bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persian Optical Character Recognition Using Deep Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory
Authors: Khosrobeigi Zohreh , Veisi Hadi , Hoseinzade Ehsan , Shabanian Hanieh
Published: November 2022

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a system of converting images, including text,into editable text and is applied to various languages such as English, Arabic, and Persian. While these languages have similarities, their fundamental differences can create unique challenges. In Persian, continuity between Characters, the existence of semicircles, dots, oblique, and left-to-right characters such as English words in the context are some of the most important challenges in designing Persian OCR systems. Our proposed framework, Bina, is designed in a special way to address the issue of continuity by utilizing Convolution Neural Network (CNN) and deep bidirectional Long-Short Term Memory (BLSTM), a type of LSTM networks that has access to both past and future context. A huge and diverse dataset, including about 2M samples of both Persian and English contexts,consisting of various fonts and sizes, is also generated to train and test the performance of the proposed model. Various configurations are tested to find the optimal structure of CNN and BLSTM. The results show that Bina successfully outperformed state of the art baseline algorithm by achieving about 96% accuracy in the Persian and 88% accuracy in the Persian and English contexts.
Sentiment Analysis of Twitter Data
Authors: Wang Yili , Guo Jiaxuan , Yuan Chengsheng , Li Baozhu
Published: November 2022

Twitter has become a major social media platform and has attracted considerable interest among researchers in sentiment analysis. Research into Twitter Sentiment Analysis (TSA) is an active subfield of text mining. TSA refers to the use of computers to process the subjective nature of Twitter data, including its opinions and sentiments. In this research, a thorough review of the most recent developments in this area, and a wide range of newly proposed algorithms and applications are explored. Each publication is arranged into a category based on its significance to a particular type of TSA method. The purpose of this survey is to provide a concise, nearly comprehensive overview of TSA techniques and related fields. The primary contributions of the survey are the detailed classifications of numerous recent articles and the depiction of the current direction of research in the field of TSA.
LBFT: An Asynchronous Committee-Based Blockchain Storage Strategy on Zero Trust Model
Authors: Du Zhengyi , Gong Junqing , Qian Haifeng
Published: November 2022

The high storage costs brought by the full-replication storage strategy adopted in most existing blockchain systems have become the main bottleneck to system scalability. To address the above, we propose an asynchronous committee-based blockchain storage strategy named lightweight BFT (LBFT), which can be applied to more diverse scenarios with better system performance. It is the first blockchain storage scheme that is designed on the conception of the zero-trust model, achieving higher-level security and fending off internal, as well as external attackers. In addition, it makes the following progress on system performance on the premise of maintaining the merits of the blockchain: (1) decreases communication complexity by involving only a part of the nodes in each decoding round; (2) enhances the robustness of the scheme regardless of the time assumption of the network; (3) improves the computational efficiency in the encoding and decoding process; and (4) reduces the storage costs and improves system scalability. In addition, we implemented experiments on LBFT and two other existing blockchain-based storage strategies, and the experimental results showed that LBFT indeed has significant improvements in system performance.
Comparison of Spine–Pelvis Kinematics Variability during Sit-to-Stand and Stand-to-Sit in People with & without Chronic Low Back Pain: A Vector Coding and Statistical Parametric Mapping Approach
Authors: Jangjoo Narges , Alijanpour Elham , Khodabakhsh Saeid , Shojaedin Seyed Sadredin , Naemi Roozbeh
Published: November 2022

There is evidence in the literature to suggest that low back pain may change spine–pelvis coordination during activities of daily living. This study aimed to compare the variability of the spine–pelvis coordination during sit-to-stand in people with and without LBP. Ten healthy individuals with a history of LBP and ten individuals without history of LBP participated in this study. Three-dimensional kinematic data of the upper trunk (UT), lower trunk (LT), lower back (LB), and pelvis segments during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit were recorded using a multi-segmental spine and pelvis models using a motion capture system. The coordination patterns and the variability of the adjacent segments (UT, LT, LB, and pelvis) were calculated using the modified vector coding method that was implemented through a custom MATLAB code. An independent sample t-test was utilized to assess the differences in the coordination pattern, and a statistical parametric mapping method was used to quantify the differences in coordination variability between the two groups. The results indicate that there are some differences in coordination patterns between groups during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit. However, a significant difference in coordination variability was only observed during sit-to-stand. The results showed that LBP can alter the kinematics coordination even in the upper (pain-free) parts of the spine during sit-to-stand by changing the coordination between UT and LT in a way that can lead to an increase in the loading on these segments. Additionally, people with LBP showed more coordination variability during sit-to-stand, which can be associated with a coordination strategy that facilitates an optimal and possibly pain-free coordination pattern.
Numerical Identification of Deep Muscle Residual Tensions (Tones) Based on Multi-Directional Trunk Stiffness Data
Authors: Smaoui Hichem , Mehrez Sadok , Omri Mohamed
Published: November 2022

This work proposes an identification methodology to estimate the residual tension values (tones) for the human trunk muscles, including the deep ones, using multidirectional trunk stiffness data in association with numerical modeling. The role of this residual muscle tension or contraction is to maintain posture and balance. Knowledge of the tone is useful for the diagnosis and treatment of several spinal diseases and is important for realistic modeling and numerical simulation of trunk behavior. Most of the existing techniques for the measurement and estimation of muscle tones, such as electromyography, are restricted to superficial muscles. Those designed for deep muscles are invasive and present risks of infection and pain. In contrast, the proposed identification approach is painless and safe for the subject. It proceeds by matching the experimental trunk stiffness with numerical upper and lower estimates of the stiffness, to construct an inclusive solution domain of possible tone values of superficial as well as deep trunk muscles. By dividing the trunk muscles into three classes, each assumed to share the same tone ratio, a reasonable solution domain is obtained that exhibits a significant overlap with ranges of muscle tones found in the literature.
Car-Sense: Vehicle Occupant Legacy Hazard Detection Method Based on DFWS
Authors: Hao Zhanjun , Wang Guowei , Dang Xiaochao
Published: November 2022

Casualties caused by people trapped in cars have been common in recent years. Despite a variety of solutions, complex detection devices need to be arranged, or privacy is poor. Since device-free Wi-Fi sensing has attracted much attention due to its simplicity, low cost, and no need for additional hardware, this paper proposes a contactless wireless Wi-Fi sensing-based method for detecting people left in cars: Car-Sense. The method uses ESP32 devices in the vehicle to build a wireless Wi-Fi network for low-cost, real-time, and accurate personnel awareness. By capturing and analyzing the CSI (Channel State Information) signal, extracting features, and building a machine-learning correlation model, the number and location of occupants can be estimated and further inferred in combination with sensing data such as vehicle temperature. Even better, with the computing power of the edge-side devices to process data in collaboration with the cloud, the computing process is partially localized to reduce the computing pressure and latency in the cloud. The approach has been experimentally verified to have more than 85% accuracy.
Footprints of COVID-19 on Pollution in Southern Spain
Authors: Wirth Eszter , Betancourt-Odio Manuel Alejandro , Cabeza-García Macarena , Zapatero-González Ana
Published: November 2022

Background: Many annual deaths in Spain could be avoided if pollution levels were reduced. Every year, several municipalities in the Community of Andalusia, located in southern Spain, exceed the acceptable levels of atmospheric pollution. In this sense, the evolution of primary air pollutants during the March–June 2020 lockdown can be taken as reliable evidence to analyze the effectiveness of potential air quality regulations. Data and Method: Using a multivariate linear regression model, this paper assesses the levels of NO2, O3, and PM10 in Andalusia within the 2017–2020 period, relating these representative indices of air quality with lockdown stages during the pandemic and considering control variables such as climatology, weekends, or the intrusion of Saharan dust. To reveal patterns at a local level between geographic zones, a spatial analysis was performed. Results: The results show that the COVID-19 lockdown had a heterogeneous effect on the analyzed pollutants within Andalusia’s geographical regions. In general terms, NO2 and PM10 concentrations decreased in the main metropolitan areas and the industrial districts of Huelva and the Strait of Gibraltar. At the same time, O3 levels rose in high-temperature regions of Cordoba and Malaga.
Heart and Breathing Rate Variations as Biomarkers for Anxiety Detection
Authors: Ritsert Florian , Elgendi Mohamed , Galli Valeria , Menon Carlo
Published: November 2022

With advances in portable and wearable devices, it should be possible to analyze and interpret the collected biosignals from those devices to tailor a psychological intervention to help patients. This study focuses on detecting anxiety by using a portable device that collects electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiration (RSP) signals. The feature extraction focused on heart-rate variability (HRV) and breathing-rate variability (BRV). We show that a significant change in these signals occurred between the non-anxiety-induced and anxiety-induced states. The HRV biomarkers were the mean heart rate (MHR; p¯ = 0.04), the standard deviation of the heart rate (SD; p¯ = 0.01), and the standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN; p¯ = 0.03) for ECG signals, and the mean breath rate (MBR; p¯ = 0.002), the standard deviation of the breath rate (SD; p¯ < 0.0001), the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD; p¯ < 0.0001) and SDNN (p¯ < 0.0001) for RSP signals. This work extends the existing literature on the relationship between stress and HRV/BRV by being the first to introduce a transitional phase. It contributes to systematically processing mental and emotional impulse data in humans measured via ECG and RSP signals. On the basis of these identified biomarkers, artificial-intelligence or machine-learning algorithms, and rule-based classification, the automated biosignal-based psychological assessment of patients could be within reach. This creates a broad basis for detecting and evaluating psychological abnormalities in individuals upon which future psychological treatment methods could be built using portable and wearable devices.
COVID-19 Vaccines: An Updated Overview of Different Platforms
Authors: Kudlay Dmitry , Svistunov Andrey , Satyshev Oleg
Published: November 2022

Vaccination has been identified as a critical method of disease control in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this review is to update information on vaccine development and to identify areas of concern that require further research. We reviewed the literature on the development of COVID-19 vaccines, their efficacy, and use in special populations, as well as current vaccination strategies. To date, 170 vaccines are in clinical development, with 41 being already approved for use in various countries. The majority of vaccines approved for human use are vector-, subunit-, DNA-, or mRNA-based vaccines, or inactivated viruses. Because of the ongoing mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, well-studied vector vaccines are losing relevance due to the ability of new virus strains to bypass neutralizing antibodies. Simultaneously, PS-based vaccines are becoming more popular. There is mounting evidence that the immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines is linked to their clinical efficacy. This has resulted in a shift in vaccination strategies, as well as the use of booster doses and revaccination. Furthermore, vaccination restrictions for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with chronic immunosuppressive diseases have been lifted, allowing more people to be vaccinated. New data on vaccine safety, including the incidence of serious adverse events, have been collected. Despite significant advances in the development of and research on COVID-19 vaccines, many questions remain that require further investigation.
Modeling and Analysis of a Simple Flexible Wing—Thorax System in Flapping-Wing Insects
Authors: Cote Braden , Weston Samuel , Jankauski Mark
Published: November 2022

Small-scale flapping-wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs) are an emerging robotic technology with many applications in areas including infrastructure monitoring and remote sensing. However, challenges such as inefficient energetics and decreased payload capacity preclude the useful implementation of FWMAVs. Insects serve as inspiration to FWMAV design owing to their energy efficiency, maneuverability, and capacity to hover. Still, the biomechanics of insects remain challenging to model, thereby limiting the translational design insights we can gather from their flight. In particular, it is not well-understood how wing flexibility impacts the energy requirements of flapping flight. In this work, we developed a simple model of an insect drive train consisting of a compliant thorax coupled to a flexible wing flapping with single-degree-of-freedom rotation in a fluid environment. We applied this model to quantify the energy required to actuate a flapping wing system with parameters based off a hawkmoth Manduca sexta. Despite its simplifications, the model predicts thorax displacement, wingtip deflection and peak aerodynamic force in proximity to what has been measured experimentally in flying moths. We found a flapping system with flexible wings requires 20% less energy than a flapping system with rigid wings while maintaining similar aerodynamic performance. Passive wing deformation increases the effective angle of rotation of the flexible wing, thereby reducing the maximum rotation angle at the base of the wing. We investigated the sensitivity of these results to parameter deviations and found that the energetic savings conferred by the flexible wing are robust over a wide range of parameters.
Nanomaterials-Based Electrochemiluminescence Biosensors for Food Analysis: Recent Developments and Future Directions
Authors: Zhou Jiaojiao , Lv Xuqin , Jia Jilai , Din Zia-ud , Cai Shiqi , He Jiangling , Xie Fang , Cai Jie
Published: November 2022

Developing robust and sensitive food safety detection methods is important for human health. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a powerful analytical technique for complete separation of input source (electricity) and output signal (light), thereby significantly reducing background ECL signal. ECL biosensors have attracted considerable attention owing to their high sensitivity and wide dynamic range in food safety detection. In this review, we introduce the principles of ECL biosensors and common ECL luminophores, as well as the latest applications of ECL biosensors in food analysis. Further, novel nanomaterial assembly strategies have been progressively incorporated into the design of ECL biosensors, and by demonstrating some representative works, we summarize the development status of ECL biosensors in detection of mycotoxins, heavy metal ions, antibiotics, pesticide residues, foodborne pathogens, and other illegal additives. Finally, the current challenges faced by ECL biosensors are outlined and the future directions for advancing ECL research are presented.
A Glycemia-Based Nomogram for Predicting Outcome in Stroke Patients after Endovascular Treatment
Authors: Liu Chengfang , Zhang Yuqiao , Li Xiaohui , Liu Yukai , Jiang Teng , Wang Meng , Deng Qiwen , Zhou Junshan
Published: November 2022

Objective: Higher fasting glucose is thought to be associated with adverse outcome in patients receiving endovascular treatment (EVT), while the effect of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) on outcome is controversial. We combined fasting blood glucose (FBG) with HbA1c and evaluated their relationship with the three-month functional outcome in patients who underwent EVT. Methods: Data from 739 consecutive ischemic stroke patients who underwent EVT from April 2015 to August 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. HbA1c was used to estimate the chronic glucose level according to the following formula: chronic glucose level (mg/dL) = 28.7 × HbA1c (%) − 6.7. Patients were split into two groups in accordance with the three-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized to investigate the association of outcome with blood glucose and to identify other predictors of prognosis. Results: Patients with poor outcome had significantly higher FBG, chronic glycemia, FBG/chronic glycemic ratio, and difference between FBG and chronic glycemia (ΔA-C). FBG, the FBG/chronic glycemic ratio, and ΔA-C remained to be associated with poor outcome after adjustment. We then established a glycemia-based nomogram with a concordance index of 0.841, and it showed favorable clinical utility according to decision curve analysis. Conclusions: Glycemia after EVT was connected with the functional outcome and a nomogram based on glycemia may be used to predict prognosis in stroke patients treated with EVT.
Neuromorphic-Based Neuroprostheses for Brain Rewiring: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives in Neuroengineering
Authors: Chiappalone Michela , Cota Vinicius R. , Carè Marta , Di Florio Mattia , Beaubois Romain , Buccelli Stefano , Barban Federico , Brofiga Martina , Averna Alberto , Bonacini Francesco , Guggenmos David J. , Bornat Yannick , Massobrio Paolo , Bonifazi Paolo , Levi Timothée
Published: November 2022

Neuroprostheses are neuroengineering devices that have an interface with the nervous system and supplement or substitute functionality in people with disabilities. In the collective imagination, neuroprostheses are mostly used to restore sensory or motor capabilities, but in recent years, new devices directly acting at the brain level have been proposed. In order to design the next-generation of neuroprosthetic devices for brain repair, we foresee the increasing exploitation of closed-loop systems enabled with neuromorphic elements due to their intrinsic energy efficiency, their capability to perform real-time data processing, and of mimicking neurobiological computation for an improved synergy between the technological and biological counterparts. In this manuscript, after providing definitions of key concepts, we reviewed the first exploitation of a real-time hardware neuromorphic prosthesis to restore the bidirectional communication between two neuronal populations in vitro. Starting from that ‘case-study’, we provide perspectives on the technological improvements for real-time interfacing and processing of neural signals and their potential usage for novel in vitro and in vivo experimental designs. The development of innovative neuroprosthetics for translational purposes is also presented and discussed. In our understanding, the pursuit of neuromorphic-based closed-loop neuroprostheses may spur the development of novel powerful technologies, such as ‘brain-prostheses’, capable of rewiring and/or substituting the injured nervous system.
Anti-NF155/NF186 IgG4 Antibody Positive Autoimmune Nodopathy
Authors: Wang Lijun , Pan Jing , Meng Huanyu , Yang Zhao , Zeng Lili , Liu Jun
Published: November 2022

Patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) seropositive for autoantibodies against nodal and paranodal proteins display distinct clinical presentations. In the latest study, CIDP with autoantibodies against paranodal proteins was defined as autoimmune nodopathy (AN). We herein present a case of 39-year-old male with anti- neurofascin (NF) 155 and NF186 IgG4 antibody with gait disturbance and tremor, who was followed up for 4 months and demonstrated clinical improvements after apparently effective rituximab therapy. In addition, a literature review was conducted to investigate the clinical characteristics of anti-NF155/NF186-positive AN.
Impact of Subjective and Objective Factors on Bus Travel Intention
Authors: Chen Qi , Yan Yibo , Zhang Xu , Chen Jian
Published: November 2022

Given the lack of quantitative descriptions on the interaction between psychological factors and the built environment in existing urban bus travel behavior, this study examines the simultaneous influences of the objective-built environment and subjective psychological factors on bus travel intentions. An empirical study on the influence path of bus travel intention was conducted using structural equation modeling. Then, personal attribute factors were introduced, and a linear regression model was used to explore the influence of behavioral intentions. This study uses 410 investigated samples from the residents in Zhengzhou, China. The findings proved that psychological factors play mediating roles between the travel environment and its impact on travel behaviors and confirms the validity of the description of the measurement variable with respect to the bus travel intentions proposed in the study. We also found that the retirement factor among the personal attribute factors could significantly affect bus travel intentions, which means that the retired group prefers to use buses for traveling. This study shows innovations in catching the intermediary effect of psychological factors between the built environment and travel behavior while also quantifying the effects of both subjective and objective factors when choosing bus travel.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Quality of Life and Happiness of Care Home Residents in Croatia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Olumekor Michael , Stojić Andrea , Kehler Tatjana , Polo Francesco
Published: November 2022

Care/nursing homes globally have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and have disproportionately experienced a high rate of mortality which led to the introduction of strict isolation policies. However, while there are studies on the mortality, epidemiology, staffing challenges, and mismanagement in long-term care homes as a result of COVID-19, there appears to be a paucity of information regarding the Quality of Life (QoL), happiness, and associated well-being of the elderly residents of these homes. Therefore, we examined if COVID-19 affected the happiness level, QoL, and financial condition of long-term care home residents in Croatia. To achieve this, a survey of 308 participants in eight long term care homes was conducted. Descriptive analysis was performed to describe the mean of all responses and the Bayesian Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) was used to provide a detailed quantitative analysis of the results. We found that the QoL and happiness of residents remained relatively stable during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the income level, financial outlook, marital status, and vaccination positivity influenced the QoL and happiness of care home residents to a considerable degree. We recommend that policy makers pay attention to these underlying factors.
What Do You Think of AI? Research on the Influence of AI News Anchor Image on Watching Intention
Authors: Xue Ke , Li Yifei , Jin Hanqing
Published: November 2022

Since the concept of artificial intelligence was introduced in 1956, AI technology has been gradually applied in various fields, including journalism. This paper focuses on research related to AI news anchors, and two correlated experiments are applied to examine audiences’ perceived attractiveness of AI news anchors from a psychological dimension. Study 1 focuses on the different variables that influence the behavioral willingness of AI news anchor viewers, while Study 2 focuses on the mediating and moderating variables that influence audiences’ psychological changes. The results indicate that non-humanoid female AI news anchors who use anthropomorphic voices to broadcast news obtain the highest perceived attractiveness among audiences. Additionally, the mediating effect of perceived attractiveness and the negative moderating effect on the inherent impression of traditional news anchors are both verified in the study. Based on the research findings, the implications and suggestions are addressed accordingly.
NiFe Layered Double Hydroxide Electrocatalyst Prepared via an Electrochemical Deposition Method for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Praveen Kumar Murugesan , Sasikumar Moorthy , Arulraj Arunachalam , Rajasudha Venugopalan , Murugadoss Govindhasamy , Kumar Manavalan Rajesh , Gouse Peera Shaik , Mangalaraja Ramalinga Viswanathan
Published: November 2022

Herein, we aimed to obtain NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) with a controlled phase and surface morphology as a highly active and stable oxygen evolution catalyst via the electrochemical deposition method, which was thermodynamically stable for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in an alkaline medium. The NiFe-LDH sample was analyzed by sophisticated instruments and tested as an electrocatalyst on Toray carbon (TC). The NiFe-LDH electrocatalyst showed an excellent performance with lower overpotential of 0.27 V at 35 mA cm−2 and higher density of 125 mA cm−2 for OER in the 1 M KOH electrolyte solution. Moreover, the prepared catalyst exhibited unpredictable long-time stability for 700 h. From our knowledge, NiFe-LDH is a robust highly stable electrocatalyst compared to the recent reports.
Substrate-Dependent Selectivity in Sc(OTf)3-Catalyzed Cyclization of Alkenoic Acids and N-Protected Alkenamides
Authors: Zhang Hailong , Carlino Romain , Guillot Régis , Gil Richard , Bezzenine Sophie , Hannedouche Jérôme
Published: November 2022

Five- and six-membered ring lactones and lactams are ubiquitous frameworks in various natural and synthetic molecules and are key building blocks in organic synthesis. Catalytic addition of an O-H or N-H bond across an unactivated C–C double bond is an appealing approach to rapidly access such highly valuable N- and O-containing skeletons in a waste-free and 100% atom efficient process. Herein, we report, for the first time, the efficient and high-yield cyclization of δ/ε-alkenoic acids and N-protected δ-alkenamides catalyzedby practical and easily accessible Lewis acid scandium(III) triflate under thermal and microwave conditions. The selectivity outcome of the reaction of δ/ε-alkenoic acids was dependent on the substitution patterns of the backbone chain and alkene moiety, leading to the exclusive formation of either the corresponding γ/δ-lactones via an O-selective cyclization or the Friedel–Crafts-type product by C-selective cyclization. An uncommon and rarely disclosed O-selective cyclization occurred preferentially or exclusively when N-protected δ-alkenamides were engaged in the reaction. The atom selectivity of the cyclization was unambiguously confirmed by single crystal X-ray crystallography.
Cell Dissemination in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Kim Jungsun
Published: November 2022

Pancreatic cancer is a disease notorious for its high frequency of recurrence and low survival rate. Surgery is the most effective treatment for localized pancreatic cancer, but most cancer recurs after surgery, and patients die within ten years of diagnosis. The question persists: what makes pancreatic cancer recur and metastasize with such a high frequency? Herein, we review evidence that subclinical dormant pancreatic cancer cells disseminate before developing metastatic or recurring cancer. We then discuss several routes by which pancreatic cancer migrates and the mechanisms by which pancreatic cancer cells adapt. Lastly, we discuss unanswered questions in pancreatic cancer cell migration and our perspectives.
CAR-Macrophages and CAR-T Cells Synergistically Kill Tumor Cells In Vitro
Authors: Liu Maoxuan , Liu Junchen , Liang Ziwei , Dai Kun , Gan Jiangyu , Wang Qi , Xu Yang , Chen Youhai H. , Wan Xiaochun
Published: November 2022

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing macrophages (CAR-M) have a great potential to improve cancer therapy, as shown from several recent preclinical studies. However, unlike CAR-T cell therapy, which has been widely studied, the efficacy and limitations of CAR-M cells remain to be established. To address this issue, in the present study, we compared three intracellular signaling domains (derived from common γ subunit of Fc receptors (FcRγ), multiple EGF-like-domains protein 10 (Megf10), and the CD19 cytoplasmic domain that recruits the p85 subunit of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K), respectively) for their ability to promote primary CAR-M functions, and investigated the potential synergistic effect between CAR-M and CAR-T cells in their ability to kill tumor cells. We found that CAR-MFcRγ exerted more potent phagocytic and tumor-killing capacity than CAR-MMegf10 and CAR-MPI3K. CAR-M and CAR-T demonstrated synergistic cytotoxicity against tumor cells in vitro. Mechanistically, the inflammatory factors secreted by CAR-T increased the expression of costimulatory ligands (CD86 and CD80) on CAR-M and augmented the cytotoxicity of CAR-M by inducing macrophage M1 polarization. The upregulated costimulatory ligands may promote the fitness and activation of CAR-T cells in turn, achieving significantly enhanced cytotoxicity. Taken together, our study demonstrated for the first time that CAR-M could synergize with CAR-T cells to kill tumor cells, which provides proof-of-concept for a novel combinational immunotherapy.
High Temperature Low Friction Behavior of h-BN Coatings against ZrO2
Authors: Zeng Qunfeng
Published: November 2022

This paper presents high temperature low friction behaviors of the h-BN coatings, which were deposited on high-speed tool steel by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. A tribometer was used to investigate high temperature tribological properties of h-BN coatings against ZrO2 from 500 °C to 800 °C. The surface morphology, mechanical properties and chemical states of the worn surface of the friction pair were characterized and investigated systemically. The experimental results show that h-BN coatings are of significant importance to improve high temperature tribological properties of steel. Moreover, it is found that high temperature super low friction of the friction pairs is successfully achieved due to tribochemistry, which plays a key role in forming the in-situ generated Fe2O3/h-BN composites on the worn surface of h-BN coatings. CoFs of the friction pair are as super low as about 0.02 at 800 °C and around 0.03 at 600 °C at the stable stage. The high temperature super low friction mechanism of the friction pair is discussed in detail. The present study opens a new strategy to achieve high temperature super low friction of the friction system during sliding.
The Electronic Structure and Optical Properties of CdGeAs2 Crystal: A DFT and HSE06 Study
Authors: Xue Suqin , Ning Jing , Zhang Bohang , Wu Qiao , Zhang Fuchun , Zhang Weibin
Published: November 2022

The electronic structural and optical properties of CdGeAs2 crystals are calculated by using the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) functional within generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and the Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof (HSE06) functional. The results show that CdGeAs2 is an optical crystal with a direct bandgap of 0.71 eV by using the HSE06 functional method, which is closer to the experimental value. The Mulliken population and differential charge density analysis indicate that the Ge–As and Cd–As bonds have covalent properties, and that the covalent bond of Cd–As is visibly stronger than that of the Ge–As bond. The optical properties show that the CdGeAs2 crystal has strong absorption and reflection in the ultraviolet region and strong transmittance in the infrared region. The average static refractive index of CdGeAs2 is 2.96, and the static birefractive index is 0.08. The results show that CdGeAs2 is an excellent optical material of potential applications in the middle and far infrared.
Advances in Surface Functionalization of Lithium Battery Separators and Their In-Service Process Damage Behavior
Authors: Qian Wang , Chen Yang , Xu Ruijie , Lei Caihong , Chen Dahua
Published: November 2022

In recent years, with the rapid development of the lithium battery and energy storage industry, lithium-ion/lithium batteries have received extensive attention and have applications in high-power, portable household and power energy storage [...]
Study on Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Cephalexin Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Its Process Development to Prepare 7-ADCA
Authors: Zhang Junli , Duan Erhong , Wu Songgu , Shang Zeren , Hou Baohong , Gong Junbo , Sun Hua
Published: November 2022

Cephalosporin enzymatic hydrolysis technology is a green technology for recovering 7-amino-3-deacetoxycephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA) from cephalosporin mother liquor. Solubility is critical for the production and purification of 7-ADCA. In this paper, the solubility of 7-ADCA and phenylglycine was measured. Solubility-temperature correlation model and solubility-pH correlation model were investigated, and Akaike information criterion (AIC) analysis was performed. The kinetic parameters of the enzymatic hydrolysis reaction of cephalexin, cefradine, and cefadroxil were determined, and the reaction rates under different substrate concentrations were measured, and the Lineweaver–Burk double-reciprocal equation was used to draw a graph. The Michaelis constants Km/(mg/mL) were 73.98, 583.84, 38.66, Vmax/(mg/mL·min) 4.20, 16.00, 1.96, respectively. The experimental results show that amphoteric compounds and buffers can prompt the reaction, low concentration of methanol promotes the reaction, while high concentration of methanol inhibits the reaction, and ethanol, isopropanol, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol (EG), 1,4-dioxane all have different degrees of inhibition on the reaction speed. Finally, based on thermodynamic and kinetic studies, a process technology for the preparation of 7-ADCA by hydrolysis catalyzed of cephalexin was developed. It was confirmed that the proposed process route of preferential removal of phenylglycine by elution and/or cooling crystallization was reasonable and effective. The 7-ADCA crystal products obtained by crystallization were characterized by PXRD, thermal analysis, infrared, electron microscope, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Effect of the Strength of Initial Aluminium on the Bonding Properties and Deformation Coordination of Ti/Al Composite Sheets by the Cold Roll Bonding Process
Authors: Liu Jiageng , Wu Jiang , Liu Qian , Ji Shuai , Zheng Xinlu , Wang Feng , Wang Jiang
Published: November 2022

Ti/Al composite sheets were prepared using the cold rolling process, and different initial aluminium strengths were considered. The results showed that the peel strength of the Ti/Al composite sheet increased with the increasing initial strength of aluminium under the same reduction. A higher strength of the initial aluminium corresponds to better deformation coordination between titanium and aluminium, where the strain hardening of titanium and aluminium plays an important role. The change degree of the components of twins on the titanium side for the Ti/Al composite sheet with a low aluminium strength is stronger than that for the Ti/Al composite sheet with a high aluminium strength. The strong change in the components of twins may result in the low uniformity of the microstructure on the titanium side. The analysis of the peeling surface shows aluminium residue on the titanium side, while there was almost no titanium residue on the aluminium side. At the same reduction, a higher strength of aluminium corresponds to less aluminium residue on the titanium side. The bonding properties of Ti/Al cold-rolled composite sheets were determined by four strong bonding areas. The strength of the initial aluminium was the main factor, and the residual amount of aluminium on the titanium side of the peeling surfaces was a secondary factor.
Nanoindentation on the Transformation of LPSO Phases during Different Solution Heat Treatments in an Mg-Dy-Nd-Zn-Zr Alloy
Authors: Maier Petra , Schmahl Merle , Clausius Benjamin , Joy Charis , Fleck Claudia
Published: November 2022

The objective of this study is the investigation of nanomechanical properties using nanoindentation of extruded and heat-treated Mg-Dy-Nd-Zn-Zr, with an emphasis on the transformation of long-period stacking-ordered (LPSO) phases. Solution heat treatment was performed with different heat treatment for durations on hot extruded Mg-Dy-Nd-Zn-Zr to monitor the transformation of LPSO phases, as well as to keep track of microstructural changes. The initial fine-grained microstructure, with blocky and lamellar LPSO structures within the matrix, first transformed into coarser grains with fewer LPSO lamellae, which then increased in amount again at higher annealing duration. The blocky LPSO phases, which have the highest hardness compared to the matrix grains with and without LPSO lamellae, consistently decrease in quantity, as so does the trend in their hardness value. The Mg matrix grains with LPSO lamellae show a lower hardness compared to the Mg matrix grains without or with a just few lamellar LPSO phases, and increase in quantity at long annealing durations. The overall hardness of the microstructure is essentially determined by the LPSO lamellae-containing grains and reaches a peak at 24 h. There is another peak found for the grain size values; however, this is at later annealing duration, at 72 h. The reduction in grain size towards longer annealing durations goes along with a reactivated formation of LPSO lamellae.
Nomogram Based on Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio to Predict Survival of Unresectable Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Who Receive First-Line PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors Combined with Chemotherapy
Authors: Ma Xiaolu , Ding Yongfeng , Qian Jiong , Wan Mingyu , Li Ning , Mao Chenyu , Xiao Cheng , Jiang Haiping , Zheng Yulong , Wu Luntao , Chen Xiaoyu , Xu Nong
Published: November 2022

Background. Chemoimmunotherapy has become the first-line treatment for unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Still, reliable biomarkers to identify patients who could benefit from this combined therapy remain uncertain. This study focused on elucidating the predictive significance of the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and establishing the prognostic nomogram for unresectable ESCC treated with chemoimmunotherapy. Methods. Data of clinical features, peripheral blood parameters, and treatment records were collected in unresectable ESCC patients who received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy as the first-line treatment from September 2017 to August 2021. The nomogram based on MLR and clinical parameters for predicting the overall survival (OS) was developed and validated. Results. Out of 81 patients enrolled, patients with a lower MLR had significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) and OS than patients with a higher pretreatment MLR (p = 0.0067; p = 0.00069). The OS nomogram integrating MLR, performance status (PS) score, and body mass index (BMI) achieved a C-index of 0.770 (95%CI 0.645–0.896). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) value of the nomogram predicting 12-, 18-, and 24-month OS rates were 0.855, 0.792, and 0.744, respectively, which were higher than the clinical TNM staging system or the MLR. Stratified by the nomogram-generated scores, three risk groups (low, moderate, and high) in survival curves manifested a distinct difference (p < 0.0001). Conclusion. MLR emerged as an independent predictive factor for PFS and OS in treatment-naive unresectable ESCC patients treated with chemoimmunotherapy. The constructed nomogram of MLR and clinical parameters was a reliable model for prognostic estimation.
Safety of Bedside Portable Low-Field Brain MRI in ECMO Patients Supported on Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
Authors: Wilcox Christopher , Acton Matthew , Rando Hannah , Keller Steven , Sair Haris I. , Chinedozi Ifeanyi , Pitts John , Kim Bo Soo , Whitman Glenn , Cho Sung Min
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: Fifty percent of patients supported on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) are concurrently supported with an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). Acute brain injury (ABI) is a devastating complication related to ECMO and IABP use. The standard of care for ABI diagnosis requires transport to a head CT (HCT) scanner. Recent data suggest that point-of-care (POC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is safe and may be effective in diagnosing ABI in ECMO patients; however, no data exist in patients supported on ECMO with an IABP. We report pre-clinical safety data and a case series to evaluate the safety and feasibility of POC brain MRI in ECMO patients supported with IABP. (2) Methods: Prior to patient use, ex vivo testing with an IABP catheter within the Swoop® Portable MRI (0.064 T) System™ was conducted. After IRB approval, clinical testing was performed for the safety and feasibility of early ABI detection. (3) Results: No deflection force was measured with a 7.5 French Maquet Linear IABP within the 0.064 T field. Three adult ECMO patients (average age: 40 years; 67% female) supported with IABP completed four POC brain MRI exams (median exam time: 30 min). Multiple signal abnormalities were detected on the POC brain MRI, corresponding to HCT results. (4) Conclusions: Our preliminary results suggest that adult VA-ECMO patients with IABP support can be safely imaged with low-field POC brain MRI in the intensive care unit, allowing for the early and bedside imaging of patients.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: A Pictorial Review Based on the New ATS/JRS/ALAT Clinical Practice Guideline for Radiologists and Pulmonologists
Authors: Dabiri Mona , Jehangir Maham , Khoshpouri Pegah , Chalian Hamid
Published: November 2022

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is a complicated and heterogeneous interstitial lung disease (ILD) caused by an excessive immune response to an inhaled antigen in susceptible individuals. Accurate diagnosis of HP is difficult and necessitates a detailed exposure history, as well as a multidisciplinary discussion of clinical, histopathologic, and radiologic data. We provide a pictorial review based on the latest American Thoracic Society (ATS)/Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS)/Asociación Latinoamericana del Tórax (ALAT) guidelines for diagnosing HP through demonstrating new radiologic terms, features, and a new classification of HP which will benefit radiologists and pulmonologists.
The Analysis of Relevant Gene Networks Based on Driver Genes in Breast Cancer
Authors: Qu Luxuan , Wang Zhiqiong , Zhang Hao , Wang Zhongyang , Liu Caigang , Qian Wei , Xin Junchang
Published: November 2022

Background: The occurrence and development of breast cancer has a strong correlation with a person’s genetics. Therefore, it is important to analyze the genetic factors of breast cancer for future development of potential targeted therapies from the genetic level. Methods: In this study, we complete an analysis of the relevant protein–protein interaction network relating to breast cancer. This includes three steps, which are breast cancer-relevant genes selection using mutual information method, protein–protein interaction network reconstruction based on the STRING database, and vital genes calculating by nodes centrality analysis. Results: The 230 breast cancer-relevant genes were chosen in gene selection to reconstruct the protein–protein interaction network and some vital genes were calculated by node centrality analyses. Node centrality analyses conducted with the top 10 and top 20 values of each metric found 19 and 39 statistically vital genes, respectively. In order to prove the biological significance of these vital genes, we carried out the survival analysis and DNA methylation analysis, inquired about the prognosis in other cancer tissues and the RNA expression level in breast cancer. The results all proved the validity of the selected genes. Conclusions: These genes could provide a valuable reference in clinical treatment among breast cancer patients.
Improved Dyna-Q: A Reinforcement Learning Method Focused via Heuristic Graph for AGV Path Planning in Dynamic Environments
Authors: Liu Yiyang , Yan Shuaihua , Zhao Yang , Song Chunhe , Li Fei
Published: November 2022

Dyna-Q is a reinforcement learning method widely used in AGV path planning. However, in large complex dynamic environments, due to the sparse reward function of Dyna-Q and the large searching space, this method has the problems of low search efficiency, slow convergence speed, and even inability to converge, which seriously reduces the performance and practicability of it. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an Improved Dyna-Q algorithm for AGV path planning in large complex dynamic environments. First, to solve the problem of the large search space, this paper proposes a global path guidance mechanism based on heuristic graph, which can effectively reduce the path search space and, thus, improve the efficiency of obtaining the optimal path. Second, to solve the problem of the sparse reward function in Dyna-Q, this paper proposes a novel dynamic reward function and an action selection method based on the heuristic graph, which can provide more intensive feedback and more efficient action decision for AGV path planning, effectively improving the convergence of the algorithm. We evaluated our approach in scenarios with static obstacles and dynamic obstacles. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can obtain better paths more efficiently than other reinforcement-learning-based methods including the classical Q-Learning and the Dyna-Q algorithms.