lateral side.

Conclusion

Combination of EPI readout and deep learning reconstruction enabled fast, accurate and reproducible CEST‐MRF in brain tumors.
The great auk in Norway: From common to locally extinct
Authors: Hufthammer Anne Karin , Hufthammer Karl Ove
Published: September 2022

A total of 477 bones of the great auk (Pinguinus impennis) from 53 localities and 55 periods in Norway are studied. All but two, are archaeological sites from the Holocene, mainly from 6000–2000 cal years bp. The two non‐anthropogenic sites date to the Ice Age: probably 36,000–34,500 and 14,690–12,890 years bp. The bones are mainly unburned and well preserved but fractured. Except for the open‐air sites in northern Norway, the bones are mainly from rock‐shelters and caves. In combining archive data, chronological information, and morphometrical studies, we suggest the great auk disappeared from the most southern part of Norway (and Sweden and Denmark) prior to 4000 years bp: a decline in distribution 2000 years ago: It became absent from the Norwegian coast 1000 years ago. Data suggest that it was distributed on the coast and in the fjord systems in winter and early spring. The presence of bones of juveniles/subadults indicates that it was also distributed in northern Norway in the autumn. To evaluate possible size differences, in time and space, nine bone elements have been measured according to standard recommendations. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data before any statistical analysis. Analyses indicate that bones from Nordland are larger than from the rest of the country, while bones from the northernmost sites are smaller. At some localities, size differences, especially in total length of the bones, are found. It has not been verified if this is due to individual variation or sexual differences. The great auk became extinct in the 19th century. The study supports the theory that human predation at breeding sites was the main cause of its extinction.
Conversion of low density polyethylene foams into auxetic metamaterials
Authors: Chen Xiao Yuan , Hamdi Ouassim , Rodrigue Denis
Published: September 2022

Cellular polymers, such as polyethylene foams, are commonly used in the packaging industry. These materials have short service life and generate a high volume of waste after use. In order to valorize this waste and produce added‐value applications, it is proposed to convert these materials into highly efficient energy absorption structures. This was done by modifying the original cellular morphology of the foams (spheroidal or polygonal) into a re‐entrant structure to produce auxetic materials. This work presents an optimized process combining mechanical compression and solvent vapor evaporation‐condensation leading to low density foams (77–200 kg/m3) having negative Poisson's ratios (NPR). Three series of recycled low density polyethylene (LDPE) foams with an initial density of 16, 21, and 36 kg/m3were used to optimize the processing conditions in terms of treatment temperature, time, and pressure. From all the samples prepared, a minimum Poisson's ratio of −3.5 was obtained. To further characterize the samples, the final foam structure was analyzed to relate with mechanical properties and compare with conventional foams having positive Poisson's ratios. The results are discussed using tensile properties and energy dissipation which were shown to be highly improved for auxetic foams. Overall, the resulting foams can be used in several applications such as sport and military protection equipment.
Related research between college students' mobile game addiction, mobile self‐efficacy, and academic performance in Taiwan
Authors: Chu Kuo‐Ming
Published: September 2022

As a novel type of mobile game, addictive behavior has attracted the attention of researchers due to its possible negative impacts on several forms of psychological problems. In this research, we tested the relationship between academic performance, mobile game addiction (MGA), and mobile self‐efficacy among undergraduates in Taiwan. An academic model has been suggested from the hypotheses and using a sample of 739 college students by estimating the structural equation modeling. This result discloses that college students are an at‐risk swarm for the MGA. We realized that MGA was negatively connected with academic performance and mobile self‐efficacy, exhibiting a positive relationship between the latter two. Further analysis on age, place of stay, and the duration of playing mobile games distinction was tested in the trajectories from MGA to these psychological health results, and the results revealed that they were significantly associated with MGA. We also dealt with the limitations and recommended that the authorities immediately regard this, and to complete academic goals, college students should refrain from playing mobile games and participate in other forms of healthy entertainment.
Characterization of ancestral Fe/Mn superoxide dismutases indicates their cambialistic origin
Authors: Valenti Rosario , Jabłońska Jagoda , Tawfik Dan S.
Published: September 2022

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are critical metalloenzymes mitigating the damages of the modern oxygenated world. However, the emergence of one family of SODs, the Fe/Mn SOD, has been recurrently proposed to predate the great oxygenation event (GOE). This ancient family lacks metal binding selectivity, but displays strong catalytic selectivity. Therefore, some homologues would only be active when bound to Fe or Mn, although others, dubbed cambialistic, would function when loaded with either ion. This posed the longstanding question about the identity of the cognate metal ion of the first SODs to emerge. In this work, we utilize ancestral sequence reconstruction techniques to infer the earliest SODs. We show that the “ancestors” are active in vivo and in vitro. Further, we test their metal specificity and demonstrate that they are cambialistic in nature. Our findings shed light on how the predicted Last Common Universal Ancestor was capable of dealing with decomposition of the superoxide anion, and the early relationship between life, oxygen, and metal ion availability.
Oxygen Defect Formation Thermodynamics of CaMnO3: A Closer Look
Authors: Grimm Benjamin , Bredow Thomas
Published: September 2022

Sustainable hydrogen production is one of the most important topics in modern energy economics. Of technological relevance are, for example, electrochemical and thermal splitting of water. For such processes anode materials with a variable concentration of oxygen defects are required. Herein, the oxygen defect thermochemistry of a possible anode material, the perovskite CaMnO3, is investigated theoretically. The aim of this work is to identify reliable quantum chemical methods for the calculation of oxygen defect formation enthalpies and entropies, including configuration entropy, which is usually neglected. All possible defect configurations in a supercell are computed to obtain the configuration entropy using Boltzmann statistics. Various generalized gradient approximation (GGA), meta‐GGA, and hybrid functionals as implemented in the solid‐state programs CRYSTAL and VASP are evaluated for the calculation of structure parameters, electronic and magnetic properties, and reaction energies of CaMnO3. The global hybrid functional PW1PW gives the most accurate overall description of CaMnO3 and is therefore recommended for future theoretical studies of more efficient water‐splitting catalysts based on calcium manganate.
Adaptive impulsive security consensus control of uncertain multi‐agent systems with randomly occurring nonlinearities
Authors: Li Junhui , Ren Chang‐E , Chen C. L. Philip
Published: September 2022

In practice, deception attacks, uncertainties, and randomly occurring nonlinearities (RONs) in multi‐agent systems (MASs) are ubiquitous. Consequently, this paper settles the problem of secure consensus tracking control for uncertain MASs with randomly occurring nonlinearities under sensor attacks by adopting adaptive impulsive control methods. Compared with the previous works, a class of state‐dependent sensor attack is firstly considered in the impulsive control. Meanwhile, a novel adaptive algorithm is introduced to deal with unknown system matrices, randomly occurring nonlinearities and uncertain parameters caused by sensor attacks. Sufficient conditions are derived to achieve leader‐following consensus for the MASs by adaptive impulsive control under sensor attacks. Lastly, two simulation examples illustrate the validity of theorems in this paper.
An integrated multi‐criteria analysis framework of built reservoir with dam‐heightening‐based decision: China's largest water transfer programs for sustainable development
Authors: Liu Bin , Fang Huajian , Qin Xiaosheng , Zhang Feilian , Li Jingjing
Published: September 2022

An integrated multi‐criteria analysis framework was proposed for the sustainable water management of built reservoir with dam‐heightening‐based decision, which enhances the conventional decision‐making methods by more reasonably quantifying the decision‐making process. The method utilizes a group of techniques involving game theory, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) identifying and considering different stakeholder groups, entropy weight, and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (GAEF), and is applied to the largest water transfer programs in China. The study results showed that the improved multi‐criteria decision framework can well deal with the decision‐making problem of built reservoir construction scheme in facing the newly increased task of water transfer. The study identifies five stakeholders that affect the subjective weight of the heightening schemes of built reservoir for inter‐basin water transfer. It was revealed that the game theory can better couple the collective wisdom of large complex groups and the objectivity of indicators than traditional methods such as geometric average. This study is of high reference value for the feasibility demonstration of built reservoir with dam‐heightening‐based decision around the world to achieve the water related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially for those reservoirs with water transferring tasks.
A Microfluidic Approach for Quantitative Study of Spatial Heterogeneity in Bacterial Biofilms
Authors: Zhang Yuzhen , Cai Yumin , Zeng Lingbin , Liu Peng , Ma Luyan Z. , Liu Jintao
Published: September 2022

Bacterial biofilms play essential roles in ecological environments and in human health. The spatial heterogeneity of biofilms is crucial to their resistance and collective behavior, while quantitative analysis of these biofilm‐specific features is limited. Here, a microfluidic approach is developed to address this issue. Through a special design of microfluidic chamber and spatially controllable bacteria seeding, biofilms are cultivated with customized semi‐2D structure, which enables quantitative measurements of spatially heterogeneous features with time‐lapse microscopy. The advantages of the proposed method are demonstrated via two examples on biofilm homeostasis and stress response, respectively, where the functionally important spatiotemporal dynamics is delineated. In homeostasis, it is found that Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms use spatially organized extracellular matrix to preserve iron chelators within their boundaries while maximizing free sharing within the community. In stress response, the spatial distribution of antibiotics in biofilms and how a change in energy metabolism leads to redistribution of drugs over space are elucidated. The proposed method enables cultivating biofilms formed by a wide range of species and even multiple biofilms, which provides a tractable approach to understanding the spatiotemporal features of biofilms formed by environmentally and clinically important bacteria.
Large Area and High‐Efficiency MXene–Silicon Solar Cells by Organic Enhanced Dispersity and Work Function
Authors: Zhang Cuili , Chen Bingbing , Zhang Xuning , Yan Jun , Chen Jingwei , Gao Qing , Zhou Xin , Guo Jianxin , Li Feng , Wang Jianming , Song Dengyuan , Wang Shufang , Chen Jianhui
Published: September 2022

2D transition metal carbon/nitrides (MXenes) have lately attracted increased attention in photovoltaic (PV) because of their good optical and electrical properties. MXenes–silicon solar cells as a novel PV device are considered to be a low‐cost strategy for boosting Si‐based device development. Nevertheless, power conversion efficiency (PCE) and large area preparation are limited in their future applications. Here, the solubilization of Ti2CTx (T = O, F, OH) MXene multilayer nanosheets is reported and thus the ability of scaled coating of Ti2CTx MXene thin films using an organic Nafion polymer solution is enhanced. It is demonstrated that an effect of termination by Nafion to Ti2CTx MXene groups (MXene:Nafion) dramatically enhanced the work function of the Ti2CTx MXene from 3.96 to 5.17 eV. Due to the excellent passivation ability of the organic Nafion species, the MXene:Nafion increases the effective carrier lifetime of silicon wafers to 2.52 ms compared with unpassivated control (0.03 ms). These results finally contribute to the high PCE of 14.21% of MXene:Nafion–Si solar cell with a large area of 7.29 cm2. This work proposes a large area MXene:Nafion–Si heterojunction solar cell with high performance and low cost, which points to the great promise of such a device for future application.
Blast performance and analysis of reinforced concrete beams subjected to corrosion of the longitudinal reinforcement
Authors: Njeem Wesam , Aoude Hassan , Martín‐Pérez Beatriz , Jrade Ahmad
Published: September 2022

This research has investigated the effect of reinforcement corrosion on the flexural response of reinforced concrete beams subjected to blast loading. Five beams, with and without corrosion, were tested under blast loads using a shock‐tube. The corroded specimens were subjected to an accelerated corrosion regime prior to testing, with a mass loss of up to 22% in the longitudinal steel reinforcement over the mid‐span or full‐span regions. A companion set of two beams was tested under quasi‐static four‐point bending. The results from the static tests show that corrosion of the longitudinal reinforcement decreased the strength and ductility, and ultimately changed the failure mode from ductile to brittle. Under blast loading, the steel corrosion increased maximum displacements and support rotations, reduced blast capacity, increased damage and fragmentation, and led to more brittle failure as the % mass loss increased. The effects of corrosion on blast response were moderate when the steel was corroded over the full‐span region. Furthermore, the blast response of the beams was predicted using dynamic inelastic single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDOF) analysis, with the resistance functions developed using 2D finite element modeling, while accounting for the reduction in steel stress–strain properties and corrosion‐induced cracking. The SDOF analysis showed acceptable results in terms of ability to predict maximum displacements of the flexural‐governed beams (corroded and un‐corroded).
Kardiale MRT bei nichtischämischen Kardiomyopathien
Authors: Lücke Christian , Gutberlet Matthias
Published: September 2022

Hintergrund

Die in Deutschland angewandte Einteilung der Kardiomyopathien geht auf die Klassifikation der Europäischen Gesellschaft für Kardiologie (ESC) von 2008 zurück. Dort werden sie nach ihrem Phänotyp unterteilt, so dass die Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) in der Lage ist, die unterschiedlichen Kardiomyopathien zu differenzieren.

Bildgebung und Differenzialdiagnostik

Die Stärke der MRT ist es, anhand der Möglichkeiten der Gewebsdifferenzierung nichtischämische Kardiomyopathien von anderen Erkrankungen mit ähnlichen morphofunktionellen Aspekten zu differenzieren. So gelingt im Fall der dilatativen Kardiomyopathie (DCM) eine Differenzierung zur inflammatorischen DCM. Im Fall der hypertrophen Kardiomyopathie (HCM) kann analog zur Echographie eine obstruktive und nichtobstruktive Form differenziert werden, aber auch die Detektion einer Amyloidose oder eines Morbus Fabry ist möglich. Die Evaluation der rechtsventrikulären Funktion gelingt im Rahmen einer arrhythmogenen rechtsventrikulären Kardiomyopathie (ARVC) zuverlässig. Außerdem ist die MRT in der Lage, die charakteristische fettige Ersatzfibrose direkt nachzuweisen. Bei den seltenen restriktiven Kardiomyopathien kann sie die Restriktion nachvollziehen und z. B. mittels T1-, T2- und T2*-Mapping die Sphingolipid-Akkumulation im Myokard bei einem Morbus Fabry oder eine Eisenüberladung bei Hämochromatose nachvollziehen.

Innovationen

Die quantitativen Verfahren des parametrischen Mappings bieten die Möglichkeit eines Therapiemonitorings; die klinische Relevanz dieses Monitorings ist aber noch Gegenstand aktueller Forschung. Die unklassifizierten Kardiomyopathien können sich klinisch mit ähnlicher Symptomatik wie ischämische oder inflammatorische Erkrankungen präsentieren, so dass im Fall eines Myokardinfarkts ohne verschlossene Koronararterien („myocardial infarction without obstructive coronary arteries“, MINOCA) in der Herzkatheteruntersuchung die MRT ein entscheidendes diagnostisches Instrument ist, um die tatsächlich zugrundeliegende Erkrankung festzustellen. Gleichermaßen kann sie bei neuen Kardiomyopathien wie der Non-compaction-Kardiomyopathie der Wegbereiter für eine morphologische Krankheitsdefinition sein.
The Hausdorff dimension of Julia sets of meromorphic functions in the Speiser class
Authors: Bergweiler Walter , Cui Weiwei
Published: September 2022

We show that for each$$d\in (0,2]$$d∈(0,2]there exists a meromorphic functionfsuch that the inverse function offhas three singularities and the Julia set offhas Hausdorff dimensiond.
Ascorbate and Hydrogen Peroxide Modify Metabolite Profile of Wheat Differently
Authors: Asghar Muhammad Ahsan , Balogh Eszter , Ahres Mohamed , Szalai Gabriella , Gondor Orsolya Kinga , Darkó Éva , Borbély Péter , Kulman Kitti , Mednyánszky Zsuzsa , Simon-Sarkadi Livia , Kocsy Gábor
Published: September 2022

Effects of ascorbate (ASA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on metabolite profile was compared in wheat. Interestingly, the redox environment became more oxidized after ASA treatment and more reduced after H2O2 addition based on the ratios of oxidised and reduced ascorbate and glutathione. The excess of ASA could inhibit, while H2O2 could induce the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway producing reducing power as shown by the unchanged and decreased glucose-6-phosphate content, respectively. This different effect on glucose-6-phosphate content can also explain the reduced formation of several amino acids from the intermediate products of glycolysis after ASA treatment and their constant or greater levels after H2O2 addition. In contrast to most amino acids, the accumulation of Pro was greatly induced by ASA, and this change was fivefold greater than after H2O2 addition. This difference could also contribute to the distinct redox shifts after the two treatments, since NADPH is oxidised during Pro synthesis. The more oxidising environment after ASA treatment activated several transcripts related to the ascorbate–glutathione cycle and the pentose phosphate pathway. Our results indicate the overcompensating effect of ASA and H2O2 on the redox environment in leaf tissues and the subsequent different adjustment of metabolite profile and the related transcript levels.
The effect of placental transfusion on hemodynamics in premature newborns: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Farag Marwa Mohamed , Thabet Mohamed Alaa Eldin Hassan , Abd-Almohsen Ali Mohamed , Ibrahim Heba Idris Abudeif Mohammed
Published: September 2022

Despite of growing evidence of the beneficial effects of placental transfusion techniques, there is no available sufficient data about their effects on vulnerable hemodynamics and myocardium of premature infants. The purpose of this work is to study ventricular functions and hemodynamics after applying different placental transfusion techniques, delayed cord clamping (DCC), cut cord milking (C-UCM), and intact cord milking (I-UCM). Sixty-four infants delivered whether by C-section or vaginal delivery were randomly assigned to undergo C-UCM (20–30 cm), I-UCM (3–4 strippings), and DCC (30–60 s). Functional echocardiography was done on day 1 and day 3 of life for 57 infants. Primary outcome variable was superior vena cava flow measurement in infants having placental transfusion in the first 24 h of life and between 64 and 72 h. Secondary outcomes were other echocardiographic and clinical hemodynamic parameters, and biventricular functions in those infants. Of a total 196 preterm infants ≤ 32 weeks delivered in the study period, from January 2021 to August 2021, 57 infants were eligible and survived till the second examination. They were randomly assigned to the three groups. Neonates randomly assigned to DCC had significantly higher superior vena cava flow and lower right ventricular systolic function in the first 24 h of life. This finding vanished at day 3. Neonates undergone different methods of placental transfusions had similar hemoglobin, admission temperature, and mean blood pressure in the first 24 h of life.

Conclusion: Despite their potential benefits, placental transfusions have shown to alter the hemodynamics and adversely affect myocardial function of premature neonates.

Trial registration: This trial was registered in the clinical trial gov NCT04811872.

What is Known:• Placental transfusion techniques might have benefits regarding prematurity- related morbidities and mortality.

What is New:• Placental transfusion might adversely affect the myocardium and alter hemodynamics in premature infants.
Can spa rehabilitative interventions play a role for patients suffering from neurodegenerative disorders at the early stages? A scoping review
Authors: Maccarone Maria Chiara , Masiero Stefano
Published: September 2022

The global burden of neurodegenerative disorders is significantly increasing as life expectancy rises but currently there is no cure for these conditions. An extensive search on MEDLINE (PubMed) and PEDro databases was conducted selecting clinical trials, Randomized Controlled Trials, and longitudinal studies published in the last 20 years in order to highlight what evidence there is for a role of spa rehabilitative interventions for patients with neurodegenerative diseases, in terms of motor function, symptoms, and quality of life (QoL) improvement and cost-effectiveness. A total of 225 publications were analyzed. Only three manuscripts were selected for review because they matched the inclusion criteria. These studies demonstrated statistically significant differences in the outcomes evaluated among patients affected by Parkinson’s disease after thermal rehabilitative treatments: motor function, balance, QoL, and psychological well-being statistically improved. In addition, rehabilitation in the spa setting seemed to be cost-effective for these patients. However, further studies are needed to define the role of spa rehabilitative interventions for these patients as the literature is still limited.
Perceived post-migration discrimination: the perspective of adolescents with migration background
Authors: Borho Andrea , Morawa Eva , Schug Caterina , Erim Yesim
Published: September 2022

Discrimination has a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing of persons affected. The aim of the present study was to investigate perceived discrimination of migrant adolescents. Focus groups with migrant adolescents were conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were analyzed using the manifest qualitative content analysis by Mayring. The foci of interest (persons discriminated against and by whom, where and how the discrimination took place, which behavioral and emotional reactions the affected persons showed to the experiences and which reasons they assumed for the discrimination) were determined based on the pre-defined guideline, and inductive subcategories were extracted from the transcripts and grouped into main categories. Five focus groups with students with migration background (n = 35, 13 females, mean age: 18.78, SD = 2.26, range 16–24) were conducted. The adolescents in our focus groups and their acquaintances (families and friends) experienced discrimination in Germany in several forms (verbal and non-verbal), places and on an individual as well as institutional level, with an impact on their emotional well-being. To combat discrimination, culturally sensitive information must be provided on the part of those affected as well as their perpetrators.
Challenges and future directions for energy, latency, and lifetime improvements in NVMs
Authors: Kargar Saeed , Nawab Faisal
Published: September 2022

Recently, non-volatile memory (NVM) technology has revolutionized the landscape of memory systems. With many advantages, such as non volatility and near zero standby power consumption, these byte-addressable memory technologies are taking the place of DRAMs. Nonetheless, they also present some limitations, such as limited write endurance, which hinders their widespread use in today’s systems. Furthermore, adjusting current data management systems to embrace these new memory technologies and all their potential is proving to be a nontrivial task. Because of this, a substantial amount of research has been done, from both the database community and the storage systems community, that tries to improve various aspects of NVMs to integrate these technologies into the memory hierarchy. In this work, which is the extended version of Kargar and Nawab (Proc. VLDB Endowment 14(12):3194–3197, 2021), we explore state-of-the-art work on deploying NVMs in database and storage systems communities and the ways their limitations are being handled within these communities. In particular, we focus on (1) the challenges that are related to high energy consumption, low write endurance and asymmetric read/write costs and (2) how these challenges can be solved using hardware and software solutions, especially by reducing the number of bit flips in write operations. We believe that this area has not gained enough attention in the data management community and this tutorial will provide information on how to integrate recent advances from the NVM storage community into existing and future data management systems.
Heavy metal background levels and pollution temporal trend assessment within the marine sediments facing a brownfield area (Gulf of Pozzuoli, Southern Italy)
Authors: Armiento Giovanna , Barsanti Mattia , Caprioli Raffaela , Chiavarini Salvatore , Conte Fabio , Crovato Cinzia , De Cassan Maurizio , Delbono Ivana , Montereali Maria R. , Nardi Elisa , Parrella Luisa , Pezza Massimo , Proposito Marco , Rimauro Juri , Schirone Antonio , Spaziani Fabio
Published: September 2022

In this study, site-specific natural background levels (NBLs) were determined for 18 elements (Al, As, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Hg, K, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Tl, U, V, and Zn) in two sediment cores collected offshore the Bagnoli-Coroglio brownfield site (Gulf of Pozzuoli, southern Italy) to accurately assess the degree of contamination and the historical trends in Heavy Metals (HMs) enrichment. This objective was pursued taking in account the high temporal and spatial variability of the geochemical properties of the area due to the local geothermal activity. Moreover, the temporal variation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated.

226Ra was used as an extraordinary marker to confirm 210Pb dating. It especially allowed defining the geochronological framework of the sediment core closer the brownfield up to around 1500, providing compelling support to correlate the investigated elements’ occurrences with natural geogenic dynamic. Sediment samples were accurately dated and analyzed for chemical and particle size composition. The contamination factor (Cf) and the pollution load index (PLI) showed very high enrichment of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn. The contamination profiles of HMs and PAHs follow the same pattern in both sediment cores, increasing from deep to upper layers. The highest contamination levels for HMs and PAHs were observed between 10 and 30 cm, corresponding to the periods of most intense industrial activity. Decreasing trends of pollutants were observed in the surface layers (0–10 cm), probably affected by a natural attenuation process due to the cessation of industrial activities.
Early evaluation of optic nerve head morphology and choroidal thickness after PreserFlo MicroShunt implantation
Authors: Gambini Gloria , Carlà Matteo Mario , Caporossi Tomaso , Baldascino Antonio , Crincoli Emanuele , De Vico Umberto , Savastano Alfonso , Caporossi Aldo , Rizzo Stanislao
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate changes in choroidal and optic nerve morphological parameters following MicroShunt PreserFlo implantation. The secondary aim is to investigate how the structural changes relate to the decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP).

Methods

Prospective observational study on 15 eyes with glaucoma requiring MicroShunt implantation. Optical coherence tomography was used to measure macular choroidal thickness (MCT), peripapillary choroidal thickness (PCT), lamina cribrosa depth (LCD), cup depth and prelaminar tissue thickness (PLT), before and one day after surgery. Results were expressed in median and interquartile range (IQR) and correlated with IOP results.

Results

The IOP decreased from a median of 25 (IQR = 11) mmHg to 8 (IQR = 2) mmHg the day after surgery. Median MCT increased after MicroShunt implantation from 252.1 (IQR = 156.4) µm to a postoperative value of 318.1 (IQR = 166.6) µm (p < 0.001), with a median increase of + 87.7 µm (+ 26.4%). PCT increased from 157.2 (IQR = 109.1) µm before surgery to 206.0 (IQR = 136.1) µm after surgery (p < 0.001). Moreover, we found a significant post-operative decrease in cup depth (median reduction of − 29.3 µm, p < 0.001) and an increase in PLT (median increase of 27.3 µm, p = 0.028). On the other side, LCD reduction 24 h after surgery didn’t reach any statistical significance.

Conclusion

PreserFlo implantation determines retinal structural changes which appear similar to those caused by traditional filtering surgery, confirming the effectiveness of this device, meantime carrying a much smaller complications rate when compared to trabeculectomy.
Does PGT-A improve assisted reproduction treatment success rates: what can the UK Register data tell us?
Authors: Roberts Stephen A. , Wilkinson Jack , Vail Andy , Brison Daniel R.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

To show how naïve analyses of aggregated UK ART Register data held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to estimate the effects of PGT-A can be severely misleading and to indicate how it may be possible to do a more credible analysis. Given the limitations of the Register, we consider the extent to which such an analysis has the potential to answer questions about the real-world effectiveness of PGT-A.

Methods

We utilise the publicly available Register datasets and construct logistic regression models for live birth events (LBE) which adjust for confounding. We compare all PGT-A cycles to control groups of cycles that could have had PGT-A, excluding cycles that did not progress to having embryos for biopsy.

Results

The primary model gives an odds ratio for LBE of 0.82 (95% CI 0.68–1.00) suggesting PGT-A may be detrimental rather than beneficial. However, due to limitations in the availability of important variables in the public dataset, this cannot be considered a definitive estimate. We outline the steps required to enable a credible analysis of the Register data.

Conclusion

If we compare like with like groups, we obtain estimates of the effect of PGT-A that suggest an overall modest reduction in treatment success rates. These are in direct contrast to an invalid comparison of crude success rates. A detailed analysis of a fuller dataset is warranted, but it remains to be demonstrated whether the UK Register data can provide useful estimates of the impact of PGT-A when used as a treatment add-on.
Unexpressed Wishes and Unmet Needs: a Mixed Methods Study of Youth Negative Experiences in Psychotherapy
Authors: Watson Priya N. , Leroux Elisabeth , Chowdhury Mushfika , Mehra Kamna , Henderson Joanna , Szatmari Peter , Hawke Lisa
Published: September 2022

Unlike best practice guidelines for detecting and addressing medication side effects, there are no widely adopted guidelines to help therapists identify and address the possible negative effects of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is a first-line evidence-based intervention for youth depression and anxiety, but the literature contains few studies of psychotherapy’s potential negative effects, and even fewer direct youth reports of their negative psychotherapy experiences. A mixed-methods study design was used to study youth with self-reported depression and/or anxiety and measure negative experiences associated with psychotherapy treatment. Youth were recruited from a larger study. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 45 youth with psychotherapy experience. Study design was informed by feedback from youth with lived experience of mental health challenges. Youth completed standardized measures of psychopathology, treatment effects, and detailed qualitative interviews. All youth experienced at least one negative effect during psychotherapy, and 30 youth (66.7%) attributed a negative effect as ‘caused’ by psychotherapy. While this attribution did not significantly differ based on severity of underlying current psychopathology, effect size estimates suggest moderate to large group differences regarding internalizing issues and baseline coping skills. Four major qualitative themes were identified from the interviews, summarizing the negative experiences of psychotherapy: (1) Barriers Experienced in Psychotherapy; (2) Concerns about Therapist; (3) Concerns about Therapy Itself; (4) Negative Experiences as a part of the Therapeutic Process. No youth raised any of these concerns directly with their therapists. These data support the need for validated, systematic assessment of psychotherapy’s negative effects among youth, with the aim of improving engagement and treatment outcomes.