bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study based on metabolomics and network pharmacology to explore the mechanism of Ginseng‐Douch compound fermentation products in the treatment of hyperlipidemia
Authors: Sun Jianfeng , Dong Wenting , Zhao Yuanyuan , Sun Guodong , Chen Liyan , Huo Jinhai , Wang Weiming
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

Ginseng‐Douchi (GD) is a complex fermented product of ginseng and soybean, similar to natto, and is effective in the treatment of hyperlipidemia, but the mechanism of action involved needs to be further explored.

RESULTS

The present study combines a comprehensive strategy of network pharmacology and metabolomics to explore the lipid‐lowering mechanism of GD. First, a hyperlipidemia rats model induced by a high‐fat diet was established to evaluate the therapeutic effects of GD. Second, potential biomarkers were identified using serum metabolomics and metabolic pathway analysis was performed with MetaboAnalyst. Third, network pharmacology is used to find potential therapeutic targets based on the blood‐influencing components of GD. Finally, core targets were obtained through a target–metabolite and the enrichment analysis of biomarkers–genes. Biochemistry analysis showed that GD exerted hypolipidemic effects on hyperlipidemic rats. Nineteen potential biomarkers for the GD treatment of hyperlipidemia were identified by metabolomics, which was mainly involved in linoleic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, ether lipid metabolism, alpha‐linolenic acid metabolism and glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchor biosynthesis. GD had a callback function for ether lipid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways. Eighteen blood components were identified in serum, associated with 85 potential therapeutic targets. The joint analysis showed that three core therapeutic targets were regulated by GD, including PIK3CA, AKT1 and EGFR.

CONCLUSION

This study combines serum medicinal chemistry of traditional Chinese medicine, network pharmacology and metabolomics to reveal the regulatory mechanism of GD on hyperlipidemia. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Understanding the synergistic effect of pea protein and rice bran protein interaction in stabilizing palm kernel oil‐in‐water emulsion assisted by high‐pressure homogenization
Authors: Tong Shi Cheng , Siow Lee Fong , Tang Teck Kim , Lee Yee Ying
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

Plant‐based beverages have recently seen a significant increase in market demand. However, many of these products suffer from poor emulsion stability and low protein content. Gums have commonly been used to enhance emulsion stability but they do not improve the amino acid profile. This study investigated the use of multiples plant proteins to enhance both the stability and nutritional value of plant‐based beverages.

RESULT

Pea and rice bran proteins both enhanced emulsion stability. Pea protein enhanced the viscosity of the continuous phase whereas rice bran protein lowered interfacial tension. When applied synergistically, competitive adhesion occurred. Rice bran protein gradually displaced pea protein from the oil droplet surface as its concentration increased, leading to emulsion destabilization due to the displaced pea protein. The use of high‐pressure homogenization further enhanced the stability of the emulsion by unfolding protein partially. However, increasing homogenization pressure (>500 Bar) and homogenization cycle (>2 cycles) led to protein aggregation due to excessive exposure of its hydrophobic core. The emulsion formed was resistant to coalescence at 4 °C for 28 days and was stable under high pH and low ionic conditions.

CONCLUSION

The synergistic combination of plant proteins and the effective utilization of co‐processing (homogenization) can enhance the functionality of the individual proteins significantly, leading to the formation of a stable emulsion. The use of plant protein mixture as a stabilizer not only improved the emulsion stability but also ensured a plant‐based beverage with a complete amino acid profile for the vegan community. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
The Ingestion Question: Public Knowledge of Safe Food Introduction in Children
Authors: Treble Alexander , Siu Jennifer M. , Madan Yasmine , Breton Suzanne , Chiang Jackie , Papsin Blake C. , Propst Evan J. , Wolter Nikolaus E.
Published: September 2024

Objectives

National guidelines advise delaying initiation of solid foods until after 4–6 months of age and avoiding “high‐risk” foods under the age of 4 years. However, foreign body aspiration of food remains a common preventable pediatric emergency. Our primary aim was to investigate public knowledge regarding the safe age of introduction of different foods to children and determine if demographic factors affect this knowledge.

Methods

An online survey was designed following a literature review and consultation with an expert panel. This was distributed via social media platforms. A review of our institutional data of bronchoscopy/foreign body retrievals was performed to identify trends.

Results

There were 1000 survey responses: 79.4% of respondents cared for children and 21.5% were medical professionals; 37.7% of respondents (n = 385) would offer high‐risk foods to children <2 years of age and 56.9% (n = 582) to children <3 years. At our institution nuts (65.7%) were the most common food‐related foreign body retrieved from a total of 265 over 21 years. Notably, 80% of respondents (n = 800) would offer whole nuts to children <4 years. Respondents with medical training were more likely to hold off on introducing nuts to children until a later age.

Conclusion

Although the public has an overall appreciation of food safety, a significant proportion would feel comfortable offering high‐risk foods to children under 2 and 3 years. There is a poor understanding of the danger of nuts and the appropriate age of introduction. Further research into effective public education strategies on safe food introduction in children are warranted.

Levels of Evidence

V Laryngoscope, 2024
Patchy degradation‐induced changes in soil aggregates and organic carbon in an alpine swamp meadow on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Hu Meng‐ai , Yao Zeying , Shi Lina , Wu Qiong , Tang Shiming , Shao Xinqing
Published: September 2024

Soil cracking induced by grassland degradation has become increasingly common in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau in recent decades, and the intensification of soil cracking has implications for soil carbon (C) cycling. However, how patchy degradation affects soil aggregates and organic C and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the changes in soil aggregates and organic C across various degradation stages in patchy alpine swamp meadows. The results showed a hump‐shaped trend in the proportion of macroaggregates, mean weight diameter (MWD), macroaggregate‐associated organic C (MAOC), and their contribution to soil organic carbon (SOC) throughout the degradation sequence. Conversely, the proportion of microaggregates initially decreased and then increased, with the contribution of microaggregate‐associated organic C (MIOC) to SOC increasing as degradation progressed. Regression and piecewise structural equation modeling (SEM) showed that soil texture played a decisive role in the change in MAOC and MIOC, and enzyme activity was the key factor leading to the difference between MAOC and MIOC. Enhanced enzyme activity accelerated the decomposition of MAOC while favoring the accumulation of MIOC. These findings are crucial for understanding the mechanisms influencing the physical protection of SOC by aggregates under patchy degradation. This emphasized soil cracking as a turning point in aggregate and organic C changes and a trigger for severe degradation in alpine swamp meadows, warranting proactive measures to mitigate its onset and progression.
Redox‐Active Polyaniline Covalently grafted Black Phosphorus Nanosheets for Integrated Digital‐Analogue Memristors
Authors: Che Qiang , Sun Sai , Hou Jie , Fu Xin , Chen Yu , Zhang Bin
Published: September 2024

Surface covalent modification of black phosphorus (BP) with organic polymers represents a promising strategy to enhance its stability and tailor its electronic properties. Despite this potential, developing memristive materials through suitable polymer structures, grafting pathways, and polymerization techniques remains challenging. In this study, polyaniline (PANI)‐covalently grafted black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNS) are successfully prepared with redox functionalities via the in situ polymerization of aniline on the surface of 4‐aminobenzene‐modified BPNS. The PANI coating protects the BP from direct exposure to oxygen and water, and it endows the material with analog memristive properties, characterized by a continuously adjustable resistance within a limited voltage scan range. When subjected to a broader voltage scan, the Al/PANI‐g‐BPNS/ITO device demonstrates a typical bistable digital memristive behavior. The integration of both digital and analog memristive functionalities in a single device paves the way for the development of high‐density, multifunctional electronic components.
Supercontinuum generation in Ga‐Sb‐S chalcogenide‐based PCF using optofluidic approach
Authors: Garg Deepak , Khamaru Akash , Kumar Ajeet
Published: September 2024

We report the design and theoretical study of a Ga‐Sb‐S chalcogenide glass‐based photonic crystal fiber (PCF) structure for mid‐infrared supercontinuum generation. The proposed design is engineered by adjusting the diameter of air holes in the cladding region and pitch, giving us control over the dispersion characteristics of the fiber. The optimized structure design offers the Zero Dispersion Wavelength of 5.2 μm. When pumped with 50 fs secant hyperbolic pulses of peak power 4.9 kW, for a fiber of length 8 mm at pump wavelength of 5 μm, the proposed structure design produces an ultra‐broadband supercontinuum spectrum spanning 1.5–14 μm. Proposed PCF design should be helpful in, biomedical imaging, supercontinuum sources, biosesning, and optical coherence tomography.
On the influence of the microstructure on multiscale bone simulations
Authors: Blaszczyk Mischa , Hackl Klaus
Published: September 2024

The prevalence of osteoporosis is about one in three for women and one in five for men over the age of fifty, making it the most common bone disease worldwide. The disease is characterized by a reduction of the amount of volume percent of cortical bone, weakening the bone and increasing the likelihood of fractures. Modeling and numerical simulations can be used to better understand effects observed in measurements and thus the workings of human bones. Furthermore, they can be used to support the development of new diagnostic tools such as sonography. For this purpose, in previous contributions we developed a two‐scale bone model that considers mechanical, electric and magnetic effects. To connect the scales, we resorted to the finite element square method . For diagnostics, the main quantity of interest is the resulting magnetic field strength, which can be used to draw conclusions about the bone health. In this contribution, we investigate the influence of the used microstructure model in detail. We created different representative volume elements (RVEs), which are for example, randomly orientated, anisotropic, or differ in shape or mesh resolution. In addition, we consider the use of different shape functions in the finite element calculation. We compare our findings with previous results, which were obtained using only regular RVEs. We investigate the extent, to which the microscale results and the overall macroscale simulation results are affected by the choice of the RVE.
Analysis of a nonlinear dynamic absorption system
Authors: Nešić Nikola , Simonović Julijana , Nestorović Tamara
Published: September 2024

Passive dynamic absorbers, also known as mass dampers, are typically investigated for their use in vibration suppression of buildings and structures. The proposed model consists of two rigid bodies, where the main body rests on a viscoelastic foundation. Additional attached mass represents a nonlinear energy sink. The dynamical interaction and behavior of a two‐degree‐of‐freedom mechanical system are described with a system of two coupled differential equations of the second order. The first equation contains the damping term. The second equation is nonlinear. The nonlinear differential equation system is solved using an incremental harmonic balance method. The influence of the resting foundation's viscoelastic properties on the main body's dynamics is analyzed. Additionally, the variations of other system parameters, especially the mass damper features, on amplitude‐frequency response curves are analyzed and discussed.
Effect of printing parameters on the mechanical properties of 3D printed short glass fiber/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene composites
Authors: Rahmati Moein , Zolfaghari Abbas
Published: September 2024

Three‐dimensional (3D) printing, or additive manufacturing (AM), is rapidly advancing, allowing for the creation of objects from a digital model through the successive addition of materials. Among the AM techniques, fused deposition modeling (FDM) emerges as one of the most promising and extensively utilized methods. However, the inherent mechanical shortcomings of the deposition of pure thermoplastic materials necessitate the improvement of mechanical properties. One viable approach involves integrating reinforcing fibers into the thermoplastic matrix to create polymer composites suitable for structural applications. In this study, the mechanical properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) reinforced with short glass fibers (SGFs) printed by FDM were investigated. The aim was to explore the impact of process parameters, including nozzle temperature, number of shells, and print speed, on the tensile properties and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). Composite filament with 10% weight fraction (10 wt%) of glass fiber fabricated. Also, the mechanical properties of the composite and pure polymer were investigated. The length of the fibers was measured after the extrusion and printing process, revealing that they had been damaged. The shells exerted the most significant influence on test outcomes.
Realizing the potential of plant genetic resources: the use of phenomics for genebanks
Authors: Ghamkhar Kioumars , Hay Fiona R. , Engbers Marleen , Dempewolf Hannes , Schurr Ulrich
Published: September 2024

Societal Impact Statement

Genebanks contribute to global food security, directly influencing societal well‐being, by providing access to seed or genetic material that is more resilient to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses. The ability to develop crops adapted to changing environmental conditions and with high nutritional value means societies can better cope with the adverse effects of climate change, safeguarding food production and rural livelihoods. Enhancing sustainable crop traits, such as improved water‐use efficiency and nutrient utilization, supports the transition toward more sustainable agricultural practices. New technologically advanced phenotyping tools are required to optimally realize the potential of these genetic resources, to identify plant genetic resources that will best enable us to address current global challenges.

Plant genebanks have a crucial role as specialized repositories, preserving diverse plant genetic resources and providing essential access to researchers, breeders, and farmers for developing resilient crops. With over 7 million global accessions, these genebanks significantly contribute to global food security, climate change mitigation, and sustainable agriculture. This opinion paper, inspired by an international workshop in 2022 in Wageningen (Netherlands), focuses on the transformative impact of phenomics technology within genebanks, offering a view on its potential applications and implications for preserving and utilizing plant genetic resources. Discussions from the 2022 workshop organized by the International Plant Phenotyping Network are integrated, emphasizing the potential of phenomics for global collaboration without requiring major policy developments. The workshop prioritized traits like disease resistance and drought tolerance, highlighting roots as a critical organ for phenotyping. Participants expressed a keen interest in global collaboration, emphasizing the need for partnerships between genebanks and advanced phenotyping facilities. The workshop's outcomes underscore the transformative impact of phenomics on genebanks, promoting innovation, collaboration, and sustainable agricultural practices. These results will guide future pilot studies, marking a significant step toward integrating phenomics into genebank practices and ensuring the continued prosperity of plant genetic heritage.
Exploring research trends and hotspots on oxidative stress and bronchopulmonary dysplasia: Insights from bibliometric and visualized study
Authors: Luo Liyan , Li Yuan , Long Zhi , Jiang Feng , Wu Fang , Wang Qian
Published: September 2024

Background

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a severe chronic lung disease primarily affecting premature infants, often resulting from prolonged mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of BPD, contributing to lung injury, inflammation, and impaired lung development. Despite extensive research, there is a need to systematically map out the research trends and hotspots in this field to inform future studies and therapeutic strategies.

Methods

This study utilized bibliometric and visualized analysis to explore global research trends and hotspots on oxidative stress and BPD from 2004 to 2024. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection, focusing on publications related to oxidative stress and BPD. Tools such as VOSviewer, Citespace, and the R package Bibliometrix were employed to analyze Coauthorship, co‐citation, and keyword co‐occurrence networks, as well as to identify emerging research fronts and influential studies.

Results

The analysis identified 597 relevant publications, showing a steady increase in research output over the 20‐year period, with a significant surge in the last decade. The United States led in research contributions, followed by China and Germany, with notable collaborations among these countries. Coauthorship analysis highlighted key research institutions, such as Harvard University and the University of California, as central nodes in the research network. Thematic clustering revealed five major research areas: antioxidant mechanisms, inflammation, molecular pathways, lung development, and therapeutic interventions. The keyword co‐occurrence analysis showed a shift in research focus over time. Early studies concentrated on basic pathophysiological mechanisms, while recent research has increasingly focused on advanced molecular techniques, such as gene expression and targeted therapies. Notably, the study identified emerging research hotspots, including the role of extracellular vesicles and cellular senescence in BPD, as well as the potential therapeutic applications of antioxidants like superoxide dismutase mimetics.

Conclusion

This bibliometric study provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape on oxidative stress and BPD, identifying key trends, influential authors, and emerging research topics. The findings underscore the importance of continued research in this field, particularly in translating basic scientific insights into clinical applications to improve outcomes for infants affected by BPD. The study also highlights potential areas for future investigation, including the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting oxidative stress in BPD.
Influence of whole‐body vibration and drop jump on the range of motion in the ankle joint and running parameters—A randomized crossover study
Authors: Ewertowska Paulina , Zapadka Bartosz Zbigniew , Głażewska Marta , Poniatowski Łukasz , Tuptanowski Kacper , Ossowski Zbigniew , Czaprowski Dariusz , Krzysztofik Michał
Published: September 2024

Background and Purpose

Warm‐up (WU) is a commonly practiced technique aimed at preparing athletes for physical activity. Although coaches and athletes consider WU essential, there is still an ongoing debate about its effectiveness. This might be due to the fact that WU procedures often rely on experiences rather than scientific research. During WU, athletes may pursue intermediate goals such as ensuring proper ranges of motion in joints, which seem crucial particularly for runners' ankle joints. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate influence of whole‐body vibration (WBV), drop jump (DJ), and a combination of both (WBV + DJ) in terms of ankle dorsiflexion and running parameters among recreational runners.

Methods

Sixteen runners performed as a WU: five sets of 30 s calf raises without WBV (CTRL), five sets of 30 s calf raises during WBV, five sets of six DJ, five sets of 30 s calf raises during WBV followed by 6 DJ. Range of motion (ROM) of the ankle joint was measured in a prone position using an inclinometer for the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles, separately. Measurements were conducted before and after WU, and after a 3000 m run.

Results

There was no interaction for time and WU for left (p = 0.926) and right (p = 0.738) soleus muscle as well as for left (p = 0.748) and right (p = 0.197) gastrocnemius muscles. No difference (p = 0.914) for the running time was found.

Discussion

WBV, drop jumps, or a combination of both did not affect ankle dorsiflexion and running time.
de Sitter State in Heterotic String Theory
Authors: Alexander Stephon , Dasgupta Keshav , Maji Archana , Ramadevi Pichai , Tatar Radu
Published: September 2024

Recent no‐go theorems have ruled out four‐dimensional classical de Sitter vacua in heterotic string theory. On the other hand, the absence of a well‐defined Wilsonian effective action and other related phenomena also appear to rule out such time‐dependent vacua with de Sitter isometries, even in the presence of quantum corrections. In this note, the authors argued that a four‐dimensional de Sitter space can still exist in heterotic string theory as a Glauber–Sudarshan state, i.e., as an excited state, over a supersymmetric Minkowski background, albeit within a finite temporal domain. Borel resummation and resurgence play a crucial role in constructing such a state in the Hilbert space of heterotic theory governed entirely by the IR degrees of freedom.
Monitoring the leaf damage by the rice leafroller with deep learning and ultra‐light UAV
Authors: Xia Lang , Zhang Ruirui , Chen Liping , Li Longlong , Yi Tongchuan , Chen Meixiang
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

Rice leafroller is a serious threat to the production of rice. Monitoring the damage caused by rice leafroller is essential for effective pest management. Owing to limitations in collecting decent quality images and high‐performing identification methods to recognize the damage, studies recommending fast and accurate identification of rice leafroller damage are rare. In this study, we employed an ultra‐lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to eliminate the influence of the downwash flow field and obtain very high‐resolution images of the damaged areas of the rice leafroller. We used deep learning technology and the segmentation model, Attention U‐Net, to recognize the damaged area by the rice leafroller. Further, a method is presented to count the damaged patches from the segmented area.

RESULTS

The result shows that Attention U‐Net achieves high performance, with an F1 score of 0.908. Further analysis indicates that the deep learning model performs better than the traditional image classification method, Random Forest (RF). The traditional method of RF causes a lot of false alarms around the edge of leaves, and is sensitive to the changes in brightness. Validation based on the ground survey indicates that the UAV and deep learning‐based method achieve a reasonable accuracy in identifying damage patches, with a coefficient of determination of 0.879. The spatial distribution of the damage is uneven, and the UAV‐based image collecting method provides a dense and accurate method to recognize the damaged area.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this study presents a vision to monitor the damage caused by the rice leafroller with ultra‐light UAV efficiently. It would also contribute to effectively controlling and managing the hazardous rice leafroller. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Combination of the amide‐to‐triazole substitution strategy with alternative structural modifications for the metabolic stabilization of tumor‐targeting, radiolabeled peptides
Authors: Guarrochena Xabier , Anderla Maximilian , Salomon Philipp , Feiner Irene V. J. , Nock Berthold A. , Maina Theodosia , Mindt Thomas L.
Published: September 2024

Radiolabeled peptides play a key role in nuclear medicine to selectively deliver radionuclides to malignancies for diagnosis (imaging) and therapy. Yet, their efficiency is often compromised by low metabolic stability. The use of 1,4‐disubstituted 1,2,3‐triazoles (1,4‐Tzs) as stable amide bond bioisosteres can increase the half‐life of peptides in vivo while maintaining their biological properties. Previously, the amide‐to‐triazole substitution strategy was used for the stabilization of the pansomatostatin radioligand [111In]In‐AT2S, resulting in the mono‐triazolo‐peptidomimetic [111In]In‐XG1, a radiotracer with moderately enhanced stability in vivo and retained ability to bind multiple somatostatin receptor (SSTR) subtypes. However, inclusion of additional 1,4‐Tz led to a loss of affinity towards SST2R, the receptor overexpressed by most SSTR‐positive cancers. To enhance further the stability of [111In]In‐XG1, alternative modifications at the enzymatically labile position Thr10‐Phe11 were employed. Three novel 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetraacetic acid (DOTA)‐peptide conjugates were synthesized with a 1,4‐Tz (Asn5‐Ψ[Tz]‐Phe6) and either a β‐amino acid (β‐Phe11), reduced amide bond (Thr10‐Ψ[NH]‐Phe11), or N‐methylated amino acid (N‐Me‐Phe11). Two of the new peptidomimetics were more stable in blood plasma in vitro than [111In]In‐XG1. Yet none of them retained high affinity towards SST2R. We demonstrate for the first time the combination of the amide‐to‐triazole substitution strategy with alternative stabilization methods to improve the metabolic stability of tumor‐targeting peptides.
Scoping review of post‐TB pulmonary vascular disease: Proceedings from the 2nd International Post‐Tuberculosis Symposium
Authors: Louw Elizabeth H. , Van Heerden Jennifer A. , Kalla Ismail S. , Maarman Gerald J. , Nxumalo Zoliswa , Thienemann Friedrich , Huaman Moises A. , Magee Matthew , Allwood Brian A.
Published: September 2024

Tuberculosis (TB) may cause significant long‐term cardiorespiratory complications, of which pulmonary vascular disease is most under‐recognized. TB is rarely listed as a cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in most PH guidelines, yet PH may develop at various stages in the time course of TB, from active infection through to the post‐TB period. Predisposing risk factors for the development of PH are likely multifactorial, involving active TB disease and post‐TB lung disease (PTLD), host‐related and environment‐related factors. Moreover, post‐TB PH should likely be classified in Group 3 PH, with the pathogenesis similarly complex and multifactorial as other Group 3 PH causes. Identifying risk factors that predispose to post‐TB PH may aid in developing risk stratification criteria for early identification and referral for confirmatory diagnostic tests. Given that universal screening for PH in TB survivors may be impractical and unfeasible, a targeted screening approach for high‐risk individuals would be sensible. In this scoping review of post‐TB PH, resulting from the proceedings of the 2nd International Post‐Tuberculosis Symposium, we aim to describe the epidemiology, risk factors, and pathophysiology of post‐TB PH. We emphasize diagnosing PH with an alternative set of diagnostic guidelines in resource‐constrained settings where right heart catheterization may not be feasible. Research to describe the burden and distribution of post‐TB PH should be prioritized as there is a current gap in knowledge regarding the prevalence and incidence of post‐TB PH among persons with TB.
Addressing the implementation challenge of risk prediction model due to missing risk factors: The submodel approximation approach
Authors: Sun Tianyi , McCoy Allison B. , Storrow Alan B. , Liu Dandan
Published: September 2024

Clinical prediction models have been widely acknowledged as informative tools providing evidence‐based support for clinical decision making. However, prediction models are often underused in clinical practice due to many reasons including missing information upon real‐time risk calculation in electronic health records (EHR) system. Existing literature to address this challenge focuses on statistical comparison of various approaches while overlooking the feasibility of their implementation in EHR. In this article, we propose a novel and feasible submodel approach to address this challenge for prediction models developed using the model approximation (also termed “preconditioning”) method. The proposed submodel coefficients are equivalent to the corresponding original prediction model coefficients plus a correction factor. Comprehensive simulations were conducted to assess the performance of the proposed method and compared with the existing “one‐step‐sweep” approach as well as the imputation approach. In general, the simulation results show the preconditioning‐based submodel approach is robust to various heterogeneity scenarios and is comparable to the imputation‐based approach, while the “one‐step‐sweep” approach is less robust under certain heterogeneity scenarios. The proposed method was applied to facilitate real‐time implementation of a prediction model to identify emergency department patients with acute heart failure who can be safely discharged home.
An In Situ Generated Organic/Inorganic Hybrid SEI Layer Enables Li Metal Anodes with Dendrite Suppression Ability, High‐Rate Capability, and Long‐Life Stability
Authors: Han Dengji , Wang Zhongli , Chen Shuiyin , Zhou Ji , Chen Shang , Wang Manyun , Wu Dandan , Meng Xiaodong , Bielawski Christopher W. , Geng Jianxin
Published: September 2024

High‐quality solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers can effectively suppress the growth of Li dendrites and improve the cycling stability of lithium metal batteries. Herein, 1‐(6‐bromohexanoyl)‐3‐butylurea is used to construct an organic/inorganic hybrid (designated as LiBr‐HBU) SEI layer that features a uniform and compact structure. The LiBr‐HBU SEI layer exhibits superior electrolyte wettability and air stability as well as strong attachment to Li foils. The LiBr‐HBU SEI layer achieves a Li+ conductivity of 2.75 × 10−4 S cm−1, which is ≈50‐fold higher than the value measured for a native SEI layer. A Li//Li symmetric cell containing the LiBr‐HBU SEI layer exhibits markedly improved cyclability when compared with the cell containing a native SEI layer, especially at a high current density (e.g., cycling life up to 1333 h at 15 mA cm−2). The LiBr‐HBU SEI layer also improves the performance of lithium−sulfur cells, particularly the rate capability (548 mAh g−1 at 10 C) and cycling stability (513 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C after 500 cycles). The methodology described can be extended to the commercial processing of Li metal anodes as the artificial SEI layer also protects Li metal against corrosion.
Ultra‐Microporous Fe‐MOF with Prolonged NO Delivery in Biological Media for Therapeutic Application
Authors: Pinto Rosana V. , Cao Chen‐Chen , Lyu Pengbo , Dovgaliuk Iurii , Shepard William , Rivière Eric , Su Cheng‐Yong , Maurin Guillaume , Antunes Fernando , Pires João , André Vânia , Henriques Carlos , Tissot Antoine , Pinto Moisés L. , Serre Christian
Published: September 2024

Nitric oxide (NO), a key element in the regulation of essential biological mechanisms, presents huge potential as therapeutic agent in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases. Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) with open metal sites are promising carriers for NO therapies but delivering it over an extended period in biological media remains a great challenge due to i) a fast degradation of the material in body fluids and/or ii) a rapid replacement of NO by water molecules onto the Lewis acid sites. Here, a new ultra‐narrow pores Fe bisphosphonate MOF, denoted MIP‐210(Fe) or Fe(H2O)(Hmbpa) (H4mbpa = p‐xylenediphosphonic acid) is described that adsorbs NO due to an unprecedented sorption mechanism: coordination of NO through the Fe(III) sites is unusually preferred, replacing bound water, and creating a stable interaction with the free H2O and P‐OH groups delimiting the ultra‐narrow pores. This, associated with the high chemical stability of the MOF in body fluids, enables an unprecedented slow replacement of NO by water molecules in biological media, achieving an extraordinarily extended NO delivery time over at least 70 h, exceeding by far the NO kinetics release reported with others porous materials, paving the way for the development of safe and successful gas therapies.
Macroalgae from the early Cambrian Chengjiang biota
Authors: Li Gaorong , Wei Fan , Guo Jin , Cong Peiyun
Published: September 2024

The Chengjiang biota, a Burgess Shale‐type Lagerstätte in eastern Yunnan, South China (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 3), provides valuable information regarding the origin and early evolution of metazoans, and complex marine ecosystems. Although the major animal phyla in the Chengjiang biota have been extensively studied, macroalgae have received comparatively little attention. Here, we establish new taxa Yunnanospirellus typica and Y. elegans, describe five genera and six species (Tawuia sp., Morania fragmenta, Liulingjitaenia alloplecta, Longfengshania stipitata, Lo. spheria and Paralongfengshania sicyoides) not previously reported in the Chengjiang biota, and elucidate the pith structure of Enteromophites intestinalis. With 13 genera and 17 species now recorded, macroalgae rank fourth in species‐level biodiversity in the Chengjiang biota (behind Euarthropoda, Porifera and Priapulida). Macroalgae account for 71.57% of total abundance, far more than all other animal phyla in the Chengjiang biota. Fuxianospira is the most dominant genus, accounting for 52.01% of all macroalgae specimens. Unattached (floating, planktonic or drifting) forms dominate (eight attached; nine unattached species). The high diversity of attached macroalgae indicates that the macroalgal communities adapted to the Proterozoic firm substrate (probably covered by microbial mats) persisted from the Ediacaran to the early Cambrian, providing compelling evidence for the existence of firm substrate during this time. Meanwhile, the blooming of unattached macroalgae in the Chengjiang biota suggests that other niches were also rich in macroalgae. Unattached macroalgae might have provided oxygen and energy to metazoans, eventually leading to ecological expansion in the upper and middle water column of the early Cambrian seas.
Effect of SiO2 and Al2O3 on the Thermophysical Properties and the Foaming Index of Electric Arc Furnace Slag from the Production of Construction Steel
Authors: Levchenko Mykyta , Kovtun Oleksandr , Angelini Alberto , Markus Hans Peter , Sosin Dariusz , Endo Rie , Volkova Olena
Published: September 2024

Viscosity, density, and surface tension of an industrial electric arc furnace (EAF) slag from production of construction steel with varying SiO2 and Al2O3 contents are investigated using a rotating viscometer and the maximum bubble pressure method. In addition, influence of thermophysical properties on foaming index is discussed. To predict the behavior of the solid phase in the slag at different temperatures, thermodynamic calculations are performed using FactSage 8.1 software. The experiments demonstratethat SiO2 and Al2O3 act as network formers in the studied slag systems, resulting in increased viscosity values in the liquid‐dominant region and decreased density of the slag. The presence of alumina and silica altered the behavior of the slag in the liquid‐dominant region, shifting the breaking point of the slags. Furthermore, the addition of silica decreases the surface tension of the slag, confirming its role as a surfactant. However, the addition of Al2O3 increases the surface tension due to the high surface tension of pure alumina. Consequently, the foaming index of the slag can increase by ≈40%, primarily due to the polymerization of the slag.
Effect of Organic Acids as Additives on Buckwheat Starch Films Produced by Casting
Authors: Henning Fernanda Gabriela , Demiate Ivo Mottin , Salem Renata Dinnies Santos , de Almeida Vanessa Soltes , Lacerda Luiz Gustavo
Published: September 2024

The aim of this research is to investigate the influence of food‐grade organic acids incorporation in buckwheat starch films obtained by casting. Buckwheat starch is extracted via the alkaline methodology, and the impact of different acids and concentrations on film properties is evaluated. The films are submitted to the following characterizations: mechanical and moisture resistance properties, water vapor permeability (WVP), thermogravimetry (TG), field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG‐SEM), and ATR‐FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflectance‐Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy. Incorporating organic acids show film moisture reduction, WVP, and increased thermal stability. Among the organic acids tested, the films with tartaric and citric acids provide the most positive impact on the films’ mechanical and water resistance. In contrast, malic acid is demonstrated to have a less efficient crosslinking capacity.
Gossypol Inhibits Metastasis of Lung Cell Carcinoma by Reversing Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition and Suppressing Proteases Activity
Authors: Hsieh Yih‐Shou , Yu Ching‐Han , Chu Shu‐Chen , Lin Chin‐Yin , Chen Pei‐Ni
Published: September 2024

Gossypol, a natural polyphenolic compound, possesses antivirus activity and induces cell death of different types of tumors. However, the efficacy of gossypol on lung carcinoma metastases and epithelial to mesenchymal transition remains unknown. The aim of the present work was to determine the cellular and molecular mechanism of the anti‐cancer and anti‐metastatic efficacies of gossypol on human lung carcinoma cells. Gossypol showed a marked suppression of the viability, motility, and invasion in H1299 and A549 cells. Zymography assay showed that gossypol was sufficient to suppress the activities of urokinase‐type plasminogen activator and matrix metalloproteinase‐2. Gossypol reversed TGF‐β‐induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Gossypol reduced vimentin, p‐FAK, p‐Src and p‐paxillin. In vivo studies of gossypol were performed using subcutaneous inoculation and tail vein injection of A549 into immunodeficient BALB/c nude mice and severe combined immunodeficient mice.
Proposed simplified protocol for initial assessment of endometriosis with transvaginal ultrasound
Authors: Deslandes A. , Leonardi M.
Published: September 2024

Linked article: There is a comment on this article by Young et al. Click here to view the Correspondence.

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Extending Isabelle/HOL’s Code Generator with Support for the Go Programming Language
Authors: Stübinger Terru , Hupel Lars
Published: September 2024

The Isabelle proof assistant includes a small functional language, which allows users to write and reason about programs. So far, these programs could be extracted into a number of functional languages: Standard ML, OCaml, Scala, and Haskell. This work adds support for Go as a fifth target language for the Code Generator. Unlike the previous targets, Go is not a functional language and encourages code in an imperative style, thus many of the features of Isabelle’s language (particularly data types, pattern matching, and type classes) have to be emulated using imperative language constructs in Go. The developed Code Generation is provided as an add-on library that can be simply imported into existing theories.
Switching Controller Synthesis for Hybrid Systems Against STL Formulas
Authors: Su Han , Feng Shenghua , Zhan Sinong , Zhan Naijun
Published: September 2024

Switching controllers play a pivotal role in directing hybrid systems (HSs) towards the desired objective, embodying a “correct-by-construction” approach to HS design. Identifying these objectives is thus crucial for the synthesis of effective switching controllers. While most of existing works focus on safety and liveness, few of them consider timing constraints. In this paper, we delves into the synthesis of switching controllers for HSs that meet system objectives given by a fragment of STL, which essentially corresponds to a reach-avoid problem with timing constraints. Our approach involves iteratively computing the state sets that can be driven to satisfy the reach-avoid specification with timing constraints. This technique supports to create switching controllers for both constant and non-constant HSs. We validate our method’s soundness, and confirm its relative completeness for a certain subclass of HSs. Experiment results affirms the efficacy of our approach.
On Completeness of SDP-Based Barrier Certificate Synthesis over Unbounded Domains
Authors: Wu Hao , Feng Shenghua , Gan Ting , Wang Jie , Xia Bican , Zhan Naijun
Published: September 2024

Barrier certificates, serving as differential invariants that witness system safety, play a crucial role in the verification of cyber-physical systems (CPS). Prevailing computational methods for synthesizing barrier certificates are based on semidefinite programming (SDP) by exploiting Putinar Positivstellensatz. Consequently, these approaches are limited by the Archimedean condition, which requires all variables to be bounded, i.e., systems are defined over bounded domains. For systems over unbounded domains, unfortunately, existing methods become incomplete and may fail to identify potential barrier certificates.

In this paper, we address this limitation for the unbounded cases. We first give a complete characterization of polynomial barrier certificates by using homogenization, a recent technique in the optimization community to reduce an unbounded optimization problem to a bounded one. Furthermore, motivated by this formulation, we introduce the definition of homogenized systems and propose a complete characterization of a family of non-polynomial barrier certificates with more expressive power. Experimental results demonstrate that our two approaches are more effective while maintaining a comparable level of efficiency.
Tolerance of Reinforcement Learning Controllers Against Deviations in Cyber Physical Systems
Authors: Zhang Changjian , Kapoor Parv , Meira-Góes Rômulo , Garlan David , Kang Eunsuk , Ganlath Akila , Mishra Shatadal , Ammar Nejib
Published: September 2024

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) with reinforcement learning (RL)-based controllers are increasingly being deployed in complex physical environments such as autonomous vehicles, the Internet-of-Things (IoT), and smart cities. An important property of a CPS is tolerance; i.e., its ability to function safely under possible disturbances and uncertainties in the actual operation. In this paper, we introduce a new, expressive notion of tolerance that describes how well a controller is capable of satisfying a desired system requirement, specified using Signal Temporal Logic (STL), under possible deviations in the system. Based on this definition, we propose a novel analysis problem, called the tolerance falsification problem, which involves finding small deviations that result in a violation of the given requirement. We present a novel, two-layer simulation-based analysis framework and a novel search heuristic for finding small tolerance violations. To evaluate our approach, we construct a set of benchmark problems where system parameters can be configured to represent different types of uncertainties and disturbances in the system. Our evaluation shows that our falsification approach and heuristic can effectively find small tolerance violations.
UnsafeCop: Towards Memory Safety for Real-World Unsafe Rust Code with Practical Bounded Model Checking
Authors: Wang Minghua , Xue Jingling , Huang Lin , Zi Yuan , Wei Tao
Published: September 2024

Rust has gained popularity as a safer alternative to C/C++ for low-level programming due to its memory-safety features and minimal runtime overhead. However, the use of the “unsafe” keyword allows developers to bypass safety guarantees, posing memory-safety risks. Bounded Model Checking (BMC) is commonly used to detect memory-safety problems, but it has limitations for large-scale programs, as it can only detect bugs within a bounded number of executions.

In this paper, we introduce UnsafeCop that utilizes and enhances BMC for analyzing memory safety in real-world unsafe Rust code. Our methodology incorporates harness design, loop bound inference, and both loop and function stubbing for comprehensive analysis. We optimize verification efficiency through a strategic function verification order, leveraging both types of stubbing. We conducted a case study on TECC (Trusted-Environment-based Cryptographic Computing), a proprietary framework consisting of 30,174 lines of Rust code, including 3,019 lines of unsafe Rust code, developed by Ant Group. Experimental results demonstrate that UnsafeCop effectively detects and verifies dozens of memory safety issues, reducing verification time by 73.71% compared to the traditional non-stubbing approach, highlighting its practical effectiveness.
Rigorous Floating-Point Round-Off Error Analysis in PRECiSA 4.0
Authors: Titolo Laura , Moscato Mariano , Feliu Marco A. , Masci Paolo , Muñoz César A.
Published: September 2024

Small round-off errors in safety-critical systems can lead to catastrophic consequences. In this context, determining if the result computed by a floating-point program is accurate enough with respect to its ideal real-number counterpart is essential. This paper presents PRECiSA 4.0, a tool that rigorously estimates the accumulated round-off error of a floating-point program. PRECiSA 4.0 combines static analysis, optimization techniques, and theorem proving to provide a modular approach for computing a provably correct round-off error estimation. PRECiSA 4.0 adds several features to previous versions of the tool that enhance its applicability and performance. These features include support for data collections such as lists, records, and tuples; support for recursion schemas; an updated floating-point formalization that closely characterizes the IEEE-754 standard; an efficient and modular analysis of function calls that improves the performances for large programs; and a new user interface integrated into Visual Studio Code.
Advancing Quantum Computing with Formal Methods
Authors: Quist Arend-Jan , Mei Jingyi , Coopmans Tim , Laarman Alfons
Published: September 2024

This tutorial introduces quantum computing with a focus on the applicability of formal methods in this relatively new domain. We describe quantum circuits and convey an understanding of their inherent combinatorial nature and the exponential blow-up that makes them hard to analyze. Then, we show how weighted model counting (#SAT) can be used to solve hard analysis tasks for quantum circuits.

This tutorial is aimed at everyone in the formal methods community with an interest in quantum computing. Familiarity with quantum computing is not required, but basic linear algebra knowledge (particularly matrix multiplication and basis vectors) is a prerequisite. The goal of the tutorial is to inspire the community to advance the development of quantum computing with formal methods.